Team to Play Newick CC in memory of John Young, 28th June 2009

Edward Young (c)

Simon Young

Edward Dean (wk)

Johnny Owens

Richard Stringfellow

Francis Thomas

Vishanka Ratnasuriya

Neil Green

Dom Roberts

Luke Dealtry

Rudie Coulter

40 over match, 2.30pm start @ Newick.

Match report and photos to follow courtesy of Ed Young.

Eastbourne College Old Boys vs OBCC, Sunday 21st June @ Saffron Ground, Eastbourne

Sunday 21st June - could it be the day that one of the most one sided contests we play was to be reversed?

Team To Play Eastbourne

Carl Igolen-Robinson (c)

Ed Dean (wkt)

Neil Green

James Mitra

Johnny Owens

George Hobden

Andy Whittingham

Richard Stringfellow

Michael Quest

Jim Berressem

James Maxwell Jnr

At the last minute this fixture was changed to the Saffrons 2nd XI pitch in Eastbourne as the College was unavailable which was a shame because neither the pitch nor the lunch/tea were up to Eastbourne's usual high standards. In came Michael Quest for his first game of the season and the remainder of the 11 had already turned out before.

Carl won the toss and decided to bat first on a small pitch that was rumoured to not play too well. Eastbourne are a strong bowling unit and there were a few familiar faces in the opposition especially to a few of the younger members of the team. Carl and Mitty started positively, getting us to 27 off 6 overs and it looked as though we had the potential to head for a big total. However, as the bowling attack found their rhythm and the Umpires gave a couple of contentious decisions, we found ourselves 35 for 1, then 41 for 2, 51 for 3 and then 57 for 4. For the second time in 3 games a strong batting line up hadn't managed to get on top of the opening bowlers. Carl scored 13, Mitty scored 18 and the side were bowled out for 133 with Johnny reaching 52 with a certain amount of luck! After a slow start and a couple of chances given including having a ball go past the outside edge and come back to nick the stump on the way through with the bails luckily not coming off, he connected with a few loose balls and hit 3 x 6s and 6 x 4s to reach the milestone for the first time for the Old Blues.

So, out for 133 in a little over 30 overs - not the score we were looking for, and suddenly the usual ending against Eastbourne was looking all too likely. On a small pitch we would struggle to defend that total.

All our bowlers bowled well in parts, but their no.1 bat was a class act. A few early cover drives made it clear we would struggle. Questy bowled some absolute jaffas when he got going, with the ball that took his second wicket swinging in a mile and taking the top of the off stump - an absolute cracker. However their no.1 quickly got to 41 and with a few fielding errors we were clearly never going to be in a position to win the game. Special mention must go to George for his throw which rather than going to either keeper or bowler's end, went to somewhere directly to his left, along the ground, and for an overthrow! In the end, Eastbourne knocked off the runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 20 overs. Questy took 3 wickets and Richard Stringfellow took his maiden OBCC wicket. I hope this will be the confidence boost he needs!

So, still no win against Eastbourne. It WILL happen, but just not this time round. 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss.... At least we progressed further in the cup than we have for a while and I hope all the boys have got a taste for the competition in the hope we make it further down the line next year.

Old Blues vs CH 1st XI, Sunday 14th June 2009

Last year in the corresponding fixture, the game was over by tea with an emphatic victory by the school side over a poor performing OB side. We then spent the rest of the day playing a 20/20 match because of how early the match had finished. There was NOT going to be a repeat of this in 2009 unless the result had been reversed.

Having been mocked for the good length of my previous post (something I was never very good at with the ball!) I will try and keep it shorter this time round, but will make no apologies for my verbal diarrhoea.

So, team news. For the second match running we were well subscribed, with enough interest in this match to put out a second side (this has been logged for 2010!). From the victorious side vs Reigate, out went Igolen-Robinson (work?), Maxwell (tennis tournament) and Reeve (holiday) and in came Rob Potter (at last minute from Hurstpierpoint), Neil Green (fresh from a couple of weeks in Spain) and a debut for Dom Roberts. Welcome mate. Finally, our regular scorer George Allen had some car misfortune on the M25 so didn't make it round - this always finds us out as none of the rest of us are very accurate scorers!

