The first game of the season is traditionally a three-jersey affair on Marlborough’s windswept terraced playing fields above the school and town. There was no evidence this year even to slightly pooh-pooh this theory; moreover, Atwell told us that his wife had not yet stirred from her hibernation. Thus it was a great relief to discover the Queen’s head proudly staring back at the Pilgrims captain from the green, uneven surface that Marlborough consistently produce.
The Pilgrims’ openers were selected for their durability to the weather: Gillett (over the years he has developed a seal-like tolerance for the cold) and Gavin-Brown (being slightly closer to the sun it was hoped it might be warmer where he was). While players huddled together in the pavilion, the plan was put to the test. It was fatally flawed. Bagnall opened the bowling for the Blues, who were short of men yet again. Imagine the farce, imagine the heckling – damage done.
While the spectators were still laughing at the sight of Gillett versus Bagnall, Burne, the deceptively sharp Blues bowler, stole in from the other end to rip out Gavin-Brown’s middle stump. Fatally flawed! Gavin-Brown had failed to mention his record against Marlborough: three innings, no runs. Luckily Atwell and Gillett got stuck in and steadied the ship, making batting look relatively simple. At 66 for one off 17 overs the Pilgrims looked set for a decent total. Unfortunately neither batsman went on to a big score and it was thanks to Goodeve-Docker (28 not out) and Dowdall (21) that the Pilgrims were able to limp to 153 for eight off 45 overs.
In reply the Marlborough openers, Caldwell and Trowsell, negotiated a tricky spell from Yuille, the Pilgrims ringer, which was completely nullified by Pexton’s sad performance at the other end. This enabled the Blues to get off to a flyer, when in reality they had a distinctly wobbly batting line-up. When eventually Searson took the first wicket, the Pilgrims knew it was only a matter of time before things were wrapped up. A succession of batsmen walked out looking as though they had just got their pads for Christmas. Indeed, no other batsman got into double figures.
Unfortunately for the Pilgrims, Caldwell played the innings of his life. Why does the old adage “every dog has his day” never happen to a Pilgrims player – apart from Hargrove. But for one thing, Caldwell would have carried his bat and made a maiden hundred. He called out to the pavilion straight after the fifth Blues wicket fell: “What’s my score?” Schoolboy error. The reply echoed across the chilly valley: “97.” Suddenly this dog was human again, he couldn’t get the ball off the square. He had frozen like a rabbit in car headlights.
Dowdall, who had bowled a miserly spell and was the best Pilgrims bowler on the day, was immediately brought back. In true sportsmanlike fashion the Pilgrims attacked. Eight men crowded the bat. Caldwell poked at the first one. The edge fell just short of slip. Next ball was steered straight into Atwell. Caldwell left to a standing ovation, although the frantic clapping may just have been an attempt to get warm. Marlborough eventually won with an over to spare. Maybe next year they can field a full side, or perhaps we can move the fixture to the summer?
Saturday May 19 v The School at Sherborne – Won by 5 wickets
Sherborne School 184-7 (W P Fegen 72 not out); Sherborne Pilgrims 185-5 (C C M Warren 84)
For the first time, the School asked for two fixtures against the Pilgrims. Mike Nurton had asked for an early-season fixture in the past because he felt that more of the Cricketer Cup side might turn out to practise for the ensuing competition. As it happened, the side the Pilgrims fielded didn’t contain too many of the Cup side – past or present. Should more Cup players turn out for these early-season fixtures?
Jim Freeth skippered the Pilgrims for the first time and was slightly shocked not only to lose the toss, but also to be informed that the School were batting. This seemed a brave decision considering their batting form which up to this point had been, let’s say, indifferent! The Pilgrims bowled with great discipline, the two off spinners Freeth and Warren being particularly miserly (11-5-11-0 and 7-5-8-1 respectively). It was only because of the skipper’s generosity in allowing Thorne to bowl and a great effort by Will Fegen (72 not out) that the School reached 184 for seven off their 55 overs.
In reply, Charlie Warren dominated the bowling, relieved to be able to play a few shots having felt a little intimidated at first-class level. The Pilgrims breezed along until the twentieth over when Ben Scott played across the line. Yet again Scott looked as though he would make a big score and got himself out once the hard work was done. 90 for one quickly became 103 for four, as Bristow, Ellen and Thorne all departed in increasingly comic fashion. Luckily Gillett (36 not out) steadied the ship, batting like a rock.
The School brought their most exciting prospect into the game too late. Will Dawson bowls left-arm orthodox, has a great chinaman and should improve rapidly. Unfortunately he was not given a field to bowl to. Once Dawson had dismissed Warren (84) at 148 for five, he was removed prematurely from the attack. The School returned to their seam attack; Gillett and Wingfield Digby (29 not out) tucked in and the game was over with plenty to spare. Having played in both fixtures this year, it was noticeable how much the School side had improved by Commemoration. It is at the later stage in the season that the School side should be tested, not before.
Sunday May 20 v Radley Rangers at Radley – Won by 22 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 94; Radley Rangers 72 (R A Bagnall 4-1)
On a warm day early in the season the Pilgrims won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a reasonable track. Before the team even had time to open the Sunday papers the openers were on their way back to the pavilion. Nought for two after two quickly became 13 for four and with only ten men fielded by the Pilgrims, a shower before tea and back in London by 7pm looked a real possibility.
Thankfully Jackaman proved that with a little determination the pitch was not that bad and steadily he put some runs on the board. The wickets at the other end kept on tumbling and only Bagnall offered any support with a quickfire 14. A mixture of poor shot selection and poor running were to blame. At lunch, the Pilgrims were 85 for eight off 34 overs. The last wicket fell at 94 when Jackaman was given out leg-before one short of a what would have been a well deserved fifty.
