2005 match archiveJACOBITE CHANCERS
Sunday April 24 at Greenford
Strollers won by two runs
Strollers 100 (Friday 51, Duggan 13, Macaulay 13)
Jacobite Chancers 98
(Gibbons 6-41, Dean Friday 1-2, Duggan 1-4, Hodgson 1-12)
Another season, and the Strollers start with another win. And what a win!
On a slow unresponsive pitch, a strong looking Strollers side batted
first. Marc Friday played his full array (or, more likely, full complement) of three defensive shots, before launching an astonishing attack on the bowling. Chancing his arm somewhat, Marc powered to a fifty off only 36 balls - dominating the opening partnership to such an extent that he was on 45 when the 50 was posted. He was particularly severe on Ed Black, whose first four overs went for 34 (to put this in perspective, in his next six he took 3-8).
Havingreached his fifty, Marc was promptly bowled by a ball which kept low,
and from the heights of 55-1, the Strollers rapidly (we will draw a veil over the mixture of missed full tosses and run-outs at this stage, attributing it to early season jitters....) descended to 100 all out. So rapidly, in fact, that there was time for 40 minutes further play before tea.
The Jacobite Chancers started well, scoring rapidly, and had reached
39 off nine overs when Stuart Gibbons struck with what was to be the last
ball before tea, giving a glimmer of hope to the Strollers.
After tea, the scoring rate slowed markedly, in no small part down to Jim Hodgson, who bowled five successive maidens with little luck - inducing a
series of plays and misses and having several close shouts for lbw
turned down. Gibbons continued to chip away at the wickets, aided by a
stunning, leaping juggling catch by Dean Friday, but the score
continued to creep towards the Strollers' total. Mike Morgan, who
rotated his bowling attack all innings in a masterful display of
captaincy, brought on debutant Dean Friday, who took a wicket in his
first over, bowled a maiden and was promptly replaced with figures of
1-2 off 2 overs. The Chancers upped their scoring rate, and David Macmillan was going ominously well, and with the score on 80-6, a breakthrough was badly needed.
This came when Macmillan took on Dean Friday in the
deep, whose low fast throw to Morgan resulted in a run-out by a
good yard. Next in was Black, who looked very composed, and with
only 20 needed it looked too close to call, but, crucially, Sean
Duggan bowled Ed with a beauty. The score continued to nudge up, and
had reached 94-8, when Gibbons, whom Mike had brought back into the
attack, struck twice in the following three tense overs, clean bowling the final Jacobite Chancer and ending with match-winning figures of 6-42.
The Strollers had snuck home by two runs in a terrific game of cricket, played in a great spirit. The grin on skipper Morgan's face, rivalling that of any Cheshire Cat, lasted well into the evening.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Fees collected by Jim Hodgson.
SUNBURY
Sunday May 1 at Sunbury
Strollers won by 9 wickets
Sunbury 149-5 (Platt 3-40, Leach 1-9, Gardiner 1-45)
Strollers 150-1 (Friday 102*, Morgan 36*)
On a fine warm afternoon skipper Mike Morgan won the toss and inserted the Sunbury Academy X1, a mixture of promising young lads and old heads. The pitch offered little to the opening pair of Oliver Gardiner and Miles Platt who kept things tight with Platt bowling the youthful opener and Gardiner seeing edges from the senior partner fly through the slips.
The John Leach back held up during a tight spell in which he bagged the Middlesex Under-15 keeper and we were treated to a few overs of Morgan leg spin leading to an unexpected event, retirement through heat exhaustion of the senior opener Cox after an over spent running ones and twos.
Tim Garbett pointed out that as the pink and sweating Cox wandered unsteadily to the boundary, Jim Hodgson was kitted out in t-shirt, long sleeve shirt and sweater.
The Strollers fielding was sharp, keeping Sunbury in check all through their innings, so as tea approached, the home side adopted the long handle approach to try and post a challenging total. They had some success, pushing the total up to 149, but the returning Gardiner and Platt picked up regular wickets too
Following a good tea, Marc Friday and Mike Richards opened up. Richards’ early departure brought Morgan to the wicket and that was it in terms of batsmen required. The crowds cheered (including wandering ski instructor E. Samuel) and the paraqueets squawked as Friday, batting in typical Friday style took the bowling apart. Morgan played the support role well, always forcing the quick singles, but it was inevitably Marc who clinched the win and his own 89-ball century with two successive on-drives for four.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Richards Match fees: Jim Hodgson
JORDANS TAVERNERS
Saturday May 7 at Seer Green
Strollers lost by 32 runs
Jordans Taverners 131
(38 overs; Brodbeck 4-26, Cave 3-20, Leach 1-44)
Strollers 99
(34.3 overs; Morgan 52, Garbett 10)
Jordans made a slow start against the nagging Dennis Cave and the miserly John Leach. Then Simon Brodbeck kept them pinned back. But the Jordans skipper stuck to his task and scored a patient half-century while some big hitting down the order meant that the Jordans total (despite having only nine men) closed some 20 runs more than looked comfortable. And so it proved. Strollers openers Tony Carter and Tim Garbett found it hard going and runs were not easy to find. But skipper Mike Morgan stood firm while his colleagues found varied ways to get out. Kimball Bailey stayed with Morgan for a useful stand but was then wastefully run out and Chris Locke provided some assistance too, before departing. While Morgan was there, the target looked possible, but then he was caught behind the wicket after a fine 52 and the end soon came. But the sun shone, even if the icy wind kept blowing. The hospitality (and the lasagne) at the White Hart was as welcoming as ever, thanks to Robin Yolland and his men. If only Morgan’s men had given him similar support on the field…
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
FARNHAM ROYAL
Sunday May 8 at Farnham
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 177-7 dec
(Wood 95, Salvesen 42; Santoki 5-38)
Farnham 179-6
(Hodgson 4-22, Platt 1-50; Bucknell 66)
It’s not often the Strollers play sides that indulge in coach-led pre-match stretching and a boundary jog (yes, all the way round!) to warm up. Add in an average age of around 19 and a Jamaican pro and you can see why the Strollers seemed slightly twitchy before the game. Comfort was taken from seeing Madam President take her place in the scorebox and from watching the efforts of the Jamaican pro to keep warm in the distinctly chilly wind.
Skipper of the day Morgan won the toss and elected to unleash a strong Strollers line-up. Probably the briskest attack we will face all year rolled into action against our reunited Aussie openers, Marc Friday and Evan Samuel, quickly dismissing both (after a huge six from Friday), and Mike Morgan and Pat Howard too. So, as often with a strong batting list, we found ourselves at 61-4, with Tom "I never score any runs at number three" Wood and Tom Salvesen, in his 2005 opener, together.
A period of sustained aggressive batting by both steered us past 100. Salvesen fell short of his 50, caught close to the boundary. This left Wood to tuck into the young off-spinner and race to 95 before he tried to complete his ton in style in advance of the impending storm. A lofted drive was caught at long-off and Tom’s dismissal was shortly followed by an unseasonal burst of hail which brought on an early tea and a sporting declaration.
The sun returned for our spell in the field and must have gone to the head of the pro as he unnecessarily skied a wide delivery from Hodgson to Howard in the covers. Hodgson’s trundle picked up another couple of wickets while Platt probed without success.
It looked as if the home side had tinkered with their order as the uncultured (but awkward to get out) number three was joined by a very solid looking bat, who, after being uncomfortable against Salvesen’s out-swing, picked up the pace of the innings and raced to 66 before being bowled by the persistent Platt. The Farnham Royal youngsters willingly took up the gauntlet and guided their side home with a mixture of classy stroke play and quick, decisive running. Howard pulled off a great piece of fielding to run one of the lads out, but that merely brought another, more aggressive hitting version to the wicket.
In the end it turned out to be a reasonably balanced game with the better side winning, having scored a consistent seven and a half an over in the last 19 to secure victory.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match Fees: Jim Hodgson
ROYAL ASCOT
Sunday May 15 at Ascot
Strollers won by 128 runs
Strollers 231-7 dec (Samuel 108, Friday 48, Extras 40)
Royal Ascot 103 (Duggan 5-24, Cave 4-33)
The Strollers seemed on to a sure winner at Royal Ascot's lovely ground
in the middle of the race track once Marc Friday leapt out of the starting gate with a rollicking 48 off just 26 legitimate deliveries. He also faced a high proportion of illegitimate stuff in the shape of beamers, wides, and no balls as he knocked Ascot’s opening bowler and his not-so-rapid replacement completely off their stride.
It was too impetuous to last and in a selfless display of jug avoidance Marc was clean-bowled by the pick of Ascot’s bowlers, leaving the stage to his partner Evan Samuel. The Strollers’ svelte-ish (nothing wrong with poetic licence) newly qualified ski instructor stepped into his lead role in style. He survived a clout on the shoulder, a twinged hamstring (it can only happen to the super-fit) and the gradual erosion of the middle order with patience and aplomb, carefully accumulating and then cleverly accelerating, to reach his century before a tea-time declaration.
That no one else made it to double figures (except Wides and Byes) underlines the dominance of Evan’s effort. It was his fourth ton for the club and his first since 1999, leaving him top of the list of all-time centurions alongside Chris Meade and Terry Scragg. Good on ya, mate, let’s hope number five won’t be too long.
Ascot’s reply was pretty feeble against Sean Duggan, who was menacingly pacey, and Dennis Cave, who nagged away on line and length. Sean was rested first with just a single wicket to his name, while Dennis soldiered on to complete an excellent 11-over spell that saw off the rest of the top and middle order.
The opposition then dug in to survive and wicket number six was a frustratingly long time coming. It eventually fell to Kelvin O’Halloran, well into the last 20 overs, when he held a sharp return catch. – with his hands. This is a much more reliable way of catching a cricket ball than with your chest, something he’d inexplicably tried a few overs previously – much to his own discomfort, the team’s general amusement and the bowling skipper’s chagrin.
