“Father and Son”

Match: 24 / 635

Lost by 74 runs

Team	Total
Wootton & Bladon CC	211 - 3
M. Rundle 2 - 35
FFTMCC	137
J. Pyrah 41, C. Williams 34

“You’re still young, that’s your fault… There’s so much you have to know”. It was devastating news indeed. Met with shock and surprise, in equal measure, as we gathered for a DIY strategy meeting on the verdant expanse that is Brasenose College Sports Ground, home yet again to our most regular opponents, for our 41st contest.

But it seems it is true – James Bateman is turning 30 this year! Son of Mark, the original ‘Old Man’ in the field – in the days when there was just one, rather than the 7 or 8 of us, and once the Bladon ‘Youth Policy’. And now back briefly from Western Australia to turn out for FFTMCC, for whom he flew the Bladon nest many years ago. Even more remarkable to relate, pretty much exactly 20 years on from when he first appeared for us (whether willingly or not, as presumably he was all of 9 years old) – by wonderful symmetry, also away to FFTMCC, on 8th August 2004 (we even let him bowl the following week – though it was against Kirtlington).

Bateman Jnr.

But we could play the Generation Game too, with the return of our own ‘prodigal son’ – Thomas Poole – who has also emigrated to exotic, far-flung climes (Benson), for his first game of the season. Which at least gave us a full 11 players, when we conducted the usual, nervous headcount – we tend to oscillate precariously these days between 9 and 14, even on a Sunday morning.

It is a fixture and venue which so often produces a low-scoring affair, tight and turgid on a wicket often slowish and lowish. But the first sign that, this time, it may be different was when an early toss was taken – and Jack Barber only went and won it! And chose to bat, emboldened by our (on paper) strong batting line up – though as FFTMCC invariably choose to bowl, you could argue it didn’t really count.

An ensemble of Woottoners.

But wait, what is this? We had veteran trundlers Howarth and Turner opening the bowling – no sign of the more heralded openers; “Tall Bob”, or “the guy who swings it a mile”, or the “South African quick-who-is-surprisingly-not-quick” (we’ll actually learn their real names one day). Maybe Captain Jack is a strategic genius after all? He certainly looked it as our openers, (‘Shit’) Ash and Arun, quickly bedded in for the long haul, milking the ones and twos on a soft outfield with an occasional thumping flourish to the boundary (mostly from Arun, obviously, but with ‘Aggressive Ash’ making an occasional cameo appearance). The scoreboard ticked on at around 6 an over as we lounged in the pleasantly hazy August sunshine, the hope realistic that most of us wouldn’t have to bat at all.

Our first concern, then, was to keep Arun out there – though not everyone was happy with the plan of not clapping his 50. Maybe not even clapping his 100, as the debate raged and “Principled Nathan” teetered on the edge of full meltdown – Nicko arguing persuasively that we COULD clap him when he reached 150. We worried our ruse might get exposed if Ash made it to 50 first, though our scorer (TP) was able to confirm that this was NOT going to be a problem, any time soon (he had already committed the rookie scorer error of filling the entire first line, mostly with dots, with Ash on a full 18). As it was, we had to stop Arun walking off at drinks after the 22nd over (by coming clean that he was already on 95). So, he was indeed finally off just a few balls later – 100 not out, his third WBCC ton – with 137 already on the board.

The final tally of the oppo innings displayed on the brand new spanking scoreboard.

Which continued to tick steadily higher as Nicko and Ash happily knocked it around and into the yawning gaps in the field, now spread to all corners. Nicko will take on any field, of course, and got away with a couple in the air – but soon enough holed out to a gleeful Howarth at long-off, for a quick 18. Nathan couldn’t repeat his heroics of last week, edging behind for a brisk 5, to bring in Thomas who was also soon into his stride, for all the inevitable rustiness.

Ash’s marathon effort finally ended, bowled for 40 off 89 balls, with the score on 185. The run rate faltered as we began to question Jack’s wisdom in promoting himself up to No.6 – but just as it looked like we were going to fall woefully short of the total our batting deserved, and cheered on by his visiting ‘Fan Club’, he found the middle of his bat – and the boundary – a few times, and a big 35th and final over got us up there, or thereabouts, at 211 for 3. Jack unbeaten on 16 and Thomas on 18, after flicking a languid, majestic ‘6’ over backward square-leg off the final ball of the innings – pretty much exactly as his father had done only a few weeks previously. It must be a genetic thing… fathers and sons again. You certainly can’t learn it.

The teas were certainly enjoyed….

