Detail: 10-09-2022 - Jane Metson Foundation

Result: W by 63 runs
Blues v Metson Invitational XI

The annual Metson charity match, in honour of Steve's late mum Jane, is traditionally a grudge match between the under-40s and over-40s; youth vs experience, young shavers vs grizzled vets, Aperol spritzers at Infernos vs a quiet pint of real ale in the snug.

But not everyone is happy crossing this particular Rubicon to become a quadragenarian, (not me, I'm now looking forward to being a sexagenarian, which sounds very promising).

That perhaps includes Youcef, who played for the under-40s last year, but having left his 30s behind was strangely unavailable this year. Keen as he is for runs with the batting trophy up for grabs, he maybe figured facing Blues' battery of young seamers on a council wicket freshened by long-awaited rain wouldn't help much.

If only he'd known that Steve had changed the format this year. Blues faced a Metson Invitational XI made up of family members and friends that turned out to be much stronger batting than bowling (put it this way, Metto bowled himself, which doesn't happen for Blues very often, and 1-36 in four overs showed why?).

With plenty of other Blues absent there was something of a last-minute scramble for players, a theme as summer wears on, but Sumit and Naga delivered, providing three debutants between them. So a full XI rolled up in the Berkshire countryside to represent the Blues.

An uncontested toss, determined before Steve posted a photo of a very green wicket, put Blues into bat. Debutant Prem joined the returning Nick Ellerby. The new partnership saw the shine off, not without some fortune, before, at 44-0, Prem was caught.

After a well-made 26 Nick's luck also ran out as he was erroneously given out stumped off a free hit, confusion having been caused by the first free-hit ball being a wide (that's my excuse anyway, sorry Nick). Then Zubair was improbably run out by a direct hit from 30 yards and Blues were 77-3, halfway through their innings.

Acceleration was needed. A blistering partnership between Charlie Ellis and Sumit provided it, both making 50 before retiring. 'Chellis' had been hankering for a Blues bat, given the chance he justified it hitting two sixes and five fours. Sumit, who had been talking up his batting to the match manager all week, also delivered with an even swifter half-century featuring four sixes and four fours.

Karthik, Milap and Naga added more quick runs though James Howe disappointingly failed to repeat his Roehampton six-hitting heroics, scoring just a single off his two deliveries. Nevertheless, Blues finished on 238-5 off 35 overs, an impressive tally given the ankle length rough in parts of the lush outfield.

After a fine and filling tea James further damaged his chances of ascending to the ranks of batting all-rounders with an outstanding opening spell picking up 1-8 off five overs. At the other end debutant Ram's swift tweakers were just as deadly, taking 2-9 as the oppo slumped to 3-16.

Glenn, who'd taken a sharp catch to underline he mainly drops catches off his own bowling these days, came on with Naga but both were wayward. Metson and one of four Leech's in the home team rebuilt the innings. At drinks they were 84-3, ahead of Blues at the same stage.

Dropped catches (James evidently finds it easier to take a catch with a trademark knee-slide), and a missed stumping that cost Milap a debut wicket hadn't helped. On a tricky pitch the latter was Nick's only error - he'd made the most of the very rare absence of all three of Youcef, Jenks and Wardy to snaffle the gloves.

Fortunately, the drinks curse worked again as Metto smashed the first ball after resuming - a waist high full toss - straight at bowler Naga who ignored the pain to cling on at the second attempt.

Karthik slowed the rate, aided by an excellent catch from Sumit, who then bowled tidily himself before Charlie came on to wrap up a 63-run win.

At the post-match presentation, accompanied by lovely melodies from an African wedding in the pavilion, Sumit won the Blues MoM for runs, a wicket, a catch - and especially finding two new recruits.

Many thanks to Ronnie for an epic umpiring stint (the home team were rather pre-occupied with childcare when not actually batting), and it was good to see Mullett join the ranks of supporters.

The match was in aid of Motivation, an excellent charity which the Jane Metson Foundation supports. Motivation helps people with disabilities living in developing countries, particularly but not exclusively in India, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi, to access education, work and other social needs. Basically making their lives a helluva lot better. https://www.motivation.org.uk

In lieu of a GBP20 match fee players (and Blues who were unable to make the match) are invited to make a donation via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donate/468620334975648/?fundraiser_source=whatsapp_share


BATTING: Ellerby 26, Prem 7, Zubair 14, Ellis 50no, Sumit Kumar 50no, Karthik 10, Milap 11, Naga 22no, Howe 1no. DNB Glenn, Ram. Extras 46
BOWLING: Howe 5-0-8-1; Ram 7-2-14-2; Glenn 5-0-30-0; Milap 4-0-34-0; Naga 4-0-51-1; Karthik 4-1-13-2; Sumit 4-1-14-1, Ellis 0.5-0-6-2.
FIELDING: Catches: Glenn, Naga, Ellerby (wk), Sumit

[updated 17 11 2022]