Breakthough achieved, Duggan returned to chip away at the remaining obstacles to the Strollers’ progress. He bowled with a nice mixture of control and power to end with a thoroughly deserved five-for, wrapping things up with just an over or so to go.
So ended a well-worked victory against admittedly weaker opposition, with star performances from four Strollers stalwarts.
Captain: Peter Patston. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match Fees: Kelvin O’Halloran
LJUBLJANA
Saturday May 21 in Slovenia
Strollers lost by five wickets
Strollers 93-9 (35 overs; Sturdy 12, Hodgson 12, Wood 11, Fish 10, Bailey 9*; E Jakofcic 2-14, R Jakofcic 2-19)
Slovenia 94-5 (34.1 overs; Conn 31; Macaulay 2-24, Dray 2-24, Wood 1-10)
OK, let’s get one thing out of the way before we write about the cricket. Slovenia is a foreign country, and so tour organiser and acting tour treasurer Kimball Bailey reminded all tourists that passports and foreign currency were required. The fact that he himself managed to bring four hundred quid’s worth of Slovakian koruna rather than Slovenian tolars – and discovered this as part of a near-coronary experience in a taxi – ensured that there was something to laugh about even in the tour’s blackest moments.
So we had a wonderful day touring the countryside (“top lake”, “top gorge”, “top waterfall”, “top Alps”) and two nights on the tiles, one accompanied by the nobbling committee from Ljubljana CC. Ten Strollers, three gallant supporters (Anna, Claire and Sally, one wearing a particularly fine felt hat) and a collection of hangovers taxied out to the picturesque ground at Valburga in glorious sunshine. With a ruined castle on a wooded hill and a church to one side and the snow-capped mountains to the other, it was certainly prettier than Greenford. The strip, however, was charitably described as “interesting” (Mike Morgan and Ben Dray immediately calling for helmets), and the outfield concealed a tribe of pygmies just behind deep mid-wicket. Facing a side containing six full internationals (and when has that ever happened to the Strollers before?) skipper Morgan elected to bat (in a 35-over match) and take advantage of the sunshine.
And our brave lads found it a bit tough. Morgan was bowled off his legs by the nippy and accurate Brad Eve, Tom Wood was bowled comprehensively by Mark Oman immediately after a big six (which was our only boundary of the innings), and Ben Dray was frustrated to be caught off Tom Furness. Jim Hodgson, who had grafted for 19 overs for 12, finally lost his legendary cool and swung Egon Jakofcic to the deep and was caught, with the Strollers in deep trouble at 42-4.
The long tail then wagged against less hostile bowling. Debutant Steve Fish (another international loaned by Ljubljana who had paraded his Lancashire Second XI pedigree – “what sport?”, we wondered; thanks for playing for us Steve) played his shot to good effect before being given LBW to the other Jakofcic brother. Alastair Macaulay and Tim Garbett swung and nurdled, and Andrew Sturdy batted aggressively before skying a catch to the keeper off the occasional bowling of Janez. Kimball Bailey hung around for a gallant nine not out, partnered by John Gibson, surviving a ludicrous appeal for run out on the way, and John’s dismissal off the penultimate ball of the 35th over left the stage clear for Dan Furlan. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Dan indeed opened his tally for the season, but later explained that the huge grin on his face was not because of his run but rather because he had been given strict instructions to run Kimball out (he didn’t – Ed.).
After a fine tea we were called upon to bowl. It had been suggested that 90 was a defendable target, and national skipper Oman generously engineered a tight match. But the Strollers can be proud of some excellent bowling and fielding. Tom and Dan opened the bowling with both hostility and accuracy, with the first run not coming until the fourth over, and Jim Hodgson bowled three consecutive maidens and was at one point 5-0-5-0. Rob Crawford was LBW to a sharp delivery from Tom and Darren Halford struggled to 13 before a sharp stumping by Morgan off Alastair Macaulay.
But Stefan Conn played his shots well after a very slow start, hitting one enormous six that threatened to disrupt the hot tractor action in the field on the other side of the road and then for two fours, the only fours of the match. He finally fell for a match-winning 31 to a sharp catch by Ben Dray off Alastair, and Ben himself took the wickets of Urban Blaznik and Egon Jakofcic before Mark Oman hit the winning runs off the second ball of the 35th over (after what can only be described as a chanceless innings).
Beer flowed in the local hostelry as the Strollers were awarded their Slovenian colours. I believe we drank various sorts of schnapps later, both before and after dinner, and I also believe that Andrew, John and Tom were thrown out of a nightclub, but that, as they say, is history.
Many thanks to our hosts for their hospitality, to the team for travelling all that way, to our supporters for supporting, to Tim for lending Mike a box, to John Gibson for forgetting he had the room key in his pocket, and to Barclays Bank’s Fleet Street branch Bureau de Change for engineering a few laughs along the way.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Spent on beer
ROEHAMPTON
Sunday May 22 in Putney
Strollers lost by five wickets
Strollers 114 (Friday 42, Shattock 21, Meilton 12)
Roehampton 115-5 (Cave 2-15, Leach 2-29, McKenzie 1-20)
Thanks to the heroic efforts of team manager Mike Shattock the Strollers raised 11 men. Even then the Chelsea Premiership parade tried to prevent the team getting to the ground by blocking all the roads. However, we arrived, albeit late, and wandered out to gaze at the pitch, which resembled a paddock and a moist one at that. We prayed the skipper would win the toss but he failed. It was no surprise when we were duly inserted.
As expected, the ball seamed all over the place but that did not seem to bother Marc Friday. Their opening bowler suddenly pulled a fetlock as Marc smacked him about. Interesting how the injury suddenly got better when the lower order were in and he could now bowl again. Friday nearly decapitated square leg with a pull, which went waist-high like a shell for six. The first wicket went down at 31 of which Friday had scored 26.
Shattock joined him and the score accelerated with the team manager pulling two balls for powerful fours and then hitting a cover drive for six in the next over. Roehampton at this stage were looking ragged.
Unfortunately, it did not last as Shattock, who was batting well, was unfortunate to hit an uppish straight drive which mid-off hung onto.
Before departing the middle the kindly Shattock warned Friday: "Watch out for his slower ball - he puts it in at yorker length and you've nearly played over the top of it twice!". The result? Big heave, big miss, no stumps...
Friday thus departed for 42, giving him 254 runs in five innings with one not out. May it long continue.
From 63-2, in true Strollers fashion the middle order collapsed. We found a penchant for hitting short balls into the hands of extra-cover or midwicket. In fact a push would almost have been two to the fielders, they were so deep, but we do not play the game that way. The Strollers plunged from 83-4 to 94-9 before a stand of 20 for the last wicket took it to 114 all out…at least 20-30 runs short.
With the wicket drying and easing, a good start was needed by the Strollers. Debutant Bruce Railton held a swirling skier off Dennis Cave. In the next over Shattock, close in, got a hand under an attempted off-drive and palmed it to Pat Howard, who dived and held it an inch off the ground. Then John Leach struck as Stuart McKenzie took a running catch nonchalantly in the covers and suddenly Roehampton were 4-3.
The miserly Cave reeled off six overs without a run and after 12 overs Roehampton were 9-3. Then Dakin suddenly cut loose and Cave conceded 14 runs to Dakin in one over but redeemed himself in the next with just one run coming off it. Leach then bowled No 5 in a good spell. Roehampton 39-4.
Then the wheels came off as Dakin, another batsman from the Southern Hemisphere, was very cruel to anything short, hitting well over the boundary and deep into the brambles. McKenzie came on and with his first ball had No 6 caught off a skier by wicket-keeper Mike Hart, who covered some distance to take the catch. Now 84-5. (Strollers at this stage had been 88-5). McKenzie then nearly had Dakin caught by Hart who got a glove under the ball but could not hold it. That made the difference. Dakin raced to 70 not out and the game was over. But it was a good fight and the Strollers never gave up. If only we had won the toss!
Captain: Stuart McKenzie. Wkt: Mike Hart. Match fees: Mike Shattock.
HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY
Saturday May 28 in the City
Strollers lost by nine wickets
Strollers 78 (Samuel 15, McLaughlin 13, Extras 11, McKenzie 10no)
Hon Artillery 79-1 (Gibbons 1-13)
There is very little to say about what was, by any standards, a poor
performance . . . except to note that, yet again, the Strollers put out what
looked like a strong side and got whacked.
Ignoring a problematic pitch (the one we were supposed to play on was
worse), the fact remains that FSS committed suicide. The HAC opening attack was competent and had a little pace, but there could be no excuse for a variety of appalling dismissals.
When the top score is 15 (and that wicket was lost to a slow full toss . . .
the marcfriday is alive and well), there really is little hope.
The bowlers did their best, but once a couple of lbw decisions had been
turned down, one ludicrously, it was all over. Stuart Gibbons had a bad
back, which didn’t help; Miles Platt bowled some excellent balls but a few
too many down leg; and Jim Hodgson six maidens, five of them consecutively, in his spell of 8-6-4-0. Leach batted very well for his 40 not out.
HAC provided some much needed beer and wine after the match, possibly out of pure sympathy, and several Strollers retired in the direction of Covent Garden to help Kimball Bailey celebrate his birthday.
It was the only thing that could be celebrated, to be honest . . .
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Mike Morgan.
WALL
Sunday May 29 at Greenford
Strollers lost by six wickets
Strollers 215-3
(40 overs; Sam Brodbeck 107, Samuel 71)
Wall 217-4
(39.3 overs; Hatton 87no; Rice 1-36, Samuel 1-42, Joshi 1-44)
Cricket was again the winner in a tense finish; but yet again the Strollers were not.
The Strollers total looked competitive, thanks to Sam Brodbeck's maiden ton and skipper Evan Samuel's 71. They put on a little matter of 168 for the second wicket...and it was a treat to watch.
Sam timed the ball delightfully and, after an exquisite cover drive had sent him on his way, he proceeded to play shots all round the wicket and look completely in command. Samuel played his part too, despite seemingly carrying yet another injury, and they took full advantage of a fine batting wicket.
