Another bright warm Sunday greeted the teams for our next celebration game against close neighbours Matching. Many, many spectators including the Muggleton family, where Johnathon (the Father) is struggling with a rare form of cancer and is trying to raise money for treatment. We needed no greater incentive to get going. The BBQ raged most of the afternoon, with a steady stream of customers. The spectators tea queue stretched round the Clubhouse at £5 a head, more money was made there. A cheeky swindle on first innings total made in excess of £200. A great start to proceedings.

Now, back to the cricket.

Abi won the toss Harlow batted. Atif got the ball of the day and was bowled without scoring sadly. Elliot joined Zabi and the runs started to flow. Zabi in particular was merciless in dispatching anything remotely off line or length and passed 50 pretty quickly, Elliot also got there a while later. Our 2nd wicket fell at 159 with Zabi LBW. Elliot and Abi then upped the rate to get us to a pretty decent 237-4 at the end of our 40.

Tea was taken, and consumed like a bunch of locusts !

In reply Matching wasted no time in reducing the deficit. Shah in particular had clearly played before and was nothing short of brutal to any bowler who missed his spot. Wickets fell regularly, but Shah was keeping it interesting. Bowlers were swapped around. Amir managed to slide a couple of yorkers under Neville and Finleys bats respectively,. The spinners gradually put the brakes on, with Matt, Reece and George all taking wickets to eventually snuff out the Matching challenge 30 short, with Shah just missing out on a cracking hundred at 96, off just 70 balls. Biggest cheer of the day was when young Martha Bowerman got off the mark with a sweep to leg in the last over !

The fund raising continued with a James Howick organised bowl off, with all the bits and pieces organised on the day and a modest top up from the VPC coffers, we are able to write Jonathan a cheque for £1000 to go towards his treatment costs. The family were completely overwhelmed, and thanked the Club very much at the end of play.

Another cracking afternoon, played in superb spirit with balcony full of happy spectators many from Matching, old friends and new. This summer just keeps getting better and better !