Thank goodness for the Osmans! (never thought I say that !)
Well in the aftermath of the Alderney tour, with Braz, Culmer and Hally testing positive for Covid, we were without a match manager.
Hally had build an eleven only for it to start falling apart. No Campbell, no Braziers and only one Hillier ( and the wrong one!)…
Rinaldo, Nall, this year’s regulars, were joined by Martin Hawthorne, my neighbour Mark and 4 Osmans – Dad Tim and his three offspring, Isla, Harry and Zac who had brought a mate – Callum.
We put Crawley in to bat and shared the bowling around and Crawley batted methodically amassing a decent 278 for 8. Captain Martin White retiring with a century to his name.
Mark and Zak opened up bowling well and with a quick outfield and only ten players 278 was not bad effort. Helped by great fielding by Callum, saving many would-be boundaries. All bowled who wanted to with fine debuts from Isla and Mark McGettigan and a first Rioteer wicket for Mark Nall ! Tim and I pitched in with a few overs and even Hawthorne had an over.
Tea was delicious and we were joined by Dessie and Val and my parents which made up our supporters along with Cal’s brother. Braz had had enough of scoring so took himself home.
278 to win with about 2 hours in which to do it. Crawley opened with Jake a quick left arm around and we faced him with two Osmen? Harry and Tim after a few classy strokes past a helmeted silly mid-off we lost Harry. Hawthorne came in three and when Tim was given LBW we were on around 50. Mark came in and hit a wonderful 75 including a run-out with Hawthorne (who didn’t run his bat in – note to all!)
I was out cheaply bowled through the gate bringing Rinaldo in and he and Mark put a good partnership together. When they were both out, Crawley were expecting to breeze through us. But Zac and Cal had just come to make up the numbers.
They hit an array of great shots and ended unbeaten with a partnership of 50+. Well played boys! No need to nearly take your Dad’s head off though Zac
And we still had Isla and Mark N yet to bat.
So a well earned Draw was the outcome, Rioteers ending up on about 225-6
Special thanks to Isla – great debut and best bowling action of the day. For Harry it’s back to work with Roy ???? – no, well kept, it was a long afternoon in the field.
What a tea ! Cadnam – Always a good one but this was something else, topped with a two tear Platinum Jubilee Cake.
… A fine eleven gathered on the final day of the 4 day Jubilee celebrations…
The skipper lost the toss and Cadnam decided to have a bat…
From the forecast, we all knew what the day had in store.
Bertie opened up from the far end up the hill, bowling with good pace and movement but the openers matched his assault with caution.
Alfie Smith opened from the pavilion end and bowled some great balls and some he didn’t think much of !
Sam Morgan at mid-wicket was put back on the boundary to cover the odd loose one and Alfie got his man on the third one.
Sam taking a very well judged catch in the deep.
When Alfie had found his rhythm he started to cause a few problems and took a couple of good wickets, LBW and Bowled.
Bertie was replaced by the skipper who added his guile and Alfie was replaced by debutant Richard Mayon-White, who carried on where Alfie left off but without the luck with a chance going down at slip – They’re never easy Charlie ????.
The fielding was keen and father and son Mark and George Nall kept the cover region well patrolled. James had another fine game at keeper donning the new helmet and standing up to keep the batsmen back in their crease.
Cadnam continued to keep the score ticking along with a solid partnership of a hundred or more with both batters reaching 50s.
Martin H came on to get through some overs and wasn’t too expensive and picked up one of the two Half centurians.
Mark had an over and Sam and Greg a couple of overs each before the rain came down.
We had had a glimpse of the tea preparations an were happy to go off, knowing, hoping we wouldn’t be required to go back out.
The rain grew harder and the match was declared a draw Rain stopped play – so we feasted !
Next stop King Eds Wednesday week, before the Alderney Tour
It was a beautifully warm and sunny Spring day to open the season at the charming cricket club of St Mary Bourne. The Rioteers team assembled full of anticipation. Firstly, introductions were needed as no less than 5 of the team were making their Rioteer debut. The Match Manager (yours truly) was very grateful that the fab 5 agreed to step into the breach – and hopefully they will continue to do so throughout the season when available!