Pexton and Pope (who was generously helping out) opened up and had Radley reeling at seven for two early on. Tight bowling saw Radley crawl to 20 for two off 13 overs. Then came the ever smiling Will Wingfield Digby who promptly got himself in on the action with two wickets in two balls and suddenly there was a glimmer of light for the Pilgrims. At tea Radley had reached 53 for five and the game was in the balance.
After tea Bagnall finally brought himself on to devastating effect. After Warren had removed the danger man with what can at best be described as a rank long hop it paved the way for Bagnall to finish the tail off with figures of four for one off 13 balls. Maybe the pitch was not the best but Jackaman provided evidence to the contrary. Tight bowling seemed to frustrate all the batsmen and led to a very mediocre game of cricket.
Sunday June 10 – Cricketer Cup first round v Bradfield Waifs at Sherborne – Won by 7 wickets
Bradfield Waifs 172 (P L C Knechtli 4-18); Sherborne Pilgrims 174-3 (J H K Adams 83 not out)
Slowly, but surely, the Pilgrims’ record in the Cricketer Cup is improving. Although the outstanding records of Tonbridge and Malvern (both averaging over 70 per cent of matches won) may never be attainable after the general mediocrity of the past 35 years, within the past five, Sherborne can now begin to claim (although whisper it softly) that they are something of a force to be reckoned with. Defeats to eventual finalists in 2000, 1999 and 1997 certainly underscore that boast.
Pilgrims with slightly longer memories will know well how it was that in previous years the second round was a date to be only lightly pencilled in, the quarter-final not even a mark. Teams were selected too much on the basis of past achievements, with scant evidence that enough participants were playing regular cricket, that an “over-Corinthian” approach to pre-match preparation predominated. Other sides played Sherborne in the competition knowing that an efficient performance would usually be enough.
If the boot is now starting to be worn on the other foot, Pilgrims should have no sympathy for the opposition. So it was to a certain extent in this game: Bradfield Waifs arrived with some of their better players absent – unbelievably, Will Kendall, the Hampshire batsman, was available because of a free weekend for his county, but no one thought to ask him – and with some of their stars of past years on the wane. They may have won the Cup in 1996 and been finalists in 1997 and 1999, but this was no cup-winning team out on the Upper.
Too much was expected of Rupert Cox, their former county player, who opened the batting and who had taken such toll of the Pilgrims attack two years previously in scoring a century in the semi-final. Once he was out, to a marginal leg-before decision, for nine, one sensed that the task was uphill for the Waifs from then on. Came and Dellor rallied in a fifth-wicket partnership of 71, but 172 was a poor return on a good batting pitch and on a day that was meant for batting – as other Cricketer Cup totals and individual scores from around the country on the same day were to show.
It might, therefore, have proved an expensive decision for Justin Ricketts to insert the opposition, but, again, it seemed like the right thing to do, and once Cox was back in the pavilion, the balance of power had swung Sherborne’s way. Bradfield were at least 80 runs short of a challenging total, and they knew it. Not that the efforts of the Pilgrims in the field should be played down: Paddy Knechtli bowled an exemplary line and length, conceding only 18 runs from his 12 overs and taking four wickets. Taking into account that he also bowled several of those at the death, when any bowler can expect to have tidy figures rearranged, this was an immense display and worthy of the unofficial man-of-the-match award.
Knechtli was well supported by Rob Rydon, whose appetite for the occasion continues to prove hungry, and who chipped in with three wickets of his own, and by the collective differing styles of Will Wingfield Digby, Jimmy Adams and Ricketts, who all had their moments. The one bowling moment of James Pexton should probably be left unmentioned, save to those who might peruse the scorebook in future years.
Yet the old adage of “catches win matches” was also heavily to the fore. In 1999, Cox was dropped on 29 in the slips and went on to score 101 more runs. This time, three stunning catches were pouched with little apparent trouble to assist the Pilgrims’ cause: Ricketts’s salmon-like leap at midwicket and Stuart Rintoul’s wonderful reflex one-handed slip catch to remove the potentially dangerous Perkins were both memorable, but the pick was perhaps Ben Atwell’s right-handed grab at square leg, especially given that it was he who had erred two years before. Fortunately there were no Stuart Pearce-like histrionics … well, his wife and parents were both watching.
The chase began in stuttering fashion: Charlie Warren survived a close leg-before shout in the opening overs for which some Pilgrims in the pavilion would have raised the single digit. However, as Warren and Adams played themselves in, the result became a foregone conclusion, and, although Warren departed for 41 with the score on 95, Adams was batting so fluently that it scarcely seemed to matter. Atwell came in to lend support to the junior maestro, and had more or less done the job when he spooned a poor ball to cover. Rintoul came and went in mildly comic fashion to allow Tweedale the chance to strike the winning runs in customarily expansive vein.
Adams was thus left on an unbeaten 83, comfortably the best innings of the match, and one that was always a joy to watch. If he was the outstanding player of his generation at School, he clearly has lost none of the touch that brought him runs and respect on the Upper. It is commonly said of the genuinely talented ball players in any sport that they seem to have plenty of time to play their game, more so than the journeymen on the same field or court. So it is with Adams, at this level for sure, and, one suspects, at a higher one if Hampshire will allow him the chance. Combined with his aggressive fielding and tidy bowling, here is an asset that the Pilgrims should be keen to employ in the Cricketer Cup at every opportunity.