Unfortunately, so did Wall. They had come fresh from a tight win in their previous tour match and proceeded to do it again. Mark Hatton had some luck but once he had found his hitting range he made it look easy and despite the best efforts of leg-spinner Jack Chapman and chairman Tim Rice, the victory march could not be halted.
Catches went down - maybe five or six, to be precise - and Raj Joshi bowled with some fire to take the game into the last over, but defeat came with three balls remaining.
It was a splendid game against very sociable and friendly opposition. The tea was memorable too, as thanks to the efforts of the Glaxo staff we were able to repay the generous hospitality that Wall show to us every August bank holiday.
Statisticians should note that Hiten Patel was back in action after an absence of six years. His last game was Marc Friday's first. Unfortunately Friday's dismissal for eight meant that his average fell below that of Samuel, which may be of interest to someone.
Captain: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Mike Richards. Matrch fees: Simon Brodbeck.
LJ CLARK’S
Wednesday June 1 at Wandsworth
Strollers won by 15 runs
Strollers 171-6
(McLaughlin 33*, Stewart 28*, Wood 26*, Morgan 26*, Caughlin 14)
LJ Clark's 156-8
(Stewart 4-29)
Debutant skipper Andrew Sturdy did the right thing by winning the toss after a tropical downpour, ensuring that we were not the ones who had to bat in the dark at the end. A 15 eight-ball over game ensued, with what looked like a strong Strollers batting side pitched against a traditionally strong opposition.
And, unlike the strong team pitched against the HAC, it worked. Tom Wood and James Mawson started aggressively and, after an unfortunate run out, Wood made hay with Luke McLaughlin and the paucity of dot balls continued when Luke was joined by Mark Stewart.
Sean Duggan, captaining on the field, had a rare batting failure, bringing Mike Morgan and then Stuart “Demolition Man” Caughlin to the wicket. Caughlin, playing his first match in two years, did for Sturdy and Dan Furlan, leaving debutant Watson and Peter Patston to add some icing to a pretty impressive cake.
Furlan bowled tightly and economically, taking a wicket in his second over with a good catch by Mawson. The other bowlers continued to contain, with wickets for Caughlin and Duggan, and as the wickets continued to fall LJs were squeezed in the increasing gloom.
Stewart’s bowling analysis bears inspection: 1-28 after his first over, with three fours and two sixes before a clean bowled off the last ball. Then the second over: three wickets for five runs.
Beer and entertainment flowed after the torchlit return to the pavilion to celebrate our first victory against this sociable and capable side.
Captain: Andrew Sturdy/Sean Duggan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Who can tell?
PINKNEYS GREEN
Sunday June 5 at Pinkneys Green
Strollers won by nine wickets
Pinkneys Green 162-9
(40 overs; Brodbeck 3-35, Rice 1-10, Patston 1-13, Leach 1-19, Macaulay 1-20, Gibbons 1-25, Cave 1-37)
Strollers 163-1
(Friday 104, Morgan 27no, Brodbeck 21no)
This may look like Marc Friday's match, but there were 10 other players.
Just for the record, Stuart Gibbons, with fine figures of 8-3-25-1, made sure the opposition never got away in a 40-over game, while Mike Morgan's slick legside stumping of Pinkneys' danger man was a crucial moment. Simon Brodbeck bowled the big-hitting skipper while Tim Rice showed that his playing comeback is well under way with a tight spell.
So 162 looked a gettable score. To Mr Friday it was no problem. He proceeded to the fastest ever century scored by a Stroller - off 59 deliveries. Of those, 26 were dot balls, so his runs came off 33 scoring shots. Spectacular stuff . The ball disappeared to all parts, often literally, as four or five replacement missiles had to be used. One over went for 24 and the mayhem went on and on. Even the mishits disappeared for six and there was no stopping the Friday wrecking machine.
Brodbeck was not to be outdone and played his full array of shots, contributing an aggressive seven to an opening stand of 124. Friday eventually fell to a sucker slower ball and departed to a standing ovation, leaving Morgan to see the Strollers home.
So without a doubt, it was Friday's match. And he did it with a bad shoulder...
Capt: Peter Patston. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
THAMES VALLEY
Wednesday June 8 at Sunbury
Strollers won by ten wickets
Strollers 127-4
(Walder 25, Hutchinson 31, O’Halloran 32)
Strollers 129-0
(Duggan 37, Hannan 25, Wood 25, Morgan 21)
Gosh this 20-over a side stuff is good fun. They ought to consider doing it at international level…
On a lovely sunny evening the Strollers were once again playing Thames Valley at their ground in Staines. Thames Valley won the toss and opted to bat.
Sean Duggan opened the bowling and expressed some concern about the ball – highly varnished, with no quarter seam…"that might go all over the place." He proved this by bowling the first ball between the stumps and square leg - ‘"that swung a bit…where’s fine leg?" "In the pavilion" - but after that bowled his four overs for 10 runs and one wicket.
At the other end Mike Morgan bowled a fine spell of leg-spin, and was only denied a wicket by the fact he was too good for the wicket-keeper as well. Tom Wood also bowled a miserly spell (1-7 off 4) from his shortened run, and Krishna Lester (our host for the French tour) took a couple of wickets, including Kelvin O’Halloran , stumped again. Thames Valley were restricted to a total of 127 by a fine Strollers performance, probably about 20 or so runs short on this pitch.
So the cunning plan was ‘let’s get the first three batsmen retired, and then let the others take a few quick singles – that should get us there’ (In this form of cricket a batsman retires at the end of the over in which he reaches 25, but he can return at the end of the innings).
Rarely can a plan have been so flawlessly executed. Tim Hannan unleashed a full range of strokes to quickly reach 25, Wood, playing aggressively as ever, followed suit, then Duggan celebrated timing getting to his 25 at the start of an over by launching two huge sixes – one of which bounced off the pavilion roof, and was last seen travelling down the A308 towards Feltham.
Morgan came in and continued his good run of form, not only striking the ball well, but running quickly - turning ones into twos and stealing singles (yes, this is the Strollers we are talking about!). All this against what was pretty decent bowling.
So the Strollers won by 10 wickets (despite using five batsmen) with four overs to spare – a result which in no way reflected the difference between the two teams, as Thames Valley were actually quite strong. It is just that occasionally, very occasionally, the Strollers come up with a plan and execute it to perfection.
As ever, Thames provided a fine tea, and beer was drunk as the sun set on a fine evening and a great Stollers performance.
Captain: Tim Garbett. Wkt: Garbett. Match fees (£5 a head): Sean Duggan.
WEST CHILTINGTON
Sunday June 12 in Sussex
Match drawn
Strollers 279-4 dec
(Friday 130, O'Halloran 87no, Gibbons 17no)
West Chiltington 129-9
(McKenzie 3-5, Caughlin 3-24)
Another Sunday, the same old Friday.
Back in rural Sussex to defend the John Marshall Cup, the Strollers elected to bat first – not ideal, but the decision was influenced by the fact that our two opening bowlers, skipper Sean Duggan and Stuart Gibbons, were delayed en route by a combination of vending machines and trains.
Marc Friday and Stuart McKenzie opened against some accurate and lively bowling, and it took a full nine balls for Friday to get off the mark. After that, he continued in much the same vein as last week, smiting the ball to all parts, and being particularly harsh on Llewelyn – taking nine boundaries off two overs.
At the other end, McKenzie played his part with resolute defence, as indicated by the numerous bruises he later displayed. Friday’s 50 came up off 31 balls. Soon afterwards McKenzie scored his first run – to raucous cheers from the crowd. Unfortunately he was only able to add another three runs before being caught.
Kelvin O’Halloran came in to play some fine shots, but Friday continued to dominate, bringing up his 100 in style with a huge six – this century taking 62 balls, fully three more than the previous week! A tiring Friday went on to make 130 off 90 balls, including five sixes and 18 fours, putting on 134 for the second wicket. O’Halloran then picked up the pace, going on to make 87 off 75 balls, and Gibbons blazed away for a merry 17 at the end of the innings. A fine total of 279 off 38 overs.
This target was always going to be difficult to chase, and West Chiltington never really threatened it against some tight bowling from Duggan and Gibbons and a generally excellent fielding performance from the Strollers – helped by having two youngsters in the form of Ollie Leach and Stuart Turner.
After 19 overs, when the 20-over mark arrived, West Chiltington were a comfortable 89-2, and the game was meandering towards a draw - sufficient for the Strollers to retain the Cup. John Leach then took a wicket, but it was the introduction of the Stuart spin twins – Caughlin and McKenzie – who very nearly engineered a victory. Four wickets fell in three overs, with McKenzie taking two with the last two balls of the penultimate over, but Llewellyn, who scored a composed 65 not out, played out the final over, and West Chiltington hung on for the draw. Caughlin bowled a fine spell, ending with figures of 3-24 off 11, whilst McKenzie returned the excellent figures of 3-5 off 5.
As always, West Chiltington provided an excellent tea, and we would like to thank them again for their hospitality. Unfortunately, Mrs Dave Marshall was too poorly to attend and we wish her well.
So the Strollers retained the Cup with some ease. Friday was the star, but it was a really good team performance. Long may it continue!
Capt: Sean Duggan. Wkt: Tim Garbett. Match fees: Stuart McKenzie.
NB: The John Marshall Cup is contested every year with the Sussex village of West Chiltington. John, a cricket enthusiast who wrote several books on the game, was editor of the London Evening News back in the 1950s. He used to take a team from Fleet Street down to the village where he and his wife Dave lived for many years. Then the Strollers officially took over defence of the Cup. In the early days it was champagne on the Marshalls' lawn and lunch in the village hall before a highly competitive game in the afternoon at a lovely ground overlooked by the former home of Norman Wisdom (whose son played for the village and Sussex CCC).
