Sarasota 2007 - Sharks, golf and some dreadful cricket

Rob Merry reports on the second tour of the year, a return to the USA
Click here for tour photos

We travelled to this popular six-a-side tournament in Sarasota, Florida with a mix of youth and the experience offered by captain Henry Watkinson and Mike Chetwode – both of whom had been several times before. A few of us got there a day early to ‘acclimatise’ on the beach. The first night gave us an indication of what was to follow – our thanks to the wonderful hospitality shown by the extended Perry family.
While we were rarely found wanting in the drinking department, it was unfortunately a different story on the cricket pitch. It took the four young guns time to come to grips with the nature of six-a-side (five overs, five different bowlers, limited run-ups, two runs + another ball for wides and no-balls, and an artificial wicket). We failed to get bat on ball often enough, lacked enough big hitting and always had one poor over bowling.

Our first two games were probably against the weakest of the sides in our group and by the time we had found our feet with some strong hitting from both Jonny Gates and Sam Langmead we were up against stronger opposition. In the past we had always reached the quarter-finals but this year it was not to be. Our nightly antics probably had something to do with it and there were some useful players knocking about – Shiv Chanderpaul kindly agreeing to don the OC touring blazer.

Off the pitch we were equally unsuccessful! We had to get more golf balls delivered on our golf outing on what was admittedly a difficult but very impressive and enjoyable course. We did have some success in on a deep-sea fishing trip but whilst we were catching relatively little fish two Americans on our boat caught a shark!
Our partying really came to a head at the gala dinner, where Mac was guest speaker - our failure to make the finals day meant that we had nothing to hold back for. Other highlights included a trip to our sponsors – a local entertainment arena our dubious repute, some great dinners, thanksgiving partying, and the weak dollar!

Everyone enjoyed the trip, despite our cricketing prowess, or lack of it. A big thank you to Sarasota Cricket Club, the other teams and the extended Parry family – who provided wonderful hospitality throughout.

I’m sure that all the youngsters will return and hopefully Henry and Mike will join us. Damien has also lost no time in addressing our cricketing performance. He is spearheading the effort to get a OCCC six a side tournament up and running at Cranleigh sometime next summer – watch this space!

2007 averages - Young batsmen, old bowlers

Alan Cope, who had such a good India tour, topped the batting averages (Seren Waters and Stuart Meaker had higher averages but did not play enough to qualify) with his 61 against Harrow the innings of the season. He also made his first OC hundred at home � all four centuries came from players under 25. Dane Groenveld, back for a sabbatical from Australia, was in awesome form and played some thrilling attacking innings. Rob Merry found good form, but Johnny Gates, after a good start, again struggled. He will come good and few players deserve success more than him. Damien Hill was unable to capture his form of 2006, and Matt Crump was surprisingly out of sorts other than in the Brewers Cup final.

While his body may show signs of ageing, Michael Chetwode continues to be our most parsimonious bowler and yet again he tops the averages. You have to go back more than two decades to find the last time he was not either the leading wicket-taker or topped the averages. Another not-quite-so-old oldie, Henry Watkinson, equaled Chetwode's 11 wickets, while only Matt Crump, two decades Chetwode's junior, had a double-wicket tally. Alex Craven was the pick of the cup bowlers, although Cope had his moments in the Brewers Cup, but we lacked a spinner. Graham Webb, two years off 50, came back for the cup and showed what a class act he remains . He is also still able to fit into the whites he wore at school ... and how many of us can say that, Tristan?

Click here for the full averages

Season ends with a win at Elstead

OCs 256 for 9 (Johnson 63, Watkinson 38, Cope 29, Gates 24*, Henderson 22) beat Elstead 166 (Boxhall 30, Crump T 2-7, Williamson 2-16) by 90 runs

We finished our season with an emphatic 90-run win at Elstead, a new fixture and a pleasant way to complete a most successful summer. A record of 12 wins, two draws and the one defeat is probably the best in the club’s 118-year history.

