Match Reports
Match Reports
22nd June 2024
Bacchus XI are, by now, regulars at Stonor. It is the cricket team for former members of the Oxford University Wine Society. The team’s name, purpose and location suggests frenzied rites and undergraduate revelry of a now unfashionable kind. Such associations do not, however, spring immediately to mind on shaking hands at the start of the day with Patrick Hudson, the team’s articulate and self-deprecating captain, a writer for “The Tablet”. The discussion that followed was a diplomatic assessment as to how we might maximise the cricket and enjoyment of the day to follow for all concerned. The chosen mechanism was a modified time game – 80 overs for the day with a maximum of 42 overs for V&A as the team batting first, with the option to declare at any time. Bacchus hitherto have not fielded strong teams at Stonor. However, they more than compensate with the exuberance and […]
25th May 2024
The V&A season moved on to the last fixture for May and probably the first fixture where everything came together suitably – pitch, temperature, sunshine and a full complement of players. Rob Taylor was this week’s incumbent as captain, tackling all of the accompanying duties with energy and diligence. His first challenge was to find 11 players on a Bank Holiday weekend. In this, he was more than successful; 12 turned up on the morning. Christy’s friend Irwin Sharif, one of the first to arrive, stepped aside with equanimity for young Charlie Knight, although the swap had little impact on the average age of the V&A team. The tactful note in the scorebook records the toss as “uncontested”. Invalids batted first. James Anderson was recently given a firm nudge to retire at 41. Brendon McCullum considered him too old to open the bowling for more than a match or two. […]