Crump routs Shrewsbury in Cricketer Cup semi-final

Old Cranleighans 228-9 (Waters 67) beat Shrewsbury Saracens 33 (M Crump 6-7) by 195 runs

Matt Crump celebrates in the Ship

Curtley Ambrose, 1993 Perth. Shoaib Akhtar, 2002 Colombo. Steve Harmison, 2004 Sabina Park. There are very few spectacles in sport more compelling than a spell of hostile fast bowling. The creation of an atmosphere so electric, every moment lasts an eternity, every dismissal prompts an earthquake. Matthew Crump produced such a display as he ripped into the Shrewsbury batting order, sending the jubilant Old Cranleighans into the Cricketer Cup final.


Uphill and into a stiff wind, the OC captain sent down seven overs of his most potent bowling, collecting career-best figures of 6 for7. From ball one, Crump settled in on a line outside off-stump and proceeded to bowl with late swing and vicious seam. His first victim fell wafting loosely outside off-stump, neatly taken behind by debutant Michael Burgess. The next four departed plumb leg-before, the low wicket providing the perfect foil. The sixth, disorientated by the pressure created, played back to a full pitched delivery leaving his castle exposed. It truly was a spell of enormous passion.


Crump’s demolition succeeded a rather modest Cranleigh batting performance. Despite a low wicket and a slow outfield, a weak Shrewsbury bowling attack deserved more of a pumping than 4.5 an over. Yet again Seren Waters held the innings together with a stoic 67, ably supported by a useful 35 from his opening partner Bradley Scriven. Waters has been in impervious form this summer but has arguably yet to catch fire in this competition, despite four significant starts. He will no doubt be relishing the prospect of making amends in the final.


The rest of the Cranleigh innings arguably resembled the pop career of Taylor Swift; sheer brilliance, interspersed with complete crap. Timely boundaries and calculated partnerships were rudely interrupted by daft shot selection and foolish run outs. Perhaps the most comic moment of the day came unsurprisingly with Tom Crump at the crease. Crump, whose batting is rarely ever easy on the eye, became bogged down by the most military of left-arm spinners and so attempted a reverse paddle to relieve pressure. Crump completely lost his balance as the ball rebounded off his pad into the vacant gully area for an easy single. Alan Cope, at the non-striker’s, promptly called for the run only to be sent back when all of three quarters of the way down the wicket. His bails were duly dislodged.


Yet the semi-final will be remembered for bowling. Matthew Crump, partnered superbly by the aggressive Will Rollings who claimed three wickets himself, produced one of the most compelling spells of fast bowling this fine competition has ever seen.


Special mention must go to all those OCs who have supported Cranleigh’s Cricketer Cup campaign thus far. Your kindness is always appreciated. A special mention also to Will Howard. This column is aware it has not been particularly kind to Will in the past, but his presence at Shrewsbury really did motivate the team. And a thank you to all those who joined in on the club’s celebrations that night at The Ship – we are aware that many of you avoid nights out with Will Howard like the plague, and so we are very grateful. Finally, thank you to Polly Rhodes for scoring on the day – lovely to have you.

Paddy 'Bit Part' Harman

Frogs denied at the death

OCCC 245 (Gates 48, Hill 41, Chetwode 3 for a lot) drew with Frogs 243 for 5

While the OC elite were up north dismantling Shrewsbury, it was left to an OC XI to take on The Frogs on a glorious day at Jubilee. It appeared as though The Frogs had struggled to get a team together; with an age range of 14 to 74 – batting first was the easy choice upon Ed Henderson winning the toss.

Henry Watkinson and Damion Hill opened up the batting, Watkinson only lasting three balls before being trapped LBW to Michael Chetwode – you can imagine the reactions of both parties. Jonny Gates strode to the crease at No. 3 having remarkably arrived on time and having used two tanks of petrol on the trip down from London in the Porsche. Despite this, Hill and Gates batted well – putting on 80 before Hill (41) was trapped LBW. Gates (48) followed soon after, again LBW – leaving Jumbo Jupp and Gareth Starling to hold on until lunch. However Jupp (12) quickly departed – Bobby Ewing making his debut in a pressure situation at 101 for 4.

