Dozens of former playing colleagues turned out to honour the memory of Terry Garrett on Merstham Cricket Club’s open day, a national initiative promoted by ECB partners Waitrose, who donated £100 to clubs for the occasion.

Merstham used the occasion to honour Terry, their treasurer for 20 years who died in the spring aged 68 and who was still playing for the Sunday second teams last year, by inviting retired and former club players to take part in a memorial game.

Lunch and tea were organised by Terry’s widow Margaret and her team, while during the day many former colleagues of Terry’s turned up, mostly to watch. They included Paul Ryder, Peter Loosely, Iain Palot and Dick Mantell.

The day was also attended by several of Terry's family including one of his daughters, a grandson, a granddaughter, a son in law, a nephew and a brother in law.

A couple of other former playing colleagues took part, including Simon Caines against his chiropractor’s better judgement, who turned out to be one of the stars of the day. He scoring 51 and retiring not out, as well as taking three catches, as Garrett’s Gazelles beat Terry’s Tigers in a 40-overs match.

Pictures: Michael Pitcher and Tony Rickards toss up, main picture Terry Garrett's widow Margaret in front of the players and spectators. Picture by Harry David

Another returnee, Alex Goodey, struck 24 opening with Bill Ash for the Tigers, on a day of friendly banter after Tony Rickards lost the toss to fellow self-appointed captain for the day Michael Pitcher.

Goodey became Bharat Sahani’s first of five victims, caught at long on by Rory Caines, son of Simon, who had already dropped him.

On a wicket with plenty of juice after the week’s rain, Arsalan Abass struck a quick 19 before being caught by Joe Rees-Davies off Joseph Lewis, who bowled tightly with pace for 1-23.

Several wickets fell before Rickards compiled 24 before being bowled by Jack Letts.

First team captain Nav Saeed boosted the total with 35 before being caught with a fantastic one handed diving catch by Lewis which had club members wondering if the Mogador Wanderer wanted a return to league cricket.

That was off the bowling of Pitcher (2-16), whose first wicket was Ian Lamont, caught off a highish ball which might have been called a no ball if he was anything but a slow bowler.

Sahani finished with 5-27, requiring the purchase of a jug of beer at the day’s close, and returning Sumair Qasim bowled two maidens from five over (0-16).

Club captain Richard Feist even bowled some left arm balls near the end of the innings as his  own tribute to Terry.

Using up 37.1 overs, Terry’s Tigers had compiled 142, Chris Lowe finishing on four not out.

Bobby Sharp (0-12 off 6, 1 maiden) and Callum Letts (0-25 off off six), but the opening partners of John Turner (11) and Caines proved hard to shift.

Fourth bowler Lamont (1-12 off four, 1 maiden) eventually broke the deadlock, having left-hander Turner, 74, caught fantastically behind by wicketkeeper Rory Crouch, for a wicket maiden.

Mark Robson (4) hung around with Caines until Rickards introduced himself to the attack and bowled him out, leaving Jack Letts (27 not out, retired), Qasim (30) and Rees-Davies (8 not out), who managed to put the Gazelles over the line with a couple of overs to spare.

Goodey took an economical 0-11 off four overs and saw one catch dropped by the information manager at mid off, before suggesting a whip round for a trophy to make the fixture an annual one, having already held one previously last year to celebrate 150 years.

Thank you to various umpires, Peter Tharp who did the entire match, Dave Loader, Jon White and Chris Lowe, who resisted the temptation to impersonate Terry who used to send all the batsman back to the pavilion with a wagging finger.

Scorecards

View from the boundary