Sunday 22nd July, and Lord's Cricket Ground played host to 4 stalwarts from the other MCC, as Messrs Shinners, Mann, White and Howarth turned up to watch the 4th day of the 1st test between India and England.

Not for the first time this season, your correspondent was late turning up, but the vastly experienced opening pairing of Shinners and Mann provided a stunning opening partnership, safely putting away 2 bottles of champagne before lunch, as 3 wickets fell. As lunch approached and Kevin Pietersen moved smoothly through the gears into the 60s, the MCC moved smoothly onto the Pinot Grigio, whilst Shinners was less than enthusiastic about the quality of his M&S fallafel and feta cheese. Meanwhile Mr Howarth set a new world record for the longest lunch hour ever taken (probably a trait of lawyers everywhere), as he disappeared just before lunch and reappeared well into the afternoon session (without any additional drinks - a schoolboy error).  Luckily, he was in time for a Pietersen cameo, as KP smashed the Indian bowlers around, to reach a quite brilliant hundred.
By now, Shins was into full captaincy mode, advising Dravid on the best field placings, whilst comparing England's players to Merstham's: Prior's late cut being reminiscent of Mapplesden at his very best, whilst Pietersen's leg glance looked similar to our wily 2nd XI captain himself. Sreesanth's double tea-pot also got a mention.
As the England innings flagged, so did the MCC. R.P. Singh's bowling was taking its toll on England's lower order, and Howarth's bottle of Bordeaux was certainly taking its toll on the MCC boys, with Shinners repeatedly searching in vain for his M&S salmon & cucumber sandwiches, only to be told that he'd actually eaten them 15 minutes earlier.
The change of innings produced a change of approach from the MCC, moving onto the beers, whilst your correspondent was still in awe at the sight of Sir Geoffrey Boycott himself walking past him outside the Mounds Stand. By now, the change of approach had clearly affected Shinners, who announced that he didn't see the fall of the first Indian wicket because "it was such a bad shot" - one assumes he therefore hasn't seen many MCC 2nd XI wickets fall this year either.

Overall a very fine afternoon, some superb cricket, and Pietersen's ton being one that will live long in the memory. Though quite how those memories were on the Monday morning is somewhat uncertain.

Here's to doing it all again next year