Sunday June 17 v Hampshire Hogs at Warnford – Drawn
Hampshire Hogs 275 (J Grant 70; R A Bagnall 5-42); Sherborne Pilgrims 230-7 (W P W Bristow 120)
This great fixture at the idyllic setting of the Hampshire Hogs’ Warnford ground was slightly marred by the fixtures secretary’s inability to find enough Pilgrims willing to play. With the previous week’s Cricketer Cup side all resting for the visit to Tonbridge on the 24th and with a hard core of usual suspects still away at university drinking, it was left to a gritty few and “guests” to lose the toss, take to the field and chase leather for 60 overs. Bagnall actually won the toss but only admitted it after a draw had been secured.
Matt Allom got the Hogs off to their usual flier and there was a huge sigh of relief as he sliced one in the fifth over and Moutray caught it comfortably at mid on. As Allom went for 29, Came came. He and Bill Gunyon put the score up to 86 before Gunyon was bamboozled by home legend Bazalgette, one of three wickets for the Hog who the previous season had surpassed 1,000 victims for the club.
Peter Came was joined by Jonathan Grant, who saw it through to lunch and it was only after the feast that Came, bruised from the previous week’s Bradfield crushing, decided to “have a go”. Luckily he missed his very first attempt at a stroll down the wicket and Justin Chantrey did the rest.
Dom Allom, perhaps feeling that his brother had rather let the Hogs down, came in and plundered his way to 49 from 30 balls. He murdered anything and everything and rather made Grant’s run-a-ball 70 at the other end look pedestrian. Allom was bowled and Grant, stumped off Bazalgette shortly afterwards, left the score at a fairly healthy 245 for five, with plenty of batting to come. After Chantrey had gained his third stumping, Bagnall felt that it was safe to bring himself back on and bought the Englandesque tail’s wickets. (Money must have changed hands.)
A target of only 276 felt like a molehill compared to the probable (at one stage) mountain, but with only nine batsmen available it was clear that the top order was going to have to make about 270 between them. The old “someone’s got to bat through and make a hundred” speech came out and then everyone padded up in anticipation of a pathetic response. At nine for one in the fourth over it was looking as if tea would be at the end of the game; but no.
Whiston Bristow not only scored about his first run of the year, he followed it up with 119 others. His innings was a brilliant effort that included a second-wicket stand of 109 with Floyd, another guest. He batted almost throughout the innings and for one crazy moment, victory looked to be a possibility. Bristow’s 120 contained three sixes and 12 fours and was a truly great knock that only stuttered as he had to farm the strike towards the end.
When he was seventh man out, there were only five overs remaining and Jim Warren, aided by Bazalgette, saw the Pilgrims through unscathed to the close and stumps were drawn with the Pilgrims on 230. For the modern cricketers, a pointless draw, for the gritty nine, pure pleasure in seeing a heroic fight stave off defeat. To all captains out there, try the speech one more time. It just might work.
Sunday June 24 – Cricketer Cup second round v Old Tonbridgians at Tonbridge – Won by 103 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 249-9 (J H K Adams 74); Old Tonbridgians 146 (E T Elliot-Square 5-41)
The second round match against Tonbridge was to prove a defining moment for the Pilgrims Cricketer Cup side. Having spent the first 30 years of the competition propping up the league rankings, the Pilgrims had an opportunity to prove that the resurgent recent form was indicative of a classy side rather than just a blip.
Having swept aside the highly rated Bradfield by a staggering seven-wicket margin with 20 overs to spare in the first round, the Pilgrims arrived at Tonbridge with an increased self-belief. Importantly, however, any misplaced arrogance did not travel to Kent with the Pilgrims acknowledging that Tonbridge had not failed to make the quarter-finals for at least a decade.
On a glorious summer’s day, the Pilgrims won the toss and elected to bat. The runs started to flow from the second over when Warren three times dispatched Goodworth’s loose full tosses for four. Precedent set, Warren and Adams scored at almost five an over until Warren was trapped leg-before in the tenth over with the score on 44. With Atwell’s arrival at the crease, momentum was sustained with both players taking full advantage of anything loose. On 26, Atwell mis-hit a loose ball from Owen-Browne and perished with the score on 91 from 22 overs. Ricketts and Adams breezed through till lunch raising the tally to 145 for two from 35 overs with Adams undefeated on 69.
With a full 20 overs remaining the Pilgrims were eyeing 270-280 as a realistic target. Three quick wickets rapidly changed the complexion of the game as Ricketts fell for 26, Tweedale was run out for two and Adams was dismissed for a classy 74. Two new batsmen at the crease and the Pilgrims were forced to rebuild. Progress became increasingly heavy going as Tonbridge rushed through the remaining overs with the Pilgrims apparently squandering their hard-fought-for position. Gillett, however, added 29 vital runs and took the Pilgrims over the 200 mark.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. With just two overs remaining and somewhat short of a defendable total, Rob Rydon came to the crease. Within moments of taking guard, Rydon immeasurably raised the spirits of the Pilgrims by plundering Owen-Browne’s final over for 20 invaluable runs, twice striking him for large sixes. The Pilgrims ended their innings at 249 for nine, some 30 runs short of where they might have been but their second highest total in the Cricketer Cup.
