CRICKET REVIEW OF THE SEASON 2026
The 2026 season was, strangely in a really hot summer where rain was hard to find for many months, something of a damp squib. Having already decided to cut down our fixtures by 2 to take into account our struggles in previous years with player availability in addition to keeping some weekends free for the Women’s Cricket WC and men’s football WC, we were hit by two of our regular and most trusted opponents (Roadrunners and Coldharbour) pulling out of fixtures due to lack of players. We were also unlucky in having our away game v Old Chelmsfordians rained off on one of the very few wet days this summer. This meant that we only completed 7 fixtures in 2026, our lowest since the Covid summer of 2020 and, apart from that Covid season, the equal lowest number of completed games since 1983.
Our stats in the club’s 46th year, saw us play our 498th match (so our expected 500th game never materialised due the above problems) welcoming 1 new player into the club taking our overall total of players who have represented the club up to 233 over the 46 years. In total 27 players were used (it was 39 in 2025), 22 of whom batted, 18 of whom bowled with 16 of these taking wickets (22 in 2025) and 10 players taking catches (18 in 2025) and 1 achieving a stumping. Our full record was Played 7, Won 2, Drew 0 and Lost 5.
Our two wins were against Old Chelmsfordians at home (probably would have beaten them away as well if our game v them hadn’t been rained off) and most notably v Ex Blues away where (after a very poor showing in our previous game) everything clicked with an outstanding fielding and catching display backed up by some fine bowling and steady batting in chasing down our target. It was only our 2nd ever victory against Ex Blues in 37 matches (though we have had 11 draws) and meant that we ended the season on a very high and positive note.
An enjoyable tour was held as usual in Somerset by those that attended when a depleted team were heavily defeated on the Saturday v Batcombe with a much better showing on the Sunday v Witham Friary when our playing numbers were boosted by reinforcements down for the game. The annual Quiz was moved from its usual Friday night slot and then cancelled on the rearranged Saturday slot due to a lack of numbers with England’s WC Quarter Final the same night. Sadly, this was our last annual tour as we have struggled for numbers in recent years affecting performances and the Somerset tour has probably had its day (but never say never as one-offs or ad hoc tours may happen again in the future).
The Player of the Year vote was deservedly won by Richard (Dickie) Cushion in a tight contest between himself and Oscar Sykes. Both had good all-round seasons with Dickie coming out on top having been runner-up in two of the last three years. Dickie’s versatility meant that he was bound to win this award at some stage and this season he scored the most runs, was 2nd in the batting averages (behind Oscar), took the most catches, took a stumping and as we all know could also come onto bowl when required.
The Garry Burrell Duck trophy in 2026 will go down as one of the best contests in recent years. In fact, going into the last game, Dickie was leading the race with 2 ducks and we wondering if he was going to be only the 2nd person in LSCC history to pull off the double of winning the Player of the Year and Duck Trophy in the same season (after Gary Speedtwin in 2003). However, and more of this later, the Griffiths family of John, Richard and Ollie were breathing down his neck, as if Dickie avoided a duck, one of them would win it if they got a duck, courtesy of their previous golden ducks. John didn’t let the watching crowd down, going in at Number 3 and being clean bowled middle stump from his 2nd ball. Dickie and Richard both went on to play match winning innings meaning Ollie didn’t have to bat so John took the trophy for his 3rd Duck Trophy in 9 years and 2nd in the last 3 years.
On the batting front, Oscar topped the batting averages with 25.33, and Dickie the aggregate runs (90). Oscar scored one of the two club 50’s of the season with 53 not out on tour in our defeat to Batcombe with Phil Rogers scoring the other with his 52 in our defeat to King Georges. No batting partnership records were broken in 2026 though Guy Cowley hit his highest LSCC score of 48 in our win v Old Chelmsfordians. We should also acknowledge a 4th place finish in the batting averages for Paul Pearce with the more remarkable fact that he didn’t get a duck all season.
On the bowling front, the relatively small number of games meant that we only took 49 wickets with Phil Rogers topping the averages with a great average of 8.83 and was equal 2nd in taking the most wickets (6) along with Oscar but they were both one behind our leading wicket taker in Ollie Griffiths with 7. Ollie also got his best ever LSCC bowling figures of 4 – 37 helping us to bowl out Ex Blues for 143 in our victory with Oscar also taking his best figures of 3 – 26 in our win v Old Chelmsfordians.
On the fielding front Dickie took 5 of this season’s 16 catches as well as a stumping.
On the milestone front, DT, the skipper. became the 2nd player to hit 3,000 runs (and it only took him 44 years). Dickie also hit his 500th run during his match winning score of 32 v Ex Blues. The only other milestone to fall in 2026 was Mike, Tiny Temper, McIntyre taking his 50th club wicket.
The Terrence Collis Moment of Excellence Champagne Moment was won by Oscar for his brilliant run out in our all-round excellent fielding display in our Ex-Blues victory, though there were other votes for 4 other moments most notably David Nanton’s diving catch and 6 v King Georges. It was a different story for the Champagne Cock-up Moment which was won in a landslide by the Griffiths family’s 3 Golden Ducks, in all their first games of the season, and specifically to Ollie who was the last member of family to get his golden duck and so clinch the family hat-trick of goldens.
The Ian Shiels Tourist of the Year award went to DT, the skipper, not for anything special in 2026 but probably in recognition of his organisation of previous tours, given that this year’s tour is to be the last.The Clubman of the Year Award was only awarded to Peter, Hilda, Berkeley to recognise the fact that he is LSCC’s 2nd highest appearance maker, 2nd highest wicket taker (with 227), took LSCC’s first ever hat-trick, has best bowling figures of 6 – 9 in 2003 and is 6th in scoring the most runs for LSCC with a top score of 60 in 2006 – his record as skipper is not so impressive though -) -)
So, on the field it was quite a frustrating season with 30% of our planned games called off in what was probably the driest and hottest summer we’ve experienced. At one stage it was looking as though we may go through the season without a victory but two wins from our last three games sorted that and meant we ended the season with a positive outlook looking forward to 2007. We deliberately cut down on fixtures in 2026 as we have struggled to field full teams for an extensive fixture list and 2027 may see a further reduction as we have lost our home venue of Old Haberdashers CC which we have used for 22 years and decided not to tour Somerset again. This will leave us with a very limited set of fixtures which might be good going forward to secure the future of the club but we are always open to other ideas or potential fixtures or new grounds.
What 2027 does offer us though is our 500th ever game in our 47th year, after our 1st game on June 21st 1981. As we can’t guarantee when this game will occur, due to potential bad weather or cancellations, the plan is to hold a 500th game celebration inter-club game so as many players and ex-players can get involved on similar lines to our match at Lords in 2010 (to celebrate our 30th year) and The Terrence Collis Celebration Day in Chelsea in 2025. We have managed to secure the Honourable Artillery Company’s cricket ground in Moorgate, central London on Sunday August 8th for the day so plans for the format, food, bar and cost etc will start soon as we’d like to invite all ex-players and anyone from London Saints who wants to come along.
Cheers
DT
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