True to tradition, the Old Blues batted first on what seemed like a pretty flat track. Mitty and Hugo instantly impressed as an opening partnership taking to some military medium 1st XI bowling. Mitty went after it and Hugo held up the other end, I suspect playing his eye in having played considerably less cricket in recent years than his opening partner. Both batted brilliantly to set us up for a decent score until Mitty was the first to lose his wicket on 74 with over 100 on the board (note the approximations in score due to lack of professional scorers!!). It was a cracking innings containing 12 fours and a 6, and evidence that he is still a class bat. In went Neil "no hundreds for the 1st XI"Green. Having played with Neil in the 1st XI when he was on his LE, it was clear he was going to be the best batsman of his generation. However, I believe in recent times he has become somewhat predictable, to the extent that some of his peers are betting on the outcome of his innings. "He'll bat beautifully and get out in the 30's" is apparently the extent of it.

So, one batsman set, 100 plus on the board and the perfect opportunity to get a big score, Neil started nicely, providing support to Hugo, now with his eye in. Hugo's fine innings came to an end in a jug evasive style, out for 47 when a maiden 50 for the Old Blues was well and truly on the cards. In came Johnny Owens, desperate to make amends for his duck on the previous outing. A lofted four over mid on second ball was enough to calm the nerves. Johnny batted quickly with the style of a man without any form, but flashed and edged his way to 27 before being bowled by the young Sussex U-17 leggie Marsh, who had also accounted for the first 2 wickets. George was next, looking more assured than the previous match and he demonstrated some of his shot repertoire with a couple of lovely on drives. Neil by this time was in his 30's and his forecast demise was due; he did not disappoint, being well caught at gully from a nice late cut - to be fair to Neil, it was a catch the catcher didn't know a lot about but was well taken all the same. Neil out for 36. I can feel a big score coming soon!

The run rate was ticking along nicely, with George batting well, and talk of a declaration was rife. Deano, the Skipper for the day wanted to support our bowlers with a decent score on the board so when George was out for 34, we decided to push the run rate and get to 250. In at the crease were Rob Potter, a self confessed "out and out number 11" and Andy Whittingham. Andy might well have the best average come the end of the season as he is too good a batsman for number 7 or 8 I feel but the side does bat deep. Rob and Andy kept the run rate up and pushed us to 254 for 5 declared off 50. Rob finished not out 9 and Andy not out 11.

This was the first time an Old Blues XI have scored 250 for a considerable amount of time (unless anyone can correct me?) and with all the batsmen getting at least a start unlike the Reigate match, it put us in a great position for not only this match but was a positive outlook for the remainder of the season.

After the interval, Old Blues, and specifically George Hobden started well. Clearly George has bowled at a fair number of the CH XI before, being a leaver the previous year and his opening burst accounted for numbers 1 and 3 for not a lot, and he should have had Satterfield, batting at 2 cheaply but for a put down low at slip by Owens, on his way to the "poo hands" award of the day. Satterfield and Marsh, the aforementioned spinner settled in and took to the slower bowlers. I feel it wouldn't be unfair to say that the Old Blues don't have a top class specialist spinner currently (can I hear calls of "come back Footy?" - surely not!) and in this match, that would have come in handy. Having said that, Neil Green proved once and for all to Howard Holdsworth that his off spinners, do spin... well, one definitely did! The boys in bat turned a losing position to a winning position putting on 100 for the 3rd wicket. Owens dropped Marsh at square leg when he was well set and both went on to register 50's before Satterfield ran himself out for 58.

This left the score with the 20 over bell (we played 20 from half 5) at approx 140, so between 5 and 6 an over to record the win with wickets in hand. Luckily, Richard Stringfellow, still looking for a wicket to open his OBCC account, bowled tidily and George, fresh from his break of overs with restrictions on him until next year came back and set about the middle order. Andy Whittingham bowled a better length and his medium pacers might well become useful as partnership breakers the more he plays for us - he finished with a wicket. Jim bowled as well as he always does and was unlucky to only finish with 1 wicket. In all, 7 bowlers were used with Rob Potter, Dom Roberts and Neil being the other 3. Dom is suffering with his shoulders and this was evident with some short balls, but I hope he will work on this, and Rob was taken on by the batsmen equally, specifically in his first 1 over spell! Neil took a wicket - he bowled the CH number 10 who received the biggest cheer of the day when he scored his first run, it being such a rareity! Star of the day with the ball was George, with 5 for 34 from 14. A great bowling performance.

