2022 match archiveGreat Missenden Pelicans
Sunday April 17 at Great Missenden
Strollers lost by six wickets
Strollers 180-7
(40 overs; Oliver 53, Travis 35, Mangham 31, Marlow 24, Charlotte Stubbs 14)
Great Missenden 181-4
(26.5 overs; Dela Rue 2-20, Mangham 1-28, Travis 1-33)
The Strollers began their 2022 campaign at Great Missenden. Being Easter Sunday and everyone seemingly disappearing on a trip away, match manager Blair Travis had his work cut out. How Blair contrived to assemble 11 players we will never know, but arriving at the ground with a full side seemed like a victory before a ball was bowled.
Great Missenden was a picture, with pleasant sunshine greeting the players as they arrived. It was a perfect day to begin the season, with the glorious weather marking a change from many prior season openers. Those hoping the new campaign would bring about a turnaround in Glen Oliver’s toss calling were left disappointed, with the Strollers being asked to bat first on a pitch which looked like it might do a bit early.
Travis and Ben Mangham were tasked with building a foundation for the Strollers innings. On a pitch with variable bounce they blunted the Pelicans bowling attack with some very disciplined batting early on.
Unbeknown to Travis and Mangham at the time, the Strollers entered the 2022 season needing 46 to chalk up their 200,000th run since that first game against Docks Athletic in 1976. The defining moment came in the 17th over, bowled by Amir Jafri, when swashbuckling opener Mangham received a high full-toss which was called a no ball. He duly hit the delivery for four and the scoreboard of history chalked up another milestone.
The Strollers opening partnership was eventually broken in the 20th over when Mangham was run out for 31, leaving the Strollers 67-1 at the drinks break.
Paul Marlow, who last played in the same fixture in 2021, entered the fray at first drop after the break. Marlow’s exquisite shot-making was patent for all to see, scoring a quick fire 24 including two maximums. Travis departed for a hard earned 35 with Oliver continuing his devastating batting from last season on his way to a quickfire 53 including two sixes and eight fours.
Charlotte Stubbs added 14 valuable runs, with Richie Stubbs (five not out) and Paige Copsey (four) rounding things off, the Strollers finishing with a respectable 180 runs from their 40 overs for the loss of 7 wickets.
Great Missenden put on a slightly unusual, but very well received, spread for tea. Nacho-style mince and tortillas went down a treat, along with a good selection of cakes.
James Dela Rue and Mangham took the new ball for the Strollers. After being dispatched for a beautiful cover drive first ball of the innings, Dela Rue hit back with his 3rd ball to remove Pelicans opener Asad Rehman.
Dela Rue took another wicket soon afterwards, with a ball nipping back and cannoning into the stumps, while Mangham also picked up a wicket courtesy of a catch by Neil Devereux.
At the other end however, Pelicans opener Raheel Kahn continued to play aggressively which kept the scoreboard ticking over quickly. Oliver, Travis, Richie Stubbs, Alastair Macaulay and Paige Copsey all had a turn with the ball but Khan reigned supreme and the Strollers could only manage one more wicket when Travis snuck one through the defences of the No 5 Jeffries.
It was a remarkable performance by Kahn, who guided The Pelicans to victory with 100 not out as the winning hit took him to his century.
With Hamish McDougall having been banished to the colonies, Charlotte Stubbs stepped into Hamish’s shoes behind the stumps. She performed admirably, albeit rather more quietly than her illustrious predecessor.
The Strollers were left ruing a few extra runs with the bat and perhaps the unsuccessful coin toss, which afforded Pelicans arguably the better batting conditions under the afternoon sun.
Nevertheless, it was handshakes all around, before joining the welcoming opposition – who have now returned to the nearby Nag’s Head - for a cleansing ale. The Strollers toasted an enjoyable beginning to the season and looked forward to many more great days of cricket under the English sunshine over the coming months.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Charlotte Stubbs.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: James Dela Rue.
Royal Ascot
Sunday April 24 in Ascot
Strollers won by two wickets
Royal Ascot 186-7
(40 overs; Peter Wood 2-8, Copsey 2-42, Macaulay 2-52, Salvesen 1-24)
Strollers 187-8
(40 overs; Haworth 75, Oliver 34, Peter Wood 28, Love 15)
The story so far: The Strollers, set 187 to win, need three runs off the last over. Tom Salvesen and Mat Haworth at the crease. Jim Hodgson, Paige Copsey and Alastair Macaulay to come. Simple you would think, but this is Strollers cricket.
First ball: Tom hits a two, so scores are level.
Second ball: No run.
Third ball: Tom hits the ball straight to a fielder, Mat calls a run (not his call) and Tom is run out by a distance.
Fourth ball: Mat is now facing and misses. Jim is at the other end, primed to sprint as soon as the bowler releases.
Fifth ball: Mat is bowled for a splendid 75 having been in since the second over. His speed between the wickets probably gained us 10-15 runs. Needs to work on his calling though.
Sixth ball: Paige comes to the crease. In the excitement she has forgotten her inner gloves and thigh pad to face their opening quick bowler. A long discussion with Jim on the way to the wicket - his advice is to bat a pace or two down the wicket. All she need do is get bat on ball. Joe Warren steams in and sportingly it is neither bouncer or at the ribs. Wide of off stump, Paige guides it to gully and sprints to the other end. Gully fumbles it and Jim is well home.
The Strollers rush onto the field and metaphorically carry Paige aloft off the pitch as the hero of the hour and saviour of Strollers blushes.
Alastair said that he was glad it wasn't him who had that responsibility to face the final ball. He'd done it once at Wall and it didn't go well.
In summary, against friendly opposition it was a great match that the Strollers nearly let slip from their grasp at the last. But the story is not over until the last Paige.
So how did we get to this point...
This was a welcome return to Royal Ascot after a gap of ten years. No particular reason why the fixture fell by the wayside (no chairman's wife's dog was savaged for example, which lost us one tour fixture). The ground is in the middle of the racecourse and requires strict adherence to the instructions to find.
Skipper Pete Wood performed his main task of the day and won the toss. Having a bowl is the thing to do early season when wickets can be slow and low. With the covers off and the sun out (and a breeze), batting was only going to get easier later. Looking round the dressing room, there was no obvious keeper. However it transpired that both Haworth and George Love had keeping experience so were to split the innings between them. George had managed to hide this from us for four years. It has to be noted that Mat's keeping in particular was impressive.
Wood opened the bowling himself and was soon into his stride with hooping inswingers. Opener John Dunnett was bowled and the left-hander Banerji fell to a blinding catch at slip by Harry Mangham. Love warmed up for his keeping stint with a short spell from the other end before being replaced by Salvesen with his away swing.
Wood conceded a boundary off the last ball of his fifth over and promptly took himself off with the impressive figures of 5-2-8-2. Copsey took over and maintained a steady line and length with the batsmen reluctant to take her on. Tom bowled the No 4 and just before the drinks break Paige had her first Strollers wicket as No 5 Kamran Zaki played round a straight one and was out lbw.
At the 20-over mark, Ascot were 68-4, but opener Rob Bennett was still there looking to raise the run rate. At the other end Sid Agarwal completely misjudged the pace of Paige and lobbed a catch up to Glen Oliver. Paige finished with a fine 2-42 from her seven overs. Little did she know that her day was not over.
Macaulay had replaced Salvesen and struggled to find consistency bowling into the wind. It was clear that the new bat Satpal (in a white Graham Gooch-era helmet) was determined to take on Macaulay and so battle commenced. Satpal managed to hit several boundaries, but eventually launched at a tempting fuller ball that sailed out to Wood on the long-off boundary - a plan that worked if a bit expensive.
Any thought that we were through them was dispelled as Ascot skipper Tom Clarke clearly was not a normal No 8 and he took full advantage of anything short. His batting partner, Bennett, eventually got to a well-deserved 50 and was promptly caught off Macaulay by Harry Mangham at mid-off.
Hodgson was his usual parsimonious self conceding only 18 off his six overs. Clarke and Joe Warren continued to hit out, with Clarke making a rapid 52 off some wayward bowling. Ascot ended with 186 from their 40 overs, rather more than looked likely at the halfway stage.
The Strollers innings was derailed almost immediately when Warren had Blair Travis lbw in the first over. Both Warren and Nick Wiggett were brisk and hard to get away. Haworth came in to join Ben Mangham, who lived somewhat dangerously before being bowled by Wiggett for nine.
Oliver and Haworth kept the score moving and we were just a little behind the run-rate when Glen took a liking to the bowling of Chris Thomason and took 20 off an over. This, however, brought Jason Carr on to replace Thomason with fast off-breaks. The second ball span and kept a bit low and Glen was bowled for a swift 34. This left the Strollers at 94-3 at the 20-over mark, halfway to the target.
Haworth continued to be keen to keep the score ticking along, looking for quick singles and trying to turn ones into twos. Unfortunately some confusion over a second run between him and Harry Mangham led to Harry being run out unnecessarily for only two. Mat soon reached his 50 as he and Wood also scored briskly. Pete was caught off a top edge for 28. At this point only 42 runs were needed off the last eight overs. This soon became just 15 off three overs as Haworth and Love continued to run hard.
At this point opening bowlers Warren and Wiggett returned. In the 38th over George skied one off Warren and was caught. The batters had crossed and no-one thought to query that Mat should not be facing the last ball off the over which he hit for four.
In the scorer’s hut, Alastair dropped his pencil and headed off to put pads on as the notional No 10. However he saw that Paige was ready and eager so didn't head for the kit bag as all seemed under control.
The reliable Salvesen faced the penultimate over with six needed. He hit a two through mid-wicket and a single to keep the strike for the final over with three required. Which is where we came in...
Capt: Peter Wood. Wkt: Mat Haworth/George Love.
Match fees: Blair Travis. Match report: Alastair Macaulay.
Jordans Taverners
Sunday May 8 in Coleshill
Strollers won by four runs
Strollers 183
(34.3 overs; Oliver 74, Selby 31, Peter Wood 27, Salvesen 16, Dorrans 15, Ben Mangham 13)
Jordans 179
(40 overs; Travis 3-24, Oliver 2-4, Wood 1-8, Salvesen 1-21, Macaulay 1-42, Mangham 1-44)
A 10-man selection of Strollers ventured to a beautiful part of Buckinghamshire on a bright and sunlit Sunday to play Jordans Taverners at Coleshill, near Amersham.
The ground at Coleshill Cricket Club is situated in a picturesque field overlooked by a grand Water Tower, which looms large over the treetops. Although now an impressive residential dwelling; it featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs programme in 1999; the Water Tower has a dark and grizzly history having been built by German POWs during World War One.
Onlookers were in shock when Strollers captain Glen Oliver let out a loud bellow of delight in the middle of the pitch having won the toss and electing to bat. A jubilant Oliver had earlier divulged his less than impressive tossing streak, and described the probabilities of a measly 1-in-18 win sequence ever occurring as extraordinarily slim. Oliver was rumored to have invested endless hours practising on long winter evenings over the off-season to improve his record. And thus the curse was broken.
The Strollers openers Ben Mangham and Paul Dorrans made a good start, both blunting the new ball and playing aggressive cricket shots in equal measure. Mangham, very much eager on finding the boundary as opposed to hustling for ones and twos, was the first batsman dismissed for 13 in the fifth over. Dorrans, who seemingly models his attacking game on ex-Blackcap Nathan Astle, flayed multiple aerial square cuts off the front foot over the inner circle before being dismissed for 15 in the 13th over.
No.3 batsman Aidan Selby, having his first match of the season, was similarly favouring scoring in boundaries. He embellished his pull shot to great effect in hitting six fours in a score of 31. By the time Blair Travis was dismissed without scoring, the Strollers were teetering at 81-4 after 18 overs.
Fortunately, Oliver and Peter Wood (56-run partnership), followed by Oliver and Tom Salvesen (42-run partnership), each combined to build the score to 179-6 before the customary Strollers batting collapse saw the innings end on 183 runs in 34.3 overs.
Oliver and Wood had an awful mix-up running between the wickets, which saw a comfortable three runs turn into a comical two and both batsman ending up at the same batting crease. Nonetheless, Wood sacrificed his wicket for the set batsman Oliver after scoring 27. Oliver top-scored with a hard-hitting 74 before being bowled, whilst Salvesen had looked sound in scoring 16 before also falling to the same mode of dismissal.
Jordans provided a sumptuous tea which was graciously devoured amidst excitement during the change of innings.
In reply, Jordans Taverners were looking comfortable, reaching 106-4 and 120-5. The main highlight for the Strollers to this point was Simon Brodbeck, who took two outstanding catches at torso height whilst fielding at mid-off, each off fearsome drives, displaying textbook technique using soft hands to absorb the impact and give with the ball. The catches, to the delight of the rest of the Strollers that each had stuck in the palm of his hands, came at crucial moments and saw key batsman dismissed, wrestling the match back into equilibrium. During this period, Wood had completed an outstanding opening spell of 8-4-8-1. Mangham, Travis, Salvesen and Alastair Macaulay also grabbed one wicket each.
When Oliver brought himself on to bowl the 36th over and immediately nicked off the sixth wicket, Jordans were 168-6 and only 16 runs short of victory. James Dela Rue finished off his eight-over spell by bowling the 37th over with minimal damage.
Oliver kept the suspense building, delivering a miserly 38th over. In a flash the match had tightened. Now Jordans required eight runs with four wickets remaining and two overs remaining. The question loomed: Who would bowl the 39th over?
Transfixed deep in his own thoughts gloriously recounting winning the toss earlier, the captain had neglected to inform Travis of his duty in bowling the 39th over. And with a few words of encouragement in his ear (Oliver: “What’s the worst that can happen?”; Travis: “Geez, thanks skip”), Travis stepped forward to bowl.
Against form (failing to score, dropping the dangerous Jordans No.4 batsman, and leaving Selby’s Strollers cap lying all over the field), Travis got through the 39th over by conceding only three runs and crucially taking two wickets caught and bowled.
Five runs required off the final over. The pressure was now on EVERYONE! Batsman. Bowler. Fielders. Umpires. Hearts palpitating; sweaty palms; got a lump in my throat. But this is Strollers cricket; it ALWAYS comes down to the final over.
Luckily this is where Oliver excels. With the help of an athletic Salvesen who took a fine running catch on the leg-side to claim the ninth wicket, Oliver delivered a wicket maiden in the 40th over. Brodbeck capped a marvellous day in the field by effecting a run-out off the last ball. The Strollers had come through for an unlikely victory.
The match was played in great spirit and both teams decamped afterwards to the nearby Red Lion pub to quench their thirst, and continued socialising over some fine English ales and a very strong orange squash.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Aidan Selby.
Match fees: Peter Wood. Match report: Blair Travis.
Khukuri
Thursday May 19 at Kings House in Chiswick
Strollers lost by three runs
Khukuri 172-3
(20 overs; Paulsen 1-11, Haworth 1-16, Macaulay 1-16)
Strollers 169-6
(20 overs; Love 41, Baylis 40, Keightley 20, Beale 16, Haworth 12)
An angelic evening greeted the Strollers on their return to midweek cricket, kicking off at the ever-so-royal Kings House in Chiswick for the 2022 season. A lovely evening indeed, with Canadian and Egyptian geese gracing the team with their migratory presence.
Rob Wall eagerly awaited the toss but was resigned to bowling first while the rest of Khukuri turned up. New recruits were eagerly awaiting their midweek debut – with Rob inviting Posh Will Baylis to take up the challenge of letting a few balls rip. And let rip indeed he did, after a few rusty looseners,
Baylis was barraging them through as if he had just come straight from the home of cricket himself. Alas, although he was teasing the outside edge of the Khukuri openers he could not make any dent in their line-up, with mentor Nick “Daly of the Day” Daly at the other end also having no luck - albeit producing some fine hacking coughing fits in his run-up. We can report (thankfully) this was not covid related but rather a vaping-induced affair.
The Khukuri openers managed to bat away in quick succession the 40-run retired rate and left the pitch gleefully, with Wall, the Whakamana Express, changing tactics to introduce spin wizards Alastair Macaulay and Mat Haworth – both men picking up one wicket each from glorious catches in the outfield.
Special thanks to Khukuri player Alex Paulsen filling in for us to make the full team, and being rewarded with a lovely wicket and best bowling stats of the day going for 1-11.
A few punishing overs later and a few dropped catches from the Daly of the Day, much to John Lowe’s frustration - his enormous mitts would have secured the chance with ease - and the Strollers were left with a mammoth task of 172 to chase down.
A half-time inspirational team talk led by the captain ensued. Numerous Winston Churchill quotes were dropped in the speech, as Rob inspired his openers George Love and Michael Beale to give it their all, and to not come back without swinging.
The openers took this to heart, producing a superb display of batting technique until Beale was clean bowled by a dead bounce ball – gone for 16.
Glovekid Beale went on to retire on 41 after a few cheeky nicks past the keeper and onto the boundary and suffering a shoulder injury, all the while creating a fine partnership with Richard Keightley, who had not been seen by any Stroller since the birth of his second child.
Keightley enjoyed his break from the harsh reality that is parenting and enjoyed some success with the bat, getting 20 runs before the new recruit Posh Will came in, also picking up a retire score of 40 – a classy debut score with match managers lining up to secure his spot for the remaining mid-week fixtures.
