For the second successive year, Mercer & Hole recently played a friendly game of cricket against client, H E Stringer, at Long Marston Cricket Club, near Tring.
The Mercer & Hole team comprising of Sandy Bell, Peter Godfrey-Evans, Daniel McCloskey (captain), Chris Dennell, Chris Geaney, Joe Rowland, Stas Toates, Will Readman, Ravi Desai, Ben Samuels, Ross Baldwin and 14 year-old ringer, Leon, started off hopeful of repeating last year’s victory.
After losing the toss, Mercer & Hole batted first, playing ‘Barrington’ rules, which guarantee that everyone gets to bat, as well as bowl. Starting with a score of 200, batting in pairs for an allotted number of overs, each dismissal results in a five run deduction from the total.
Mercer & Hole scored 240 being on the receiving end of accurate bowling from H E Stringer and too many dismissals. Chris Geaney featured as the team’s top scorer, reaching 11 without being dismissed.
H E Stringer never looked in trouble, scoring 320 in their overs and beating Mercer and Hole by 80 runs. The result setting the scene for a best of three, winner takes all, match in 2020.
Best bowlers were Ravi Desai, despite carrying a hamstring injury, and Joe Rowland, with Ben Samuels being best fielder and making a great catch off his own bowling. Peter Godfrey Evans also deserves a special mention, having had to dive down the leg side far too often to stop wayward bowling!
Having now warmed up, the Mercer & Hole team face their next fixture against Debenhams Ottaway Solicitors at Kings Langley Cricket Club on 11 July.