Click here for the full report.

McGregor leads us to Cricket World Trophy victory

Five cup finals in six seasons is impressive, and our excellent record extended to four victories with a convincing nine-wicket win over Old Grovians, the holders, on Jubilee. To three Brewers Cup victories we can now add one in the Cricket World Trophy. Chasing 193 to win, Ed McGregor smashed an unbeaten 114, adding 160 for the second wicket with Matt Crump as we romped home with 13 overs to spare.

Click here for the full match report

Another undefeated season for the school

Cranleigh enjoyed a second successive undefeated season, with victories including Epsom, Winchester, St Paul’s, Wellington, St John’s Leatherhead and St Peter’s Adelaide. James Halton held the batting together and captain Seren Waters led by example with both bat and ball. Stuart Meaker’s pace was too much for many opposition batsmen, taking 28 wickets at 13.92.

Cricket week bodes well for the future

The 2007 week was one of the best in recent years with four wins, all by good margins, one defeat and a winning draw at Charterhouse. What was most heartening was the age of the sides. Most days we had the majority of the team under 23 and the youngsters provided signs of remarkable talent.

Seren Waters and Alan Cope, both under 20, scored memorable hundreds, Matt Crump bowled well and Stuart Meaker showed the class that has been apparent with both bat and ball. Several others, such as Jumbo Jupp, made useful contributions. Dane Groenveld, back from Australia for the holidays, batted with great success, while the old guard, in the form of Michael Chetwode, Graham Webb, Simon Copleston and Henry Watkinson, showed they still have plenty to offer.

Click here for the full week's match reports and photos

Cricketer Cup ends in a lost toss

Our Cricketer Cup campaign came to a soggy end in a London pub when after a second washout at Old Cholmelians, Henry Watkinson called heads in a toss-up with the opposition captain and the coin came down tails.

Vying for an excuse-of-the-year nomination, Watkinson said that he always calls tails but had been advised by Eds Copleston and others not to do so. The annual match against the school on Jubilee was also washed out. .

Old hands see us to victory at Headley

Old Cranleighans 214 for 7 (Morgan 46, Bugge 45, Vickers 27*, Chase 26*) beat Headley 213 (Pickering 48, Moss 45, Chase 3-61, Watkinson 2-27 Bugge 2-35) by three wickets

Click here for match photos

Our annual Golden Oldies match at Headley was not quite as oldie as in previous years because of some last-minute cry-offs, but we got the required number of players to the ground and pulled off a three-wicket victory with two overs to spare.

After Henry Watkinson opened the door, the bowling was dominated by two old timers. David Bugge, operating on one knee, and Mike Chase. Bugge, once fast enough to bowl for Oxford University, now sends down offspin with a fast-bowler’s temperament; Chase, once a good slow left-armer, sends down grenades. They proved effective.

Click here for a full report

One change for Cricketer Cup second round

We make one change to the side that beat Harrow for the second round of the Cricketer Cup against Old Cholmelians on Sunday, June 24, Ed McGregor coming in for Johnny Gates.

Squad Michael Chetwode, Alan Cope, Eds Copleston, Alex Craven, Matt Crump, Will Howard (wk), Abeed Janmohamed, Rick Johnson, Rob Jones, Henry Watkinson (capt), Graham Webb.

The match takes place at Highgate School (click here for directions) and starts at 11.30am. Although, like us, they have their own old boys' sports club, Cricketer Cup rules state matches must be played at the school. The OCs are Highgate School old boys - the name, for the inquisitive, comes from School’s founder Sir Roger Cholmeley.

For the statistically minded, we have played the Old Cholmelians six times before, between 1921 and 1927, winning one, drawing one and losing the other six.