With the club skipper, Campbell, unavailable – paying homage to our patron saint – the first decision was to select a captain. Surprisingly James “nipper” Hillier was given the nod by the elder statesmen, and promptly lost the toss. Put into bat, Martin and Jon were given the opening duties while the rest of the batting order could be mulled over while watching the score accumulate serenely in the sunshine. The reality of the next few minutes could not be more off-plan. The ball was swinging wildly, the pitch was keeping low and the SMB bowlers skilfully controlled both factors to great effect. The cream of the batting line-up (Martin, Jon, Graeme, Chris and Tom) paraded in and back again with alarming regularity and a sense of panic had set in to the ranks and the debutant skipper. Within a shake of a lamb’s tail, the score after 6 overs was 7 runs for 5 wickets.
At the fifth wicket Nipper the Skipper was joined at the crease by Bertie. As luck would have it a sporting gesture from SMB captain, James, he took himself and the other opening bowler off. Bertie led the fight back with an assured 21 with some typical clean hitting. He succumbed in the 14th over – caught by the SMB captain, who could do no wrong. The score by this stage had moved swiftly to 53 for 6. The newly appointed skipper, who had dropped anchor, was assisted by the final 4 batsmen, notably Robert Rinaldo and Peter “Cledders” Cledwyn, and very briefly Simon Hunt(!) before being the final wicket to fall in the 24th over for 40. The last man standing was the 12 year old debutant Will Gilbey. As tea was hurriedly brought forward, the total score was 91 all out.
After some refreshment the skipper watched the players warming up to assess who the bowling attack could be. Bertie opened from the Village Hub end and was straight on the money inducing an inside edge on to the stumps. One down. The next 7 overs were tight and full of tension. Jon Gilbey’s first 4 overs going for just 5 runs, Bertie’s for 7.
But a spark was needed and young Will Gilbey was thrown the ball. His first ball for the Rioteers saw the no.3 batsman push upwards and Graeme Johnson duly obliged in the covers. 2 down for 13, but the wicket brought danger man Johnny Orange to the fray. He clipped his third ball nicely off his legs and called for 2, perhaps he had not seen that it was Bertie covering the legside boundary? The resulting run out gave a boost of morale to the fielding team who began to think they may just cause SMB a few problems, at least, on their way to inevitable victory.
Johnny’s son Tom began to put together a partnership with the opener, moving the score on to 30 when he was clean bowled by William, the boy wonder. At the other end Graeme was plugging away – having not bowled a ball for many years – and he began to find his rhythm. Bowling 5 straight overs, Graeme struck in his last to remove batsman number 6 – so 5 wickets down and the total 43.
Chris Partridge was brought on to bowl to give William a rest. 6 deliveries full of mystery. It may seem harsh that the skipper took him off, and amidst whispers of nepotism brought on his brother Martin. However, the SMB number 7 had scored quickly against the Rioteers in previous years, so the guile of Hillier M was called into action. In his first over he was promptly despatched for 2 fours – on the face of it an inauspicious start but for the 5th ball of the over where the flight deceived the batsman who was stranded only for Nipper to drop the ball and miss the stumping. A costly mistake perhaps? The score was beginning to creep along – the 6th wicket partnership worth a valuable 23 runs. It was time to bring Bertie back into the attack – no point leaving him any later as SMB edged closer to their target. As drinks were taken, the score had moved on to 66 for 5.
It should be said that every SMB run was hard earned as the Rioteers fielded like their lives depended on it – the Cats in the covers (Roberto and Graeme), the Cobras at mid-on and mid-off (Chris and Tom Townsend) and special mention to the Long Barrier of Longparish, Simon Hunt. Nothing was going to penetrate that ring of steel.
Second over after drinks Nipper was given the opportunity to make amends and this time affected a stumping off his brother to end the dangerous inning of the number 7 batsman. At the other end Bertie produced another pearl to remove the number 8 and a wicket maiden. The score was 67 -7. Rioteers eyes widened – was this really happening?
SMB captain James was now at the crease to join the limpet like opener and together they saw Bertie’s last over off (another maiden) and picked singles off Martin. Jon was brought back into the attack and produced a Flintoff-like over to remove the skipper and with the very next ball the number 10 as well – both clean bowled. A hat-trick (the third hat-trick ball in the match) to win the game was on. The fielders surrounded the bat, Jon reached the end of his run up, turned and cantered towards the crease and sent the ball, arrow like, towards the stumps….where it was solidly met by a very proficient number 11. The next few overs saw these seasoned batsmen accumulate again – a single here and there, and the odd four to bring them with in 7 runs of the Rioteers total, with 9 or 10 overs still left in the game.
