The Jubilee Tour
Day 2: Lessons and No Mercy
Yet another astonishing ground was awaiting us in the form of postcard picture views of Pennshurst in Kent. Our opponents were a mixture of talented youths, a former second level County player (the leftie) and several still intoxicated, because apparently something was coming home, but was still AWOL.
Captain Jan Balk directed Jake White and Charles McInerney to open the batting. The openers fully exploited the dry conditions, which made essentially all balls leaving the bat reaching the boundary: the first single was noted when the score exceeded 40. Further aid was provided by a certain lack of concentration of fielders still dreaming of a Spain-England final. Both Charkes and Jake deservedly reached their century, after which they were scheduled for retirement (Leson 1: Charles refused, so he was instantly and fittingly eliminated by his namesake Charli, a gobby youngster of the County youth). Several further batsmen ran the score up (Lesson 2: Stephan Hannema made the poor judgment to top edge a slow ball without wearing a helmet. This could have cost him his nose; instead, it cost him his wicket) to a respectable 266 from 40 overs.
An excellent lunch later, something magical happened. Lesson 3: give an Englishman a bat, and, however drunk he is, he lets the bat speak. Controlled bowling by Wim kept the run rate low. The same could not be said of Bart, who did not hold back. Lesson 4: if you feel the first twitch of pain from your just recovered hamstring: stop the bowling. If not, …. Nevertheless, the team was steadfast. Under the spirited direction of Jan, who insisted on not taking any prisoners, no consideration for batsman age, in short: NO MERCY, the team kept the pressure on Pennshurst. Of the two most prominent batsmen, the boozy big man finally fell against the resurrected Michael Dukker, whereas the leftie continued the battle until the end. The end, eventually, came with the last ball. A four required, Charles’ bowling and controlled fielding confined him to two runs: Amsterdam win. Lesson 5: take it from the old hand Jan: keep believing and you will win!
Speeches and gifts administered, the crew retired. Lesson 6: book your campground well in time (a day should suffice, an hour is a bit short notice) lest you are only left with a single option. What an effing rip-off at Lucy’s Barn, and this Nathan is a fraud! Luckily, we had a suitably poor-quality Indian dinner to give the facilities a complete make-over.
Next stop: North Moreton.
