“I don’t think I’d like to face Brett Lee. Glenn MacGrath I’d be absolutely fine against, but not Brett Lee” - D. Popple, 16th August 2024.

Burghley Park’s most cherished team lined up once again last week to take on the might of the Gentlemen of West Norfolk in Thornham. And without a win against this side in the Post-Covid era, the Friendlies were chomping at the bit to get one over them on their own patch.

Despite losing the toss and being sent into the field, a youthful Burghley outfit took to the outfield with fire in their hearts and Thornham Deli sausage rolls in their bellies. The young guns opened up well, with Charlie Biggs and Theo Nixon bowling tight lines and limiting scoring options. It didn’t take long for Charlie to make the breakthrough. Their number 2, facing his first ball after almost 3 overs of play, was lured into swiping at a fifth-stump delivery, and flashed it away behind square. For all the world he thought he had opened his account with a decent swipe to the boundary. So did I. So did most of East Anglia. However, they hadn’t accounted for all 6 feet 4 of Lando Thain, who stuck his left hand high into the Norfolk sky and plucked the cherry straight out of the air. Off he wheeled in celebration with all the grace and decorum of a bull in a china shop, and the West Norfolk batsman had to wander back to the pavilion in disbelief.

Theo and Charlie kept plugging away nicely, denying run-scoring and with Charlie picking up another wicket thanks to the safe mitts of Sammy Potter at second slip. In fact, Charlie should have had a third caught in the slips, had it not been for an astonishing handling error from his father. Hold that thought actually, as it wasn’t the last time we had a comical and rather embarrassing moment from James Biggs during the match…

Biggs Sr and Oscar Jackson took up the responsibility of first change, again bowling well and limiting West Norfolk’s batsmen. This also led to one of the strangest periods of batting I have ever seen from a cricket team, with West Norfolk reaching 56-2 with one batsman on 51, 3 wides in the bank and only 2 runs logged by any other member of the team. I feel Andy Zaltzman may be plucking that one out of the archives on BBC Sport live feed in years to come.

Nonetheless, West Norfolk plugged on, and even though Jimmy managed to bag their half-centurion, they were plodding on at a decent rate towards the lunch break. This called for only one option. David Popple chose his preferred end, and set about his usual work, bowling a bag of tricks that applied pressure on a difficult wicket, although sometimes erring from his line and being on the wrong end of some large and lusty blows from the batsmen. We went into lunch following a token over from O Thain, about which the less said the better.

After lunch, the big guns of Keyan and Sammy P were applied to try and pry open the WNCC middle order. With overs getting away from us and the score growing, we needed a big moment to get us back on top. That came in the form of a piece of captaining genius, with the skipper deciding to put himself in the slips and asking Sam to throw a couple deliveries out wide. 2 balls later, this plan came into fruition, with a large snick and the ball sailing into C Thain’s hands. Glorious.

The rest of the innings petered out with some big hitting as West Norfolk sought a declaration, but with Charlie Biggs and Theo Nixon returning for excellent second spells. After their captain decided to run past one and hear the inevitable clattering of stumps as Dave Platt whipped off the bails, the declaration came and the game was afoot.

After the briefest of breaks, C and O Thain walked to the crease to get the chase underway. However, as it seems is standard practice for this mis-firing brotherly partnership, it only lasted 4 balls before Charlie was trudging back to the pavilion having snicked off. In fairness, it swung and seamed away nicely. Not much he could have done about that absolutely Anderson-esque seed.

Bradley Hurn joined Lando at the crease, and they set about steadying the ship. Bradley offered a steady hand at the wheel and Lando applied his trademark tactics to the bowlers, charging absolutely everything and anything and swinging for the hills. However, it seemed to be one of those days for Lando, as he began sending the West Norfolk attack into all parts.

Bradley didn’t last long however, with his wicket sparking a mini-collapse in the middle order, with Sam and Keyan following not too long after after both being undone by the stickiness of the pitch. D Platt strode to the crease and set about settling the Burghley Park Friendly XI’s nerves, with some picturesque sweeping and excellent rotation of the strike. Lando continued to swing big and we began to race towards the target of 209. The game seemed ready to be put to bed.

However, the fat lady was certainly yet to sing. Lando brought about his own undoing as, after very unceremoniously dumping a delivery from the oldest member of the West Norfolk side into the next county, the only replacement ball that could be found was one that looked around 3 overs old, not 30. Cue the return of the opening bowlers, a characteristic charge and heave from the younger Thain, and the death rattle as it took out his middle stump with his score on 97. The game was back on.

Platty looked to close the game out, but after passing his well-deserved half century milestone, he played one straight to slip to leave us reeling at 209-6, tied on score. And lest we safely see out the game, the comedy Biggs duo decided to give us yet another fright. Charlie guided the ball nicely straight to backward point. Never a run. However, Mr James Biggs decided that enough was enough, and stormed down the pitch in a manner that would make a headless chicken extremely proud. Needless to say, his son obliged reluctantly, they tried to scamper through for the winning run, and James was run out probably without even being able to see the crease through a pair of binoculars. Muppet.

Marshall Mathers - sorry, Oscar Jackson - joined Charlie in the middle, and once again put the senior members of the team to shame by showing them how to close out a cricket match with a magnificent pull shot that raced to the boundary, sealing victory for Burghley Park.

All in all, a great day out in a fixture that never disappoints. Thanks to everyone who took part, a huge thanks as always to Dave Popple for organising, and here’s to many more victories against the Old Enemy of WNCC!