Blenheim Park Cricket Club

BPCC Entertained Ascott Under Wychwood who lasted visited the South lawn in 2007!

Malcolm (gone Bohemian) won the toss and elected to bat. Keyes perished in the first over being drawn forward with ball going through his legs to the keeper standing back who with some smart keeping (which was to become a feature of the afternoon – read on) threw down the wicket Keyes stranded out of his crease, slumped off to watch the football under the shade of the trees.

Enter Rupert Kelley to join Phil Boardman, after seeing off the openers and the odd play and miss it was clear that is probably only the variable bounce that was going to break this partnership  – Some excellent fours sizzling over the boundary ropes  Phil eventually played back and missed the ball LBW (48) Rupert accelerated past his half-century and eventually bowled for a great knock (61).

Malcolm (14) soon came and went which brought George Kerr (43) and  Alex Dellar (20) together – they managed to put on a rapid 67 runs in the final 6 overs which effectively took the game  away from the opposition posting a total of 208 – George in the process nearly taking the head off their captain who sustained an extremely sore hand (Thanks for ice pack Kate). Fielding in that heat was tough but dropping 9 catches did not help their cause.

Tea – Bl**dy marvellous!!  a cricket tea back on the menu – excellent thank you Megan. (Editor’s Note – Supplemented by the always excellent Vicky Sponge thanks to Mrs Kerr).

Walker (7/0/10) opened with usual steady line and length (and 2 maidens) and Stan the Man opened the other end. It wasn’t long before Stan had his first victim and then another !

Raj came on first change after Nigel’s economical spell their left hander was just starting to look dangerous picked a leg side double bounce ball for 4 and then Raj with his extra delivery managed that old half tracker down leg trick which said batsmen thought he had hit for six only for George Kerr to run in from the boundary to take a good catch (producing that familiar cry on the South Lawn – “well caught Kerr”!)

After that we seemed to get a little lax in the field trying to emulate Ascott with West, Dellar and aforementioned Kerr all putting down easy chances. Raj continued to weave his “magic” with a further two victims finishing on a credible 5/3/33. But by this time they were well behind the (huge) asking rate – Kerr R took a regulation catch in front of second slip given out, only for Malcolm to ask the (young) batsmen if he hit it (guess what he said?)  Malcolm withdrew the appeal and the batmen remained — not for long.

Batsmen came and went with Kerr taking a blinding stumping to dismiss their dangerous batsmen off Keyes (yes), who took a further two wickets, Dellar bowled an superb spell (7/1/11). Eventually with 9 down Phil Boardman came on and in his second over had their captain smartly stumped (second of the match) by Kerr R to wrap up the innings on 112 all out

A classic batting performance, built slowly, accelerated in the middle and then with that platform punished them in the last ¼.  

Nice opposition- we travel to their home in a month (We don’t – Ed)

(Long match report, so we must have won. Ed.)

Well firstly we arrived for a 2pm start and they had been waiting for ages for their 1pm start…

We managed to get to 10 including a Bletch U13 who had never played a men’s game before.

I lost the toss and we were put in to bat by a young and keen looking Medmenham sprinkled with experienced old hands.  Keyes and Boardman set about the task in their usual fashions against a strong opening bowling attack, especially Yarwood down the hill, his pressure contributing to Keyes perishing to the other opener.  Debutant Alex Dellar perished quickly with one that kept very low and cleaned him up, leading West to the wicket.  After seeing off the openers they started to accumulate with some good running and nice boundaries until West perished for 41 with base nicely set at around a hundred and ten overs to go. (Too many perishings. Ed)

Engel joined Boardman to keep the scoreboard ticking and then after an Engel retirement Kerr added an injection of boundaries until he too perished.  Boardman made it to a solid 50 and we started the final over of our 35.  Fleming was run out without facing a ball backing up as Boardman’s straight drive was deflected onto the stumps and then suicide running by Angol ran out a tired Boardman one ball short of carrying his bat.  The eager debutant Jordan (aged 12, in his first adult game) arrived at the wicket at the non strikers to witness Angol finish the innings with a four.  A respectable 152-6 achieved.

