The busy month of June got underway with a first ever visit to Willen to play Stony Stratford III`s. After winning the toss skipper Dan McLaughlin had no hesitation in putting the hosts in to bat. That decision was soon justified as the opening attack of Alex Harvey-Jones and Jason Kruger were soon amongst the wickets as Stony struggling to make too much progress. Jason with figures of 12-4-15-3 and Alex 11-3-16-3 along with 2-16 for Dan saw the hosts dismissed for 96. The Cooks made hard work of reaching their target despite 22 from both Gareth Tompkins and Ashley Davis and 21 from Gareth Goddard. But a patient 12 not out from Henry Swallow helped the Cooks to eventually get there for a 4 wicket win.
The visit of Badby the following week saw Jason and Alex again in top form with Jason taking 5-46 and Alex 2-33 with James Ashby continuing his fine start to the season with 3-20 as Badby were dismissed for 156 on a belter of a Compton Park track. The Cogenhoe reply was based around 39 not out from Matt Golby who transferred his early season form with the seconds to the first team and 31 from Gareth Tompkins as the first team again won by 4 wickets. This win came at a cost though with keeper Paul “Teffers” Browning suffering a suspected fractured thumb, this injury coming just a week after Tom Smyth fractured his wrist.
So successive victories and a trip to struggling Isham II`s to follow happy days……………. well not really as Sunday Dan reports I`ve got 5 for next week! Over the next few days Dan had 8 then 10 then 12 back down to 10 but finally on Friday evening we had 11. That was thanks to Andy Burgess travelling down from Liverpool to make his debut, Karl Berry coming from Milton Keynes to make his debut, 63 year old Keith Parsons making his first team debut, Phil Whiteman playing his third game in 5 years and yours truly obviously chosen for his batting and outstanding fielding skills or as Dan put it were really struggling mate so can you play! So what could possibly go wrong. Well nothing really as first Dan won the toss and Alex roared in taking 4 wickets as the hosts reached 38 -4.But the fourth wicket came at a cost as Jason Roberts managed to dislocate his little finger taking a catch that went straight into the middle of his chest! so as Jason compared fractured digits with Teffers outside the pavilion before he went off to see his friends at Kettering General the Cooks continued with 10 in the field. But things still looked good especially when dangerman Elliott Leach skied one to the experienced Phil, he immediately took charge, he called, he got underneath it , he got his hands to it and then he………..dropped it.When after a rain break that aggressive knock of 55 by Elliott Leach and 21 from David Hobbs was brought to an end by Dan , Isham`s resistance was broken and eventually they were all out for 145 with Dan 4-33 and Alex 4-39 taking the bowling honours.
The batting line up was now the problem with no recognised opening partner Dan gave the job to Jason Kruger who does not have Geoffry Boycott as a role model. Isham must have wondered what was going on as Jason took 10 off the first over. But the loss of Dan , Ashley (to a brilliant catch) Jason for 22 out of 26 and Henry out lbw for only the third time in his career saw Cogenhoe`s batters all gone and defeat the only option. There was a brief glimmer of hope as sensible batting mixed with controlled aggression from messers Whiteman, Harvey-Jones and Parsons pushed the score along. Phil then decided to add some colour to proceedings with that colour being red as he edge one into his right eye brow. At 69-8 Phil was joined at the crease by myself and we soon began to roll back the years too those halcyon days of our under 16`s triumph(s) although I do not recall Phil leaning on his bat breathing heavily after running a three back in 1976. When Phil eventually went for a battling 27 we thought it was all over but in fairness to Jason he strolled out to the crease with his dislocated finger and one glove on to face half a dozen balls before Isham wrapped up a 54 run win. Whilst always disappointing to lose the spirit showed by everyone who turned out at Isham was fantastic and hopefully messers Whiteman, Burgess, Berry and Quennell can rest easy for the rest of the season. Phil spent a couple of hours in A&E getting his eye stitched apparently his knees, back, thighs and shoulders will be back to normal by August.