With Army v Navy rugby taking place just down the road in Twickenham some travel disruptions were encountered but we all got there in the end : )

Having lost the toss, the Plough were sent into the field. Captain Rahul Nair opened Tom Ryder and himself, and Ryder wasted absolutely no time in announcing himself with a beauty of a delivery that removed their opener for a duck. First wicket for the club and very much the first of many.

On a pitch doing a bit of everything—keeping low and taking off whenever it felt like it —Ryder was superb and unlucky not to have more, bowled too well with so many missing the stumps by millimetres while Rahul kept things tight from the other end.

Despite the early breakthrough, the second wicket provided futile. With the picnic crowd swelling spin was introduced from both ends via Will Gray and Rob Keogh. The breakthrough finally came when Gray wrapped the pads of the other opener, who had just reached a half-century. First wicket for the Plough. He wasn’t done there either—next batter in, next LBW, another glorious delivery of flight and guile. Déjà vu.

Keogh joined the party, bowling some lovely tight lines and being rewarded with a wicket well taken by Jon Ryves. What had looked ominous at 102–1 quickly went to 125–4.

Enter Rob Mead, bowling in a match for the first time in 15+ years and looking like he’d never been away. He bowled brilliantly and picked up his first two Plough wickets, the highlight being an outrageous one-handed catch from Bharat Ramesh. Bharat ran so far in that he appeared to be over-running the ball, shouted “nooo” mid-air… and somehow plucked it out of the sky anyway. Limbs!!!. The 1,500-strong Richmond Green picnic crowd were entertained.

Some late-order hitting followed, but Ryves grabbed another wicket with a fine catch in the deep by Captain Rahul. The Cricketers closed on 210 for 8 off 35 overs, with AGW throwing himself around valiantly behind the stumps to keep the byes down on a wicket that was doing unspeakable things. Target set: six an over.

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The Chase (and the Teas)

With thunderstorms threatening and drizzle already flirting with the outfield, a quick turnaround was agreed—crucially to protect the food. And what food. Quite possibly one of the best teas on the circuit: Scotch eggs, buffalo wings, and a greatest-hits selection straight from The Cricketers pub menu opposite. Worth the wait for after.

Openers Cosgrove and Bharat got us underway, fully aware of the mischief in the pitch. They negotiated the early overs well against the ever-reliable Paul “The Undertaker” Undertaker (his real Play-Cricket name, not just an enthusiastic WWF tribute). Runs were hard-earned, but Bharat looked fluent and reached 15 before being dismissed, soon followed by Cosgrove.

In came Ean Smith and Tony Poulter, who steadied the ship once more as the ball alternated between staying ridiculously low and leaping chest high. With the skies darkening both soon were back in the pavilion leaving the Plough at a slightly worrying 50–4.

Will Gray and Jon Ryves rebuilt well, Gray looking composed and Ryves batting with intent during a 25-run partnership. However, when Ryves departed at 75–5, the rain returned and wickets fell in a rush. Suddenly it was 98–8, and thoughts of victory were replaced by a more achievable aim: bat out the overs and see what happens.

Gray continued to bat beautifully, while AGW had an adventurous start—attempting a boundary first ball and being dropped—before sensibly reining it in. The pair rotated the strike smartly, collecting boundaries and frustrating the bowlers enough for the opposition to reintroduce their opening bowler.

Will Gray looked destined for a half-century but finished just short on a well-earned 46* (Jug Avoidance), with AGW providing support on 25*. The innings closed at 156–8, a 54-run defeat but plenty of positives to take away.
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An excellent day of cricket in one of the best cricketing settings imaginable. Pints were enjoyed, Scotch eggs demolished, buffalo wings devoured , bagpipes filled the air as Army/Navy fans poured into packed pubs—for some reason choosing to be at Twickenham instead of watching the Plough.

A top day out.

Ploughmans 3rd XI — we go again.

PLOUGH ON!

Match report from Alex Gordon-Walker