It was another beautiful day at Bradfield and the groundstaff there had done a great job.  The Cryptics President had been forced into some late changes and fielded a side perhaps a little less experienced than had been originally planned against a strong MCC side.  His Captain, Joe Ireland, lost the toss and the Cryptics found themselves fielding.  Experienced Chris Stearn and young Rufus Nolan bowled well, keeping it tight and occasionally beating the bat.  However MCC openers Nick Hudson and Ben Marsden gradually grew in confidence and began to accumulate steadily and then more briskly until at 115 John Carroll bowled Hudson.  Matthew Swann was caught and bowled just 12 runs later and the Cryptics felt back in it at lunch.  This feeling was shortlived as Alistair Russell, using his feet superbly,  hit the ball powerfully all round the ground to reach 64 off 44 balls while Ben Marsden completed his century.  After 49 overs with score on 258-5 MCC skipper Mike Sutcliff decided he had enough and wanted to give himself the best chance to bowl out the Cryptics.  It did not look as if MCC would need much time as wickets tumbled to excellent seam bowling by Toby Pettman and Jak Gaff and the Cryptics fell to 25-3 before the experience and expertise of John Carroll halted the rot.  He and Herb Berridge, a 17 year old who John coaches, steadied the ship and built a partnership of 71.   John looked secure in defnece and drove and cut with all his old style and power; young Herb began to look comfortable and gained from regular encouragement from JC.  This partnership came to a premature end with Herb's miscalculation of the speed between the wickets of his mentor and the power of Oliver Swann's throw and direct hit.  94-4 became 145-9 with 15 of the last 20 overs to go when Marcus Ward joined 16 year old Cryptics debutant Rufus Nolan.  (It may have been his first Cryptics match but Rufus comes from a stout line of Cryptics - father Jim, uncles Patrick and Mike and older brother Hamish have played many matches and made major contributions to the Club).  While at the other end Marcus, although only a year out of university, has been playing Cryptics cricket for quite a few years and showed the calm maturity his father has exemplified for the Club.)  These two young men batted with great technique and fantastic temperament to thwart MCC for more than 14 overs, the last few played with 8 men round the bat.  An outstanding performance which was generously applauded by the MCC.  

Jim Nolan, founder of the Black Dog Vineyard in Sussex, generously provided two bottles of his finest fizz for men of the match Ben Marsden and John Carroll.  Superb food was provided by David Cook  (who does us so well at the OUOTC each year) and wines and post-match beers by the President who was delighted to welcome Paul Armstrong, Chris Ward and David Fawcus to lunch.  Cryptics Andrew Logan and Al MacEwan visited during the day despite not being selected to play!

The Cryptics greatly appreciates the enormous effort put in by Paul Armstrong to make the day happen.  The day ended with great enthusiasm all round for next year's encounter.