As we enjoyed our teas ‘alfresco’ – and it’s always a good tea at FFTMCC, they know what really matters – there was some “big talk” from the oppo, suggesting it was merely a par score, maybe even less, on a lifeless wicket. Though, like us, they can spin a good yarn unencumbered by the actual truth of it and both sides knew it would be a tall order – not least as most of our contests are settled with the ball, rather than the bat.

But still, it was a fast start to the FFTMCC innings, with opener Chris Williams again coming out firing – he’s won at least one of our recent games with such an early onslaught. So, they were easily getting the required more-or-less 6 an over in the early skirmishes. But there were chances offered aplenty and the wickets not long in coming – Bill grabbed a high catch at cover off Ryan Wastie (7-1-35-1) to remove Williams, while at the other end, Steve Edwards (7-1-31-2) – as predicted, now very much back to the opening bowler of fearsome historical renown – made a mess of James Bateman’s stumps, and his 10,000 mile journey, with a cleverly disguised (even) slower one – for wicket No.496. And then No.497, with the younger Williams (yet another Father and Son feature) wafting, and edging, into Gary Doggett’s safe hands.

Williams splats one towards his parents where Wendy is telling Trevor off (reason unknown).

They were going to need to accelerate again – but our timeless, tenacious first-change spin double act had other ideas. Sure, there were a few lusty legside blows from No.3 Pyrah off both Bill and Poolie Snr, seizing on anything fractionally short – though he seemed strangely all at sea to anything on or outside off stump (who would have such a one-sided player?!). Bill (7-0-27-1) got one wicket, clean bowled, and could (should) have had a couple more, with successive, compelling LBW shouts ruled out for apparently obstructing the umpire’s view (though I’m pretty sure I wasn’t really in the way for the second at least; more a convenient – you have to admit, admirable – excuse for the wily old umpire to turn another one down).

We did nick a wicket on a suicidal mix-up, when they tried to steal a quick single to absolutely the wrong fielder – Arun – and Bill managed to gather Arun’s somewhat full-blooded throw to remove the bails, both batsmen stranded at the other end. Meanwhile Poolie (7-0-29-2) was teasing and tempting; he finally trapped Pyrah LBW and then saw Ian Howarth tamely feather an edge into Gary’s gloves – an innocuous looking scalp, perhaps, but one of some 170 years combined associated vintage. If Ian swiftly shouldered arms and marched off, it was perhaps less down to embarrassment than the urgency in getting down to the traditionally more important job, of spinning the narrative – for himself as much as anyone who would listen – as to which section of the River Isis he really could’ve launched that one into, if he’d wanted.

Wastie prepares to ‘ave one in past a watching Bateman.

So only 4 an over off our spin ‘attack’ meant nearly 90 still required off the final 7, with only 3 wickets in hand. Probably not… and certainly not when we can bring on our ‘Next Generation’ bowlers to finish them off. Nathan (3-0-9-2) and his natural bounce off a length was a handful for their tailenders, and successive catches were flapped to Arun in the covers – while at the other end, “Merv” Barber (2.1-0-6-1) again charged in with menace and purpose and a barrage of bouncers, though it was with a perfectly pitched peach that he bowled their No.11, “top of off”, to end the FFTMCC resistance for 137, and the match a couple of overs early. And to cap a good day for Jack all round.

A very solid performance, serene from start to finish really, in an emphatic win and we could enjoy our post-match beers in the fading summer sun. As such, it was a high benchmark for the select few Man of the Match nominees (which probably should have included Captain Jack, though he must have learned by now, skippering Bladon is the very definition of a “thankless task”). Ash Hambridge, of course, for another masterclass in occupation of the crease (and now our leader in Most Balls Faced Ever, with 8,195, passing Stephen Poole’s total a couple of weeks back). Plus Gary, for two good catches (and very little else let through him); Thomas, for his flamboyant ‘6’ to close out our innings; and once again the ‘Bowling Unit’ for collective competence, all with at least one wicket. But sometimes you really have to hand it to Arun – so we did – for his latest unbeaten ton (plus catches and run-out on top); his average now a mere 219.5 for the season, and 416.0 for the club overall.

Edwards tries wriggling between four people dressed in white to chuck something.

A select list, too, for Mug of the Match, in a day (for once) remarkably free of foul-ups. Arun, for peppering Gary’s elderly ankles with return throws (and also for retiring, yet again), and Nicko, who similarly seemed to struggle in getting the misbehaving ball back to the bowler. So, you could say Bill was unlucky to win a comfortable vote, for his self-obscured plumb LBW shouts and an unfortunate, if fleeting senior moment in the field, when he thought Poolie’s over was done – after 2 balls.