Rosenfeldt leads youthful CWT side

For the first time in the club’s history, we will be playing two cup matches on the same day. While the senior side travel to Old Cholmelians in the Cricket Cup second round on Sunday, June 24, Tristan Rosenfeldt leads an A team against Old Georgians in the second round of the Cricket World Trophy.

The side for that game, which starts at 11.00am on Jubilee, is as follows:
Tristan Rosenfeldt (capt), Graeme Brown, Tom Crump, Jonny Gates, Damien Hill, Jumbo Jupp, Sam Langmead, Rob Merry, Mike Roper, Phil Roper, Seren Waters.

The great thing is that the XI is young, with Brown the veteran at 29 and Rosenfeldt the second oldest (and by far the baldest) at 24. “As you can see this is a very youthful looking side and also one packed with quality,” said Rosenburg. “Many of us have played together but it will also be good to play with some of you guys for the first time, and I think this so called ‘Development Side’ really emphasises the strength in depth of talent the club has. I am very much looking forward to captaining this side.

“I am sure you all know, the Cricketer Cup side is playing on the same day hence the selection of this side. This game gives the opportunity for us all to play competitive cup cricket for the OC’s but also gives a platform to many of you to prove your worth and to start knocking on the door of Cricketer Cup selection, let’s give Henry and the selection committee some real headaches for future cup team selection.”

Cope steers us to dramatic last-ball win

Old Cranleighans 200 for 8 (50 overs: Cope 61, Howard 59, Morrison 3-34) beat Harrow Wanderers 197 (50 overs: Engelen 67*, Harmsworth 32, Norris 28, Watkinson 3-35, Chetwode 2-20, Craven 2-30, Webb 2-37)
Click here for match photos

The OCs first foray in the Cricketer Cup ended with a thrilling last-ball, two-wicket win of Harrow Wanderers in a match which ebbed and flowed from the off. The closing overs in front of a large OC Day crowd on a sun-drenched Jubilee were about as dramatic as you can get.

Click here for the full match report ...

Watkinson leads us into Cricketer Cup

The following have been picked to play for the club in our first Cricketer Cup match, against Harrow Wanderers on Jubilee on Sunday, June 10. The game starts at 11.00am.
As it is also OC Day, so everyone is welcome. Bring a picnic!

Michael Chetwode, Alan Cope, Eds Copleston, Alex Craven, Matt Crump, Will Howard (wk), Abeed Janmohamed, Rick Johnson, Rob Jones, Henry Watkinson (capt), Graham Webb.

Graham Webb makes his first cup appearance since we lost to Reigate in the semi-final of the Cricket World Trophy back in July 1990. At 46, he is the oldest person to take part in a cup tie for the club, robbing Mike Chetwode, a youthful 44, of that honour. Rob Jones, Alex Craven, Matt Crump and Alan Cope were not born when they left Cranleigh. Cope and Crump are also younger than Chetwode’s daughter!

King's Canterbury seen off in CWT first round

OCs 121 for 4 (Janmohamed 58*, Gates 29) beat King's Canterbury Old Boys 120 (A Williams 39, Watkinson 3-7, Cope 3-34) by six wickets
Click here for the full report

OCs won their first-round match in the Cricket World Trophy with a six-wicket win at King’s Canterbury, bowling the home side out for 120 and then knocking off the runs with almost 16 overs in hand. Henry Watkinson led the bowling with 3 for 7 and Alan Cope weighed in with 3 for 34. We lost two early wickets before Johnny Gates (28) and Abeed Janmohamed (58*) got us to 91 for 2 and despite losing two more wickets, the result was long since decided.

Johnson recalled for cup tie

The following will represent the club at King’s Canterbury Old Boys in the first round of the Cricket World Trophy on Sunday, June 3. The main surprise is the recall of Rick Johnson for what will be his second cup game in ten years. "Rick wants a chance to prove himself for the Cricketer Cup and I think he deserves it,” Eds Copleston said. “He has been in the runs and got himself fit for the new season." Fit is a relative term.