After an excellent lunch, Ewing and Starling looked to rebuild the innings after the mini collapse, however not long into his innings Ewing was forced to retire hurt due to a pulled hamstring. This brought in Jamie Richards – another making his OC debut, at a score of 105-5. Starling and Richards built a solid partnership and increased the scoring rate considerably, with Richards taking a liking to the 14-year-old offspinner and his bowling too. Much to the irritation of Richards, Starling was unable to find the boundary which meant a lot of running threes and even a four. Starling (36) another nursing a sore hamstring was run out in order to preserve his body, bringing in Henderson as we looked to push on towards a declaration. Richards continued to play some agricultural shots as the score rattled past 200. Henderson (9) soon departed; bringing Harrison (0) to the crease, although he quickly followed suite. Richards (74) was soon caught, and after a few lusty blows from Alex Goudie (12*) the OC’s declared.

With Ewing unable to keep, the motto ABG (Anyone But Gates) was used to find his replacement, Jupp the man forced to make his keeping debut. With 40 minutes until tea, Chitty and Harrison opened the bowling looking to make early inroads into the Frogs top order. Chitty continued to fly past the outside edge, and even with between-over coaching the Frogs younger opening batsmen couldn’t get bat on ball – although the sound of the ball hitting Jupp’s concrete hands would have had many fooled. Harrison bowled well, and would have picked up an early wicket had it not been Richards at 2nd slip. Dropped catches soon becoming a theme throughout the day. As tea approached, two trends became evident – you need a third man to Chitty (which we didn’t) and byes were likely to be top scorer.

Watkinson (still reeling from his duck and being dropped from the Cricketer Cup team) and Goudie opened up the bowling after tea, looking to make the first breakthrough. Although both bowled with good rhythm, they were unable to make any inroads as we continued to shell catches - Gates (at backward point again!) put a tough chance down off Watkinson (slightly tense atmosphere in the office this morning) and Jupp dropped the first of his 5 chances off Goudie. Henderson replaced Watkinson from the top end and bowled with pace and accuracy, but all his effort came to no avail as the Frogs moved onwards. Even Gates was handed the ball to try and break the partnership, unsurprisingly unable to do so with his prep school offspin. 

With 20 overs to go the Frogs were very much in command of the game, even though Chitty began to take regular wickets with six overs left they needed to run a ball, this led to them needing 12 off 18 balls. We fielded with 10 men for the majority and one of those 10 was the statuesque Starling (injured) and another was the statuesque Gates(slow). With six needed off the last over and Chetwode hiding behind a bench with his pads on, Watkinson finally decided it was time to turn up to the party and bowled an excellent last over meaning the Frogs finished two runs short of victory. We came away with an unlikely draw and an otherwise slow moving game finished with a very exciting last half an hour. Jamie Richards

A sobering loss to Bradfield

OCCC 178 (J Scriven 88, gates 52) lost to Bradfield Waifs 179 for 1 by nine wickets

This was a sobering loss for the OCs, the type of which we are not accustomed to fortunately. Winning the toss and batting on a good wicket, parched outfield and one very short boundary, we had to be looking at a score over 250. 178 was a poor effort with the exception of Jack Scriven (88) and Jonny Gates (52).

Scriven opened with the ever youthful and wry Simon Copleston (0). James Trower (0) made his debut but departed lbw as the Bradfield openers plugged away, one of them certainly, swinging the ball nicely. Will Rollings (3) pulled a slow long hop to mid on to leave us teetering at 26-3 with Gates still not in Cranleigh as he was flummoxed by local road closures.

Morgan Fletcher (12) struggled immediately but took the Bradfield opener for twelve from one over, all through third man, but then succumbed. Meanwhile Scriven was playing with a degree of restraint that the situation required but ever now and then smashed a six into the undergrowth around the pavilion.

Charlie Clarence-Smith and his friend Will Mellor, both having arrived from some obscure festival with glitter on their faces, also didn't really contribute. Finally Gates gave Scriven some company and batted very nicely despite being hungover. All out for 178 was a pretty abject performance.

Luke Chitty ran in and troubled the Bradfield openers. Unfortunately at the other end Ed Prince was rather tucked into with a flurry of driven boundaries. Rollings got the one wicket and bowled with pace but the wicket was too good against batsmen capable and willing to play shots.

