Sunday saw Harlow CC entertain for the very first time Tewin Cricket Club from Hertfordshire, a bright enthusiastic ‘village’ team with slight connections with some of the Harlow CC members. So, our first ever match is ready.

Unfortunately, Saturday evening caused a problem only seven players available! Having experienced a ‘perfect storm’ of selection with the holiday season and soccer. It took away about twenty players who would normally play.

So, panic button is pressed firm.
73-year-old Alan Hodgson a frequent cricket observer at Marigolds took a split section to come out of a ten year retirement, so keen he brushed down his kit before bedtime and slept in his whites all night!

Jake Messenger was sweet talked into playing in front of his lovely lady so now we are a magnificent nine.

Two missing, then we discover a ‘yes’ became a no! Sickness, bugger. So, club President Alan Howick older than his name sake Mr Hodgson makes himself available after a ten-year gap but no kit.

Sunday morning, we are still eight. Up step brother’s Jack and Callum Sykes, strongly urged on by their mother Tracy who is awarded a very large wine & lemonade for her efforts. So, we are ten. Our guests have travelled with twelve players, brilliant, we receive a donation in a ringer who becomes a brilliant wicketkeeper for us, guy called Chris, top bloke.

Game on. HCC skipper and Club Chairman Simon Baulcomb (he is no spring chicken
either) wins the toss and sensibly invites the kids from Tewin bat first.

They proceeded to smash the ball to all parts of the ground. Within ten minutes, 73 year old Hodgson pulls up with a torn calf muscle and after a brave but very silly struggle, retires. Tewin now supply us with substitute fielder, thanks boys! The President throws himself around the field, well falls over is better described each time full of expletives and rubbing various bruised parts of his body.

Harlow bowlers regroup and put on a good economic display and after forty overs a score of just over 250 looks a lot better than after the first ten, it could have been many more hundreds but tight bowling from Tyler Dobson, Callum Sykes and Jake Mesenger, Aussie Dave put in a shift as well.

Tea time, well deserved. The batting order seems to be age grouped, youngest at the front oldies in the middle and the two geriatrics 10 and eleven.

Well, in brief we didn’t do ourselves any harm, good opening partnership with our Brothers Sykes, then a massive stand between Aussie Dave and Chairman Baulks, only for the Aussie to run out or Chairman who was on 47! Not a good choice of calls Dave if you expect to negotiate a new contract.

So gently, the wickets tumbled leaving the elderly tail parring of Howick and limping with a runner, Alan Hodgson. Harlow need about forty runs in four overs or, stick it out for a moral ‘draw’ albeit really, a brave defeat.

Neither are up for quick singles so its fours and sixes. No chance, those new bats are as heavy railway sleepers according to the president.

Tewin bring back the young quicky, that is not fair, so the President reminds the umpire (one of ours) “this lad no-balls off the front foot, I’ve umpired him earlier”.

Second ball Mr President is cleared out with all of his stumps scattered around!

NO BALL!!!!!

Right that’s it. Play for the draw, padded up, last minutes leaves and HCC gets through to the last over.

Big tactic chat between 10 and 11 (combined age being 150) The President tells Mr Hodgson, do not get out to that tiny little 13 year kid who is young enough to be your great grandson.

Well, the scorebook is history, our one legged 73 year old decides to play an aggressive shot and misses, all out, game over.

The post-match chatting and beer drinking proved we had a great day, even Baulks was spotted smiling, or it was wind.

Alan Howick – now a fully retired cricketer.