These days the Cup is still highly prized and John's widow, Dave, who now lives in nearby Storrington, is still the guest of honour. The club has sent some flowers to wish her well
PARRY’S WHIPPETS
Thursday June 16 at Chiswick
Strollers lost by 16 runs
Parry's Whippets 93-6
(Style 40; Macaulay 2-13, McDonald 1-6, Platt 1-7, Furlan 1-10)
Strollers 77-6
(Carter 19, Sturdy 13, Bussell 13, Macaulay 12*; Taylor 3-9)
When you lose the toss and are put in to field with only six people there, it needs a pretty good performance to stay in the game. And it’s true to say that we bowled and fielded like demons.
New boy Toby Watson put in a tight and hostile couple of overs and Mike Shattock, with only four in the outfield, even bowled a maiden! Steve Bussell bowled accurately in his first overs in a couple of years (two overs for four runs) and Miles Platt, fresh from changing, clean bowled a Whippet opener. A sharp throw from Sean McDonald (arrival number eight) went to Ian Evans who took an easy run out, and McDonald also rattled the stumps (his first wicket for the Strollers).
Tony Carter took a catch off Dan Furlan’s (arrival number nine) first ball. Generous captaincy gave Carter an over of dibbles to raise the target, then Alastair Macaulay (arrival number eleven at 7.10) took two wickets in his first over, one clean bowled and a sharp catch by Toby, and only one run was scored off Stair’s last over, the twentieth. 94 was an achievable target…
But then again. Accurate bowling in the encroaching gloom, and openers Carter and Shattock found it hard. Shattock was unlucky to be adjudged caught off a bump ball, and then Andrew Sturdy joined Tony, with a few well-struck boundaries enlivening the grind. Evans, Bussell and Platt slashed away in the gloaming, with Taylor bowling three Strollers and two deep catches by Warwick as panic set in, but we were well behind the run rate, and Macaulay and McDonald were unable to score the required runs in the last couple of overs.
A sporting game and an even more sporting evening as we adjourned to the City Barge overlooking the river. Thanks too to the Whippets for the loan of pads.
We look forward to the rematch, for which a team will be selected based on its ability to tell that six o’clock is when the big hand points up and the little hand points down and to read the directions on the web site…
Captain: Ian Evans. Wkt: Ian Evans. Match fees: Kimball Bailey.
CRANHAM
Saturday June 18 at Cranham
Strollers won by four wickets
Cranham 77
(Simon Brodbeck 4-8, O'Halloran 2-15, McKenzie 1-7, Hodgson 1-10)
Strollers 82-6
(Carter 14, Sam Brodbeck 12, Taylor 12no, O'Halloran 10no)
It just goes to show: the world is not always against the Strollers. We lost the toss on the hottest day of the year with not the strongest attack ever fielded. And bowled the opposition out for 77.
The crucial moment came when Neil Carpenter, who scored a little matter of 180 not out (five sixes and 26 fours) against us in the same fixture last year, was trapped lbw for one. The rest went the same way, rather to everyone’s surprise.
Simon Brodbeck returned figures of 8-2-8-4, while Kelvin O’Halloran pitched the ball up and reaped the rewards.
Could the Strollers cock it up in traditional fashion? We tried, ably assisted by the deadly digit of umpire Alastair Macaulay, and were wobbling at 54-5. But the gnarled experience of Brian Taylor and the exuberant hitting of O’Halloran saw the tourists home.
On a glorious summer’s evening looking across the Cotswold valley it was the perfect place to be. And victory made it all the sweeter…
Capt: Peter Patston. Wkt: Mike Morgan. No match fees.
SHEEPSCOMBE
Sunday June 19 at Sheepscombe
Strollers won by 141 runs
Strollers 178
(Taylor 52, Morgan 38, O'Halloran 33, Sam Brodbeck 24)
Sheepscombe 37
(Simon Brodbeck 5-15, Cave 4-18)
While some of the tourists were still waiting for their desserts from the previous night’s dinner and Steve Harmison was brushing aside the Aussies down the road at Bristol, the team manager was desperately trying to find an 11th player.
All efforts failed so we marched into battle with 10. Skipper Brian Taylor won the first decisive moment, the toss, and we were able to bat in the sweltering heat. Sam Brodbeck looked in imperious form until, for no apparent reason, he charged the opening bowler and was brilliantly caught at slip.
John Low departed to a delivery that failed to bounce and it was up to Taylor and Mike Morgan to repair the damage. This they did in splendid fashion against a lively attack headed by seamer Danny Gordon, who bowled 13 overs off the reel in temperatures of 90 degrees. Morgan eventually fell and Kelvin O’Halloran picked up the pace, striking six fours and a six in his aggressive 33. Taylor reached a fine half-century and the final wicket fell as the teapot was put into position in the clubhouse.
Tour manager Alastair Macaulay muttered darkly into his egg sandwich that 178 was not enough, but events failed to bear him out.
The youthful opening attack of Dennis Cave (6-2-18-4) and Simon Brodbeck (5-0-15-5) soon had the wickets tumbling. Morgan claimed two slick stumpings and the second pivotal moment of the day came when Sheepscombe dangerman Piers Risley-Pritchard slapped a long hop into the safe hands of Sam Brodbeck before he had got off the mark.
So another victory enhanced that memorable view across the rolling hills. More cups of tea were produced as through the crackling cat’s whisker came news of Kevin Pietersen’s heroics against the humiliated Aussies.
Later, in the garden of the Woolpack on the Slad hillside, the unanimous verdict was that it had been a glorious weekend, thanks to the efforts of manager Macaulay, the magical weatherman and the warm hospitality of our hosts at Cranham and Sheepscombe.
Capt: Brian Taylor. Wkt: Mike Morgan. No match fees.
WINDSOR GREAT PARK
Sunday June 26 at Windsor
Strollers lost by seven wickets
Strollers 136
(Morgan 29, Friday 26, Sam Brodbeck 25, Wood 16)
Windsor Great Park 141-3
(Shattock 1-14, Platt 1-22, Simon Brodbeck 1-51)
In the dressing room after the match, as thoughts turned to towels and soap to wash away the memory of defeat, one wag remarked mournfully: “We have got a great showering line-up. On paper.”
We had a great batting line-up too. On paper.
Sadly, it failed to produce enough runs. Although some got started, nobody went on to get the 70 or 80 that was needed to set a competitive total.
Marc Friday fell when we needed him to start motoring; Sam Brodbeck was bowled after batting well; Luke McLaughlin was caught behind; Tony Carter was removed by a fine delivery; Tom Wood began with some belligerent shots but then departed and Mike Morgan was brilliantly caught in the penultimate over. To be fair, the main reason for the lack of runs was an excellent bowling display by WGP. They gave very little to hit, were always putting the ball in the right place and were backed up by some fine aggressive fielding.
The somewhat thin Strollers bowling attack did their best to make WGP battle for the runs. Miles Platt bowled with fire and rhythm, but had no luck when he beat the bat. Simon Brodbeck kept it tight for a while, but insisted on offering up too many bad balls. Mike Shattock did well when he was called into the firing line, claiming a deserved wicket, while skipper Morgan took off his pads and purveyed his leg-breaks to good effect. But it was always going to be tough to prevent WGP cruising to the winning line. McLaughlin, whose sole delivery disappeared over midwicket for six, ensured they made it.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan/Sam Brodbeck.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
BATTERSEA IRONSIDES
Wednesday June 29 in Wandsworth
Strollers lost by six wickets
Strollers 128-8
(Wood 32no, Mawson 27, Platt 15, Evans 13)
Battersea Ironsides 130-4
(Watson 3-22, Dugan 1-23)
Hail at four, but bright sunshine when Tom Wood and James Mawson started to knock the ball around the park. Wood’s training regime was sorely tested by an all-run four (another later between Sean Duggan and Mawson as well!) and the score rattled along. Wood retired, bring Sean to the crease for some more aggressive hitting, then a rattle of wickets: Sean, John Low playing the marcfriday, Jim Hodgson caught at deep square leg and Andrew Study caught rather more vertically.
Mawson, deprived of the strike for a long time, was finally forced to retire, and a positive partnership between Miles Platt and Ian Evans (despite some comical running) took the score to a creditable 128. Toby Watson was clean bowled by the opposition captain (and indeed well known to Toby) to tumultuous applause, Kimball Bailey perished trying to move the score along and Dan Furlan bravely gave the returning Wood the strike.
And we started well. Miles bowled accurately, with a maiden to boot (the first runs off the bat came half way through his third over), and was unlucky not to take a wicket on several occasions. Dan was expensive, but when the openers (Cambrink and Saharetti) retired with only fifty-odd on the board after 12 overs we thought we were in with a strong chance.
Enter a batsman, Lee, who could – well, bat. Jim Hodgson was dispatched to Burntwood Road and to the pavilion roof, and the odds were back in the Ironsides’ favour. Toby took two in an over as the scores closed, one great catch in the deep by Jim and a sharp catch behind the stumps by Ian Evans, and then a third off another catch in the deep, this time by James Mawson.
Jim’s fourth over was an excellent response to the damage caused from his third, and the returning Duggan took another wicket in the encroaching gloom. But the scores had tied for five balls, and young Eaton hit Sean for two off the first ball of the final over for the Ironsides to snatch a well-earned victory.
Post-match discussion ensued in the Ironsides’ excellent bar and by the time we came out it was raining again. Thanks to our hosts for an excellent evening.
Captain: Sean Duggan. Wkt: Ian Evans. Match fees: Kimball Bailey
THE TIMES
Saturday July 2 at Greenford
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 213-8 dec
(Morgan 64, Garbett 48, Sam Brodbeck 26, O'Halloran 24, Wood 21)
The Times 214-6
(Macaulay 2-34, McKenzie 2-48, Simon Brodbeck 1-58)
It’s not often that a wedding party stops play, but the group photograph being taken at short midwicket delayed the restart after tea. Sadly the Strollers were out of the picture when the winning blow was struck at approximately 8.10pm.
