PRESIDENT'S DAY 2011
&
Annual Cricket Match
 

OSA Presidents XI:  92 all out off 38.3 overs (Geoff Blackmore 27*, Terry White 17, Dave Hudson 15)

Botany Bay CC:    95 for 2 off 23.5 overs (Geoff Blackmore 1 for 1, Tim Westbrook 1 for 19)

The President’s investiture at the AGM meant that any Presidential ‘picks’ could be discussed at the Annual Dinner, and Nigel Wade advised that he had no ‘special requests’ for inclusion in the side. As there was an additional Bank Holiday in late April (something to do with a Royal Wedding!!) the ‘free time’ was used to attempt to find a suitable eleven even earlier than previous seasons. Unfortunately, the invitations sent out revealed some early bad news, as James Mote advised that he would be on his honeymoon and Andy Douglas (his best man) would be on holiday, which he had delayed to attend the various stag weekends (they have more than one these days!!) and the wedding itself. Therefore any (remote) hope I had of bringing down the average age of the side had disappeared as our two ‘thirty something’s’ were not available.

A few weeks later selection went from ‘bad to worse’ as Steve Young advised that he had problems with his ankle, which no-one could diagnose and that he would, at best, be able to hobble in August, and therefore that he would not be able to play. In addition, Colin Walker advised that would be on holiday and Robin Baker said that he would not be returning to the UK during August from his Bermuda base. The one ‘ray of hope’ I had was when walking into the Lords pavilion for the Sri Lanka Test Match in May, and seeing Terry White (whom I had not seen since Keith Blunden’s funeral) and when he advised that he was still playing reasonably regularly for Alexandra Park CC, he was invited to play and said ‘yes’.

Some invitations were responded to quicker than others, so at the beginning of August the ‘hoped for’ eleven was still only seven!! Even though reminders prompted some positive responses, Steve Martin then pulled a hamstring in the Geoff Slipper memorial game and Tony Pigden had a hip replacement operation. Having tried all the cricketers I knew with an OS connection (however vague!!) I then sent out a ‘plea’ to OSFC members who responded in the way I hoped. So ten days before the game, I actually had twelve players, although Steve Martin was injured and doubtful. Then three days before the game Mike Weatherley fell off his bike and was knocked unconscious, and advised that whilst he would be there, his severely bruised hand would almost certainly prevent him from batting or bowling. The night before we had another ‘cry off’ so I turned up on the day ‘just hoping’ that we could put eleven players on the pitch.

Over lunch, Mike W advised that he was ‘banned’ from playing so Don Bewick was added to the team, and then Dave Hudson advised that he would have to leave around tea time to take his daughter to Gatwick. Talking of lunch, the President Nigel Wade entertained many guests to an excellent meal, yet again organised by Master of Ceremonies, Gordon Rose.

With all the ‘doom and gloom’ about our side, it was most pleasing that the Botany Bay President, John Jarvis, who played regularly against us in the late nineties, had ‘wrested’ the fixture back from the Old Elizabethans CC (whom we had played for the previous two years when Botany Bay were unable to fulfil the fixture) and was ‘match managing’ and captaining a Botany Bay Select XI. Even so, with the strength of the side we had assembled, for the first time ever, I did not really want to bat first. However, as JJ did not really want to toss a coin, I reluctantly accepted his offer of letting us bat.

I thought I probably had three batsmen upon whom I could rely for runs so spread them out in the order, intermingled with those (theoretically) a little less skilful with the bat. Given that our first recognised batsmen, Steve Martin, was playing with a torn hamstring, his instructions were to hit the ball to the boundary, or walk singles – and with the latter in mind, John Jackson was asked to open with him. Unfortunately for John, the first ball of the second over was a little too quick for him (although trying to ‘heave’ it over cow probably didn’t help) and he was bowled. An over later, Steve Martin played the ball to third man and having walked the single, he let his competitive instinct get the better of him and he tried to run a second, but in needing to ‘speed up’ to avoid being run out collapsed in a heap, after doing more damage to his hamstring, and Retired Hurt for 3.

