Cooke to chair OC dinner

The 111th annual dinner of the Old Cranleighan Society is being held on Monday September 30 at the East India Club, and the chairman is OCCC legend John Cooke.

John McDermott, who was Cookie’s fag at school, writes: “Starting at the Junior school and since leaving 2N in 1953, Cookie has supported OC activities across a very broad front. OC rugby, squash and more recently golf has seen his unique style and application. However it has been OC Cricket as player, captain and president that has really benefited from Cookie's enthusiasm and dedication. Nobody who has seen it does ever forget his bowling action that trapped so many surprised victims. He has played for the OC's cricket over six decades, promising that his last outing in the Nairobi swamps on the Kenya tour in 2001 will be his last appearance. He deserves a great night and your universal support.

“OC Cricket Club members of all ages are asked to make a special effort to attend this dinner. There will be special tables for the OCCC Cricketers. To provide a splash of colour and style, all those with the OCCC coloured touring blazer are of course expected to wear them with black tie and evening dress trousers.”

The evening starts at 6.45pm with the dinner beginning at 7.30pm. The evening finishes at midnight. It is our hope that as many OCCC members of all generations come along to support Cookie – most of the current crop of players have already committed.

Tickets, which include pre-dinner drinks, the dinner itself, port and wine cost £47.50 (£27.50 for those under 25 in fulltime education, or the unemployed) and can be obtained from Brian Gowen (01673 843678) or Mike Fawcett (01483 575546).

Watkinson to miss Brewers Cup final?

Eds Copleston has announced his side for the final of the Brewers Cup against Old Herefordians at Milton Keynes on Sunday, September 1.

He has stuck by the players who guided us to our first limited-overs final, with the only surprise the omission of former captain Henry Watkinson. Two years ago Henry would have been one of the first names on the teamsheet, but he returned from a year in Australia massively overweight and unfit. Although a vigorous cabbage soup diet helped him shed much of his belly, his fitness remained a problem, a point stressed by Copleston. “He isnt fully fit or bowling as he needs to be to book a seat on the player's bus. I have the utmost respect for Henry- on top form he'd get into any side I picked. He's had an unlucky injury just before the last round that has wrecked his chances of being involved this year. I know him, he will come back stronger next year and I look forward to that.”

The only change from the side which beat Old Dunstonians in the semi-final was the return of veteran Mike Chetwode in place of schoolboy Johnny Gates. Gates played a crucial part in the win, and batted with great confidence at Blackheath, but Chetwode had to be accommodated. “Having to drop Johnny was not an easy decision,” admitted Copleston. “He had a fantastic day in the field and looks like a star in the making with the bat."

The OC batsmen are all in form which bodes well for the match, and the seam bowlers have all shown that they have adjusted well to the limited-overs format. Graeme Brown is the sole spinner, although the emergence of Abeed Janmohamed as an offspinner in the last season has given Copleston the luxury of a more than able sixth bowler.

Our opponents probably go into the match as favourites, having reached the final last season. Like us, they did their best to throw away the semi-final with a dramatic batting collapse, slumping from 102-0 to 113-5 chasing 120 to win. Strong batting, tempered with a propensity to collapse. It promises to be a good day out.

1. Richard Hume
2. Simon Copleston
3. Eds Copleston (c)
4. Mike Chase
5. Abeed Janmohammed
6. Graeme Brown
7. Will Howard (wk)
8. Nick Read
9. Mike Chetwode
10. Ed joHenderson
11. Tim Evans
12th man – Johnny Gates