Bradfield were a nice bunch of chaps though so the fixture at least was a success.

Ed Henderson

All-round display sinks Rugby

OCCC 236 for 6 (B Scriven 65, Waters 49, T Crump 41) beat Rugby Meteors 115 by 121 runs

Seren Waters - Alan Cope's Man of the Match

After a not too troublesome drive, we arrived at a lovely setting – the 1st team cricket pitch, Rugby School. The sun had broken through and it was set to be a cracking day. We again trumped the opposition in a very professional warm–up led by captain Matt Crump! At least Rugby did actually do a warm up…

Our skipper lost the toss on what looked to be a used wicket that would be slow, low and probably get worse, however to our surprise we were inserted and thus ended up doing what we had planned to do anyway.

Seren Waters and Bradley Scriven once again did what they have done throughout the competition and got us off to a very strong start, both looking completely at ease at the wicket and also scoring fairly freely. Seren in particular played some exquisite shots – one to remember a back foot on-drive that was simply breathtaking. One short of what would have been a stunning half century Seren fell breaking yet another 100+ opening stand by these two.

That brought in the younger of the two Scrivens who immediately looked to dominate the bowling and did so. Brad Scriven then fell to a ball that quite literally rolled along the floor for an excellent 65 while Jack then ran himself out (brilliant piece of fielding) for a quick fire 30 odd.

At this point we could have wobbled after such a great start. Alan Cope followed pretty soon after via a similar low bouncing delivery and things were in the balance. The two Crumps then steadied the ship, at first rebuilding and then exploding with a nice cameo also from Rob Jones at the end. We felt that we had put a very competitive 236 on the board on what was a worsening wicket.

Lunch: a Thai Curry – an odd choice for the hottest day of 2013 to date, however it was very nice all the same.

We then took to the field, Will Rollings, on his CC debut, opened the bowling with blistering pace and whilst a couple of wayward deliveries were lashed rather unconvincingly to the boundary he soon found his rhythm and ripped through a couple of the top order. Matt Crump providing the tight lines at the other end and removing the other opener allowed Rollings to bowl aggressively and the partnership worked very well, with Rugby sprawling at 25 for 3 after 10 overs.

The openers were followed by some tight bowling by both Max Barson and Paddy Harman. Then came the nail in the coffin – the spin partnership between Jack Scriven and Waters, in tandem they raced through their overs, not allowing the batsmen a chance to get away. Seren ended with four wickets while Jack went wicketless. However, as with many bowling partnerships both deserved the spoils.

It should be mentioned that the fielding was absolutely first class; ground fielding, catches and with two direct hit run-outs we looked like a seriously well drilled outfit that should compete with the very best.

There were some cracking debuts by both Jack Scriven and Rollings, and while Seren Waters would be my Man of the Match with 49 and four wickets Matthew Crump should get some serious credit for as tight a bowling spell as I’ve seen in the Cricketer Cup.Alan Cope

Cricket Week 2013 ... a blazing success

Eds Copleston passed 4000 runs and smashed up the pavilion ... legally

Cricket week 2013 was a blazing success. After the rain drenched week last year we were entitled to a week of good weather and that is precisely what we got. The Jubilee wickets were almost back the autobahns of 2006 when Damien Hill scored the record number of runs in a week including two hundreds. An outfield also with the qualities of tarmac meant that any bowler going at less than five an over was really doing a fine job.

Click here for pictures from the week

The week got off to a flying start on Sunday where Eds Copleston, back from the US and insisting on running a game, oversaw a one-run victory thriller against Eton Ramblers with 191 playing 192. The day had started inauspiciously when the Ramblers arrived with six (the closed A3 accounted for the rest) and nevertheless decided to field. Their captain, who minutes later took to the field in a blue t-shirt and shorts, explained his side “wanted to watch Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final”. Ed Copleston and Paddy Harman then made the schoolboy error of fielding for the opposition first expecting to be relieved after half an hour or so. They remained in the middle until the remaining Ramblers arrived.