During this spell an unfortunate run-out occurred between Posh Will and Alex – with the former sincerely apologising in the most gentlemanly manner. Haworth walked to the crease and scored a respectful 12 until walking off for a ghostly nick behind, leaving the bottom order to win the match.
Daly of the day eventually came into the crease to try and finish what was turning into an exciting run chase. Up to the crease he stood with his loyal follower Mike Daly rooting for him on from the side-lines, nursing an football-related thigh injury suffered in Croydon the week before.
Mike was heard boasting from the sidelines that Nick would claim this victory easily and remove all pressure off the Strollers. Sadly the batsman was promptly clean bowled the next ball for nought.
Wall also had little success with the bat and was left wondering “what if” when he strolled off the pitch after caught in the deep, with his 65-inch blazer awaiting him on the sidelines to soften the blow.
Richie Stubbs, Macaulay and Lowe were left to try and chase down the 10 an over required but unfortunately they finished just short of the target, with a final score of 169 (nice) being achieved.
Overall a lovely day - despite the result - with players enjoying the SW sunset. All glad to be back!
Capt: Rob Wall. Wkt: Michael Beale.
Match fees: Richard Keightley. Match report: George Love.
Ripley
Sunday May 22 at Ripley
Strollers lost by one wicket
Strollers 154-7
(40 overs; Ben Mangham 25, Hodgson 19no, Wills 19, Love 18, Platt 16, Richie Stubbs 13no)
Ripley 158-8
(24.4 overs; Macaulay 4-14, Harry Mangham 2-36, Wood 1-21, Hodgson 1-31)
Ripley CC is hallowed turf in the Mangham household (please refer: fsscc.org.uk à 2021 Match Archive à Match 26), but the game started with a Strolleresque crisis from new member Gus Wills.
Simon Brodbeck’s "I’m at the Hanger Lane meeting place" call, was answered with a hoarse cough and choice expletive as it dawned on the debutant that he had slept through his alarm. He then rushed to Waterloo Station just in time to board the wrong train...which took him to deepest South London. There a despairing Wills hailed an Uber to Ripley.
For the rest of us it was a relaxing warm-up in the summer heat trying to identify the rumoured overseas Kiwi. Being a player down we got the golden news we were batting first, and so began the spectacle.
Ben Mangham and George Love opened the innings well, fluidly taking the team to 50 with only the one edge put down. A sharp pull by Mangham and straight drive by Love were among the highlights as our opening partnership did its job and saw off the opening pair for no wicket lost.
Then the Kiwi was identified and a second Stroller crisis began. A subscriber to the ‘you miss, I hit’ philosophy, his first over was full, straight and, though five were scored, broke the opening stand with a textbook yorker to Love.
The Mangham pair at the crease (Ben and Harry) was broken prematurely as the Kiwi’s accurate bowling dropped shorter and B Mangham was bounced out on 25. Peter Wood followed in his next over, chasing a half-volley before H Mangham succumbed to another well placed yorker. The Kiwi's spell of five overs bore him four wickets and the cost of just five runs curtailed our optimistic start, leaving us 64-4.
Wills and Jamie Platt, also on debut, took to the crease and though initially tentative they both soon found their feet with Jamie rotating the strike well and Gus scoring some forceful boundaries. The two brought up the 100 mark in the 26th over before Jamie, on 16, edged behind off Privet. Mike Watson, also on debut, fell in a similar way scoring one and Gus was eventually bowled by Privet for 19 leaving us 110-7 in the 30th over.
Experience followed youth as seasoned strollers Jim Hodgson and Richie Stubbs took to the crease. Both batted well with Hodgson making light work of the Kiwi with some daring drives through cover. They were also helped by one particularly wayward over which bewildered umpires and scorers alike and a cautionary asterix, denoting a 5% margin of error, was added to the Stroller final innings total of 154.
This really was only the start of the drama. Having enjoyed a fine tea the Strollers took to the field expecting a certain Kiwi to devour the 154 total as he might a plump lolly cake.
Wood opened the bowling well, beating the edge on a number of occasions and stinging the gloves of Wills, who was making up well for his late arrival. The challenging bowling of Wood unsteadied Charlie Parker, causing him to send one high which Simon Brodbeck took cleanly at mid-on. 16 for 1.
T Zapp and J Mitchell steadied the ship breaching 50 comfortably before Hodgson, who had opened at the other end, sent a leg stump cartwheeling. 61-2.
Sensing we were on the verge of something historic, Ripley sent in Brad Norris, aka the overseas Kiwi. He, unfortunately for all in black, white and red all over, was not just a bowler.
Neglecting the shorter boundary in favour of dashing cover drives to the longer side, he played well as Love and Stubbs were brought on to stem the flow of runs. He took them past the hundred mark, coolly forcing skipper Wood to try a final throw of the dice, bringing in spin twins Harry Mangham and Alastair Macaulay.
It initially looked like an awful throw as Mangham was dispatched in every direction. Macaulay, though, bowled accurately and induced Norris to make his first and only error, skying one to Wood at mid-on, who gratefully gobbled it up. 124-3 and crucially Norris’s day was over.
Macaulay then had Alan Sutherland caught behind, bringing Primmett to the crease. He and Mitchell once again steadied the ship and at 149-4, Macaulay came on expecting to see his day finished come ball six.
What followed was nothing short of yet another Strolleresque drama. Disclaimer: a) the absence of scoring leaves this wholly based on a fuzzy recollection and b) Ripley CC had just 10 men.
The over brought a handy run for Primmett, who then was caught by B Mangham at gulley for 8. 150-5. H Mangham was kept on, again expecting his over to be a short one. He soon had M Hamworth caught behind after a mistimed thrash and a few singles later had Rupert Baddock caught at 1st slip by skipper Wood from a leading edge. 153-7. The game was truly alive now at which point Love went missing, stepping off the field for updates on a lesser sport’s apparent developments.
Macaulay came in to to bowl and an intended poke around the leg brought a leading edge straight into the mitts of Wills behind the stumps. At this point we clarified that the batsman coming in was indeed their 10th and final player.
One wicket to win, two runs to win. In our minds we saw Edgbaston and Headingley, could Ripley too become synonymous with the impossible?
It could not.
A first loose delivery from Macaulay saw Oscar Daniels dispatch the full toss over midwicket towards the cheering clubhouse and with that we descended from nirvana.
A terrific game was over and Ripley the victors, but the undoubted winner of the day was cricket. We enjoyed several drinks outside the historic clubhouse in the glorious summer sun before making our way back home and alas, back to reality too.
A big thank you to Ripley and all who played - with a shoutout to our three debutants for a great contribution all round.
Capt: Peter Wood. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match fees: Ben Mangham. Match report: Harry Mangham.
Bricklayers Arms
Thursday May 26 at Barn Elms
Strollers lost by 79 runs
Bricklayer's Arms 173-1
(20 overs; Keightley 1-31)
Strollers 94
(14 overs; Keightley 22, Baylis 17, Mike Daly 11no, Cooper 11)
'Twas yet another fine Thursday evening in South London, where the Strollers captain for the day, George Love, was preparing to take on The Bricklayer’s Arms alone, as Strollers began wandering onto the park from various hiding spots, such as the pub next door, with mere moments to go.
Love tossed and 10 Strollers went out to field. Nick Daly (0-10) and Will Baylis (0-33) began proceedings, with the skipper clearly taking notes from his role model, Rob Wall, the previous week.
Daly N bowled varying lengths, whilst Baylis decided to use height to his advantage and just bowl varying widths, banging them in short.
A tidy opening spell from the openers failed to claim a deserved wicket, with Daly N politely suggesting to his captain where to put the fourth over he was demanding, despite narrowly missing a caught and bowled opportunity – no contact was made with the ball.
Pete Cooper (0-17) returned to haunt the batsmen of Barn Elms with some much-refined bowling creating chances for the Strollers.
Skipper Love (0-36), joined him, from the metaphorical other end, and had the best chance of the day, causing the batsman to pull one to John Low, who was unfortunate not to hang on to a screamer. It was a difficult chance.
Attempts from a frustrated ‘Trigger Finger’ Love to shuffle his field were suppressed. Love also saw his keeper, fresh Juggernaut Gus Wills, fingertip an edge away, despite an acrobatic dive – again, difficult chance. No field reshuffle triggered on this occasion. No luck from either bowler again.
Richard Keightley (1-33) was brought into the attack to provide the pace and swing that was needed to oust an increasingly attacking opposition. Keightley was unfortunate to see a couple of balls go beyond a well-placed fielder, who was unable to get a hand to them, before taking a brilliant lbw which would have sent all three stumps, bails and wicket keeper cartwheeling into the sightscreen behind. Jubilation all round for the Juggernaut.
Ash Singh (0-9) graced the depleted Strollers from Khukuri and bowled with speed and style – unfortunate to not take a few wickets with three chances being fired straight back down at him, his own pace being used against him making it difficult to hold any of them.
An evening at Barn Elms would not be worth it without John Low (0-18) stepping up to fire a few down at the batsmen. It was a fine way to finish the innings. Would 173-1 prove too much for the Strollers? You would have seen the answer above.
Low (3) and Wills (0) stepped out to the crease to kick off the chase. Wills, facing some tough pace from the opening bowlers, was unfortunate to see one cut in towards him. Baylis (17) came in terrified of the pace Low was going to be coming at him down the crease after telling him he’ll be running every ball. Low eventually fell to a quality straight ball, and in came skipper Love (1).
Love and Baylis both retired above 40 last week, so things were looking promising. Love, however, decided that the beers came a little late last week, and decided that leaving a straight one may get him to the pub earlier. Keightley (22) followed, and a partnership of the highest quality was under way.
Baylis and Keightley improved the run rate significantly and boundaries started flowing. Keightley swung at one too many and was dismissed from a quality catch for a quickfire 22. Singh (8) came in to steady the ship and began to play some quality strokes.
Baylis pulled a fierce shot to square leg where one of the most incredible catches ever witnessed was taken. A superb one-handed snatch to the fielder’s right saw Baylis wandering back to the dugout.
Daly N (7) was next to the crease and was just as keen to get to the pub as his skipper. Seven from four balls was plenty, and his Daly of the Day competition was next in, in the form of Mike Daly (11*).
Daly M, who was complaining of a bruised ego from automatically losing the previous week’s DOTD competition, showed no signs of the limp that kept him out of the side last week. Singh, who was plugging away at the enormous target set, saw himself fall to yet more Bricklayer excellence.
Cooper (11), who was concerned that he may have to retire if he made 30* despite no batsmen remaining (due to a hamstring injury from our other Khukuri fielding sensation, Anil, reducing us to 9), created a fine partnership with Daly M.
Cooper and Daly M traded shots and boundaries, but found themselves caught up in a Oliver-Selby-esque lovers-tiff which saw Daly M calling Cooper through for a run whilst the latter was on the floor in a press-up position. It could be argued that they left the required runs between the crease, but we’ll never know.
Cooper was finally undone by a dangerous full and straight delivery. Fun was had by all, regardless, and the game was played in excellent spirit.
The Strollers retired early for a fine evening in the Red Lion, and it was great to see the Bricklayers join us. Mike Daly’s birthday was enjoyed in style and the last train was sprinted for, after the final bell had rung.
Daly of the Day: Richard Keightley.
Capt: George Love. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match fees: Richard Keightley. Match report: Nick Daly.
Commons Old Boys
Thursday June 9 at Barn Elms
Strollers lost by three wickets
Strollers 105-8
(20 overs; Smith 25no, Paulsen 21no, Wall 19)
Commons Old Boys 106-7
(17.3 overs; Oliver 4-14, Smith 1-20, Paulsen 1-16)
The Strollers gathered to play old midweek friends and rivals, the Commons Old Boys, with some new faces and last-minute call-ups due to late positive COVID tests. Thankfully, Pete Robertson's friends - Chris Powell, Al Bennett and Graham Payne - were able to take time off from stag night preparation to make up the XI.
Robertson opened the inning with Bennett, who was soon out stumped off the COBs captain, Tim Collins. Robertson had made 12 when out lbw to the same bowler. Glen Oliver and Payne (playing his first game since school) were next in but both were soon out, followed by John Low and Gus Wills to leave the Strollers 40-6.
Rowan Smith and Alex Paulsen staged a recovery, with Smith retiring at 25 off 16 balls, while Paulsen batted through to the 20th over for 21.
Rob Wall continued the recovery with 19 off 20 balls to bring Bennett in for the last over and a dropped catch enabled Richie Stubbs to stay on the scorebook. 105-7 was a good recovery from 40-6 but seemed a light total.
Bennett and Wall opened the bowling, followed by Stubbs, but the breakthrough only came when Oliver came on and pinned the COB opener lbw.
Smith was next to bowl and picked up the next wicket (bowled), quickly followed by a second (caught Robertson) and third (bowled) wicket for Oliver, but the score was 64-4 after 10 overs with COB ahead of the required rate.
Paulsen was next on and picked up a wicket (bowled) followed by Powell, but COBs kept ahead of the rate and despite two maidens from Smith, they reached 106-7 with 15 balls to spare.
Both teams retired to the Red Lion for some well earned refreshment, and to celebrate those making their debuts.
Capt: Rob Wall. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match fees: Aidan Selby. Match report: Richie Stubbs.
LJ Clark
Thursday June 16 on Wandsworth Common
Strollers lost by nine wickets
Strollers 83
(19.2 overs; Wall 34no, Mike Daly 14, Low 12)
LJ Clark 88-1
(12.1 overs; Oliver 1-15)
Begin with turning this on to listen to the lyrics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LTgNb7IvNE
I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes,
Cricket is all around me,
And so the feeling grows
It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love Cricket,
C'mon and let it flow?
You know I love Cricket
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Thursdays,
You can depend
You gave your runs to me
And I gave mine to you
I need a Daly beside me
In everything I do
You know I love Cricket
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Thursdays,
You can depend
Cuz on Thursdays,
You can depend
It's written on the wind
It's everywhere I go
So if you really love me
C'mon and let it flow?
C'mon and let it flow?
So if you really love
C'mon and let it
If you really love me
C'mon and let it
Now if you really love me
C'mon and let it score?
With that lovely number now stuck in your head to tickle your ear drums for the evening, this match report has somehow still gotten off to a quicker start than openers Rob Waaaaaaalll and Glen Oliver managed against LJ Clark. During the time it took these guys to get to double figures the rest of the team believe we saw Boris leave parliament, America amend gun control laws, and New Zealand reopen its borders.
Oliver, who was dropped twice in a short stint at the crease, provided the lightest of entertainment to the small contingent of Strollers on the sideline. The most excitement came with the dismissal of Oliver (7), who huffed and puffed his way off the field like a less mobile version of Gordon from Thomas the Tank Engine, complaining that the pitch was horrendous and he’d rather be batting in a dust bowl in Mumbai against Ajax (he’ll clean you up…if he gets picked!) Patel.
With the run rate teetering uncontrollably above four an over, Wall decided to hunker down and keep the scoring to a minimum. The slow run rate was emphasised by Wall providing a ceremonial glove tap to Gus Wills, who walked out, took six dots in his stride, decided he’d seen enough and would head back to the sheds, bowled;
This brought the stalwart John Low to the crease. A man who consistently looks to increase the run rate, but under stern orders from Wall decided he’d take a few sighters to get in. After all, we were motoring along at 23-2 from seven. “Wickets in the bag is key here”, intoned wise old head and co-captain Nick Daly. Low cut and thrust his way to 12, before making way for other co-skipper Mike Daly.
Mike and Nick Daly have recently taken a yuuuuuuuge and productive step in their symbiotic relationship, moving in with their missos in East Croydon and Watford respectively. That’s a long distance apart by anyone’s standards - let alone for two brothers who are used to sharing a DIY-carpentered bunk bed. So far they seem to be coping admirably - but it wasn’t the easiest for the two to part when Mike walked out to bat.
Nick walked halfway to the crease with him, and only stopped holding Mike’s hand when Wall starting tugging furiously. On Mike’s other hand. Creating a heart-wrenching fingertip parting reminiscent of Leo and Kate letting go of each other in the James Cameron epic Titanic. What a genius James Cameron is. All of you Ridley Scott fans can take a running jump off the Seven Sisters Cliffs, I’m James Cameron’s man through and through and I’ll debate anyone on the matter anywhere any time.
Daly toiled successfully for 14, which is really as much coverage as our batting effort deserves. Wall carried his bat for a sluggish and painful 34*, which I guess at least gave the Strollers something to bowl at. 83 somethings, to be precise.
The best thing to say about the defence of our anaemic total is that it was mercifully brief. Mike and Nick crooned to each other across the pitch from whichever fielding position they had most recently moved the other to.
I for one am a fan of the co-captain system. If it’s good enough for Dave Rennie and his all-conquering 2012 Chiefs, it’s good enough for the Strollers. However, it was reasonably chaotic at times, with two chefs attempting to co-create a delicious broth, which at some points more closely resembled a waving, constantly moving cloud of electrons surrounding a nucleus or an atom or whatever it is that electrons usually surround, as all available Strollers constantly rotated to and fro at the orders of either and/or both Dalys.
Mike Daly was still struggling to figure out how hot he put his dryer on with the significant shrink in his matchday shirt. Despite an ever-changing field, which now I think of it may have resembled a shimmering, dancing, fan-wielding geisha more so than a cloud of electrons, LJ Clark managed to find gaps and make batting look considerably easier than we had, and cantered home for the infliction of just the solitary breach of their castle m’lady. Oliver making the successful bowling thrust to bring about something resembling - if not respectability - certainly less shame.
