After the driest spring since records began, it was inevitable that the weather would take a turn for the worst on the day of the annual match between MCC and Plymouth College - it rained and rained until mid afternoon! However, Nick Folland, MCC captain for the second year running, had no problem playing through it though and suggested a 50 overs a side match with fielding restrictions. MCC won the toss and decided to bat.
Wood and Andy Maddock, an OPM back at Ford Park for the first time in years, put on 26 in 5 overs until Wood was very well caught low down by Alex Hill at slip off Pasi Mawalage. Twelve runs later Maddock going for a second run was brilliantly run out by Chris Head with a direct throw from the boundary. 34-2. Lurwell and North Devon's Rob Ayre put on 17 before Pasi Mawalage repaid Hill by taking a smart catch to get rid of Lurwell at second slip. Francis was then caught behind by Callum Cload off Pavi Mawalage.
Andy Hele and Ayre then put on 48, with Hele playing some big shots before he was Pavi's second victim again caught behind by Cload. Ayre began to run out of partners before Saunders joined him in an eighth wicket partnership 64. Two outstanding catches then happened off Hill and Ben Jackson by Will Dickinson and Chris Head and MCC were all out for 240 off 49 overs.
College's Pasi Mawalage and Henry Bennett got off to a rapid start 41 off 8 overs before Wood disposed of Bennett. Matt Kidd and Mawalage then put on 58 in 6 overs before Mawalage (34) hit the ball hard back to Folland who took a good catch at mid on. 99-2 off 14 overs - T20 stuff.
At this stage MCC were just about waving the white flag. However, four runs later, Kidd's expansive hitting was his undoing as Folland quietly and deliberately positioned his fielders and Kidd (34) holed out on the boundary. Hill took a top edge to the chin and was then bowled and at 119-4 there was a little wobble! George Stephenson maturely dealt with the situation dealing in ones and twos rather than just boundaries and initially with Callum Cload then Pavi Mawalage recovered the position.
Both departed and enter Will Dickinson (31) who with Stephenson put on 54 in 7 overs taking the match away from the MCC. Dickinson got out with 14 runs still required and Ben Jackson, who could easily bat in the top five, coolly helped the outstanding Stephenson past 240 with Stephenson finishing things off with a boundary with 6 overs to spare. Plymouth College 244-8.
MCC 240 all out. R Ayre 64. A Hele 48. A Hill 54-3. Pasi Mawalage 34-2. B Jackson 44-2. Pavi Mawalage 50-2. Plymouth College 244-8. G Stephenson 77 NO. R Ayre 51-3.
Plymouth College won by 2 wickets.
