Merstham Cricket Club finished their 150th anniversary season with a trip to Lord’s to play the home of cricket’s groundstaff, the Cross Arrows, in a special match.

 

The coach party which left Quality Street early on September 30 included a cross-section of players from the club’s teams, plus spectators, determined to enjoy the match at Lord’s Nursery Ground, next to the main stadium.

 

Having lost the toss, Merstham were asked to bat. John Turner, a Surrey and England over-70s player who plays for the Sunday second team, scored six.

Then Ed Loader, who captained the first team until moving to the Channel Islands last summer and whose father David has played in each of the past 50 seasons, scored 20 in a partnership of 27 with third team captain Mike Hanlon (35).

Jon White, the Sunday first team captain, struck 24 before being stumped, while first teamer Liton Tarafdor top scored with 40, an innings which included being dropped by Thomas Kenny, a reserve player for the visiting team who stood in as Cross Arrows needed an 11th man.

 

The American recently wrote in the club’s 150th Book of Memories about how he was now fully converted to cricket from baseball, his son having started cricket, leading to Kenny becoming one of the club’s under-12 coaches this year.

 

Second teamer Olly Mayes notched 18 and first team captain Nav Saeed 13, with Sumair Qasim, the fourth team’s star bowler, hitting six as Merstham tried to reach 200 from their 45 overs.

 

In the end, they set the hosts a target of 195, J Courtney the hosts’ top wicket taker with 4-16.

 

In reply, Merstham found wickets hard to come by but Qasim dismissed P Furner leg-before on 16. The score was by then on 58 with S Prabhkar rattling off a succession of fours and eventually being stumped for 82 by Saeed off Terry Garrett’s bowling (1-27 off six). Opening bowlers second/first teamer Chris Clayson (0-41 off 6), the club treasurer, and new fixtures secretary Bobby Sharp (0-19 off seven, three maidens) had been unable to find the breakthrough.

 

Tarofder was the other wicket taker, having A Padhani caught behind on 22. Ben Lanksear and Alex Dixon, from the club’s disability squad, both bowled, giving away just two runs, before fourth team trier Ian Lamont, who had an lbw appeal rejected from his first ball, conceded nine off his over as Cross Arrows won with seven overs to spare.

 

The group was then treated to a tour of the Lord’s museum - including original Ashes urn - famed Long Room where MCC enjoy Test match views, home dressing room and ship-shape media centre before returning home after a thoroughly memorable once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

The full scorecard is on PlayCricket here.