Soggy Top of Table Clash Resolves Nothing

HWRCC 2xi 18-2 (7 overs)
Chobham Did Not Bat
Abandoned

Like a fine wine in the cellar this fixture, between second and third place in the table, had your correspondent salivating all week. In fact so dribbly was Wickman that at one point his wife was forced to dig him in the ribs to check if he had had a stroke.

On the trip down the M3 the weather reminded Wickman of the trip down the M3 to Southampton for last year's weather foreshortened tour. It was pissing down not to put too fine a point on it.

When we eventually found Chobham's beautiful ground it was enough to have Cole and Clark checking estate agent windows. Picturesque to the point of absurdity, if the sun had been out this would have been the game of the season. Norman church, village hall, horses in a field, cars parked (like Canterbury in the old days) just beyond the boundary - this had everything.

Apart from the weather. Chobham were as keen as mustard to have a game. The Wick boys were not as it was absolutely clear that this was going to be a day when not much cricket was played, everyone would get damp and then it would be called off. Recalling last year at Effingham when we were almost cheated into a losing draw the senior players were determined that Chobham would not bundle them into a game and turn them over.

But then Chobham won the toss. And guess what? They stuck us in. Covers allowed for seven overs of cricket in light drizzle. What action there was saw Clark drill two fours, one straight and one through midwicket before perishing caught behind causing a stream of invective all the all the way from the middle to the dressing room. Clark's not uncertain view was that the noise was bat on pad. And even the oppo keeper wasn't certain. But then we all think we aren't out. Cole then middled a cut to a gentleman of girth (who had earlier pointed the way to the chip shop) fielding at third slip / gully. Afterwards in the inevitable rain break Chobham opined that "he thought it was a burger" as his reactions were startling and he plucked it like the character Wimpey from the Popeye cartoons.

And that was that. Tea was taken early. 2. Sound harsh? Whoever made it put the tea and the milk into the teapot. WTF??????? Just so wrong. Ruined the entire day. Would have been a 6 otherwise as the sandwiches were excellent (although meat eaters were disappointed) and there was an abundance of cake. We almost got back on (Chobham having convinced themselves that conditions hadn't got any worse despite it not really have stopped raining at all) but then a deluge arrived. As we left Wickman saw an old gentleman pull up in the carpark with a large quantity of wood and some pairs of exotic animals. It was that kind of afternoon.

It looks like most other sides were rained off so its near enough "as you were" with three fixtures to go.