At 0900 on January 25, 1961 HMS St Brides Bay anchored one mile from a conspicuous tree on the Island of Funafuti. This is the main island in the Ellice Group and aptly named as the afternoon's gaiety was to prove. The Royal Navy had been challenged to a cricket match by 'The Women of Funafuti'.
The match was due to begin at 1330, and we had been warned that the opposing team sometimes fielded as many as twenty players, so we landed our first XI dressed in sparkling flannels, our second XI prepared to help if required and a motley collection of garrulous personalities, musicians and hopeful spectators. The Royal Navy were led to the Oval by the 'twelfth' girl, and after a forced march of some three miles, had collected in their wake most of the native inhabitants who had not already taken their appointed places under the coconut palms around the pitch.
The Ladies won the toss and elected to bat on bone-dry coconut matting laid on the concrete wicket, and the two umpires, our impeccable Chief Bosun's Mate and the local magistrate's formidable wife, walked sedately across the ankle deep tiger-grass to place the customary one stump at each end of the pitch. As our energetic young opening bowler came thundering up to the wicket to deliver the first ball to a demure lady dressed in full length white nylon and with bare feet the prospects for an early dismissal seemed good. However this was not to be, for our bowler was stopped in full stride by the home team umpire who instructed him in Ellice English that not only must the bowling be underarm, but that the Ladies were going to win anyway! Chastened he tried again.
As our opening bowlers were not used to bowling underarm they managed only an assortment of full tosses and donkey -drops; and because the Ladies, who normally played with coconut branches, were today playing with our bats the leather flew. The opening stand of thirty-two included four sixes and one lost ball; whilst the harrassed Captain changed his bowlers with no effect.
Eventually one of the furiously hitting amazons was caught at long-on but the innings continued in the same style. The Royal Navy bowling was treated with utter contempt and it was with a sigh of relief that an exhausted and amazed fielding side finally saw the eleventh lady come out to the wicket: she was quickly run out, but we turned towards the shade of the pavilion only to be met by number twelve on her way out and laughing heartily. The Royal Navy fought on that torrid afternoon in Funafuti with the grit, determination and drive that is expected of them against heavy odds: with further distractions on the boundary which included dancing for the supporters and friendly advances to the deep fielders by the daughters of the Pacific intent on undermining their concentration.
In desperation the wicket-keeper was given an over, and with his third ball had number seventeen stumped. The score then stood at 117 and the magistrate's wife declared the innings closed. With relief we made for the cool, inviting shade of the palms.
Tea consisted of young coconuts, which were very refreshing if a little too sweet. However the respite was short-lived and without more ado the Women of Funafuti took the field: twenty five of them!
It soon became apparent that once again the odds were heavily against us. The opening bowler, who bowled for our entire innings from one end, delivered the ball from rather lower than knee-height at a great pace and straight along the matting. The magistrate's wife had quite obviously had her girls at fielding practice for many weeks: they raced about the outfield catching impossible balls, stopping certain boundaries with their toes and hurling the ball in to the wicket with demon accuracy. As each unfortunate and beaten batsman made his way to the pavilion the entire fielding side, in perfect unison, performed a short song and dance routine ending in a whoop of joy. This sally was later returned by less coordinated but equally enthusiastic exhibitions from the supporters each time one of our batsmen got a ball to the boundary.
The innings came to a close after sixteen men had ably defended their stump against a frighteningly accurate attack, and after 115 runs had been recorded by a very large Ellice lady sitting cross legged on the ground devouring coconut after coconut. The fall of the last wicket was the signal for a longer and more complicated song and dance from the fielders; the fact that they had also won was purely incidental: they had known that they were going to!
The match was over, but after such a struggle the ladies thought it fair to entertain us to a dance after the very unusual team photographs had been taken. The climax of this performance was reached with a very touching pas-de-deux executed by the top lady scorer and the Commanding Officer, and the presentation to the islanders of bats, balls and stumps: the whole being effected amid tumultuous applause and laughter.
And so the curtain of tropical night came down on yet another game of cricket - a truly memorable one.