Eds Copleston (capt), Graeme Brown, Alan Cope, Alex Craven, Matt Crump, Tom Crump, Johnny Gates, Abeed Janmohamed (wk), Rick Johnson, Rob Jones, Henry Watkinson.

Click here for directions.

Winchester washout

The game against Winchester was abandoned early on Sunday morning after heavy overnight rain.

Rosenfeldt puffs as we come up short at Esher

Esher 239 (50.5 overs - Tallent 73, Moores 49, Porter 4-40, Chetwode 2-47, Copleston 2-50) drew with Old Cranleighans 232 for 6 (44 overs – Gates 61, Merry 58, Copleston 53, Ahmed 2-45)

Fresh from back-to-back wins the previous weekend under Henry Watkinson, the captaincy was handed to Tristan Rosenfeldt. After listening to his self-promotion while we trekked across India, it was time for the big man to show everyone whether he was all hot air. Signs that it was came when he immediately announced it was “without doubt a prouder moment than my future wedding or first-born’s birth will be”.


On a pitch in wonderful condition, Esher won the toss and confidently decided to bat. With one short boundary and a lush outfield, it certainly looked a day for the batsmen. This was proved to be the case when after 27 overs of the new regime, with the skipper relying on Mike Chetwode and Alex Craven to get the early wicket, Esher were trundling along comfortably on 117 for 0. This score certainly did not reflect the quality of bowling, but emphasised the woeful fielding. The absence of Damien Hill (who stumbled out of a Clapham nightclub the night before and no doubt made a few 3 or 4am phone calls to certain female members of the OCCC India tour before eventually hitting the sack) from the field for the first hour didn’t help.


Johnny Gates, a man with a burgeoning reputation for not being able to catch a cold, shelled two in as many overs to take his season’s tally of drops to four, much to Chetwode’s amusement. Chetwode bowled his usual tight line, a perfect example to many of the youngsters playing and was unlucky not to have a better haul to his name.


The breakthrough came when Moores was caught behind by Rob Merry, via the back of the bat as he shaped to sweep Hill. It was at this point that Chris Porter came into the attack. Taking just a few balls to get into his stride, he took his first wicket of the day in his second over with a ball that jumped … cue wild celebrations and a Porter clenched fist.


It was a renewed buzz and atmosphere around the field that greeted Sohail Ahmed (one unnamed OC, finding out he was a Pakistani Academy player, chirping “well, you’re gonna be embarrassed when you get a duck”). It is his third season at Esher and he has no doubt adapted to Surrey life wonderfully, and promptly got off the mark with a well struck six. However, life at the Academy had in no way prepared him for Eds Copleston.


Having been found out on the turning wickets of the subcontinent as a man who offers no spin at all, Copleston and Porter become our very own Warne and MacGill. After being smacked for 10 in his first over, Copleston deceived Sohail with a cleverly flighted, slower, held-back delivery that dropped marginally short of the man at wide mid-on. He was clearly flustered, and Porter immediately picked him off, caught well at deep mid-on by Chetwode, exorcising the demons of the week before and his knuckle staying firmly within his skin.


This started a mini collapse. Copleston took a slip catch to remove Esher opener Tallent for a well made 73. Trusty, in only his 2nd game for us and a tennis player at school, showed his cricketing credentials with some solid ground fielding and topped off an outfielding performance with a well-judged catch in the covers … the same, however, couldn’t be said for Mark Shapland, who shelled an easy enough chance to deny Porter his first five-for for the club. The stares exchanged between them were reminiscent of the times Mark failed to deliver the bread and milk within three minutes of the break time bell going. A definite no-no.


