2007 match archiveGreat Missenden Pelicans
Sunday April 22 at Great Missenden
Strollers lost by three wickets
Strollers 183
(39.4 overs; Platt 41, Duggan 33, Brodbeck 19, Morgan 15, McNamara 14)Great Missenden 186-7
(37 overs; Wood 4-30, McNamara 2-12, Duggan 1-33)
The Strollers succeeded in getting an early-season monkey off their back. None of the stress involved in being unbeaten until July, like last year. They met defeat, a rare visitor in the annus mirabilis of 2006, in the first game of this 2007 season. But there was one astonishing record set: All 11 Strollers were ready and eager to start 18 minutes before the appointed time and no-one could recall that happening before.
Batting first on a glorious Spring day on a hard-baked wicket, the visitors found it hard work. Only the battling Sean Duggan made a proper fist of it, hitting a fine 33 before succumbing. At 119-6 the situation look somewhat perilous. Enter Simon Brodbeck to join Miles Platt. Thanks to Platt’s clean hitting and Brodbeck’s able support they put on 65 to redeem the situation and post a defendable target.
Despite hostile opening spells from McNamara and Platt, Great Missenden raced to 70-1 before Tom Wood, with his wobblers, put the brakes on. In a fine spell of 8-0-30-4 he gave the Strollers a chance and at 126-7 it was anybody’s game. Unfortunately it proved to be Great Missenden’s as Frank, a dashing left-hander, smeared, drove and snicked his way to 39 not out and a tense three-wicket win.
The luck did not go the visitors’ way; epitomised by the hapless Duggan who saw Chinese cuts, top-edged hooks and flying edges fail to go to hand. Fielding like a dervish, he could not turn the tide. Nor could the Strollers as they eventually fell to defeat in a tight and highly enjoyable game on a perfect sunlit day.
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
Hon Artillery Company
Saturday April 28 at Armoury House
Strollers won by three wickets
Hon Artillery 166
(Platt 4-35, Duggan 2-22, McNamara 2-27, Brodbeck 1-24)
Strollers 167-7
(McNamara 40, Friday 33, Duggan 30no, Morgan 21)
On a glorious day, on the relaid square in the unique setting of the Armoury House ground, it was Miles Platt who held centre stage.
With the best Strollers spell of the season, Platt reduced the military might of the HAC to 33-4, removing the top order with a fine display of fast swing bowling. Ross McNamara backed him up well from the other end and HAC found it difficult to get going.
But Alex Haughten (73) dug in and began to turn it around, taking powerful toll of the wayward change bowling with the help of Richard Webster (38). It was the irrepressible Sean Duggan who came to the rescue, removing Haughten with a perfect delivery that bounced and left the batsman, just kissing the off bail. The innings gently subsided to 166 all out, thanks to McNamara who returned (as opening bowlers do in real cricket) to remove the tail with his pace.
Such a target proved an enticing challenge to Marc Friday, clearly set on emulating one Adam Gilchrist who was busy in the Caribbean reducing the Sri Lankans to rubble in the World Cup final.
Marc reached 33 off about three balls, before lobbing an early-season pull to mid-on. But McNamara (40) played a watchful knock, skilfully easing the ball through the offside gaps, able assisted by skipper Mike Morgan with an invaluable 21 and the ubiquitous Duggan, who saw his side home, finishing on 30 not out.
Quite why Duggan is being deported halfway through the season is a mystery and the Strollers passed a motion appealing to the Immigration Department to grant him a reprieve until the season is over. With the boy in such form, it would be criminal to let him go.
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
Sunday April 29 at Greenford
Match drawn
Jacobite Chancers 225-6 dec
(Black 102; Crocker 2-56, McDougall 2-54, Timperley 1-73)
Strollers 99-5
(Timperley 41, McDougall 29*, wides 12)
This was probably not the Strollers’ finest hour. Last year we won by 182 runs. This year, even though the match ended as a draw, it was almost as one-sided the other way.
Initial tight bowling from Warren Crocker and Tom Wood had the Chancers on only 23 after the first ten overs, with opposition skipper and sometime Stroller Ed Black starting to open his shoulders. His 50 and then his 100 flowed smoothly with some huge blows. The only chance he gave was a hard drive that went to Kimball Bailey at long-off; Kimball was unable to hang on and has the scars to prove it. Congratulations on a top performance: 50 out of 66, 100 out of 130, and more sixes than I like to remember.
Crocker clean bowled the other opener early into his marathon session and finally also bowled a tiring Black shortly after his ton. James Timperley was unlucky not to get a stumping and a caught behind, but bowled consistently to challenge all the batsmen and took the wicket of the number three, caught at mid-on by Tom Wood who was showing evidence of Mike Hart’s 40th birthday party the night before (happy birthday Mike!).
Excellent ground fielding, particularly by Timperley, Crocker, Hamish McDougall and Ivor Fiala, finally led to a sharp run-out by an injured Marc Friday. But the Chancers’ middle order played aggressively, McDougall picking up two late wickets, both bowled, as they neared tea. Hamish’s slower ball was particularly effective.
After a particularly disappointing tea, with the scones receiving particular mention, the Strollers went out to bat. Marc Friday fell first ball (www.primaryclub.org) closely followed by skipper Mike Morgan and Wood. Things looked grim at 12-3. McDougall and Timperley then put on 71 for the fourth wicket before a minor error in the running between the wickets department deprived James of a 50 on his debut. Hamish was to carry his bat for 29 after stout defence, but, in a clear case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man”, Chris Locke, promoted to number six, came out to bat in time to see the openers return, And in the champagne moment of the day he hit a four. Well, it was a single snicked over third slip that was then kicked over the boundary by the fielder to keep Chris at the striker’s end. Bad form, we thought! But Chris survived the over and more besides, finally falling to a sharp caught behind. Alastair Macaulay resolutely stayed at the non-striker's end as Hamish batted out the innings.
So it was a draw, but not one of our better ones. Let’s hope for a tight game in 2008!
Statistical note: John Leach officially retired from all forms of cricket having returned from a long-term injury and bowled one over shortly before tea. Au revoir Le Renard.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Alastair Macaulay
Bledlow
Sunday May 6 at Bledlow
Strollers won by 179 runs
Strollers 234-9
(40 overs; Timperley 94, Crocker 44, McDougall 32)
Bledlow 55
(Crocker 5-12, Macaulay 3-6, Sturdy 1-0, Patston 1-26)
Youth will have its day, and in particular Antipodean youth - in this case, the Kiwi duo of James Timperley and Hamish McDougall and the Aussie Warren Crocker, who between them accounted for Bledlow's willing but eventually outgunned collection of old heads and young hopefuls.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat on a pitch which sloped alarmingly yet looked hard, skipper Evan Samuel and Marc Friday, both of whom were once part of the youth policy (hard to believe, eh?) but now tend to creak at any opportunity, encountered two of Bledlow's young guns in good form with the new ball ... which is our story, anyway, and should gloss over Samuel top-edging a full-toss to fine leg for one and Friday simply missing a straight one on 11, reducing the Strollers to 22-2 in short order.
Enter McDougall to join Timperley, and the pair largely did as they pleased in a sterling third-wicket partnership of 78, mixing some good singles (very good, when you consider Hamish rarely, if ever, actually calls) with some thumping blows for four.
It was all too good to last, and sure enough Hamish eventually got caught in two minds advancing at Bledlow skipper Neville Linnell (who would finish with a worthy 3-35), choosing eventually to miss the ball completely and be stumped by Bledlow's excellent young keeper. Peter Patston came forth to play the straight man (and occasionally even straight) as Timperley continued to score at will before Patston was bowled by another of those sneaky straight ones; Alastair Macaulay succumbed to a subterranean bounce; Jeff Ball held up an end briefly before, yes, meeting a straight one; and then Crocker came to the crease, faithfully promising his skipper that he would 'take it easy' to start with, as we had 11 overs left to bat.
Twenty-eight balls later, he departed with 44 runs of a 96-run partnership, having hit several excoriating fours and two massive sixes, including one to the longest boundary (and it was very long indeed) which lost the match ball for several overs, probably because it was hiding in a bid to avoid further punishment. It was a stunning effort in tandem with Timperley, who refused to be overshadowed (he brought up his 50 off 45 balls), and three overs went for 53 runs. Andy Sturdy came, and went, before Timperley finally gave in to tiredness and was caught for a superb 94, with 14 fours, off just 77 balls. An excellent knock.
Hugh Anderson joined Kimball Bailey for the last two overs, welting a couple of fours (ably supported by KB’s two not out, of course) and the Strollers had set an imposing 234 off 40 overs.
The die was cast early for Bledlow in reply. After a fast, straight maiden from Hugh Anderson, proving that not just Antipodeans can play, thank you very much, Crocker took a wicket with his second ball - a lightning stumping by McDougall. The pattern was set; Anderson bowled five overs (four maidens) for two runs before being taken off, and Crocker bowled his ration of nine straight through for the brilliant figures of 9-5-12-5 - with another stumping (this time leg side) by Hamish and a very good caught behind to go with it.
Anderson was replaced by Patston, who took the opportunity to display the full extent of his wares, from double-bouncing no-balls to astonishing wides, via an amazing caught-and-bowled off a full-toss. A mixed bag, but hope for the future, one feels ...
Crocker having completed his rout of the home side, Macaulay came on to weave his normal web of deception (no Frenchman were available, but several smallish children) and took 3-6 off three overs, including two wickets in two balls - the hat-trick ball, alas, being well defended. Sturdy applied the coup de grace, in his first bowl in anger for some time, taking
1-0 off his 1.5 overs, to have Bledlow all out for 55.
An excellent performance against admittedly weaker opposition - though it may be worth remembering that the young Bledlow players, who showed some real talent, will shortly be bigger, better and possibly with a score to settle in the not too distant future ...
Capt and match fees: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
Jordans Taverners
Saturday May 12 at Seer Green
Strollers won by 48 runs
Strollers 134-7
(35 overs; Wood 56 not out, Salvesen 22, Morgan 13, Carter 13)
Jordans Taverners 86
(23.2 overs; Wood 5-13, Brodbeck 3-17, Macaulay 1-14)
The usual Seer Green scenario: lashing rain, scudding clouds, water standing on the square, a monsoon bearing down on the ground. There was never any doubt we would play because the Mr Big of Jordans Taverners, Robin Yolland, is always determined to get a game in, whatever the conditions.
And so it was. Having retreated to The Jolly Cricketers to escape the driving rain, the not-so-jolly cricketers reassembled half-an-hour later to survey the damage and get under way for a reduced 35-overs-a-side game.
We batted. “A good toss to win,” said some bright spark. “We lost the toss, actually,” responded the harassed skipper, already juggling with the logistics of trying to pick up James Timperley, left stranded by his chauffeur at Neasden underground station.
Ivor Fiala and Tony Carter gave us a splendid start of 20, before the usual rot set in. Tom Salvesen lost patience against the nagging accuracy of the Taverners’ attack, while Mike Morgan and Tom Wood attempted to retrieve the situation.
[Meanwhile the desperate Timperley was catching a tube train to Amersham – part of his journey necessitating a replacement bus service just to add extra spice – while Fiala sacrificed his wicket so that he could motor across country to pick him up at the station]
Timperley was eventually delivered to the ground, in time to stride to the wicket before being brilliantly caught at midwicket to complete a wonderful day. Only Wood stood firm – actually he slipped and skidded - amidst the mud and rain, eventually cutting loose by hitting the final over for 17 and finishing on an invaluable 56 not out.
The final total of 134 looked a decent score, which did not appear quite so decent when the Taverners opener, Raj, went for a shot a ball and rattled up 33 in the first four overs. Defeat loomed large until the dashing Raj suddenly retreated to the pavilion in the most bizarre dismissal of the season: caught out by Ruby Murray. Or, rather, he was due to start his shift at the local curry house and was forced to retire from the crease, much to the relief of the wilting Strollers attack.
Then Wood, who was not meant to have a bowl, having occupied the crease for so long, elbowed his way into the game again. A fine spell of
5-1-13-5 brought the Taverners to the brink of defeat. Simon Brodbeck weighed in with 7-1-17-3 while Alastair Macaulay and the leg-spinning dervish, Morgan, performed the last rites after Robin Yolland had provided some late, spirited resistance. And all this with 10 men, Mr Timperley's chauffeur having been offficially declared lost in the Neasden Triangle.
The curried chicken at The White Hart was delicious and the Taverners’ hospitality as warm as ever in a fixture which has now been going for some 30 years.
Capt and Match Fees: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Mike Hart
Roehampton
Sunday May 20 in Putney
Strollers won by three wickets
Roehampton 123
(McNamara 4-38, Macaulay 3-23, Samuel 2-32, Crocker 1-18)
Strollers 124-7
(Friday 55, Timperley 27, Crocker 12no)
Roehampton presented a classic village cricket scene to warm the cockles of John Major's heart on Sunday: pub with excellent beer, leafy surrounds, wandering spectators and the gentle thud of ball into wicketkeeper's gloves as batsmen played and missed with appalling regularity on a classic village minefield of a pitch.
Both teams having stated a desire to bat, though heaven only knows why, Roehampton won the toss and chose to face up to Ross McNamara, in his last game for the club before returning to Australia, and Tom "Goldenarm" Wood.
McNamara's first over featured six straight played-and-missed by the Roehampton opener as the ball moved, fast, through the air and off the pitch. Wood then followed with a disgracefully expensive over (it went for two; his next four overs yielded one run) of seam.
At this point, the first Roehampton opener (in a triumph of hope over expectation) ran off the field to replace his helmet with a cap. A striped cap. With an Australian bowling. An Australian who had just beaten him six straight times. Looks were exchanged by the fielders ... and the opener managed to get his glove to a ball for the first time, as it flew straight for his head. Got two for it, mind, down to fine leg.
McNamara went on to devastate the Roehampton top order, blasting stumps out of the ground and generally having a fun time. Morgan also snapped up a sharp catch. At the other end, Wood teased and tormented but for once went wicketless before skipper Mike Morgan called an end and brought on Warren Crocker.