Tonbridge set about their reply with customary flair causing alarm to the Pilgrims. Having reduced the deficit by 45 without loss, the Pilgrims were starting to believe that their total was a little light. Rydon however dismissed Walsh in the eleventh over to open the Pilgrims account. Elliot-Square took the vital wicket of Rowe with his third ball as the batsman misjudged the pace and pulled it straight to Atwell at mid-on. In the seventeenth over Elliot-Square struck again, trapping the Kent player Ford with the score on 74. With the prolific Hollins and Arscott at the crease, the Pilgrims could not afford to relax. Whilst Hollins played some classy shots, Arscott, the Tonbridge skipper, looked uncharacteristically out of sorts, playing and missing repeatedly. Elliot-Square thoroughly deserved the scalp of the Tonbridge captain shortly before tea. At the interval, the game was well poised at 96 for four from 25 overs.
Sensing the opportunity, the Pilgrims emerged from tea filled with a sense of self-belief. With Elliot-Square moving the ball both ways and achieving bounce and pace, the invincible Tonbridge batsmen had little response. Elliot-Square added Hollins and Owen-Browne to his tally shortly after tea to tip the balance firmly in the Pilgrims favour. At 126 for seven, Tonbridge capitulated. Ricketts accounted for Hickson and Goodworth within eight balls and the Pilgrims completed an unthinkable 103-run victory over the finest side in the Cricketer Cup.
It is difficult to underestimate the significance for Pilgrims cricket of the first two rounds of the 2001 Cricketer Cup. They represented the coming of age of a side that had fought determinedly over previous years to the quarters and the semis. In 2001, not only did the Pilgrims compete with the best sides, but beat, hands-down, class opposition.
Saturday June 30 v The School at Sherborne – Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 187-6 (W P Fegen 4-43); Sherborne School 181-8 (W H Wingfield Digby 4-16)
The Pilgrims fielded a truly magnificent team. Not only did it include recent leavers in Tom Fegen and Ned Gammell but also contained the wisdom and guile of both Paul Saunders (71-76) and Michael Wingfield Digby (51-56). The Pilgrims duly won the toss. The School coach requested a declaration game. The scene was set.
Gammell (35) and Fegen (43) opened the Pilgrims innings, both having brothers in the XI. They calmly led the way putting on 71 for the first wicket in just 17 overs, an excellent display of positive batting. Sadly this did not rub off on to the rest of the team. At lunch the Pilgrims had laboured to 106 for four off 30 overs. Thankfully de la Hey, who is fast becoming Mr Reliable in this fixture, put his head down and guided the Pilgrims to a total. Bristow and Dowdall both played supporting roles and enabled a declaration at 187 for five, right on half-time.
In reply the School began brightly, their running between the wicket, as always, exemplary. For the Pilgrims, Crouch, looking especially fierce with blood all over his whites, bowled a marathon 11-over opening spell from the Pavilion end. Sadly it didn’t bring a wicket and the School were in a strong position by tea. After tea a decent crowd had gathered on the Upper, presumably word of a rare School win in this fixture had spread round the town. Will Wingfield Digby (four for 16) was introduced to the Pilgrims attack and had immediate success, Langly-Smith falling to his slower ball for the second time in the year.
The delivery had been slightly fuller and the batsman had tried, probably deservedly, to smash it out of the ground. Michael Wingfield Digby, still a keeper of some repute, was standing at first slip, having graciously left the gloves to de la Hey. The ball seemed destined for first slip’s forehead, when at the last moment Wingfield Digby’s hands appeared to hang on to a stinging chance. As the team gathered round the hero of the hour, Michael was heard to utter the immortal words: “First catch at slip since 1969” – bravo!
The Pilgrims had the game in their control from then on. Les Dowdall (three for 46) and Ned Gammell (one for 40) bowled probing spells. Unfortunately the Pilgrims were not able to extract the last couple of batsman, the School finishing bravely on 181 for eight. The score suggests a closer finish than it was. Needing 23 off the last over, it had been left with Ben Scott to remind the satisfied Upper crowd of what Pilgrims cricket is all about … well, maybe next year.
Sunday July 8 – Cricketer Cup quarter-final v Old Merchant Taylors’ at Sherborne – Won by 56 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 243-6 (J D Ricketts 71 not out, J R Tweedale 55); Old Merchant Taylors’ 187 (Ricketts 4-37)
Once the identity of these quarter-final opponents was made known, thoughts immediately turned back to that extraordinary game of 1999, when Will Hargrove turned in impossibly brilliant bowling figures to snatch a game that had seemed lost. No such late drama this time. Indeed, this was a calmly efficient display that put the Pilgrims into a Cricketer Cup semi-final for the second time, underlining the cohesion of this team unit, in which the key players have remained largely constant over the past five years.
Justin Ricketts won the toss and was happy to bat on a surface that looked as if it might crumble late on in the day (although, in the event, played remarkably well all day). Charlie Warren and James Tweedale settled in gently – perhaps surprisingly in view of the latter’s propensity to hammer the ball as hard as possible – gradually pushing the rate up to three an over by the thirteenth over. Tweedale had already hit a few punishing shots for four, but that should have been his lot, as he gave an easy chance to mid-off in the fourteenth over. Dropped. Old Merchant Taylors’ had cause to regret that as the opener moved to 55 in quick time, including losing one ball in the hedge by the scorebox, and a hefty clout for six off Thompson.
One wicket, though, often brings two, and Tweedale’s departure was followed seven balls later by the more circumspect Warren. 81 for none had become 81 for two, leaving Atwell and Rintoul the task of rebuilding. They had only laid the foundations when Rintoul went for a run that never looked likely: 101 for three. Yet Atwell was unperturbed, moving in that languid way to 20, allowing Ricketts to play himself in, until confusion led to an unnecessary dash for a third run and Atwell’s return to the pavilion, an innings unfulfilled.