This meant that the school finished on 200 for 9 having never really gone for the win. The 9th wicket fell with 3.5 overs remaining and despite the Old Boys crowding the bat, the number 11 and Williams, the wicket keeper on debut managed to hold out for a draw. A special mention for Williams, as he is an under-15 player and he kept wicket well and then batted for a long time to finish 23 not out. Deano, perhaps you need to watch out in 4 or 5 years?!

So, 2 games in - a win and a winning draw. Things are looking up. Next year we would love to put 2 sides out against the school so please try and make yourselves available if possible.

Next match up - Eastbourne away. It would be great to get one over on them!

Old Blues team to play CH 1st XI on Sunday 14th June

Christ's Hospital 1st XI vs Old Blues XI @ Christ's Hospital, Sunday 14th June, 11.30am start.

Ed Dean (capt/wkt)

James Mitra

Neil Green

Johnny Owens

Hugo Holland

James Berressem

James Maxwell jnr

George Hobden

Andy Whittingham

Richard Stringfellow

Dom Roberts

This is of course not in batting order as clearly Deano would never open the batting! Format will be a declaration.

Last year the school won quite easily so this time round we are hoping for revenge. 10.30am meet @ the 1st XI pavilion.

Old Blues vs Old Reigatians, Sunday 31st May 2009, Cricket World Trophy round 2

The scene was set - a strong eleven, a beautiful Summer's day and a change of ground from Reigate to CH, meaning the cup 2nd round fixture became a home rather than an away fixture. Could the Old Blues start the 2009 season as hoped, with a cup victory?

Old Reigatians are the current "Cricket World Trophy" holders, having defeated Old Oakhamians in the final in 2008, and whilst only a handful of the same side played, we knew they would be a strong opposition. There were debuts for the Old Blues for a number of players: Richard Stringfellow (1998), Hugo Holland (2001), George Hobden and Andy Whittingham (2008). As has been the case for the last few years, getting a side out was a bit of a struggle but when we had eleven confirmed we felt that we had a decent side, with lots of runs in the top order but a few bowlers who might be a little rusty. How wrong could we be?!

On arrival at CH, it was clear that everyone was up for it. People had travelled a long way and at 10.50am, 10 mins before the proposed start time, all were present and correct apart from the Skipper, and James Mitra. Mitty had stayed at the Davey's residence the night before on school grounds yet managed to be the last to arrive! Might need to start a fines system for that?!

Carl, who is now the regular Cup Skipper, boasted of an immaculate winning record with the toss - we wanted to field first due to our decent batting line up and the chance of chasing some runs down, so he duly lost the toss, but we were made to field anyway. Thank God for that!

Opening up were Jim Berressem from the Southwater (tenuous, I know - anyone got any better ideas?) end and George Hobden from the New South Block end! Reigate showed positivity with their batting from the start, but the variety of Jim bowling left arm over across the right hander and George pushing it through and varying his length caused them some problems. In the 5th over, the breakthrough was made with a fine edge, being superbly caught by "Stumper" Dean low to his left, one handed. I don't know if we credit his agility or the new cymbals he was sporting for the fact it stayed in! Rob Young, the Reigate skipper came in at 3 and took a while to get going, whilst at the other end, wickets began to fall with regularity. George got involved with a straight one that cleaned up the other opener and followed it swiftly in his next over with a wicket caught (not sure who caught that one, sorry!). 33 for 3 after 10, a great start!

Into the act came Richard Stringfellow and James Maxwell jnr. I don't think Richard has bowled more than a couple of times since leaving CH 11 years ago, but he steamed in with zeal, as if he were not a day older than 18! Unfortunately he is, but nevertheless he showed he still has the technique to trouble the batsmen, if perhaps a yard less pace! I think bowling on that pitch after a long period of time not bowling is nerve wracking to say the least, but Max was not feeling confident of his abilities when he got the call. He put his, and everybody elses' mind at rest by putting the first over on the spot, bowling straight medium pace on a difficult length to force away. As both bowlers went on they tired and there were a few bad balls punished by the Reigate skipper, by now seeing the ball well. He finally fell for 40, lbw to Maxwell, having put on 52 for the 4th wicket. Old Blues were hoping for another set of tumbling wickets but to Reigate's credit they continued to punish the bad ball, and the coiffed no.6 bat definitely had a good eye for the ball, taking the score well past 100.