Perhaps trying to do too much on a very helpful pitch, Crocker lacked the control he had shown at Bledlow but nonetheless produced some good deliveries and, after five overs, was taken off with the more than acceptable figures of 1-18 (a catch by Marc Friday had the rest of the team with hearts in mouths) to allow another chapter in the book of Fly Fishing by A Macaulay ... who promptly took a wicket in his first over, spiralling to Neil Cullen.
At the other end, McNamara was replaced, with three wickets to his name, by Evan Samuel, who began his spell inauspiciously with a no-ball from about three feet over the crease [I could be wrong, but I think it's the first one I've ever bowled. Excellent].
In between wheedling and tempting two more batsmen to their doom, including a clean bowled and the valuable wicket of the skipper caught by Patrick Howard, 'Stair also took time out to pouch an excellent catch at square leg to give Samuel his first wicket for two years, which he followed with one more to an lbw decision.
Brought back to administer the coup de grace, McNamara exposed his background as someone who has played good cricket by failing to be surprised when he claimed the last wicket courtesy of a lowish catch at first slip. Everyone else needed treatment for shock, because first slip was Samuel. [Never looked like dropping it, I tell you]. Roehampton were all out for 123, which represented a recovery largely due to their skipper.
After repairing to the Telegraph pub for an excellent tea (and possibly a pint, I couldn't say), Strollers went out to bat with high expectations of a strong batting line-up. You'd think we knew better by now, honestly.
Each of the openers displayed their respective strengths off their first ball, Cullen tapping a composed single to mid-wicket and Friday then smashing a four over mid-wicket.
Cullen, struggling a little against the accuracy of the Roehampton opener, played all over a full ball to be out for five. James Timperley joined Friday and happily played the ball around to rotate the strike as Friday went on the lash, hitting the ball to all parts (even the off-side - really) on his way to an excellent and crucial 55 before chipping Connor (bowling very accurate chinamen) to mid-on. Alas, this sparked a classic Strollers wobble.
Timperley watched, somewhat bemused, as Kimball Bailey and Howard were both removed for ducks, bringing McNamara to the crease. Ross managed six before playing on, giving Deal three wickets and the Strollers palpitations. Crocker came in and with Timperley played watchfully until Connor ran a ball across James, who edged to slip for a solid and
much-needed 27.
I believe in four or five visits to Roehampton, for two clubs, Samuel has never scored a run at the ground, so it was no surprise when Connor bowled him behind his legs for another duck, bringing Wood to the crease with seven still required and Roehampton sniffing an improbable victory.
However, a leg-bye, a four, and a scampered two settled the issue with ten overs still in hand, and Strollers won by three wickets - not quite what such a strong line-up should, perhaps, have delivered. But a win is a win and Roehampton were, as ever, extremely hospitable hosts.
After a pleasant post-match in the sun at the Telegraph, curry was had.
A good day.
Captain and wk: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Kimball Bailey.
Parrys Whippets
Thursday May 31 at Chiswick
Strollers lost by four runs
Parry's Whippets 96-5
(20 overs; Wood 3-12, Macaulay 1-23, Duggan 1-23)
Strollers 92-7
(20 overs; Ball 30no, Carter 23, Cullen 13)
Confounding the pundits from the meteorological office, two cricket teams arrived at the leafy venue of Chiswick Park in glorious sunshine missing only the keys to the changing room and stumps. We made do until they arrived with a set of net stumps and a stick, which would have given some interesting run- out challenges.
Tom Wood’s first delivery was dispatched to the boundary and the second well stopped by the toppling Tony Carter. His third showed that net stumps make a highly satisfactory noise when struck. Tom’s swinging bowling suited the low, damp pitch as he proved in his second over with two plum LBWs (if a Mr Hoy is reading this may I commend him to www.primaryclub.org. He was consistently hard to get away and his figures were well justified.
Meanwhile, from the other end, skipper Evan Samuel bowled some excellent deliveries and he was unlucky to be on the receiving end of some hard hitting from opener Chris Warwick (who was to carry his bat for 37) and skipper Pally and not to have the high balls going safely to the fielders. Alastair Macaulay weaved his magic and was to undo Pally with a slower ball. Well, when I say “slower”, I mean possibly the slowest ball I have ever seen. It had the batsman in about 27 minds before he finally decided to play round it three times. Stair was also unlucky not to take more wickets from catches in the deep. Neil Cullen bowled beautifully (3-1-6-0) and Sean Duggan was unlucky to take only one wicket with his spell as the batsmen tried to speed up their rate of scoring before the end of the innings.
And a big cheer for the return of Jim Hodgson, who bowled two tight overs at the death for six runs. With Evan and Jim both bowling, it was rightly described as the Battle of Wounded Knee…
And top fielding from the Strollers, tigerish in fact, with particular mention to Jeff Ball, John Gibson, Neil and Sean. And to Charlie Allen, playing his first game for many a year and keeping wicket solidly with a nice line in chat.
A quick turnaround and indeed a quick return to the pavilion for Tom Wood, whose third ball was an absolute Jaffa from the hostile Moigot who was to finish with 3-1-4-1. John Gibson struck Moigot classily and returned for a suicidal second run. So by the end of the first over we were 1-2. Carter and Duggan were becalmed by tight bowling, but Tony started to lash out after Sean fell to Pickett’s last ball.
He was joined by Jeff Ball, unaccustomed to such a high position in the order but soon generating huge cheers and flattering comments from the boundary (“Never doubted him for a moment…”) as he started to smite the ball in all directions. In the increasing gloom and with the required run rate creeping up, Tony was run out by a direct hit, Hodgson edged to the keeper and Samuel was unable to see the ball which bowled him. Neil Cullen joined Jeff and the two scored twelve of the 15th over. 29 off five overs was still achievable. And Neil showed that it could be done: more boundaries, but another run-out. 11 needed off the last over: another “champagne moment” boundary from Jeff as two fielders slid over the ball, and it was left to Charlie Allen to score a six off the last ball to win. That old familiar clattering of leather on wood and metal springs, and cricket was the only winner.
A top game in unlikely good weather, and the hospitality of a friendly opposition side in the City Barge (which is not a place to go if you fancy a quick beer – Ed.) to enjoy after the game. A career best 30 not out from Jeff (on a “blue moon” day, which was of course only a coincidence) and the return of Jim. I’ll drink to that!
Captain: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Charlie Allen. Match fees: Kimball Bailey
Royal Ascot
Sunday June 3 at Ascot
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 162-8
(40 overs; Crocker 33, Timperley 32, Brodbeck 29no, Samuel 24,
Hodgson 23no)
Royal Ascot 166-6
(36.2 overs; Crocker 3-38, Samuel 1-19, Platt 1-35)
They came, they saw, they ... conked out.
On a warm and generally lovely day, under the gaze of the imposing new Ascot grandstand and corporate jolly venue, FSS turned up with what looked like a reasonably strong side (always a bad start). Skipper Mike Morgan won the toss and chose to bat, which he probably would have done even had Messrs Jim Hodgson (making his full return to action post-knee), Miles Platt and Alastair Macaulay been there on time.
Hamish McDougall and Evan Samuel opened the batting, taking five off the first over, but then a little taste of things to come - which is to say, a day spent with Lady Luck looking the other way - came when Hamish, stretching to drive one of Bush's tempting, slow medium deliveries, succeeded only in squeezing it off the bottom of the bat into the ground ... from where it spun slowly back and removed the bails. One down for five in the second over, and the pitch already looking low and slow.
The in-form James Timperley came in and briefly he and Samuel scored runs at a reasonable rate from the Grandstand end but also found it hard to make the pace to get Bush away. A change of bowling, bringing on May, made life even harder, as he produced a bewildering variety of deliveries from leg-cutters to slow balls out of the back of the hand, never letting the batsmen settle. Nonetheless, FSS eked out a 50-run partnership before Timperley, propping forward to one that popped slightly, spooned a simple catch to midwicket to be out for 32.
With Bush taken off in favour of Evans, Samuel suddenly found troubles with his vision - finally being unable to see bowler, let alone ball, he was out bowled for 24 (helpful teammates diagnosing dehydration and providing water, and painkillers. Thank you all). It was the start of a painful collapse.
Skipper Morgan came, and went; Platt came, and went; Jeff Ball played a couple of nice shots before he, too, departed; and Macaulay failed to trouble the scorers much, either. FSS were in trouble.
Thank heavens, then, for the efforts first of Warren Crocker, increasingly looking like a true all-rounder, with a well-made 33 featuring some very crisp shots; and then of stalwarts Simon Brodbeck and Hodgson, who put on a superb unbeaten 54-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Both played
shots in all directions and put what had gone before in some sort of perspective, leaving FSS with a respectable (we thought) 162 off 40 overs. Alas, it was probably 20 to 30 below par.
The bid to defend the target did not start well, with Platt bowling an over hostile mainly to a batsman standing at square leg. Unfortunately, he was in fact in the normal position and the result was a 12-ball over with five wides and a no-ball. Platt recovered well, though, and his 10 overs eventually claimed 1-26, the one being a comprehensive bowled.
At the other end, Crocker fulfilled the other half of his all-rounder role, bowling with control and guile to present every batsman with problems on a slightly suspect pitch, pressure which led to an early wicket, then a fine run-out by Ball (direct hit, aiming at one stump) as the batsmen searched desperately for a single, and then another wicket with his next delivery. It was good stuff and much needed.
But then a partnership between Evans and May started to take the game away from FSS. It was eventually broken by Samuel, replacing Crocker, but this merely brought in Major, whose one key shot - the smear to leg - repeatedly missed fielders and complemented Evans's growing confidence as he hit somewhat straighter. Brodbeck, having replaced Platt, was suffering, and Samuel was replaced (after six overs, to save him further punishment) by Hodgson.
Crocker returned to replace Brodbeck and was rewarded with the wicket of Evans for a well-made 61, giving Warren the excellent figures of 3-38, but it was too little too late. With four overs and four wickets in hand, Ascot cantered to a fine victory.
It was a fairly typical Strollers mix - some good fielding, exemplified by Ball and McDougall, and some poor, with catches and some ground balls being missed. But that is not to take away from Ascot, who bowled and batted well and deserved their win. We try again next year ...
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
Thames Valley
Wednesday June 6 at Sunbury
Strollers won by 22 runs
Strollers 157-7
(20 overs; Ball 27*, Cullen 25*, Duggan 19, Russell 15*, Gibson 12)
Thames Valley 135-9
(20 overs; Cullen 4-24, Joshi 2-28, Hodgson 1-19, Duggan 1-22, Russell 1-28)
(Scores taken into the second innings next week)
A good toss for debutant skipper Neil Cullen to win, and immediately it was John Gibson who took advantage of some loose deliveries to strike three boundaries from nine balls in an opening partnership of 16. Neil took over, smashing 25 off eleven balls before retiring. Tony Carter played the straight man, moving to nine with one good boundary before becoming Barron’s second victim. Jeff Ball continued his rich vein of form and Sean Duggan played some classic and memorable strokes before a small misunderstanding left him short of his ground for 19. Jeff continued to his retirement with four boundaries in his innings (that’s 57 not out in two midweek innings, which I think means a jug).
Debutant Ajay Joshi looked the part, including a good four to fine leg, before falling to the returning Doggett. Mike Hart hit a good three off the middle of his new bat but was confused by a slower delivery by Peter Walder and bowled. Kimball Bailey reached his personal best for the season but then slashed to short third man. Ivor Fiala was very unlucky with a poor umpiring decision to be adjudged caught behind, and it was left to Jim Hodgson and the mighty smiting of debutant Brendan Russell to take the score over 150 at the end. A good total on a good pitch, but we knew that Thames Valley could chase it.
Sean Duggan clean bowled Ross Wright in his first over (Ross had scored 100 over the weekend, so this was definitely a good wicket to take). Aaron Walder and Ash Sharma played some fine shots and kept the scoreboard moving, but Russell took a good catch at mid-wicket off Hodgson to remove the dangerous Walder for 14 and John Gibson was later to take a good catch at fine leg off a (dare I say?) full toss from Cullen to dismiss Sharma for 23.
Russell took his first wicket for the Strollers to bowl Luckman for 14, and Rege was eventually taken off a good catch at long-off by Cullen off Joshi, his first wicket for the club. Neil had previously run hard nearly to catch the same batsman twice at the same spot off Russell in the previous over.
In the increasing gloom, Joshi bowled Edwards before Barron and Doggett put on an excellent partnership including a big six off Cullen over Kimball’s head. Cullen then produced a dream over, bowling Barron for 23, getting TVCC keeper Thomas caught by Hodgson first ball, and then two balls later bowling Clive Germany for another primary. Graham Doggett took advantage of the balls in reach from the last over, bowled by Tony Carter, to move to 28 not out, but Thames Valley were behind.
A good win for the Strollers against an enthusiastic and friendly opposition who gave us a good run for our money, and importantly a good lead to take through to the second innings of the match, to be played in a week’s time.
Top hospitality from our genial hosts after the match as the night drew in.
Captain: Neil Cullen. Wkt: Mike Hart. Match fees: Kimball Bailey
Pinkneys Green
Sunday June 10 at Pinkneys Green
Strollers won by 68 runs
Strollers 232-6
(40 overs; Howard 80, Ball 49no, Hodgson 28, Duggan 23, Low 22)
Pinkneys Green 164
(32.5 overs; Crocker 3-20, Brodbeck 3-28, Samuel 2-2, Macaulay 1-83, Hodgson 1-4)
It did not start well. The Strollers were inserted and were soon 17-2,
Tony Carter sent on his way by the stern finger of umpire Alastair Macaulay
(“I have to admit it was out” magnanimously admitted the shell-shocked Carter) and Evan Samuel caught at slip when the ball lodged in the fielder’s sleeve.
But Patrick Howard and Jim (fully fit again) Hodgson repaired the damage, putting on 69 for the third wicket. Hodgson flicked and stylishly cut; Howard produced some mighty driving. Hodgson departed and so eventually did Howard for a hard-hit 80, which turned out to be the match-winning innings.