Porter bowled well throughout and ended up with 4 for 40. Copleston picked up two wickets for his efforts, Rob Merry with some sharp glovework to get a stumping and Eds bowling the one that went “straight on” (the variation in action so very hard for the naked eye to pick up on). It was down to Craven and Chetwode to come back and polish off the tail with, backed up well with some good catching in the outfield, particularly from Jon Greeves, university housemate of Hill (the man who joined in the fielding banter with a scream of the name ‘Michael Jackson’, we still don’t know why). Between innings the teams trudged off for a wonderful BBQ and a couple of well-earned drinks.


Gates walked out purposefully - and full of chicken, steak and several sausages - to open the innings with Shapland, both being given a chance to make up for their dropped catches. Gates started well, looking solid in defence. This lasted all of four balls when Gates tentatively prodded one to mid-on and backing it up with a call of “Yes … no … wait ... no … yes … shit” which left Shapland run out without facing a ball. Shapland joined Sam Langmead as early-season victims of Gates’s calling.


Rob Merry, batting at No. 3, started his innings without the same fluidity he had the previous week, playing and missing at a few outside off stump, the run rate slowly rising. Gates on the other hand looked like a man with a point to prove, driving beautifully through the off and tucking away delicately off his legs. Merry found his touch, hitting two big sixes to overtake Gates and record his second consecutive fifty off 65 balls, including four fours in six balls. He was bowled, bringing Porter to the crease. He eased himself back into batting with a couple of solid fours before yorking himself with some poor foot movement.

At the start of the last 20 we were 116 for 3, 124 needed. Copleston kept us up with the run rate as Gates reached only his second OC fifty off 77 balls in a flurry of boundaries, before losing his head and being stumped for 61.

Copleston then took charge of the chase, running between the wickets like a man possessed and making a run-a-ball fifty, even though Esher were leaning heavily on Sohail who was tough to get away. Hill did a fine job in rotating the strike and proved to all that he can do a role at different times of the innings, particularly finding the straight boundary.


When Hill departed, sharply caught behind when trying to force one through the off, the game was evenly poised, but it turned when Sohail had Copleston caught superbly by Ahmed at deep mid-off for a well constructed 53.

Twenty off two overs was never going to be easy and the pedestrian Rosenfeldt and Greeves struggled to get the bowling away, not for lack of trying. Rosenfeldt, who perseveres with an over-tight shirt as if wearing it will defy the laws of calorific intake, showed his worth when he pulled a buttock muscle while swishing – in a John Inman manner – and missing. It rounded off a wretched day for the would-be skipper, but underlined he has the swollen ego and lack of fitness that the job demands.

We finished eight light but it was a great early-season game and at least Rosenfeldt avoided the humiliation of squandering our unbeaten record.

Merry on song to sink Horsley

OCCC 268 for 6 (39.3 overs – Merry 88, Jupp 46, Gates 43, Shapland 28, Hammond 22, Seipp 3 for 45) beat East Horsley 156 (Brown 56, Drake 45, Hill 3 for 2, Langmead 3 for 34, Treadwell 2 for 50, Craven 1 for 25, Watkinson 1 for 34) by 112 runs

After a crushing victory the day before, a majority of the Follies Farm team carried on their tour up the A3 to Horsley met by another gloriously sunny day and a track that looked more mid-summery than late-April.

The captain won the toss and with three people at the ground on time, decided to bat on what looked a good track. Sam Langmead and Jonny Gates strode purposefully to the crease, safe in the knowledge that a pre-season in India would stand them in good stead. This certainly looked to be the case when Langmead slapped his first ball into the huge extra-cover boundary and the duo ran four, before he then flicked his next ball over square leg for six - the start we all wanted. This optimism was premature when Gates dropped one into the midwicket region and called Langmead through for a risky single which resulted in a direct hit and Langmead dragging himself back to the pavilion with a long, hard (fully deserved) stare at Gates.

Harry Jupp came in at No. 3, fresh from a duck the previous day, but he got this monkey off his back with some glorious driving, being particularly ruthless off his legs, hooking one which flew like a bullet right into the pavilion roof. This was all after Gates had spent the two balls after running out Langmead desperately trying to run out his old school 1st XI opening partner, his calling leaving a lot to be desired.

