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Friday 20 June 2008

Match Report

Forty tables of ten sat in a wonderful marquee in glorious sunshine waiting for this year’s Baker Tilly and Cazenove Capital Management Celebrity Cricket Match at the stunningly beautiful Cholmondeley Castle Ground. Picture a castle on a hill, acres and acres of manicured parkland and gardens, two lakes, a tree-lined avenue and a watching llama! Drop a cricket pitch into the middle and it still doesn’t do justice to the setting. The comment that Arundel is now known as the Cholmondeley of the South was graciously acknowledged by the few southern participants while Lady Cholmondeley modestly looked on.

Nick Hancock and his wife Shari had again surpassed themselves in putting their team together and so both teams fielded a host of celebrities. Nick modestly handed over the captaincy of his team to former England Test player, Rob Bailey, who elected to field after winning the toss. TV Antiques Expert and our regular auctioneer, Adam Partridge strode purposely to the crease. Knocking down antiques is Adam’s day job, but here he knocked up a very commendable 34, tackling a variety of bowlers including Gladstone Small, actor Chris Walker and a plethora of ex-international footballers…David “Ned” Kelly, Kevin Wilson, Steve Froggatt and Don Goodman, who began the match as a more than competent wicket keeper.

Gary Talbot, husband of retiring Regional Chairman of the Lady Taverners, Chrissy, and the “most popular ex Chester City Footballer ever,” added a few vital runs, eagerly watched by a new grand daughter, who had travelled all the way from Australia. Arriving (like the Cavalry) and immediately installed at number six, was the Taverners own Chris Tarrant. Sporting a natty purple cap that invited you to “Go fishing in Sweden”, Tarrant was hoping to cast his spell over the bowlers, and for a while all looked quite well. His dismissal was something of a fluke. The wicket taking delivery flew high into the air, pitched about eight feet from Chris, and he had rightly rushed forward to hook it. Sadly he missed it, and it went on to hit the stumps on the third bounce.

The total of 135 looked a vulnerable total as lunch was taken St. Christopher’s Special School from Wrexham joined us at this stage, arriving in the Taverners minibus that had been presented to them only a few months earlier. The children beamed with delight at the array of celebrities and exchanged one liners with Chris Tarrant and Nick Hancock about their respective shows, and acquired many autographs. The Deputy Headmaster, Richard Williams, together with a bright and delightful pupil, thanked the assembled gathering after the starter. It put the day into perspective very neatly, and gave our regular supporters the chance to see the Taverners machine in action.

Chris Cowdrey acted as host with his usual suave aplomb, and Nick Hancock, whose voice was deserting him after exhorting his team mates in the field, asked comedian Ted Robbins, to introduce the players. Ted also gave us a taste of his routine, and was hilarious. The usual raffles and auctions ensued, and buoyed by his great innings, Adam Partridge put on a fantastic display, raising a lot more than we had anticipated – more later. And so after a fine 4 course meal and some fine wines and champagne, supplied at a discounted rate for the Charity by JW Lees Brewery, the cricket was resumed. Peter Johnson (Chairman of the Regions) thanked retiring Chairmen Charlie Womersley and Chrissy Talbot for their sterling work for the Lord’s and Lady Taverners respectively and they enjoyed a deserved ovation.

So to the second innings. Everyone chipped in a few runs to see Rob Bailey’s team home with a couple of overs to spare. Once again the footballers showed their prowess at all ball games; current players Jon Stead and Liam Lawrence, although lacking in traditional technique, showed an excellent eye to ball co-ordination and slapped a fair few runs each, as did “Ned”, but the end came when Don Goodman capped a genuine all round performance by launching two huge sixes towards the lake. And so Rob Bailey duly collected the Trophy from Cazenove Capital Management and Baker Tilly, our wonderfully generous sponsors. The man of the match award was shared between Don Goodman and Adam Partridge.

The sponsors went home happy; the players went home happy; the guests went home happy; and while no final financial result is available yet, it will be an impressive haul to put towards Taverner causes. So a classic Taverners day with too many thanks to mention everyone involved but Nick and Shari Hancock deserve special praise for their continued enthusiastic support of our charity.

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