But the Strollers still had not done. Sean Duggan capably rotated the strike at one end while Jeff Ball was a revelation. Having recorded his best-ever score of 30 last week in an evening game, he went one step further and began to unleash some ferocious hitting. The ball disappeared to all parts but he sadly lost the strike as the overs ran out and was left stranded on a magnificent 49 not out.
The total of 232 looked a good one and so it proved. The metronomic Warren Crocker had a fine opening spell, removing Pinkneys’ classy opening bat to a catch behind by the reborn Mike Hart, while Macaulay ensnared a victim in the deep.
Pinkneys skipper Mark Cary put up some heavy resistance, swatting seven sixes in his 74. The ball never quite went to hand as the assault continued; John Low did hang on to one missile but was adjudged to have stepped over the boundary line and it was left to Samuel to remove Cary, courtesy of an lbw decision.
Simon Brodbeck wheedled out three victims and Hodgson, testing out that knee, claimed the last wicket, thanks to Crocker’s sharp slip catch.
A victory by 68 runs was just reward for a good performance; Messrs Howard, Crocker and Ball contested the man of the match award, which eventually was awarded to Cathy Snapes and her assistant for their magnificent tea. With a gleaming new pavilion now open for business and the wicket playing true, Pinkneys is once again a splendid place to play cricket, particularly when the sun shines.
Tom Wood, recovering from a pulled calf muscle, reported for duty as a scorer. His skill with the pencil was duly noted by the selection committee.
Capt and match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Mike Hart.
West Chiltington
Sunday June 17 in West Sussex
Strollers won by 59 runs
Strollers 219-7 dec
(Wood 77, Timperley 66, Hodgson 21no, Ball 19, Friday 14)
West Chiltington 164
(Morgan 3-1, Brodbeck 3-43, Hodgson 2-29, Wood 1-31, Macaulay 1-55)
West Chiltington won the toss and put us in, preferring to chase a total. Skipper Mike Morgan said he would have batted anyway so everyone was happy. Peter Patston and Marc Friday got us off to a steady start before Friday perished to a premeditated swipe for 14 and Patston soon after for seven. James Timperley came in and started stroking the ball to all parts and was soon joined by Tom Wood.
Timperley clipped the useful Bob Llewellyn off his legs for three successive boundaries and he and Wood put on 97 for the third wicket before Timperley was given out lbw for 67. John Low then came in and immediately pulled a calf muscle running for a single. Batting with a runner he was out soon after for one.
Wood was being particularly harsh on anything short and reached his 50 off 60 balls and was joined by Jeff Ball, who continued his rich vein of form, clumping 19 in quick time as tea approached. Wood was eventually out for 77 hitting his own wicket. Jim Hodgson continued his rehabilitation with a brisk 21 not out and Hamish McDougall was out for three on the stroke of tea, setting Chiltington a challenging 220 to win in an hour and 20 overs.
Chiltington bowled well but admitted that they really only had three bowlers. The indefatigable Jim Challoner toiled unchanged from one end for 20 overs for respectable figures of 2-80 while others wheeled away from the other end.
West Chiltington set off looking for runs straight away, putting pressure on the fielders. The curse of the Strollers struck again when Friday fell over in the field and suffered painful ankle ligament damage. He was replaced by a willing young substitute fielder Kian (who later wisely sidestepped a fierce cover drive that whistled past his feet to everyone's amusement). Wood was having trouble putting it in the right areas initially but eventually bowled a full straight one to have their skipper lbw. At the other end Hodgson was getting some bounce and got a couple of early wickets. However the danger man Llewellyn was starting to let loose.
Simon Brodbeck replaced Wood and kept it tight while Alastair Macaulay came on at the other end to offer some "carrot". Llewellyn and later Francis tucked in initially, but Macaulay managed to find a bit of extra loop and bounce to have Llewellyn caught at slip by Low. The skipper later admitted that if John had not been injured there would have been no slip. Every cloud etc.
Chiltington continued to look for quick runs as wickets fell. They needed 60 off eight overs when skipper Morgan took off the pads and came on to bowl his leggies. His first ball span past the bat of the advancing Francis and McDougall whipped of the bails. Hamish repeated the feat later in the same over as Morgan bamboozled a 10-year-old child to pantomime boos from the pavilion. In the next over Simon Brodbeck at square leg plucked a catch to leave Morgan with figures of 3-1 off two overs. Brodbeck wrapped up the innings as West Chiltington were all out for 164. His accuracy was rewarded with three wickets.
The cup was awarded, speeches made and a few beers sunk. West Chiltington and Thakeham CC were very hospitable as ever and it is good to see investment in new facilities and the youth set-up. No doubt the Under-12s will trouble us in years to come.
We now wait anxiously on medical reports.
Capt: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Morgan and Hamish McDougall.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
The victory meant that the John Marshall Cup was retained by the Strollers. The Cup is played for every year in memory of John, who lived in the village and edited The Evening News in the 1950s. His widow, Dave, now lives in nearby Storrington. Although unable to attend the game, she is still bright and alert at 90 and sent her best wishes to everyone.
Thames Valley
Wednesday June 13 at Sunbury
Strollers lost by seven wickets
Strollers 98-7
(20 overs; Hart 28, Carter 19, Hodgson 13, Fiala 12no)
Thames Valley 113-3
(17.1 overs; Samuel 2-25)
Same bat-time, same bat-place, similar bat-team, but this time the wheels came off the batmobile. Well it seemed a good metaphor after too much beer on Tuesday night.
Opening bowlers Doggett and Sharma bowled with greater accuracy and menace than they had the previous week. John Gibson showed the value of his coaching session at the Oval two days before by departing clean bowled on his fourth ball – a top delivery, by the way – from Sharma. Evan Samuel was dismissed soon after for 4, bowled by a swinging jaffa from Doggett, and Jeff Ball demonstrated the cruelty of cricket: after 106 not out over his previous three innings, his first ball from Doggett took off the bails. www.primaryclub.org. At least he now has an average.
Sean Duggan played some lovely shots before falling to a fine diving catch at mid-on by Luckman off Rege for 6. Tony Carter had ground to a good 19 (interspersed with a couple of good boundaries) before a rush of blood left him well out of his ground to the slow bowling of Peter Walder and stumped by a country mile. Jim Hodgson and Mike Hart then put on a good partnership, Jim playing the shot of the innings before spooning Walder to mid-wicket for 13, and Harty smiting the ball in all directions, surviving a couple of drops before eventually hitting the ball vertically upwards off Clive Germany to be taken by the keeper for an excellent 28.
Then it was a clear case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man”. Ivor Fiala, initially nervous, hit the ball confidently; one classy boundary and taking the champagne moment, when Ivor scampered for a sharp second run, calling the recalcitrant Brendan Russell, nearly 40 years his junior…
Kimball Bailey showed the value of his coaching session at the Oval two days before by not being called upon to bat, and Ajay Joshi was similarly challenged. The total was clearly not enough, but the ball was moving and we knew that 97 could at least be competitive.
But it wasn’t. Aaron Walder hit the otherwise miserly Hodgson for a big six, and Clayton took a liking to Duggan, rushing to 32 despite some excellent deliveries by Sean. Samuel replaced Hodgson and was immediately to bowl Walder for 8, but Ross Wright at the other end demonstrated why his duck the previous week (thanks Sean) had been to our advantage. He was to retire on 26, having hit Sean over the fence and indeed the road for a huge six, leaving us to check our public liability insurance.
Mike Chipps nurdled for 10 before a sharp run out (Russell/Hodgson) and Clive Germany spooned a gentle one straight down Carter’s throat at mid-on to give Samuel his second wicket. But that was the only catch – they went down in all parts of the ground throughout the innings. Graham Doggett came in and scored a rapid 22 as Thames Valley passed our evening’s score in the 13th over and then the additional runs needed to beat our score over two evenings in the 18th, thus taking the match and the match (it was a 40-over match played over two evenings). The rain started to fall as we left the pitch.
So then the real champagne moment. Not only a top tea, with smoked salmon sandwiches receiving high praise, but a generous cheese board the size of the flight deck of the Ark Royal and port to go with it. Sunday hosts please take note. A kind gesture after an excellent and well-spirited couple of evenings, and sad that three of our number left early and so missed it (I thought I’d rub it in).
Many thanks again to our hosts for the game(s) and the après-cricket which carried on well into the dark.
Captain: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Mike Hart. Match fees: Kimball Bailey
Battersea Ironsides
Wednesday June 20 at Wandsworth
Match tied
Battersea Ironsides 121-6
(20 overs; Hodgson 3-23, Duggan 1-23)
Strollers 121
(19.1 overs; Duggan 33, Cullen 23, Wood 16, Evans 15, Hodgson 12)
What a lovely evening, and a long one (well it had to be by the time we actually got started!). The toss was a formality as Ironsides were somewhat short, and ten good Strollers and true (less the incapacitated Evan Samuel to whom we send best wishes for a speedy recovery) took the field.
Tom Wood (nursing a hamstring and a calf strain) opened the bowling and had the openers in all sorts of trouble, though the loose balls were dispatched. It was Jim Hodgson from the tennis court end who took the first scalp with a vicious penetrating yorker (surely “slow high full toss”? Ed.) and then another clean bowled in his second over. A horrible run out, deftly thrown in by Sean Duggan to allow Wood to remove the bails (and probably have a shave in the time he had available) had the Ironsides reeling with three down.
But then enter Dan, the man from the Southern Hemisphere, who struck the ball cleanly to all parts of the ground and indeed the road over Duggan’s head. He gave plenty of chances and his run rate was so fast that the scorer did not even notice that he had scored 25 (and so was due to retire) so quickly. But never mind. Neil Cullen, replacing Hodgson, bowled tightly, and Alastair Macaulay was desperately unlucky not to have two wickets to catches that came down with ice on them.
Sean Duggan was finally rewarded after a good spell with John’s wicket, bowled playing across the line. An even worse run out left two batsmen at the same end (a good throw by Brendan Russell to Mike Hart to complete the embarrassment), and it was left to the last Ironsides pair to scramble a few more runs off Hodgson and Russell, with Cullen pocketing a good high catch at mid off to give Hodgson his third. Some good Strollers ground fielding and an achievable target.
The Ironsides opening bowling was positive and hostile, and Jeff Ball and Hart were soon back in the pavilion. Cullen played some beautiful shots before the worst run out of the day, with Ian Evans sadly deemed by all observers to be the guilty party. Evans and Duggan moved the score on well against the second string bowlers, with Duggan particularly playing some fine shots, before Evans was bowled.
Kimball Bailey scored a chanceless four before slashing at the first straight one from Maddy. Wood joined Duggan with Russell as his runner, causing confusion and mayhem all round. Two fours and a six, and the Strollers were back in control. A statistical note, though: Hart signalled a short run during this partnership…
Then Dan came on to bowl, fuelled by a few pints of the finest lager. Wood lbw, bringing Hodgson to play some fine shots, then with victory in sight both Duggan and Russell skied the ball to the deep and were caught. With seven to win, Macaulay faced a hostile over from Mark, with comedy appealing from the bowler (who had, at that stage, passed the batting crease) that could have been heard at Tooting Bec. Eat your heart out Monty Panesar. A wide. Five needed. A single to Macaulay. Four needed. A fine pull by Hodgson. Scores even. Stair facing the last over from Dan…
Who took his fourth wicket (for 12), bowling Stair and tying the match.
What a fantastic finish to a fine-spirited game.
The beer flowed, as did the conversation with our friendly hosts, and as later did the fine food at the Indian Ocean on Trinity Road.
Captain: Neil Cullen. Wkt and Match fees: Mike Hart
Ampney Crucis
Saturday June 23 at Ampney
Strollers won by five runs
Strollers 135-6 dec
(Patston 43, Taylor 29, Howard 12)
Ampney Crucis 130
(Salvesen 6-26, Duggan 2-24, Brodbeck 1-35, Macaulay 1-42)
The weather forecast looked grim. Undaunted, the tourists drove through squally rain to the picturesque Ampney Crucis ground where the hosts made us warmly welcome and even contrived to usher the clouds away so that a game could be completed. And what a gripping match it was.
Inserted, the evergreen opening combination of hopalong John Low and Peter (Pan) Patston found the going far from easy. Ampney’s miserly attack and a slow wicket meant that runs came at a trickle. Brian Taylor got things moving and skipper Patrick Howard tried to blaze away but it was never easy. Patston maintained a rocklike vigil from 1435 to 1622 (minus an eight-minute rain break), facing a total of 109 deliveries in his precious 43 before he failed to beat a direct hit and was run out.
The hope was that Ampney would find it just as difficult to score in the slow conditions and so it proved. Tom Salvesen, roared on by the whole Salvesen tribe, worked up a head of steam and finished with the notable figures of 10.5-4-26-6. Simon Brodbeck kept things tight and Sean Duggan made his trip worthwhile with a fine spell.
The ninth Ampney wicket fell with the target looking a distant prospect but Ampney’s last-wicket pair had other ideas and batted with great determination and crept ever closer. It was only when the quicksilver Tim Rice poached his third catch of the day that the brave resistance came to an end with just six runs needed for an unlikely victory.
It was a great game against hospitable opponents. The cheerful heckling from Ampney’s 87-year-old President and groundsman (who, statisticians should note, had taken all 10 wickets back in 1955) was complemented by the finest tea seen for many a long day. The cakes with the Ampney logo monogrammed in the icing and a two-tier cake stand were marked down as a first in the Strollers’ 30-year history.
The dazzling contingent of Strollers WAGs completed the happy picture. After post-match analysis in the Crown of Crucis with John Swann and his men, the cavalcade moved on to the Green Dragon in hidden-away Cowley where the banoffee pie inflicted the first defeat of the day on a hitherto invincible Tim Rice.
Tour manager Alastair Macaulay’s meticulous planning worked a treat; he had even coached the Green Dragon waiting staff so that they knew everyone’s Christian names. But he failed to control the weather on the following day as the Cranham game disappeared in the rainy mist and a bedraggled party was forced to beat an early retreat to London. Despite that, it was a good weekend and a great start to the link between Fleet Street and Ampney Crucis.