Ricketts, though, was equally unruffled, and if anything more determined to stamp himself on the Pilgrims innings. Abetted briefly by Gillett and even more briefly by Elliot-Square, both of whom fell to the persevering Knowles, he began to run the singles harder, rather than seek to brutalise the red leather to the boundary. Although he hit only four fours in his unbeaten 71, his fifty came off just 65 balls, and subsequently he scored at fractionally over a run a ball. In this fine knock, he was ably assisted by Mark Jackaman, whose worth as a batsman has been shown increasingly over the past few years. Here he scampered to a valiant 21 not out, looking to offer his captain the strike when he could, and was rewarded by sharing in a record partnership of 70 for the Pilgrims in this competition.
A final total of 243 (which included 33 extras – not that that seemed excessive after the conclusion of the OMTs’ innings, when the generous Pilgrims had afforded their opponents 47 sundries, 28 wides among them) was a target that always looked challenging, if perhaps 20 runs short of near-certain impregnability.
The OMTs’ response started promisingly, with Rydon struggling to find rhythm (which eluded him for much of the day), but Paddy Knechtli struck in the fourth over to remove the dangerous Ducat. Knechtli bowled an exemplary line yet again and was rewarded with some notable figures. Indeed, although Rydon toiled somewhat, the Pilgrims attack was rarely profligate, except in their generous provision of wides and no-balls, which caused them to bowl nearly six more overs than required.
The real trouble for OMTs’ was that no one, with the possible exception of the talented Rasheed, ever genuinely got in. Wise scratched around miserably for two hours and 95 balls but could only limp to 26, and seemed more of a hindrance to his team’s chances as he could rarely push the ball off the square. When Elliot-Square rearranged his stumps in the 34th over, it was a blessed relief for batsman and spectators alike. Brand, the captain, had the chance to repeat his opposite number’s feats, playing well for his 30, but Bagnall, in the self-confessed form of his life, undid him with one that bounced a fraction more than the batsman expected and the catch went to Rydon at mid-off.
Rasheed, however, was the clear danger: the OMTs’ were up with the run rate at 123 for four when he arrived at the crease. His problem was that, well as he batted, he could find no one to stay with him – Wise was out the following over and Nos 7, 8, 9 and 10 could scarcely manage a couple of overs between them until they, too, succumbed, to a combination of Bagnall’s persistence, Elliot-Square’s aggression and Ricketts’s patience. He was last out for 43 in even time, frustrated at his colleagues’ lack of adhesion. Eight catches in the innings tells its own story.
The post-match reflections were tempered by the knowledge that several key players were certain to be unavailable for the semi-final owing to family commitments (is it now too optimistic to ask Pilgrims to arrange holidays, weddings and bar mitzvahs after the Cricketer Cup final?), but more pertinently by the failure of any OMTs’ players to appear for a drink at Skipper’s, continuing their poor behaviour throughout. Is a friendly pint really too much to ask?
Monday July 9 v Old Blundellians at Sherborne – Lost by 6 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 101; Old Blundellians 106-4 (R K Giles 51 not out)
It was a rather dank and dismal day, reflecting the state of many of the Pilgrims after the excesses of the previous night’s Cricketer Cup quarter-final victory celebrations. Luckily the toss was won and some of the thick heads were able to rest in the pavilion. Unfortunately this would not be for long as wickets fell continuously at both ends, not from particularly great bowling, more from reckless shots. Nobody ever got going, and with a top score of 21 from Mark Goodeve-Docker, the second highest contribution coming from the extras column, and three ducks (two first ballers: Warren and Bagnall), a competitive total was never going to be posted. Blundell’s had only turned up with nine men and so in our wisdom lent them a Pilgrim, Ed Elliot-Square and his brother: this was to prove a mistake as between them they took five for 25 to wrap up the innings for 101 – some might have questioned the decisions.
Unfortunately the bowling and fielding display was not much better, where only an exceptional one would have provided any threat to the visitors. Indeed, the opener Giles was able to score at will – his first seven scoring shots were all boundaries. Four wickets eventually fell, and a tight spell by Bagnall merely delayed the inevitable as Mike Warren (father of Pilgrims John and Charlie) helped the opener Giles finish the job after only 24 overs. The end couldn’t come too soon and the Pilgrims scuttled off quickly to the dressing-room with tails between their legs.
Tuesday July 10 v Butterflies at Sherborne – Drawn, rain
Sherborne Pilgrims 172-3 dec (C C M Warren 95)
It was the second day of the week and it was time for the Pilgrims to save some face after the embarrassment at the hands of the Old Blundellians the previous day. Having lost the toss and been put into bat, after the first half-hour had been lost to the weather on another gloomy day, Mark Goodeve-Docker and Charlie Warren started positively against a respectable Butterflies attack. Warren in particular was lucky early on as he edged several balls from Mason through the slips. The two played well without ever cutting loose, and deserved their century partnership off only 20 overs. Goodeve-Docker fell first trying to push things along and as the clouds drew nearer, the batsmen tried to score quickly to get runs on the board.
Soon after Goodeve-Docker and then Bristow were out there was a short break for rain. Warren eventually went after the restart for 95 slogging in a characteristically ungainly fashion. This brought Miles Jones to the crease to play what was to be a delightful four-ball pre-declaration cameo: the first was gently played back to the bowler, the next was pushed to midwicket for two, the next launched for six over midwicket and the last was close to another maximum, falling just short. Unfortunately, as the declaration was made, the weather finally decided to put an end to the match it had been interfering with all day. A shame as it had been a great start for the Pilgrims and the majority of the Butterflies had made their way down from London for the day.
