“Webster a Surprise No-Show

For Cassington – Match # 2,856”

Match: 26 / 679

Lost by 6 wkts

Team	Total
FFTMCC	88
I. Howarth 18, R. Hadfield 16
Wootton & Bladon CC	91 - 4
M. Reeves 1 - 14

For some of our number, matches at Cassington now feel like a home game, such have been the number of MAD visits to this sleepy, northwest Oxford parish in recent years. Webster can’t remember much about playing anywhere else to be honest, and in fact turns up to the ground most Sundays even if the FFTMCC are playing elsewhere. Sometimes he takes a tent with him on the Saturday, sets it up by the pavilion, and splits the intervening time between the nearby Red Lion pub or smashing a few tinnies with the local yoot busying themselves trashing the new kid’s play park. Eventually though, all good times must end, and in this case the missus slapped him out of rhythm, bundled his corpse in a suitcase and took him away on a foreign holiday. Thus, it was, Jan missed the latest trip to... erm, well… Cassington.

A clutch of Bladonites bemoaning no Bladon in the Wootton.

The recent inclement weather had been the reason for the ground change, Brasenose disfigured by absent covers, so Mike instead brought his teas to this away day. Excellent they were, the sandwiches went down a storm, and the flapjacks never disappoint, unlike The MAD performance on this day which resulted in the teas securing the post-game MOTM award.

Batting first on a reasonably decent wicket given the last-minute details, the visitors were 30-0 after 6 overs as Howarth (18) and Hadfield (16) stroked a few boundaries and looked reasonably safe at sea. Predictably, Spam forgot he was an opener and launched one into orbit to the one guy who could catch amongst the Wootton number and Lucan claimed yet another “ball of the century” which probably pitched straight, did nothing much and then continued on its straight trajectory. That left Captain Turner (15) to once again try and massage a frail MAD batting line up to realise something close to a halfway decent total to defend. He couldn’t as it transpired.

Turner drives one as he… largely bats on his own.

Andy Darley bagged his second golden on the spin, Timms reversed one into the safe hands of the giggling Wootton skipper, Rundle was caught at the third time of asking and, well… only Reeves (13) showed any spirit until he forgot he had a set of stumps plumbed into the earth behind him. 88 all out and lamentable at best. A returning Mr Valentine (31) the pick of the home team’s run chase.

Mid-match entertainment was provided by the two teams exchanging various levels of sarcasm and of course the steady sequence of heavy bombers that flew overhead to and from the nearby Brize Norton airbase. A timely reminder if we didn’t need one, that most of the world is currently arguing and bitching or getting to the stage where we bomb the shit out of each other. Fuck me, bring back the 90s....

So many levels of wrong in this shot….

The FFTMCC bowling has been the uplifting story of the 2026 season thus far, where those thrown the cherry have largely done a decent job and, in some instances, done themselves proud or obliterated local rabbit colonies. Today was no different, although the native bunnies to the area were never exposed. Darley (1-19) and Nickel (1-22) did their thing first up, Hoskins and Reeves did their bit in the middle picking up a wicket apiece and Roberts continues to improve with each passing game. Sadly, the lame efforts of a brittle batting regiment never gave the bowlers a serviceable platform.

There were some bright spots that need illuminating however, Spam realised he could catch again with the help of some wristbands and Lucan continues to catch in his new role as the club’s designated ball magnet. Mr Shorten cycled around the county to do some scoring and Mr Mellor walked his dozen dogs to the ground to undertake some pithy observations and no little wit. We then went to the pub to enjoy some free burgers, a drink, a further moan and then go home.

A beautiful batting cob captured memory.

’Chris Bands’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far From the MCC versus Wootton & Bladon CC Played at Cassington, 14 June 2026 Wootton & Bladon CC won the toss and elected to field Wootton & Bladon CC won by 6 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

26 / 679 35 over match

Team	Far From the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	I. Howarth	c Horne b Edwards	18	(29)	4	-	1-31
2	R. J. T. Hadfield	b Trinder	16	(40)	2	-	2-43
3	R. P. Turner *	c Doggett b Dale	15	(47)	-	-	3-43
4	A. J. Darley	b Trinder	0	(1)	-	-	4-56
5	G. J. Timms	c Gordon b Dale	5	(15)	-	-	5-63
6	M. S. Rundle	c Trinder b Poole	4	(15)	-	-	6-73
7	M. K. Reeves	b A. Hambridge	13	(18)	2	-	7-73
8	J. D. Hoskins	b Dale	0	(2)	-	-	8-78
9	C. D. Roberts	c lbw b Poole	5	(6)	1	-	9-84
10	J. E. Nickel	c Trinder b A. Hambridge	0	(3)	-	-	10-88
11	J. C. W. Hotson †	not out	0	(6)	-	-
	Extras	NB1, W2, LB3, B6	12
	TOTAL	(all out, 30.1 overs)	88

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Edwards	7	3	14	1	2.00
2	Trinder	7	3	23	2	3.29
3	Poole	7	0	18	2	2.57
4	Dale	7	1	20	3	2.86
5	A. Hambridge	1.1	0	1	2	0.86
6	Gordon	1	0	3	0	3.00

Team	Wootton & Bladon CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	N. Haywood	c Hadfield b Darley	22		2	-	1-34
2	A. Horne	c Howarth b Nickel	17		2	1	2-42
3	N. Hambridge	b Hoskins	5		-	-	3-49
4	A. Hambridge	not out	8		1	-	4-87
5	T. Valentine	c Howarth b Reeves	31		2	1
6	D. Gordon *	not out	4
7	J. Trinder
8	W. Dale
9	S. Edwards
10	S. Poole
11	G. Doggett †
	Extras	W2, LB1, B1	4
	TOTAL	(for 4 wickets, 21 overs)	91

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Darley	5	1	19	1	3.80
2	Nickel	6	1	22	1	3.67
3	Hoskins	3	0	21	1	7.00
4	Roberts	4	0	12	0	3.00
5	Reeves	3	0	14	1	4.67

MOTM: M. K. Reeves’ teas Champagne Moment: I. Howarth’s stumbling catch at deep square leg (A. Horne) Buffet Award: J. D. Hoskins’ chicken and ham pizzas with no chicken or ham MAD Moment: M. S. Rundle’s bat throwing tantrum on return to pavilion after his limp dismissal….

Opposition: V025 / 046 Ground: G067 / 017 Captain: C024 / 123 Match No: 35 / 261