Friendly Match vs Mechelen CC, 23rd July 2005, London Fields

Mechelen CC Saved By Rain!

Saturday 23rd July saw the home leg of our annual international fixture against Mechelen CC of Belgium. The Belgians brought over a strong touring side of 16 players, never a good sign for our chances of beating them. Foregoing their traditional late arrival, Mechelen this time turned up over an hour early, and proceeded to do what Belgians do best (apart from making chocolate) by starting early on the post-match drinking.

Unfortunately, by the scheduled 2pm start they were nowhere near as drunk as we would have liked them to be, and we trooped out onto London Fields to begin the game. Captain for the day Carl Death won the toss and asked the Belgians to bat. The Hackney groundsmen had excelled themselves this year, cutting a nice batting strip near the centre of the square and Mechelen CC made full use of it. Opening bowlers Paul Turley and Alec McCrindle were fairly expensive as Mechelen reached 130 odd for 2 at the mid innings break.

However, an inspired spell of bowling from Donny Mahmood, playing in his first international fixture and Carl Death, playing in probably his hundredth, saw Mechelen crumble to about 236 all out.

After a lovely tea prepared by Dave's mum, London Fields went out to try and knock off the runs before it got dark. With Mechelen CC in disarray as London Fields reached 25 for 2, the skies opened and, with no respite in sight, both teams repaired to the bar in the Pub On The Park.

Just in time, it appeared, as out of seemingly nowhere hundreds ("literally thousands", according to Rupert) of cyclists appeared, preparing to cycle 120 miles through the night to the Norfolk coast, and the bar was soon completely packed.

As the festivities carried on, one of the Belgians made a slightly risque comment in Flemish about a lady sat at the next table. She later got up and asked him to please look after her beer while she went off somewhere. In perfect Flemish. Cue red faces all round.

Soon the cyclists left and so did we - straight to the Ship by Hackney Empire, where landlord Simon had laid on a marvellous chicken curry. The drinking continued, and out came the singing, with Os and the others treating us to the Rude Belgian song, and us responding with a Father Abraham and a whole-pub Sunshine Mountain*.

Highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Os's extra verse of the Irish Rover, sung in Flemish and presumably as rude as all the other songs he sings.

Thanks must go to Dave's mum for preparing a wonderful tea, to Simon for cooking a great curry, and to Mechelen CC for providing such entertainment.

We should be touring Mechelen again this September, where we hope to drink, sing and play cricket. Hopefully the rain will not save the Belgians next time round...

 

* Sunshine Mountain involves standing on a chair while singing, then each person inviting another to join at the end of each verse. Pulling off a "whole-pub" Sunshine Mountain is no mean feat...