Wednesday July 11 v South Wales Hunt at Sherborne – Won by 9 wickets
South Wales Hunt 150 (P B Crouch 5-35); Sherborne Pilgrims 153-1 (M A Shearer 91 not out, M J Hawkins 51 not out)
Considering the previous day’s abandonment and thus many more hours spent in the local hostelries, the South Wales Hunt must have fancied their chances on arrival at a blustery Upper. The Pilgrims fielded a nicely balanced side but had to make a late change owing to an unnamed Pilgrim being unable to attend for medical reasons! The Hunt started well with David Ricketts in particular taking a liking to Bagnall’s medium pace up the hill. They put on 88 for the first wicket which fell to the Pilgrims fifth bowler, Crouch. Both Gillett and Thorne tried their luck but it was to be Crouch’s day.
Having cruised to 88 the Hunt suffered an England-like collapse in which they lost their next eight wickets for 30 runs. The chief destroyer was Pete Crouch, whose medium-pace swing aided by a strong breeze, ripped through the top order: he took five of the first six wickets to fall and ended with career-best figures of 11-2-35-5. Dan Thorne somehow managed to pick up three wickets with a typically mixed bag. Bagnall came back which gave the tail a chance to wag which it did before he took the final wicket aided by a superb catch from Longman. The Hunt ending up 150 all out which was somewhat below par considering their excellent start.
The Pilgrims response was quite typically flamboyant. Miles Jones, fresh from his first Upper fifty in his last game, was out to the first ball of the innings and thoughts of hard work began to sink in. This fear was soon put to rest as Mark Shearer and Matt Hawkins proceeded to knock off the runs at will. Shearer was particularly strong through the covers and Hawkins scored heavily behind square on the off side with a dazzling array of cut shots. The total was passed after only 31.2 overs, duly completing an excellent nine-wicket win for the Pilgrims. The Hunt tried a total of nine bowlers but could not break the partnership of 153 from Hawkins and Shearer. An excellent day’s cricket was had by all and was completed by the arrival of the missing link six hours late but to the amusement of all in attendance.
Thursday July 12 v Dorset Rangers at Sherborne – Abandoned
Friday July 13 v Dorset Colts at Sherborne – Won by 69 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 220 (S Gillett 73); Dorset Colts 151 (J Elliot-Square 60 not out)
After a very hard week on and off the pitch, the Pilgrims reached the Upper in high hopes. Hopes primarily of making it through the day. Senior members of the side were beginning to realise that their bodies were not designed for this sort of punishment and prayed for some well-earned rest.
Bagnall chose to open with the well-suited pairing of Ed Elliot-Square and Ben Scott, who put 29 on the board for the first wicket. Scott was caught off the penetrative bowling of James Elliot-Square for 19 and seemed glad to be able to return to the pavilion for a liedown. This brought Thorne to the crease and the Pilgrims expected some entertainment. How disappointed they were. Thorne’s contribution to the second-wicket partnership of 27 was a round zero.
Sibling rivalry had taken over as the younger of the Elliot-Squares tried to punish the elder for some real or imagined misdemeanour in the distant past by bowling with real pace and ferocity. Elliot-Square senior rose to the challenge well and proceeded to hit his brother for 14 off one over, prompting the Colts captain to take him off.
After the departure of Thorne, Gillett arrived and quickly established his authority over the bowling of Tizzard. He scored freely and with some abandon as he tried to give the Pilgrims the base they needed to attack the Colts. Partnerships of 41, 48 and 56 with Rintoul, Hawkins (who holds the latest of late cuts in his armoury) and Bristow respectively took the Pilgrims score to 220 for five and the innings was ready for a good old-fashioned end-of-tour slog. The Pilgrims walked off the pitch after 49 overs at 220 all out.
In the wake of their exertions earlier in the week, and with a desire to limit the hilarity to a minimum, it was felt that Thorne and Crouch should be rested and therefore Edlmann and Slocombe were given the task of opening the bowling for the Pilgrims. They bowled exceptionally well, picking up three wickets apiece in the eight overs they were each given. The Colts seemed like rabbits caught in headlights and only Elliot-Square junior showed any signs of resistance. He treated his brother’s bowling with contempt and boundaries were slashed to all parts of the Upper. Elliot-Square senior kept going but should know better than to try and bounce a player of his brother’s class on such a pitch.
Elliot-Square junior finished on 60 not out and at one stage looked like giving the old lags a run for their money but in the end victory was easily secured by the Pilgrims. Both teams were able to reflect on an enjoyable day’s cricket and retired to the Cross Keys to continue the fight… The week had been a great success and thanks must go to everyone who made the effort to play. Many old men were made to feel young again!
Sunday July 15 v Old Tonbridgians at Tonbridge – Lost by 3 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 257 (J C Aylward 65; R Kemp 5-88); Old Tonbridgians 261-7 (R P W M Hands 60, M A Hughes 56; R J R Edlmann 5-31)
There were a few long faces at 11 o’clock as the two teams turned up. It was the morning after the Lions had gone down 2-1 in the series to the Wallabies. The decision to bat first was met with a muted cheer by the Pilgrims, having won the toss on an overcast day. The fact that the Head offers a great strip for batting was irrelevant.
Gammell and de la Hey got the Pilgrims off to a steady start reaching 50 in the fifteenth over. de la Hey was the first to go at 56, which brought Kemp (kindly donated by Tonbridge) to the crease. Kemp and Gammell continued the Pilgrims’ steady progress before finally Gammell was bowled for 40. The Pilgrims reached lunch at 113 for two off 33 overs and were in a good position to pick the pace up with eight wickets in hand.
