Mason’s last hurrah
I, along with 9 other WNCC players, will be able to tell our grandchildren that we were there when I Mason played out his final act as a WNCC player. It was lovely for those that had never previously met this WNCC legend, but heard many rumours, to hear him with great reluctance reminisce over his sporting career. How could one man really have played with so many test cricketers and yet somehow have been overlooked himself. When the time came for him to strap on his pads the side had collapsed from 149 for 3 to 168 for 7. The grace with which he accepted his 2nd ball LBW was an example to everyone present as he departed with the jovial quip to Mike Fairey (the unsuspecting Umpire) that everyone had come to watch him bat, not Mike umpire.
The team scrambled to 204 for 9 off 35 overs when the declaration came. Mentioned in dispatches are Sutton (53) who after surviving his 1st over said it was the longest he batted all season and Ryan McCone (future New Zealand test cricketer) who somehow managed to drag our score to over 200 with an unbeaten 34.
Camden got off to a flyer with their opening batting facing 20 balls, only scoring off 12 of them and departing the crease on 48 when De Vere hunt (aka ‘Severe xxxt’) snared him with only his 2nd ball. Mason I, suddenly embarked on a stretching regime which told the captain that he was now ready to bowl. There is only one way to captain an all rounder with the 1st name Ian and that is use Brearleyesq phsychology. Setting a 5/4 field had the desired effect to a player who reminded us that he last bowled a ball on the legside in 1979 whilst playing with Derek Pringle……. and what followed was a spell of such masterly control that WNCC were in danger of saving the game. Records will show that his 5 overs only went for 11 runs in a game when every other bowler went at nearer 6 an over.
Sadly Camden cruised home with two overs to spare with the fielding highlights being Russell catching two high speed slip catches from our New Zealand pro. The last word should go to our shy and ‘retiring’ stalwart who has vowed he has turned out for the last time and to remind him that there is a Fisher cup match on May 20th if he would like one more final game..