A grumbling Walker opened the innings up the hill to allow our young speed merchants to attack down the slope and to great effect.  Fleming, not seen in a Blenheim side for two years, has added about ten yards of pace and was swinging the ball nicely.  After a flurry of boundaries behind the wicket in the first over a rearranged field saw only three men fielding in front of the bat and the batsmen struggling.  Fleming bagged a lovely LBW before the introduction of Dellar down the hill.  Deller bowling a tad slower and just back of a length had the batsmen also struggling and bagged a catch 2^nd ball to an impeccably positioned West at mid on. (Implausible. Ed.)  Walker finished his spell nicely, 1-24 from 8 with Dellar 1-10 from 5 and Walker was replaced by Angol.

Angol started well with good control and a simple catch taken by Fleming.  Then after drinks saw the introduction of Jordan down the hill.  Considering it was his first adult match and first bowl on a full size wicket it was an amazing performance, nicely full and in the channel at a point in the game when they were looking to push on yet nervous to get out to a 12 year old. So it was a delight when last ball of his first over he bowled their dangerous skipper rocking back and misjudging the flight and pace.  The floodgates then opened and Angol started taking wickets at the other end.  First ball of Jordan’s 2^nd over also saw a clean bowled and the young man was on a hattrick…Which was very nearly taken the release hit just clearing short midwicket and not quite reaching short mid on.  Unfazed he bagged a 3^rd clean bowled in his third over as Angol ravaged the tail from the other end finishing his 4fr with a 2^nd catch by Fleming, this time sharp and low at short cover.  A fantastic bowling performance with Angol finishing with 4-17 from his 6.4 overs and Jordan 3-17 from his 4 overs.

Sometimes lady luck shines on you, the result all out for 98 looked convincing but could have been very different.  But for a first win of the season, especially after only having 8 men on Thursday evening, it was stellar. Everyone enjoyed it, always such great hosts and friendly opposition (who even offered us a spare fielder) and we look forward to their visit to the South Lawn next month.

Malc

The positives:

• First match vs. another great house
• Glorious weather
• Back-drop of the annual Blenheim jousting event & spectators admiring BPCC (I like to think!)
• Return of the teas – and Megan’s killer brownies!
• Oh!, and the cricket …

… started with Nigel running out the opposition’s dangerous looking opening batsman (Chopper was chopped, the axe fell early, etc). This set the tone for a good fielding performance – helped by two BPCC debutants – Gareth and Sandy – who also brought the team average age down by circa 10yrs. With some stunning catching (Sandy and Phil B, two apiece) and surprising bowling (yours truly, 4-23 and Stan 2-29) Chatsworth House reached 176-9 from their allocated 40 overs.

BPCC’s reply was notable for Sandy’s classy 37, and the oppo’s 5^th bowler’s hat-trick – Jake (bowled), Nick (LBW) and Allan (bowled) the unfortunate victims. This reduced BPCC to around 110-7. Seven quickly became 8 down and as the RRR climbed to 10/over, Skip (30) decided to go for broke …. and equally quickly became the 5^th victim. An unbroken last wicket partnership of 22 between Gokani (13) and Walker (7) in ~5 overs prolonged the inevitable … but a fine afternoon’s cricket played in great spirit … and 13 oppo players – not at the same time, of course.

Note to batsmen and bowlers alike, 10 of the 19 wickets to fall were LBW (2) or bowled.

Raj

We just managed to get a game in between the rain on Sunday against Sheepscombe. As usual they arrived strong and posted 197-8 from their 35 overs. Our bowling attack was both on the light side and a tad rusty although with a much better fielding performance. Spearman Senior bagged another three with two for Walker including their best bat and a couple of bunnies bagged by Parker at the end.

We were always struggling in reply with good bowling and generally tight fielding except a couple of drops. The runs were divided up between Keyes 31 and West 32 with the standout knock of 71 by Parker and a few biffed at the end by Engel. We were always behind the rate and finished up 163-4. A better performance and we roll on looking forward to the visit of Bampton.

Malc

We were soundly beaten by a Sydenham on steroids yesterday with a new punchy batting line up and one very short and one huge boundary. They won the toss and raced to 235 for 6 from their 35 overs. Pick of the bowlers was Tom with 2 for 15 everyone else took some tap.

It was pretty clear we were not going to chase that down and after all the top 4 got starts and failed to go on the fun was left to Kerr and Spearman J to carve the part timers around and both did it excellently. Getting us to 141-4 with Jake on a Cox like 49 (the not making it quite to a landmark score rather than the attacking stroke play, which was sublime) and Kerr on 27.