These two together started to look the part, though, picking up from where they left off at school in 2003. Graeme Brown, playing for Horsley, came in for some severe punishment, particularly from Jupp and finished with 0 for 50 from six painful overs. Gates was also looking a real class act, particularly through the off side - hopefully this is going to be the year he starts to convert his starts into really big scores. Both were keeping the score ticking over nicely before perishing in quick succession, Gates to a rising delivery caught behind and Jupp to a somewhat dubious LBW decision - whatever happened to favourable early season umpiring Curly Craven???

This brought Rob Merry and his lump of an Indian bat to the crease. £100 (petty cash to Rob!) invested in Mumbai looked to be a very poor purchase until he drew a silence from the crowd by getting off the mark for the season with a cover drive that was over the boundary before the bowler has even finished his follow through - it was a sign of things to come. Supporting Rob at the other end was Dom Hammond, wicket-keeper/batsman, who played some delicate and precise sweeps and paddles as well as some rasping square drives before gloving behind.

Mark Shapland, self proclaimed man of leisure (while waiting to bat Mark was asked “When you go abroad what do you put as your occupation Mark?” to which he responded “Hero…”) but never to score the runs his correct technique deserves, made a quickfire 28, putting every inch of effort he had into hitting the ball off the square but possessing an ability to time the ball beautifully and hitting the gap, a summer of runs beckons for Mr Shapland. He entered the closing overs still occupying the crease with Merry, before he was stumped running down the wicket in an attempt to increase the run rate. Watkinson, batting far too low at No. 7, came out and started to find the middle of the bat after facing only two balls in India, a couple of well hit boundaries are sure to add to his confidence and reaffirm his position as a genuine allrounder, particularly with high standard Cricketer Cup games this season.

While all this was going on, Merry was continuing to show no respect to any form of bowling, hitting the ball to all corners of the park, with a wagon wheel of excitement the World Cup has been crying out for. He reached his 50 in only 28 balls (Rikki Clarke making 82 in the same amount for Surrey that same day, come on Rob, pick it up!) and marching towards the elusive three figures. He looked well set, and the only chance he gave up was when he lofted one to deep mid wicket and the fielder was unable to pluck the ball out the air. If it was even possible, he upped the tempo and many watching were glad they were not having to field against a man in that form. The end of his innings however was far from glorious, trying a cross between Mal Loye’s sweep against the quicker stuff and KP’s ‘flamingo’, Merry got himself in all sorts of a tangle and ended up being clean bowled, much to his annoyance, and only 12 short of what would have been a well-deserved and highly-memorable maiden OC hundred.

It was at this moment that Watkinson decided enough was enough and declared the innings. We went for a fully deserved tea, and Merry pretended he didn’t care he had just had a complete moment of madness within touching distance of a hundred (Only the best make it through the nervous 80’s and 90’s at the first attempt Rob!). After a lunch spent with ham, cucumber and egg sandwiches whilst watching tennis (who could have guessed we were in Surrey!) the team went out on to the field charged up and ready to take the same aggressive bowling and fielding performance seen the previous day. The presence of the chairman proving an inspiration to the youngsters proudly wearing the OC shirt.

Brown came out and took guard opening the Horsley innings and was faced with a barrage of sledging, digs and aggressive bowling. He took his time to find his feet, surviving some close LBW shouts before upping the ante with a strut down the crease and a well timed punch over mid on for 6, a quality shot met with glares and a next ball bouncer from the skipper. Watkinson opened the bowling again, successfully, and in tandem with Alex Craven at the other end, they picked up two early wickets between them through consistent and accurate bowling with an old ball doing absolutely nothing off the pitch or through the air.