Post-match saw The County Arms once again attended with a substantial turn-out. Led by the heroic batting performance of Wall one could only hope he could drink a pint faster than his scoring rate. A lovely gesture by the opposition to invite us for what could only imagine to be post-match coitus but turned out to be player of the day and dick of the day awards.
This led to our man of the match Wall thankfully chugging a beer faster than he could score runs. A dismal effort by Mitch Alley to round off a loss for dick of the day which was still a very dubious call by the co-captains.
Needless to say the Strollers will be back stronger and faster than ever.
Capts: Mike and Nick Daly. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match fees: Aidan Selby. Match report: Mitch Alley.
Broughton Giford
Saturday June 18 in Broughton Gifford
Strollers won by five wickets
Broughton Gifford 182-7
(35 overs; Macaulay 5-35, Simons 1-14)
Strollers 183-5
(28.5 overs; Mike Daly 79no, Travis 54, Beale 14, Wall 11)
President Maggie Patston extended the traditional invitation to assemble in Bath prior to the annual Cotswolds Tour to enjoy liquid bonding exercises, fine dining and, in this case, some light gardening, as Brian Taylor and Jim Hodgson pulled up some weeds, ivy and brambles.
Most of the other Strollers arrived later in the afternoon and early evening, to enjoy a cooling drink on the patio before Maggie’s delicious dinner. Note that Mike Beale is pescatarian not vegetarian, so the roulade Maggie whipped up at short notice wasn’t strictly necessary alongside the salmon starter, but it proved a popular addition, as none remained after second helpings.
Boeuf bourguignon and Moroccan spiced chickpeas were helped down with several bottle of good claret. A pleasant burble of conversation continued through puddings and cheese, and perhaps another bottle or two.
Sensible people took themselves off to bed before it got too far into the wee hours but the Dalys and Jim were enjoying the evening/morning so much they carried on for a while.
Memories were understandably hazy from now but Jim managed to fall into one of the brambles he didn’t pull up earlier, emerging with a few flesh wounds. Mike Daly, when finally turning in, demonstrated the ability to levitate, and there was an incriminating photo of Jim brandishing a hoover, with the kitchen clock showing 5am. Tut tut, time for bed.
We woke to breaking news that Covid had finally caught up with Glen Oliver after many, many months of care taken to avoid it. He and Steph extracted themselves quietly, before most had stirred, and Sarah Porter, Rob Wall’s better half, was officially welcomed to the playing squad.
After a wholesome fry-up we set off on the short journey to Broughton Gifford, a new fixture set up by Duncan Allsopp - father of Stroller Laurie - who lives nearby. On arrival, the contrast in weather was striking, from the sweltering 30+ degrees of Friday to what felt like five degrees in the brisk wind and intermittent rain.
The ground was on The Common, a large expanse of open land overlooked by Gifford Hall, built around 1700 for the Harding family. Our friendly hosts were gathered by two gazebos on the edge of the ground and directed us to the nearby changing rooms. Here we noticed an unusual, if not unique sign: ‘Please keep the doors closed to keep the ducks in’. On opening the door to a small courtyard garden, there were the ducks, looking quite keen to escape!
Skipper Alastair Macaulay lost the toss and Broughton Gifford chose to have a bat in a 35-over game. I think they had been copied in on the England squad memo to play positive cricket, as openers Nick Caller and Nick Norgrove set off at a canter, dispatching anything wayward.
Hodgson, Nick Daly, Rob Wall and Blair Travis went wicketless, so, with the score on 122-0 after 21 overs skipper Macaulay turned to himself. What a good decision.
His second ball lured the tall Caller from his ground, to be stumped by Mike Beale for a very decent 62. In his second over he bowled Mark Mullis for six then conjured up a double-wicket maiden in his third over, bowling David Wright for three and then encouraging a snick from Rob Beck, first ball, into Mike Beal’s gloves.
Stair allowed others in on the act with Emms Putman run out for nought from an accurate throw from Taylor, and our kindly lent guest player, Al Simons, had Alex Ladner well caught at deepish mid-on by Wall.
The last word was had by Stair, bowling Luke Neale for 12 to finish with excellent figures of 5-35 off seven. While all the Macaulay mayhem had been taking place around him, opener Norgrove continued to accumulate runs and carried his bat for a fine 89 not out. Broughton Gifford finished their 35 overs with 182-7, which the Strollers felt was a good result given the position the opening pair had put them in. Hats off to Sarah who fielded well in her first match, with hands that must have felt like ice blocks.
Tea was due at 4pm, which gave us a few overs to bat. Travis and Mike Daly opened for us and started in the same positive manner as our opponents. Soon tea was called and we retired to the Bell on the Common pub where Maggie and Tricia made some attempt to thaw out.
Post tea, Blair and Mike continued in the same vein. Travis unfurled several glorious cover drives and Mike was strong through point. They rattled along to 82 off 12 overs. It came as a surprise then when Blair top-edged one to Mullis at cover off Ladner, for 54.
Our No 3, George Love, was nowhere to be seen. Eventually he emerged from the changing room, but without a bat. He disappeared back into the changing room to find one and then made his way to the middle, well over the timed out law of three minutes to be ready to take guard. Our friendly opposition, of course, did not appeal. It turned out that a bat wasn’t necessary as young Charlotte Norgrove bowled George first ball, with a beauty that nipped back and hit the top of leg stump.
About this time Tom Wood, Rowan Smith and Pickle arrived and soon looked as chilly as the rest of us!
Beale was next in and added 14 useful runs until he was trapped lbw by Lee Hunt. After a cautious start Wall hit a couple of boundaries but then was caught and bowled for 11 by Ladner. Nick was not at the crease long, one ball in fact, that he hit into the hands of Charlotte Norgrove at square leg.
Hodgson survived Ladner’s hat-trick ball and played a minor supporting role to Mike Daly in knocking off the remaining 22 runs for victory. Mike finished with an excellent 79 not out and was the second player in the game to carry his bat. We also had three golden ducks in the game!
Back in the Bell on the Common, we noticed Rob Beck getting a large rubber duck filled with beer (three pints). This was the Broughton Gifford penalty for getting out first ball. We had two first ball victims in our side and while Nick was let off as he was driving, George wasn’t! His beer duck was administered by his vanquisher, Charlotte, pouring it Spanish porron style into his mouth.
And so we retired to The Green Dragon in Cowley, to meet up with our final tour party member, Jo, who had been tending to Finlay’s GCSE needs at home.
Capt: Alastair Macaulay. Wkt: Michael Beale.
Match report: Jim Hodgson.
Cricklade
Sunday June 19 in Cricklade
Strollers won by 127 runs
Strollers 203-4
(40 overs; Travis 81, Smith 60, Wall 23, Mike Daly 11)
Cricklade 76
(29.5 overs; Macaulay 3-3, Nick Daly 3-32, Travis 2-12, Hodgson 1-20)
A Strollers team presented itself at Cricklade, buoyed by good thoughts carried from the previous evening at the Green Dragon. There was much to sustain us from the occasion, in particular George Love’s reading of one of Ivor Fiala’s poems – a sad reminder of Strollers who are no longer with us, such as Ivor himself and Peter Patston. Never forgotten.
On a grey, cold afternoon, Blair Travis won the toss and chose to bat against an opposition side which was a mixture of old hands and promising young players. The Strollers openers, Rob Wall and Travis, made a good start, despite some sketchy running between the wickets. They put on 72 runs in their differing styles: Rob (23 – runs not age) is a powerful batsman who hits the ball whereas Blair strokes it. Also stylish was the new recruit, Rowan Smith, who went on to score 60 in his first Strollers innings. Together Blair and Rowan put on 109 pleasing runs. The team totalled 203-4 in 40 overs.
But it’s not just about what’s happening on the pitch. Pickle, replete from being fed carrots and broccoli at dinner the previous night, was, as ever, warmly entertaining. Meanwhile Alastair occupied himself with establishing what everyone had eaten the previous night so that bills can be settled – “an organiser extraordinaire,” one might say (indeed, one did say). Sarah Porter, who did a great job fielding for us had spent some time during our innings learning the art of making a “long barrier” whilst fielding. And, for ornithologists among you, there was the sight of an oyster catcher happily fluttering in the breeze….
The Strollers made immediate inroads into Cricklade’s line-up. Three experienced top order batsmen fell early, one (Robbins) to an excellent Rob Wall catch off an under-edge from the bowling of Jim Hodgson. Nick Daly bowled with hostility to take 3-32, Travis took 2-12 and Macaulay bamboozled the young ingénue batsmen and claimed 3-3 off seven overs.
Cricklade’s total of 76 all out did not do justice to the potential shown by the youthful batsmen; they’ll score plenty more in the future. But for the Strollers, it was a warming success, in contrast to the bitter weather the match was played in.
Cricklade is a lovely ground, even under grey skies and with a cool wind and rain flurries. The club was as welcoming as ever.
Capt: Blair Travis. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match report: Brian Taylor.
Peppard
Sunday June 26 at Peppard
Strollers won by five wickets
Peppard 242-3
(40 overs; Bing 1-34, Macaulay 1-35)
Strollers 243-5
(39.3 overs; Pittams 112no, Wall 33, Mike Daly32, Mangham 19, Bing 10no)
Last time I played at Peppard I dropped a catch off the bowling of Stair - we’re talking about 0.5/10 for degree of difficulty - from memory out of my palms and straight over the rope for six.
The guilt I've experienced since has been eating me alive, not to mention aged me frightfully. Apologising on Sunday took a great weight off my shoulders (even if, far from holding a grudge, Stair professed to not even remember the incident), which was just as well, as having stayed at HRH The Salt n Pepper Princess’s the night before and been cooked his standard three course pre-cricket breakfast that morning, I was feeling a good deal more weight around the belly.
My belly full of poached salmon Alaska, pulled pork nachos and pavlova (I know right - how does he field so agilely with all that on deck??) took to the field first after Captain Macaulay had tasted defeat in the tossing arena and Peppard had elected to reverse-insert us on a warm, slightly breezy afternoon.
The Salt n Pepper Princess has been doing a lot of work in Barcelona recently, where his Spanish colleagues have taken to calling him El Muro as he menacingly prowls the corridors of contadors, stopping to check their work from time to time - and to bark “DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT ACCRUING THAT!!!!” at some of the less capable ones.
For some reason I’m picturing him dressed like Agatha Trunchbull doing this - please no one disabuse me of this concept. At Peppard he was El Muro by name, and El Muro in function as he delicately gloved the prodigiously swung early offerings of James 'dela Ruebanger' dela Rue.
DLR was finding good areas early at Peppard. Strange areas; certainly. You don't often see the DLR out in the Chilterns. One can only speculate that the recent train strikes had brought about this unusual piece of geographical cross-functionality. Opening at the other end was PGA Tour on-course comments expert, former world number 14 and 2002 PGA Champion Rich Beem! Well, nearly. It was actually Rich Bing, an athletic Victorian and excellent acquisition for the club.
Both Bing and Delaruebanger were accurate, but without luck in their opening spells on what was a very nice batting deck, ringed by a billiard table outfield. The other ten Strollers' hopes that Bing, although not Beem, might still offer some commentary/swing analysis/notes on green undulation were unfortunately dashed. To be fair, Bing was bowling into the breeze and was probably too puffed.
Ben Mangham replaced Bing and immediately settled on a tight line and length. There's something very Jim Hodgson about Mangham - and when it comes to aspiring young Strollers all-rounders I can offer no higher praise.
However it wasn't until DLR needed a rest and chugged back to Woolwich Arsenal, and Stair brought himself on, that we notched our first breakthrough. Stair got one to turn appreciably, clip the inside edge of Peppard opener Pradeep Puthessery's bat, and clip the leg bail with just about enough forward momentum to dislodge it. A fine piece of bowling which brought Brendan Murdoch to the crease to join his son Nicholas.
Fifteen-year-old Nicholas had made his first ton the previous Sunday, and was already looking ominously difficult to dislodge. His father Brendan is a South African who works for Microsoft, and spends time working in Wellington every year. So what I'm saying is that they seem pretty recruitable - @Hamish McDougall next time Brendan's in Wellington let's make sure the two of you get together to set it up!
Nicholas Murdoch moved smoothly through the gears, particularly adept at finding the tiniest of gaps between midwicket and mid-on. Paige Copsey and George Love toiled valiantly into the wind after Mangham finished his spell - Love suffering the ignominy of being ramped over new keeper Gus Wills' head for four. Batsmen these days...
It was difficult for George to stay focused, with his beloved Shayne on the sidelines, requiring him to glance over at her at least every 30 seconds to make sure the opposition weren't paying too much attention to her. On the bright side, his skipper allowed him to bowl on whichever side of the wicket he pleased, which kept a smile on his face.
Bing returned and was able to skittle Murdoch Sr, just after Murdoch Jr had mercifully retired after raising his century. El Muro, by this stage having swapped keeping pads for twinkle-toed bowling boots, was brought on as a finisher.
As the Strollers’ answer to Aroldis Chapman, he executed nicely even without Chapman’s usual walk-on music of Wake Up by Rage Against the Machine playing for him (Puss was meant to be coordinating these AV requirements but was understandably distracted by Wall and Love blowing kisses to her and Shayne from the field).
On a good batting wicket and outfield, restricting Peppard to 242-2 from their 40 overs was not a bad effort at all, and a reflection of how tidily all bowlers called upon had bowled.
Wall and Mike Daly were invited to commence our chase, and RSVP'd yes within the required timeframe for Stair to hand them their boarding passes for the middle. Against a young, energetic and impressive pair of opening bowlers they did their job and then some, seeing off both openers and keeping up with the required run rate (even if overthrows were unable to be run due to Wall’s strict and well documented deceleration policy).
Daly continued his fine touch from the Cotswolds tour, and was particularly brutal (in an elegant sort of way. An elegant brute of a walking contradiction of an enigma of a man. Picture the right half of Roger Federer's body fused to the left half of Lawrence Dallaglio's) through the offside.
Wall was scratchy early, before finding his timing and taking a particular liking to the offerings of the off-spinner bowling first change. Where timing meets regal, is where you will find the Salt n Pepper Princess. The left-hand side of a Japanese Train, meets the right-hand side of Prince Albert (or should that read a Prince Albert?), is I think the analogy I’m looking for here.
Their opening stand of 77 ended just after Jim, Jo, Jo's parents, and what initially appeared to be Michael Phelps (but later turned out to be Finlay, who has grown a further foot in height and about three feet in shoulder breadth since I last saw him) arrived.
With one of his lustier blows El Muro unfortunately managed to perfectly pick out the fielder on the Cow Corner boundary. It was - if you will permit me further reminiscence - probably the most accurately picked out boundary fielder by a Strollers batsman at Peppard since Justin Frederickson drilled a half-volley from around a metre wide of leg stump directly to the fielder at deep backward square in 2019 (walking off chuntering at the umpire who hadn't been calling enough wides - compelling him to play such a shot)... ah memories. #goodtimesatpeppard!
Soon after Wall's departure, Daly edged behind from the accurate and niggardly Peppard skipper Rory Scott (2-26 from eight overs), and first drop Love fell trying to hit the off- spinner to his beloved, but was unable to clear cover.
Wills middled a couple of boundaries before being bowled by the opposition skipper for ten, and it was officially a bear market for Strollers wickets in hand. Mangham joined Mike Pittams, who had so far been unable to lay bat on anything that wasn't a full toss. Clearly he's been watching too much baseball in New York.
With 130 needed from 15 overs, it was time to get a wriggle on. Mangham responded to the urgency of the hour with some energetic running between wickets. Pittams responded by believing in the leave outside off to everything he faced from Rory Scott - his ego at this stage so bruised by all the playing and missing that he elected to continue not hitting the ball - but on his own terms now (a relatively strange/match-fixy tactic with eight an over needed).
Pittams and Mangham played themselves in, and gradually began to find their range. After 30 overs the required run rate was just above 10. When Mangham departed after a partnership of 85, including some kamikaze running between wickets, and some lusties to and beyond the boundary, 45 were still needed from 4.3 overs - we were on track! But who would be the best person to come in at seven to finish things off?
If you answered 'a guy called Rich'.... BING! You are correct. Rich Bing came in and immediately looked at home. 16 were taken from the 37th over, followed by 10 from the 38th and 13 from the 39th, leaving just five needed from the final over.
From here, Peppard needed a Strollers mistake. But unless you count DLR taking a wrong turn at Westferry and ending up in Deptford, one was not forthcoming.
Rich then chose - in the opinion of this scribe, certainly - an absolutely optimal moment to lean forward to a good length delivery on fourth stump, and play a checked extra cover drive (for four, to seal the match) of such elegance - OF SUCH SUBLIME BEAUTY AND TEXTBOOK CORRECTNESS - that poor Puss, Paige and Shayne on the boundary all swooned. Pittams' protective equipment became uncomfortably tight. Wall's entire cricket outfit remained uncomfortably tight (I promised myself I wouldn't speculate on the split in the seat of the pants, but perhaps someone played a similarly beautiful stroke on tour in the Cotswolds last week).
It was Bingmania! And the job was done! It really was a wonderful checked drive, played with exquisite timing and at just a super useful time.
