Rick Johnson elected to Hall of Fame

Rick Johnson has been elected to the OCCC Hall of Fame in recognition of his huge contribution to the club. He becomes the 11th inductee.

“The Hall of Fame is a good idea and I am flattered to have been elected,” the stout Johnson said. “I hope I can continue to offer something back to OCCC as it has given me more pleasure than Melissa.”

“Rick has been instrumental in taking the club to a new level, starting with the first tour to Antigua in 1997,” said Martin Williamson. “His sheer energy and enthusiasm is infectious, if on occasion utterly misguided, and he is much of the reason the OCCC is regarded with envy by almost all old boys’ sides.”

After a chequered career at Cranleigh both on and off the pitch, Johnson made his OCCC debut in 1991 and in 89 matches has scored more than 2000 runs at 34, including two hundreds. Had he actually enjoyed playing cricket his record would have been far better. His batting style remains uncompromising, relying on a good eye and the absence of a third man, and on his day he can be entertaining to watch.

For a time he also kept wicket before physical difficulties (he couldn’t bend down) forced him to re-evaluate his role.

But his real contribution has been off the pitch – somewhere he much prefers to be rather than actually playing – where he has been the lynchpin behind many OC tours, was the driving force of the Jubilee pavilion refurbishment, and has orchestrated more loss-making BBQs than any man in history.

In more recent years he had a spell as a Cranleigh governor and is currently involved in a number of ambitious projects. In his free time he has taken over Cranleigh CC and still finds time to occasionally fly for BA.

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.

Bugge, White and Wilkie join Hall of Fame

Three new OCs have been elected to the Hall of Fame. All three are former captains – Colin White, David Bugge and Iain Wilkie.

As per the rules, nominations were considered from all current Hall of Famers and the final decision was made by John McDermott, himself elected in 2006.

Colin White’s heyday was in the 1960s, by which time he had already played for Cambridge University and Surrey 2nd XI. Generally regarded as the most stylist batsman to have come out of Cranleigh since the war, Colin was an archetypal left-hander, whose every stroke seemed to rely on timing rather than force and to who an ugly shot was an anathema. His chances of a Blue were wrecked when he was hit in the mouth and hospitalised by when playing against the New Zealand tourists. In contrast to the safety needed in his as a banker, as a batsman he looked to attack from the first ball, with the drive over extra cover his favourite stroke. He was also an quite outstanding cover fielder, his speed and agility being further strengthened by an ability to pick the ball up and throw with either hand. He captained the side in 1966 and went on to become president. In 124 matches he scored 3633 runs at 33.33 including 21 fifties and four hundreds. “I am very touched and honoured,” he said. “It's frightening to realise that it was 50 years ago that I first started to help Nigel with the cricket weeks at the School, liaising with Arthur Germany re food and drink in the pavilion, selecting the sides, etc. No e-mails then, just lots of phone calls!”

David Bugge was the most successful OC captain, leading the side between 1982 and 1986 from the front and hardly missing a match - he holds the club record of playing in 42 consecutive games between 1982 and 1984. The highlight of his tenure came in 1984 when we won all nine matches in the cricket week. An utterly dependable batsman, capable of either solid defence or whirlwind aggression as the situation demanded; a deceptively penetrative bowlers who looked little more than medium pace but disguised a nagging accuracy and a little more nip than the batsman expected; and a fearless and reliable close fielder (although less assured under boundary steeplers!). As captain David gave his all and expected others to do the same, and he brought out the best in many players. Still playing occasionally, he has made 125 appearances, scoring 3585 runs at 41.21, including 20 fifties and three hundreds, and taken 124 wickets at 20.08. “This is an honour for all of us,” he said.

Iain Wilkie was the foundation of many wins during the 1980s and early 1990s with his unique approach to batting. Strong off his legs, adept at driving and fearless against fast bowling (his duals with Johnny Bass at Ardingly are legendary) his reputation as a slow scorer was underserved; more often than not he shouldered the burden of responsibility for scoring runs in a weak side. The surprise was that he only scored two hundreds - they came within a week of each other in 1983 and were, at the time, the two slowest in the club's history. Taking over from David Bugge as captain, an unenviable role after the success of the early 1980s, he often did not have the comfort of having several more than capable batsmen in the side. Aside from the burden of captaincy and opening the innings, he also had the added task of having to keep wicket in the absence of any other regular. Indefatigably cheerful, he has made 158 appearances scoring 3883 runs at 27.15 with 19 fifties. “Thank you so much,” Iain chirped. “This is an unexpected, but hugely welcome, honour. I feel very proud to be recognised in this way by my fellow OCs.”

Click here for the Hall of Fame site.

Shelley and Heard enter Hall of Fame

Peter Shelley and Dick Heard have been admitted to the OCCC Hall of Fame. They are the sixth and seventh OCs to be admitted.

Peter Shelley led the side between 1975 and 1981, and was responsible for rebuilding it into a vibrant club, recruiting many of the players who made it so successful under his successor, David Bugge. Always cheerful and extremely popular with both OCs and opponents, Peter always tried to ensure the game was played in the right spirit, leading by example with hardly ever a cross word.

He was also one of the finest wicketkeepers to be produced by the school, and was possibly the last in a long line of specialist keepers. He was probably at his best standing up to medium pacers – and art not seen often these days – and such was his anticipation and footwork that he rarely had cause to fling himself around to take balls. His batting was idiosyncratic – he was a genuine No. 11 even though he occasionally treated himself to a spot higher up the order – and his running between wickets a sight to behold.

Peter’s family's OCCC representation probably goes back further than any other. His grandfather played for the club at the turn of the century, and his father and uncle both turned out in the 1930s.


Dick Heard played in the same side as Peter’s father, and was one of the most natural sportsmen turned out by Cranleigh in the 1920s. He played rugby for the OCRFC in the opening match at TD, but it was at cricket he really excelled.

He was in the Cranleigh side which played at The Oval in 1928, and later that summer played for Surrey Young Cricketers. His leaving Cranleigh coincided with the Depression and in 1929 and 1930 he played cricket almost non-stop. In 1929 he scored 3000 runs in the season, including a hundred in 29 minutes for Wanderers at Leatherhead and 88 in 24 minutes at Gravesend. His bowling was also in demand – in 1931 he took eight wickets in an innings twice. He started playing for the OCCC in 1928, being the leading scorer between 1929 and 1935 and scoring 505 runs in 1931, a record which stood for over fifty years. He captained the side in 1935, but work commitments meant that he did not play after the war.

He continued to live in Thames Ditton until his death in 2002 at the age of 92.