Capt and wicket: Patrick Howard
LJ Clark
Wednesday June 27 at Wandsworth
Match abandoned
Strollers 103-7
(15 overs; Duggan 25no, Evans 23no, Wood 21)
We knew the weather forecast was dodgy, but we hadn’t expected such mathematical precision as the torrential rain only started minutes after skipper Mike Morgan had left from Brighton. But, as Simon Brodbeck may once have said, it looked as if it was brightening up…
The covers came on at Wimbledon, threatening an appearance by Cliff Richard, while Morgan and acting LJ skipper Simon Ibbitson agreed a 15-over game on a drying pitch.
Tom Wood came out blazing, smiting five boundaries from his 21 before offering a relatively tame return catch in the third over. Tony Carter pulled mightily before being bowled by Colley for 12, and Sean Duggan played some glorious strokes in his 25 before being forced to retire.
Morgan played a wide one from Zak onto his stumps for eight, and Kimball Bailey did exactly the same the following ball for one of his more creative primaries.
Man-in-form Jeff Ball was run out for one. John Gibson hit one lovely boundary from his seven, showing that he had learned something at the Oval, though sadly not to watch out for the straight ball. Brendan Russell fell to a great catch at wide mid-off for six, and Mike Hart came out to play an unusual role as straight man to birthday boy Ian Evans, who celebrated his fortieth with an array of shots to all directions, topping the hundred during his 23 not out as the innings finished in the threatening gloom.
It was a fast turnaround between innings, but Kimball had just made it to the farthest part of the ground at fine leg when the heavens opened. The Strollers ran: fast and co-ordinated, back to the relative cover of the changing room. The rain drove down on the corrugated iron roof (it was rather like standing too close to the speakers at a Deep Purple concert) and the captains were dispatched, by coracle, to collect the stumps. That was it. A great shame that LJ did not get a bat in return, but a vote for sanity and an achievement to get in half a game. Thanks guys.
Intensive post-match analysis took place in the County Arms and a small group continued the discussion in the Indian Ocean (quite appropriate under the circumstances) to further the celebration of 40 years of Ian Evans.
LJ are interested in playing us on a Saturday next year as well.
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Ian Evans (though untested).
Match fees: Kimball Bailey
The Times
Saturday July 7 at Dulwich
Strollers lost by five wickets
Strollers 132
(Crocker 40, Duggan 21, McDougall 20, Wood 17)
The Times 134-5
(Mawson 42; Brodbeck 2-33, Macaulay 1-14, Russell 1-15, Duggan 1-27)
The chairman of selectors was gloomy. “We’ve got too strong a side,” he said.
The captain was anxious. “I’ve got 11 batsmen; how can I give them all a go?” he wondered.
“Ah,” said some prescient sage. “Don’t forget: we are at our weakest when we have a strong side. I predict 67 all out with that line-up.”
He was not far wrong. At 94-9 things looked perilous. Thanks to Warren Crocker we extended that to 132 all out; but it was still 45 runs short of a winning total and woefully inadequate.
The most encouraging thing was that the sun reappeared after what seemed like weeks of monsoons and icy winds. A proper day for cricket at last.
Debutant Simon Mills might disagree. He strode out to open the innings on his first Strollers appearance and received a gem of a delivery first up: it left him a little off the pitch and gently removed the off bail.
Tom Wood began the repair operation and put bat to ball until he was somewhat fortuitously caught in the gully: a firm drive being safely clutched by the man from The Times. Opening bowler Greg Swift was impressive: unrelenting accuracy plus a little movement meant that his long spell brought five victims and fine figures and the Strollers batsmen were never comfortable.
Hamish McDougall did the hard work and then got out; Jim Hodgson's wicket was wasted on a run-out; Sean Duggan battled away; Mike Shattock's knee made an all-too-brief comeback. It was left to Crocker to save the day with some fine driving and expansive shots. Simon Brodbeck, at No 11, helped him add 38 for the 10th wicket.
The Times began their reply and Duggan’s opening spell brought one victim and deserved more, but the luck never quite ran our way. An obdurate opening bat by the name of James Mawson (shurely shome mhistake?) showed how it should be done and at least it meant that The Strollers were defeated by a Stroller.
Brendan Russell claimed his first Strollers victim courtesy of a fine catch by McDougall and Alastair Macaulay teased one man to his doom but the tide was always running away. A parsimonious spell by Brodbeck kept things tight and The Times were pushed into the last five overs before they hit the winning run.
So it was no disgrace and the sun shone and our former home, The Griffin Club, is always a good place to play. But if only we had had a weaker side…
Capt and match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
Coleshill
Sunday July 8 at Coleshill
Strollers won by four wickets
Coleshill 239
(Walder 10-82)
Strollers 240-6
(Russell 87no, Hart 55no, Wood 39)
Was this the greatest Strollers match ever?
When a deutant takes a little matter of 10-82 (14.1-1-82-10 to be precise), that makes it noteworthy. When we stand at 89-6 in pursuit of a target of 240 and still win, thanks to an unbroken stand of 151 for the seventh wicket, that marks it out as a match in a lifetime...certainly in the 30-year lifetime of the Fleet Street Strollers Cricket Club.
Last year the Strollers came to Coleshill unbeaten in their Annus Mirabilis. This year that particular albatross had been shot long ago and a below-strength squad faced a strong home team. Debut skipper and birthday boy Tom Wood lost the toss but cunningly negotiated no limits on bowlers for a 40-over game, recognising the thinness of our attack.
The game did not start promisingly as the Coleshill openers set off at a good lick, scoring around seven an over for the first 10 overs with Wood taking some punishment. Aaron Walder was then summoned from the deep to make his debut while Dennis Cave kept things tight at the other end.
Opener Bruin was soon lbw to Walder, followed by another wicket two balls later but Spencer at the other end was scoring freely, hitting successive sixes off Walder. One heave too many found Wood on the long-on boundary. Coleshill were 135 off the first 20 overs and a big total looked likely.
Their middle order continued to go for their shots but Walder also picked up wickets as a result - one caught behind by Hamish McDougall and two to fine catches by Jeff Ball at mid-off and deep mid-off to take his haul to six wickets out of six. The run rate dropped slightly as Brendan Russell and Alastair Macaulay (apart from one errant over) bowled tidily. Even so, by the 38th over Coleshill had 230.
Walder came on for his penultimate over. The first ball was slapped to Patrick Howard at mid-wicket, the second and third hit the stumps of the bemused batsmen - only the fifth hat-trick in Strollers history. The number 11 survived the rest of the over.
The 40th over started with Stay facing. He had already hit an aggressive 38 and was targeting the mid-wicket boundary. He hit the first ball at head-height straight to Macaulay on the boundary where it was pouched with relief and delight. Walder’s final figures were 14.1-1-82-10, the first 10-for in the history of the club and a remarkable debut. No doubt he would claim he is "more of a batsman really".
We came off relieved at keeping them to “only” 239 but six an over was achievable on a very good batting track. It needed good contributions from the top order which, sadly, were not forthcoming. Tony Carter was bowled for 13, MacDougall dismissed for five, Howard for six, Walder for six and Ball for nine. Only Wood, with a brisk 39, got a good start. He was dropped very early and that may have been crucial in retrospect. Although the Strollers were seemingly subsiding at 89-6, Wood's 39 was made quickly and only 16 overs had elapsed.
It should be said that when Russell joined Mike Hart in the middle with 151 needed off 23 overs, no one in the pavilion was contemplating victory. It was more a case of not losing by too many. Macaulay and Ivor Fiala were padded up expecting the call sooner rather than later. Russell had a few close shaves early on but was crucially hitting the straight ones. His technique eschews the defensive so when he does hit the ball there are runs. Hitting a boundary an over (mainly through the mid-wicket and mid-on area) and scampering ones and twos, Hart and Russell maintained a healthy run-rate.
Even so, when the score reached 150 the Strollers were content to have reached respectability. However, the runs continued to come as they ran singles and twos at every opportunity and Russell found the boundary regularly and reached his debut 50 in good time. Drinks were delivered to them and neither said a word - they were both too tired to speak.
Suddenly they had put on 100 and there were six overs left. Fifty-two off six overs looked achievable. One spectator gnawed his umbrella with the tension of it all and anxious team-mates began to pace up and down on the boundary’s edge.
Coleshill looked rattled as the runs kept coming. Scurrying for everything, Russell and Hart reduced the target to 32 off four, then 20 off three. Eight off the 38th over made it 12 off the last two overs. Six were scored off the penultimate over, including the single for Hart's debut 50. Six to win off the last over.
A single, a Hart cut to the boundary and a scrambled single saw the Strollers home for the most remarkable victory.
*Statistical notes: The unbeaten stand between Brendan Russell and Mike Hart of 151 eclipsed the old record for the seventh wicket - 113 unbroken between Terry Scragg and John Low at Fleet on May 7, 1995.
Aaron Walder's figures of 10-82 were the best in Strollers history, edging out Jim Hodgson's previous record of 9-25 versus Bledlow on September 15, 2001.
"Records are meant to be broken," roared the defiant Hodgson. " I plan to take 10-81 next week."
Capt and match fees: Tom Wood. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
Chobham
Sunday July 15 at Chobham
Strollers won by three wickets
Chobham 142-7
(40 overs; Samuel 3-24, Crocker 1-20, Hodgson 1-27, Wood 1-23,
Macaulay 1-30)
Strollers 143-7
(37.2 overs; Timperley 45, Low 21, Wood 20, Crocker 20no)
The extraordinary events of Coleshill were unlikely to be repeated and so it proved: A good bowling performance, a traditional Strollers batting wobble, but ultimately a rather more routine victory.
The Strollers faced a Chobham team of old hands and promising youngsters (and crucially lacking their Aussie professional). The hosts won the toss and elected to bat in sultry conditions. Thunder clouds threatened for the first couple of hours but thankfully missed us.
The Chobham openers showed respect to Warren Crocker and Jim Hodgson. Crocker picked up the first wicket with an lbw and, after a tidy opening spell, Hodgson was replaced by Alastair Macaulay. Crocker bowled his eight overs through for excellent figures of 1-20. On a pitch where anything short was punished, Macaulay and then Tom Wood continued to pitch the ball up to the bat and were rewarded with a wicket each - Wood getting their dangerous No 3 lbw and James Timperley taking a fine catch at mid-wicket off Macaulay.
Progress was slow and after 20 overs, Chobham were 65-3. The bowling remained tight with James Timperley's left-arm spin going for only 13 off four overs. Although Chobham looked to push on in the last 10 overs, only 30 runs were conceded, thanks mainly to Evan Samuel, who bowled a very good spell through the pain barrier to take 3-24. This included the traditional "small boy", who drove one straight to Macaulay at extra cover. There was a comedy moment when a skier off Hodgson appeared to be heading down Jeff Ball's throat when Wood barged in, shouting "Mine!" Luckily Wood held on to it or there might have been some light mickey-taking (I'm paraphrasing Evan here). Chobham skipper Lackey held the innings together and finished unbeaten on 47.
Chobham finished their 40 overs on 142-7, which the Strollers were very happy with, having conceded over 200 (twice) and 171 on the previous three visits. This was probably the best all-round bowling performance of the season - with only Wood conceding marginally over four runs an over - and supported by good fielding.
A splendid tea was had (and the cakes singled out for praise). John Low had to be prised away from the sandwiches and into his pads to open with Peter Patston. Their approach was circumspect for the first 10 overs when the score was 22. This did, however, include a six by John Low over mid-wicket. Low attempted to increase the scoring rate by smacking a drive straight at
non-striker Patston. It hit him square on the rim of his helmet. The clang could be heard all over Surrey and Patston wisely ignored the insensitive shouts from the pavilion to take a run.
Soon after, both he and Low perished but not before they had put on 35 for the first wicket. The scoring rate increased when Timperley and Wood came together with Timperley looking in his usual good form. The pair put on 54 for the third wicket when Wood, seemingly tired of quick singles, swiped over a straight one.
At 95-3, the Strollers looked comfortable but the seasoned observer knows that a collapse is never far away. Chobham's youngsters stuck well to their task and in quick succession Ball went for nine, Timperley was caught off his glove sweeping for a fine 45, and Mike Hart for two and the wobble was on.
Crocker was still there, however, and while he had started slowly nudging singles, he decided that enough was enough and hit three boundaries in quick succession. Hodgson still had time to be bowled by a jaffa for five but only two runs were needed by then and the Strollers eased home by three wickets.
Capt: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: John Low
The Gardeners
Sunday July 22 at Greenford
Strollers lost by five wickets
Strollers 171-9
(40 overs; Timperley 51, Samuel 36, Crocker 13, Hodgson 10no)
The Gardeners 174-5
(36.4 overs; Hodgson 4-27, Macaulay 1-38)
The sunshine during the afternoon gave us an idea of what this summer might have been. The damp and slow pitch gave us an idea of what it has been – but an unexpected full match was had.
Skipper Evan Samuel won the toss and elected to bat. Hamish McDougall slapped a wide one to give a straightforward catch to cover point in the second over for one, and then James Timperley joined Samuel for what was to be a stand of 105. There were some fine confident shots played, but there were also many dot balls as tight bowling, excellent ground fielding and the slow outfield limited free scoring.
It was well after the drinks interval – no squash was made available, but at least we managed to ensure that our guests were not thirsty – that the wheels began to come off.
Samuel gave what he himself describes as “a horrendous slog” back to leggie Wallace for 36 in the thirtieth over, and this led to a flurry of wickets as the incoming batsmen looked to score quickly.
Kimball Bailey, blinking owlishly after his unaccustomed elevation to batting in daylight, came and went for a short and undistinguished blob (the fate of the long-padded, or merely the incompetent?). Timperley reached his well-deserved 50 and was then out shortly afterwards to a stumping (though as he thought he hit it he was clearly out twice), again off Wallace. John Gibson was lbw for one after a confident start. Warren Crocker hit two fine boundaries and Mike Hart some excellent shots in their respective 13 and nine, but both fell caught in the deep after unselfish and aggressive shots.