After lunch however the slow progress continued with the loss of three quick wickets leaving the Pilgrims 138 for six after 44 overs and needing some inspiration. It came in the form of Aylward (another kindly donated by Tonbridge) who hit a fine 65, accompanied by two quickfire 27s from Pexton and Crouch. The Pilgrims eventually posted 257 off 57 overs.
Edlmann and Pexton opened up, with the breakthrough coming in the eighth over. Edlmann was bowling well and with better support the game would have been beyond Tonbridge. At 53 for two Warren was brought on to bowl his spinners. Warren has had better days but Bagnall persisted with bowling the spinner in an attempt to get through the overs to make a game of it. Edlmann soon had four, though, and at 76 for four Tonbridge looked beaten but unfortunately he could not bowl all day so on came Bagnall who grabbed two wickets.
With the score on 152 for six, as the last 20 overs started, the game was heading the Pilgrims way. Edlmann came back to capture his fifth wicket when de la Hay took his fourth catch of the day but it was too little, too late as Tonbridge’s sixth-wicket partnership put on 94. Tonbridge scraped home with seven balls to spare in an enjoyable game made so by some generous captaincy by Bagnall.
Sunday July 22 – Cricketer Cup semi-final v Oundle Rovers at Oundle – Lost by 2 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 154-9 (P H Edwards 4-22); Oundle Rovers 158-8 (A M Dobson 78)
This was a terrific effort from a seriously depleted side and sadly the pain of a second semi-final defeat in three years shrouded some of the many heroics both in the Cup run and this game. For the record, the Pilgrims lacked their two opening bowlers, Rydon and Knechtli, and three premier batsmen in Adams, Rintoul and Tweedale. Seven more replacements were unavailable and thus the club started the game with three Cricketer Cup debutants in Richard Edlmann, Andrew Nurton and Mark Goodeve-Docker.
With the grass nets closed down and only one Astroturf available, pre-match net practice was not a valuable exercise and things turned from bad to worse as Ricketts lost the toss and was asked to bat. This would not normally be a bad thing other than the fact that it had rained for half the week and hard the previous evening: somewhat extraordinarily, Oundle do not have covers.
Charlie Warren and Ben Atwell opened up and toughed it out on a damp and sticky wicket. It was hard going and only the unorthodox figure of Pilch released a loose ball for Atwell effortlessly to dispatch in the first six overs. After nine overs the opening bowlers were removed with the score on a comfortable 24 without loss. Tom Harrison, the Oundle skipper, brought himself on at one end where he bowled steadily but without penetration. At the other end, on came Peter Edwards, who changed the course of the match with his gentle swing and seam. He bowled his 12 overs straight through, conceded only 22 runs and accounted for four of the top five Pilgrims batsmen to take his tally of wickets to a record 112 in the competition. (For the record, he has also scored nearly twice as many runs as his nearest challenger in the Cricketer Cup’s leading all-rounder section.)
Warren was first to go, caught at a solo slip in the thirteenth over. Then progress was slow as Oundle posted a defensive field, forcing the batsmen to try to pierce the ring. This worked a treat as Atwell was caught in two minds and forced a return catch to the off spinner Martin Dobson to leave the Pilgrims at 40 for two in the eighteenth over. Dowdall was bowled three overs later which brought captain Ricketts to the crease.
At the other end Ed Elliot-Square sensibly decided that the best form of defence was attack and so took on Edwards. He hit him for two imperious straight fours in the 23rd over, but Edwards had seen it all before and tempted him into a similar shot with a slower ball in his next over; Howarth took the skier. Ricketts was caught by his opposite number and the position was 77 for five still 20 minutes short of lunch.
Goodeve-Docker joined Stuart Gillett and they batted with a mature “no risk” policy; at 1.30pm, 91 for five seemed a relative success. It would be fair to say that neither side felt on top at the break. Ricketts said his bit before the resumption but disaster struck immediately as Goodeve-Docker was run out in the first over after lunch. When Gillett ran himself out three over later, all their hard work had been undone and the Pilgrims were teetering on the brink at 109 for seven.
Andy Nurton (top scorer with 17) and Mark Jackaman then compiled an excellent partnership of 30. Neither man hit a boundary but simply relied on chipping and placing the ball around the field and, most importantly, they stayed at the crease until the 52nd over, virtually ensuring that the overs would be batted out. The innings closed at 154 for nine from the allotted 55, Jackaman unbeaten on 16. Even at this stage, the scorers considered this total to be six short of a really good score, such was the closeness of the game.
Edlmann opened the bowling and while he only bowled three poor balls in three overs, he had to be replaced as they were all dispatched to the boundary, and there were no runs to play with. At the other end, Ricketts opted for spin and Jim Freeth came up trumps, trapping Mountain leg-before with his first ball.
Having smoked two pipes, the wispy-bearded and goateed Pilch joined Martin Dobson and the two of them threatened to run away with it. Luckily Pilch, Ã la Elliot-Square, having hit Ricketts for two fours in his first over, attempted the same in his next and was caught by Edlmann at mid off. When Freeth had Samworth caught by Warren at short leg, the game turned again and Oundle were reeling at 43 for three, but from only ten overs.
Elliot-Square came on and in only his second over claimed what was thought to be the key wicket of Harrison; 67 for four. Edwards arrived and saw off Freeth’s excellent spell of 12-2-25-2. Once again the veteran proved to be the foil as he blocked, nudged and pushed his way to seven runs in the next 20 overs. More importantly, Dobson accelerated from 29, already the highest score of the match, to 62. He put on a further 22 with Pimblett for the next wicket and the two stands alone pushed the score to a seemingly unbeatable 132. Elliot-Square then struck twice in three overs as Nurton was bowling another great spell at the other end. At 145 for eight, victory was still possible, but Cartledge, who had scored a league hundred the previous weekend, hit some lusty blows and Oundle reached the victory line in the 53rd over.
