Ex Blues v London Saints – Friday 28th August 2026
Ex Blues 143 all out (O. Griffiths 4 – 37) off 32.2 overs
Duckworth Lewis Revised Target due to rain was 114 off 25 overs
London Saints 114 – 8 (Cushion 32no, Dollin 25, Palmer 25) off 22.4 overs
At the end of a truncated and less-than-memorable season, the London Saints all managed to arrive at the right Wickham – West not High (sic) – and on the correct date (Dickie included) – keen to ensure that the club’s 498th game was a good one. We were not to be disappointed.
With the skipper wending his way back from South Wales, Phil took charge negotiating the toss so that LSCC, as is customary against Ex Blues, fielded first. The forecast of heavy showers mid-afternoon meant that we also agreed to 35 overs a side, as opposed to the usual timed game and only to bowl from one end – downhill fortunately – in order to speed up proceedings.
Master G (Oliver Griffiths) opened the bowling and took a bit of time to find his length, something he was regularly reminded about by father, Judas, in what was to be the old man’s sole contribution to the game. In Olly’s second over, a peach of a delivery, cut back and bowled one of the openers; a half tracker which nearly bounced twice accounted for Hall batting at no3.
The third of his “four fer” owed everything to a magnificent diving catch, low in front of a motionless Paul Pearce at first slip, by ‘keeper Dickie. In what was to be a remarkable afternoon of unblemished catching and fielding by the Saints, Mike Dollin then took a smart catch in the gulley to give Oliver his fourth.
Meanwhile, Tiny Temper was nagging away and finally got in on the act picking up James Dilley (son of Ex Blues stalwart Stuart and the reason why we got this fixture 38 years ago ) when Pearcey grabbed a chance in the slips at the second attempt. Almost midway through the innings, Saints had their opponents at 71-5 with both opening bowlers bowling their full 7-over allocations.
Phil brought himself on and bowled his customary accurate spell in which he snapped up a further two wickets. And our four spinners – Oscar, Terrence, Son in Law No 1 and Tiger Pearce – did the rest. Oscar’s Liquorice All-sorts deserved more; Terrence’s maiden over of leg spin baffled the batsman and contributed points to the prediction competition. Richard and Paul snaffled a wicket each. Richard’s came from a fine steepling catch in the deep by Tiny Temper, which he never looked like dropping on this day of all days; Paul owed his to an over-the-shoulder effort by the skipper and in doing so resembled the QE2 – who had joined the assembled spectators. Phil slowly turned and maneuvered himself into a position to catch a ball which everyone assumed had sailed over him.
In between these two terrific efforts came one of several candidates for champagne moment, as Oscar swooped, picked up the ball and threw down the stumps (with only one to aim at) and prevent a sharp single. Ex Blues were all out for 143 off 32.2 overs. It should also not go unrecorded that we only conceded 5 extras.
As the London Saints started their reply, it was largely forgotten that the Duck Trophy was on the line as King Collis and Collis Jnr (Ben in as Terrence’s runner) opened with Mike D. Terrence rolled back the years with a sweep to leg to get off the mark, heralding the biggest cheer of the day from the assembled, and now unusually expectant, Saints’ fans.
Nerves began to jangle, however, as the Saints slumped to 67-5. A deluge mid-innings, which had delayed our reply by nearly an hour, had fortunately resulted in a Google/DLS revised total of 114 from 25 overs. Dickie strode to the crease and along with fine support from Ralph Palmer, who hit a boundary-laden 25, and Richard, began to steady the innings. The latter pair put on a crucial 29 for the 6th wicket before SiL#1 was bowled for 10 leaving the Saints a further 18 to get. Nerves frayed further with Oscar (1) and Tiny Temper (0) hardly troubling the scorers, leaving Saints 102 for 8 with just Phil and Oli G to come.
We need not have worried as Dickie determinedly took things into his own hands. Three boundaries later, including 2 superb sweeps off good-length balls, Saints were home and dry(ish) to claim only the second ever victory against Ex Blues in 37 attempts (though we have had 11 draws). In a report that has been full of cliches, it could be said that cricket was the winner, but following a magnificent all-round display (particularly in the field), it was a truly memorable victory for London Saints CC.
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MoTM
Your reporter is often Master G’s biggest critic, but it is hard to overlook Oliver’s 4 wickets at the top of the Ex-Blues’ innings which set the tone for the day. However, Dickie’s catch and match-winning knock just shades the MotM decision and accompanies his much-deserved 2026 player of the year award, which followed later in the bar.
Champagne Moment
It was a poignant champagne moment when Collis Jnr, running for his Dad, scampered a quick single to get his old man off the mark. Cue loud cheers from watching teammates and spectators. Only minutes before, Dr Ben had fortunately been on hand to help Terrence back on his feet after he slipped on the sticky wicket. Oscar later captured a terrific photo of father and son leaving the field together.
Collis Trophy Moment of the Match
On the basis that Dickie can’t win everything in 2026, this goes to Oscar for a very un-Saints like piece of fielding to pick up and throw down a single stump in one fell swoop from mid-off. The original Collis King would have doffed his maroon cap in approval.
Duck Trophy Climax – this section has been edited in by DT as our match report JG surprisingly missed it out !!
Every year Ex Blues sees the climax to the LSCC Duck trophy and today 4 players could have won it – In pole position was Dickie Cushion on 2 but he would be overtaken if any of the 3 ‘ Golden ‘ Griffiths’ got a duck. We didn’t have to wait long as Johnny G (aka Carol, Fanny Craddock, Mrs Doubtfire, the Wheeliebin, the Towel, the Ex-Councillor, Dishonest John, to name a few) came in at No 3 and was duly bowled for a duck, captured perfectly by Oscar in a pic accompanying this piece. Richard and Dickie both duly came in and got off the mark (Ollie dnb) and went to contribute match winning innings so for the 2nd time in 3 years the LSCC Duck trophy is headed back to East London and Mr Johnny G’s mantelpiece.
Ex Blues
Clifford ct Cushion b O Griffiths 25
Hills b O Griffiths 6
Hall b O Griffiths 2
Nunn ct Dollin b O Griffiths 8
Lynch not out 51
Dilley ct Pearce b McIntyre 4
De Segrals ct Sykes b Rogers 16
Shill LBW b Rogers 5
Ryder ct McIntyre b R Griffiths 18
Pett Run Out (Sykes) 2
Nunn ct Rogers b Pearce 1
Extras 5
Total 143 All Out off 32.2 overs
McIntyre 7 – 0 – 42 – 1
Griffiths O 7 – 0 – 37 – 4
Collis T 1 – 1- 0 – 0
Rogers P 7 – 1 – 31 – 2
Sykes 7 – 1 – 25 – 0
Griffiths R 2 – 0 – 2- 1
Pearce 1.2 – 0 – 5 -1
London Saints
M Dollin LBW b Pett 25
T Collis caught b Pett 1
J Griffiths b Shill 0
B Collis b Nunn 9
R Griffiths caught b Lachlan 10
R Palmer b Segras 25
R Cushion Not Out 32
O Sykes b Lachlan 1
M McIntyre b Lachlan 0
P Rogers Not Out 0
O Griffiths DNB –
Extras 11
Total 114 for 8 off 22.4 overs
London Saints CC win by 2 wickets under the DLS method.
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