Printer-friendly page
Run machine Trevor Mayhew leaves the field after his 58no against Witham. Below: Leo Sayer, Reggie Betts; the pastoral setting; John Griffiths in action; Steve 'Dot' Cotton defends; Neil 'Barry' Hotston doesn't; Reggie is bowled; the heat's too much for Where's Jon?; into the Seymour Arms after the game; next day at Norton's fabulous ground
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
There is so much more than cricket to a London Saints cricket tour than just cricket! Golf, BBQ’s, curries, karaoke, the odd ale and a dodgy game of bar billiards all contributed to a fine weekend that was enjoyed by the team and supporters down in Frome, Somerset.
Both matches proved to be enjoyable affairs with results going the same way as last year; a win against Witham Friary followed by an absolute tonking by Norton St.Phillip.
Friday 21st July
An advance party of six made their way to Frome Golf Club where some quality play kicked the tour off as has become tradition.
With more tourists in place a few beers were followed by a curry and a welcoming late drink and a bonus – karaoke!
There were some fine renditions in evidence but as usual Reggie Betts stole the show. Now our Reg has long been convinced that he’s the spit of Tom Jones – this was mentioned to a woman enjoying his unique version of ‘Green Green Grass of Home’ who responded in a broad West Country brogue – ‘that’s not Tom Jones, it’s Leo Sayer’!
From that moment on, versions of ‘You make me feel like dancing’, ‘Thunder in my heart’ and ‘When I need you’ were belted out and after 25 years, Reggie finally lost the nickname he’s always disliked – from now on it’s Leo Betts (although Reggie Sayer might work)!
The fun and games kept a bunch of elderly cricketers out far later than they should have been and we got back to a locked up hotel at 2am that John Quinn had yet to check into.
I should now point out that 2 weeks of touring Sri Lanka had led me to receiving numerous requests from team mates that they would prefer not to share with Quinny as he is prone to talk all night (and it’s all b***ocks). After much deliberation it was decided that we should use the cushions from the settee in reception and make a bed in Trevor Mayhew’s and Garry Burrell’s room.
The following morning revealed that the hotel owners had to trawl through CCTV footage in order to ascertain the whereabouts of their cushions after discovering them missing with the front door having been left open. They assumed that a tramp had wandered in and stolen them – they weren’t far wrong!
Meanwhile, Trevor Mayhew wandered down to breakfast looking knackered and complaining that he’d had no sleep due to Quinny ‘banging on all night’!
Saturday 22nd July
LSSC v Witham Friary
35 overs - 12 a side
Witham Friary 135 for 10
LSSC 137 for 6
Witham Friary is your archetypal English village – rumour has it that ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ was filmed there. Their cricket club was only reformed 2 years ago after a 40 year absence, and the community are making a concerted effort to make it work; the pitch was a marked improvement on last year and there is talk about a pavilion being erected next year.
No one wanted to play golf with Leo so he graced us with his presence and a 12 a side match was decided upon.
Big Dave (without Sarong) struck an imposing figure as umpire although did need to be reminded to signal the odd wide.
The wicket had an air of unpredictability about it with plenty of bounce mixed with the odd one shooting through. DT and Little John were early beneficiaries of balls keeping low and took early wickets as a consequence.
The match had started as a 40 over affair but was reduced to 35 when a heavy downpour interrupted Witham’s innings. Tight bowling and decent fielding and regular wickets meant that their innings never really got any momentum going.
The wickets were spread around but the highlights were fine catches by Swampy at mid-wicket, and an equally impressive catch at close quarters as ex-Liberal Democrat Councillor Griffiths caught out the local MP (also Lib Dem) and a fine stumping by Psycho!
The fielding lowlights were DT’s impression of Gary Cronin daydreaming in the covers and Leo’s failure to catch a dolly reminding many of us of cold and wet Sunday afternoons at Wormwood Scrubs watching him come for a cross!
We’ve been treated to vast improvements in the tea department in the last few seasons, including last week’s thrashing in Dorking, but Witham’s take the biscuit, and the cake (home made, 6 varieties), sandwich and pork pie – all prepared by a loving team of other halves.
Dot Cotton and The Councillor opened the batting and got off to a solid start until John was bowled for 13. Trevor Mayhew joined Steve and the pair continued to look solid and score at the required rate until Steve was given lbw by the big American for 37.
Steve’s wicket signalled something of a collapse, small by LSSC standards, but Trev steered us home with 5 overs to spare and claimed a half century into the bargain.
The Gobby 12 year old from last year was reduced to looking after the scorebook - being dropped has not effected his lip though – he’s now a gobby 13 year old – although he’s grown a bit over the past 12 months so this theme might not be continued next year.
With the game concluded it was all over to the pub where we enjoyed yet more food with a BBQ with the opposition.
The Seymour Arms received plenty of coverage in last year’s report but is well worth mentioning again. It’s run by an octogenarian couple, ably assisted by a 55 year old giant of a son named Pete. They took over the pub in 1947 and the décor and layout have not been touched – a real timewarp.
