Date: 6th June, 2021
Venue: Bushy Park (top square)
Playing the Nepotists is a regular fixture in our cricketing calendar each year.
Winning the toss (for once), I elected to bat on a warm, sunny day. Things weren’t exactly going to plan with George judged LBW off his hip and Tristan getting a golden. Eddie Clark (45) and Nathan Beresforde (playing his first competitive senior game for the club) managed to restore some respectability to our scorecard by taking us from 12-2 up to 105-3 before Eddie was out. Daniel Edge (also on senior debut) contributed 18 as we managed to somehow get ourselves up to a modest total of 165 AO off just 33.2 overs, with 6.4 overs being wasted.
Nepotists sent the experienced Carl Hoar at the top of their order and he managed to largely nurdle his way to 45. Even when he was eventually out (bowled around his legs by Daniel Edge off just his - Daniel’s - second ball in his first ever senior spell), with the score on 102-4, the total still seemed to be easily achievable. However, some good bowling from Oli Worrall, Daniel Edge, Nimesh Patel and Nathan Beresforde managed to help us to get the last few wickets and scrape home winners by just 3 runs - the Nepotists captain, Steve Werrin, being the last wicket to fall - rather generously given out LBW off Nathan Beresforde by the umpire.
Nepotists are the team that have the tradition of passing around a brightly-coloured wig which has to be worn by any fielder dropping a catch. This year it was a pink, curly number. They also have a tradition of staying beyond after the game and getting through a fair few pints. So it proved to be the case this year, as we managed to finish this lot off 👇🏻 (and more besides) and I only left the pavilion at 10.30pm.
Author: Matt O’Toole