Terry White (the second of my recognised batsmen) and Dave Hudson then played watchfully; although Dave’s watchful defence was interspersed with the odd blow to the boundary. Dave’s dismissal with the score at 24 brought Richard Slatford (the final of my three guaranteed run getters) to the crease and being bowled round his legs first ball was not what I had hoped for!! One run later, Dave Gilligan faced his first ball (from one of the slowest ever bowlers on the planet!!) and was unfortunately bowled leaving us at 25 for 4 – although we were effectively 25 for 5, as Steve Martin was most unlikely to bat again.

Mick Kassie showed that he had remembered how he used to bat and his score of 11, meant that (at that point) he was only the second of our batsmen to reach double figures. When Mick was out, Barry Soames pushed Geoff Blackmore out to bat with Terry White, who had been playing the Chris Tavare ‘role’ whilst others around him departed, and for a few overs our fate lay in the hands of the Class of 65. Terry’s resistance was finally broken after 24 overs, when he became the third of our batsmen who attempted (and failed) to hit their leggie out of the ground as he was caught behind and stumped on the same ball!!

Enter Barry Soames, whose batting style has been described by some as an adult form of French Cricket. However, Geoff Blackmore had confidence in Barry’s ability to ‘hang around’ and therefore was able to punish the ‘odd’ bad ball bowled without taking chances against the good ones. Unfortunately after twelve overs Barry’s innings was undone by a wide-ish ‘leg side’ delivery from their left arm spinner, from which he was stumped. Two balls later, Tim Westbrook was bowled by the best delivery of the day, which pitched on leg stump and clipped the top corner of the off bail, and then Geoff decided that (out of courtesy) he should not refuse late replacement Don Bewick’s opportunity to get off the mark on the last ball of the over. However, three balls later, Don was bowled and our innings was over at 92 all out, with Geoff stranded on 27 not out. But at least the fifty plus runs we had put on for the sixth and seventh wickets meant the game would go beyond tea, which earlier had looked extremely doubtful!!

During tea, it looked as if we might have to field with just nine – following Dave Hudson’s departure to Gatwick and Steve Martin’s injury – but fortunately JJ offered a substitute and Mike Weatherley’s ‘ban’ was overturned by the Appeal Court – even though bowling was still out of the question. After the obligatory team photo, our ‘irregular’ bowlers initially struggled to find their line and length and the Bay keeper, who opened, looked as if he wanted to emulate Adam Gilchrist and finish the game early. When they were 38 for no wicket in just six overs, the last hour seemed an awfully long way off. Fortunately, Tim Westbrook trapped the keeper lbw, with the score at 49 – Tim’s one success in seven overs – although his appeal was like that of an excited schoolboy!!

Whilst the keeper’s departure slowed the Botany Bay run rate, the best we could hope for was to take the game into the last hour and we did exactly that - as John Jackson’s claim to be a bowler was far more believable than his previous claim to be an opening bat – as he bowled extremely economically and conceded just 23 runs in 8.5 overs. With Botany Bay just five short of victory, Geoff Blackmore took our second wicket in his only over, again lbw, although the decision owed more to the appeal than the line of the delivery!!

When Botany Bay finally cruised over the line, the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ was shown in full as JJ and one of his team-mates were waiting at the boundary’s edge with jugs of bitter and lager, which (strangely enough) were not refused by the OS team!! Whilst Terry White’s innings would almost certainly have ensured his selection next year, the fact that he joined me over the next two and a half hours in attempting to ‘drink the fixture back’ means he’s already been selected!!

My thanks are due to the Old Stationers FC members who responded so positively to my appeal for players and of course, to the Botany Bay Cricket Club, and in particular their President, John Jarvis, who hosted the match so splendidly. In addition, special thanks to our President, Nigel Wade, for his hospitality towards both players and spectators, to Gordon Rose for his usual efficient organisation, and to our umpire Dick Hersey who officiated throughout.

Finally next year is the fortieth anniversary of the first ever Presidents Day fixture, and the current OSA Vice President, Tony Moffat has already started to make preparations for 2012. The preparations would be aided if we know anyone who is prepared to score for the side – and I’m happy to ‘negotiate’ a reasonable fee. Please make a note of Sunday 26^th August 2012 in your diaries, and do all you can to join us for an excellent lunch, and – as JJ will be captaining against us again – an ‘old fashioned’ game of time cricket.

Geoff Blackmore

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