The tension was palpable, every player felt the heavy burden of victory or defeat was on them and their individual actions. Who could be turned to? Who was going to see this through? The ball was thrown to Rioteers lucky charm, Billy the Kid. His first ball of this second spell was typically wicket to wicket, no run. His second drifted slightly down leg, and was nudged to leg for an easy single – except the non-striker refused to run. Jon threw quickly but inaccurately to Cledders at slip who skillfully gathered the ball and redirect it towards the wicket as two more Rioteers fell over themselves to push the ball against the stumps. Surely the batsmen will have made their ground? The bails tumbled, the players turned to see if the batsman was home, to see the 2 of them in earnest debate at the bowlers end. The Game was Won in a fittingly extraordinary way. My thoughts go to their not out opening batsman who was stranded on 30.
The team: Chris Partridge, Tom Townsend, Simon Hunt, Graeme Johnson, William “Billy the Kid” Gilbey, Jon Gilbey, Robert Rinaldo, Peter Cledwyn, Bertie, Martin and James Hillier.
Sadly, Coombe Bisset was rained off yesterday – so onwards next week to Appleshaw (8th May 1pm), Simon Brazier is Match Manager. Cheers, James
The prospects of a game were not auspicious on Sunday with banks of cumulonimbus clouds overhead and rain falling at the 2pm start time. With this in mind the two captains opted for a 35 overs match and Rioteers were asked to bat.
Jim Shea and Martin Hillier opened the batting but, after scoring one delightful four, Jim was first to depart when failing to wait for a rank long-hop to arrive at his bat only to top edge a skier which was well caught. At this point it is worth recording that both sides had only ten men and had to field well; both did so commendably. Indeed, Bramshaw had seven teenagers in their side, the youngest only thirteen, but their tremendous team spirit and unstinting enthusiasm more than made up for any inexperience.
As one of the older opponents commented, Martin and James Hillier, the latter coming in at three, set about building a partnership by playing straight balls with classic defence, but punishing the bad ones ruthlessly. James looked a batsman of real pedigree with some wonderful straight drives and pull shots played with rolled wrists always keeping the ball down. Sadly, he failed to achieve a much deserved fifty only because he was erroneously run out by the square leg umpire’s poor decision (your Match reporter’s fault no less: sorry James!). However, Martin proceeded with ever increasing facility and some aggressive strokes including many clever placements behind square on the off, as well as trade-mark sixes over wide long-on. Campbell Williams scored some quick runs before being bowled, and Greg Williams, after an understandably hesitant start from a young batsman who has played only few games for the Rioteers, gained in confidence and played some good scoring shots which augur well for the future. Again, it is pleasing to note how many young players were also in the Rioteers team: the future of Sunday cricket looks safe in the hands of these two clubs.
Last man to bat for Rioteers was Bertie Hillier who, after taking 24 off one over, made way for his father to complete an entertaining century. Indeed, Marting played so well, as he has done on many occasions for Rioteers for many years, that your reporter doubts that he was the only one to learn from Martin afterwards that this was only his second century. The innings closed during a heavy burst of rain which occasioned speculation of an early tea, but this was not ultimately taken: the score finally 219 for 4.
When it was taken, the tea turned out to be superb and all credit and thanks to Bramshaw CC for returning to the old, and much missed, tradition.
Bramshaw’s chase got off to a cracking start: Ben, who had also opened the bowling, hit Archie Hillier, bowling the opening over up the hill, for a delightful cover-driven four in the first over. Bowling down the hill, your reporter’s treatment was even more brutal when a six over long on clearly demonstrated the batsmen’s intent. Any thoughts the Rioteers may have harboured of an easy win soon disappeared. When Ben was eventually caught at the wicket by James Hillier, standing up to Hall, (some small compensation for the latter’s earlier treatment) the other opener, Ollie, went on to a fine half century and eventually 74. Many bowlers were tried (in fact, both sides used eight bowlers, thus ensuring that all players were well involved in the game, very much in the spirit of Sunday cricket) and Greg C. and Wilf Hillier both impressed by bowling good lines and lengths on a 22 yard pitch, when they normally play on 19. Skipper Campbell and Robert Rinaldo also bowled well as well as fielding with same enthusiasm as the youngsters, whilst Archie returned for a second spell and wisely opted to bowl spin; taking pace off the ball made it harder to score runs as deflections no longer automatically reached the short boundaries.