Dobson’s 78 was 61 more than any other batsman in the game and had to be the man-of-the-match contribution. Apart from that it would be fair to say that neither side seemed capable of winning the contest and nerves were almost certainly abundant. The Pilgrims rued three dropped catches, two missed stumpings and a fumbled run-out, but it would be wrong to blame that on the defeat as some “charity” was proffered in return. The statistic of eight Pilgrims making double figures with a top score of only 17 proved more crucial: if only one batsman had posted even 40, there would surely have been more confidence in the side. Instead it will have to be another year and that magnum of champagne remains on ice at this author’s flat.
For this inexperienced side to get as close as it did was admirable; losing the toss was fairly crucial, but then it was just as importantly won in the heat at Tonbridge. Finally, credit must be paid to Justin Ricketts for leading the side, once again, on such a fine run. His all-round achievements have been outstanding and his astute captaincy has so often been the difference. His tactics have almost always reaped instant rewards and his unflappable manner has persuaded a number of cricketers, who always had the ability, to “back themselves” when games have been tight. The Pilgrims have now found the habit of winning these games and Ricketts has been the main architect of this mindset.
Sunday July 29 v Charterhouse Friars at Charterhouse – Lost by 56 runs
Charterhouse Friars 278-8 (A Gordon Martin 70); Sherborne Pilgrims 222 (N I Gavin-Brown 61; Gordon Martin 5-68, R Souter 4-41)
Another sweltering day at Charterhouse; however, we were not privileged enough to be on the main ground, this was reserved for a Jazz Hat game in which a certain J D Ricketts was playing. Having got over the shock of seeing the Cricketer Cup captain playing for another side, no showers and open changing facilities the Pilgrims took to the field under Stuart Gillett, captaining the Pilgrims for the first time. Losing his first toss was not the best way to motivate the troops. The Pilgrims took to the field and there was a distinct feeling of worry because the excellent batting wicket and short boundaries made it look like chasing leather would be the order of the day.
Pexton and Gavin-Brown opened the attack and kept a tight line and length, Pexton bowled well and the “after shock” of the Cricketer Cup seemed to have gone! It was clear, early on, that 300 was going to be a realistic score on a belter of a wicket. The Friars had an excellent start with Gordon Martin in particular playing some fine shots. One feels that the Friars had a point to prove having not reached the latter stages of the Cricketer Cup. After a century opening stand the Friars slowly lost wickets but continued to score freely. The Pilgrims spin attack pegged the batsmen back and at one stage 250 looked like a reasonable score. However, six dropped catches meant that the Friars would set a more challenging total. With some big hitting at the end of the innings by Gilbert and Seddan the Friars posted a competitive 278.
It was clear that the Pilgrims would need a big innings from one of the top five to challenge the total set by the Friars. A good start was also needed, but three quick wickets fell and it became clear that the total was going to be hard to reach. Nick Gavin-Brown batted excellently for 61 but gave his wicket away when he needed to play the anchor role. There was a glimmer of hope when Charlie Dowdall joined Gavin-Brown but he fell leg-before for 24 when a big innings was needed. Having a young side under him, Gillett relegated himself down the order to No 8 when his experience may well have been better served up the order. He took the score from 113 to 185 with some lusty blows and was joined by Pexton who also struck some adventurous boundaries.
Gillett was out for 46 which was too little, too late. This left the stage clear for the two old timers, Pexton and Crouch, who gave the match a fitting and amusing end. Some interesting strokeplay and even more interesting running between the wickets gave the gathered crowd substantial amusement. This was capped with an extraordinary incident in which Crouch was dropped, two run-out opportunities missed and four overthrows. The end result was that Crouch was credited with seven runs from one delivery. Has a No 11 ever scored seven from one ball? Answers on a postcard, please. An excellent day once again at Charterhouse and it was especially good to see such a young side with nine under 26.
Sunday August 19 v Bluemantles at Tunbridge Wells – Abandoned
Sunday August 26 v NPL Lensbury, at Teddington – Drawn, rain
NPL Lensbury 195-6 (N Churchman 67)
Chalk and cheese. Black and White. Tonbridge and NPL Lensbury. When the Pilgrims arrived at NPL Lensbury, the home side had heard of the heroics of the Pilgrims in brushing aside class cricketers and sides in the 2001 Cricketer Cup campaign. It came as an extraordinary surprise, therefore, to Tom Gardiner, the NPL opener, that a previous hero of the Cricketer Cup, Will Hargrove, could take 14 balls to complete an over in his opening spell.
Knechtli bowled with energy from one end, whilst Hargrove bowled poorly from the other. Both openers helped themselves to Hargrove’s gifts and moved the score rapidly to 43 before Pete Crouch accounted for Gardiner. Nick Churchman came to the crease and promptly helped himself to the assortment of full tosses and long hops on offer. When Gammell bowled the other Gardiner, Chris Churchman joined his brother at the feast and sent Pilgrims chasing leather. The Churchmans took a special liking to Gammell’s bowling, notching 49 from his “cream-filled” six overs.
Knechtli was a ray of light in an otherwise dismal performance, accounting for Churchman not long before the heavens opened and put a premature end to a painful occasion.
Reports by Ben Atwell, Rupert Bagnall, Pete Crouch, Stuart Gillett, Robert Hands, Charlie Warren and Will Wingfield Digby.