Things began well, at least. Sam Brodbeck and Tim Garbett put on 56 for the first wicket against some testing bowling. Sam fell to a fine delivery from the opening quickie, who bowled 12 overs straight off and kept the batsmen hopping about. Garbett pushed on to score an excellent 48 before neatly avoiding his jug.
Tom Wood thumped the over-pitched ball and Mike Morgan, peering through his hangover, kept things moving. Skipper Kelvin O’Halloran upped the tempo with some fierce hitting which enabled him to declare with a decent score on the board, partly to spare Ivor Fiala further punishment. With the now wide awake Morgan calling for every possible, and impossible, run, Fiala was in danger of needing oxygen as he was lapped by his frenetic partner.
Once the bride, groom and party had left the field, The Times set off in pursuit of their target.
Kavit Shah bowled some testing deliveries with no luck, Simon Brodbeck bowled too many bad balls and Tom Wood wrecked his back (again). The opening partnership had registered 101 when Ian Evans (turning out for The Times) obligingly pulled his hamstring and had to limp out of the fray. Ali Macaulay and Stuart McKenzie put the brakes on and took some wickets, but The Times’ big hitters were not to be denied and the winning six came with four balls remaining.
A fine match; far more exciting than the England-Australia clash down the road, details of which were relayed out onto the field by the spectatators in the pavilion. That NatWest Series final ended in a tie; at least we provided a definite result.
But rather like the crestfallen Lions, the selectors acted in dramatic fashion, dropping 10 of the 11 players for the following day’s game at Coleshill. Only Morgan (fined for being out late on the night before a game) surprisingly escaped the axe, on the grounds that someone had to take the kit.
Capt: Kelvin O’Halloran. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Stuart McKenzie.
COLESHILL
Sunday July 3 at Coleshill
Strollers won by four wickets
Coleshill 176-9
(40 overs; Cave 5-25, Morgan 3-43)
Strollers 177-6
(38 overs; Morgan 73, Friday 42, Gibbons 23no)
A grey overcast afternoon in the picturesque Chilterns town of Coleshill greeted the Strollers. Captain Mike Morgan called the toss correctly and, following in the current English tradition, inserted the opposition.
Stuart Gibbons opened from the pavilion end and bowled with pace, accuracy and swing, beating the bat frequently. Dennis Cave took full advantage of the building pressure and, swinging the ball both ways, took a magnificent 5-25, ending his eight-over spell with two wickets from his last two balls – we look forward to the hat-trick delivery.
Despite all this the opposition captain remained at the crease, accumulating runs with good running and some big hitting whilst the wickets continued to fall around him. He finally fell to a cameo over from Brian Taylor for 66, who was promptly removed from the attack.
Morgan, in an inspired piece of captaincy, then removed the pads to weave his mystery spinners and took three valuable wickets.
A lovely tea was followed by a small controversy as Coleshill wanted to use a new ball for the second innings. This may have proved their downfall as a hard new ball travels even further when Friday hits it. After a couple of cautious overs, Friday unleashed a belligerent attack on the opening bowlers, scoring 42 in short order before falling to the first-change spinner.
Morgan played a captain’s innings built on a solid platform with fine support from his other batsmen. He steered the team towards victory with resolute defence and elegant driving, scoring 73.
In the end it was a comfortable victory with two overs to spare against a solid team and a day when leadership shone through on both sides.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Morgan/Mike Hart. Match fees: Dennis Cave.
PARRY’S WHIPPETS
Thursday July 7 at Chiswick
Match cancelled
The match was called off due to the tragic events in Central London on the morning of July 7.
CHOBHAM
Sunday July 10 at Chobham
Strollers lost by eight wickets
Strollers 204-9
(40 overs; Sam Brodbeck 39, Hart 34, O'Halloran 24, Garbett 22)
Chobham 208-2
(30.4 overs; Hughes 125no, Cave 2-31)
The most relieved man at the start of play was match manager Mike Morgan. This was the end of his tortured tenure, the last of the elite fixtures. As usual the team of all the talents that had been inked in many weeks before melted away like summer snow and it was the usual crew of Strollers stalwarts who faced the might of Chobham. Or rather the might of Chobham’s Aussie pro.
The Strollers got off to a decent start but Marc Friday’s blitzkrieg approach was halted too early. Sam Brodbeck put the bad balls away but pressed too hard against the Springbok leg-spinner and was caught at cover.
It was left to Tim Garbett and Mike Hart to restore respectability, putting on 60 for the seventh wicket with some intelligent batting. And Hart took toll of the Aussie pro’s spinners, carting him through midwicket to great effect.
So 204 was a decent score. And Dennis Cave made it look even better, taking two early wickets. Sadly that was the end of the good news.
Mr Hughes – not Merv or Kim but certainly an Aussie pro – gave some early hope as he nicked Stuart Gibbons through slip. Cave induced some false shots too, but the chances were not taken. Hughes inside-edged past his leg stump and generally rode his luck. In between he hit some booming drives and put wayward bowling away with thunderous power.
Towards the end the Strollers were looking somewhat battered and downcast. But the sun shone and Graham Oliver and his Chobham mates made everyone welcome. Despite defeat, Mike Morgan was still smiling at the close.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
THAMES VALLEY
Tuesday July 12 at Chiswick
Strollers lost by six runs
Thames Valley 136-3 (Duggan 2-9)
Strollers 130 (Dray 40, Wood 36, McDonald 16)
With the sun baking the outfield into a crusty savannah and the temperature still in the high twenties at 6pm, the Strollers lost the toss and were asked to field to earn their tea.
In typical fashion Sean Duggan opened with a lively spell, assisted greatly by the Strollers new weapon, a Duncan Fearnley ball possibly made in Outer Mongolia from camel bladders, that after only two overs resembled more a flattened beef patty than a proud cherry.
Aided by this new weapon of prodigious swing, Duggan (4-1-9-0) and Dan Furlan (4-1-19-0) tied down and troubled the opening Thames Valley pair. However, sense prevailed and the ball was given to Oona (Tom Wood’s dog) and a new ball issued. Not distracted by the introduction of the lively off-spin of Ben Dray (4-0-24-1), Messrs Walder (23) and Hutchison (33 retired) grafted a solid start. As the change bowlers were introduced, the remaining top order of Thames Valley - Durham (25 retired) and O’Halloran (25 retired) - allowed the home team to post a good 136-3 off 20 overs; a total limited by the return of the miserly Duggan in the final stages.
With the sky still a glorious sapphire and the outfield fast and full of runs, the Stroller’s opening pair strode out full of anticipation. However, Thames Valley had their own lively and accurate opening pair of Chaudry (4-0-14-2) and Heavisides (4-0-15-1), who removed both openers cheaply and the danger man from the previous fixture, Duggan.
Not deterred by the situation, Dray (40 retired) and skipper Wood piled on the runs with the introduction of the change bowlers. The momentum, however, could not be sustained and, though expensive in the end, Hutchison (4-0-37-3) took wickets at crucial intervals.
The stage was set with the introduction, by Thames, of O’Halloran (3-0-13-2) in the late overs. His lower order wickets allowed the return of the retired, big-hitting pair of Dray and Wood. Dray failed to add to his retired score, but Wood, together with some resolute batting from No.11 Furlan, took the match into the final over.
Wood and Furlan responded to some tight bowling at the end by running quick ones and twos. However, the need to seek every run and a fine return to the keeper’s end from the deep by O’Halloran resulted in Wood being run out for a battling 40. The Strollers fell an agonising six runs short in a fine game of high standard cricket on a balmy midweek evenin
Capt: Tom Wood. Wkt: Tim Garbett. Match fees: Kimball Bailey.
SAUMUR SATURDAY
Saturday July 16 in Saumur
Strollers lost by 81 runs
Saumur 201
(Ralph 59, Ijaz 55, German 29; Macalay 4-24, Leach 3-22, Salvesen 2-24)
Strollers 120
(Hodgson 32, Wood 18, Salvesen 13; Raunkilde 3-1, Ralph 2-7,
German 2-25, Burns 2-27)
One thing was sure: it was going to be bloody hot. The arrival of the Strollers was heralded by fireworks over the Loire and partying in the streets, though Dan Furlan was not there to join in the celebrations after putting his hand through a plate glass window. Tom Wood and Kimball Bailey became involved in hot vinification action at Chateau de Chaintres, and a fine dinner was had at the Grand Bleu by all.
So off to the ground on Saturday lunchtime with the team thermometer peaking at 35 degrees (or whatever that is in proper money). The pitch was dry, with the brook at the chateau end all but dried up and the river from which the team have had to retrieve the ball on many previous occasions a pool of green slime. And what does a skipper do with temperatures at that level? He loses the toss…
And immediate success! Tom Salvesen’s first ball was a snorter, and Krishna Lester’s edge was well taken in one hand by Mike Morgan behind the stumps. Krishna’s first primary and his “rosé” moment of the weekend.
Rob Howard and Jonathan Ralph batted confidently before a shooter from John Leach removed Howard. Sean Duggan, from the chateau end, trapped Blair McFarlane without scoring, but that brought Ijaz to the crease. He played his shot to good effect and his 50 was eventually to include four sixes. Meanwhile Ralph continued to score briskly, scoring 50 and hitting Jim Hodgson for a huge six before – next ball – he was persuaded to spoon up a straightforward catch to Stuart Gibbons.
Ijaz was out lbw to the first ball of Salvesen’s second spell, Gordon Burns was bowled by Leach, and Andy German had difficulty in marshalling the tail. He became the first of Alastair Macaulay’s victims (a smart catch by Hodgson, one of the champagne moment nominations) to be followed quickly by Nick Betaney (stumped Morgan), Stephan Monjoin (caught Morgan) and Mark Raunkilde (caught sharply by Duggan first ball). John Leach wrapped up Alistair Smith and Saumur were all out. Salvesen and Duggan particularly had bowled well in the “couloir de qu’est-ce qui se passe”, Furlan had demonstrated that he could bowl better with a bandaged hand and 24 stitches than he could without, and 201 was an achievable total.