Malc

So soon
Too soon
This twisted
Troubled and truncated
Season that nearly never was
First burst brilliantly to life, burning brightly with victory upon victory
Then faltered slow amid inevitable availability woe
Peppered with sanity breaks
Bowling masterclasses
Batting collapses
And now today
Too soon
So soon
It ends

As is traditional the Blenheim captain lost the toss but happily was asked to bowl on a beautiful south Oxfordshire afternoon. Our dynamic opening bowling partnership with a combined age of 130 showed their usual personality traits. Stan’s Caribbean flair, toss it up and have a go but miss and I hit vs Nigel’s “you will score runs over my dead body lad” approach. With cautious batting and no breakthrough in sight and the “I can’t bowl at that end, I might hurt my ankle” left arm quick insisting on bowling after Nigel. Stan gave way to the young cycling turk of the BPCC line up
“Wheels” Spearman.

After a few overs of having his trial outswingers carted around the park he went back to tried and tested inswing to devastating effect. With two in two spanning an over end seeing both openers back in the pavilion trying to drive against the swing and we were looking at another possible away hattrick (and likely a much more deserved one). The incoming no 4 saw the ball take his bat shoulder and loop over the crouching tiger of Stan prowling at square leg but fall safely behind. Wheels made up for it though snaffling his man several overs later to finish the pick of our bowlers with 8 overs 3-27.

With Nigel completing a typically miserly 8 overs for just 11 runs but unable to bag any wickets. It was Toms turn to test out the middle of the wicket, and out turn to chase some leather. When he pitched it up he was unplayable but we discovered when he didn’t these boys could cut and pull well on a true track. Phil “the big 5” Spearman (bowls like Rhino, catches like a crocodile) replaced his son and also took a bit of tap as the Bampton middle order realised they had to get on with it. He did pick up 2 wickets with the usual wily flight and variable pace and a 7-2 legside field which the
batsman insisted on playing to leg…go figure. The returning Stan picked up a couple of wickets and also got some tap as Bampton went up a gear remembering the innings and summer was nearly over. Our recent turn to death bowler JVF was unable to staunch the flow as Bampton accelerated
to 165 which to us looked like a formidable target. (anything over 120 had looked formidable to our batting this season without Lee playing).

As we sat socially kettled on the outfield enjoying some lovely end of season cakes Skipper cycled through many batting line ups before deciding Wheels Speaman should join our ever present opener Phil to lead our reply. And it looked an inspired choice as they took us to 40 in the tenth over before
the first wicket fell. Keeping us up with the rate and baring the brunt of the Fine opening Bampton attack with some great running and some sweetly timed classy driving. Ironically it was a change to weaker bowling which did for both of them with both succumbing to something loopy, eyes alight
they dragged out and two smart stumpings saw us nervously eying the score board again. Simon pushed the score on nicely looking in good touch and then joined by Martin the innings was consolidated. Before Simon was caught bowled, a sharp take by the bowler and out hobbled skipper
West at 5. At 70-3 in the 19th over we were again drifting behind the rate and with just JVF and the tail to come it was time for some heroics.

Knowing there were 8 overs of returning openers to negotiate before the end of the innings West and Cox set about making late summer hay against the friendlier change bowlers. Reaching the boundaries often and mixing this with uncharacteristic quick singles and snaffling of byes. With one
returning opener seen off the other came back and tightened it up with tension clear along the knowledgeable travelling support and the boundaries dried up it was twos and hurried singles that kept the scores ticking along close to the rate but never ahead…40 of 10 then 23 off 5 as Bampton clawed their way back into it. But with 19 required off 4 and a return to change bowling at both ends Coxy cut loose (yes do not adjust your screens you are reading this correctly) carving the bowling up and taking us to a memorable victory and himself to an unbeaten 53. Our third wicket partnership having put on 96 in 18 overs (West 37 no and Extras contributing a healthy 19).

So at last our batting finds its form on the last game of the season, having to start all over again next year. And finally a thought for JVF, a rare thing indeed for a BPCC no 6 to have his pads on for 20 odd overs, an even rarer thing to not have to go to the middle during that time.

We retired to the local hostelry to enjoy a few drinks at Martin’s expense, promising even Nigel to join us in rare team unity and bonhomie. You are only as good as your last game…and we will be unbeaten for at least six months.

So as the leaves begin to fall, it’s time to take leave of cricket.
To hibernate in local hostelries, and in alternate sports.
To retreat to warmer climes and to reflect on times.
Of spilled catches and unequal matches.
When we scored a few runs, while Shaws scored tons.
When we bagged rabbits and chased leather.
Until we do it all again, together.
On the South Lawn.
With the eagerly awaited dawn of next season.

