They called him “Frodo” and “Baggins”, but Spye Park’s little man put in a big performance on The Road’s epic journey to the Shire.
Still battered after a night out in Bristol, the Orange Caps turned up late to the tour’s second match in Wiltshire.
And it showed.
The batting looked hungover. So did the bowling, and the fielding.
But Lewis Robinson looked worse. He spent most of the game sprawled on the floor.
What did look great was the setting – Spye Park Cricket Club’s home ground is a pitch set in a spectacular country estate where the family who own Nando’s live.
The square is overlooked by a purpose-built thatched pavilion and to its left is the 19th century Spye Park mansion. Within the boundary there’s even a tree, like there used to be at Canterbury.
It was incredible, one of the best grounds The Road have played on.
But after being bowled out for 144, the touring side stood no chance.
It all started well – with Matt Cocken and Jon Malsingh, fresh from hitting a 50 in the first match, putting on a very solid opening stand.
Matt C even managed to hit the old oak to score a four. When the first wicket went down, Jon, trapped lbw by Macy for 14, the pair had hit 64.
Pretty good for any game, let alone a tour game.
But then it got messy. Matt Glover went for a golden duck, also to Macy.
James Couldrey came in before Matt C fell for what turned out to the top score of 34. Another to Macy.
Then DuBoulay – the one whose team likened him to a hobbit – got involved.
Couldrey, in a rare outing up the order, hit 7 before being bowled by him and Rich Peralta got 11 before he was caught.
Captain for the day Jack Caeser bludgened 15 in 10 balls but then became DuBoulay’s third.
Leon’s brother Ben hit 13 before he too was bowled and it was a similar story for Jamie Keating who had his stumps rattled for 1.
Kevin Pittaway became the second King’s Roader to get a golden duck in the match.
There was just enough time for the now-recovered Lewes to crash 15 before holing out in the final over, leaving Leon not out for the second time on tour on 3.
DuBoulay finished with epic figures of 6 for 16 off 8 overs. He’ll be telling that story for a while.
When Spye Park went in to bat the match didn’t change much.
King's Road 2014 tour ends in, err, defeat and defeat again. But what did we expect?
— King's Road Cricket & Social Club (@KRCSC) July 14, 2014
A fiery spell from Matt G that yielded 3 for 43 off 8 and a deserved wicket for Kev were not enough.
There was a brief moment when The Road thought they might get back in it with the hosts four down.
But the unfortunate James turned his ankle going for a catch off number five Bowater and the batsman survived.
He went on to make 73 not out with DuBoulay returning to pile more torment on The Road with 34 of 17 balls as the hosts eased to victory.
Spye Park had knocked off the runs in just 22 overs, and DuBoulay played no small part. By the end, it was almost a relief.
The boys from Battersea could go home again. And so began the Return of The King’s Road.