B.O.C.C.
Match Report
Barnes Occasionals vs. Harnham C.C.
26 July 1998 at 2:30 P.M at Barn Elms.
Capitain R. Price (elected to field).
Match Drawn
After weeks of bold rhetoric on strategy and in particular, on the attacking ploys to be used in this Tour '98 re-match, Price elected for to safer option of chasing a target. The visitors, fresh from an extended pub lunch, which for some of the team was itself an extension of a wedding on the previous day, looked ripe for the picking Price was fortunate to have at his disposal a strong bowling attack. Added to this the overcast, damp conditions and the scene seemed set for one of Barnes' bowling routs. Dunlop opened from the top end and immediately found a good line (possibly the LNER) in a lengthy spell of hostile fast bowling. Ably supported by the more economical Flower the possibility of early wickets gradually passed with stem defence from to Harnham opening pair.
Just as the innings seemed set to be moving towards a sizeable platform their captain Foster was removed with the score on forty-eight. Sixteen runs were added before the second wicket fell and the prolonged defiance of the accurate Barnes bowlers was at an end Dunlop finished his eleven over spell with two wickets for forty runs, but the figures do not accurately reflect the effort and hostility of his bowling (probably his best of the season).
With Seed now weaving his magic from the bottom end, O. Hogg signalled his readiness to bowl with lengthy stretching and waving of the arms to catch the captain's attention. Meanwhile, a profusely apologetic F. Hanmer appeared, a full one and a half hours late - surely a club record! Price, forgetting where he was, asked Hanmer for his note to explain his lateness, accompanied by several less helpful remarks from the Barnes team referring to Hanmer's general tardiness. His shoes having been filled by Mundy (not literally), Hanner loyally turned down the offer of playing for the opposition and (presumably after retiring at least six times) left for an early bath and Sunday roast.
With the Harham middle order collapsing Seed, O. Hogg and Mundy cashed in with seven wickets between them. Petit and Lichfield concluded the innings with Lichfield denying Petit Jnr. the chance to show dad a thing or two about how to swing a bat. Highlights of the Barnes bowling performance included the dismissal of Tompkins without scoring to a fast straight ball from Dunlop and Read's early exit to the Seed slower ball.
With the weather clearing during the afternoon Barnes were left needing 107 mm to win in favourable conditions. Price and A. Hogg opened to aggressive fast bowling from G. Shears and Read. Shears in particular bowled well, keeping a tight off-stump line and varying his length and pace to good effect. Under this attack the Barnes batsman suffered considerably. Wickets tumbled in extraordinarily quick succession with the score on 5 for 1, 6 for 2, 7 for 3, l3 for 4, 2l for 5, 23 for 6, and 40 for 7.
The early introduction of Petit and Lichfield, in a bid to score quick runs, had failed miserably and they were joined on the roll of dishonour by Price, A. Hogg, Lawrence, Mundy and Flower with the latter top scoring on 5.
Luckily, Dunlop was once again keeping the rubber alive with a brave knock. He eventually saw the end of G. Shears, who finished on 5-19, and with Seed in attendance briefly gave the team hope of a victory. With time running out, though, Seed decided to open his shoulders once too often and he fell for 21. 1t was left to 0. Hogg to bat out the remaing balls, which he did with admirable diligence and aplomb to earn the team a creditable draw. Barnes finished on 88-8 with Dunlop not out on 40 standing head and shoulders above his team-mates as man-of-the-match.