Miles Platt (5) and Brendan Russell (4) were both bowled as they swung freely, leaving Jim Hodgson (10*) and Alastair Macaulay (6*) the chance of an undefeated flurry of boundaries before the end of 40 overs. The score of 171 – boosted by 32 extras – was defendable but, we felt, not quite enough.
After a particularly disappointing tea, with the scones receiving particular mention (interesting that I use exactly the same words as I did at the previous match I wrote up at Greenford, against the Jacobite Chancers), the Gardeners started confidently.
Platt put in a huge effort on an unhelpful pitch, but was not to be rewarded. The score had moved on to 39 before Hodgson struck, Mike Richards (sporting fine evidence of a top edge into his nose the previous week) falling to a smart catch by Macaulay at backward point. Number three played a number of shots to leg (and survived a run out only because the umpire was looking in the opposite direction at the time) before holing out to Russell in the deep, again off Hodgson.
Crocker took a superb catch at point to dismiss the other opener and give Hodgson his third wicket, and his fourth came from an unusual swinging ball which confused batsman and indeed most watchers as it clipped off stump. Jim was clearly in the mood to seize back the bowling record, but was cruelly stopped by the bowling restrictions.
Macaulay tempted the batsmen from the other end and was unlucky not to take more than his one wicket (bowled). And at 20 overs and 76-5, things were looking pretty good.
Then Wallace, who had joined Clayton, started to take Macaulay apart; Crocker’s shoulder injury made him less effective than we have come to expect, though he was particularly unlucky not to take a wicket; Samuel bowled aggressively and tightly until one huge six closely before the end; Timperley and Russell also bowled well but the two batsmen moved serenely on despite some excellent ground fielding, reaching our total in the 37th over. Some serious jug avoidance was noted: Clayton on 46 not out, Wallace on 49 not out and an unbeaten partnership of 98…
So we were well-beaten by a better team on the day (which was, for interest, the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene). And at least the bar was open again after the match…
Captain: Evan Samuel. Wkt: Hamish McDougall. Match fees: Kimball Bailey
Queen Adelaide
Wednesday July 25 in Wandsworth
Strollers lost by one run
Queen Adelaide 112-7
(16 overs; Samuel 2-1, Field 2-16, Joshi 2-23, Alexandrou 1-26)
Fleet Street Chancers 111-4
(16 overs; Samuel 33, Mondal 25, Black 17, Ball 13)
What to do if you are under-strength for a midweek game as half your players are already en route for Saumur? Combine with another side desperate for cricket in this sodden summer: in this case Ed Black’s Jacobite Chancers, whose own game against Chris Locke’s Queen Adelaide side had been thwarted by June’s monsoon — plus Jeff Ball's mate Virendra Jadhav, making his debut.
Step forward then the newly christened Fleet Street Chancers onto a dank and dismal but bizarrely flood-free Wandsworth Park. Locke won the toss and elected to bat on the logical grounds that two players were still missing, though given the prevailing murk it was hard to be sure. Tall fast bowler Alex Field claimed an early wicket to the first of three catches by Ed Black who alone among fielders on either side seemed to possess the eyesight to pierce the gloom, which ushered in a rapid stand between the Adelaide’s Jason Reid and Adam Bywater.
Bywater fell to a catch by Tony Carter off Ajay Joshi, who rapidly removed Packham as well to claim two wickets in his first over and leave the Adelaide at 35-3. However Reid and Norman Shiels took this to 100, Reid hitting a mighty 59 and Shiels 24. But 100-3 after 12 overs was restricted to 112-7 off the full 16 by “death bowler” Evan Samuel, who removed both batsmen — recording figures of 2-1-1-2 — thanks to a superb catch by Brendan Russell off a steepling top edge by Reid, and Black's third catch off a blistering drive by Shiels. Field also chipped in with another wicket after "Swiss Tony" (Alex Alexandrou to his mother) had removed Dave Wimpenny with a subterranean ball.
Samuel then opened the reply by carefully playing himself in with a six off the first ball, posting 33 off 21 balls before failing to keep pace with the gentle underarm return that ran him out. Jeff Ball kept the momentum going with 13 while opener Hunch Mondal was missed twice behind the stumps, as indeed were most deliveries as drizzle completed the Stygian scene.
Ball was caught at midwicket but with Black next up victory seemed assured — and indeed the skipper played some superb shots to reach 17 with no apparent alarms. With four to win and umpire Samuel poised to signal a wide off the last ball of the penultimate over, the tired Mondal bottom-edged for 25 (there may be some question over the accuracy of the scorebook!) to a relieved Locke as batsman and keeper set off towards point.
Last over, and Black facing with still just the four to get. Bowler Shiels was having none of it, spearing a delivery into his pads which took out leg and middle; Black gone. New batsman Russell could then do nothing with the next four deliveries, and a mow to midwicket off the last ball was never going to bring more than two, even with Carter (who believed two would tie) running fit to bust.
So it was victory to a surprised and jubilant Queen Adelaide, and back for post-match analysis to their new base of the Bricklayers Arms (Waterman St, SW15), which we discovered had just been awarded Camra’s Greater London Pub of the Year. Double celebrations then, after a game on which an emotional Samuel pronounced: "the only winner was cricket - apart from you bastards".
Capt and match fees: Ed Back. Wkt: Hunch Mondal
North Maidenhead
Sunday July 29 at Maidenhead
Strollers won by six wickets
North Maidenhead 116
(38 overs; McKenzie 3-14, Platt 3-21, Cave 2-25, Timperley 1-17, Walder 1-31)
Strollers 120-4
(24.3 overs; Waugh 41, Timperley 26no, Meade 26, Ball 10)
The first Stroller arrived early, very early - at 11-45am to be precise - to look upon a shuttered, deserted pavilion with a man wandering disconsolately around the middle. He came over and asked, “Can I help you?”
The Stroller showed his start time of 1pm. “It’s very wet. Don’t know what you are doing here so early. No 1pm start," said the man. All the Strollers arrived but no opposition. Finally their skipper (Gareth James) arrived and asked why we were here so early.
He then asked where Ross McNamara was. He evidently had bad memories of his stumps flying from our previous visit. We did not have the heart to tell him Miles Platt was playing.
After much toing and froing we took up position on the second square for a 40-over game. New skipper James Timperley won the toss and inserted the opposition. We finally took the field at 2pm feeling we had been at the ground for ever.
Platt opened the bowling and opener James did not really know where the ball was. He managed to get to the other end from a leg-bye. James took a single off Cave, who promptly bowled the other opener who looked very surprised. James then faced Platt, who rearranged his stumps in a very violent manner.
Number 4 was lbw to Cave and the score was 10-3. Platt picked up another wicket, caught at silly point one-handed by a diving skipper. The score was
12-4. Platt was withdrawn from proceedings after four overs to be replaced by 10-wicket hero Aaron Walder. The pitch was very slow for him but he picked up No 7, well caught again by Timperley.
Cave was replaced by Stuart McKenzie, who kept the batsman tied down. Their No 3 Malin was batting very well, hitting a returning Platt for a straight six. Mckenzie had No. 5 lbw for a hard-hit 22. Malin reached a good 50 but wickets were falling regularly with Timperley bowling No. 10 and finally Malin was brilliantly caught one-handed by a leaping Timperley for a valiant 71, Surely 116 was not enough.
After a good tea and with the sun shining brilliantly The Strollers began very quietly until Morris Waugh opened out, with Simon Mills stoically holding the other end solid. There were some near-escapes until finally Waugh was run out for a good 41. Ball hit a quick 10 until he also was run out.
Chris Meade batted well, scoring with nice shots and punishing the bad ball. Finally Mills holed out to mid-off and Timperley joined Meade. The scoring increased rapidly as the bowling wilted until Meade played on for 26. Ivor Fiala came in but did not face a ball as Timperley hammered 10 off the 25th over to win the game
The victors and their hospitable hosts retired to the bar with Jeff Ball feeling very satisfied over his team selection. On a brilliant sunny evening the Strollers watched the finale of the First XI game on the main square, content with their convincing win.
Capt: James Timperley. Wkt: Hamish McDougall. Match fees: Jeff Ball
Saumur Saturday
Saturday July 28 at Saumur
Strollers won by six wickets
Saumur 175
(Duggan 3-1, Hodgson 2-1, Salvesen 2-21, Macaulay 2-44, Wood 1-24)Strollers 178-4
(38 overs; Howard 68, Hodgson 25no, Wood 21, Patston 20)
The Strollers began their Loire tour in typically robust style, drinking Café Brussels out of wine and continuing their self-nobbling antics in the Celtic bar. The next day they took to the field in surprisingly fine fettle, with the exception of T. Wood (head).
Captain Mike Morgan lost the toss in a 40-over match but his opening bowlers Jim Hodgson and Tom Salvesen did him proud by restricting the opposition to a miserly 28 off the first 12 overs. But wickets were hard to come by, particularly as the Strollers seemed determined to drop everything that came their way – although “Peter Patston held an exemplary catch” to get the wickets tumbling. Hodgson completed his spell with two well deserved wickets in his last over.
The combined onslaught of Tom Wood, Evan Samuel and Greek music sent the WAGs and Strollers to sleep, but our next secret weapon, old-ball specialist Sean Duggan, brought the Strollers back into the game. Andy German and Gordon Burns looked as though they might post a very fine total but Duggan had better ideas, sending back German after he had hit a powerful and elegant 59 and they failed to complete their allotted forty overs. A high spot of the poor fielding was the Mike Hart assist of a towering drive.
Alastair Macaulay finally did for Burns with a deadly double bouncer. He also redeemed the fielding display with an excellent caught and bowled.
Fortified by a good tea and clean loo, the interesting new partnership of Patston and Patrick Howard; (between them using the full bat – face and edge) set about chasing 176 in distinctly contrasting styles; Howard hitting ten off his first three balls and Patston hitting his first ten off 35. Nevertheless they combined well to post a sterling partnership of 71 before Patston snicked once too often to the keeper for 20. Howard continued to flay the attack in harmony with Saumur debutant Brian Taylor, as elegant and assured as ever.
Howard eventually fell for 68 to a wonderful direct-throw run out by the Strollers travelling reserve, John Gibson, who was guesting for the opposition. A more fortuitous run out saw off Taylor, who found himself inexplicably out of his ground when a fierce drive from Wood was deflected onto the stumps by the bowler.
Hodgson, with a cameo knock of 25 in 21 balls, saw the Strollers comfortably home first with a thrashing Wood and then with Tom Salvesen.
The Strollers' fine victory set them up for an evening of celebration at the delightful home of Pete and Kasia Ridding, who were marking Saumur CC’s 15th anniversary. A luxury coach was hired for the 25km trip and we enjoyed copious amounts of rosé, rouge, salad, sausages and burgers. The Saumur nobbling committee (Burns G.) failed to realise Howard’s long legs could indeed hold whatever he was forced to consume.
Snooker was the winner in the “Killer Snooker” tournament or was it the loser? And the communal in-the-round rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful saw the Strollers safely home at the intolerably early hour of two o’clock.
Captain and wkt: Mike Morgan.
Saumur Sunday
Sunday July 29 at Saumur
Strollers lost by 20 runs
Strollers 235-5
(40 overs; Price 100, Gaynor 76; Duggan 2-28, Salvesen 1-29, Wood 1-41, Morgan 1-60)
Strollers 215-8
(40 overs; Wood 61, Hart 49, Hodgson 21no, Morgan 19, Duggan 16)
It was a day of portents and omens. The skies were gray, the rain threatening and Tom Wood was up in time to have breakfast in the hotel with the rest of the team. It was a tour first, and people took photographs and invited passers-by in from the street to watch.
Things could only go downhill from there; a mass flight to the Cristal for a pre-game livener or three (and a swift reminder of the appalling level of service which led to us abandoning it in the first place) bore the unmistakeable signs of a team trying desperately to force the tour back on track.
Sure enough, on arriving at the ground skipper Mike Morgan lost the toss and a strangely hangdog Strollers side took the field; was there not a proper hangover anywhere to make everyone else feel good and look sprightly?
But lo, an early wicket fell to Tom Salvesen as opener Jon Ralph, so adhesive the day before, slapped to mid-on and Morgan (having handed the gloves to Mike Hart on an equal-opportunities basis) held a superb catch. Much rejoicing, until it was remembered that this would merely bring Ryan Price, serial flogger of Strollers attacks, to the wicket.
Sure enough, the South African and Irish partner Warren Gaynor proceeded to flay the Strollers to all points, as Morgan rang the changes in an increasingly desperate attempt to stem the tide. Jim Hodgson bowled well without luck; Evan Samuel replaced Salvesen and bowled better than the day before (mind, that was starting from a low base - I hesitate to mention Morgan's dropped catch off Samuel, but it did point to a trend for the day...); and Sean Duggan bent his back.
With the ball pinging in all directions, drinks brought a welcome distraction and a comparative loss of concentration, as Samuel beat both batsmen – who responded, of course, by smacking subsequent balls to the boundary. Salvesen, unsurprisingly, was recalled.
Finally, Morgan made the breakthrough himself, his flighted delivery luring Gaynor out to be stumped by Hart for an excellent 76. Aussie Matt Steely joined Price to continue the punishment, but at least the Strollers hung in there. Steely fell to Duggan for 17, followed by Ijaz Malik for a duck (his first against us, we think), and Price's excellent 100 ended after a huge slog turned into a top-edge well-held by bowler Wood. He averages 109 against us. Andy German and Gordon Burns carried on to a daunting 231-5 off 40 overs.
The Strollers, famous for mid-innings wobbles, then decided to ring the changes with a start of innings wobble. Well, collapse, really.
Salvesen 2, Brian Taylor a cultured 13 after putting on 30 with the skipper, Patrick Howard 4, Samuel 1 (who handled being run out by Morgan particularly well; his "Which part of ‘I can't run’ didn't you understand?" possibly could not be heard in Angers, maybe Calais). And finally the skipper, out for a gritty 19.
