V&A XI:CHRIS MOUNSEY-THEAR, DOMINIC SCOTT, DAVID PITLARGE, ROBIN HAYLEY, RORY DODD, JASPER ARNOLD, VINCENT WALSH, ROB TAYLOR, BEN HORAN, CHRISTY KULASINGAM, SHIFAN RAZICK

Sporting success is often secured by one individual or team trying to exert a level of pressure on their opponent until it becomes so great to bear that in the end no manner of wonderous individual shot, punch or goal can overcome in growing inevitable outcome. And despite the great Keith Millar believing that pressure in a sporting sense is not worthy of the subject compared to that faced in the ‘real’ world, all cricketers experience that feeling of the fielding team making run scoring difficult, and then having to force the issue with a series of ‘stick or twist’ decisions.

So it proved on the final day of May when the Town and Country took to the field first and excellent bowling and fielding, from an inter-generational team  – always lovely to see from a ‘future of cricket’ point of view, and for the ageing members of a team who wish to unofficially retire from boundary sweeping and cover point duties – meant that the V&A felt they were probably 20 shy of really exerting pressure on George Winter’s crew.

Into the detail:

Early wickets from B. Winters (who registered first rate figures of 7-1-34-3), alongside the miserly Bridge (with 8 runs from his first three overs) choked the V&A’s early effort with the bat and ensured that even at luncheon, a touch of pressure was being felt as the teams heartily tucked into another superb effort from the only truly respectable member of the Bird family, Stephanie – huge thank-you as always.

The V&A middle order ploughed on and even rallied well around 20s from Walsh and Pitlarge, but it was the host’s wicket-keeper batsman J. Arnold who carried the innings with a mix of excellent stroke-play through cover point and idiosyncratic running to deliver a stand-out half century. Pressure was continuing to build however as the T&C’s skilful bowlers (O. Winters 18 runs off 5;  Stringer with 16 runs off 7 overs; Corbett conceding only 36 off his 7 and Hunt only going for five an over) combined with athletic fielding to keep the score under control, caused a couple of run outs, and the V&A posting a total in the mix 160s.

During wetter summers, this score may well have proved beyond most opponents, but despite the V&A starting well with highly accurate bowling from Christy (7-0-34-3) giving the V&A some hope, the quality of Corbett (71 not out and Hunt, 40) shone through and the Town & Country proved worthy winners with enough overs to spare to make for an early evening affair at the pub, where wounds were licked and spirits revived.

Very well played Town & Country and we wish you all the best with your season.

Til 2026!