Full Fixture Information

Result Descriptiom

EMCC 207-8 vs Hursley Park 201-8

Man of the Match

Ian Cook for a classy, chanceless rolling back the years 43

Champagne Moment

Josh Haslet?s stunning slip catch at 2nd slip

Teddy Bear Moment

Ollie Cooke?s poorly injection non-bowling arm

Full Match Report

Match result ? A DRAW!

When Nat King Cole raced to number 3 in the US hit parade with ?Those lazy hazy crazy days of summer? it was 1963. Whilst the summer of 1963 was regarded as generally cool, it was alleviated by about two weeks of warm sunny weather around the beginning of June and a similar period at the end of July, which fortunately works well for this narrative?

Back in the summer of ?63, the sun would have been beating down. Outfields would have been a golden brown. Young kids making an 18 year old look old were probably turning up in their whites more eager to play village cricket than a home side who had some members arriving up just minutes before (and in some cases not at all) the first ball.

Fast forward to Sunday the 26th July 2026, and a youthful looking Hursley CC were welcomed to the valley. The sun was beating down. The outfield was a golden brown. Young kids making Ollie Cooke look old rocked up to play cricket against an East Meon side turning up minutes before the first ball.

More importantly, this biggest similarity to yesteryear was that Ian Cook was back in his 1963 run scoring prime.

After winning the toss, Skip sent the Cook(e) duo out to open. Sticko felt the old saying of ?too many Cook?s? rang true, and after not giving Cookie out LBW in the first over, decided to make amends and sent him on his way the following over, much to the batsman?s disgust/surprise, for just one run.

A little known fact is that Mr King-Cole?s Lazy, Crazy days of summer ditty was composed by Hans Carste. It was originally written as "Du spielst 'ne tolle Rolle", with German lyrics by Hans Bradtke. With der Kaiser coming in at 3 (remember - same ranking as NKC?s effort) the stage was set for more memories of days gone by. Only, like the German effort, der Kaiser came and went in no time at all (7 singles), in a lazy, hazy style, guiding a high and wide delivery into the grateful hands of gully.

Tim Clay, entrusting his rollies to Mooro (as any sane man would), strode out to the middle. CRASH! BANG! WALLOP! All of a sudden, the scoreboard was racing along.

Sadly, having punched, pushed, tickled and cut the ball all around the ground, Ian finally fell for a majestic 43, his highest total for the club, missing a straight low(ish) one, which brought the skipper to the crease.

After wearing a rising delivery to the midriff, Andrew tickled one through to the keeper who, (despite the scoreboard saying otherwise), was having an outstanding game stood up to the stumps and took a smart catch. Andrew departing for 5.

Tim Clay decided he?s seen enough of Mooro?s efforts at rollies, and ran himself out for swashbuckling 46. Whilst not quite as elegant as Cook Snr?s, it was an important innings that set a platform for some big hitters to enter ? much like Nat King Cole?s Summer of ?63 effort.

Shortly after the success of Lazy Crazy Hazy (etc etc) in the summer of 63, Elvis topped the charts with ?(You're the) Devil in Disguise". Fresh from his on field scrap the day before involving a swinging bat, studs to the chest, and a grill pull), EM?s devil in disguise came in with the orders to push things forward. A flurry of boundaries later, and Josh departed for a rapid 22. Tim L came (and went, for 2), bringing in Mooro who mixed some big stuff with some not so big stuff. Sticko also upped the anti with a rapid 15, before Ollie Cooke, standing in for Wayne blocked out the final over (randomly) for 1. 40 overs faced, 8 wickets lost, 207 on the board. Would it be enough?

Tea was tea. Some fine efforts (Cookie?s home made pork pies, Mrs Haslett?s cake, Andrew?s mixed spice cake) along with some lazy-hazy efforts (Aaron's crust on sandwiches, Will?s chicken and sweetcorn paste filling).

The Meoners took to the field. Will-I-am (more of a modern musical reference for all the younger members of the team) opened from the Alpacker end. Will-he-was! Third ball, snaffling a smart low return catch to remove their opener who looked like he could have been dangerous (this assumed from his general misery for the remainder of the game).

Aaron, managing to borrow some trousers and keen to break 10,000 steps, kept coming in from the (boundary of) Park Hill end, but was unable to break their young bats resolve. Will-he-is managed to extract zero bounce and bowl their other opener for 5, and then enticed Hursley?s boundary hitting (off Aaron) number 3 into glancing an edge to Josh, who took an outstanding catch at 2nd slip, much to Tim Clay at 1st slip glee. WAtko ended with fine figures (has that ever been said before?) of 6 overs, 2 maidens, 11 runs, 3 wickets. Meanwhile, on 11,365 steps, Aaron was having a little less luck, being rested after 7 overs, 0 maidens, 42 runs, 0 wickers.

First change saw Stiko from the top, and Cookie Jnr brave his hurty arm bowling from the Park Hill end. Stiko picked up a wicket in his 4th over, ending with 5 overs, 33 runs, 1 wicket. Ollie, ever the hero, played through the pain (in his non-bowling arm) and bowled a fine spell finishing with 5 overs, 26 runs, no wickets, but with what some have described as ?an even more plumb than your Dad?s LBW? appeal turned down.

Hursley?s number 4 was busy driving, cutting sweeping, reverse sweeping (who even does that these days?), and looking utterly unfazed by the home side?s attack. However, the skipper is the skipper for a reason, and after a brief Tim Lawrence experiment (3-19-0) Andrew decided he?d seen enough.

On came Josh Haslett, with some big rev?s from the bottom end. On came Andrew De Lotbiniere from the top end.

Josh was unfortunate not to have Sticko umpiring, with the umpire giving their young bat leniency, deciding he was not out, after being struck on the pad as he fell in front of the stumps. The skipper meanwhile was bowling with skill and guile, and trapped the oppo?s star bat in front for a very lovely 81. Josh, having discovered newfound zen after his antics the day before wasn?t to be out done and took another catch, this time off his own bowling.

From a situation where Hursley were easing themselves to the required total, all of a sudden, there was nothing lazy-hazy in the outfield. With a mention from the official that going into the final two overs, anything leg side would be a wide, East Meon were alive and alert in the field.

Ollie Cooke (despite previously running past a couple) fired in for a run out, as did Will-he-is/was and Hursley were wobbling. With 2 overs to go, was it going to be a Hurlsey win? A fair draw? A sneaky home victory?

And so it was, as the sun dipped beneath the tree line, Hursley saw out the final balls, finishing their chase on 201-8. Josh with figures of 5 overs, 32 runs, 1 wicket, and Andrew with 4-15-1.

A fine afternoon of cricket with Ian Cook?s return to form very much the highlight. Hurrah for 1963! Hurrah for July 2026!

Well played to both sides!