The Pelicans arrived at Stowe on a murky drizzly Wednesday morning. The first thing to notice was the verdant outfield. It was emerald green and glistened with dew-like rain. Rather like a green Persian rug strewn with gems. The cricket pitch was huge with no fewer than 22 lanes of nets arrayed like a fan on one side. On the other side, despite the distance, the facade of the school loomed large. It was hard not to be in awe of the place.

Tooby opened the bowling and was quickly into his groove but it was Sarim bowling from the school end who got the first wicket with a delivery that shaped in and made its way to the stumps via the pads. Tooby equalised with a ball that enticed the edge and was taken head high at gully. Sarim appeared to be bowling within himself but with an understated menace. The dangerous McDade struggled to get going and the pressure told when he tried to hit Tooby straight and offered a return catch which Tooby swallowed like a whale. The return catch is turning into his most popular mode of dismissal this season. He appears to have mastered the art of bowling line and length leaving the batsman parched for runs and then at just the right moment he drops in a half-volley which the batter chips straight back to him in surprise.

Things changed when the overseas professional arrived. His first shot was an on-drive that went like a rocket to the longest boundary. He proceeded to flick anyone who bowled on his legs for six. He raced to 50 off 25 balls and the game was about to run away from the Pelicans when he was caught at deep midwicket by Naj who had to race 20 yards or so around the boundary to get to the ball and hold onto a stunning catch. This was a remarkable incidence of deja vu because he had already been caught by the same fielder off a pull shot in Joe’s previous over but the full toss had been adjudged to have been too high.

The game then entered a fascinating passage of play where both sides tried to get the upper hand. Joe gave way to his Horsham pal John who bowled in tandem with Naj. Both bowlers showed beautiful control and movement to stifle the run rate. The Stowe batters seemed content to play through to lunch and having fueled themselves on quiche and lemon curd tarts became more adventurous when the action resumed.

The skipper then brought on Ajmal to replace Naj at the school end and Amit to replace John. This was a masterstroke because Ajmal clearly had not played any cricket for over a year and couldn’t bowl anything but short balls and so, of course, he managed to pick up two wickets. One of the openers was still there having compiled a patient 50. He had been dropped early in his innings at cover and had given a more difficult catch to mid-off, both chances having come off Tooby. He became the first of several victims for Amit T who claimed that his spinning finger was troubling him and so instead of spinning the ball he started to bowl jaffas. He bowled the opposition skipper with a fine delivery that zipped off the surface.

The Pelican innings began cautiously as the Stowe opening bowlers were quite accurate. Yusuf after putting away the odd short ball was given out LBW, one of several enthusiastic umpiring decisions. Amit T was given out caught behind down the legside. Amit C and Naj started to rebuild and then became more expansive against the change bowlers. Naj fell, caught via a mis-hit off a full toss. Ajmal came out and tried to brush away the cobwebs by struggling patiently against the spinners. Unluckily Amit C got out on 48. Joe came in and after hitting a couple of blistering shots got out. At tea the score was 129-5 with Ajmal and John still at the crease.

John looked composed and worked the ball with a mixture of careful defence and strong shots towards the straight and onside boundaries. Ajmal’s batting resembled a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. It was clear he was trying to shake off the rust from the year long absence and grew more confident as his innings progressed.

Ajmal and John then both departed as did Sarim and only Sharafat and Tooby were left. Tooby was of course batting at number 11 even though we were only ten men. A discussion ensued about the approach as going for the win entailed risk and there were no wickets remaining but the Skipper was emphatic: “We are going for it!”

Over the course of the next few overs Sharafat tried to run a 2 at the beginning of the over in the mistaken belief that Tooby shared his enthusiasm. Tooby meanwhile seemed to have been taught how to run between the wickets at the Ali School of Cricket which stipulates that 2’s should only be run once on a blue moon or if there is about to be a solar eclipse. Clearly no such celestial sign had appeared so Tooby would face the rest of the over and proceeded to block or leave the ball ensuring that the run rate crept higher from a do-able 8 an over until 29 were needed off the last over. At this point, “We are going for it!” changed to “Ok, we just need to block it out.”

A single was taken off the fourth ball to leave Tooby to face the last two deliveries. The batters had agreed to restrict themselves only to a block or a leave. Tooby left the first ball but the last pitched about off-stump and then span away. For some bizarre reason he decided to prod at it only to top edge the ball gently to first slip who dropped the catch. The match was drawn and the Pelicans emerged with their 2nd draw in as many weeks.

It had proved to be a remarkable game with all three results being a possibility until the last over. A draw was a commendable effort against a strong opposition bolstered with the choice pick of nearby clubs. Stowe has been a much anticipated fixture in the Pelican calendar for over 20 years and the 2024 game certainly didn’t disappoint. Most notably the game was played in a fine spirit of sportsmanship and there were moments of brilliance on display from both teams.

The weather had brightened up considerably during the course of the afternoon and by the evening the grounds were bathed in a magical glow. As the Pelicans departed they left with a feeling that they had taken part in something special.

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Reports are intended to convey an entertaining picture of the day’s play. No disrespect is meant, but if on occasion we misjudge matters, please take it in the friendly and humorous spirit in which it is intended.