Report: Malcolm Percy Bysshe fucking Wordsworth West

Yet again we find ourselves playing at one of the iconic grounds in Oxfordshire . The scene was set for a perfect day’s cricket – Angol/Engel/Spearmans et al what could possibly go wrong ?

Malcolm won the toss and elected to field , a brave shout as Allan E had yet to appear and Coxy was obviously aillures et tard. Things looked threatening as Steeple Barton sent in their two young guns , but Stan had them bamboozled at one end and Nigel bowled his normal line and length with some beauties beating the bat.

Stan struck first when their opener missed a straight one that hit middle peg Walker had the other opener as he opened his shoulders cracked a drive through the covers only for Simon Parker to catch a “worldy”
Stan’s third over saw the famous Chestnut Tree come into play several times, twice off the bat and the third time from Nigel (4 runs!)
Walker Finished his spell with an impressive with 7/3/17. Recently condemned man Tom Weedon showed plenty of spirit in his bowling !! A rum display that saw the batsmen play a few ‘shots’ – an intoxicating spell 7 overs 4 maidens for a miserly 11 runs. Always a tonic to see him bowling.

Their captain Nigel Doggett (44) put on a good partnership and things started to get away from BPCC but Spearman (P) had his man also caught by Simon in the deep Finn Spearman promoted from scorer to Chairman substitute came on to bowl and acquitted himself very well and unlucky not get a wicket – Johnny Vaughan-Fowler making his 2nd Indian Summer
appearance also unlucky not to get a wicket kept the scoring rate down (5/22) Malcolm eventually turned back to Stan and in a Morganesque bowling change produced a wicket when Kerr ever sharp whipped the bails off for another smart stumping.

The last ball of the innings saw the batsmen attempt a suicidal run with Kerr whipping the glove off picking up pirouetting in one move with one stump to aim at – it was never in doubt … out !
Overall fielding display was a tremendous effort and Barton’s total of 132 looked easily achievable..

Cox and surprisingly promoted Kerr opened the batting – It was soon clear scoring on this wicket with tight bowling was going to be difficult Kerr perished leaving a ball 18inches outside off that turned sharply and hit his off stump.

Parker looked in excellent form striking three boundaries until what looked like his fourth was plucked from the air for what was the second outstanding catch of the match by the opposing skipper so send him back (13) to the pavilion. Skipper West hoping to carry his good form of last
week to this match perished after two balls offering a top edge tame catch .
The eleventh over (yes really!) saw Coxy finally score his first run (C’est incroyable!) . Phil Spearman clearly meant business and struck the ball well until he was caught (15) Johnny V-F scored as many as the Skipper.

Alan Engel (11)showed glimpses of his former glory days hitting two boundaries , there is no doubt how he was out as it is captured on film (middle stump ! ) Angol scored his customary boundary and then perished, Coxy (20) eventually fell and it was left to Weedon and Finn Spearman to keep us with an air of respectability as we limped to 73/9 in the 35th over
Great fielding performance , followed by a disappointing batting display but a wonderful setting and most retired to the White Horse at Duns Tew for a libation .

Match report: Bertie Kerr (obviously)

Picture the scene. A young family awakes one September Sunday to see the sun shining and quickly the realisation dawns on them that today is to be the day when they all get to play cricket together – for the men’s team – possibly for the first time ever. Excitement, anticipation, anxiety and high hopes all mingle into one with the thought that today they could be their teams hero, in front of extended family members who will be turning out en force to cheer on the young lads and dad together in the glorious setting of the Laurie Lee field, Sheepscombe. Breakfasting together there would be talk of where they would each bat, who would score the most runs and take most wickets. Banter would continue as they cobble together a shared tea to be eaten mid-game whilst reflecting on the highlights of the previous innings.

Yes, that first game where the whole family plays together is a never to be forgotten rite of passage …

We bowled first and West the Skipper-cum-stand-in stand-in keeper quickly captured the zeitgeist, if not always the ball, by performing an almost unprecedented act in these unprecedented times. Yes, Malcolm achieved a seemingly impossible (for BPCC) stumping as the Sheepscombe opener danced down the track early doors to a flighty and far from filthy off-break from Angol (the erstwhile stand-in keeper) and managed to not only stop the ball but break the wicket in a controlled manner to ensure the dismissal was complete and legitimate.