After the conclusion of the on-field proceedings, it remained only to wrap up the off-field matters with a splash of Rebellion in the fading sunlight. Everything a summer Sunday should, and could hope, to be.
Editor's note: The match reporter omits to mention that he finished on 112 not out (16 fours and three sixes) and batted quite well.
Capt: Alastair Macaulay. Wkt: Rob Wall/Gus Wills.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: Mike Pittams.
Ministry of Justice
Thursday June 30 at Barn Elms
Strollers won by seven runs
Strollers 157-8
(20 overs; Pittams 41no, Mike Daly 31no, Wall 25no, Nick Daly 13, Keightley 12, Oliver 10)
Ministry of Justice 150-7
(20 overs; Nick Daly 2-7, Oliver 2-10, Robertson 2-13, Macaulay 1-21)
‘Twas another fine evening for the Strollers to eventually roll on to the long-forgotten ‘home’ of Barn Elms, where Aidan Selby had elected for the previously thwarted double-captaincy of the Daly-Duo.
With Michael Daly avoiding the toss like the plague, Nick Daly won the toss in his absence for the second time this season (take notes, Oliver) and asked the Strollers to pad up.
Richie Stubbs and John Low were first in to make an impression. Stubbs R was unfortunate to fall without a run, only to see his son, James Stubbs, grinning ear to ear. Stubbs J soon fell for the same total, only to return to a laughing father.
The long-awaited return of Michael Pittams brought joy and fond memories to the Juggernaut as he flew to a retirement – he would return later to see himself to 41 not out. Big hitters Glen Oliver and Pete Robertson followed suit before their eventual departures, but not before Oliver sublimely recorded a surprising five on the scoresheet, and although many would expect it was Glen ‘the whippet’ Oliver’s running between the wickets that managed it, it was noted as overthrows.
Richard Keightley recorded a measured 12, and Daly N a quickfire lucky 13, before Daly M and wicketkeeper-batsman Rob Wall both retired themselves with some impressive hitting (including a brilliant, premeditated, reverse sweep from Wall) at 31 and 25 respectively before Alastair Macaulay survived a played-on which rolled against his stumps - failing to knock the bails off. A returning Pittams/Daly M combo saw the Strollers to a competitive 157.
With rain at the interval, the Ministry of Justice skipper refused the outstretched hands of the Strollers captains to see the match continued in the pub. Once it had stopped, the covers were rolled off, and play resumed with Robertson opening the bowling – taking a well-earned 2-13.
Daly M felt the confidence of leading from the front before being dispatched for 25 from his solitary over. The leadership shone through in his decision to replace himself, with Daly N taking a wicket on his first ball, ending with 2-7. All but Pittams and Wall got their opportunities to impress, with Low turning around first over blues with a sublime second featuring many unplayable yorkers, and Robertson taking two phenomenal catches. Macaulay took a wicket before Oliver’s pinpoint bowling restricted their most explosive batsmen to see the Strollers contain Ministry of Justice to 150, a seven-run win.
Refreshments were enjoyed in the Red Lion, before much discussion around George Calvocoressi’s gîte, which has become the accommodation of choice for many of Pittams’ guests since.
Daly of the Day was a tight one, but a draw was decided upon due to a net-profit of six runs for each of the skippers.
Capts: Mike and Nick Daly. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match fees: Aidan Selby. Match report: Nick Daly.
Hurley
Sunday July 3 at Pinkneys Green
Strollers won by 54 runs
Strollers 278-4
(40 overs; Oliver 99no, Selby 93, Pittams 27, Wills 19)
Hurley 224-9
(40 overs; Calvocoressi 3-27, Hodgson 2-41, Dela Rue 1-14, Wills 1-24, Macaulay 1-40)
The game started in the usual Stroller way with Glen Oliver losing the toss and being put in to bat on what looked a reasonable deck.
Fresh off his mighty 100 at Peppard the previous week, Mike Pittams strutted to the crease, the second and last appearance on this trip for the American import, with a look of a man who had already planned what his century celebration would look like in around two hours’ time. His senior partner, George Calvocoressi, looked slightly less assured but nonetheless set about getting the Strollers off to a good start.
After playing his first eight balls as dots, Calvocoressi let loose with a glorious shot for four that had all the hallmarks of a player about to score a lot of runs. Unfortunately though, that was George’s high point with the bat as he shortly thereafter fell caught behind to a rip-snorter of a delivery from Ollie Rogers that bounced and moved away.
Aidan Selby joined the fray and set about getting some runs on the board. The partnership moved steadily along and after 10 overs together had added a further 76 runs with Selby outscoring Pittams by more than two to one!
After being overshadowed by his partner, the pedestrian Pittams played a picture-perfect cover drive that would have looked great in a training video for technique, style and grace. However, he only managed to inside-edge the ball onto his stumps to be bowled for 27 off 42 balls.
Oliver joined his much younger looking partner and they continued to steadily move the scoreboard along. There were a variety of shots played, even somewhat surprisingly a three was run, along with a confident appeal against Oliver for a caught behind, not given by the umpire – a decision which did not find much support from some of the Hurley fielders. A partnership of over 100 brought the score to 199 after 30 overs.
Selby ran out of steam as his century beckoned and was bowled by a full toss for 93. Gus Wills came to the crease and compiled a nice 19 before he was sold down the river by Oliver.
After hitting the ball into the leg side for what would have been an easy two and also shouting at Wills during the first run “2 2 2 2 2 2 2”, Oliver decided to only run one and then become mute. Wills made it comfortably back to the non-striker’s end before he saw Oliver quietly just standing there watching him. They then both stood together and watched as the ball slowly made its way to the keeper to end what was a nice little innings. Rumour has it that Wills had to ask some other Strollers whether it was an English thing that someone shouting “run 2 2 2 2 2 2 2” actually means to only run one!
Jim Hodgson came in for the last eight balls and with Oliver nearing his century, gave his skipper the strike for the last over. Oliver could not take full advantage as four dot balls (average padding maybe?) left him stranded on 99 but a solid team score of 278-4.
The new ball was shared between James Dela Rue and Daly (Nick – arguably the 3rd best Daly brother). They both garnered some good pace and swing although Daly took some stick with his 0-33 off four overs.
Dela Rue bowled very tidily to nick out opener Mubashir Nabi and finished with 6-2-14-1. Hodgson bowled his usual “Gavin Larsen” wicket-to-wicket overs and had a bowled and a caught to show for his eight on the trot.
Wills continued to showcase the typical Kiwi “I’m an allrounder” ability by having a wicket maiden in his first over, a lovely catch by Pittams in the deep. Wills then also showed off another typical Kiwi trait by getting smashed for 24 runs off his next over to end his spell at 2-1-24-1.
Alastair Macaulay and Simon Brodbeck were their usual selves and bowled some restrictive overs before Calvocoressi rounded things off with some beautiful swing bowling. He removed the dangerous Archie Wild for 49 and then took two more wickets, including a brilliant inswinger to topple off-stump to finish with 6-0-27-3.
Hurley’s last pair batted out the last seven overs to give the Strollers victory by 54 runs.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt and match report: Aidan Selby.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck.
Prestcold
Sunday July 10 in Binfield Heath
Strollers lost by 59 runs
Prestcold 280-5
(40 overs; Samuel 2-40, Oliver 1-16, Dela Rue 1-35, Fenn 1-46)
Strollers 221
(39.4 overs; Merryweather 116, Oliver 27, Calvocoressi 25, Wills 12, Samuel 11)
It was a week before the big heat, but Prestcold was more Prestreallyquitehot when the Strollers turned up under burnished blue skies to find a ground the colour of Weetabix and the less than welcome news that a late drop-out had reduced us to nine men. Fortunately one of the nine was Lee Merryweather, making his first class debut after a midweek outing in 2016, of which more later.
Glen Oliver went out for the toss while everyone else put on their whites on the assumption that, because Glen Oliver was doing the toss, we would be bowling. You'll never guess...
With Gus Wills taking the gloves for the first ten overs, Oliver tried to deploy a field which was long on not very mobile people and short on those who could actually function. James Dela Rue opened from the clubhouse end with a lively and unlucky spell of four overs, taking 0-16 - on an outfield like glass, with only seven outfielders, a great start.
George Love would like to make it absolutely clear that he wasn't there, was not involved in any way and therefore was not the one taken off after three interesting overs had gone for 33.
Oliver, in some desperation, turned to the returning (again) Evan Samuel - and even the skipper's famed powers of encouragement and optimism were strained by a first over which was so bad it could only be hit for seven. The next over, alas, was more within reach of the batsman so went for nine. However, as the captain was contemplating self-harm Samuel found his range.
George Calvocoressi replaced Dela Rue and toiled manfully but without reward for five overs as the Prestcold openers, Chaz Mayhew and Phil Desbois, feasted happily on the smorgasbord put in front of them.
Samuel finally made the breakthrough in his fourth over, bowling Mayhew with what in dim light could have been mistaken for a leg-cutter, for a rapid 63 off 42 balls as the pair fell eight short of a 100 partnership. Alistair Grant came in at No 3 and added 49 with Desbois until Samuel, in his final over of eight, induced a leading edge to Oliver and Desbois departed for 43.
Tim Benham joined Grant in a destructive 103-run partnership until Mark Fenn, working desperately hard to get some revs on the ball, had Grant stumped by Merryweather for 65 (we shall gloss over an earlier missed chance).
Wills replaced Calvocoressi at the clubhouse end and bowled some good stuff; Simon Brodbeck suffered from a lack of fielders, and finally Dela Rue returned to claim the wicket he deserved (Benham bowled for 66) and Oliver claimed Ian Borks for six, caught and bowled. Prestcold 280-5.
In the absence of tea, Calvocoressi took off in his white van in search of sustenance. As he was down to open, and didn't return until a wicket had fallen, this caused some consternation. The skipper, with a fine line in chuntering, went out instead.
George Love would like to make it absolutely clear that he wasn't there, was not involved in any way and therefore was not the man out to the excellent Luke Rosier for four runs in the first over.
Enter Merryweather. Just for context, Lee played for England in Masters indoor cricket. But he hadn't held a bat since his one outing for us midweek in 2016.
This makes his sensational 116, in searing heat, injured and carrying every other bugger, even better - and made him only the fourth Stroller to score a ton on first class debut, following Suru Chowdhury (v Old Talbotians, 113*, 1990), Jono Morris (v Sutton on the Hill, 132, 2000) and Richard Gegg (v Sheepscombe, 150*, 2001).
If Oliver hadn't fallen for 27 to a ball from L Rosier that actually had a periscope, the pair of them might have won this for us. But stuff happens, and Rosier deserved his figures of 8-3-18-2.
Calvocoressi valiantly supported Merryweather, not attempting to match some spectacular hitting but contributing a valuable 25 before being bowled by Kieran Exley. Wills hit a couple of nice shots in his 12 (b James Prior) but the tail started early as Samuel came out and realised that even if he could see the ball, he didn't know what to do with it. Merryweather started smashing the ball to all parts, finally being caught off Andy Rosier as he tried one mighty hit too many. A cracking innings.
Fenn came, and went, rapidly; Samuel was out to his traditional lbw for a scratchy and lengthy 11; Brodbeck and Dela Rue hit some nice shots before Brodbeck was run out for five.
All gone for 221, but a decent effort in the circumstances. Beers were enjoyed on a lovely evening, and George Love (who wasn't there) and Dela Rue took up the offer of a swim in the Calvocoressi pool as everyone else made their way home...
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Gus Wills/Lee Merryweather.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report Evan Samuel.
Nantes
Saturday July 23 in Nantes
Strollers won by 33 runs
Strollers 130-7
(35 overs; Oliver 26, Ben Mangham 21, Hodgson 18no, Mike Daly 18, Macaulay 15)
Nantes 97
(22.4 overs; Hodgson 3-5, Dela Rue 3-20, Macaulay 2-6, Copsey 2-11)
Being fairly new to the squad (and cricket for that matter), when I first learnt that the Strollers ventured to France, I wondered if I was joining a wine tour of the region when I signed up. Andy and Sabine at Nantes Cricket Club couldn’t have been more welcoming, proving that cricket reaches and flourishes in unlikely places, the love and knowledge of the game is in great hands and of a fine vintage.
Many of the team had already enjoyed a few days across the Channel, while the final few navigated the last part of the journey through the pedestrianised streets of Nantes. Perfectly timed arrivals to the hotel and car park in time for the first team meal. No mean feat. Marriages were at risk. Crepes filled with whatever you wanted – even set alight – for starter, main and dessert were a big hit at Creperie Fleur de Sel. Apart from a couple of the team taking their athletic prowess seriously, squad bonding continued into the early hours in preparation for the first game of the tour.
The tram was an enjoyable mode of transport, a welcome break from driving in foreign lands (also a reluctance to attempt the car park challenge once more) found several international cricketers drawing curious/admiring stares from our fellow commuters: “Qu'est-ce que c'est? Le Morris dancers?”
The negotiated toss had The Strollers batting first. Rob Wall and Mike Daly opened with Nantes keeping the bowling tight, beginning with a classy maiden over from Cindy Brétéché. Daly got off the mark with a single and the pair were under way.
Wall – with 10 off 26 deliveries – soon however passed the baton onto Ben Mangham, who after getting his eye in hit the game’s only six to rapturous applause. Smart singles followed for Mangham and Daly, who rotated the strike and got the scoreboard ticking away nicely.
Within 15 minutes No 2 and No 3 fell. First M Daly - 18 (36) – was caught by Violleau off Dorian’s bowling then Mangham – 21 (29) – departed, with Violleau again involved and taking her first wicket of the day. Mangham would later get his bat signed by the newly appointed captain of French women’s cricket to honour the dismissal.
Glen Oliver reminded us how to find the gaps with twos and fours firing in all directions. Nick Daly – 5 (16) – was dismissed too soon in Dhana’s first over. Jim Hodgson joined Oliver and a lesser spotted partnership began to settle the ship.
Alas, Oliver fell for 26 (32) – caught behind. Magali Marchello – from Nantes and kindly making up our 11 – entered the arena but sadly did not trouble our scoring maestro Maggie Patston too much, caught by Violleau off Dhana for a “Canard”. It was time for the tailenders (or secret weapons) to ignite the FSS innings.
Hodgson was now joined by skipper Alastair Macaulay, armed with a light and Harrow size bat from No.11 Paige Copsey, perked up the crowd and the innings with the highest scoring partnership, getting Strollers over the 100 mark. Teammates and supporters whopped every hit and booed every missed run. One over to go on 127, cheers of encouragement and *do or die* remarks from the dugout squeezed a few more singles from big hits that deserved more.
The penultimate ball was bowled to Macaulay, who made his way forward to the ball, kneeling for a sweep shot to render all previous sweep shots in cricket history meaningless – a heroic strike with visions of a flat, powerful contact for six, roaring past a flinching square leg and umpire. Sadly, this was not the case.
The flighted ball dipped, not quite reaching Macaulay on the full as he was expecting, pitching on the skipper’s front foot/big toe, confusingly popping up and over Macaulay’s shoulder, rolling down his back and making a beeline to the stumps. Played on? Hit wicket? Bowled? No one is quite sure but definitely out! Macaulay finished on a heroic 15 (31).
The skipper’s uniquely amusing dismissal left one ball to go for the innings. Taylor, helmet off, cap on, came in to face the final delivery…a dot ball. Nicely played Brian.
A sumptuous tea in the shade, glorious cold beers from an impressive portable tap and barrel configuration on the boundary. Our hosts provided a delicious spread of locally sourced produce – Merci!
*
The Strollers took to the field looking to defend a modest 130 runs. James Dela Rue opened proceedings with a maiden. Hodgson went one better at the other end with a wicket maiden, dismissing Mohammad, who went down swinging for a “Canard Doré”, the ball clipping the top of off.
Hodgson continued with his superb spell, recording the best figures of the match (4-2-5-3) including a caught behind (Wall) and a nick to slip (Mangham). Dela Rue also claimed three wickets, finishing a four-over spell with 4-1-20-3. The wickets included that of Andy German, who looked dangerous and could have taken the match away from us quickly.
Nick Daly and Copsey took over the attack, a welcome break for the openers in the increasing afternoon heat. Daly produced some furious pace to intimidate the middle order and bowling up the hill into the wind did not let the opposition run away with it. He returned figures of 4-0-25-0.
Inspired by Hodgson, Copsey took a wicket off her first ball, a screamer caught by Mike Daly, who had just been moved to short mid-wicket - an inspired fielding change by skipper Macaulay. Copsey later picked up the wicket of Violleau, who top scored for Nantes with 21. Copsey finished with 3-0-11-2.
After an amazing performance in the field, Marchello came into bowl from the Chateau End, hunting in tandem with Macaulay for the last two wickets. Marchello (4-0-22-0) bowled very well, restricting her teammates to ones and twos while the wily Macaulay mopped up the tail with figures of 3.4-0-6-2 and ending the Nantes run chase.
Beers all round and new friends made with cricket festival and additional tour invitations. Thank you for having us, Nantes Cricket Club. Another delicious meal, this time on the square at Le Taverne Royal before an early night to drive to St Malo in the morning. Photos taken by Maggie later proved to be instrumental in Macaulay’s investigation into the team’s dessert and beer consumption!
Capt: Alastair Macaulay. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match report: Paige Copsey.
