Lancing Rovers blown away

OCs 186 for 2 (33.5 overs; Meaker 72, T Crump 65*, Janmohamed 26*) beat Lancing Rovers 183 (48.3 overs; Spink 46, Webb 3-21, Chetwode 2-23, Crump 2-35, Watkinson 2-61) by eight wickets

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For the second year running we recorded a home win in the first round of the Cricketer Cup, but whereas last year’s game went to the last ball, this time we saw off Lancing Rovers with few alarms. The margin – eight wickets and almost 17 overs in hand – underlined the fact we outplayed them in every department. Our reward is a home tie against Clifton on June 29.

It was a real generation game of a performance. Our batting was dominated by two teenagers - Tom Crump and Stuart Meaker – and our bowling by two forty-somethings old enough to be their fathers - Michael Chetwode and Graham Webb. The old timers were supported by some excellent fielding, and the only glitch in an otherwise polished display was that we allowed Lancing to recover when almost down and out.

We suffered two blows on the eve of the match as Alan Cope (exams) and Rob Jones (bruised hand) called off. Briefly, things were so serious that there was talk of Rick Johnson getting a call-up. Briefly.

On a warm day under a watery sun, Henry Watkinson put Lancing in and shared the new ball with Matt Crump. Both bowled well, removing an opener each within six overs, Crump taking the important wicket of former Surrey batsman Johnny Robinson courtesy of a sharp catch by Eds Copleston at short mid-on. Wakeford briefly looked dangerous, thumping Watkinson for 14 from three balls when he dropped short, but Graham Webb removed him in his first over to leave Lancing 41 for 3.

Webb was joined by Chetwode, replacing Crump at the top end. Their combined age might be 92 but they whirled through their overs, tight and unrelenting. Webb, despite being increasingly troubled by a calf strain, bowled through, finishing with 10-1-21-3. Chetwode was equally parsimonious (10-3-23-2) and the two utterly strangled the middle order. By the time drinks came after 24.3 overs, Lancing were in shreds on 74 for 7.

Immediately after the resumption, Spink appeared to have been caught by a tumbling Sam Langmead at silly point but the umpire was unconvinced. For the next hour or so we slumbered while Lancing battled back. Watkinson juggled the bowling but the seamers lacked the penetration of the old guard. Crump returned to remove Shinners for 28, but Spink continued to push ones and twos.

As the innings drew to a close Spink and Johnston cut loose, Watkinson coming in for some heavy punishment. With his last ball he dismissed Johnston courtesy of a remarkable boundary catch from a leaping Chetwode at long-on, sticking out a hand as he jumped and holding the ball high to his right after it had passed. Even he realised this was special and set off on a heavyweight Panesaresque victory charge.

A target of 185 was double what had seemed likely two hours earlier, and we opened with Tom Crump and Meaker after a debate between captain and chairman. The captain won and his choice proved spot on. Meaker was savage on anything short, and there was plenty on offer, while Crump played a superb anchor role, cautious for the first 20 or so overs and then picking off the tiring bowling.

Three times Meaker pulled high over midwicket, and then when a man was placed on the rope, he repeated the shot but 20 yards straighter. As the field dispersed he contented himself with singles and some sublime drives, the pick a rasping drive off the back foot that fizzed back past the bowler.

After 10 overs we had 55, after 20 we had 115. Meaker’s luck ran out when he was cruelly adjudged caught behind after a miscued reverse sweep looped up off his forearm – there was a lingering feeling that he paid for the impetuosity of the stroke more than anything. But his 76-ball 72 had already broken Lancing.

Matt joined younger brother Tom, but fell almost immediately to a sharp slip catch by Robinson, and momentarily Lancing’s body language picked up. Abeed Janmohamed, who had kept very neatly, put the visitors back in their box with a six off his third ball, and that galvanised the younger Crump into playing three superb drives, one through extra cover and two straighter, the third sealing a comprehensive win in front of a veritable who’s who of OC cricket gathered in front of the pavilion.

The victory aside, it was the manner of it that really pleased, particularly the combination of the old and the young. Cranleigh cricket has never been so strong and that was reflected in the side. As an aside, Jubilee has rarely looked more lovely, and the outfield was almost perfect. The school has, after 143 years, even invested in a rope…

When I first played for the OCs in 1980, Lancing were the side we aspired to compete with. At the end of my first cricket week we were bowled out by them for 42 and, as we sat in the pavilion, several of the senior players reflected we would probably never be able to match them. In 1984 we beat them for the first time in 21 years. Now, another 24 years on, we are a far superior cricketing school – that is not meant to be gloating but it is a sign of how far we have come. The school is aiming higher all the time.

Perhaps a more substantial sign of how times change came with Chetwode’s admission that rising petrol prices had led to him buying a bicycle and, reportedly, he had started driving at a fuel-efficient 60mph on motorways. While Cranleigh and Old Cranleighan cricket will continue getting stronger, few are betting that either of Chetwode’s mid-life crises last much beyond the second round.

OC XI Stuart Meaker, Tom Crump, Matt Crump, Abeed Janmohamed (wkt), Eds Copleston, Max Barson, Sam Langmead, Henry Watkinson, Alex Craven, Michael Chetwode, Graham Webb.