On a sweltering hot, though sadly not very sunny, Friday evening, we welcomed our latest opposition, Tendring Park to Bures. Having never played them before we had no idea how strong they were, but as usual there was clearly going to be a case of experience needing to triumph over youth if we were to take the honours. 

Captain Charlie E failed to achieve the only really important part (win the toss!) and so we trudged out rather reluctantly onto the field and into the heat. Their two young Suffolk openers then proceeded to set off at a alarming rate while George E and Monty M slightly struggled to find a consistent line and length. However, George finally produced a beauty, and thereafter we were all treated to a diatribe of complete twaddle about how it had all been set up, and that we are unlikely to see a better ball this season. (George very definitely fits in well in the Bures team!)

There then followed another highly unusual event, a run out by the Chairman, and it seemed there might be a glimmer of hope. Buy no! The next few batsmen all smashed the ball to all 4 corners of the ground, and the fielding became a little ragged with one or two of our attack suffering from dropped catches. A couple of debuts were notable however, with Christy S and Max M both taking their first wickets for Bures, and Ralph G as ever bowled with enthusiasm, but rather less control, and may well have yielded a record score from one over (28) – luckily only a 5 ball over! In the end we were left chasing a formidable total of 202.

George E set about the task with great flair, only missing out on scoring a 50 entirely comprised of boundaries by taking 2 singles. James E then pushed on with a fine 23, and Nick M hit a 4 and two 6’s to keep things moving in the right direction. However, then a mini collapse, 3 wickets lost with only one run added, making the already tricky task look way beyond us………but yet again, Bures is full of surprises. Christy S and Max M put on 70 runs in no time, and suddenly we only needed 30 or so off 3 overs. Sadly, it was not to be, but we ended up only 10 runs short, which we all agreed was a fantastic effort.

And so to the pub, where refreshments flowed a plenty, and the company of the opposition particularly genial. As darkness fell the captain and his son were left with “just one last pint” and George still rambling on about his wicket to anyone who would listen (sadly no one else was left in the pub)!