The Mighty Greys Vs Horley Strollers By QB 30th April 2023

A soggy pitch prevented TMGs from starting their 2023 season at Upper Beeding, so it fell upon Horley to host the season opener.

Date: Sunday 30/4/23, 1.30pm start

Weather: Warmish for April, becoming more overcast as the day went on

Game conditions: 40 overs a side, a new ball for each innings, max 8 overs per bowler, no-balls to be followed by a free hit.

Wicket: soft but even

Toss: Won by Horley who elected to bat first

TMG Team: Alex Fenton, Biffo Line, Del Covil (w), Bumbo Ashton, Chairman Shadow Burgess, Dave Day, QB (c), Diamond Dan Hermitage, EO Sewell, Chiefy McHugh, Statto Hoare

Horley Strollers Innings

Opening Spells: 

Double D opened with 2 maidens and was typically economical. Neither bowler had much luck. Seasoned observers of the Greys have noted that catching only really becomes part of the fielding repertoire towards mid-season.

First change:

EO struggles to adapt his length from bouncy winter nets to soft April grass and anything short gets punished. Robbie eases himself into the season with 3 overs, and decides that is enough workload for the 1st game of the season. Various dropped catches before Both Horley openers retire at 50no. A lithe stop from the Shadow earns a PSM nomination.

2nd Change:

Spin from both ends and slightly wayward start from both Chiefy and QB, but both tighten up after a few overs. QB takes the first wicket when Douglas top edges a sweep and Delbert takes a good running catch with the gloves. QB goes on to take 3 more wickets, all bowled, some of which are straight ones and some turners, but I can’t remember which, but the last one is nominated for PSM.

Chiefy tries to switch EO to the other side of the field before realising that both batsmen are left handers.

Dom bowls 4 overs of off spin which includes a vociferous appeal for LBW, before Diamond Dan and EO bowl the death overs. Eo has a bit more success this time and takes a wicket LBW.

Horley Stollers set a target of 264 to win,  an imposing one on a slow, early season wicket.

It’s BYO tea, and a refreshments come from the well stocked club bar.

Alex and Biff open the batting for the Mighty Greys against a Horley attack that, from one side at least, is a bit sharper and more youthful than  anything the Greys had to offer. Biffo succumbs for 2 bowled by young paceman Sam Terry, and Delbert is bowled for 11 by an excellent in swinging Yorker from the same bowler.

Alex, Terry and Dave Dave are all dismissed for single figures and TMG are struggling at 64-5

Dom offers resistance though and hits a huge 6 that smashes into a shed in a neighbouring garden.

The highest partnership of the innings comes from QB and Dom. QB middled a pull shot for 4, and then goes one better by pulling shot for 6 the next over. This shot wins the PSM vote later that evening. Dom was caught from what was judged a no-ball, then failed to remember that the next ball was a free hit, and defended it, gaining another PSM nomination in the process. The partnership wasn’t to last though as QB holed out to long on a few overs later, dismissed for 17.

EO feeds sweets through Dom’s helmet and the energy boost yields more runs including 2 more 6s. Dom is eventually bowled by Sam Terry for 64 from 66 balls.

The rest of the tail offers little resistance and TMG are bowled out for 121.

The Mighty Greys will undoubtedly have better performances this season, once the rustiness has worn off and the hands have warmed up a bit, but Horley Strollers were a bit too talented and youthful for us on the day. Spirits were high once more when TMGs retired to the Constant and showed that their drinking prowess had wintered better than their cricket.

Here’s the Horley online scorebook: https://horley.play-cricket.com/website/results/5619025