But we made heavy weather of it. Gibbons pushed a return catch to Burns. Wood looked well in control before playing through a ball from Ijaz (whom he had previously hit for six) and Morgan was caught behind. Tim Tim Garbett was unluckily run out backing up on a deflection off the bowler (Howard) and, other than Hodgson who looked solid, no one else really got off the ground and wickets continued to fall. David Meilton pulled his first ball for a fine four but fell to German, and then the tail collapsed to an amazing spell by Raunkilde of 1.1-0-1-3.
Raunkilde looked no more than a “jeteur de tartes” from the boundary, but he induced Hodgson to snick to a fine catch in the slips and Leach to spoon one up. This called for Furlan and Kimball Bailey to produce last-wicket heroics and indeed a Strollers record eleventh wicket stand for the season followed, with Dan (clad in lacy shirt and cardboard helmet) smacking McFarlane before falling to the first ball of Raunkilde’s second over.
All out for 120 in only 34 overs. Not good enough, we thought, and the match analysis continued long into the evening at a splendid barbecue at the Chateau hosted by Krishna and Mandy, for which again our thanks. Wood was the king of the barbie and also king of the rather
nasty-looking sticky shots that appeared at the hotel bar at about one in the morning.
And the champagne moment? Universally agreed to be the news from Maggie Patston, which, when read out, generated a cheer that could have been heard in Poitiers.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Tour accountant: John Leach. Scorer: Chris Browning
SAUMUR SUNDAY
Sunday July 17 in Saumur
Strollers won by six runs
Strollers 201-7
(Duggan 74, Salvesen 69, Garbett 10; Ralph 3-22, Gaynor 2-35)
Saumur 195
(Howard 78, German 29, Burns 29; Salvesen 3-33, Hodgson 2-33,
Gibbons 2-37)
It was still bloody hot. There were fears that the nobbling committee had scored an own-goal as only opposition skipper Andy German and Stephan Monjoin had joined the gang in the club on Saturday night. There was a sense of fragility over a late breakfast, particularly the late breakfast of cold sausages that accompanied the wine tasting on Sunday morning.
But Mike Morgan won the toss and elected to bat. Then things went horribly wrong. Tim Garbett and Jim Hodgson opened and were bottled up by Burns and Howard – the score was only eight in the seventh over when Hodgson put a catch to German who caught it at the second attempt (or the third if you count the drop in the previous over; the Jet27 had a lot to answer for). Tom Wood joined Garbett and batted confidently before falling to a sharp return catch by Warren Gaynor and Garbett gave another catch to German off Ralph’s first over (the first of four successive maidens). Mike Morgan was disappointed (Check thesaurus for synonyms for “suicidal” – Ed.) to dolly a catch to Krishna and we were 43-4 in the 13th over.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Tom Salvesen batted aggressively from the beginning and wrested the game back for the Strollers. Joined by Sean Duggan, initially in a supporting role but later playing fluent strokes in his own right, the partnership grew. And grew. And grew. And when Tom finally skied a catch to Gaynor in the 36th over, the partnership was 143. Duggan was bowled by Ralph the following over, having passed Tom’s score, and Alastair Macaulay was caught in the deep off the last ball of the innings. David Meilton therefore sadly failed to get a bat in his 100th match for the Strollers.
Stuart Gibbons opened the bowling from the chateau end and was immediately dangerous, bowling both Gaynor and Ralph, and Hodgson nagged away before Monjoin got an edge to another sharp catch from Morgan. Hodgson then bowled Krishna Lester and Saumur were 64-4. But the batting to that point had been the Rob Howard show, and it continued. Supported ably by Andy German, they brought the score to 134 before a fine low delivery from Duggan rattled the Howard stumps. Salvesen then bowled German, had Arif well stumped by Morgan and took a smart return catch to dismiss Tony Moore, the Saumur keeper who had been solid on both days.
Gordon Burns was, at this stage, batting well and looked to be leading Saumur to knock off the runs required. But the wickets fell, and Raunkilde was well run out (a class throw from John Leach) trying to give Burns the strike. Cometh the hour etc. etc. Stroller travelling supporter Chris Browning joined Burns and they inched the score ever closer. Leach fielded excellently to save a boundary and put in a tight 39th over. Alastair Macaulay took the last over, runs flowed – but not quickly enough; Burns slipped on the fifth ball trying to gain the strike for the last ball, the ball came hard in to Macaulay’s hands and the rest, as they say, is history.
An excellent match in which cricket and the Strollers were the only winners. With the series tied, the Strollers retained “Les Cendres” which were formally presented to Mike Morgan by Krishna.
Thanks once again to Krishna and the Saumurois for their hospitality and we look forward to 2006. Thanks too to the supporters – Kathy, Sally, Anne, Anne Marie, Sara, Jules, Caroline, Claire, Sarah, Elizabeth, Jack, Katie, Will and supersub Ollie Leach – and to Chris Browning who scored on both days, played for Saumur on Sunday and even bought Strollers merchandise.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Tour accountant: John Leach.
THE GARDENERS
Sunday July 24 at Greenford
Match cancelled – rain.
PEPPARD
Sunday July 31 at Peppard
Strollers won by two wickets
Peppard 146
(Simon Brodbeck 5-18, Shattock 2-23, Cave 2-43)
Strollers 147-8
(Shattock 41no, Friday 26, Sam Brodbeck 25, Sturdy 17)
The Strollers lost the toss and took the field. Marc Friday, with one broken thumb strapped up, opened the bowling with the other thumb, but was soon removed from the firing line. So too was Sam Brodbeck, whose leg-spinners were aired for the first time. The mishits off his tempting deliveries failed to find a fielder so it was left to Dennis Cave to put a much-needed brake on matters. He wheeled away for 14 consecutive testing overs (14-3-43-2) and kept things under control. Brodbeck Senior took over from Brodbeck Junior and his paceless style suited the slow wicket.
Peppard’s promising youngsters played some delightful shots but Simon Brodbeck (11-3-18-5) picked up victims to ensure the total did not get out of reach. On the stroke of tea the last man fell. Thanks to tigerish fielding, by Andrew Sturdy and Sam Brodbeck in particular, the target was kept to 147.
Tony Carter was brilliantly caught off his first ball, a wide long hop, but Friday set off at his usual express pace, dispatching everything through midwicket (plus the odd offside foray) at howitzer velocity. Then he played three shots at the slowest of deliveries before it arrived and contrived to nick the ball onto his wicket via the boot.
Sam Brodbeck looked well in control under he fell (again) chasing a wide one. Messrs Mike Morgan, John Low and Tim Garbett came and went and suddenly at 88-7, things looked somewhat sticky. But cometh the hour cometh Mike Shattock. With pulls to leg, straight drives and fierce cuts he got the scoreboard moving again and the target crept closer.
Andrew Sturdy gave valiant support in a stirring stand of 54 that took us to the brink of victory. Last over, four needed, and man of the match Shattock dispatched the second ball to the midwicket boundary to complete a thrilling win.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
THE MONEY PROGRAMME
Sunday August 7 at Henley
Strollers lost by 65 runs
Money Programme 254-7
(40 overs; C Marshall 80, Collins 53, R Marshall 50; Gibbons 3-50, Cave 2-44)
Strollers 189-6
(40 overs; Carter 47*, Hart 43, Gibbons 29, Friday 17, T Rice 16*)
A gorgeous sunny day, a nice ground, pleasant views… What could go wrong? Well, we could: we were completely outgunned and out-Marshalled.
“There are lots of runs to be had here”, said Marc Friday, and he was right. Our hosts elected to bat and immediately dispatched Dennis Cave’s first ball to the boundary. He and Jim Hodgson then bowled reasonably tightly but with little success (though Dennis successfully trapped the threatening left-handed opener lbw), but the loose balls continued to travel. Tim Rice – there’s life in the old dog yet – caused the other opener to advance down the wicket to give Mike Morgan a well-earned stumping, but only after he had made his fifty.
Friday (called into the bowling attack after three bowlers had dropped out shortly before the match – you know who you are) tried a new technique of bowling high full tosses towards Richard Marshall’s left ear. This tested Marshall’s ability to hook and also tested Andrew Sturdy’s ability to climb through the fence into the next field to retrieve the ball on several occasions. One of the balls that did come off the pitch, however, went through the aggressive number three and gave Morgan another sharp stumping.
Stuart Gibbons took three wickets and Cave one in their second spells, all clean bowled, but Chris Marshall had played fluidly and consistently, and opened up even more at the end, striking two vast sixes off Dennis into – well, not the next field, but two fields away. It was indeed cow corner, not because of the quality of the shots but because of the big red hairy smelly Scottish things with horns watching us.
254-7 was a big total. (Maggie, please check whether six no balls in an innings is a record… Ed.).
Over a fine tea, young Dylan Friday demonstrated that he had been coached with one specific stroke. The dylanfriday is much like the marcfriday, only to an underarm delivery. His father was later to demonstrate the technique while on the pitch.
Morgan’s second ball was a snorter, and the one-handed slip catch truly memorable. Hodgson grafted before being bowled, and played two lovely clean shots for four through an 8-1 field. Friday played some fine drives and pulls before he too fell. Mike Hart batted carefully and consistently, with the occasional audience-rippling four, and Gibbons hit two big sixes before another good catch. Tony Carter joined Hart and the two built a solid partnership, with Tony bludgeoning the ball to leg with his signature shot – though it must be admitted that the bowling was less hostile by this stage, and that eventually all ten of the Money Programme fielders were called upon to bowl.
Hart’s 43 was a personal best, and once again it took a fine catch to dismiss him. Sturdy hit his first ball for four, and Rice stayed with Carter who lost the strike before the end, thus depriving himself of a fifty and, for his pains, owing a jug for avoidance (still owing, I was in the pub and it wasn’t forthcoming – Ed.). “Well at least we drew” said Tim….
