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Monday 04 August 2008

Match Report

Cheltenham College, Cheltenham, Glos

Lord’s Taverners v Old England – 4th August

Runs galore at Cheltenham

On an overcast day the match opened on rather a sad note, marking the death of Taverners’ stalwart Butch White with a minute’s silence. Butch was a great player who many from both teams had played with during their careers.

The teams:

Old England - Geoff Humpage, Jim Love, Monte Lynch, John Hardy, Derek Randall, Neil Radford, Richard Ellison, Martin McCague, John Lever, Bobby Parks, Joey Benjamin and Peter Such. Manager - Jim Parks.

The Lord’s Taverners - Paul Mount, Chris White, Neil Smith, John Derrick (ex Glamorgan coach), Miles Harrison, Graham Rose, Stephen Pope (Glos & Surrey CCC), Mark Hardinges, Nick Trainer, Craig Spearman, Rob Cunliffe (all Gloucestershire CCC).

The match started at 11-30am with Old England batting. A solid start was made by Geoff Humpage and Jim Love before they were both caught for 34 and 5 runs respectively. Monte Lynch made 13 before being again caught by Miles Harrison.

Then in came Jim Love who at the start looked a little rusty but played a great innings of 109 before being bowled by our match sponsor Paul Mount. Derek Randall was next to delight the crowd, nudging and nurdling before being run out for 40. Neil Radford finished the innings with a quick 21, leaving Old England on 222 runs, a formidable target for the Taverners.     

The Taverners opened with the match sponsor Paul Mount of Mount International. Paul plays for one of the local teams in the North Gloucestershire league. After a nervous start he settled down and on 20 was caught by Geoff Humpage off the bowling of Richard Ellison. His opening partner Nick Trainer blasted 6 fours and 5 sixes in his 51 before being caught off the bowling of Peter Such.

Chris White followed and was shown the red card after make 6 and then followed a great display of batting from Craig Spearman (making 39 before caught beingby Geoff Humpage off the bowling of Martin McCague), Rob Cunliffe (43 before being bowled by Bobby Parks), Neil Smith (21caught by Derek Randall off the bowling of Martin McCague) and John Derrick (27 caught by McCague off the bowling of John Lever).

With only seven wickets down the Taverners were in with a shout to win the match, Miles Harrison after getting off the mark missed one and was bowled by Lever, Stephen Pope after getting settled on the score of 11 was caught by Ellison off the bowling of Parks. Graham Rose came to the crease in a confident manor, smashed a six out of the ground and needing only 4 runs to win off the last over picked up a couple of singles and off the last ball of the innings tried one of Kevin Peterson’s reverse sweeps and missed the ball altogether!

So it was that Old England won by 2 runs but a great day was had by all. Umpiring duties were performed by John Price, Richard Kershaw, Mike Tredgett and Andy Stovold.  The crowd were entertained and informed on the public address throughout the match by Andrew Green and Bearders himself, Bill Frindall.

During the evening a charity Dinner was held and 300 guests were entertained in great style, firstly by the Master of Ceremonies Andrew Green and speakers Derek Randall and star of TV Tom O’Connor.  Derek told some humorous stories of his cricketing travels around the world and Tom some great stories and jokes from his boyhood which brought the house down.  A superb evening.

Mike Tredgett

(Left to right) Peter Such, Joey Benjamin, Bobby Parks, John Lever, Martin McCague, Stephen Pope, Nick Trainer, Paul Mount, Craig Spearman, Richard Ellison, Richard Kershaw

(Left to right) Rob Cunliffe, Mark Hardinges, John Derrick, Chris White, John Price, Miles Harrison, Graham Rose, Monte Lynch, Neil Radford, Neil Smith, Geoff Humpage and Andy Stovold

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