With five wickets down and their excellent young captain, Bailey now batting, Bramshaw reached the last over with the game in the balance, as Campbell left unreported in his teasing e mail. Bertie Hllier was bowling fast from the bottom end where he had already clean bowled the opponent’s top scorer, and Bramshaw needed three off the last ball to win. The first required run was easily taken and the second was necessarily risked; a good throw came in, James whipped off the bails and a loud appeal ensued. The verdict: “not out” so Bramshaw finished with 219 for 5 and a tie.
Much as Rioteers had tried to win, none begrudged Bramshaw their fair share of an absolutely splendid match. Finally, a mention for both skippers who contrived such a closely fought game whilst giving players of all ages from 12 to 75 the opportunity to enjoy their involvement in village cricket.
Sunday’s game faced a few headwinds; COVID grounded many younger Rioteers (meaning Greg didn’t get to revisit the scene of his famous 3 wickets in 4 balls); rain was due around 5pm; and it was competing with the Wimbledon final and a football game in the evening (about which we’re so over, already). However, a fine Rioteers team mixing youth, mid-life insouciance and no little flair served up another tight finish against our near homophones, the Racqueteers.
Smiling, Campbell lost the toss. On a pitch that was more pan de spagna than crespelleour hosts found scoring hard going against uniformly tight bowling. In the field, Guy and Sam demonstrated the latest sliding techniques to raised eyebrows from less supple teammates. Matt C and Andy revived their glorious Knott and Underwood double act, while the Wood-ster essayed John Lever before settling into a more convincing and effective Ray East. As Roberto’s imprecations tickled the bi-lingual umpire, wickets fell regularly, were evenly shared and fielding remained un-characteristically sharp. Runs escaped all but their skipper (using his feet well) and Rishi and Stots, whose use of the long handle gave the innings late momentum, before both fell to fine catches by Bertie on the boundary.
Thus, 133 was set from 25 overs – do-able, but also easily Munsoned.
Within 30 minutes, the Rioteers were sagely sharing Boycott-bingo phrase #3 – ‘you only know a good score once both teams have batted’. With half the team in the hutch for 30 odd, the Rioteers were looking down the wrong end of the telescope, thanks to some wicked inswinging Yorkers, injudicious leaves and genial self-immolation at the crease. With the innings gurning badly, Campbell joined his vice-captain to smite their way out of trouble. Odds were still against, but hope (and belief) remained until the skipper (still smiling) neglected to ground his bat after running a cheeky 3, and was run out. This brought Archie to join Bertie for the last wicket with 60 odd still required.
Could the de Boer brothers of the Stockbridge Road (who are not Dutch, not twins and never played together for Glasgow Rangers, but do bicker famously) pull off a Hollywood ending ? Or would the afternoon’s fine fielding performance be undone by an innings threatening to be more Joe Dolce than Joe Root ?
Need I have asked, dear reader ? Singles were turned into twos, twos into threes, the strike rotated coolly and the boundaries cleared as the target was chased down with an over and a bit to spare and the rain pelting hard. Archie finished on a canny 14*, Bertie on a sparkling 70* – bravissimo !
Ben fatto too to debutant Guy and to Sam (for coming back for seconds); ben tornato to returning amici Matt C and Woody (just as you thought you were out, we pull you back in) and grazie to our gracious hosts, the Racqueteers. Campbell next conducts the Rioteer commedia dell’arte at the Newport, (when the drinks are surely on Roberto ?).
Joy was unconfined on Sunday evening after the Rioteers 1st win of the season under seasoned campaigner and new captain Williams lifted them off the bottom of the table. With talk of new investment and an ambition for the IPL, things are looking up.
Brazier, for it was he, had done a marvellous job of sorting out a team, and an oppo so welcoming on a glorious half term Sunday afternoon, and had even brought along a grandson as strike bowler, but after the second ball, a typical off stump Hill bullet had been planted firmly into the forest, things were looking like the traditional long hard afternoon, but having won the toss and elected to bowl on a damp green wicket, new captain Williams had a trick or two up his sleeve.