47-5. Things were looking bad as Duggan, injured yet again while bowling, marched out to join Hart. The pair added 25, Duggan hitting sweetly for 16 before falling swinging for the team; 72-6. The Strollers needed nine an over from 18 overs. Embarrassment not so much looming as moving into the house, putting its feet up on the sofa and drinking your beer.
Enter Mr Wood, dropped to eight in the order, with the sort of steely glint in the eye which comes from lack of alcohol and a certain lack of respect for what has gone before.
Half an hour later, off 32 balls, he reached his 50. Hart was not overshadowed, as both players smashed the ball to and, in Wood's case, over, all parts. One Hart extra-cover drive was still being mentioned with reverence several hours later.
Suddenly, the game was afoot. The pair put on a superb 105, with panic spreading through the Saumur ranks, before Wood perished as he had lived for a brilliant 61.
All was not lost, with the in-form Hodgson joining Hart - but disaster had struck, Hart badly pulling his calf muscle chasing an extra run for Wood. Even batting with a runner (Kimball Bailey, at one stage, which shows how desperate and injury-hit the Strollers were) he kept attacking, but finally was bowled for 49 when a 50 was the least he deserved.
Hodgson and the injured Alastair Macaulay battled gamely, but the momentum had been lost; still, 215-8 after losing five for 47 was a great comeback. It was, in the end, a cracking game to add to the Saumur/FSS canon at the start of the new Krishna-less era.
And with our win on Saturday, the rubber was drawn and Les Cendriers retained.
The hospitality was superb as ever, and we look forward to returning for the tenth anniversary tour. Thanks to Vincent, Andy, Tony, Pete and everyone else who has ensured that Saumur CC thrives.
Of course, Mike Morgan may be in Australia then, on holiday, and therefore unable to get rid of the tour rabbit he won for his run-out of Samuel...
Then tearful goodbyes were said to Sean and Sara Duggan and to the entire travelling Salvesen army on Monday morning as the rest of the tour party continued to Angers (via a chateau where there was a split between the cultural tourists and the lunchers, who in retrospect probably had it right) to celebrate the 30th wedding anniversary of Madame President and her husband. A venue was procured at short notice and portions were served which could each have fed a small African country for a week (or in the case of Peter’s pork and Patrick and Kirsten’s cote de boeuf, a large one). And the formal congratulations to Maggie and Peter continued into the small hours…
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Mike Hart.
Peppard
Sunday August 5 at Peppard
Strollers won by two wickets
Peppard 131
(Cave 5-28, Brodbeck 4-44, Russell 1-13)
Strollers 132-8
(Brodbeck 28no, Timperley 21, McDougall 21, Crocker 18, Carter 15, Russell 13no)
Following successes last weekend in two countries, the Strollers reconvened as a single side in Oxfordshire to fulfil one of the oldest fixtures on its list. The travelling party, heavy with antipodean talent (and one antipodean supporter) looked a strong one and expectations were high.
A brilliant day and a flat wicket suggested a batting heaven; we promptly lost the toss and were inserted…to bowl. Suntan cream was rapidly applied as we took to the field, already wilting in the strong afternoon sun.
Step forward the opening bowlers of Brendan Russell and Dennis Cave; Cave’s first two balls were full tosses, his third slanted down leg-side for a wide and his fourth re-arranged the stumps. He then accounted for the No 3 and was extremely unlucky not to get the No 4, who had clearly spent a couple of seasons at the “Marc Friday school of defence”.
Dennis bowled consistently and was difficult to get away and ultimately picked up a five-for. At the other end Brendan bowled tightly and with control and was rewarded with an excellently taken slip catch by Friday that deflected off Hamish McDougall’s gloves en route to first slip. Peppard never really got into their stride and, save for a few lusty blows from their number four, they lost wickets regularly and a low total looked likely.
Simon Brodbeck and James Timperley came on to weave their magic, James again bowling well but with no luck; Simon continued picking up wickets regularly and deserved his 4-44, highlights of which included two wickets in two balls, and a quite stunning one-handed (and left-handed) catch from Friday to dismiss their man Leach, who made a fine 60 before departing. Fittingly it was Cave who returned to take the last wicket and a total of 131 looked a very gettable total especially given that we batted all the way down the card – a cue, of course, for the usual Strollers collapse.
Peter Patson departed third ball to a very good catch at gulley, Friday played himself in, before being bowled first ball - seven deliveries in and we were 2-2. Timperley and Tony Carter both steadied the ship, playing some fine shots as they both made 20-something, before Carter was bowled by a full toss, Timperley was caught at mid off, Jeff Ball was bowled cheaply and Mike Morgan was also bowled without making too much of a dent into the total.
McDougall and Warren Crocker set about trying to rescue what was now a quite likely defeat into something a little more report-worthy – Warren stuck around for a long time and had scratched a valuable 18 before he too was bowled, and Hamish played some great shots as he moved the score along at the required rate. With eight overs left 48 were required.
Hamish was joined by Simon, and he showed his class with a fine array of shots as the batsmen kept up with the required run rate; Hamish was very unfortunate to be bowled off his legs for 21. In came Brendan and memories of Coleshill came flooding back as he started flaying the ball (and occasionally missing it completely).
With one over remaining the scores were tied. The calm Brodbeck defended the first ball and then dinked an edge through the slip cordon and we had squeezed home by two wickets. Relief was evident, nowhere more so than on the furrowed brow of Cave, who had been ready to come in at No 11 and had been looking down at the ground, muttering occasionally to himself for the previous 20 minutes. Simon finished top scorer with 28 not out to walk away with the man of the match award and Brendan, once again, demonstrated his abilities as a “death” batsman.
A deserved victory, but we do like to make life difficult for ourselves sometimes.
Captain and Match Fees: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
Tadworth
Sunday August 12 at Tadworth
Strollers won by 31 runs
Strollers 176
(39 overs; Friday 60, Wood 34, Timperley 24, McDougall 24; Button 3-22)
Tadworth 145-9
(40 overs; Macaulay 5-11, Timperley 1-9, Russell 1-19, Wood 1-25, Hodgson 1-27; Ireland 66)
What a nice place to play Tadworth is! A pleasant ground, hospitable opposition and the gloom and rain even faded to give us a glorious summer’s day.
Marc Friday and shock new opening partner Kimball Bailey strode out to bat in increasing drizzle. Friday, fresh from his primary the previous week, treated his first ball from Robbie Quinton with respect and then dispatched the second over the bowler’s head for six. Bailey treated Quinton senior with respect too, and had played himself in well when he misjudged a full toss which clipped his off stump for four. Fine shots had been exhibited at the other end – though young Quinton almost had Friday out on two occasions – to give a solid opening stand of 30. James Timperley joined Friday and the two gave an excellent display of smooth hitting and excellent running between the wickets before Timperley fell for 24, hitting a wide ball from Jamie Goldstein to give Hemmings a smart one-handed catch at point.
Tom Wood joined Friday and played an uncharacteristic innings of 34, with only one boundary and 24 singles, as Tadworth placed a defensive field. Friday smote the promising young Joe Button to the safe hands of Hemmings at deep cow for 60, and there was then a mini-collapse as Warren Crocker missed a straight full toss from Button and was lbw for one and Jeff Ball, mesmerised by young Matthew Robinson’s slower deliveries, was clean bowled by his quicker one for four. Hamish McDougall joined Wood for a solid 17, but he fell to a smart catch from Goldstein to give Button his third wicket. Jim Hodgson tried to accelerate proceedings and was well stumped by captain and keeper Mark Robinson off Copeland for nine. Wood then tried to emulate Friday and gave a third catch to Hemmings, giving the returning Quinton junior a well-deserved wicket.
In a last flurry, Brendan Russell and Alastair Macaulay were each caught for four, leaving Mike Morgan not out three. The Strollers had faltered from 91-1 to 176 all out in the 39th over, and the colts were a revelation with both bowling and fielding.
That’s enough about cricket. Let me describe the legendary tea – surely the best we have had this season. The cakes were to die for and it was… (Deleted through lack of space. Ed.)
Robinson senior and Stuart Ireland started solidly against tight bowling – particularly from Hodgson – and posted a 50 partnership before Robinson fell to a sharp slip catch by Timperley off Russell for 14. Cullen joined Ireland and both interspersed an array of “played and missed” with strokes that found the boundary in all directions. Wood broke through after the drinks break with the score on 83 as Cullen played on for 17, but the left-handed Hemmings joined Ireland and the two continued to play Wood and Morgan with confidence.
Ireland scored his maiden (adult) 50 and moved to 66 (with some shots over the keeper’s head that were definitely not in any coaching manual) before edging the returning Hodgson’s last ball to Timperley. 124-2 at the end of the 29th over, and the Strollers heads had been down.
But then it was a clear case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man”. Joe Button hit his first ball from Alastair Macaulay to a running Ball at wide mid-wicket. New batsman Hemmings played a single and Macaulay then clean bowled his father for 18 for his second wicket in the over. Robbie Quinton pulled Macaulay to Crocker at short backward square for a fine sharp catch over his head, and then Goldstein and Robinson junior were smartly stumped by McDougall to give Macaulay 5-11, only his second five-for for the club.
James Timperley snapped up the other Hemmings, caught and bowled, and the two remaining Tadworth batsmen played out, with their team losing eight wickets for 21 in 11 overs.
Victory – it was a 40-over game – had been secured, almost snatched. As man-of-the-match Macaulay was buying his jug he was heard to comment “It was a good five-for - two of them were adults”.
Thanks again to Tadworth for splendid hospitality and a great day out. And particular praise to the colts who will be a real handful in a couple of years time.
Did I mention the tea?
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt and match fees: Hamish McDougall.
Wall
Saturday August 25 at Wall
Strollers lost by six wickets
Strollers 139
(39.5 overs; Sam Brodbeck 35, Wood 18, Fiala 15, Simon Brodbeck 14no, Macaulay 11, McDougall 10)
Wall 140-4
(31.4 overs; Macaulay 2-49, Simon Brodbeck 1-8, Patston 1-12)
The portents were not promising. Kingsley Maddocks, who very kindly had come over from Wirksworth to help us out after an absence of six years, revealed that his mate Jeremy Keck could not play after all. So we were 10, and not the strongest 10. And we rarely win at Wall. But the sun was shining and the squad in good heart. Could they rewrite history?
Wall have certainly been busy. Their cosy old pavilion was burnt down 18 months ago. Now in its place has risen a gleaming portacabin with all mod cons: changing rooms, kitchen, loos…a miraculous transformation thanks to months of hard work and Keith Birch’s handyman skills.
Their skills unfortunately transferred to the field as well. Put in, the Strollers stuttered to an inadequate 139 all out. Sam Brodbeck - returning directly off a plane from Lima and adventures in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil and Peru - remembered how to bat and top-scored with 35 until he fell after an interesting “yes, no” interlude with Ivor Fiala.
The rest of us, who have not been so far from home, appeared to have forgotten how to bat. Tom Wood departed trying to drive, Fiala attacked well, and Simon Brodbeck helped eke out a few more runs. But the batting performance hardly merited the amazing tea provided, as ever, by Mrs Craig. There seemed to be enough to supply four teams and the strategy of weighing down the opposition by feeding them such a wonderful spread, worked a treat.
At 61-3 the Strollers had succeeded in squeezing Wall’s reply, thanks to tight spells from Simon Brodbeck (7-3-8-1) and Alastair Macaulay but two good overs from the batting side and suddenly it was all over. The last rites were notable only for a lightning stumping by Hamish McDougall off an eccentric delivery from Peter Patston.
The game set a new record for the number of balls lost in the hedge and surrounding fields but there could be no quibbling at being soundly beaten by a superior side. The hospitality was as generous as ever; will the Wall ever come tumbling down? We shall try again next year…
Stanton by Dale
Sunday August 26 at Stanton
Match drawn
Strollers 261-4 dec
(Sam Brodbeck 106no, Wood 92, Morgan 35no)
Stanton by Dale 163-8
(Salvesen 4-66, Hodgson 2-20, Patston 1-15, Simon Brodbeck 1-16)
After the debacle at Wall, the selectors moved quickly. Simon Brodbeck was sacked as skipper (perhaps that’s the answer for next year at Wall?) and the big guns of Jim Hodgson, Tom Salvesen, Mike Hart and Marc Friday were wheeled in.
Strollers took first knock and the bemused crowd watched Friday put into practice his new policy of discretion - actually leaving the ball, rather than battering it into the next field. Having padded up to the first two deliveries, he unwisely decided the policy was working and left the third. It removed his off stump. “I think I’ll go back to Plan A,” said the crestfallen Friday.
Peter Patson departed and Tom Wood (celebrating the first anniversary of giving up smoking) joined Sam Brodbeck at the crease. And that was that really; the rest of us sat back and enjoyed a real treat. Wood was eventually run out for a magnificent 92 after the pair had put on an exhilarating 172…just missing out on overhauling the old mark of an unbeaten 177 between Simon Brodbeck (why do we need reminding of this? Ed) and Peter Hanlon against Sheepscombe in 1994.
Skipper Mike Morgan continued the assault with a quickfire 35 not out and brought his reverse sweep out of the closet. The declaration came at tea with Sam undefeated on 106. Perhaps lack of match practice is the key.
Tricia Taylor emulated the banquet of the previous day, with the flan receiving an honourable mention. Stanton began their reply knowing it was, as Paul Nixon would say, a big ask to overhaul such a total. They needed to win to wrest back the Tranter Cup and the opening attack of Hodgson and Salvesen (plucked from his Norfolk hideaway just for the day) made sure they were always behind the rate. Salvesen worked up a head of steam and Hodgson (7-2-20-2) was as miserly as ever. Brian Taylor, loaned out to Stanton under a Kolpack arrangement, kept up the fight before falling for a fine 59 to a Peter Patston delivery that drifted, turned and did everything else possible. Mr Patston was available later in the evening for anyone who wanted a detailed account of his wizardry.
Chris Pack, who had bowled with great hostility and fire for Stanton, struck some lusty blows late on but the target was always out of reach and they finished on 163-8 with the match drawn and the Cup retained.