Meanwhile, at the other end Weedon kept it tight bowling 4 maidens in his first spell but was nevertheless un-penetrative at this point.

The Spearmen filled in the dull middle overs with 30 coming off the next 10 overs. It was 2^nd change Spearman Snr who accounted for the opener to dispel (once again) vicious and unfounded rumours than he can only dispense with tail end rabbits. Hitherto that end had been shored up to such an extent that King Cnut himself would have been proud. He went on to snaffle a second and celebrated with some quality Dad dancing. Which was quite embarrassing. Apparently.

At 116-3 in 27^th over the game was in the balance. Jake returned to the attack and finally found a way past the Sheepscombe no.3’s inside edge that had hindered us all afternoon. Bartlett was by now bowling at the top end with some impressive shape, and two further wickets fell to the tattooed trundler to turn the tide our way.

With Sheepscombe having slumped to 129-6 off 32, there was therefore no requirement for what then followed.

Weedon returned for a second spell from the Valley end and with his second ball broke through the young batsman’s defence for what seemed at that point like a well-deserved, if cheap, wicket.

But It wouldn’t be a Sheepscombe / Blenheim fixture without a no-ball / youngster controversy and so it was again this time around as Weedon then proceeded to bowl a neck high beamer to the even younger new batsman. Visions of 2018’s no-ball-gate flashed across our minds but fortunately the past is a foreign country and they do things differently there. Despite several Blenheim fielders signalling a no-ball the Sheepscombe umpires refused to enforce the law and an unrepentant Weedon followed up this generous gesture by clean bowling the by now fraught youngster next ball.  During this passage of play the Blenheim entourage were rapidly scanning the lawbook to ascertain if an appeal could be revoked when the batsman has been clean bowled. But not content with 2 youngsters in 3 balls, Weedon then cleaned up dad too to leave him on a hat-trick against the incoming no.11. Suffice to say, whilst the rest of the team were hiding their embarrassment behind their hands, Weedon completed the over, his hat-trick, and the innings by again finding the stumps with a jaffa.

Awesome, unplayable and phenomenal.

These were all words left unspoken at this particular point in the game. Instead ‘bully’, ‘shameful’, & ‘resign’ are likely still ringing out across the Gloucestershire escarpment as I speak. Never in the long history of cricket has a hat trick been greeted with quite so many groans. This PE teacher who has chosen to make a career out of helping youngsters fulfil their potential through sport, ruthlessly tore the heart and soul out of a cosy Cotswold family unit as if in one of those formulaic Spielberg movies. The hopes of that morning had been abruptly dashed within the space of just a handful of deliveries and unlike Spielberg, there was no attempt towards the back end of the script to make amends as the family left the field – perhaps never to return – devastated at how their day had been ripped apart by the wolf in sheep’s clothing who by day masquerades as a mentor. We all now know his true colours.

Weedon will undoubtedly point to the saying in recreational cricket that it doesn’t say how old the batsmen were in the book. But let me make it very clear; two of these wickets were under 13 years old.

So anyway, after this despicable behaviour, we batted. After an uneventful first few overs we then lost Boardman, Cox and Parker in quick succession having all first found the boundary. At 39-3 after 14 the game was again back in equilibrium.

Vaughan-Fowler then joined West to rebuild the innings but it wouldn’t be a Sheepscombe / Blenheim fixture without a no-ball / youngster/ wicket controversy. Shades of 2018’s no-ball-gate flashed before us as the new bat lofted one straight to mid-off after the ball had pitched twice. But the past is a foreign country … with JVF half way back to the boundary, common sense prevailed and a no-ball was eventually called by the young umpire.

Meanwhile, Malcolm was accumulating rapidly at the other end, and Vaughan-Fowler began hitting hard and true, as you would expect for someone named after not one but two former England openers. As is also true of English openers though, his innings came to a premature end, playing across the line to be bowled for a quickfire 18. The two had however added 54 in a little under 9 overs to get the Blenheim boys back on track.

Bartlett joined his captain and with just handful required, Malcolm – not content with emulating Joss Buttler behind the stumps with the one moment of competence in amongst all the fumbles – felt the need to match his batting too. And so he did, bringing the game to an end with a massive 6 (like there’s any other type) to record his first Blenheim 50 in over 2 years.

David Hughes turned up and we all then retired to the Butchers (well those who could park anyway) where Weedon was made to face the wall and think about the consequences of his recent actions and Malcolm led by example by getting the beers in to celebrate his fine game.