Rob Cowdrey scored his maiden hundred against Millfield

Copleston poked and pushed his way to the four runs that he needed to bring up 4000 and then got carried away and tried to clear long-off, something he would have regarded as ambitious in his pomp. In an unexpected turn of humility, refrained from parading around in his specially made commemorative polo shirt for the rest of the week. This was one of a few recent indicators that the 36-year-old may have finally mellowed. Such thoughts were quickly dispelled on Monday night when he was disgusted that a 4am round of drinks in casino for him and just two others came to a paltry £36. He must have felt like he had been asked for 10 pence by a beggar and immediately tripled the order.

Eton’s innings was soured slightly when their No. 3 did a Broad and declined to walk for a clear edge. Henry Watkinson made his feelings as clear as the Australians at Trent Bridge had but at 140 for 9 we seemed home and dry, even with the aforementioned X still there. But with two needed to win X shaped a rather ambitious across-the-line shot and Paddy Harman removed his middle stump. Justice, so Watkinson and Will Howard maintained, had been done.

Monday's game against Old Milfieldians was that rare commodity - an entertaining draw. OC's won the toss and obviously battered. Captain Ed Henderson envisaged his next move would be to call his men from the wicket mid afternoon with 400 odd on the board. It didn't quite go to plan as the OM's had a sharp Devon bowler operating at pace from the top end. Damien Hill, far removed from the man who plundered record runs in 1996, got into some awkward positions against the short ball much to the delight of those that toured South Africa in 2009 and remembered fondly 'that hook shot' against Western Province.

Luke Chitty just fails to hold on to a return chance

Eds Copleston briefly threatened to play one of those Jock Vickers type boundary-a-ball innings. His arrival at the crease coincided fortunately with a change of bowling from the top end and a medium pacer who couldn't help but bowl long hops. Copleston (40) smashed him for three sixes into the pavilion including taking down roof tiles. Having helped himself to some of the easiest runs on offer to man, the former captain didn't fancy the return of the opener one bit and surrendered to his first ball back. At lunch we were 110 for 5 which was woefully under par. Rob Merry staggered into the pavilion having ducked twice into length balls and been clattered twice on the lid.

Fortunately for the OC's Rob Cowdrey without a first-class century to his name, or any century for that matter, was still there having gone along quietly. Henderson (37*) went in at 140 for 8 and he and Cowdrey put on over a hundred for the ninth wicket. Cowdrey unfurled some class shots and the balance began to shift. When Cowdrey was finally out for a wonderful 130, Luke Chitty came in to chirping from his father that “he can’t ***** bat” and on debut hit a monstrous straight six so that the OC's could declare at 279 for 9.

Chitty then opened the bowling and had the OM openers hopping about with bouncers and then trudging back to the pavilion after his off stump yorkers beat them both for pace. Will Langmead and Jack Scriven bowled some tight off spin in tandem but the OM's began to build momentum despite occasional wickets. Andy Ainsley, bowling Bopara type all-sorts grabbed a couple and deserved more but was let down by several dropped catches - Huggy Harrison the main culprit. On the plus side, Brad Scriven effected a direct hit run out from the square leg boundary.

Rob Merry used his helmet to good effect more than once

In the last over the OM's needed 13 with Jack Scriven in particular having pulled the run rate back in OC's favour during the last 20 overs. Chitty bowled an excellent and intelligent death over and they fell six runs short but it was a valiant effort and they are always a good bunch of men.

The exact details of the post-Merry BBQ Monday night are often best not committed to the written word. It is however common knowledge that Howard got drunk enough that he had to be ejected from the club and that the after party at the home of the unsuspecting and fortunately not present Mr Colin Preece lasted until just an hour or so before Tuesday's game. Chris Preece, eldest son and captaining his first OC game, arrived five minutes after the scheduled start time.

The Old Georgians, always something of a ramshackle bunch, sniffed the air, smelt alcohol and knew that if they won the toss and batted they could cause some damage. And bat on they did ion blistering heat before generously declaring 310 runs later and giving the OC's no realistic chance to win the game, although Matt Crump's 96 was commendable. OGs should have on but for a bizarre tactic of posting men saving the single with the last pair at the wicket. When a catch popped up to the space where short leg really ought to have been one of the Georgian fielders suggested to his bowler he “should ******* put someone there”. He dutifully removed second slip to short leg and left seven saving the single.

