Athlone vs Horningsham

12 June 2010

A record breaking afternoon. Athlone, batting first, set the highest score ever made on this ground. We in return made the highest total I can recall us making, so in all the highest scoring match in our history. To be honest, it is not quite correct to say 'we' scored a lot of runs, as this was a game in which Horningsham linked up with the Frome Incidentals, who provided half of the players and all but 6 of the runs scored off the bat.

Athlone's innings was once again led by the remarkably impressive Imtiaz, who has now scored 198 runs in two visits to Horningsham, without yet being out. After the game, pondering over Imtiaz's innings with the aid of a pint of beer, I developed a theory for bowling at him next year; but I have already forgotten what it was. He was one of three batsmen to retire during an innings in which our bowlers stuck to it but really toiled. The captain Peter Auret also scored his second successive half century against us and Athlone declared on 299 fo 3.

In return, Damien Parker and Lardy took the game back to them. Lardy made a massive unbeaten century. We wobbled when Jameel toook a hatrick but Lardy and Paul Reynolds ensured the draw, on a day completely dominated by the bat.