After picking up TV and his bucket-loads of fun from sunny Alphington on Christmas Eve, the two occupants of the Subaru EEL arrived at Beverley Road a suitable 30 minutes before play, shocked to find a festival in full swing. Two coaches had spilled their contents of pommy cricket tourists all over the BCC precinct. Pushing through a throng of paparazzi, we turned the corner of the BCC rooms to see none other than Former England captain Mike Gatting standing there in his whites. Clearly today’s match was to be a searching test (with thoughts already turning to his weakness for leg-spinners pitching 2 metres outside leg).

Feeling not unlike Dodi Al-Fayed and a friend of his, the team was continually hounded for photos at every turn. After the pre-match blur, it emerged that BCC co-captains Jed & Barnesy had indeed tossed the coin and BCC were to bat first. Brothers Wilson opened the innings and, especially following some pre-innings “advice”, were immediately under pressure to slog or go out. For the Poms, Mike Gatting took the gloves, and Norman Cowans the new ball… all of a sudden we were playing a 1980s Test match. Hoping to entertain the large crowd, Big Tom was disappointed to be caught early, having a dip. This brought BCC discards Gibbo & Joffa together, whereupon some brutal cricketing moments were played out – including a six flicked off Joffa’s hip that somehow landed on the balcony’s top step and almost visited the canteen.

In a reversal of the summer’s trend, Australian wickets kept tumbling to Pommy bowlers. When BB struck his first ball towards the deep backward square fence with the timing of Richie Richardson, only to see it swallowed by a pom, the BCC ship was entering rough waters. Able seaman Butterworth thankfully steadied her (and thankfully saved any more references to able seamen) with some Gilchrist-like crisp hitting on the way to 40-odd. D-Lo, Rayan & Luke batted well in tough circumstances (i.e. surrounded by poms) to see the BCC total up to 199 from 40 overs. Well done to Crawfo at the conclusion of the innings for showing the focus and speed of Carl Lewis in ignoring all obstacles and delivering a single beer to the hands of Mike Gatting in record time.

The crowd was well behaved through the innings, with special mention made to the Gulliver’s scorer, whose grandson was playing. This fine gentleman and veteran scorer, recounted childhood memories of scoring Len Hutton’s epic innings in the 5th Ashes Test of 1938 at the Oval. He sat there in the stands, recording every ball, as Hutton rattled up 364 and England generously declared at 7/903 half way through Day 3. (For the record the Good Guys lost two of their Top 4 batsmen to injury in the field – Jack Fingleton and one D.G. Bradman – were rolled for 201 and 123 and unluckily lost by an innings and 579 runs.) Alas, when he returned from Army duties one year, he discovered that his mother had thrown out the “rubbishy” scorebooks from his childhood.

A great lunch was put on – special thanks to everyone involved in the feeding extravaganza – it really was brilliantly handled.

BCC opened up the defense with brothers’ Barnes operating in tandem and doing a fine job of it. One Pom took it upon himself to bat like Michael Vaughan, and we happily waved him off the field upon reaching 50 and retiring. After PD and Scotty C had a crack at the poms, the middle stage of the innings was characterized by the nuggety combination of Gatting father & son batting very well together. Joffa delivered his trademark Shane Warne impersonation delivery to a freshly arrived Gatting Snr, in the hope of rekindling some Old Trafford magic. As the ball left the bowler’s hand, Gatting called out “well bowled Warnie.” It pitched on about off stump, whereupon Gatting gestured to the fateful area 2 metres outside leg and said: “Not bad, but you need to pitch it about here.” The next one he sent forcefully to the mid-wicket fence.

The Poms slapped around a few, Gatting Snr broke his bat & retired at 50, and the Good Guys were looking down the barrel of a black day in Australian cricket history. Surely we couldn’t let the poms win a match? The ball was then tossed fatefully to Aiden “Teddy Hopkins” Young, who single-handedly turned the game when all seemed lost. In a devastating spell of approximately 4 overs, he had claimed 6 wickets for around 7 runs, opening up a new weakness of the poms to bouncing off-spinners. Trevor Hohns was later rumoured to have called the BCC rooms and made a few enquiries.

But still the match needed to be won. The final over was to be bowled by Scott “Iceman” Clapton from the swamp end, poms needing 9 to win. At the crease – former England Test players Norman Cowans and Clive Radley. A big ask for our Iceman, and when two crunching boundaries were slogged to tie the match, the result looked in doubt. Great bowling and fielding however, saw a script unfold in the “Days of Our Lives” –style… one run needed to win the match from the last ball of the day.

Iceman Clapton sent down a ball of good length which was slogged straight-ish over the leg side field. All breath stopped, time stood still, as the rising ball climbed like a wedge-tailed eagle, and then, just as quickly, dived. All eyes were now on BB, who, fielding at mid-on, had turned and was now gaining speed as he ran back with the flight of the ball. Would he get there in time? With legs of iron, BB made the last 5 metres in record time and hurled himself horizontally through the air – arms and hands outstretched. His hands arrived just as 6½ ounces of red leather were about to hit the ground – the catch stuck. The match was tied. The day had its fairytale ending.

Thanks and congratulations to all concerned in the running of this festival day. Jed, Ando, TV and a cast of thousands put together a Day to Remember.

- D.J. Wilson.