Thanks to Nigel & Allan for agreeing to step down (and in Nigel’s case score)  when we were over-subscribed this week.

A fist pump too to the Sheepscombe team for playing the game in the spirit it is meant to be played.

Sheepcombe      130 ao                 (33 overs)

Blenheim            135-5                   (30 overs)

Rhino

Shaw tames the oppo!

Initially our batting line up looked a little light. However we had not accounted for Will Shaw. That’s Will Shaw, not to be confused with that County of carrot crunchers to the south west – this was Will Shaw the proud Yorkshireman (like there’s any other type). After a nervy start, more from Shaw Snr (from beyond the boundary) than his younger relative to be fair, the latter got going with a massive 6 (like there’s any other type) which set the tone for the innings. Boardman stuck with him for 10 overs before being given out LBW to Mather. Which seemed fitting as even the opener’s mother would have had to have given it.

Other partners came and went every half a dozen overs or so, but Shaw the Younger kept going. As he plundered, biffed and, on occasion, caressed the ball, usually to the boundary, questions were being asked in some quarters about family lineage. Could they really be related? By the end of our allotted 35 overs the young tyke had amassed an assured and undefeated 102 (six 4’s, six 6’s) out of our total of 160-5. A generous 22 wides were gifted by our benevolent visitors but no-one else managed the lofty heights of even double figures – Skipper West, and Spearman (J) missing that milestone by one a-piece.

With the track deemed treacherous to all from south of the Watford Gap, this seemed an above par score and one which we were Shaw we could defend. And so we did. And although collectively the bowling unit performed well on a helpful wicket, the extent of the victory  lay as much with the reluctance of the top order to show any intent whatsoever as to the combined efforts of the 5 bowlers. At 28-3 off 21 it was enough to send even the most ardent of insomniacs into a stupor.

Walker (2-6) & Weedon (0-14) exploited conditions well with the former delivering his trade mark swinging ball pitching on leg and hitting middle. He struck again when Spearman Snr clung on to a swirling steepler of a catch at mid-off facing directly into the sun that had made an all too fleeting appearance on an otherwise ‘two jumper’ day.

It was the same Spearman (2-12) who, as 2^nd change, accounted for the opener to dispel (once again) vicious and unfounded rumours than he can only dispense with tail end rabbits. Hitherto that end had been shored up to such an extent that King Cnut himself would have been proud.

Elsewhere in the field, Parker clung on to a sharp chance in one of the silly positions (more so in that it was Stan bowling at the time). Kerr, the keeper was tidy behind the stumps and unusually well-mannered, allowing just the odd bye through whilst also snaffling one off Angol (3-30) himself.

J Spearman (3-14) returned to the attack at the death and suggested that maybe rabbit slaying does indeed run in the family after all, sending 3 back to the hutch as cheap as chips. With 10 men in the field by this stage, and one catch put down he figured he needed to finish the job himself  – and so he did bowling two and finishing the innings with a cracking caught & bowled. Thame has subsided to a tame 78 all out in 33.4 overs.

We then experienced the legendary Shaw hospitality with a socially distanced BBQ where we all huddled around the fire to keep warm and make merry. If you liked succulent steak to die for and cooked to order, quality sausages and burgers with marinated salad and gherkin or jalapeno peppers (or both if you were greedy), you were in the right place. And in the dying embers and fading light of this most peculiar of summers we all knew that we were.

Presentations then followed. As is customary at a Blenheim social, Rob Kerr invited himself to make a speech and,  before blowing some appropriate smoke, he suggested we could say what we liked about Mr Shaw. Micro seconds passed before 3 members stood up simultaneously to voice their opinion before being quickly drowned out by this years un-elected captain Malcolm West who went on to present the club awards which were as follows;

The Andrew Shaw batting award:             Lee Keys
The Nigel Walker bowling award:             Raj Gokani and Tom Weedon
The David Hughes fielding award:            Jake Spearman
The Stan Angol Clubman award:              David Hughes.

Obviously, with the surreal period we are in, these were for the 2019 season. As Bob Dylan, almost once said – The Times They Are Unprecedented.

So, a cracking days cricket and a fine early evening’s BBQ Bonhomie to finish.

Both meat and team selection were spot on and for that we must surely thank our esteemed Chairman.

For Shaw!

Match report: Rhino

Let us never speak of this day again.