Losing by a charitable 65 wasn’t exactly our greatest moment, but, as a team, we can be proud of the fact that we identified a particular skein of wildfowl from the pub, albeit with the help of “phone a friend”. And of the fact that our brave lads (by “our”, I exclude Marc and Stuart) had just done fairly well at Edgbaston…
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan/Mike Hart. Match fees: Now let’s not always see the same hands….
WEST HOATHLY
Sunday August 14 in Sussex
Strollers won by 86 runs
Strollers 229-7 (40 overs; Friday 47, Gibbons 35*, Caughlin 35, Platt 27*, Duggan 26, McKenzie 22, Hodgson 18; Hook 4-59)
West Hoathly 153
(Caughlin 3-11, Sturdy 2-15, Gibbons 2-17)
What a nice place! And what a nice opposition. If only the weather had lived up to expectations: it was sadly cold and showery…
But not too cold and showery to restrict our batsmen after Mike Morgan had won the toss (a good call after the pre-match discussion in the Cat). Marc Friday hit the fourth ball of the first over for a huge six and was, for a while, even outscored by Stuart McKenzie. Stuart was caught well to be replaced by another Stuart, Caughlin, who also played some fine shots.
Friday was disappointed to play a rare loose shot to a fielder for three short of his jug (“this season it’s only jug avoidance if I’m close to a hundred”) and Morgan was equally distraught after playing an easy spoon-up. Sean Duggan’s cameo finished all too early, and Jim Hodgson struck a big six to leg and two nice fours before being bowled. Mike Hart earned one of those nice little green forms, then Stuart Gibbons and Miles Platt put on over 50 for the eighth wicket, with Miles’s six in the last over strangely symmetrical, to close 40 overs on 229-7. It was a good score against some solid bowling.
And West Hoathly started well, with Johnson particularly scoring freely against Platt and Hodgson, who both bowled well with little luck. The early introduction of McKenzie brought an immediate wicket, and Alastair Macaulay soon clean bowled the opener’s replacement. Gibbons had Johnson caught superbly by Caughlin and the scoring rate slowed with the introduction of Caughlin into the bowling attach. He took three wickets off his six overs: a sharp caught behind by Morgan, a fine catch in the deep by Hodgson and a clean bowled. Morgan experimented with the bowling and introduced Andrew Sturdy (supersub for Kimball Bailey) who immediately took a wicket with a neat stumping and then another clean bowled. The tail wagged, but it was run out with a fine direct hit from, I think, Gibbons, but it was a bit gloomy by that stage so I couldn’t see properly.
Post-match analysis with a friendly opposition took place in the Intrepid Fox and a lot was agreed.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Stuart McKenzie
TADWORTH
Sunday August 21 in Tadworth
Strollers won by four wickets
Tadworth 150-9 dec
(Caughlin 2-27, Simon Brodbeck 2-36, McKenzie 1-12,
Hodgson 1-13, Wood 1-24)
Strollers 152-6
(Sam Brodbeck 57, Caughlin 20, Friday 15, Wood 14, McKenzie 13*)
With Tadworth at 13-3 it looked as though those 6.30 sessions had paid off; being in bed by 6.30 am, that is.
The three wickets came courtesy of a slick Stuart Caughlin run-out, a brilliant direct hit run-out from Marc Friday (minus any bandages for the first time in weeks) and a breathtaking diving one-handed catch at backward point by Caughlin.
Another fine catch by Alastair Macaulay got rid of one of the dangermen and, although Tadworth batted through to tea and were able to declare, it took them 47 overs and they never got away. That was thanks to tight bowling from Simon Brodbeck (13-3-36-2), Jim Hodgson (10-5-13-1), Tom Wood (8-3-24-1) and Stuart Caughlin (10-1-27-2). Macaulay and Stuart McKenzie chipped in too and the stranglehold was never loosened.
Friday set off after tea in an attempt to knock the runs off in one over. Having struck some fearsome blows off one opening bowler he went to mow his first ball from the other opener and succeeded only in sending the ball straight up in the air. When questioned as to why he did not have a look at the new bowler, the accused said: “I had a look from the non-striker’s end. I didn’t need to see any more.”
Wood took three fours off one over and was shaping to inherit the Friday mantle when Sam Brodbeck made an injudicious call and ran him out. The only way Brodbeck could then pay back for his sin was to bat through. And he nearly did. With some handsome drives he went smoothly to 57 before getting himself out when victory was in sight.
Caughlin lent a hand with a handy 20, John Low was bemused by a leggie, Mike Hart did his Marc Friday impression (bowled through a cowshot) and it was left to the calm McKenzie to steer the side home.
On a glorious summer’s day on the most handsome of grounds, the highlight was the monumental tea and the tigerish Strollers fielding, a display of which England would have been envious. The Tadworth hospitality matched the warmth of the evening.
Capt: Jim Hodgson. Wkt: Mike Hart. Match fees: Stuart McKenzie.
WALL
Saturday August 27 at Wall
Strollers lost by 90 runs
Wall 191-7
(Hodgson 3-28, Patston 2-37, Salvesen 1-15, Wood 1-30)
Strollers 101
(Sam Brodbeck 27, Wood 21, Salvesen 18, O'Halloran 13)
Oh dear. They scored far too many runs on a difficult wicket and we never looked like getting them. But at least the rain held off and the intrepid birdman of Wall kept the crowd amused.
Wall were put in and presented with a generous helping of four-balls, despite the best efforts of Jim Hodgson and Tom Salvesen. With three or four overs to go, the total looked look gettable but big-hitting Mark Hatton put it up to the “highly tricky” mark.
Wall opener Asif Ali departed in the first over, having been caught off a rank long hop, and then departed to the adjacent cornfield to launch his motor glider. After one abortive take-off that ended in a hedge, he rose into the sky and circled high above us - perhaps the best place to observe the Strollers out-cricket.
Wall tried their usual tack of overloading us with a magnificent tea…and it worked. Tom Wood and Salvesen put on 41 for the first wicket and we seemed on course but then, rather like the birdman’s takeoff, fell rapidly to earth.
Sam Brodbeck batted well but Kelvin O’Halloran was run out in a mix-up and Sam got himself out next ball. The rest was something of a procession so we trooped off to The Trooper to find some liquid solace.
Capt: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Mike Morgan. No match fees.
STANTON-BY-DALE
Sunday August 28 at Stanton
Strollers lost by 37 runs
Stanton 133
(Salvesen 6-40, Hodgson 2-51, Simon Brodbeck 1-22)
Strollers 96
(Wood 42, Howard 22)
What a shambles. After what should have been a match-winning performance by the tireless Tom Salvesen, the Strollers snatched defeat from a regulation run-chase and feebly handed the David Tranter Cup back to Stanton by Dale.
The good news was that we bowled out a very strong Stanton line-up for 133. That was thanks to Tom, lent to us for the day by Anne-Marie Salvesen who was expecting a baby at any moment. He bowled 14 overs off the reel for magnificent figures of 14-3-40-6 and troubled all the batsmen with accurate and hostile swing bowling. Jim Hodgson backed him up well and Mike Morgan claimed the dangerous Andy Brear with a slick stumping. But there the good news ended.
At 17-4 with Salvesen, Friday, Taylor and Sam Brodbeck dismissed, the Strollers’ attempt to reach the 134 target look holed beneath the waterline. And so it proved, despite a brave stand of 57 between Tom Wood and Pat Howard. Once that was broken the ship sunk to the bottom, fittingly ended when Simon Brodbeck ran himself out. Back in the pavilion we watched England try and throw away the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. Chasing a very similar target Geraint Jones and co batted just like true Strollers…and it was left to Hoggard and Giles to see them home. Where were our Hoggie and Gilo?
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. No match fees.
SUTTON ON THE HILL
Monday August 29 at Sutton
Match drawn
Sutton 220-9 dec
(Simon Brodbeck 3-47, Wood 3-49)
Strollers 158-5
(Taylor 41no, Sam Brodbeck 38, Wood 28no, Johnson 22)
Another case of the opposition getting too many runs, thanks to our
less-than-tight bowling. At least with a time game, the draw was an option but the game fizzled out as a contest.
Having driven through a storm to get to the ground that there was a game at all was a welcome surprise. It turned into a glorious summer’s evening and there is no finer place than Sutton to gaze upon the world.
As for the cricket, at 204-5 it looked rather ominous but some useful wickets at the end of the Sutton innings kept it down to 220-9 declared at tea. Tom Wood ignored his bad back and his even more painful hangover and bowled a manful spell with figures of 16-2-49-3. Simon Brodbeck got some cheap wickets at the end and Sam Brodbeck’s away swingers were unveiled to the watching world.
We needed a Marc Friday start to give us a chance in the run-chase but he departed too early and accurate bowling from the Sutton openers meant that Sam Brodbeck and Richard Johnson (a guest player from the Sutton ranks) could never really break free. Brian Taylor and Tom Wood played out the closing overs with the target well out of reach.
The Sutton hospitality at The Three Horseshoes was as warm as ever and the chilli con carne gave us welcome fuel for the long drive home. Alastair Macaulay, the Martin Johl of the touring party, managed events to perfection…except for the results. Three captains for three days and each one axed for lack of success. Macaulay, in contrast, was voted back in as manager on a wave of public acclaim.
Capt: Brian Taylor. Wkt: Mike Morgan. No match fees.
WHITELEY VILLAGE
Sunday September 4 at Hersham
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 287-7
(40 overs; Wood 124, Macaulay 64*, Hodgson 35, Morgan 12)
Whiteley Village 288-6
(39.1 overs; Simon Brodbeck 3-49, Wood 2-65, Morgan 1-67; Shuter 174)
First, the good news. The Strollers hoisted the massive total of 287-7 off their 40 overs – the second-highest in the club’s history. Tom Wood and Jim Hodgson put on 121 for the sixth wicket, a new record that removes the efforts of Messrs Mike Shattock and Terry Scragg in 1995 from the honours board. But there the pluses end.
