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Result - Bar of England & Wales

Sun Jul 7th Nail-biting draw

Match report

Always a tricky one this for your Chairman, who played for the Bar, inadvertently scored 4 runs and then stumped the likely match-winner for the Grannies, who ended 4 short of their target! Howls of protest about divided loyalties and the rest of it and thinly concealed bad feeling all round.
The genesis of the bad feeling no doubt lay in the Bar's decision to bat, so forcing the Grannies out into the intense sun of the late morning. The Bar led off strongly, 2 Grannies, Stockham and Williams, leading the way with 79 and 45 respectively, but the Grannies brought things back, with Tom Gibbs in the van, bowling valiantly with figures of 13-2-59-5, and Jono Garforth and James Battersby backing him up with 9-3-29-2 and 10-2-25-1 respectively. The Bar were duly out for 207, although a school of thought said they had declared on 204; somehow in the great heat an (arguably critical) procedural imperfection may have crept in.
After Guy Holland's early dismissal, Jonny Morris and Tom Brierley laid about them, making full use of the short boundary on the lake side, but with 120 on the board Morris departed for a well-made 42 and wickets then fell with some regularity. The key moment maybe was the departure of Brierley on the very score which he had made when winning the match for us against the Armadillos, 95. However his partner in that 1-wicket triumph over the Dills, Pari Job, then came to the crease and threatened to do the same, with Tom Gibbs thrashing about to good effect at the other end, but it was not to be, the Grannies finished on 204 for 8 and the last word went to Anu Mohindru for the Bar, whose figures after 16 tireless overs off the reel in the last session were 3 for 56.
A great day on what may just be the prettiest ground in England. Thanks as ever to the heroes of the Dills who set it all up and take it all down with great good humour to the immense enjoyment of all.

Match info

This match will be played at Sheffield Park in Sussex at a ground that has played an important part in English cricket history. In 1876 a cricket field was established and The Australian XI opened their tour their between 1884 and 1896. Lord Sheffield's team included W.G. Grace. Such was the significance of this fixture to Australian cricket that they named their domestic trophy, or shield, after Lord Sheffield. As part of the resurrection of the ground by the Armadillos cricket club, the Grannies have made a significant financial commitment and bought into a five year debenture which allows us to host two games per season.

Location
Sheffield Park,
Forest Row,
TN22 3QX

How to get there
The Cricket Ground is within the National Trust's famous Sheffield Park Garden, Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 3QX Telephone: 01825 790231. It lies midway between East Grinstead and Lewes, 5 miles north west of Uckfield, on the east side of the A275 (between A272 and A22).

At the main entrance to the Garden, follow the road past the National Trust shop until you come to a five-bar gate. Go through the gate until you come to a second gate at the foot of the lake. There are signs from the main entrance to guide you to the cricket. If the gates are locked, the number for the padlocks is 1111.

Once through the bottom gate, follow the track around to the left and you will see the signs marked "Car Park". Please park within the signs; you should not park beyond the final sign stating that parking is not allowed beyond that point. You may however drive up to the pavilion to drop off any equipment, but must then return to the designated car park straight away. You will see the ground (and the pavilion) through the trees from the car park. The ground is surrounded by a deer fence but the gates through it will be unlocked.

There are one or two points that we would please ask you to note.

� The ground is within the confines of a National Trust Grade 1 garden.

� If gates are closed or locked when you come to them, could you please ensure that you close or lock them again after you have passed through.

� Please remember that there will be members of the public visiting the garden; in particular, there is a 10 mph on the roads down to the ground. We would ask you to observe it.

� Dogs are not allowed at all within the Garden and therefore not permitted at the ground.

� We are required to draw your attention to the fact that the two oak trees on the left of the vehicular access into the ground are not considered safe by the National Trust. We would therefore ask that you avoid walking or sitting beneath them.