Meaker makes Championship debut

Congratulations to Stuart Meaker who made his Championship debut for Surrey against Nottinghamshire at The Oval on September 17. Stuart made 16 and 6 and took 3 for 86, taking the new ball in Nottinghamshire’s only innings.

His opening spell of 4-1-6-1 was impressive, although Jonathan Batty, Surrey’s keeper, might disagree. Stuart’s fourth ball skidded through, Batty failed to take it cleanly and fractured one finger and dislocated another, ending up in hospital having an operation. He took his first wicket when Will Jefferson nicked one to stand-in keeper Scott Newman who made a complete horlicks of the chance, but the ball spilt from his gloves and looped to Usman Afzaal at second slip.

Stuart’s second and third spells on the first day were less rewarding, although in fairness to him by then a woeful Surrey side were shipping runs at an alarming rate. On the third morning he grabbed two more wickets.

The feeling was that he showed real promise but was still, understandably, quite raw. His pace was impressive, so much so that he looked quicker than the dismal Shoaib Akhtar, and especially early on, he got a few to rip through. He certainly has a good future ahead of him but Surrey need to manage him carefully and play down some of the wilder predictions. As he came on to bowl, one voice in the pres box piped up that he “had been clocked at 100mph”!

Stuart’s was the first Championship appearance by an OC since Maurice McCanlis played for Surrey against Lancashire at The Oval in July 1926, his only county appearance. He opened the bowling and took one second-innings wicket.

Stuart also took one wicket on his first-class county debut against Loughborough UCCE in April, and so his four wickets at 34.75 means he is the leading OC wicket-taker in first-class cricket, moving ahead of Nigel Paul who took three. Perhaps that is not something to write home about!

He also made his FP Trophy debut in April and the weekend before his Championship bow, he played his first Pro40 match, taking 1 for 57 against Leicestershire.

Eds Copleston gets engaged

We are delighted to announce the engagement of Eds Copleston and Sophie Cook in Mombassa at the weekend.

Eds actually got engaged at the same venue used by Will Stephens to pop the question to Katie back in 2001 during the OCCC tour of Kenya. The delightful Sophie runs the OC Ladies Netball club.

The rather alarming OC link doesn’t end there. The Serena Mombassa, the location of the engagements, is one of many hotels run by Abeed Janmoahmed’s father.

Janmohamed now becomes the bookies’ favourite to be the next high-profile OC to get engaged.

Chetwode raises money for Cancer Research

Reports that Michael Chetwode was embarking on charity fund raising by entering a marathon have been proved, mercifully, to be wide of the mark. However, he is taking part in a charity cricket match at Burton Court in Chelsea on September 12 in aid of Cancer Research UK. The event is being organised by another old OC, Andy Staples, who captained the 1980 and 1981 school XIs.

For more information and, far more importantly, to sponsor the great man, please click here and be whisked to his justgiving website.

AGM set for November 7

The Annual General Meeting of the club will take place at Cranleigh School on November 7 and will be followed by a dinner in the Dining Hall . Full details will follow later but for more information or if you would like something added to the agenda, please contact Ed Henderson.

Cope top scores in Cockspur Cup final

Alan Cope enjoyed a good day for Malden Wanderers against Kibworth at Lord’s in the Cockspur Cup final, although rain washed out the match which will now have to be replayed on September 22 at Chelmsford. Cope top scored with 47 as Malden Wanderers, who were 19 for 4 shortly after he arrived in the middle, eventually made 144. He then ran out Kibworth’s opener with a direct hit from 15 yards to leave them wobbling on 9 for 2 when the rains came.

Watkinson enters OCCC Hall of Fame

Henry Watkinson, who stands down as captain at the end of the season, has been elected to the OCCC Hall of Fame.

Watkinson made his debut as a schoolboy in 1989 and since then has made more than 150 appearances, becoming one of only three players to top 200 wickets and 2000 runs. He led the side between 1999 and 2001, and after a two-year absence in Australia, he resumed in 2004.

"It’s a pleasure to join such an illustrious group," Watkinson told John Mcdermott on being informed of the honour. "OCCC cricket has brought me many of my happiest moments and memories and not just on the cricket field, none more so than when touring with you (and the building of bridges that that entails). My years as captain have been made far easier and enjoyable by you at the helm as president and of course Martin and Mike in their different roles. It was great to see so many of the famers at the final a few weeks back and I am only sorry we didn’t quite get past the finishing post. I hope and expect to be joining you all on the boundary watching the OCCC go one better in the near future."

The Hall of Fame was instigated by McDermott in 2005 and Watkinson is the tenth person to be inducted.