Des Ormes
Sunday July 24 at Domaine Des Ormes
Strollers won by eight wickets
Des Ormes 245
(34 overs; Taylor 2-0, German 2-32, Nick Daly 2-52)
Strollers 246-2
(29.4 overs; Wall 108no, Oliver 63no, Mike Daly 41)
On a bright Sunday morning the Strollers made their way north from Nantes to Des Ormes. They were greeted by the bustling holiday park and a château complete with helicopter ready to whisk Ben Mangham and Paige away to their next shooting location at any moment.
As the sun baked the ground in 35-degree heat, a slightly weary Glen Oliver headed out for the toss. Regular readers will not be surprised to find out that we were put in the field.
President Maggie Patston and Tricia Taylor found safety in the shade and with Maggie's pencils at the ready, the game commenced.
James DLR and the Strollers own TGV, Jim Hodgson, opened up with Hodgson taking the early wicket and DLR keeping it tight on the well known short-sided boundaries of Des Ormes. Dela Rue went on to clean bowl G Snelling, the Des Ormes No 3.
Oliver called for a change and brought on the regal steam engine, Mangham, and a smokey old diesel, long since due for the wreckers, Nick Daly. Both bowled out their seven overs, quite some effort in the heat. Daly snared two wickets before being towed away. Mangham chipped in with a wicket of his own.
Des Ormes made the most of the short boundaries as their score raced along. Rana batted well on the way to an eventual century.
Drinks were mercifully taken at regular intervals. Steph, Sarah and Jo tended to their charges with much needed refreshment.
Andy German, a Great Western Railways export to Nantes, made his Strollers debut having played for Nantes the day before. Andy came on and bowled with tight lines, eventually taking two wickets.
In the champagne moment of the day, German flighted one up to the dangerous Rana, who smacked it towards Paige Copsey who was riding the deep square boundary. Copsey, with half an eye on her Saturday match reporting duties, looked up to see the ball hurtling towards her. With little time to react she got into position to snaffle the catch. The ball stung the palms - it could be heard around the holiday park - but the catch was never in doubt.
Then Copsey of the efficient Nantes tram system and our very own Orient Express, Alastair Macaulay, came into the attack with Copsey picking up a fine wicket.
It was then the turn of the Mallard, Brian Taylor, who came into the attack, Taylor is still able to turn heads with his wonderful twirlers. He twirled a couple of Des Ormes batsmen back to the pavilion and finished with marvellous figures of 2-2-0-2. A particular highlight was outfoxing Cameron, the No 8, who presented a leading edge, the catch being swallowed by Stair.
Des Ormes finally closed their innings on 245. We sat in the shade for a lovely tea put on by the Des Ormes team.
German and Mike Daly, an old coal wagon, headed out to open the batting. The score raced to 22 before German edged to second slip for eight. Daly offered plenty of chances before eventually falling to a leading edge for 41.
This brought the TranzAlpine, Rob Wall, to the crease, Wall had kept for 35 overs but showed no signs of fatigue and was quickly into service. The finest in the fleet built up a head of steam and initially targeted the short square boundary. Wall then started to bring the straighter boundaries into play at the expense of a few cricket balls into the lake.
Oliver, taking time out from his amateur tree husbandry exploits, provided fine support for Wall, displaying his trademark cut during a fine 61 not out.
Wall brought up his hundred with a couple of lusty blows for six, finishing on 108 not out - a magnificent knock that saw the Strollers home and sealed a tour double of two fine victories.
A good catch-up was had with the Des Ormes team, a good bunch, before making our way to St Malo. The tour was rounded off with a lovely dinner where conversation and wine flowed as we reflected on a great couple of days of cricket, dining and tree husbandry.
Special mentions need to go to our Strollettes who held us all together and especially Maggie for scoring on a couple of hot days. A big 'thank you' also needs to go to Jim’s French and a special mention to Jo, who organised everything so spectacularly and smoothly.
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois…
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match report: Mike Daly.
Westminster
Wednesday July 27 in Battersea Park
Strollers won by 12 runs
Strollers 107-7
(16 overs; Oliver 30no, Travis 18, Stubbs 17)
Westminster 95-5
(16 overs; Wall 2-10, Stubbs 1-7, Travis 1-8)
Some time back towards the end of July the Strollers made their venue-debut - venue-debut!!! - at Battersea Park. I hardly need tell you what a big deal venue-debuts are.
Unfortunately I have few detailed recollections of the events that day. Due to a regular flow of personal admin assigned to me by Sarah 'Puss' Porter (my life partner) that I regret to admit has overwhelmed me, I have left the drafting of this report until early October. Alas, we are where we are.
Such is Puss's delight for assigning me tasks, she recently bought me a whiteboard (she does like to keep me in style) on which to keep track of them all. In order to avoid a recurrence of this dreadful piece of administration, I will suggest to Puss forthwith that she supplements my collection of administration tools with another, larger, whiteboard. Supplemented, if I am lucky, by a very broad range of coloured markers to use on it.
Something I certainly DO remember is suggesting to match manager Glen Oliver that for an occasion as auspicious as a venue-debut we really ought to have a commemorative playing strip designed and tailored - not dissimilar to the time my beloved Warriors played at Eden Park for the first time and wore a fetching and slimming all black jersey for the inevitable loss to those dreaded Roosters!
Unfortunately Oliver lacked the vision and strategic mind to see the merit in this idea, and I have been forced to channel my sartorial energies into wresting design control of next year's French tour garment (spoilers! It may involve a tie die one piece garment rather than the more traditional shirts!) away from Jim Hodgson. Which is a WIP.NTS: add to second whiteboard when it arrives.
Our captain of the day was Pete Robertson. A wonderful captain and a fine man. I greatly enjoyed his beard this summer on the few occasions we saw him. May his clean-shaven face rest in peace.
After winning the toss and thoughtfully stroking his follicled chin, he decided to bat first in a game of 16 overs per side. Opening the batting, I departed for a short-lived seven, bowled by a nip-backer trying to run the ball through vacant third man in classic Kane Williamson fashion (I am so very often compared to Kane Williamson).
Blair Travis had more success, making 18, including the deposit of a handsome maximum over the midwicket boundary. Further strong contributions were made by Oliver (retired 30 not out), Richie Stubbs (17) and sundries (21), setting Westminster a decent target of 108 to not just win the match; but more gravely, to scupper this most important of venue-debuts.
Freddie Clark and Tom Merilaht were entrusted with opening the bowling. Ashen-faced and hands trembling at the responsibility of avoiding venue-debut egg on our faces, they did a fine job before making way for myself and Stubbs to continue our attack of Westminster's chase.
Robertson is a positive captain, and there was to be no discussion of defending our total, lest that negative mindset cause us to go into our shells.
Ultimately we were successful in our attack of Westminster's attack of our initial attack, holding them 12 runs short of our total despite taking only five wickets, and conceding a whopping 38 sundries (40% of the total runs scored in Westminster's response-attack).
Were we particularly wayward with our bowling that day? Did Westminster's batters use especially thick/powerful thigh pads to rack up leg byes by the bucketful? Was wicketkeeper Lee Merryweather so distracted by the many young women jogging through Battersea Park in Lulu Lemon attire that he let through a sackload of byes? Better memories than mine would need to be enlisted to get to the bottom of this - I cannot tell you.
Looking at the scorecard I can confirm that I took two wickets with my Williamson-esque off breaks (complete with suspect action), Travis accepted a caught and bowled opportunity into his giant, John Low-esque mitts, and Stubbs made the first breakthrough by having a Westminster opener caught behind by Merryweather (before Merryweather became so distracted). There was also a run-out effected via my bullet arm.
I do remember the post-match beers in the sun a little better than the match I have described, but I'm afraid the pager Puss bought for me is beeping, which means I am late for one of our shared calendar planning meetings, so I must away. Cheerio.
Capt: Pete Robertson. Wkt: Lee Merryweather. Match fees: Glen
Oliver. Match report: Sarah Porter with the assistance of Rob Wall.
Bledlow
Sunday July 31 in Bledlow
Strollers won by seven wickets
Bledlow 159
(28.2 overs; Wall 4-50, Macaulay 2-2, Brian 2-33, Brodbeck 1-14, Smith 1-23)
Strollers 164-3
(34.3 overs; Travis 89no, Wills 27, Oliver 22no)
Twenty-two fine athletes were prepared to walk out onto the pitch on a fine July day. They had spent months preparing for this contest.
Delays on major thoroughfares impacted a number of the Strollers team who had forsaken the opportunity of turning up to a packed Wembley Stadium to see the English Women’s Football XI (aka The Lionesses) take on the German Women’s XI (aka Die Nationalelf). The twenty-one not so fine athletes who turned up at Bedlow on a very warm but somewhat overcast July day with their teas packed with their kit were in for a possibly less stressful afternoon.
True to expectations, skipper Glen Oliver had lost the toss before the majority of the Strollers made it to the ground. Once all had arrived they took to the field. This sported a rather better tan colour than the majority of the Strollers, but with an attractive green square in the middle. Three sides of the ground had mature trees with the remaining side hosting an old single track railway of the preservation society variety, and it was most impressive to see that the several trains that passed by during the afternoon all managed not to delay proceedings by arriving when the bowler was active at the other end.
James Dela Rue and Tom Salvesen were appointed to take the new ball and failed to create many wicket-taking opportunities in the first eight overs, with a solid Bedlow opening partnership disposing of the less accurate deliveries. Rob Wall and Rowan Smith then took over the mantle with progress initially remaining similar.
After Rob’s first three overs he was inspired to ask keeper Gus Wills to stand up to the wicket, resulting in a delay whilst a helmet was obtained from the changing room. This immediately led to the breakthrough as James Zobel succumbed to a good length ball and edged into the (almost) unmoving gloves of the keeper.
So often a game can change following the slightest bit of inspiration. The next three batsmen scored only one run between them with Wall kindly letting Smith share the spoils. The pressure exerted by the Strollers was starting to tell, and led to the moment of the match. Bedlow opener James Basu, having executed a fine innings of 50, succumbed to Wall. It was the first definite chance he had offered and the top edge flew up into the stratosphere in a vaguely midwicket direction. Alastair Macauley waited below. And waited. And waited. Strollers do not have the finest record with regards to holding their chances but in this case experience showed and the catch was securely held.
With the fall of this wicket, the ten-man Bedlow team were at 86-5 in the 19th over. Thomas Brian (who had travelled all the way from Kent to make his Strollers first class debut) was called on to bowl with Simon Brodbeck taking over from Wall.
Brian took his first Strollers wicket in his first over, with a style that may be described as out-Macaulaying Macaulay. This is often how Strollers take wickets and win matches. In the second ‘moment of the match’ and playing with the spin, Jim Spooner reverse-swept the ball directly into Wall's hands at gully. Brian's next, slightly longer, over resulted in another wicket. His third over, at 15 deliveries and conceding 13 runs, may be a Strollers record.
Wall and Macaulay were then called upon to finish things off. Wall expressed the sentiment that he was not interested in his averages. No matter, because the spoils went to Macaulay with a lobbed catch being taken by Smith at cover off his third delivery.
With the Strollers having only bowled 25.3 overs and Wall looking for a five-for, Bedlow were invited to send one of their young players back out for another go. This extended the game, allowing Wall to complete his allocation of eight overs before Macaulay bowled a straight one to end the innings with 159 on the board, the second-highest scorer being extras with 36.
With Blair Travis and Wills opening for the Strollers, things looked in capable hands. The run rate was calm and the opening bowlers seen off as were the initial overs of the next pair. Then with what seemed to be a moment against the run of play, Wills missed a straight one. This brought debutant Colin Dall, Wall’s uncle, all the way from New Zealand out to the crease for a few balls, to be followed by the briefer visit of Brian and then Oliver strode out to calm things down again.
Oliver’s mission seemed to be to both extend the game and encourage Travis, then only on 33, to achieve a century. Eventually it became clear that there were not enough runs remaining for the century to be achieved and the game ended…but didn’t. Oliver appeared to think that equalling the opposition’s score was sufficient, and turned down a second run. Once the position was clarified, he took just another few balls to send the ball to the rope to complete the fixture.
The Lionesses were still running around at Wembley as the Strollers enjoyed a beer, with some watching the big screen in the pavilion. Fewer were watching at the 1-1 end of normal time, but congratulations eventually went to England for their 2-1 victory over Germany, to the medal winners in the ongoing Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and to the victorious Strollers.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match report: Tom Salvesen.
Valley End
Sunday August 7 at Valley End
Strollers won by five wickets
Valley End 202-6 dec
(38 overs; Josh Shattock 3-11, Salvesen 1-33)
Strollers 203-5
(36 overs; Oliver 53no, Wall 41, Josh Shattock 37, Mike Shattock 25, Salvesen 21)
The Strollers have played Valley End for many years. During this time the club has risen to the top of the Surrey League and built a magnificent new ground with the aid of National Lottery money. A cleverly designed pavilion overlooks both pitches and the noise of the M3 is muffled by an artificial bank. The old ground over the road still exists but for the first time the Strollers played on the new facility. Like much of the South-East the ground is brown, bare and lightning fast in the outfield.
The Strollers were honoured with the welcome return of Mike Shattock and his son Josh. Mike had spent much of the last 15 years ferrying Josh to cricket, and this was about to turn out to be (almost) worth all those taxi miles.
A format new to the Strollers was suggested: a 77-over match with the first innings limited to 40 overs max and the draw possible. Skipper Glen Oliver went through the ritual of calling incorrectly so we were in the field.
James Dela Rue and Richard Bing opened the bowling. Valley End left-hand opener Stephen Wanigesekera was severe on anything short, peppering the offside boundary. Once the ball was past the fielder, it rushed to the fence. With Jay Sinclair at the other end, Valley End rattled along at seven an over with the opening bowlers plus Tom Salvesen and Ben Mangham toiling in the heat.. Wanigesekera decided to retire on 66 with the score on 128 off 21 overs, much to the Strollers’ relief.
It was then that Glen asked Josh Shattock if he could bowl and if so, what. Fast-medium was the reply. And so it proved, Josh bowled a match-changing spell of 3-11 from six overs, removing Sinclair lbw and numbers three and four bowled with quick in-swingers.
This changed the momentum of the innings. Alex Wunderley tried to take on the arm of Mangham at cover and was run out. Paige Copsey and the opening bowlers returned to drag the run rate back to five an over. Salvesen got a well-deserved wicket as Paige took a comfortable catch at short midwicket. At this point Valley End declared on 202 after 38 overs, leaving the Strollers 39 overs to score the runs.
And yes, there was glorious tea - sandwiches, pork pies, pizza, Jaffa cakes and Battenberg.
Josh Shattock and Rob Wall opened the reply, with Rob wearing the lucky rainbow headband that had served so well at Des Ormes. Both got going quickly, taking advantage of anything short and the Strollers were 75-0 after 10 overs. However, just before drinks in the 13th over Josh skied one to extra cover for a brisk 37. An over later, Rob nicked behind for 41 off Austin Reedman. Richard Bing made five before also nicking to the keeper for five off skipper Ed Walters.
The run rate was not an issue at this point but was a Strollers collapse in the offing? Oliver was joined by Mike Shattock, who had prepared with a midweek net. Mike, understandably, took a little time to get going, slightly hampered by a metal knee he didn't have the last time he played. They put on 50 in eight overs, as Mike replaced unneccessary singles with boundaries and Glen did the same.
Mike eventually missed a straight one and was bowled for 25. Salvesen replaced him and played a typical belligerent innings of 21, taking the Strollers to within five of the total before being bowled. In the meantime, almost unnoticed, Glen had moved to 51. Mangham knocked off the final runs to wrap up victory with a couple of overs to spare.
Treasurer Tom Wood turned up with a bagful of old stock Strollers shirts to sell off and a cap for James Dela Rue. The last small shirt went to Paige, the only Stroller who could fit into it. Burgers and Moretti were consumed in the evening sun.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: Alastair Macaulay.
Roehampton
Sunday August 14 on Putney Heath
Strollers won by 18 runs
Strollers 303-1
(35 overs; Travis 142no, Oliver 116no, Smith 20)
Roehampton 285-9
(35 overs; Wall 2-24, Love 2-32, Macaulay 1-20, Rogers 1-30, Wills 1-43)
The Strollers assembled on a fine summer’s day on Putney Heath, amidst yet another record breaking, sweat inducing, amber hot warning level heatwave; seemingly unconnected with climate change issues globally.
A more lurking issue was how badly the lads wanted Glen Oliver to win the toss. With an already restricted overs game (35 per innings) the players were praying to the sun gods to bless them with a win. And boy were they blessed, the sounds of Glen’s elation could be heard from 10 Downing Street having finally broken his 16-loss streak. Licking his lips like a feral dog Glen gingerly sent the opening pair into bat, with Gus Wills lurking in the bushes nearby still trying to find the ground.
There was a strong start for the Strollers with Blair Travis and Rowan Smith tucking into the opening bowlers. Blair settled into the young bowling pair whose line and length was very tight albeit a bit down the legside. Rowan unfortunately fell to an absolutely plum delivery by the tall opener with perhaps the heat being too much for him to handle. Glen - the captain my captain - Oliver came in next still glowing from the toss win; so excited was he so that he began pummelling the ball all around the ground.
The ominous wailing of crows could be heard in the mighty oaks but this potential omen did not afflict Oliver and Travis as they continued to smash, drive, dip and dodge their ways to a ludicrous second-wicket partnership.
