I awoke neither naked, nor hungover with zero weird dreams to speak of (shoutout nibs)

I did wake up a little early to watch my home AFL team back in Aus, the Sydney Swans, complete a satisfying comeback win. This fuelled the competitive juices for what was a huge game for the 1s. Currently second and playing against third, a win would been a huge step towards promotion and even winning the league.

After successfully remembering to head to the Hollies and not the Griffin, I was the first to arrive after going in the side gate. Some would say this was showing my keenness, other might interpret this as being lazy and being zero help carrying the required equipment over from the clubhouse. As a very positive person I choose the former. Nicko the keen bean.

We had an advertised start time of 12pm, a revised start time of 12:30 from the skipper due to juniors, somehow we got underway at the classic start time of 12:12 which was suppose to be 12:10 but James Barron needed a poo.

And what an important poo this was cause from the start he was a class above. After losing Captain Smudge to a Frogbox verified LBW, Barron and Gus set about building a big total on a tricky deck against a bowling line up that included the leading wicket taker in the league who was also their skipper.

I am going to divert away for a second to cover the day of this oppo skipper because it was truly one of the more self-indulgent, impressive, disgusting performances I have ever seen. His day went as follows

- Opened the bowling
- Immediately took the keeping gloves post first spell
- Changed keepers again to bowl over the last 9 overs
- Attempted and spectacularly failed a disgusting Mankad that thankfully Frogbox picked up for all its shithousery
- Opened the batting
- Left early (I think)

Back to our game.

Barron and Angus batted superbly, putting on a hundred run stand to take us to 114 before a collapse of Lehmans Brothers proportion sadly occurred. We went from 1-114 to all out for 161. A combination of some decent bowling but some poor shots and poor application. Myself being the main culprit falling for a duck. It was a shame that this occurred in front of some Plough Royalty (which obviously Dom Scott loved) including Cox, Carson, Paul Lane, Rich ‘The Heat’ Buckley and the great James ‘Jacko’ Jackson. Although I did hear that saw a similar collapse when they went to watch the 2s to maybe the whole thing is their fault.

We went to tea a little deflated but with the knowledge that with the bowling attack we had, we were still a big chance but needed to bowl well and take all our chances.

Spoiler alert – we did not take all our chances.

After an early inroad with a great forward diving catch from Skipper Shaun (in which he winded himself and may have cracked a rib) Burgess Park rode an extreme amount of luck and some sloppy catching to get to 1-90.

You think Plough threw in the towel? Fuck no. We fight, like Plough always bloody does.

We forced them into their own collapse of 6-38 to give ourselves a fighting chance. Tunnas the pick of the bowlers with four wickets and Champion Boss with four catches.

Sadly they were our last inroads and Burgess Park knocked off the remaining runs it a game that we really only have ourselves to blame. We fought really hard till the end but it wasn’t to be

We retreat to the clubhouse from some mixed feeling jugs. Frustration with our loss but celebration for the 2s who had a resounding victory and remain top of the league

The last stop for the evening is Duray’s housewarming party where he has managed to find the best rooftop in London. More beers and a braai was had, and goldfish mentality of forgetting ASAP and moving onto the next one is in full effect. Its an incredibly fun and pleasant evening on what had been a frustrating day

A final shout out to AJ, Leo Towers, Dom Scott, Jimmy and Mrs Butlin for coming down to watch and particularly to Stan who was there all day and brought the energy from start to finish. You can relive this energy on Youtube.

We go again next week but as always with this beautiful club, there is not bad day when playing cricket for the Plough.

Match report from Nicko Dowell