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