A good day on a fine wicket with the sun making a rare and welcome appearance after our blighted summer. Stanton veterans Doug King, Derek Gregory and Phil George were in attendance before the Strollers and their WAGs left on the open-topped bus for the celebration ride through Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
Sutton on the Hill
Monday August 27 at Sutton
Strollers lost by 69 runs
Sutton 205-5 dec
(Simon Brodbeck 3-64, Friday 1-35, Hodgson 1-39)
Strollers 136
(Hodgson 33, Taylor 29, Wood 25, Friday 18, Simon Brodbeck 14)
After the Lord Mayor’s Show…
Flushed with triumph – and an evening with Geoff and Lynne Utting at La Zouch restaurant with guitar accompaniment from Ivor Fiala – the Strollers arrived at the idyllic Sutton ground ready to keep the run going. And fell flat.
With Sutton 57-4, things looked good. Even at 147-5 it wasn’t too bad. But the last half-hour of mayhem with the wily Steve Taylor (73 not out) sending the ball to all parts meant the total ended as a daunting 205-5. Simon Brodbeck’s spell of 15-3-44-3 became 16-3-64-3 and even Jim Hodgson’s metronomic cool was rattled. Marc Friday bowled well but foolishly elected to put his foot down a rabbit hole and tweaked that infamous ankle.
Tea having been taken, he hobbled to the middle and demonstrated that he had abandoned the previous day’s policy of discretion: 6-4-6 off his first three balls. But one whack too many sent him back. Tom Wood and Brian Taylor kept the effort going but it was not easy against tight bowling and deliveries that occasionally kept low. Hodgson still eyed the win but when he departed, a draw was the only realistic option. Simon Brodbeck fell with four overs remaining and No 11 Alastair Macaulay strode (or rather hobbled) to the crease. Could he and the resolute Fiala save the day and claim a fighting draw? In a word: No.
At least the result was in doubt all the way and it is always a pleasure to be at Sutton. Oona enjoyed her many walks around the ground so she was happy. The authorities decided to close the M42 – presumably because of the heavy big match traffic coming down from Derbyshire – which made the journey home somewhat frustrating.
But the rain stayed away, which was the most important result of all, and thanks to the meticulous organisation of tour supremo Alastair Macaulay it was unanimously voted a great weekend. Pity about the batting
Sunbury
Sunday September 2 at Sunbury
Strollers won by six wickets
Sunbury 215-9 dec
(Hodgson 4-71, Simon Brodbeck 2-55, Cave 1-25, Timperley 1-48)
Strollers 216-4
(Howard 79, Friday 57, Wood 50, Timperley 21no)
Skipper Mike Morgan’s theory that our batting power outweighed our bowling resources was thoroughly vindicated in this impressive victory.
He won the toss and put Sunbury in, replying on batting strength to chase any total. And that total was not Everest-like, thanks to a tight last half-hour before the declaration when the Strollers’ usual habit is to let things slip away. But a marathon spell by Jim Hodgson (19-2-71-4), a miserly contribution from Dennis Cave (9-3-25-1) and some useful back-up from Simon Brodbeck and James Timperley kept the score down. If we had held our catches that would have helped too, but it was left to Tom Wood and Ivor Fiala to show how to hold your hands together and keep hold of the ball.
When the declaration came, it looked a decent total. But Marc Friday and Patrick Howard made light work of it. They posted a first-wicket stand of 103 in just 13 overs with Friday purveying the occasional measured defensive stroke amidst the mayhem. When he departed for 57, Howard continued on his merry way, driving the ball vast distances through the on-side and pummelling the short ones through the covers. Such had been the early assault that victory always looked comfortable. Wood hit the ball with relish in his quick-fire 50 and James Timperley stylishly carried us through to victory.
A superb wicket to play on and a pleasant setting at a well-ordered club.
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Jim Hodgson
Hampton Wick Royals
Sunday September 9 at Bushy Park
Strollers won by three wickets
Hampton Wick 165
(35.1 overs; Timperley 4-27, Simon Brodbeck 3-52, Macaulay 1-24, Cave 1-51
Strollers 166-7
(39.4 overs; McDougall 38no, Taylor 33, Wood 22, Timperley 13,
Sam Brodbeck 10, Macaulay 8no)
Well it’s all pretty easy, innit?
Lots of catches, Kiwi pluck and the tenacity of the Strollers’ youngest ever captain (19 yrs, 9 months and 9 days if you’re counting) combined to set up a glorious sun-drenched last-over victory.
Despite what many thought was a selection blunder, the batsmen-heavy side skittled out Hampton Wick in 35.1 overs. Clean-hitting batsmen came and went as the Strollers held (mostly) their catches, including two one-handed gems from the man Friday (a new specialist first slip?), while the wily Alastair Macaulay removed the opposition’s danger man with a crucial lbw.
Simon Brodbeck chipped in with three wickets, Dennis Cave snared one out of what could have been many and James Timperley respectfully followed Captain Sam’s orders, turning and bouncing his way to four quick dismissals.
Advice from veterans Tom Wood and Mike Morgan re the bowling changes was justifiably ignored after Wood failed to stop boundaries off the Wick youngsters; if one is not fit enough to use one’s hands instead of feet then surely one is not fit enough to bowl? It’s a new era, don’t you know?
With one end shooting and the other popping, the target of 166 looked far off as openers Morgan and northern pro ‘Brisey’ Taylor battled to survive accurate bowling.
Marc Friday at No 3 got a beauty and retired to the balcony to do, as one South Coast wag pointed out, his only bit of scoring in the game. Wood and Kimball Bailey joined Taylor as the Strollers dropped below the required rate.
Cometh the last hour of play, cometh the Kiwi. Hamish McDougall’s renaissance as cavalier hitter and heroic runner could not have been better timed: the fight-back was signalled by a lusty blow straight past the sightscreen. Brodbeck Jnr and Timperley contributed fast and reckless runs to set the stage for Macaulay (8*) to tee off in the last over to secure a great victory with just two balls remaining. The crowd (Tricia Taylor, to be exact) rose as one to hail a stirring performance. Two short runs in the penultimate over by the carefree skipper (acting as runner for the crippled Macaulay) only served to give the spectator her money’s worth (and nearly give the limping Alastair a
heart attack).
Capt: Sam Brodbeck. Wkt: Hamish McDougall. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
Valley End
Sunday September 15 at Valley End
Strollers won by six wickets
Valley End 255-6 dec
(Duggan 3-19, Crocker 2-53, Wood 1-45)
Strollers 259-4
(Timperley 136no, Wood 103)
Another game to put among the Strollers’ best; 2007 seems to keep rewriting the history books.
On this occasion it was James Timperley and Tom Wood who did the business, but to begin at the beginning…
The Strollers took the field at the delightful Valley End ground and proceeded to spend most of the afternoon searching among the trees for the ball. The short boundary on one side certainly suited the Valley End No 3, Andrew Wallace, who crashed 86 off 31 balls - most of them in sixes which disappeared into the blue yonder.
The Strollers attack did their best, but the runs kept coming. Sean Duggan, returning after yet another injury, was the pick of the attack with figures of
6-1-19-3. He hurt his hand, of course, during the course of the afternoon to add to his collection of ailments. James Timperley declared himself relieved that he did not take a wicket. That way, he reasoned, his analysis would not appear at the top of this report. But people should be told that his figures were
5-1-54-0. Simon Brodbeck kept things tight for a while and Wood seemed to have left his yips behind in Derbyshire, but Valley End totted up 255-6 before their skipper put an end to the punishment.
The tea produced by Jan Messenger and her team defied belief; it was more of a five-course banquet than a cricketing tea, illustrating yet again that Valley End are the most hospitable of clubs.
The Strollers’ reply did not get off to the best of starts. Peter Patston, perhaps weighed down by the pork pie and pasta, departed to the first ball of the innings – a fine delivery that moved off the pitch and took the off-bail. Sam Brodbeck followed soon after and the total stood at 4-2.
Wood joined Timperley to begin the repair work and for a while the runs came slowly against tight and hostile bowling. But gradually the shackles were loosened and the landmarks were passed. Timperley played straight and punched the ball through the off-side, seemingly oblivious of the short boundary. Wood cut and drove with lots of bottom-hand power and even complained of cramping up, a la Sachin Tendulkar.
What a treat it was…50, 100, 150, 200, 250…until with the stand at 251 and one run needed for victory Wood heaved at a straight ball and departed for a magnificent 103 (14 fours and one six). The Strollers did their best to snatch embarrassment from the jaws of victory when Warren Crocker was caught and bowled off a fierce drive. Still one run needed. It took the flashing blade of nerveless John Low to secure a famous victory.
Timperley was undefeated for a magnificent 136 (17 fours and four sixes).
It was the seventh-highest score ever recorded by a Stroller and, remarkably, James’s first century of his career. The third-wicket stand of 251 comfortably demolished the previous best: 177 undefeated by Simon Brodbeck and Peter Hanlon at Sheepscombe in 1994. It became the second-highest stand for any wicket, just falling short of the undefeated opening partnership of 267 between Stuart McKenzie and Evan Samuel at Hurley in 1996.
A moving ceremony marked the 20th anniversary of chairman Kimball Bailey’s debut for the Strollers, which was re-celebrated at the Amish Indian restaurant in nearby Chobham, where the batting heroes of the day were carried shoulder-high amongst the chicken masala. Wood declared that he was now reaching peak fitness and that his off-heard call of “Let’s just jog this one” would soon be a thing of the past. Fellow centurion Timperley proposed placing the club funds on the 2.35 at Haymarket; as he is clearly in the form of his life, perhaps it’s worth a go…
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Simon Brodbeck
Woodmansterne
Saturday September 22 at Woodmansterne
Strollers lost by 95 runs
Woodmansterne 208-2 dec
Strollers 113
(Russell 37, Rice 16, Macaulay 15, Hart 14, Crocker 12)
Debut captain Mike Hart mustered his troops for a pre-match training session, though at that point four were in the pub, three running very late and one – “Typhoid Hugh” Anderson – sweating feverishly in the car park.
Hart started well, winning the toss and inserting the opposition as planned. Anderson and Warren Crocker bowled tidily, with a number of close lbw calls and high shots not going to hand. But the loose balls were punished and it was Brendan Russell, bowling first change, who broke the opening partnership, clean bowling Conway. But Joyce, who was to go on to score a hundred before retiring, was joined by Phillips who ended on 45 not out. Alastair Macaulay, debutant Rupert Harris and Tim Rice were all unlucky not to take wickets as the ball sailed close to fielders – off edges or full-blooded shots – in all directions. Russell returned to tempt Jacobs to a rash heave first ball, taken above his head by debutant Nick Heathorne, giving him the excellent figures of 8-4-9-2 – and four of those runs from overthrows. A competitive declaration on 208-2 gave us plenty of time for a splendid tea and the chance to watch a little of the England v Samoa match in Nantes.
We knew that this was possibly not the strongest batting line-up that the Strollers had been able to field this season, but we were not expected to be one man down before the end of the tea interval as Anderson – bright red, sweating and generally looking like Tom Wood after scoring a hundred – succumbed to the inevitable and called it a day. This was a first for the scorer who was able to record “absent ill”.
Wickets fell with monotonous regularity. Harris was looking in good sorts before he was bowled by Patel (nippy, swinging it both ways), who also accounted for Heathorne, whose batting looked rustier than his fielding. Crocker and Rice both played some fine shots but were unable to build on their good starts with some excellent bowling from the Woodmansterne colts. Time for a definitive captain’s innings, and Hart’s gritty partnership with Ivor Fiala was looking promising before Hart was caught going for another big shot. Macaulay too played some excellent shots before being caught (an excellent call of “catch it, Dad” from bowler Geldart showed an apparent lack of faith).
Then with the score on 60-6, it was a case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man”. Enter Brendan Russell, smiting the ball in all directions. He and Kimball Bailey put on 30 for the eighth wicket, and statisticians should note that Russell’s score of 37 included only one run that did not reach the boundary. His innings took the score past 100, and then towards respectability. But those who live by the sword – well, you know the rest. Russell played over a straight ball from skipper Tom Wortley and David Meilton was bowled a few balls later by Hiscox after a confident start. Kimball had run out of partners, pointing out to anyone listening that he was only one scoring shot away from his highest score of the season…
A pleasant drink or three were had with a hospitable opposition, and plans were made for 2008. We raised our glasses (and made a small presentation) to Ivor Fiala who recorded his 450th appearance for the Strollers. Ivor’s dogged resistance and fine gully fielding earned him a call-up for the game next day for his 451st after it was discovered that Hurley was in Berkshire, not Scotland.
Captain and wkt: Mike Hart. Match fees: Alastair Macaulay
Hurley
Sunday September 23 at Hurley
Strollers won by 120 runs
Strollers 218-6
(40 overs; Friday 71, Wood 63, Shattock 26no, Low 17)
Hurley 98
(28.1 overs; Hodgson 4-26, Cave 2-18, Crocker 2-26)
The enchantment of the village of Hurley and its lovely cricket ground beckoned the Strollers for their penultimate match. The sun, now hanging lower in the sky, cast long shadows through chestnut trees now showing golden tints of autumn.
Skipper Mike Morgan took one look at the dry wicket, won the toss and batted in this 40-over match.
Out strode Peter Patston and Marc Friday in the sunshine to open the innings to be greeted by two opening bowlers with pace and hostility. Wright (their captain) moved the ball consistently and in one over beat Friday five times. The other opening bowler, aged 18, from the 1st XI bowled Patston with a good inswinger. He was one of the quicker bowlers the Strollers have faced this season. We learned later he had taken many wickets in the league - a fine prospect. John Low joined Friday and both batsmen consolidated, content to see off the opening bowlers. However, 42 did come off the first 10 overs but this was with several fours coming off the edge through the slips to agonised yelps from the fielders.
Low was finally out for 17 and then came the defining partnership as Tom Wood joined Friday. The pair then took on the change bowlers with 64 coming from the next 10 overs. Wood hit a massive straight six out of the ground and into the nettles in the field over the road. We never found that ball.