Leaving Hillier (B) in the outfield, he bowled himself for 8 straight overs, taking 1 for 26, thanks to an excellent stumping by the returning Gilby, when it was generally noted that it was good to have a decent keeper at last.
At the other (downhill) end Hill had taken 4 overs of toil and was then replaced by 5 overs of Hillier, and the rate had slowed but batsmen were still there, and the opener was playing cleanly through the offside, but a wall formed by the excellent Prince, Hillier (W) and Ronaldo triumvirate kept the run rate slow, and after reaching three figures the opener was run out for an excellent 102.
At this point Brazier (S) and Mills were keeping the run rate slow with 6 overs each of a mix of guile turn, flight, and simon’s right arm dollies, and with two overs from both Hillier (W) and Ronaldo bringing some welcome entertainment, it was the last 8 overs from Hill and Hillier (B) that kept the score down to an eminently chaseable 191 for about 6.
Tea, largely from Brazier (Mrs), was consumed with gusto, especially the flapjacks, but good to see the Masters and others joining the fray.
And so another key decision, to open with Brazier, and Hillier (J) and at 50 without loss in the face of an unusually weak bowling attack things were going swimmingly, but Hillier (J) fell, leading Prince to the wicket at three. And then the lengthy languid hitting of Prince, sped the rate up, but not the running, before simon played a foolish attempt to hit one off the square and was caught for just over 50, leading to Hillier (B) with his brand new bat, to whack a few more Into the forest, and that’s how it finished with Prince and Hillier ( B) undefeated, Prince, solidifying his unexpected number 3 spot, well into his fifities.
A few cold beers washed down with the taste of victory, and it was nice to see that the people who contributed a lot were not the usual suspects, but Prince, Millsy, Gilby Wilf and Rob, who fielded excellently, batted excellently and bowled excellently – so well done for Richard again getting such a strong team together during half term.
The Rioteers’ post-Bickers/Stafford era (spoken of quietly as the Revie/ Bremner of the club) has started with 2 close finishes – how would the club, sporting 4 Hilliers (but not the usual ones), 2 debutants and 3 teenagers fare at the Cradle of Cricket against such storied opposition as Hambledon CC ?
Founded in 1750, the same year Hogarth (in his pre-roundabout period) etched Gin Lane. George II (the one before Nigel Hawthorne, and two before Hugh Laurie in Blackadder 3) was on the throne (the last foreign born monarch and last to lead an army into battle). Voltaire had yet to write Candide (1758), although historians of smut will confirm that Fanny Hill (that year’s Shades of Grey) was doing the rounds. Thomas Lord had yet to be born (in Yorkshire, to a disgraced Jacobite) and the arriviste Marylebone CC not yet founded (1787). Cook (James, not Alistair) had yet to join the Navy, let alone sail the Pacific and ‘discover’ Australia. The Ashes wouldn’t begin for another 130 years and the French Revolution was 39 years in the future. Beethoven (b 1770) hadn’t started his Unfinished Symphony, although Handel (cut the Wiki look ups, we get the picture – Ed).
Vice-captain Bertie won the toss, sending openers Martin White (guesting from the Crows and making his second Rioteers debut) and Jim to face motoric, Hendricks-like nag from one end and Hoggard-esque swing (and hair) from the other. Early going was challenging (to watch) with the bowlers on top. Martin W (9) fell alliteratively to a lovely lifting delivery which left him off a length. From 21/1, Hillier, M changed the tempo, lit up the electronic scoreboard and took the innings to 105/2 – when Jim (33) offered up one chance too many – then 124/3 – when Charlie (7) was castled by more extravagant swing. Marty then pulled a hamstring and retired out (75), leaving Sudip (9) and Roberto (28) to befuddle the opposition with their tip and run partnership, before Bertie (32*) lost 3 balls in a characteristically quick-fire cameo (of 3 sixes and 2 fours). Thus, with skipper Campbell and Hilliers J and W still padded up, the ‘Dons (sic) had been set 212 to win in 40 overs.
Tea was functional, except for Martin W’s leftovers and some shared jam tarts.