They piled on an unbroken 260 for the second wicket, just failing to overhaul the record for that wicket - 270 by Mike Pittams and Jono Addis against the Weekenders in 2018. It is the fifth-highest stand for any wicket with Oliver himself nearly killing the crow in the tree in the final overs of the innings. Poor Steve Rogers from Auckland – making his Strollers debut after seeing our post on the Kiwis in London Facebook page - was left waiting in his pads for the entire first innings due to this incredible stand.
Having come from tea, which by the way was very much appreciated when many clubs seem to have stopped providing them, the lads began toiling away in the heat with the ball in hand.
Wills and the James DLR express put on impressive opening spells with an incredible high catch being taken by Dr Love right under Oliver’s nose. The early wicket helped pile the pressure on with further catches being taken when Love came on to bowl the second spell. Finally when Alastair Macaulay was rotated in he promptly had the skipper Sharan Wadhwani caught by Oliver for what was his 500th wicket for the Strollers since his debut in 1993.
A few more impressive catches came through from Smith and Wills, with one breaking the opening bowler-turned wicket keeper’s fingernail. Despite the fielding performance an impressive run chase was undertaken by the opposition with the team falling only a few runs short. Welcome refreshments were had at the Roehampton clubroom to round off a splendid day in the sun.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Rob Wall/Gus Wills.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: George Love.
Pinkneys Green
Sunday August 21 at Pinkneys Green
Strollers won by 85 runs
Strollers 276-8
(40 overs; Bing 91no, Oliver 36, Wills 30, Travis 28, Rogers 22, McCarthy 18, Saari 15)
Pinkneys Green 191-9
(40 overs; Macaulay 3-8, Samuel 3-31, Oliver 2-11, Wills 1-22)
The Strollers arrived at Pinkneys Green to find an edge of the block pitch had been prepared. With the irregular field dimensions, an outfield still feeling the effect of the recent heatwave, and several cars parked directly behind the eastern boundary mound, it looked like a good day to be a panel beater.
The captains met in not-quite middle and Pinkneys skipper Chris Harden suggested that the batsmen retire once they hit a ton [this may have been inspired by the feats of one Jono Addis, who hit 207 not out in 2010 and 201 in 2011 in consecutive matches at the ground. Mr Addis has now retired to New Zealand].
Uncharacteristically, Glen Oliver won his second toss in as many weeks and made the easy decision to bat first, sending in Joe McCarthy - a refugee from the Bank of England XI returning six years after his debut - and Blair Travis, who had racked up 231 runs without being dismissed in his previous two innings.
Blair was served up a knee-high full toss first ball of the innings which was appropriately dispatched to the boundary, as the openers got us off to a quick and comfortable start. Unfortunately, both fell quickly after one another with Joe top-edging a pull shot straight to square leg for 18 and Blair being bowled for 28 after the bowler hit one of several land mines at the pavilion end with the ball never rising more than a foot after pitching.
The middle order saw several starts with Steve Rogers - who in his debut at Roehampton last Sunday sat padded up for nearly the whole innings vainly waiting to come in - making a useful 22 before being bowled. Nick Saari, a baseball player from New York who had walked past a midweek game and signed up, came in for his Strollers and cricket debut. He proved to be adept at clubbing full tosses in the V, and stuck around until drinks to make an entertaining 15. Strollers skipper Oliver also departed after drinks for 36 after a thick outside edge.
Richard Bing, once of Melbourne, arrived at 141-6 and proved to be the glue that held the lower order together, hitting a Strollers career-best of 91 not out including smashing 24 off the penultimate over of the innings to get the Strollers through to 276-8. Batting partners Gus Wills (30), Evan Samuel (9) and Alastair Macaulay (5 not out) were happy to stick around, rotate the strike and watch the destruction from the other end. Notably, Richard and Evan’s eighth-wicket stand is thought to be the first time in many years that two Australians had batted together for the club.
In the field, Bing and Robert Wall opened with the ball, bowling to an annoying left-hand/right-hand combination as far as the fielding side were concerned. The openers bowled economically without reward as the opening batsmen seemed to make contact with anything straight and miss the outside edge on anything outside the off stump.
Wills and Travis kept the scoreboard pressure on, with disciplined bowling and a bullet arm from American cross-coder Saari in the outfield keeping the twos to ones, before Gus broke the opening stand with a catch from Rogers as Pinkneys looked to up the ante.
With the run rate required piling up, the rest of the innings saw wickets steadily taken throughout, with Samuel taking a wicket in his first over and a double-wicket maiden in his seventh. Oliver got two bowled in his brief spell after luring the batsmen into a false sense of security by spraying a few down the legside early on and making wicketkeeper McCarthy, who also had two stumpings for the day, do some work.
Strollers veterans Macaulay and Simon Brodbeck finished off the innings with some tidy bowling to the tail-end, with Alastair picking up three wickets including the second double-wicket maiden of the innings and a hat-trick ball blocked out by Pinkneys’ No 11. The last two batsmen batted out the remaining balls as the hosts eventually ended up on 193-9, keeping the Strollers’ winning streak going.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Joe McCarthy.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: Gus Wills.
Wall
Saturday August 27 in Lichfield
Strollers won by 41 runs
Strollers 258-3
(35 overs; Travis 92, M Daly 80, Merryweather 56no, Selby 10)
Wall 217-5
(35 overs; Calvocoressi 2-36, Selby 1-12, Macaulay 1-24)
The 2022 edition of the Three Counties Tour began, as ever, with the traditional fixture against Wall in Lichfield, where the Strollers play for the Patston/Edwards Cup. The cup is awarded to the winning team each year in fond memory of Strollers co-founder Peter Patston and Wall stalwart Ray Edwards.
Your intrepid match reporter, having arrived the best part of an hour late for the equivalent fixture last year, made amends by arriving a full hour early for this one and preparing a detailed conditions report for skipper Blair Travis. He was followed soon after by club President Maggie - multicoloured pencils at the ready - and most of the Strollers. Mark Fenn even managed to arrive at the correct ground on the correct day (see 2021 match report). The assembled Strollerettes (Kelly, Jo and Steph) decided the cricket was much less interesting than the potential of a hiking trail that conveniently ended at a pub, and set off for a "walk".
Travis negotiated batting first in a 35-over match, then demonstrated his intention to execute his master plan for the day to the letter, come what may. This impacted his preferred opener Mike Daly, whose appeals for mercy (“Would someone like to step up? I'm just sorting myself out”) - on account of still being in the car park at the scheduled start time - fell on deaf ears. Daly got his kit on in record time and strode out with Travis to face the first over.
The recent rain meant a rare sight in the 2022 season - a green outfield. Travis, who played a number of his favoured square drives and cuts, racked up a sequence of consecutive twos, appearing mildly offended to actually have to run for shots that had sailed to the fence earlier in the season. Daly solved the same issue by teeing off at anything in range, hitting a dozen boundaries on his way to a well-made 80. Travis cottoned on to the same strategy after drinks, hitting through the line to pepper the straight fence. He eventually fell for 92, prompting whispered mutterings of "jug avoidance".
Aidan Selby, with a rare weekend leave pass, came in at three and announced his intention to swing early, racking up a quick ten before being trapped in front by one of the best deliveries of the day. Lee Merryweather, fresh off his debut ton at Prestcold, came in at four and demonstrated admirable short form intent by attempting to hit his first ball into Daly's carpark - and completely missing everything. An over later, having pulled both his hamstring AND his calf trying to run, he decided he may as well keep swinging, racing to an unbeaten half-century in only 34 balls. Merryweather records his exertions with a heart rate monitor, and it turns out that a side benefit of being crocked is that your heart rate never gets above 130. With an average after two matches of 172, he may just be on to something.
There was only time for the briefest of cameos from Tom Salvesen before the Strollers innings came to a close at 258-3. The Strollerettes mysteriously reappeared just as tea was served, sporting hushed horror stories about being "attacked" by a herd of curious cows.
Ah, tea. Tea at WALL, no less. Made by the Wall skipper's wife Rae-Ann and daughter Maddison, this was a spectacular feast that could only have had one rational purpose: to utterly incapacitate the opposition. As the team came up for air after assorted sandwiches, cakes, scones and more, Travis suspected he had been conned by his opponent's gracious offer to bat first - it meant we had to field second. How is a human being supposed to function after that much fantastic food?
Salvesen was the unlucky nominee picked to answer that question, opening the bowling with a shiny new ball. He has developed an unfortunate reputation this season, bowling consistently well but failing to get just reward for his efforts. So it proved again, with four overs for ten runs to pile the pressure on, but without a wicket to show for it.
George Love, fizzing with his usual enthusiasm and promoted to share the new ball, also made a contribution - if by “contribution” one means “ensure Merryweather is moving his feet behind the stumps”.
George Calvocoressi was brought in at first change, pacing like a man insulted to be so demeaned. Given that his previous opening "spell" at the same venue lasted half of his very first ball (see 2018 match report), it might have been a wise precaution. Whatever the skipper's tactics, Calvocoressi bowled with real intent, richly deserving his two-wicket haul. However, your humble match reporter may owe him a beer, with the highlight of the spell being a nonchalant one-handed catch followed by a polite suggestion to the umpire that a double-bouncing dismissal off a “change-up”should diplomatically be called a no ball.
Jim Hodgson toiled for little reward, Mark Fenn served up a fascinating mixture of mince pies and unplayable bamboozlers, while Glen Oliver's first decent spell after breaking his own ribs with a sledgehammer (funny story, that...) returned nought for two painful bruises on his left hand. However, they collectively applied enough scoreboard pressure to allow Alastair “The Closer” Macaulay to take the key wicket, with Salvesen taking an excellent running catch at long-off. Travis himself chipped in with a well executed run-out.
With the match all but safe, Travis realised to his chagrin that he was two overs short of bowling at one end. What to do, what to do? Bowl himself, having top scored? Ask Merryweather, replete with pads, pulled muscles and bad shoulder? Nay, declared Travis, the solution was to ask Aidan "Most Entertaining Over" Selby to add some levity to the day's proceedings. Making additional space in her scorebook, President (and chief statistician) Maggie was heard to remark “this should be entertaining”. However, it appeared that Selby had spent the summer in the back yard, bowling off the long run at his officially-paid-up club member son Rhys (age 4). He failed to bowl a single extra in two overs, and even took a wicket after surprising the batsman (and most of his own teammates) with a straight one. He celebrated by pumping a fist at your bemused correspondent, reminding him that he, Selby, was actually the "real" bowler.
The match ended with Wall 41 runs short of the Strollers' strong total. Following the presentation of the cup, the Strollers retired to a wonderful dinner from Pascal at The Old Vicarage (which will sadly be closed by the time the club returns for next year) to ponder strategy for the following day at Stanton-by-Dale.
Capt: Blair Travis. Match report: Glen Oliver.
Wkt: Lee Merryweather.
Stanton by Dale
Sunday August 28 at Stanton
Strollers won by 93 runs
Strollers 289-6
(40 overs; Oliver 108 ret, Love 74, M Daly 33, Merryweather 23, Calvocoressi 15, Travis 14no, Fenn 11)
Stanton by Dale 196
(38.2 overs; Taylor 3-4, Travis 3-30, Salvesen 1-18, Fenn 1-20, Macaulay 1-41)
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
You keep me rockin’ all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollars when you’re just in my hand
As the clock ticked over midnight, following a delightful three-course dinner at Pascal at The Old Vicarage, which left more than a few of the Strollers touring party feeling a million dollars, the custom passing of the baton was completed with traditional pomp and fanfare.
Entrusted Wall match reporter Glen Oliver duly laid to rest his blunted pencil and made way for your willing scribe to diligently record all incidents of mischievousness and unscrupulous behaviour occurring in the wee hours at Pascal’s, as well as (very importantly) recording the events of cricketing superlative later in the day at Stanton by Dale.
So eager and willing, your scribe ferociously began a clandestine operation of scribbled note-taking of excruciating detail with which to refer back to in a future sober state. Unfortunately, somewhere amidst the copious wine consumption and a late evening spent recounting 40-odd years of Strollers folklore spoken by Maggie Patston, Mark Fenn, Alastair Macaulay and Jim Hodgson, said notes containing nuggets of embarrassingly truthful facts were subsequently confirmed to be LOST.
Faced with this predicament, your scribe has elected to supplement a fuzzy memory by creatively interpolating the main events past midnight. Mike Daly was anointed Chief Hydration Officer for the hour or so until closing, and swiftly enacted a bottle-and-a-half of wine to headcount ratio. A substantial quantity of red wine was souvenired, some for the walk back to the Riverside Hotel and some for Sunday Roast dinners to come in future months ahead. Indeed, it was Daly himself who was later found wandering randomly the wrong footpath of a suburban Branston street.
As the stragglers headed back to the comforts of the accommodation and tucked themselves into bed for some much needed sleep, it was Oliver who posted a demonstrative video to WhatsApp forewarning uneducated Strollers how to correctly turn on and off a bathroom tap at the Riverside Hotel. Hamish McDougall is another excellent source should Oliver’s demonstration have left any doubt on how to perform this task (refer to 2021 Stanton by Dale match report).
The next morning, the task of locating the Stanton by Dale cricket ground proved harder for some. Travis and Fenn, who to his credit was in the right location on the correct day, were hopelessly wandering up the wrong footpath in search of the ground and over the many stiles mentioned in the tour guide, completely in the opposite direction needed. Daly and George Love were conspicuously late, especially given the fact Love was forewarned at dinner the night before of the high likeliness of opening the batting the following day. George Calvocoressi had the misfortune of a satnav malfunction, exploring the Derby countryside 30 miles away, having accidently punched in DS74 4QF rather than DS7 4QF.
Skipper Oliver negotiated the toss with Stanton and to the relief of pretty much all Strollers who indulged the evening before, elected to bat first in a 40-over match. The main highlight was Love and Oliver’s 103-run partnership for the third wicket. No 3 Love, adopting Oliver’s trademark look by batting in sunglasses, scored a career-best 74. Oliver, batting at No 5, notched up a century at Stanton by Dale for the second consecutive year, retiring undefeated on 108. Oliver was ruthless, hitting five sixes in his 68-ball knock. The Strollers ended with a score of 289-6.
Many thanks go to Tricia Taylor and Steph Turner for the sumptuous tea on offer, which forever remains a highlight of the Three Counties tour.
In reply, Stanton were bowled out for 196. Tom Salvesen bowled one of the openers without scoring, whilst Fenn ably demonstrated the old age adage ‘shit gets wickets’ with a pie that the wickets got in the way of. Ridiculously, the remaining of Fenn’s deliveries in his six overs were absolute peaches which went wicketless.
With the pitch favouring spin bowling, Macaulay picked up a wicket in his first over. Travis used the slope to his favour to aid his off-breaks, picking up 3-30 in seven overs. Travis’s spell included the sporting call back of No 8 Athirupan to the crease after Travis shamefully bowled the 11-year-old first ball with a fluffy delivery outside off stump that was definitely not intended to dismiss the batsman.
However, the real plaudits go to Brian Taylor with an impressive spell, playing against his own club, who turned in career-best figures of 2.2 overs, 3 wickets for 4 runs to finish off the Stanton innings. And Taylor insists he has retired from the game!
The Tranter Cup was comfortably retained by the Fleet Street Strollers for another year. There were customary speeches, photographs and ice-cold bottles of lager which were steadfastly consumed before the tourists departed. Dinner was taken at The Bridge Inn. Simon and Kathy Brodbeck jetted down from a wedding in Glasgow to arrive just after the soup on Sunday night and were able to join the party to raise a touring glass to Peter Patston and Ivor Fiala.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Match report: Blair Travis.
Wkt: Lee Merryweather.
Sutton on the Hill
Monday August 29 at Sutton
Strollers won by three wickets
Sutton on the Hill 233-6
(40 overs; Macaulay 2-6, Travis 2-31, Calvocoressi 1-25, Oliver 1-32)
Strollers 235-7
(36.2 overs; Salvesen 54, Love 46, Oliver 25, Travis 25, Calvocoressi 17, Hodgson 16no, Brodbeck 10no)
Sunday evening was a rather more sober affair with several Strollers sticking to the carbonates. Consequently most of the Strollers touring party arrived at Sutton on the Hill on time for the 12.30 start. Newbies were bemused by their first sight of the undulating outfield. There was also no running water due to a burst pipe so the instructions were that gentlemen were to avail themselves of the nearby hedge and ladies could use the toilets. By a miracle Severn Trent Water later turned up to fix the water (on a bank holiday!). Clearly STW had heard that the Fleet Street Strollers were in town and that Rupert Murdoch was keeping wicket and the water company wanted to avoid bad publicity ("WicketLeaks as water boss fat cats enjoy bumper payday").
There was no toss as we wanted to bowl first and Sutton wanted to bat in a timed match. Despite the lack of water for the pitch, it looked a belter. However, as we only had 10 listed to play, we were at a disadvantage in the field as a couple were very late - Mark Fenn had chosen to return to Stanton by Dale for no apparent reason and was an hour late. We were able to borrow a fielder, Simon Roderick, who last played about seven years previously, but was nonetheless rather nimbler than the rest of us. He was later to bowl a marathon stint for Sutton.