With the score on 128, and Carl's mathematics beginning to fail him, he decided that we needed to buy a wicket. Feeling a new lease of life without the burden of the keeper's gloves Carl had been very active in the field but he decided to turn his arm over. There was a small exchange between our skipper and the confident Reigate no.6 so first ball Carl forced the outside edge, gratefully pouched by Deano behind the sticks. I don't think anyone could quite believe what had happened but it was just what we needed. Andy Whittingham followed Carl after the skipper took a breather with figures of 1 over, 1 wicket for 1 run intact. He took a little while to get into rhythm but when he did he troubled the lower order batsmen. Wickets began to fall, with Hobden getting a 3rd, a neat run out, Whittingham finishing with a wicket maiden, and finally the ever reliable Berressem who bowled beautifully to finish things off.

So, 160 on the board. Top scorer was extras, with 48 - this was due to the tight 1 day wides rule - something we will not be playing again! 36 wides in total, which says something I think about the rustiness of our bowlers but also their commitment to stepping up for the team despite not being necessarily at the top of their game. It is worth mentioning that there was not a single bye in the Reigate innings which is very tidy glovework Deano! All bowlers showed that there is still some real talent there, and as the games go on I am confident we will become a very strong bowling attack. Berressem and Hobden finished with 3 a piece for 23 runs.

Fully fed and watered (thanks to the Reigate caterer who luckily lives in Southwater!) there was a quiet confidence about the side as we usually have to chase more than 200! Carl gave a pep talk and then strode out confidently to the crease. He is the textbook batsman but is probably due a big score. Hugo, on debut was looking confident at the crease. Reigate opened with a chap bowling reasonable inswing from the NSB end but the early exchanges showed that he wasn't causing much trouble.

What happened next was unexpected. Before we knew it we were 21-4 with the loss of Carl, Mitty and Hugo cheaply, and Johnny without troubling the scorers. This was definitely not part of the plan. All 4 wickets went to Brickley, the aforementioned swinger (!) who finished with figures of 4-24 off 9. Fair play.

George provided some resistance, although I suspect there is a lot more to come on the batting front from him. With the score at 47-5 things weren't looking good. Up stepped 2 men: Tim Reeve and James Maxwell. Tim is of Carl's era, so one of the senior members of the side.....; this did not show! We had overs to play with and we were chasing a modest total so it was all about reaching it in blocks of 10. Easy? Not necessarily! Both batsmen got their heads down and kept the score ticking over until they were seeing the ball well and got after a couple of the bowlers. Max in particular seemed to enjoy the spinner. He batted very well indeed and reached 50 with 30 needed to win. If this pair had stayed together that would have been a fitting end to the innings but with the relief of reaching the milestone, or perhaps just a desire to get the game won, James holed out just after, leaving Tim and Deano to finish the job. Or so we thought. Unfortunately for Deano, another with immaculate technique, he got one that kept low (that was it wasn't it Deano??) and was sent back to the pavilion having only faced the 1 ball.

136 for 7. Surely this was not beyond our reach. It had been a while since a victory and we had fielded so well, caught all our catches and the morale and commitment had been excellent. Andy Whittingham strode to the crease to join Tim and looked assured with the bat, to finish 9 not out, hitting the winning runs as we won by 3 wickets with 8 overs to spare.

So there we have it, a victory for the Old Blues. Tim Reeve batted superbly and finished 41 not out. I think him and Carl should open a book on who scores more runs this season as I feel it might have been the other way around at school. I tell you what, I'll open a book of averages and keep it updated on here!

Mentions must go to Jim and George for their foundation bowling that set us up to win this game, and Max and Tim for a cracking partnership and for steadying a rather floundering ship! We have shown we can beat a good side and we must feel positive going into the next cup match, on 21st June at Eastbourne. The old enemy; how good would it be to beat them, guys?!

TFC, or more appropriately named "jack and fielded" I think should go to the author of this report. Clearly I must have been daydreaming about what to write. Next time I hope to have some good entries for "chat of the week" in the field....

Thanks to H for letting us use the pavilion at CH at relatively short notice and to all the team who travelled a long way to get down for this fixture.

If anyone who hasn't seen my email/replied to my email wants to get involved, we are going to run nets with a frequency to be determined in London over the Winter and I am hopeful of more fixtures in 2010 should we regularly have more players than spots in the team. Please email oldbluescricket@googlemail.com for more information.

Until next time.....