GRAND DAY OUT IN NORTH ESSEX !

   from our Sudbury Correspondent (Who is a Bures man at heart - Ed.)

 

Well at least the weather was out! Wall to wall sunshine, a temperature nearing 20 degrees and a light s. westerly in the lovely village of Little Bardfield situated in the delightful North Essex countryside.....what more could a cricketer want? A win....that's what!

Not sure who won the toss...I arrived late just as Messrs. Amos and Chambers L. opened the batting for Bures.

We progressed well but by the time I had located the changing rooms and got changed we were at 23 for three. Not exactly panic stations but Burnley were one up in their match so I felt reasonably confident. Meanwhile our skipper Dave Warden had joined Willie the Moss at the crease and set about re-establishing a semblance of order and quiet control so the scorer was kept busy for some time afterwards. Meanwhile WAmos was getting to grips with the lifeless low-bounce pitch in some style. Settling into his familiar 4..6..4 routine he set about the Bardfield bowlers big time. He soon reached his 50 and it was their turn to panic....fielders scattering to all parts of the ground whenever he was on strike...even to up the north face of their lovely ground...where you get an apparent (if not real) aerial view of the proceedings. Even planes on their approach to Stansted seem lower!!

All was well and Will was going for it! Through the seventies, eighties and suddenly he was on 95 !! A typically straight driven four posted 99.....then disaster! A low bounce grubber balled him!! I've never experienced it personally...in common with most others at Bures CC...but to be out on 99 must be like having the wife yawning just at the wrong moment!!....a huge let down! Anyway....out for 99 he was!! Some valiant hitting ensued......in some cases impressively ......and Bures closed on 185 for eight. Best supporting acts were David Warden on 19 and Patrick "did you know Hartlepool have been promoted?" McKenna on 13....not out as well!

A special mention here for the teas...top quality and according to Patrick and Tyson the Labrador top quantity as well. A fine spread taken outside in glorious sunshine.

 It was now time for planning...could we defend our excellent score on what we all agreed was an less than easy batters wicket. "No probs" reckoned Roger, making not only his Bures debut but also his cricket debut. He had somehow downed 5 pints of lager by that stage and it was concluded his judgement could have been somewhat blurred by that stage.....and his eyesight!!

The Bardfield openers set about the Bures attack from the off - taking their opportunities to keep the score ticking along at the required rate. Despite much effort from our bowlers their score kept pace and in spite of two wickets down their batters breezed to a winning 186 for the loss of just two wickets in 40 overs. P Gray top scored with 71 n.o., A Kemp chipped in with 37, S Bass was 23 n.o. and extras were 30.

Result : Bures lost by 8 wickets. An enjoyable game in spite of the result.

 Due to the weather, ground and hospitality (plus the fact I'm an optimist).....it was a grand day out in North Essex!!