Two Lewises opened for Hambledon. Lulled into taking on Bertie in the first over, only one was left by the end of it (6/1). The hosts’ progress was then relatively orderly in the evening sunshine, before Martin W took a stunning return catch to rival Campbell’s at St Mary Bourne (about which James is still finding adequate words for his much-anticipated match report). Wilf, channelling John Hall’s canny control, then struck with two crucial wickets. With Sam’s strong arm and willing running sweeping up one boundary, James’s solid glovework and hamstrung Hillier coming off no paces, with 15 overs left the game was still anyone’s.
The tense silence was broken only by Hambledon’s Wally ‘The Voice’ Grout doppelganger and the Hillier brothers listing famous Martins between balls. (Bormann, Luther and Heidegger, anyone ?) As the weather closed in, so too did LeClerq (jnr) on a maiden century. Campbell applied the brakes, bringing himself and Bertie back on. In light rain, a couple of half chances were created, but spilled. And for the second successive week, the game went to the last over, with 3 runs required.
After 2 dots, Captain Kevin slashed one straight to opposite number Campbell. This was the game in microcosm – skipper to skipper, mano a mano. ? Kevin groaned, the crowd coo-ed, Campbell had it, then didn’t. Roberto cursed colourfully, but as another dot ball it still left 3 from 3. A quick single. 2 from 2. Then, the coup de grace – a sliced two and Hambledon had it. Close, but no cigar for the Rioteers, who may not be winning games, but are winning friends and wearing smiles.
Huge thanks to Hambledon for a wonderful game, played in the right way. And a big shout out to the club for their commitment to inclusive, developmental cricket. Many institutions are weighed down by their history. Hambledon celebrate theirs, wonderfully.
Next up, Rioteers visit Hursley Park (founded 1785 …)
A Cricketing 11 In line with others I waited for the thrilling denouement on Sunday evening, when it came down to the very final scene. Who is h. Would he come good eventually? Would there be a massive shoot out at the end. Would h be hall, hillier or hill. What was the role of dc trickett, arriving late in the final episode? In the end press reports suggest an anticlimactic end, but very enjoyable to have been part of. Many unanswered questions suggest another episode next week. For those wanting more details, we can suggest reading the mail on line, where the werkends plot twists abound, but … Could h be hambledon? Tune in next week to find out …
There are two nominees for this prestigious award this year, both on account of their attire at the game against Crawley in Winchester on 20 September.
First nominee. Dessie sported a hat that suggested he’d lost a bet with the Flowerpot Men, notwithstanding which, and especially when combined with his pads as he waited, like a coiled spring but sadly in the end un-needed to go to the middle and seize victory for the Rioteers, he achieved a sartorial elegance that transcended mere fashion.
Second nominee. Marty, realising how special the occasion was, raised the sartorial bar. In these times in which we turn up in our whites owing to the lack of changing facilities, he sauntered toward his teammates, as if along a Milanese catwalk, deserving but not receiving his own theme tune, in his new Dolce e Gabana whites and linen shirt.
And the winner is … Marty. His prize is that he be awarded the theme tune that his sartorial elegance richly deserves.
The players met at the Izaak Walton for a loosener, while the match manager with Charlie following in convoy arrived at the ground with at least 5 mins to spare.
The toss was lost and E Meon decided to bat in the constant drizzle.
With Jim Shea injured and Braz stepping into scorer mode we were able to cap another Rioteer debutant Simon Wilson – strong journalistic background, so I’ll be brief ! First up Bertie was given the new ball and managed to bring our debutant into play at mid-wicket where he managed everything but stopping the ball, showing top Rioteer credentials from the off!
Welcome Simon, to the Rioteers!
Capt Bickers having chosen to keep wicket whilst awaiting Simon Brazier’s arrival was in for a rough ride. One of Bertie’s hurled missiles pitching slightly short of a length and shooting along the ground, the next flying wide and high to the fine leg boundary. Then the fourth a good length ball going down leg-side took off viciously scything through the Bickers’ grasping gloves and pinging him on the side of his unprotected head. He went down in shock and pain. Meanwhile Simon Braz had arrived and was padding up.
Poor Bickers had to retire hurt and the game continued with Simon taking over the gloves.
However the drizzle upped it’s tempo and the game was abandoned after another couple of overs.
We all retired to the Izaak Walton for the debrief and to check if the skipper was fit to drive home.