Brown kept the score ticking over with some gorgeous straight batted cricket shots and Horsley were up with the asking rate of only six or seven an over, highly gettable on that wicket with the quick outfield. It was the loss of Brown that hurt Horsley, padding up to a Langmead delivery one too many times and being given out leg-before, a fantastic knock of 56 showing that he certainly can bat when being sledged and abused, Opponents take note, Brown is the OC Mike Atherton, not worth sledging him, its not going to work!

Drake for Horsley, the current RGS 1st XI captain, carried on the fight, keeping the asking rate down to around a run a ball, but wickets started to fall around him. Langmead bowled a superb spell of consistent, probing bowling and fully deserved his figures of 3 for 34 and Tim Treadwell, our Old-Wellingtonian ringer for the day, sent down some well thought out off-spinners and took two crucial wickets, including that of Drake. Jupp helped finish off the innings with two well-taken and well-judged catches in the outfield having been banished from the slips, these catches putting a smile back on his face having skulked around the outfield like a stroppy teenager! Horsley had the wind taken out of their sails and the final thee wickets were taken by the main man himself, Damien Hill, including two in two balls which leaves him on a hat-trick for the Esher game this coming Sunday.

All in all, a top early season performance, punishing with the bat, probing with the ball and energetic in the field. Watkinson led the way with two direct hits, narrowly missing out on run-outs, although it wasn’t as good for his Headstart colleague Gates, who dropped a chance for the second day in a row. The team left the field in high spirits with all creating ways of dodging match fees, the worst of which being Langmead who tried to talk his way out of the payment despite having a graduate job and driving a Porsche … a definite fine!
Tristan Rosenfeldt

Spots prove no match

Old Spots 89 (Read 2-8, Chetwode 2-16 Houston I 2-19) lost to Old Cranleighans 92 for 2 (Hill 40*, Rosenfeldt 28*) by eight wickets

An excellent opening spell from Nick Read and Henry Watkinson set the tone in a game that we were always in control of. Read used the sloping pitch to his advantage to bowl two of the top order. Watkinson took objection at being dispatched to the boundary and bowled a good bouncer in response that the batsman fended to Rob Merry behind the stumps.

The fielding was mixed. The skipper led the way doing his best impression of David Seaman, by tipping a very takeable catch wide off an imaginary post. He made amends later in the game, but only after juggling twice.

Mike Chetwode was dependable as ever but his slower ball proved interesting. Richard Seeckts (playing for Old Spots) tucked into Steve Bailey but Kitbag had the last laugh. Unfortunately, this was at the expense of Chetwode who managed to send his index finger through the back of his knuckle taking a good catch in the deep – we wish him all the best for a speedy recovery.

Ian Houston also used the slope well and managed to get a considerable amount of genuine turn. His eight over spell brought two wickets, but on another day might have earned him many more. Bailey bagged his second wicket, a stumping, by bowling a flighted Coppleston-esque invitation which the batsmen just couldn’t resist. Johnny Gates, having already shelled a catch in the deep, ran away from the next one, claiming he was just trying to extend his bowling spell. He wrapped up the innings by bowling a bemused-looking teenager - the ball pitching outside off stump and jagging up the hill eventually hitting the top of leg.

Eighty-nine was never going to be enough, on what was essentially a good track, but in true OC style we tried to make it interesting. First Will Bond perished and then Harry Jupp went back to a good-length ball. Damien Hill batted well; the highlight being a hook that would surely have gone for six had Damien not swapped his tried-and-tested Newbury Uzi for a horrible sounding new plank. Tristan Rosenfeldt, sporting an OC blazer-style cap, picked up from his successes of last season putting away the bad balls with style.

The early finish enabled us to make the most of the sun and excellent Old Spots hospitality. Henry, who has resorted to bribing Millie with 7-Up for her attention, was caught in the act by a visibly shocked and disappointed Melissa Johnson. Rick Johnson, who spent most of the afternoon harassing people over the OC ball, was kind enough to invite the team back for a BBQ - a fitting end to a good start to the season.
Rob Merry