A fine game of killer bar billiards ensued (a game I never previously knew existed) which saw a final between DT and Steve Keenan – controversial as it came to light that Steve had missed a couple of visits. To quote Elaine, ‘the dynamics of the game have been affected’! Steve won the tie much to the skipper’s chagrin, particularly as he’d also forgotten to bring the scorebook on tour, and informed him that he wouldn’t be opening the bowling against Norton!
Closing time is an informal affair at The Seymour but from what we could tell it is when the landlord takes his teeth out!
WITHAM FRIARY
Danny b Thomas 13
Bob b Loomes 21
Tom Hyde c Frood b Berkeley 39
Mark b Loomes 4
Tom b Thomas 0
Simon c Loomes b Griffiths 10
Tom st Burrell b Berkeley 8
David c Griffiths b Berkeley 8
Kev not out 4
James not out 6
extras nb 2 wides 10 lb 4 byes 6 - 22
Total 135 all out
Bowling
Keenan 6 2 18 0
Frood 5 0 21 0
Thomas 5 2 14 2
Loomes 5 0 30 2
Berkeley 7 0 28 3
Griffiths 5 0 22 1
Quinn 2 0 6 0
LSSC
Griffiths b Danny 13
Cotton lbw Danny 37
Mayhew not out 58
Hotston c & b Danny 2
Quinn b Danny 0
Betts b Hyde 1
Burrell c & b Kev 3
Berkeley not out 10
extras 13
Total 137 for 6 off 30.4 overs
Champagne moment
Reggie, sorry, Leo Betts revealing a new line in cricketing fashion which will be available in all good sports shops very soon. Having realised that he had no appropriate underwear in order to keep his cricket box in place – he came up with the idea of taping the box to his thighs – not a pretty sight and led to us getting some very strange looks when trying to take the photograph behind a bush!
Man of the Match
Some good all round performances, particularly in the field but 135 on a lively wicket is not necessarily a walk in the park for London Saints but Trevor Mayhew saw us home.
Sunday 23rd July
London Saints v Norton St Phillip
30 overs
Norton 241 for 3
LSSC 134 for 7
Norton have been fine hosts for many a year now but in order to fulfil the fixture this year we had to play a 30 over match with a 10.45 start as the pitch was booked for a second match – a President’s XI fund raising affair with a posh marquee and bouncy castle thrown in. The prettiest of venues looked splendid.
Norton is a fixture that is significantly tougher than it used to be. Switching the tie to Sunday has released a host of talented young cricketers that play league standard on Saturdays –offering them the opportunity to boost their averages – this year was no different!
Leo found himself a golf partner and Neil Hotston had to head home – Eric Shadick rolled back the years and donned the gloves.
The late night/early start really had it’s effect as a combination of superior opposition and average bowling and fielding really took it’s toll. Had we taken our catches the score might have been a little more respectable but wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
The late night/early start really had it’s effect as a combination of superior opposition and average bowling and fielding took it’s toll
Opener Finch did well for his 53 but it was the 4th wicket partnership between Hillier and Hodgson that really did the damage as the boundary was breached repeatedly. The marquee looked to be the safest place to be.
Frankly they destroyed us in the latter part of the innings as the game really ran away from us culminating with 35 runs scored off the last 2 overs.
Straight round with Trevor continuing where he left off but Steve didn’t stay around as Big Dave harshly ruled him lbw – again! Quinny joined Trev and the pair added a 66 partnership although the required run rate disappeared out of sight. Trevor’s innings was even better than that against Witham as he hit many a fine stroke against quality bowling.
Once again, the second wicket signalled a run of wickets although there seemed little point in sticking around and hanging around and protecting the wicket.
Once again Trevor reached his 50 before being run out.
So an early finish as we notched 134 and then settled into our second BBQ in a matter of hours and watched the start of the second game.
Ok so a thrashing but overall a really enjoyable weekend with the Witham fixture re-establishing the tour weekend into the LSSC cricket calendar.
Champagne moment
Bit of an early start for champagne but had to be when Big Dave called a wide on the last ball of an over – immediately followed by the call of ‘over’!
Man of the match
Has to be Trevor Mayhew once again – shame he’s not allowed to play more often!
NORTON ST PHILIP
Finch c Frood b Keenan 53
Mount c Loomes b Berkeley 17
Marshall b Berkeley 11
Hillier not out 65
Hodgson not out 74
Extras: w11 byes 6 leg byes 4 21
TOTAL 241-3 off 35 overs
Bowling
Loomes 6 0 37 0
Quinn 4 1 28 0
Frood 4 0 33 0
Berkeley 4 0 23 2
Keenan 3 0 28 1
Thomas 5 0 34 0
Griffiths 2 0 33 0
Cotton 2 0 22 0
LSSC
Mayhew run out 58
Cotton lbw Marshall 2
Quinn b White 17
Burrell c &b Ansty 0
Keenan c&b Hodgson 6
Griffiths not out 9
Shadick c Hodgson b Cox 6
Frood c Marshall b Holborn 3
Berkeley not out 15
Extras: w 8 byes 5 leg byes 5 18
TOTAL 134-7 off 35 overs
