With the sun gleaming, the cricket season proper rolled round again, as did the skippers eyes fresh from the pre-season Makossa training camp. After a short debate about what to do, knowing that Stamp may be a couple of overs late, Chef promptly won the toss and we batted.

With shotgun Brett consigned to scoring, the opening partnership of TD & Daddy thought they were safe and so it seemed. The presence of TD loomed large at the crease (especially according to Farnworth), dispatching some fine cuts and pulls to the fence, looking in fine form. The partnership raced into the 40s before Goodrum was felled LBW in dubious fashion, aka plumb.

Quarmby came and went, which should have bought Chef to the crease, alas Instagram, his followers and ‘others’ were calling, which had prevented having any meaningful clothes on, so step forward Guy Ellis. He and TD putting on another 30 and seeing TD to his 50 before a leading edge brought that fine innings to a close. Well batted TD, first Pertemps 50 of the season.

Chef would now enter the fray, unfortunately a decent grab at slip would mean he now exited stage left, making way for the handsome Hayne. Hayne tucking into the short stuff would find the boundary for a Pertemps maximum and look comfortable from there on in. He and Ellis who also played some lovely cuts and straight drives would run well between the wicket before Ellis fell with the score now over 100.

Welton joined Hayne, who’s lovely technique complemented the natural looks of Hayne perfectly and a fine partnership looked on the cards, until a stunning grab at point would see Welton removed. With the clock at 3.20 and still no sign of Stamp, Brown who had earlier demanded to open, would look extremely comfortable in the middle he and Hayne would take the score to 160 with some more lovely shots and great running, and their partnership to just shy of 40 – crucial. Sadly, Brown having been distracted by Stamp changing pitch side would not be able to stay with his great friend Hayne to celebrate his Pertemps 50 and slapped it to backward point.

Stamp despite being 3 hrs late would not be flustered, he would stand firm at the strikers’ end, tripod like and unfurl a mighty one to the extra cover boundary second ball. Hayne would now raise his bat, a fine fine 50 and a vital knock. Stamp would be joined by the joyous Farnworth, who had self-proclaimed to be in the form of his life. Farnworth would in fact unleash the Pertemps shot of the match through the covers for 4, but Gour now found the length he’d been looking for, quite literally, Farnworth showing that northern grit would remain down for quite some time to a chorus of genuine concern from his teammates. Lightning nearly struck twice, inner thigh, a chorus of relief followed from the boundary, eventually his pole would be removed once and for all, sent 4m back. Stamp and Brett would then see out the remaining overs, Stamp finishing on a very classy 35 with upper cuts and drives on display, a great recovery from the Phez to finish on 209-9.

Farnworth and Brown to open the bowling and the squeeze would be on quickly – uncharacteristically Farnworth would show his displeasure at a batsmen taking longer than he deemed necessary, however it did the trick, waft waft wicket – caught Stamp. Brown would then get in on the action and remove Edy, this time caught gorgeously by Hayne.

A mini recovery before Farnworth got his second, caught a point by Welton. A fine opening spell by both – tone set. Welton into the attack with Brett, bowled tidily, varying his pace and unlucky not to have a couple himself – the ball falling in the gap on 3 occasions and gently through slip on another. Brett who would bowl through got the next at an important time, the captain bowled. Backed up by some fantastic fielding by Guy Ellis – who incidentally won Pertemps player of the day, boundaries were hard to come by and the pressure was on. Despite this squeeze, Hampstead were never fully out of it, and the Phez needed to stay alert.

Quarmby would be introduced, and his fine first over would lead to Brett clean bowling the Hampstead opener at the other end. Brett would finish 2-57. Quarmby would proceed to take 3 victims with him, 2 caught, Ellis & Farnworth finishing with 3-38 from his 7. Farnworth had returned to the attack drew a false shot caught at extra cover, Goodrum. 2 overs later, they should have been in business again, this time though a lefthander – Goodrum looking into the sun assumed the foetal position and the gentlest of chances went down. Step forward Brown to spare his blushes and take the next catch and finish the match. Farnworth would end up 4-27 from 9.2 – well bowled. A great win for the Phez – on to Teddington away next week.

Daddy x