The Saint Stephen team appeared rather professional, if a bit disappointingly modern, in their one-day kit. We were mostly fit and well, although Matt Cook had a hamstring injury, Mat (Ogley) complained to a hugely unsympathetic Ellie that he felt unwell, and Chris Healey was worried about both J.L. Austin and the future of music. I cannot recall who won the toss, but the Mystics were first out to bat.
Matt Crawford and Sam Cook gave us a solid start with a 58-run partnership before Matt was bowled on 16 being replaced by Graham. Sam had a lucky reprieve; a catch, taken at long leg, was ruled by Fraser to have been a no-ball. He went on to an elegant 53 before local rules enforced his retirement and he was replaced by Duncan. Graham hit back-to-back fours, which bought up the 100. While perhaps not a flurry, there was a quickish fall of wickets with Duncan being caught (for 8), Graham being bowled (for 17), and Matt (Cook) being given LBW. This left Fraser and Chris (Cook) at the wicket. The Saint Stephen bowling got tighter in the middle period, and Fraser was caught on the boundary for a good 37 as he tried to hurry things along. Mat (Ogley) and Ben were out in quick succession, neither having troubled the scorer. Chris had by this time passed his 50 and retired. This left Chris (Healey) with three balls to face which resulted in two boundaries and one very nearly caught-and-bowled. We went into tea with a respectable 212 on the board.
Chris (Healey) rather undermined claims about post-tea lethargy by taking a wicket with his second ball; Prophet playing across the line to one which kept low. Mat (Ogley), determined to convince Ellie that he really was unwell, bowled the longest over in Mystics history, which included 8 wides. That said, wickets fell. Mat (Ogley) and Chris (Healey) both took wickets with thigh-high full tosses that took the top edge. Matt (Crawford) hit the stumps a couple of times and took a good caught-and-bowled. Mat (Ogley) attempted to break his previous record but could manage only a slightly shorter over with 7 wides. The curse of the full toss continued to haunt Saint Stephen; yet another (from Graham) was hit straight to a fielder (Matt Crawford back in the action again). Matt (Cook) and Sean were bowling well; Sean got a wicket with a good ball that was hit to Sam at mid-on. However, the writing was on the wall. The last couple of wickets went to the Chrises – Cook and Healey – and Saint Stephen finished on 117.
Despite having a Prophet as an opener and a Saint as a moniker, the gods of cricket did not smile on Saint Stephen. I think even those amongst the wickets would admit that there were a few balls that, on another day, would not have resulted in a wicket falling. All in all, it was a very splendid day and I very much look forward to the rematch.
Derek Matravers