We made their way on an overcast August sunday to the charming riverside location of Marlow Park, with a strong 11 that traditionally includes members of the local Pennant clan. Father Don, who has the dubious distinction of having known POBsy since the age of 6, (they were inseparable it seems in the junior school detention cell), aka Metal Mickey due to his ageing bionic knees, and 21 year old Leo, aka “Milky Milky “, were both eager to contribute to the unbeaten run of 10 games. Pobsy noted a ‘Noah’s Ark’ flavour to the team with two keepers, two Aussies, two Pennants, Two Canford grads and two guys who were prodigious high jumpers both clearing exactly 1.90m as a PB in their youth (GK Smeagol and Metal Mickey.)/ There was also rain forecast but nothing indicating a need for an Ark. This correspondent was delighted to host Magic carpet and Fingers to a chilli cheese toast breakfast, a west London pre-game ritual that aims to deliver a sufficiently severe shock to distract the brain from any misdemeanours from the night before.

Milky Milky with dad Metal Mickey, GF Becky Boo and Ziggy

On arrival at the ground, similar rituals were being played out by others. Greasy, who was in pole position to be the most catatonic participant having thrown up 4 times on his way to the ground, chose solitude as his elixir. Chef headed straight for the punchy paprika Max crisps. Fingers hit the cider. Tiddles opted for full fat coke but took additional comfort after spotting a riverside cornetto van vendor. Only the scorecard would later bare testament to the efficacy of these strategies. We lost the toss and were inserted by the Marlow skipper, one of a number of South Africans in their side complementing a cohort of Pakistanis that gave the occasion almost an international feel,

Moleman and GK Sméagol strode out to the middle at the start of the allocated 40 overs, and it soon became clear that we were facing a well organised and tight bowling attack on a pitch that was proving more difficult to negotiate than earlier pitch inspections had foretold. Aslam bowled accurately and with pace, bowling out an 8 over spell with very few scoring opportunities. GK fell early after chopping on from Mullen, replaced by Magic Carpet played some beautifully timed drives while Moleman kept calm and started to build an innings at the other end. Magic Carpet had to fly off for a classy 26 after being bowled by Munsh who was bowling wicket to wicket spinners, replacing Aslam at the river (cornetto) end. Fingers came to the fray with an all together bigger hangover than for his incredible innings at Barnes Common last week. He still managed a well-made 43 and the a crucial partnership of 63 was added taking us to 116 in the 33rd over before he was caught behind (Snax didn’t hear or see a thing but Fingers kindly walked)

Moleman had by then reached a studious 50, patiently playing the bowling according to merit and playing beautifully straight. This was a solid base that Milky (a couple of lovely cuts) and Greasy came in to exploit, but neither could hang around long enough to take full advantage. The buffet trolley would never be wheeled out by Marlow, and our run rate could never get much over 5 per over. We increased the tempo as Pobsy sprinted 2s to get the Mole on strike and they added 40 in four overs. Metal Mickey under instructions from his old class-mate kept that strategy going and ushered Moleman to a brilliant 100 , his second in consecutive years at a ground he really loves. Much like Joe Root at the Oval it was a chanceless innings and a study in concentration and skill in difficult condition. Well done Moley 🙏. We had set a very respectable target of 226.

Aslam pays his respects to a worthy adversary …Mole may get round to the stats at last now!

Refreshments were taken, comprising a tasty selection of sainsbury’s sarnies and wraps, the ever present chocolate mini rolls, donuts and DIY tea, We all huddled with plates around the TV in the clubhouse, watching another tense game being played out at the Oval…

Hostilities resumed with light rainfall in the air, with Aslam and Lombard facing Magic Carpet and Tiddles, with the latter removing Lombard with a fine catch by Milky Milky, running back at cover and taking it over his shoulder. We joked that ‘None'-fer’ always seems to go 1-0 down early in the match. He bowled beautifully again and was finally rewarded in the 8th over as he pitched one on leg stump that pinned back Aslam’s off-stump for a quickly made 30.. In his next over Matesh got an almost identical delivery which this time cartwheeled the off stump backwards with some venom… is there a more beautiful sight in cricket? . We had regained the initiative when Carpet then caught a beauty at slip off another fine delivery from Tiddles, leaving Marlow on 87-4 in the 17th. Groundskeeper and Snax then came on to replace the openers, GK breaking a promising partnership by removing skipper Goosen for 16 snaffled by a gloveless mole, and Pobsy caught Ahmed off Snax, who hastily returned to his mates on the Marlow Herbal Bench.

Chef, Greasy, Metal Mickey, Mole, Pobsy, GK, Tiddles, Carpet, Milky Milky, Fingers, Snax

GK bowled rapidly and effectively but sometimes dangerously, bowling a full bunger that Crowther, top edged into his helmet prompting the batman’s admonishment. . His second wicket was more controversial than a lockdown visit to Barnard Castle. Crowther had taken residence batting outside his crease, and Fingers took advantage with a quick witted stumping when the batsman believed incorrectly that he had touched down behind the crease and the ball was dead. The batsmen stood his ground and in time honoured fashion pursued the futility of trying to get an umpire to change his mind .

Chefrey soon got his seasons tally to over 20 wickets, another lovely catch by Moleman and a clean bowled with a classic through the gate delivery. At 140-9, surely it was time to start the car…. POBsy tossed the ball to the father and dad Pennant duo, comfortably classifiable as eager par timers with the cherry, but Marlow’s incoming no 11 hadn’t read the script, and Munshi ably supported Stephens in a a spirited fight back that took to the Pennants and a newly reintroduced Cheffrey.

I commentator’s cursed Pobsy earlier in the day saying “he hasn’t dropped one all season”, and then he did a fizzer at mid-off and the Chefrey over went for 15 runs . The scorer may have taken a break and there was a freeze on the score that was suddenly updated saying Marlow only needed 43 off 8… ghosts of Barnes Common were circling the ground like harpies around a funeral parlour. Perhaps the match play of the day was the introduction of Greasy, who had been sobering up by the minute, and played the role that the bowled out Carpet had performed at Barnes. Off a short measured run that made the scoring dry up at one end, his first eight balls went for just one run, and this increased the pressure on Stephens (on 97) to move it on. He drove hard and cleanly to the deep extra cover boundary where…Milky Milky took a great catch.. With 7 overs left, we had won by 43 runs, and everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief. The Noah’s ark symmetry continued with two wickets each for Carpet, Tiddles, Cheffrey and GK. Moleman made his second century in two years at Marlow and took two catches. Milky Milky book-ended the innings with two great catches for the second year in a row. This made it two 1s, eleven games unbeaten for the Peckers

Another magnificent day out playing gods game in England’s Green and Pleasant land. As the clock struck 7, a wonderful bonhomie descended onto all gathered, young and old, winners and vanquished, for there was only one winner… our beloved cricket.

The Pecker circus moves to idyllic Brook in the next chapter… come and bear witness to a historic run in the making 🙏