The day got off to a rusty start with profound difficulties for a handful of Zone 1-3 players trekking across the M25 when it seemed like 1/2 of London wanted to cash in on summer's last chance salon on the back of the Indian summer forecasts by the Met Office.

Meanwhile, with plenty of time on his hands having left at 9.15am, the skipper had a gaze over the pitch alongside the hosts akin to the Channel 9 commentators run down of the pitch preparation at the SCG playing host to a 50 over a side one day international match between Australia and one of the other ICC world cup contenders. The only thing missing it seems was the Tony Greig car key proceedings that lounge lizards around Terra Australis have come to relish many moons ago.

As the last few visitors landed on Ripley shores in what could be described as Guliver's travels as an ode to the London train strikes, our skipper strolled out to the middle for the coin toss which was won and then fervently elected to bat on an Oval'esque/Hollies'ish wicket with Hockings and Cosgrove opening up.

The bowling was difficult to get away much like facing military medium Mitchell Starc and gun barrel straight Pat Cummins in the day 1 Ashes test at the Oval not so long ago. The No.2, a.k.a. Leon was a compelling proposition with a clinical display of pace, swing and accuracy that much of our Saturday 1st x1 contingent would associate with as they contest for another Div.1 title. Meanwhile, their no.1 called Popey exhibited a Sam Curran'esque spell complimented by a mullet to rival that of Jason Gillespie during the early 2000s which piqued a bit of interest at both the boundary and balcony levels. Not to discount also the RCC tall right arm off spinner who put himself in the running with Ashley Giles, Graeme Swann and more recently Ollie Robinson for the most handsome looking spinner with sunnies.

Fashion frivolity cast aside, our openers put on a clinical performance of 49 runs at a Bazball'esque rpo of about 5 having navigated through 11 overs of seam. Hockings and Cosgrove provided a platform to build from with a healthy array of shots particularly square of the ground which had a fast outfield. The former unleashed on loose deliveries and looked good for a half century as skied shots generally don't find the infielders with his heavy willow. The latter, has been an excellent recruit with a good mix of defence and attack when the pacers are slightly astray of a good length; one to look out for in the fantasy league in the years to come.

With the RCC deciding to keep some "gunpowder dry", the tall tweaker came on for a spell and was rewarded with 2 wickets across 5 overs feat. our openers' dismissals.

With a rebuild on the cards, who better than rookie of the year contender, George Tunnacliffe, to marshal a pressure situation akin to the world's no.1 batter Joe Root in his hay days going about red ball cricket. Tunnacliffe put on a master class with a 360 degree wagon wheel featuring off drives, sweeps, cuts and discretion in defence. Unfortunately, with the 35th over on the horizon, GT went down swinging and deserved to go on and make a 100.

Rves, candidate for most improved player of 2023 season, went agricultural hoisting the cherry to the pavilion and into the trees; blistering strokeplay and his apprenticeship with Max Gumpert in the recent run chase v Southbank certainly came to the fore.

214 runs after 35 overs was a fair crack of the whip when we looked at various stages to be
susceptible to a150 run dismissal.

With a smorgasbord afternoon tea under our belt, CRS lead a pre fielding speech that was both jocular and zealous. The main points to take away were:
1) Commendable batting display by everybody except himself
2) Do the basics well in the field
3) Let's win the game
4) Enjoy ourselves

Gray, one of Surrey's finest pace bowlers, got PCC off to a great start with a wicket in the 1st over that silenced the home fans but got the visitors up and about in a frenzy. Across the first 4 overs there were lots of plays and misses as the top order in no.1 and no.3 got themselves out fishing outside off stump much like Rex Hunt on a fishing trip across the Murray River (hello to all our Victorian friends).

CRS was unlucky not to snag a wicket but will no doubt come back firing on all cylinders next game. From all parts of the park, it was a delight to watch the skipper run in much like the graduates from the "clairefontaine" that has produced N.S.W Sheffield Shield winners. In one earlier over, there were that many plays and misses to the point it could be said "more leaves than a tree" - a wild guess of the slips cordon's nonchalant banter with the middle order counting down for the slow bowlers to come on.

Rajasooriya, nicknamed Bissi, came on as 1st change and managed to get the pitch do the talking after a couple of overs. Although coming off a short run up, he moves the ball in the air nicely with deceptive swing like watching Trent Boult plying his deeds in a Chappell-Hadlee series. On the boundary side hovering around either long on or 3rd man, some admirable ground level efforts were noted much like a wing forward at Twickenham stadium.

As for the 2nd change bowling selection, it could be said that CRS was taken down memory lane to the SCG based exhibition match where the "Ernie Dingo" ball was born. For the layperson particularly of the most recent decades, this bowling spell featured follow throughs with the ball not wanting to leave the bowler's hand but eventually reached heights circa 1m above the head of a batter of average height.

As the innings crept past the halfway mark, the visiting x1 started to lose ascendancy with RCC motoring along at a rate of knots. This called for Horatio Nelson'esque bowling changes; inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics which were a cornerstone of a number of decisive British naval victories during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

One of those inspired changes was MRS, on holidays from Oz. He was one of the pick of the bowlers deservedly taking 4'fer in 2 spells turning back the clock to a young Steve Waugh bowling during the death overs in the early 90s.

With the "Bunsen burner" was turned up by RCC, the skipper noticed a drop in the fielding intensity/game awareness so dished out a "Sunday roast" to rally us for the last 10 overs awaiting.

The speech seemed to work wonders as the PCC visitors endured the Ripley rumbles synonymous with the Battle of Britain; With a run a ball asking run rate in the last 8 overs, the boundary riders were tested and a few individual moments of brilliance in the field needed.

Answering the skipper's call, the PCC visitors worked together like an orchestra at the Royal Albert hall with a dose of ANZAC spirit to seal victory with about 45 runs for RCC to get.

A come from behind team win with "champagne moments" glittered with bonhomie, camaderie and ANZAC spirit on a scorching Sunday in riveting Ripley; "one for the video vault"

Acknowledgments accorded to:
1. CRS - Superb skippership
2. Liam - For bringing his Saturday league exploits to a high pressure game when the octane was turned up
3. Roden Smith family for the boundary side support
4. RCC for a brilliant run chase played in the right spirit along with the terrific tea break
5. The resident umpire for the Herculean efforts across the whole day

Match report produced by Niraj Tailor