The important thing was that we got a game at all. The Strollers and another team – Seven Sports from Chertsey – arrived to play the fixture. Both sides had confirmed their game with the Whiteley fixture secretary, who was, unsurprisingly, not answering his phone. On the grounds that we had come the furthest, it was ruled that we should play which left Seven Sports without a game and everyone feeling rather embarrassed.
We were even more embarrassed at 45-4 with Messrs Friday, Carter, Sam Brodbeck and Duggan back in the pavilion and disaster looming. But Wood – after surviving a confident shout for lbw – and Hodgson put matters right with a fine stand of 121. When Hodgson eventually departed in came Alastair Macaulay to put the icing on the cake with a Strollers best of 64 not out. His magnificent hitting off the front foot had the crowd on their feet and even a pulled muscle did not stop the flow of boundaries.
Wood’s century was a great effort and he clipped the bowling through the legside with increasing mastery.
So we could hardly lose with that total. But we did. The Whiteley openers put on 70 at eight an over and suddenly 289 looked very gettable. With the Strollers attack a bowler short after Sean Duggan pulled up with a recurrence of his knee injury and Macaulay limping along on one leg, skipper Mike Morgan took off his pads to twirl his legbreaks. But they all came the same to the left-handed Shuter, who crashed his way to 174 – just six runs short of another record, the highest score against us, currently held by Bostock of Cranham in 2004.
Shuter fell at last, but about 10 minutes too late. And despite some alarms and pressure from the Strollers’ never say die attitude, the winning runs came in the final over in the late summer gloaming on Whiteley’s peaceful and delightful ground. As for the result, centurion Wood had to admit that it’s a funny old game...
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan/Sam Brodbeck.
Match fees: Alastair Macaulay.
VALLEY END
Sunday September 11 at Valley End
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 186-8
(35 overs; Howard 57, Gibbons 44, Friday 21, Joshi 15*, Sam Brodbeck 15)
Valley End 187-6
(34 overs; Gibbons 2-45, Sam Brodbeck 1-19, Duggan 1-22, Simon Brodbeck 1-25, Cave 1-31)
While there were one or two people peering at the skies over The Oval, the eyes of the cricketing world were watching the clouds over Valley End in the Surrey countryside: Would they play, could they play after an overnight thunderstorm had flooded the ground?
Well, thanks to the efforts of Graham Messenger and his Valley End crew, the covers were wheeled off and a 35-over match played, despite the surface looking very wet.
Marc Friday set off in customary fashion but the conditions undid him after scoring 21 in his usual quickfire style. Sam Brodbeck holed out on the hook and it was thanks to Pat Howard and Stuart Gibbons that the Strollers mounted a decent score. Howard (57) and Gibbons (44) put on 94 for the fourth wicket and Raj Joshi hit well at the end.
Defending the total proved somewhat tricky as Valley End looked to be cruising to victory. But Valley End’s main man fell to a catch by Howard off Sam Brodbeck and suddenly the result looked in the balance. Simon Brodbeck kept it tight, Gibbons settled into a proper rhythm and Sean Duggan, wonky knee and all, kept up the pressure.
But the Strollers fielding showed its age and creaked at the vital moments as the winning runs came with an over to spare.
Thanks to Valley End’s efforts and their warm hospitality it was a good tight game on a day when we had no right to be playing at all.
Capt: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Sam Brodbeck/Raj Joshi.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
JESMOND JAGUARS
Saturday September 17 at Greenford
Strollers won by 98 runs
Strollers 248-4 dec
(Wood 91no, Shattock 58no, O'Halloran 44)
Jesmond Jaguars 150
(McKenzie 4-6, Simon Brodbeck 3-46, Cave 1-35, Macaulay 1-41)
Strollers won the toss and batted – on the grounds that we had five people present. It turned out to be the right move.
Kelvin O’Halloran, in his final Strollers appearance after five years of valiant service, got us off to a Marc Friday-style start with some fine hitting.
The Brodbecks failed to contribute much. The older one blocked up the crease for a long time before being struck on the helmet. Umpire Mike (Billy Bowden) Morgan ungraciously reported afterwards: “If they had asked me, I would have given him out”. The Jaguars bowler was made of more gentlemanly stuff and Brodbeck survived, but to little purpose.
Tom Wood was meanwhile easing into his best form before despatching the sometimes wayward bowling to all parts. Mike Shattock backed him up well and the score motored along. Tea came with Wood just short of a century and Shattock undefeated on 58. They had put on an unbeaten 130 for the fifth wicket.
Dennis Cave took a wicket with the first ball of the innings and Jaguars were soon three down. Simon Brodbeck took the catch of the season (he said modestly) at long leg, only for the umpires to call no-ball. Jaguars skipper Mike Ziegler (44) looked a class act but was removed by the accurate Simon Brodbeck.
Stuart McKenzie, disconsolate after his batting failure, came on to record the remarkable figures of 4.3-1-6-4 which cheered him up somewhat. The Strollers claimed victory, despite the efforts of the obdurate Andy Elliott, with overs and daylight to spare, thus ending a disastrous string of recent results.
As the news came through that Notts had lifted the the county championship title down at Canterbury, the dancing commenced in the streets of Greenford. But the abiding image of the day was of the gnarled figure of O’Halloran leading the players off in his farewell appearance and depositing his splintered bat in the rubbish bin.
All Strollers will wish Kelvin, Andrea and Caitlin well as they return to the rigours of an Australian winter and a nation in shock having surrendered the Ashes. Thanks to all the family for their delightful company...
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Stuart McKenzie.
HURLEY
Sunday September 18 at Hurley
Match drawn
Strollers 168
(Hodgson 39no, Friday 34, Howard 22, Duggan 21, Patston 17)
Hurley 138-8
(Howard 3-30, Gibbons 2-23, Wood 2-18, Taylor 1-9)
A strong looking Strollers team took the field intent on silencing the doubters that said they were all style and little substance. Apologies, that should read “little style and little substance.”
Batting first, Marc Friday took off from ball one with his well-established method, complemented by the elegant Brian Taylor, putting on 45 for the first wicket. Hurley’s Wright saw to both, bringing in the form pair of Tom Wood and Pat Howard. Both clearly at ease against pace, it was not long before the flight and guile of “Dangerous” Dave Walton arrived to slow the run rate and trigger the traditional Strollers batting wobble. Wood, Stuart Gibbons and Mike Morgan all succumbed ahead of time, while Howard and Sean Duggan managed to get out at the other end.
So at 115-7, Peter Patston joined Jim Hodgson with the situation looking dire. And it looked even worse when Hodgson pulled up lame with a torn calf muscle. But cometh the hour cometh the man. Fresh from his marathon birthday weekend and wielding the anniversary willow, he batted with a sense and power not seen all season. Patston battled to an invaluable 17 and the Strollers went into tea with Hodgson not out on 39 and at what felt like a par total of 168.
Hurley’s batters attacked from the off and, while never looking comfortable, took their total to 83-2 and within striking distance of the final 20 overs. But Gibbons bowled an excellent spell down the hill, fast and straight. Fourteen overs in one spell was a marathon effort, deserving better than his 2-23 and a bizarre series of missed chances by the aforementioned Hodgson at first slip. Perhaps your eyes go at the advanced age of 40. It was with some relief that the skipper eventually grabbed hold of a fast edge to end the embarrassment behind the wicket.
Wood came on to swing the ball at pace and fans were treated to a rare spell of Kumble-like leg-breaks from Howard. Some slick handling behind the stumps (and his earlier innings) confirmed the theory that Morgan is no Geraint Jones. The further need for variety together with the gathering autumnal gloom saw both the luckless Gibbons and Nottinghamshire’s Brian Taylor audition for the role as Ashley Giles understudy, with some success.
All of which took the Strollers within a sniff of victory, before defiant Hurley skipper Mike Walton ushered his team to a draw and safety with eight wickets down.
Together with a “top five” tea, it was a good day, the like of which will be much missed in the cold months ahead.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Mike Morgan
(Did anyone else help?)
GREAT AND LITTLE WARLEY
Sunday September 25 at Warley
Strollers won by 13 runs
Strollers 183-9
(35 overs; Wood 36, Gibbons 34no, Low 22, Howard 20, Morgan 16, Sam Brodbeck 16)
Warley 170-7
(35 overs; Wood 2-19, Cave 2-24, Gibbons 1-18, Simon Brodbeck 1-35)
There was a hint of autumn in the air as the Strollers batted first and found many and varied ways to get out. Sam Brodbeck, Mike Morgan and Pat Howard came and went after looking well set. Tom Wood crunched the ball to all parts but then, somewhat surprisingly, top-edged a sweep and departed the way of his colleagues.
The crucial assistance came from down the order. John Low and Stuart Gibbons took the score from 111-7 to 144 and then last man Dennis Cave joined Gibbons at 145-9. The heroic pair put on an undefeated 38 – which was to prove the decisive passage of the innings. Cave thumped a legside boundary and Gibbons laid about him in great style before the 35 overs were completed.
Warley got off to a slow start, thanks to a fine opening spell from Cave (8-1-24-2) and were always behind the rate. Sam Brodbeck bowled some good deliveries somewhere among his eight overs and Gibbons was always threatening. But then Warley skipper John Penwarden came in to join Paul Tremelling and the pair put the target within reach after Tremelling hit two consecutive sixes off Wood. But Wood, inspired by the support of Oona on the boundary, replied in the best possible manner, bowling Tremelling next ball.
From there Warley fell just short and the victorious Strollers were given a standing ovation by the exuberant crowd (Betty Low) as the season closed on a high note.
Another campaign over, another wistful autumn day. Marc Friday calculated his runs total and issued a challenge to the returning Evan Samuel for next season. Pat Howard decided to bin his ancient bat and promised a new willow and a new approach for 2006. Sam Brodbeck promised not to keep getting out when well set. Simon Brodbeck decided to retire (from batting). Dennis Cave was prevailed upon to keep going for one more season (I hope).
It was unanimously agreed that the summer of 2005 had been a great success and that we would do it all again next April…
Capt: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Mike Morgan.
Match fees: Dennis Cave/Simon Brodbeck.
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