Thursday the 25^th of June saw the long anticipated arrival of the MCC to play our Cricket 1^st XI. It also saw the curse of all highly anticipated summer events… rain. Thankfully though, the morning downpour ceased and play was able to get underway on time.

With the sun now fully out, a lightning fast outfield and on a glorious batting track, Martyn Perry upon winning the toss made the only choice he could… inserted the opposition. The MCC started well, playing a series of classic shots that raced to the boundaries. Once the ball beat the fielder there was no catching it, despite the earlier rain. They soon raced to 60 without loss, despite some fine bowling from openers James McComas and Will Hams. They bowled in some good areas, but were met with some equally good shots, with the pitch offering little assistance for the bowlers.

Anand Ladva-Santana, coming on first change soon made the breakthrough. Bowling his late in-swingers, he soon had the batsman troubled and got his reward when he trapped Hopkins LBW. He superbly followed this up with a second wicket, clean bowling the other opener, Nicholson, swinging the ball back in between bat and pad.

The MCC started to re-build the innings and were beginning to take the driving seat again, when Hams came back for his second spell. He and Bourne began to rein back the batsmen with some good tight bowling. The frustration began to build until Hickerton loosely clipped a ball to square leg of Hams’ bowling, where Parrish did well to parry the ball one handed and clasped it at the second attempt.

At lunch the game was well balanced at 134 for 3. Lunch itself matched the cricket and was a stunning affair. Unfortunately it was evident that Warminster enjoyed their lunch a little too much and began sloppily after the break. The MCC had a flurry of runs with Varney stamping his authority on the game with a series of drives and clips. Just when the games seemed to be slipping away from Warminster, Ladva-Santana came back on. After a couple of overs finding his rhythm he was back on the money. His late swing again causing the downfall of the batsmen trapping Gooda LBW and then in the same over causing Fry to miscue the ball to square leg, where he was caught finely by Bourne.

These two quick wickets changed the course of the MCC’s innings. Mills was soon run out without troubling the scorers and Ladva-Santana got his fifth and most important wicket. Varney was well set on 45 when he flicked the ball into the leg side. The ball was struck firmly and low and it took a catch as good as Varney’s innings to remove him. Bourne raced in and had to dive forward to take the ball just inches from the ground. Ladva-Santana’s fine bowling display has earned him a free day out in the president’s box at Lords on the first day of next season. For this is the reward for anyone who scores a hundred or takes five wickets in a game against the MCC.

Some careful batting from Garman, who fell Caught and Bowled by Hayford-Taylor, Abbingdon and Cooper (a Warminster student playing for the MCC) prevented the MCC from being bowled out and got their score up to 227 for 8 when they declared.

Warminster began brightly reaching 29 off the first 5 overs. Some technically correct attacking shots, mixed with solid defence providing a great platform for the innings. Mardon was going well when he was undone by a Hickerton slower ball, being caught for 17. Hickerton’s normal quick pace then got the better of Hayford-Taylor, who was bowled first ball.

Short and opener Bourne got the innings back on track, making the most of the still beautiful batting pitch and lightening fast outfield. Warminster were going well when a lapse in concentration from Short proved costly as he popped up a simple catch off Fry. Skipper, Perry joined Bourne at the crease and they continued well and made it safely to tea at 79 for 3.

After tea, which equalled lunch in its quality, Warminster progressed well with Bourne bringing up his 50, ably supported by his captain. Perry played an intelligent innings putting the bad ball away for 4 and giving Bourne as much of the strike as possible. Warminster made it to 145 and were possibly slight favourites for the win, when the innings changed in an instant. Bourne, who reached 73 was adjudged to be LBW from Gooda, and as so often happens when a big partnership is broken, the other partner fell as well. Perry was Caught and Bowled by Varney for 34 and the game had changed.

The Warminster batsmen found it difficult to get the ball away as the MCC took the pace off the ball, going with an all slow left arm attack. Ladva- Santana, Bissett, McComas and Hams all succumbed to the slow bowlers and all of a sudden Warminster were left clinging on for the draw, nine down with five overs left. Parrish looked solid in defence while Coxall chanced his arm a little, but they made it safely to the close of play at 186 for 9.

A fine game which could have gone either way ended in a draw, which both sides agreed was a fair result. Congratulations to all those involved in the good natured, close encounter. It was a fantastic day enjoyed by all and we look forward to next year’s fixture.