Friday was now playing some great drives mixed with powerful square pulls whenever the bowlers dropped fractionally short. The Strollers sat basking in the warm sunshine enjoying the cricket along with their army of four-legged supporters - dogs Mollie, Gee Bee, Oonagh and Buster, the new puppy.
By now Friday and Wood had forced seven fielders to be placed around the boundary. Friday was finally caught on the fence for 71 and the skipper joined Wood, who was hitting the ball hard. Morgan was out forcing the pace and Mike Shattock joined Wood for only his second innings of the season and immediately looked in form with some great drives off the quicker change bowlers.
Both kept the score moving until Tom walked to a legside catch for a great 63. Mike Hart, the finisher (who can forget Hart & Russell of Coleshill 2007 fame?) joined Shattock. However, the opening bowlers had returned and they made it difficult. But the total still reached 218 until Hart was run out off the last ball of the innings. There were 26 extras in the total of 218-6.
After a great tea our captain remarked we should be able to defend that total on the wearing wicket. Events proved him right.
Warren Crocket and Wood opened the bowling with another new ball and gave the batsman nothing to hit. Four overs produced only 15 runs until the pressure told and the opener went to hit Crocker, who took a good caught and bowled. Wood had now recaptured his bowling form and beat the bat consistently and was very unlucky not to take wickets.
The captain then made his changes with Crocker finishing with 2-26. Jim Hodgson replaced Wood and immediately bowled line and length, taking wickets, while Dennis Cave replaced Crocker, bowling No 5 in his first over. The pair continued the pressure with the ball moving off the seam and the middle of Hurley's batting collapsed. No 3’s resistance ended for 21 when Marc made one of the finest slip catches off Cave we have seen this season, taking off like a leaping salmon to take the ball in his right hand whilst at full stretch in the air. Hurley's captain, who came in at No 9, was obviously a very reasonable bat who was determined to improve the score, which went from 65-7 to 96 before Shattock ran him out trying for a second sharp run. Hodgson then bowled Todd, who tried to hit him out of the ground. Hodgson had hit the wicket four times continuing his fine form with the ball.
The innings came to a bizzare end when No10 tried to hit Cave to cow corner. The ball went nowhere but the batsman collapsed in pain with a rib injury and retired hurt. The Hurley innings had lasted only 28 overs.
The Strollers came of the field as dark clouds gathered, happy with a very workmanlike performance with bat, ball and in the field. As we munched grilled sausages generously provided by our hosts, several Strollers reflected on their last game of the season, including the skipper who had got all the moves right.
When we left Hurley the sunshine had disappeared and we were reminded of autumn and approaching winter by fine rain in the deepening gloom.
Capt and wkt: Mike Morgan. Match fees: Peter Patston
Great and Little Warley
Sunday September 30 at Warley
Strollers won by 124 runs
Strollers 209-6
(35 overs; Friday 52, Hart 32no, Timperley 30, Hodgson 25no, Duggan 17, Shattock 16)
Great and Little Warley 85
(22.4 overs; Russell 4-31, Simon Brodbeck 3-5, Duggan 2-4)
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou seest the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west…
Will must have had Great and Little Warley in mind when he penned that sonnet for the autumnal leaves were blowing across rural Essex, the distant M25 glittered far away in the thin sunshine, Sean Duggan faded in the east after seven happy years with us and as for bare ruin’d choirs, well, there was Tom Wood.
The Strollers' last game before the long winter – apart from the odyssey to the delights of the South of France in two weeks – rounded off the season in good style: everyone had a go at something and we won a match against friendly opponents who played in the right spirit.
Duggan opened the batting to mark his imminent departure. Well known as one half of that legendary Antipodean partnership, Sean Gibbons, he has been a key member of the side since 2001 and we shall miss him. Our good wishes go to him and Sara and, who knows, they may be back some day…
Duggan’s stance at the crease suggested he was already trying to dig his way back home and he took toll of some helpful early offerings while Marc Friday laid waste around him, as usual. The early onslaught put the Strollers way ahead of the game but when the openers and James Timperley, after an elegant 30, had departed it was soon apparent that it was not that easy to bat. Hamish McDougall departed to an lbw decision from his flatmate and declared: “He should enquire about public transport home to Willesden Green.”
The wicket was slow and the Warley back-up bowling very tight. There was little to hit and progress faltered. No-one faltered more convincingly than Wood, not at his best after an over-enthusiastic reunion party the night before. But Mike Hart (25no) and Jim Hodgson (32no) put on an unbeaten 61 before our allotment of 35 overs was taken up. A good score on a wicket where big hitting was the only profitable route to take.
Dennis Cave and Brendan Russell opened up and at 61-1 the hosts were well in the hunt. Then Russell struck with three wickets in an over and Warley declined from there. Simon Brodbeck picked up three victims and a good reaction catch. Duggan, brought into the attack for one last time, took 2-4 in ten balls and then led the side off in valedictory fashion.
A wonderful start with midsummer sunshine in April….unrelenting rain which drowned May and June…glorious triumphs at Stanton and Valley End…five consecutive Sunday wins in September. Some great recruits in Brendan, James, Hamish and Warren. Some sad farewells. All were agreed: 2007 was a very good year.
Capt and match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
Riviera Saturday
Saturday September 13 at St Vallier-de-Thiey
Strollers lost by five runs
Riviera 188-9
(35 overs; Timperley 2-15, Sturdy 2-27, Hodgson 2-35; Flynn 69)
Strollers 183-9
(35 overs; Timperley 51, Carter 31, Patston 30; Taggart 5-33)
The Strollers’ penultimate act of the 2007 season brought them for a second year running to the lovely home ground of Riviera CC on a weekend that magically coincided with the Rugby World Cup semi-finals. Tension was at fever pitch and expectations were high but question marks “hung over” (an apt phrase) the composition of the squad.
True, we had the dashing twentysomethings Hamish McDougall and James Timperley on board, but the next youngest member of the party was Tom “I’m 39” Wood, and the rest ranged in age from early forties to incipient sixties. Could this invading force of vieux anglais stand up to the punishing rigours of one of the most spectacular and demanding events in world sport?
Fortunately, the preparations were as sound as ever: dinner the night before in the Tire Bouchon in Nice Old Town, with generous libations before and after and strict adherence to a 4am curfew.
The next day dawned bright and the troops descended on St Vallier along the Route Napoleon in ebullient mood and various forms of hired transport, apart from Andrew Sturdy who exercised more initiative and economy by hopping on buses at Nice Airport and Grasse. A snip at €2.50.
Riviera’s outfield was parched after a long hot summer – gone were the daisies of yesteryear and the matting wicket had a few more rucks and wrinkles. But it played honestly enough, the only problem being the bizarre angles at which the stumps somehow adhered to the ground.
The opposition won the toss and batted, with Wood and Jim Hodgson, both neat and tidy, soon accounting for the openers, one of whom was artist Jonathon Brown, who the previous year had donated a painting to the Riviera CC raffle won by Mike Hart. By the time Hodgson finished his spell he had also dispatched their number four, bringing in skipper Peel Taggart, who we felt would be their main threat. Indeed, he was looking in ominous nick when Timperley snagged him with a beautifully flighted delivery that drew justified plaudits from the victim.
Riviera were in no mood to cave in, however, and their cool number three, Flynn, set about accumulating after luckily surviving a full-splatted stumping attempt by Mike Morgan. He mixed patience with aggression, blitzing one over from Alastair Macaulay for 20 and mustering support from the late order. David Larg at number seven might have kept him company longer had he not barked strict orders to the square-leg umpire, Brown, not to give him out. Needless to say, the artistic digit was raised almost immediately when Larg failed to ground his bat going for a hasty second run. A great direct hit from Hodgson at fine leg.
Flynn ended with a creditable 69, finally being bowled by McDougall in his second spell. Born-again seamer Sturdy popped off a couple of the tail and we all tucked into a splendiferous dejeuner-cum-tea contemplating the majestic mountains and the challenging but scalable target of 189.
Peter Patston and Brian “Silver Fox” Taylor, aka “Brizey”, prepared the ascent by first establishing base and had progressed to 43 off 12 overs against reasonably tight bowling and efficient fielding when Taylor was surprised by a good one from the second change bowler. Timperley upped the tempo in contrast to Patston who was becoming increasingly bogged down. The slips spurned two of his generous offers and he eventually ground out 30 before departing clean-bowled.
By this time the asking rate had crept up to about nine an over and Timperley was mixing some uncharacteristic clouts with his usual much more gainly style in order to push things along in the company of Wood, who looked in fine fettle for a man of 39 years and countless wine tastings. Unfortunately, Timperley fell to Taggart’s first delivery just after reaching his 50 – and then it fell to Tony Carter to put an extraordinary stamp on proceedings.
Off just 13 deliveries, two of which were dot balls, he clubbed a magnificent 31 to put the Strollers back in with a shout, a wonderful effort for someone who had not had a bat for two months. He came a cropper, though, when their keeper Flynn doffed the pads to join the attack and the next three Strollers then fell in quick succession, McDougall adjudged lbw, Morgan adjudged caught behind off a reverse sweep and Hodgson adjudged bowled – all off the infuriatingly accurate Taggart and all during an obdurate umpiring spell by our Lib-Dem councillor from Broxtowe, never one to shirk unpopular decisions.
Strike-starved Wood, 39, tried his damnedest to pick up the pace but selflessly holed out in the process. By the final over 13 were required, a figure that proved unlucky for Sturdy who became Taggart’s fifth victim, leaving Macaulay and Kimball Bailey resolutely undefeated but naggingly five runs adrift.
The opposition quite rightly deemed Timperley our man of the match and presented him with well-deserved champagne. And so we repaired to the Relais Imperial, via a few sharpeners in the bar opposite, for a fine dinner and a feast of rugby in the company of agreeable fellow diners and a voluble parrot whose rendition of the Marseillaise was a stirring curtain-raiser for the high excitement of the France-England match, viewed on a specially commissioned grand ecran. The result of course was never in doubt - everyone knew Peter would get very loud and silly, although perhaps his table-top rendition of Shakespearean highlights took some by surprise. He was upstaged, though, by Hamish’s amazing full-throated performance of the All Blacks Haka – who said these Kiwis were chokers?
The score in Paris was 14-9, a modest total compared to the numbers of calvadoses and bottles of red that were consumed at our super-indulgent hotel well into the early hours.
Lights-out was about 2am. Tom Wood is 39.
Captain & wkt: Mike Morgan
Riviera Sunday
Sunday October 14 at St Vallier-de-Thiey
Strollers won by eight wickets
Riviera 175
(34 overs; Macaulay 3-45, Wood 2-20, Patston 2-24, Hodgson 2-38; Ghauri 42no)
Strollers 179-2
(27.1 overs; Timperley 98no, Wood 46no)
It was a tribute to the stamina of the Strollers that they could field
an unchanged side on the morning after the night before. The only
changes were positional, with skipper Mike Morgan passing the
wicket-keeping duties to Hamish McDougall, promoting James Timperley,
Jim Hodgson and Kimball Bailey up the batting order and resting Peter
Patston at number 11, a sensible precaution given his eyestrain.
Riviera, on the other hand, were virtually unrecognisable (even to
those who weren’t experiencing contact lens drift) with Jonathon Brown
the only player from Saturday in the team for the rematch. Morgan’s
changes didn’t extend to winning the toss and once again the opposition
chose to bat first.
They made a better fist than the previous day against the same opening
attack of Hodgson and Tom Wood – looking hardly a day older than his 39
years. Their number one rattled up 20-odd in short order before Hodgson
struck, but that was the only wicket to fall before seam gave way to
spin in a double bowling change.
So Alastair Macaulay and Patston found themselves operating in tandem
against well-set batsmen approaching 50-1. Would they be plastered
(it has been known) or would they be tight (ditto)? Much to their own
satisfaction and the Strollers’ advantage both hit vintage form and
teased rather than ripped the heart out of the Riviera line-up. Neat
glovework by McDougall (caught one, stumped one) and a nonchalant catch by Hodgson helped them complete their seven-over spells leaving the hosts at 113-6 off 23 overs.
Their skipper Ghauri contrived to boost the total but his favourite
source of runs was cut off by Morgan’s adroit field settings, with
three men virtually knocking elbows in the covers. Mike also excelled
in his own right clinging to two sharp catches at midwicket and mid-off as
batsmen at the other end threatened to cut loose. Andrew Sturdy continued his bowling reformation with a late wicket and Wood and Hodgson returned to polish off the innings before Brian Taylor, making his 100th appearance
for the club, had a chance to dust off his left-arm exotica.
Sadly, after another high-quality teatime repast, Brizey failed to make
amends with the bat, falling inexplicably to a full-toss after a
handful of overs. Hodgson at number three improved on his first-ball
dismissal of the day before in a cameo knock of 18 that took the
Strollers to 72-2. Which was when Wood joined Timperley for an
exhilarating performance of Valley End Revisited.
Their glorious century stand came at more than eight an over and saw
the Strollers home with oodles of overs to spare. It was the younger
man who played the senior role – James is only 26, whereas Tom, as you
might know, is 39. The Kiwi dominated the onslaught hitting six sixes
and seven fours in his 98 not out. Tom’s undefeated 46 included six
fours and came off – would you believe – 39 balls. Coincidence or what?
After such a display it was inevitable James would win his second
consecutive bottle of bubbly as the opposition’s chosen
man-of-the-match. Brian, too, was presented with champagne in
recognition of his century of appearances – made over a period of 22
years in which time, as he graciously told us, he had forged some great
friendships and had some great times. Thanks, Brian, the feelings are
mutual.
All that was left to do was track down Sue after her astonishing 1hr
55min run to the top of the mountain, assure Riviera that we would be
back next year and return to the bar and hotel. The evening passed in a
warm glow of fine food, fellowship and fizz as we watched more rugby,
sang more songs and put the world to rights until sun-up. A fitting end
to another brilliant tour which must surely go down as one of Kimball’s
greatest hits.
Here’s to next season!
Captain: Mike Morgan. Wkt: Hamish McDougall
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