Merlin returned to Bolton’s Bench unbeaten so far in 2020 and confident of extending this run. Encounters with Lyndhurst & Ashurst had always been hard fought though, the previous year’s game secured only with the benefit of two excellent catches in the deep from senior statesman Andy Wood. The 2019 version also memorable for one player in particular for missing out on his maiden Merlin ton by a single run.

Once again the weather was kind; sunny, but no so hot (it was nearly September after all), and having won the toss Barlow, scarred by recent experiences at Wield and Pylewell perhaps probably had no clue how the wicket was going to play and so asked the oppo to have first use.
McCann and Colthart bowled fairly tidily, apart from a couple of extremely short balls from the latter which made their way rapidly to the square cover fence. Emmy behind the stumps seemed to be struggling somewhat, byes coming at the rate of one per over early on, the result of yet another of 2020’s “interesting” pitches. I’m not sure if it’s been the odd weather this year – super dry spring, wet spell in June, very hot spell in July/August or yet another effect of the pandemic … but we’ve certainly seen our fair share of irregular bounce this year.

Despite taking a wicket in his fourth over, Colthart was removed from the attack to be replaced by Batchelor – Barlow looking for some control, nervous that 4 an over was too many on such an unreliable surface. For his part Batch took a few overs to settle, boundaries coming to good shots down the ground but in his third over he got his man. 59-2 after 14 – game fairly even.

Adams then took a turn at the bottom end, producing two of the slowest deliveries of his long Merlin career and the batsman caught in about eight minds wondering exactly where to smack it. Still the blood started to flow through those old shoulders and despite a surfeit of no-balls Adams started to find some movement into the breeze and relying on his Bothamesque ability to pick up wickets with rank long hops collected his first victim thanks to a good snaffle at midwicket by Colthart. Another Botham-like slow swinger had Collett playing all round one. 2-17 off four, Adams had opened the door.

76-4 halfway through the scheduled 40, Lyndhurst were now the ones in need of a partnership. Batchelor had now settled on his oche and produced dart after dart that the L&A batsmen struggled to get away. A disagreement over an lbw, led to some handbags and the umpire departing the scene, refusing to continue his spell, all very odd. A wicket in his final over gave JB 2-23 off 8, tidy.

Andy Green had a turn, and pushed the ball through but without reward, whilst youngster Danny Charrett struggled to get it on line – the batsmen sportingly patting the ball back at the end of a 12 ball over. His time will come!

121-5 and 10 to go. Barlow then brought himself on, and ace-in-the-pack leading wicket taker Bristow. Perhaps both were later to the crease than you would like if league points were on the line, but this was a Sunday after all. Both kept it to five an over, Barlow picking up one wicket Adams taking took a good catch running in at square leg and damaging a finger in the process, but it should have been another via the exact same route: Adams gambling and starting ten yards in from the line and conceding a one bounce pulled four that sailed over his head (schoolboy error). Bristow collected two wickets, for once neither of them rabbits, having top scorer Park bowled for 41 and the experienced Agha at number 9 stumped for 2.

177-8 was the final score. Above par we thought – by about 30. The 13 byes, 13 wides and 7 no balls probably the difference. Would it matter, only time would tell.

The skipper nominated experienced opening duo Bristow and Hastie to strap them on and all seemed to be going so well. The only interruption came from a passer-by who claimed to know Merlin’s very own antique dealer Duncan Brown. The fellow then hid behind a tree shouting into his large mobile. “He always does this” said the locals later, somewhat intriguingly. The best partnership of the day ensued, the first wicket falling at the end of 12th over, 47 on the board. Hastie gone for a patient 16 with just the one boundary but the platform was set, sensible batting would see us home surely.

Even when lynchpin Bristow (24) went two overs later, 120 runs off 26 overs with eight wickets in hand looked comfortable. When Andy Green (6) was out lbw in the 15th over the odds on a Merlin win lengthened ever so slightly but still, no need to panic. Adams had once again looked fluent, revealing a Bristow like dab through gully to keep the scoreboard ticking, but then a bizarre decision to take a single to the best fielder on either side who stopped the ball at short extra and had the simple job of returning the ball to the wicket keeper. Adams, stranded, out by 5 yards for 11.

Bachelor and Emm looked in control moving the scoreboard along at 4 and 5 an over, the problem was there was still a hundred to get and the Merlin tail looked a little longer than usual with Colthart strapped up and ready to bat at 7. These two might need to get most of them. A classy partnership of 30 was broken when Batchelor was out caught for a decent-looking 19 and I could swear we heard a bell toll. The required run rate wasn’t going to be an issue, but wickets might be, Colthart striding out with 80 needed. Emm then took command, boundaries coming, a square drive up to the pavilion steps in particular raised Merlin hopes that we were about to see something special but in a handful of balls it was all over – Agha’s last over of slow-not-really-turning-it-left-arm-orthodox and Colthart stumped for 4, McCann caught for 0 and Agha 4-31 off his 8 overs. Emm was gone next over caught for a decent 30 whilst looking to push on, but with Charratt failing to trouble the scorers it was left to final wicket pairing of Barlow and Wood to make the final 55 runs. They managed 16 of them until Bradding trimmed Woody’s off-bail the wicket keeper picking up a nasty bash on the nose for his troubles, courtesy of the ball flying up off the wickets straight into his face – we heard the clonk from 80 yards away.

A 38 run defeat, in a game where we conceded 34 extras. All-in-all a bit of a shoddy performance, perhaps we’d become a bit too relaxed after a long unbeaten run … there were wides, no balls and byes and plenty of misfields and the batting was all a bit absent-minded, none of the top order really getting a grip of the game. No one decided they were going to be the one to get them.

So, a first defeat of the year but the couple of bottles of socially distanced and out-of-date-and-so-half-price Doom Bar still went down well on what was a beautiful sunny evening in the heart of the New Forest. Some particular muddy potatoes for me the highlight of Woody’s latest car boot vegetable giveaway, although Lady Bristow might disagree having secured an oversized squash.

The batters’ll need more of a ‘thou shalt not pass’ approach up at Coombe Bissett I can tell you!

JA