A comfortable ‘winner’, also, in the COTD vote. Sure, there were (deserved) mentions for Ryan, who buggered off early, for “dinner”; Dom, absent at a PJ Harvey concert; Jase Trinder, for letting us down when previously “70:30”; and Charvis, for ruining James Bateman’s holiday back home. And Barbs for bringing along his ‘Fan Club’ – even if it brought out the best in him. But none of these could challenge Nathan and his multiple crimes, namely sulking, bowling a high beamer to their ageing, helmetless No.11 and for spending much of the day in the field on his phone. The future might well belong to the younger generation – but Christ alone knows what they’ll do with it.

Pyrah clips one to leg and gives us the eyeball.

“I was once like you are now… and I know that it’s not easy.” Fathers and sons… a day of generational footnotes, and generational reflection. In what is certainly a generational fixture, in which we’ve now ‘come of age’ with our 21st victory – in the 21 years since we started playing them. Even if, for now, it is mostly, still, contested by the ‘oldies’ – but one that will hopefully be picked up and sustained by future generations when most of us really are no longer physically capable (so next year, then, I hear the unkind among you thinking).

And comfortable as our win was – and pleasingly, taking us within touching distance of another ‘winning season’, what would be our seventh in a row – it only levels up the series with FFTMCC this season, one-all. They say you are only ever as good as your last game – in which case, for once, it is something we can be proud of. For a few more days anyway… with maybe even the odd chorus of “Can we play you every week?!” Oh… it looks like we are. Fair enough, bring it on again next week – anybody’s game, as the history books tell us. I just hope there’ll be new stuff to write about….

An t-ùghdar.

Nom de plumes:

Arun (White)

Barbs … Jack Barber or Captain Jack

Charvis … Steve Edwards

Dom … Dominic DeBono

Gary (Doggett)

Nathan (Haywood)

Nicko … Nick Hambridge

South African Quick … Cornelius Vermaak

Shit Ash (Hambridge)

Tall Bob … Chris Roberts

Thomas (Poole) … or Poole Jnr

Guest Author: ’Mr Bill Dale’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Wootton & Bladon CC Played at Brasenose, 18 August 2024 Wootton & Bladon CC won the toss and elected to bat Wootton & Bladon CC won by 74 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

24 / 635 35 over match

Team	Wootton & Bladon CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	A. Hambridge	b Rundle	40		-	-	1-164
2	A. White	retired	100		14	6	2-171
3	N. Hambridge	c Howarth b Rundle	18		1	-	3-185
4	N. Haywood	c Carter b Pyrah	5		1	-
5	T. Poole	not out	18		1	1
6	J. Barber *	not out	16		3	-
7	R. Wastie
8	G. Doggett †
9	W. Dale
10	S. Poole
11	S. Edwards
	Extras	NB1, W5, LB5, B3	14
	TOTAL	(for 3 wickets, 35 overs)	211

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Howarth	7	0	38	0	5.43
2	Turner	5	0	25	0	5.00
3	Hoskins	6	0	29	0	4.83
4	Harris	4	0	32	0	8.00
5	Pyrah	4	0	23	1	5.75
6	Rundle	6	0	35	2	5.83
7	Bateman	3	0	22	0	7.33

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	C. T. J. Williams	c Dale b Wastie	34	(32)	4	-	1-21
2	J. C. Bateman	b Edwards	1	(5)	-	-	2-45
3	J. S. Pyrah	lbw b S. Poole	41	(47)	4	-	3-60
4	T. Kawada-Williams	b Edwards	8	(12)	1	-	4-70
5	J. C. W. Hotson	b Dale	3	(23)	-	-	5-103
6	J. Harris	run out (Dale)	17	(23)	3	-	6-107
7	I. Howarth	c Doggett b S. Poole	4	(4)	1	-	7-114
8	R. P. Turner *	not out	14	(34)	1	-	8-129
9	M. S. Rundle	c White	3	(15)	-	-	9-129
10	J. D. Hoskins	c White	0	(2)	-	-	10-137
11	G. Carter †	b Barber	0	(3)	-	-
	Extras	NB5, W5, LB1, B1	12
	TOTAL	(all out, 33.1 overs)	134

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Edwards	7	1	31	2	4.43
2	Wastie	7	1	33	1	4.71
3	Dale	7	0	27	1	3.86
4	S. Poole	7	0	29	2	4.14
5	Haywood	3	0	9	2	3.00
6	Barber	2.1	0	6	1	2.77

MOTM: J. S. Pyrah Champagne Moment: I. Howarth’s catch at long-on Buffet Award: J. Harris’ lemon drizzle cake (Cornish cream side) MAD Moment: Who shot Geoff? (JR Ewing) … collapses on the floor behind the stumps simply turning around to receive ball

Opposition: V025 / 041 Ground: G040 / 110 Captain: C024 / 096 Match No: 35 / 237