Matt Harding and Robert Martindale set off at a brisk rate and threatened a big score. Jim Hodgson struggled to find his length and Tom Salvesen bowled his customary away swing without inducing the edge. Skipper Alastair Macaulay was forced to turn to Glen Oliver rather earlier than he would have liked and a gripping battle began with ball beating both stumps and bat many times. When was the last time that Glen bowled nine overs?
Eventually Martindale nicked to Blair Travis at slip to leave Sutton still going well at 96-1 after 16 overs. Harding continued to score but was bowled by Travis for a very good 70 with the score 146. There was then a mini-collapse as George Calvocoressi had Nigel Harding caught by keeper George Love and Blair got a caught and bowled.
Thoughts of mopping up the rest faltered as Mike Wenn and Bryan Land Snr took a liking to the bowling of Fenn in particular.
Brian Taylor helped reduce the run rate with his left-arm twirl and Macaulay snaffled a couple of wickets with his only over. Sutton finally declared on 233-6 after 40 overs. The Strollers were happy enough to have dragged the scoring back and if we got 35-37 overs back, we were facing about six an over on a high-scoring ground. This is, after all, the new era of BrodBall.
Love, fresh from his 74 the previous day, and Fenn opened the batting. Mark smacked a six into the fence but was then bowled round his legs for eight. Travis and Love kept the score moving against decent bowling. George hit three consecutive boundaries as the scoring rate kept up to six an over. Blair was going nicely on 25 when he skyed one from the otherwise expensive Martindale to Matt Harding at cover, who juggled it before hanging on. George was then bowled by Roderick for a bright 40
As the 20 overs started, the Strollers were on 109-3 needing 125 to win. Salvesen was at No 4 as he had a 19th birthday party to attend. He and Oliver put on 33 for the fourth wicket when Glen chopped onto his stumps for 25. Salvesen and Calvocoressi then put on what proved to be a crucial stand. Tom made his 50 off 45 balls and with George put on 65 for the sixth wicket. Both were dismissed by Matt Harding in quick succession though (Tom for 54 and George for 17 caught by sub fielder G Oliver).
Tension was mounting in the visitors’ enclosure as 34 runs were still needed off six overs. Jim Hodgson was joined by Macaulay and they put on 15 before Alastair was bowled by Matt Harding (probably a blessing as he failed to get a bat on a single ball that over).
Simon Brodbeck joined Jim with 24 required off four overs. Matt Harding, perhaps not used to bowling at left-handers, dropped a couple short which Simon dispatched for four to great cheering from the boundary. Ten needed off two but a five-wide in the penultimate over tipped the balance and Simon was able to hit the winning runs with four balls to spare. There's a reason he was our leading run-scorer for years. Jim finished with 16 not out and Simon 10 not out as joy was unconfined on the sidelines. It was the most competitive match of the tour with a last over finish - the way it should be.
The Strollers and Sutton enjoyed post-match drinks in The Holly Bush in Church Broughton.
Postscript: Kathy Brodbeck was there to enjoy the triumph and possibly inspired by events at Sutton, asked Simon to take her to Lord’s to The Hundred, which by all accounts she enjoyed. No doubt we'll be expected to take the field in coloured clothing and major snack brand sponsorship (the Werthers Originals maybe). When she asks to go to Trent Bridge on a chilly April morning for day 4 v Northants, his work is complete.
C apt and match report: Alastair Macaulay.
Wkt: George Love.
The Lee
Sunday September 4 at The Lee
Strollers won by 65 runs
Strollers 333-4
(40 overs; Smith 94, Oliver 91no, Rogers 57no, Travis 54, Calvocoressi 10)
The Lee 268
(38.3 overs; Travis 2-0, Macaulay 2-9, Copsey 2-44, Ben Mangham 2-47, Hodgson 1-27, Harry Mangham 1-60)
The day started not unusually with concerned messages on the WhatsApp group. There was a snarl-up on the M25 threatening the arrival times of half the team. Lee, having elected to field in the rather premature toss, asked to borrow a fielder. Harry Mangham, your narrator, was parachuted into enemy territory and, though delayed by an hour, the game at last commenced.
The opening partnership was unremarkable as Ben Mangham and Blair Travis took turns accumulating dots and profiting from wides. In the fourth over, Mangham, facing a c.13-year-old Freddie Glasgow, jabbed at a wide ball down leg with the edge going through to similarly juvenile wicketkeeper, Sam Harris. Harry Mangham, at cover, hid his fury at the wicket, laughing loudly and abusing the old man as he walked back, disheartened, to the clubhouse.
Rowan Smith emerged at No 3. He got off the mark with a ropey edge to an absent second slip region but soon got his eye in. The expansive drives which had initially glanced balls to the slip cordon, started thumping them to the cover boundary.
He reached his 50 in good time as the team’s score raced from 50 to 100 and reached 150 in just 23 overs. Travis similarly found form with some trademark straight drives and brought up his 50 in the 24th. A 300+ score seemed inevitable.
The 26th over, however, saw Travis bowled by Jon Swain with Smith following in the next, bowled by Dom Norton. Though George Calvocoressi started strongly with early back-to-back fours, he was soon caught by Rob May having skied an attempted pull.
This brought captain Glen Oliver and, most recent Kiwi conscript (as of 2:48pm 13/09/2022), Steve Rogers to the crease. They scored fluently and passed the 200 and 250 marks with ease, accelerating appropriately as they reached the 35th over.
Oliver quickly made 50 and pressed on with some eye-catching sixes. Though initially trying to get his captain on strike, Rogers too started thumping the ball about, clearing the rope several times on his way to 57 not out. With 41 coming off the 39th and 40th overs, the Strollers finished with a commanding total of 333 with Oliver 91 not out.
The tea was a spectacular affair. Pizzas, scones, sausage rolls, baguettes and more swamped the aching trestle table. The Strollers, though beginning gingerly, were soon tearing through the spread like a swarm of locusts. Seconds, thirds and even fourths were devoured as the opposition side looked on with glee. This was not their first rodeo.
With a large total on the board, but even larger stomachs, the Strollers waddled back onto the field ready for the second act. Calvocoressi and Jim Hodgson, drawing the short straws after such a thorough feeding, opened well with Hodgson taking May’s edge first ball. He continued this tidy bowling with two maidens, however Tom Tillyer and No 3 Sam Harris soon found their feet and the boundary fence, cannily having decided not to eat their body’s weight between innings.
Harris, who it transpired was an up-and-coming cricketer of high regard in the Chiltern corridor, utilised an unorthodox batting style to good effect. He targeted the mid-wicket boundary with some agricultural pulls, punishing anything short. After eight overs and the tea causing some, quite disturbing, sounds and scents, Hodgson and Calvocoressi were replaced with H and B Mangham.
After a surprisingly tight first over, H Mangham’s second reverted to type and Harris gorged on some full bungers before sending a fourth straight to Hodgson at deep square leg. None were more surprised than Hodgson himself that the catch stuck and Harris’s entertaining 44 was over.
The Mangham duo bowled enigmatically. Some deliveries were of impeccable length, shape and movement, missing the edge by a whisper. Some were full beamers/rank drag downs and received the pumping they deserved. Tillyer, who had begun to play more aggressively, was undone by a clever B Mangham slower ball, skying it to Oliver at mid-on.
Neil Glasgow and Mike Harris played the oscillating deliveries on merit, dispatching the poorer balls while watchfully prodding at the better ones. They put on nearly 70 as N Glasgow brought up a well-made 50.
Paige Copsey, who had recently replaced H Mangham, started tightly and with her third ball tempted Glasgow with a fuller delivery. He attacked it and sent the ball straight to a grateful Rogers at cow corner. Shortly after she had Harris too, caught behind of a leading edge. B Mangham then took his second. New man Swain drove weakly to Copsey at cover and with this Lee had lost three wickets for 19 runs. Ed Boakes and Chris Pearson rebuilt the decaying innings well, maturely playing Copsey and Rogers and steering Lee from a paltry 185-6 to a more challenging 264-7 in just 11 overs.
69 needed from five overs. The batsman were in and the boundaries were small, this was doable.
Oliver, however, had one more trick up his sleeve. Stroller cornerstones Travis and Alastair Macaulay were called upon and took no mercy. Four wickets for four runs later and the game was over, Lee finishing all out for 268, 65 runs behind the mighty Strollers.
We shook hands and shared drinks with the amiable opposition, though the added layer and darker evening hinted to all that summer was on its way out.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Gus Wills.
Match fees: Jim Hodgson. Match report: Harry Mangham.
Marlow Park
Sunday September 11 in Marlow
Strollers lost by seven runs
Marlow Park 205-8
(40 overs; Oliver 3-19, Wills 3-33, Macaulay 1-21)
Strollers 198-9
(40 overs; Pittams 73, Wills 24no, Wall 22, Oliver 21)
An unseasonable few days of heavy rain proceeded the Strollers’ visit to the lovely Marlow Park field, just a stone’s throw from the Thames. Combined with an uncovered block, we were presented with a green and sticky pitch so Oliver won the toss and happily put Marlow into bat.
Cue a couple of important sartorial notes. Rob Wall has evidently recently discovered the meaning of power clash,and arrived in a resplendent combination of Strollers blazer and rainbow striped shorts. Numerous passers-by on the village green could be seen looking over with indescribable expressions. As the Strollers headed into the changing room to don their whites, Alastair Macaulay decided to add his own personal flourish - the rarely seen whites-with-a-brown-leather-belt. A lack of belt loops on his cricket trousers was no obstacle to this fashion pioneer as he alleged that the trousers were borrowed due to leaving his only pair on tour up North a couple of weeks earlier. Or was he simply trying to steal some of Wall’s limelight?
Tom Salvesen and James “Raylord” Dela Rue took the new ball. A pair of contrasting opening batsman met the attack as Vaughan Van Der Linde immediately started swinging at anything remotely loose and kept the scoreboard ticking over, while Kyle Bradley was much more circumspect.
A surprising lack of assistance from the pitch and some slippery landing areas meant hard toil for the quick bowlers. Peter Wood and Wall took over and experienced a similar lack of success. The opening breakthrough finally arrived just before drinks thanks to a chancey run-out. A thunderous aerial cover drive was aimed straight at Mike Pittams at short cover, He couldn’t quite hold onto the catch but recovered quickly to catch the non-striker lazily wandering down the pitch ball-watching and Glen Oliver was there to whip the bails off.
Post drinks, Oliver picked up three wickets in a sharp spell of 3-19 and was able supported by Gus Wills with 3-33 as the runs proved harder to come by. Marlow Park eventually finished with 205. Opening bat Bradley top-scored with 57 after battling through close to 35 overs.
Pittams and Wall set about the run chase in very efficient fashion, picking off the opening bowlers to the tune of nearly six runs an over. Pittams in particular took advantage of anything short, knocking two big sixes over to the road.
The pace of the pitch continued to slow down through the day and as Marlow Park transitioned to the slower bowlers the required run rate started to creep up. After Wall departed for 22, Steve Rogers joined Pittams and steered the Strollers through to a very comfortable looking 100-1 at drinks.
Straight after drinks the match took a turn as Rogers, Neil Devereux and Wood departed cheaply. Shortly thereafter Pittams fell for 73 to an outstanding leg-side stumping. Oliver and Salvesen steadied the ship briefly but the steadily increasing run-rate pressure lead to the first of three run-outs as the Strollers chased anything on offer. A game 26 not out from Wills kept things interesting but ultimately we fell seven short, ending the 40 overs at 198-9.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Gus Wills/Rob Wall.
Match fees: Jim Hodgson. Match report: Peter Wood.
Concorde
Sunday September 18 in Send
Strollers won by five wickets
Concorde 226
(38.1 overs; Rogers 3-35, Copsey 2-26, Macaulay 1-0, Smith 1-10, Oliver 1-20, Dela Rue 1-33)
Strollers 230-5
(37.1 overs; Pittams 138no, Smith 60, Wall 13)
The final match of the Strollers’ 2022 campaign arrived and along with it some milder playing conditions as the English autumn began. Greeting the visitors was a grassy wicket and outfield overlooking a spectacular backdrop of picket fences, a vintage red brick club house and stretching farmland.
The toss went the way of Concorde and so the Strollers bound onto the field ready to give them hell. Opening the bowling was Richard Bing and the ever reliable James Dela Rue. An extended opening spell was tidy and economical although it yielded just the sole wicket to Dela Rue, who drew opener Jody Mycroft into a false drive thanks to a cunning slower ball. The chance was cleanly taken at short cover by Mike Pittams, which transpired to be far from the highlight of his day.
Once the openers had had enough, G squared (G. Love, G. Oliver) were then tossed the cherry in the hopes of breaking the deadlock. George Love’s effort was undeniable but had better days execution wise. Glen Oliver on the other hand left a perplexed Nick Freeman with his stumps skittled and no doubt wondering en route back to the pavilion how such a short and seemingly laconic run-up resulted in a hand grenade rather than a docile offie.
The Strollers continued to share the ball around with nine bowlers used to unsettle the Concorde line-up who, with the exception of a couple of admirable lone hands, could never collectively get going and build meaningful partnerships.
Chief destructor of the middle order was new Surrey resident and Kiwi tweaker Steve Rogers, whose magical spell of 3-35 bamboozled the home team. The help of the field was not required, with two victims clean bowled and the other falling to a feather edge straight into the gleeful hands of fill-in keeper Rowan Smith.
The versatile Smith then claimed a wicket of his own after palming off the keeping gloves to Rob Wall. With six wickets now down, Paige Copsey chimed in with a handy two victims and Alastair Macaulay claimed one off his very first ball. There was little else left to do as Concorde threw the bat and the innings drew to a natural close. They had edged themselves to 226, a target the Strollers backed themselves to chase.
Tea came and went in a relative hurry, with concerns about the retreating UK summer sun sending nominated openers and close friends Pittams and Wall to the crease. Wall was looking solid and hungry for a big score, easing to 13 before being run out in desperately unlucky circumstances as the bowler laid a faint finger on a Pittams straight drive which crashed into the bowler’s stumps.
Love strolled out to the crease full of confidence and ready to continue on from his stellar form at Stanton by Dale but was instantly sent back to where he came from, caught and bowled for a golden duck, as a tennis ball like bounce resulted in a simple catch lobbed back to the bowler. As he trudged back, we can only assume the only thing on his mind was a cold brew at the close of play – it just wasn’t his day.
With two wickets falling in quick succession, Concorde had started to get their tail up. A buzz had started to murmur round the field as fresh victim-to-be Smith walked out from the clubhouse. Game face on, he quickly changed the narrative, putting on a mammoth partnership of 139 with Pittams and effectively snuffing out the resistance as the game began to descend into a foregone conclusion.
When Smith eventually fell for 60, Pittams went on an all-out ruthless assault, sending dejected Concorde fielders regularly trotting off to all parts of the field. With 60 left to chase, a sequence over only a few overs play read ‘4 4 4 1 4 2 4 4’.
Further batsmen joined him at the crease but at this point were effectively required to be no more than spectators with the best seats in the house, scarcely required in combining for only five of those remaining runs. It was official – the Pittams show had begun and was here to stay until the end of play.
It was an innings of breathtaking power and brute force. The Concorde bowlers must have been fearful bowling straight lines for fear of having their head taken off with a full-blooded drive in response. There were overs left to spare and victory could have been cruised to, but Pittams and the Strollers were sending a message.
The day’s play concluded with a memorable occasion for Paige Copsey, who upon completing her 10th game for the Strollers was awarded with her baggy maroon after a touching speech from skipper Oliver. In doing so, she wrote history by being the first female Stroller to achieve the honour.
A friendly hosting team, the requisite bitters were consumed and jovial conversation had. Once the formalities were complete, with another win under the belt, the Strollers went on their merry way – job done.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: Rob Wall/Rowan Smith.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: Richard Bing.
Ibstone
Sunday September 25
Match cancelled
The early 2022 season opener against Bottom Paddock near Masterton in the Wairarapa Valley was cancelled thanks to biblical rain and covid clouds. It left match supremo Piers Ovenden in despair and Hamish McDougall, on 6153 runs, still 44 tantalisingly short of Tom Wood in the all-time runscorers’ list.
The domestic season start was, as is usual, at Great Missenden Pelicans and already there were problems assembling a side:
Being Easter Sunday and everyone seemingly disappearing on a trip away, match manager Blair Travis had his work cut out. How Blair contrived to assemble 11 players we will never know, but arriving at the ground with a full side seemed like a victory before a ball was bowled.
Litlle did we know that those words would become a disturbing refrain throughout the summer.
The Strollers slipped to defeat against the Pelicans, but not before history was made:
The Strollers entered the 2022 season needing 46 to chalk up their 200,000th run since that first game against Docks Athletic in 1976. The defining moment came in the 17th over, bowled by Amir Jafri, when swashbuckling opener Ben Mangham received a high full-toss which was called a no ball. He duly hit the delivery for four and the scoreboard of history chalked up another milestone.
On to Royal Ascot, where we returned after several years. Last-ball drama as Paige Copsey proved the hero of the hour. Match reporter Alastair Macaulay conveyed the mail-biting tension:
The story so far: The Strollers, set 187 to win, need three runs off the last over. Tom Salvesen and Mat Haworth at the crease. Jim Hodgson, Paige Copsey and Alastair Macaulay to come. Simple you would think, but this is Strollers cricket.
First ball: Tom hits a two, so scores are level.
Second ball: No run.
Third ball: Tom hits the ball straight to a fielder, Mat calls a run (not his call) and Tom is run out by a distance.