Jack Scriven thumps the winning runs at Charterhouse

The Grasshoppers came on Wednesday with 10 Farnham players. What they may not have realised as Henderson regaled their captain with tales of scores in the upper two hundreds that the colour of the wicket had just changed a little. When it goes that greyer brown on Jubilee, it crumbles and spins and isn't the road it is when it is straw coloured. The OCs put in a very disciplined bowling performance led by Henry Watkinson, smarting from his Cricketer Cup omission. He was backed up by a fine piece of left arm spin from Andy Goudie who notched 3 for 40 from 20 overs. The 'hoppers score of 214 shouldn't have been enough but the OC's top order failed to fire with the exception of Gerald Waterfall (94*), playing his first game for the OC's for about 10 years and Watkinson (42* and still smarting). Watkinson looked the unlikely hero when he was clattered on the melon but recovered to hit some wonderful boundaries. We won with an over and two wickets to spare.

That evening saw the inaugural Tijuana spring break pool party at the Williamsons of Shamley Green. The temperature had dropped from earlier in the week but that didn't prevent a thoroughly enjoyable evening of swimming, tractor racing and whisky. On a slightly awkward note, Huggy Harrison in no uncertain terms proposed to Daisy Chetwode and no one was quite sure what the answer was or whether Mike had given his blessing. There was talk of a substantial dowry of livestock so Mike was at least listening to offers.

Another fine win ensued at Charterhouse on Thursday as Chetwode herded a side of under 22s, drafting in “looks 55 but actually 35” Jock when he realised he was the oldest player by 30 years. The captains agreed a 50-over contest but we romped home with 15 overs in hand thanks to some aggressive hitting from the Scrivens. Will Rollings took his first OC wickets and Chetwode, the club’s leading wicket-taker every season since the war, finally took his first three of the campaign. Charterhouse’s 210 was never enough, especially when Brad Scriven cut loose with a sparkling XX> Ted Croker played an admirable anchor innings and Jack Scriven decided enough was enough and savaged the Friars bowlers into submission.

Sadly, Old Tonbridgians and then Buccaneers both limply cried off so while the week ended as it began, in glorious sunshine, there was no cricket to be had.

Eddie Hamilton, the surprise of the season, wraps up the Charterhouse innings

School end on a high with deserved victory

Cranleigh School 255 for 5 dec (Corbishley 87, Jackson 54, Trower 52, Hamilton 3-68) beat Old Cranleighans 204 (Scriven 83, Thorpe 4-29, Scriven 4-49) by 41 runs
Click here for pictures

The end ...

The winning margin for the School might have been exactly the same as it was four days earlier in the inaugural Colin White Trophy Twenty20 match but this was a far closer game and one which was in the balance until the OCs lost eight wickets for 32 in nine overs when wet set for victory.

Ed Henderson stuck the School in – a wise move considering the form of one or two batsmen – and Eddie Hamilton, whose career had peaked in the School 2nd XI, did all the early damage removing Thomas, Jack Scriven and Will Rollings in a seven-over spell to reduce the School to 42 for 3. Scriven, who in the two-day draw with Charterhouse had broken the record for the most 1st XI runs, was the prize scalp. Stuart Welsh paced nervously.

James Trower (52) and James Corbishley (87*) restored stability either side of lunch and then a breezy sixth-wicket stand of 102 in 13 overs between Corbishley and Jackson (54) enabled Scriven to declare when Jackson chopped onto his stumps.It was just as well; Welch was by this tame taking some flack from OC spectators.

Chasing 256,m Brad Scriven and Rob Cowdrey got the OCs off to a good start and then Ted Croker provided a solid anchor as Scriven cut loose. When Croker fell immediately after a drinks break, Ollie Davies came in and put pressure on the field with placement and running.  At 172 for 2 with 83 required from 14 overs, the odd were with the OCs.

The School’s quicker bowlers had been expected to pose the most problems but it was the spin of Scriven and Nathan Thorpe who wreaked havoc. Scriven bowled his brother, the first of three wickets he took in five deliveries, and after that there was no resistance, although one over from a hobbling Rollings to Henderson did provide some entertainment.

Fittingly the sun was streaming across Jubilee as the 1st XI briefly huddled in the middle and walked off for the last time, ending an outstanding season in which they had lost only once.

Eddie Hamilton took the first three wickets to fall