Fourth ball: Mat is now facing and misses. Jim is at the other end, primed to sprint as soon as the bowler releases.
Fifth ball: Mat is bowled for a splendid 75 having been in since the second over. His speed between the wickets probably gained us 10-15 runs. Needs to work on his calling though.
Sixth ball: Paige comes to the crease. In the excitement she has forgotten her inner gloves and thigh pad to face their opening quick bowler. A long discussion with Jim on the way to the wicket - his advice is to bat a pace or two down the wicket. All she need do is get bat on ball. Joe Warren steams in and sportingly it is neither bouncer or at the ribs. Wide of off stump, Paige guides it to gully and sprints to the other end. Gully fumbles it and Jim is well home.
The Strollers rush onto the field and metaphorically carry Paige aloft off the pitch as the hero of the hour and saviour of Strollers blushes.
At Coleshill more agony and glorious victory. Jordans Taverners, on 175-6 chasing 184 for victory fell to 179 all out thanks to Travis and Glen Oliver.
The author of this seasonal review cannot resist pointing modestly to a crucial passage in Travis’s match report:
The main highlight for the Strollers to this point was Simon Brodbeck, who took two outstanding catches at torso height whilst fielding at mid-off, each off fearsome drives, displaying textbook technique using soft hands to absorb the impact and give with the ball. The catches, to the delight of the rest of the Strollers that each had stuck in the palm of his hands, came at crucial moments and saw key batsman dismissed, wrestling the match back into equilibrium.
Coleshill, it should be sadly noted, no longer exist as a club. Their beautiful ground is now hired out to Jordans and to Amersham’s 3rd XI. Where once they ran two league sides on a Saturday and a friendly Sunday team, they now have no teams. A metaphor for our times?
On to Ripley and, dare I say it, more drama.
Simon Brodbeck’s "I’m at the Hanger Lane meeting place" call, was answered with a hoarse cough and choice expletive as it dawned on Kiwi debutant Gus Wills that he had slept through his alarm. He then rushed to Waterloo Station just in time to board the wrong train...which took him to deepest South London. There a despairing Wills hailed an Uber to Ripley.
At 149-4 chasing 155 for the win, Ripley (with just 10 men) looked home and dry. But twirlers Harry Mangham and Macaulay reduced the opposition to 154-8 with the last man at the crease. But there was to be no happy ending this time as the Ripley No 10 struck the winning boundary.
On the midweek scene, Khukuri pipped us by three runs and we emphatically did not win against The Bricklayer’s Arms by the monstrous margin of 79 runs. The running between the wickets hardly helped the Strollers cause:
Pete Cooper and Mike Daly traded shots and boundaries, but found themselves caught up in a Oliver-Selby-esque lovers-tiff which saw Daly M calling Cooper through for a run whilst the latter was on the floor in a press-up position. It could be argued that they left the required runs between the crease, but we’ll never know.
The clouds of availability soon took their toll. Demijohns, Maidenhead & Bray and Hurley (on the Jubilee weekend) fell by the wayside as we could not raise a side. Follies Farm (when we did have 11 men), fell victim to the weather.
Most frustrating of all, when we did manage to scratch together 11 men for the traditional trip to Sussex, West Chiltington announced that they had a T20 on that day and could not raise a second side.
The annual trip to the Cotswolds was notable for the fact that Simon Brodbeck was absent for the first time in history. He and Kathy were away at a wedding in the Isle of Wight.
But tour supremo Macaulay masterminded two victories – against new opponents Broughton Gifford (the club of Laurie Allsopp’s Dad) and Cricklade. The weekend began, as is traditional, with President Maggie Patston’s call to Bath:
Maggie extended the traditional invitation to assemble to enjoy liquid bonding exercises, fine dining and, in this case, some light gardening, as Brian Taylor and Jim Hodgson pulled up some weeds, ivy and brambles.
Most of the other Strollers arrived later in the afternoon and early evening, to enjoy a cooling drink on the patio before Maggie’s delicious dinner. Note that Mike Beale is pescatarian not vegetarian, so the roulade Maggie whipped up at short notice wasn’t strictly necessary alongside the salmon starter, but it proved a popular addition, as none remained after second helpings.
Boeuf bourguignon and Moroccan spiced chickpeas were helped down with several bottle of good claret. A pleasant burble of conversation continued through puddings and cheese, and perhaps another bottle or two.
Despite the sunshine being in short supply, the weekend proved a great success with George Love holding centre stage at The Green Dragon on the Saturday night with a poetic tribute to the dear departed Ivor Fiala.
Despite the best efforts of match managers Ben Mangham and Travis the player cupboard seemed barer than ever before. Crisis emails went out to the Strollers diaspora in New Zealand and the word was spread far and wide in an effort to find new bodies.
But it was an old body who began to turn the tide. Mike Pittams – he of the Shakespearian match report – came over on holiday from New York and declared himself keen and eager to play.
And how! His 112 not out [16 fours and three sixes] snatched an improbable victory at Peppard to lift the spirits of the troops and he followed up his matchwinning innings with an account in his unique style:
Daly continued his fine touch from the Cotswolds tour, and was particularly brutal (in an elegant sort of way. An elegant brute of a walking contradiction of an enigma of a man. Picture the right half of Roger Federer's body fused to the left half of Lawrence Dallaglio's) through the offside.
Wall was scratchy early, before finding his timing and taking a particular liking to the offerings of the off-spinner bowling first change. Where timing meets regal, is where you will find the Salt n Pepper Princess. The left-hand side of a Japanese Train, meets the right-hand side of Prince Albert (or should that read a Prince Albert?), is I think the analogy I’m looking for here.
The visit of Hurley to our Pinkneys Green ground ended in victory (thanks to 92 from Aidan Selby and 99 not out from Glen Oliver) but not much joy.
On the midweek front, we were outvoted by the Commons Old Boys. We shall draw a veil over our demolition by LJ Clark – “we had nine men and got thrashed” was one morose observer’s view of events. But Pittams (41 not out) brought his golden touch to give the beleaguered Midweekers their first victory of the season when the Ministry of Justice were duly sentenced to a seven-run defeat.
To Prestcold – and what was perhaps the finest display of the season. Odd that it should involve a 59-run defeat, but let me explain. Fielding and batting with nine men the Strollers restricted a strong Prestcold side to 280-5 and then made a valiant effort to reach the target. Or, rather, Lee Merryweather did:
Enter Merryweather. Just for context, Lee played for England in Masters indoor cricket. But he hadn't held a bat since his one outing for us midweek in 2016.
This makes his sensational 116, in searing heat and hobbling with three simultaneous injuries, even better - and made him only the fourth Stroller to score a ton on first class debut, following Suru Chowdhury (v Old Talbotians, 113*, 1990), Jono Morris (v Sutton on the Hill, 132, 2000) and Richard Gegg (v Sheepscombe, 150*, 2001).
The day ended, for some weary Strollers, in George Calvocoressi’s swimming pool.
Little did those Prestcold heroes know that defeat at Binfield Heath was to light the touchpaper for a 12-match winning run.
It began when Hodgson’s flotilla set sail for Brittany to defeat the French in their own backyard – or arrière-cour, as we call it in North London.
First, Nantes met their Waterloo. Which was notable for the curious dismissal of Macaulay. Match reporter Copsey saw it thus:
The penultimate ball was bowled to Macaulay, who made his way forward to the ball, kneeling for a sweep shot to render all previous sweep shots in cricket history meaningless – a heroic strike with visions of a flat, powerful contact for six, roaring past a flinching square leg and umpire. Sadly, this was not the case.
The flighted ball dipped, not quite reaching Macaulay on the full as he was expecting, pitching on the skipper’s front foot/big toe, confusingly popping up and over Macaulay’s shoulder, rolling down his back and making a beeline to the stumps. Played on? Hit wicket? Bowled? No one is quite sure but definitely out! Macaulay finished on a heroic 15.
On to St Malo and Des Ormes who, in the past, have proved tricky opposition. But the spin wiles of Brian Taylor (2-0) and the dashing batting of Rob Wall (108 not out) completed a tour clean sweep:
Continuing his steam engine metaphor, reporter Mike Daly wrote:
This brought the TranzAlpine, Rob Wall, to the crease, Wall had kept for 35 overs but showed no signs of fatigue and was quickly into service. The finest in the fleet built up a head of steam and initially targeted the short square boundary. Wall then started to bring the straighter boundaries into play at the expense of a few cricket balls into the lake.
Wall brought up his hundred with a couple of lusty blows for six, finishing on 108 not out - a magnificent knock that saw the Strollers home and sealed a tour double of two fine victories.
Westminster came to Battersea Park on July 27 and Wall, seemingly exhausted by his Brittanic exploits, has still (when the author of this review was writing on September 25) failed to file his match report. So who knows what happened – but we did win.
At Bledlow the trains were running on time and Travis’s 89 not out brought a victory which overshadowed England’s Lionesses down the road:
The Lionesses were still running around at Wembley as the Strollers enjoyed a beer, with some watching the big screen in the pavilion. Fewer were watching at the 1-1 end of normal time, but congratulations eventually went to England for their 2-1 victory over Germany, to the medal winners in the ongoing Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and to the victorious Strollers.
Valley End saw another blistering day and the welcome return of the cricket tea (now usually conspicuous by its sad absence) and the equally welcome return of Mike Shattock for his first appearance since 2011. Fortunately he brought son Josh along, who proceeded to bowl (3-11) and bat (37) us to a fine win.
The heatwave – and the winning streak – continued at Roehampton. Rowan Smith fell early but then Travis and skipper Oliver took over proceedings:
They piled on an unbroken 260 for the second wicket, just failing to overhaul the record for that wicket - 270 by Mike Pittams and Jono Addis against the Weekenders in 2018. It is the fifth-highest stand for any wicket with Oliver himself nearly killing the crow in the tree in the final overs of the innings. Poor Steve Rogers from Auckland – making his Strollers debut after seeing our post on the Kiwis in London Facebook page - was left waiting in his pads for the entire first innings due to this incredible stand.
We went to see our friends at Pinkneys Green, where Richard Bing and the cricketing debut of New Yorker Nick Saari proved the difference:
Nick Saari, a baseball player from New York who had walked past a midweek game and signed up, came in for his Strollers and cricket debut. He proved to be adept at clubbing full tosses in the V and stuck around until drinks to make an entertaining 15.
Richard Bing, once of Melbourne, arrived at 141-6 and proved to be the glue that held the lower order together, hitting a Strollers career-best of 91 not out including smashing 24 off the penultimate over of the innings to get the Strollers through to 276-8.
And then on to the delights of Staffordshire and Derbyshire (otherwise known as the Three Counties Tour for historical reasons).
Match reporter Glen Oliver set the scene:
The 2022 edition of the tour began, as ever, with the traditional fixture against Wall in Lichfield, where the Strollers play for the Patston/Edwards Cup. The cup is awarded to the winning team each year in fond memory of Strollers co-founder Peter Patston and Wall stalwart Ray Edwards.
The absence was noted of Simon Brodbeck (he and Kathy claimed to be away at a wedding in Glasgow and thus, for the first time in living memory missed the first two days).
The highlight of the day – as it was to be at Stanton - was the refreshments. The cricket tea may be disappearing from many a pavilion but in Lichfield – and the following day at Stanton – it was present in all its glory:
Made by the Wall skipper David Craig’s wife Rae-Ann and daughter Maddison, this was a spectacular feast that could only have had one rational purpose: to utterly incapacitate the opposition. As the team came up for air after assorted sandwiches, cakes, scones and more, Travis suspected he had been conned by his opponents’ gracious offer to bat first - it meant we had to field second. How is a human being supposed to function after that much fantastic food?
And the cricket? Well, Travis (92 not out) and Mike Daly (80) harvested their runs before attempting to consume their own weight in cakes. That helped…and victory was claimed by 41 runs.
To the Riverside Hotel and Stanton on the Sunday. George Love (I’m a batsman really, you know) scored a career-best 74 and together with Oliver’s 108 (I can barely walk you know; I’ve just broken my own ribs with a sledgehammer) they put on 103 for the fourth wicket to set a huge target.
Stanton fell short, largely due to an impressive spell by Taylor who, playing against his own club, turned in the stunning analysis of 2.2-0-4-3. Despite that, Taylor insists he has retired from the game. Having played twice a weekend for the past 50 years or so, Taylor has chalked up well over 2,000 games for Stanton. Will he return? Or will he be true to his word and hang up his flashing blade? And how will Tricia cope with having him around at weekends? And the tea? Well, we are still waiting for Travis's match report. Perhaps he was overcome after going back for thirds…
Simon and Kathy jetted down from Glasgow to arrive just after the soup on Sunday night and were able to join the party to raise a touring glass to Peter Patston and Ivor Fiala.
Thus they were all ready to leap aboard the third leg of proceedings on a glorious summer’s day at that most soothing of grounds – Sutton on the Hill.
There skipper Macaulay’s only over was recorded as 1-0-6-2 and Sutton posted a target of 234. Salvesen’s 54 off 45 balls was the key to the charge but the main characters in the late drama were the unlikely duo of Hodgson and Brodbeck.
Reporter Macaulay described the swelling act of the imperial theme:
Tension was mounting in the visitors’ enclosure as 34 runs were still needed off six overs. Jim Hodgson was joined by Alastair Macaulay and they put on 15 before Alastair was bowled by Matt Harding (probably a blessing as he failed to get a bat on a single ball that over).
Simon Brodbeck joined Jim with 24 required off four overs. Matt Harding, perhaps not used to bowling at left-handers, dropped a couple short which Simon dispatched for four to great cheering from the boundary. Ten needed off two but a five-wide in the penultimate over tipped the balance and Simon was able to hit the winning runs with four balls to spare. There's a reason he was our leading run-scorer for years.
Jim finished with 16 not out and Simon 10 not out as joy was unconfined on the sidelines. It was the most competitive match of the tour with a last over finish - the way it should be.
Hodgson and Brodbeck were carried shoulder-high through the cheering throng. Inspired by such heart-stopping drama, Kathy Brodbeck demanded to be taken to see this new phenomenon, The Hundred, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As match reporter Macaulay drily observed:
No doubt we'll be expected to take the field in coloured clothing and major snack brand sponsorship (the Werthers Originals maybe). When she asks to go to Trent Bridge on a chilly April morning for day 4 v Northants, Simon’s work is complete.
The weary tourists returned home, their work done. On to The Lee where Travis (54) and Smith (94) put on 158 for the second wicket, only for Oliver (91 not out) and Rogers (57 not out) to top that with an unbroken stand of 155 for the fifth wicket.
The Strollers set a giant total of 333-4 – the second-highest score ever posted by the club. In reply, those sneakers of wickets for their averages – Travis and Macaulay – posted 3.3-0-9-2 and 2-2-0-2 to complete the victory. But tea, again, was the highlight of the day:
The tea was a spectacular affair. Pizzas, scones, sausage rolls, baguettes and more swamped the aching trestle table. The Strollers, though beginning gingerly, were soon tearing through the spread like a swarm of locusts. Seconds, thirds and even fourths were devoured as the opposition side looked on with glee. This was not their first rodeo.
With a large total on the board, but even larger stomachs, the Strollers waddled back onto the field ready for the second act. Calvocoressi and Jim Hodgson, drawing the short straws after such a thorough feeding, opened well with Hodgson taking May’s edge first ball. He continued this tidy bowling with two maidens, however Tom Tillyer and No 3 Sam Harris soon found their feet and the boundary fence, cannily having decided not to eat their body’s weight between innings.
Handicapped by all those sausage rolls, The Lee fell short by 65 runs.
At Marlow Park the side was 100-1 at the teabreak, chasing 206. Simple really. Except that Mike Pittams (73) and his crew contrived to lose nine wickets for not very many and come up short by a tantalising seven runs.
Despite orchestrating that collapse, Pittams was retained for the following week and managed to redeem himself, hitting 138 not out in a five-wicket win at Concorde.
The final fixture of the 2022 season was meant to be at Ibstone. But they could not raise a side and despite the frenetic efforts of the fixture secretary no other opposition could be found.
Thus the campaign came to a frustrating close. But then the first half of the season was a frustrating experience in itself. Hours of emails and texts failed to raise sides. And when we did, the opposition found ways to cancel it from their end. The weather was kind and often glorious. A seven-week heatwave made matches a delight, even if it meant using vast supplies of sunscreen.
We found Rowan Smith, Gus Wills and, later in the season, Steve Rogers to give us a much-needed injection of new blood. It’s great to have them on board. And thanks to the stalwarts who made themselves available week after week to give us some chance of raising a side. We just need more of them…
Of the season’s 21 Sunday fixtures, we won 10 and lost 4. Rain ruled out Follies Farm. We could not raise a side for three games while the opposition pulled out of three matches. At the height of the availability crisis an existential debate began: Should we exist? Is this the beginning of the end of the Strollers? Is there a future?
Lots of questions, but not many answers. Although the situation eased in the second half of the campaign, we were still running a weekly crisis: Could we raise 11 bodies? Only on the final day of the season did we have more than 11 players to choose from.
The moral of the story is: we need more players. And players who want to appear regularly or semi-regularly. So, dear reader, your task during the long winter is to find some new recruits…or the Fleet Street Strollers face an uncertain future.
Any corrections and additions to match reporter Simon Brodbeck
|
