Match Reports

Match Reports

6th March 2017
2016AwardsNight
Published by Megan at 6th March 2017
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V&A Annual Dinner Dance

On Friday March 3, at the illustrious NATIONAL LIBERAL CLUB, we held our annual AGM and dinner. RUPERT MORRIS, our Treasurer, read a nice piece about ‘occasional cricketers’ – from an old Times fourth leader. ANDY FRASER CMG auctioned off some vintage V&A cricket gear, and a couple of signed V&A Fixture Lists (by GARRY SOBERS – £50 – and MIKE GATTING – £5). The awards ceremony was conducted by NICK PRITCHARD-GORDON, who compiled the stats with the help of CHRIS MOUNSEY-THEAR. In the old days Nicky Bird used to compile the stats from the top of his head, having lost the score book, and they bore little relation to what took place at Stonor. It was rumoured that you only received an award if you a) turned up at the dinner b) provided him with whisky, and your wife. NICK P-G is incorruptible. The only bribe he accepted was […]
21st June 2014
Published by Megan at 21st June 2014
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V&A v. Andy Taylor XI

The Andy Taylor XI are great company of mixed cricketing ability. With an average age of about 25, they have unlined foreheads, bagless eyes and supple limbs, to sound a Gary Glitterish note. They may have lacked bowling in depth, but they could all run, dive and throw. They could all move. V&A pre-match talk was about the threat of the Taylor brothers. Rob Taylor did not distinguish himself. The V&A team bestowed on our fortunate skipper, Ross Ashcroft, had an average age of around 48 and was boosted by the inclusion of the talismaniac Andy Fraser, and the ageless Peter Linthwaite. The Andy Taylor XI was relatively untroubled as they overhauled the 177 target by 5 wickets and with 8 overs to spare in a timed game. Their reply was built around 43 by A. Taylor, a lovely 50 from Sethi that included 2 beautiful square drives, 29 from […]
3rd May 2014
Published by Megan at 3rd May 2014
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V&A v. Town and Country Folks

A gorgeous spring day, and a thrilling game of cricket. Who could ask for anything more? The auguries were not all good. Our revered founder, spiritual leader and chief scribe had been laid low by a bout of Bird flu, and we looked like taking the field one short. The opposition were late arriving. The auxiliary lunch chef had not bought enough cold meat, and struggled for at least 20 minutes to find out how to turn the oven on, while his pleas for help fell on deaf ears. Eventually, enough of the Town and Countrymen turned up for Lachlan Nieboer, making his debut as V&A captain, and George Winters to stride out to a distinctly damp wicket and toss the coin. It was a good toss to win, and when George won it, he had no hesitation in asking us to bat. Nick Emley and Ross Ashcroft opened our […]
15th May 2010
Published by Megan at 15th May 2010
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V&A v. The Legends

This was our first match against The Legends and what an agreeable bunch they are. The fixture had been arranged by Robbie Lawson and not only did he get all 11 Legends to arrive looking fit and eager by 11.30 am, but his heavily pregnant wife, Alice, had turned up with a lunch that has never – and will never – be bettered at Stonor. The V&A were, by contrast, either running late, hungover or in the case of Nicky and Martin, off sick. By 11.50 am there was no sign of the 2 Sams and the decision was made for Robbie to play for the V&A (everyone knew this was a crucial moment yet there was not a murmur of complaint from the Legends). Dennis captained, agreed a 35-over game, won the toss and decided to bat as we still only numbered 8. Robbie, batting at No.3 was called […]
12th July 2009
Published by Megan at 12th July 2009
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V&A v. The Old Taboltians

THERE WAS AN IRONY in the Talbotians fielding eleven good men, while we only managed 9 somewhat iffy men, three being pretty crocked [Dennis, Jake and Jack] and some being a bit passed it by the look of their fielding, not mentioning any names like Rob. A couple of weeks ago their skipper, our friend Sunil, told us that they were struggling and that we should look for alternative opposition. But they persevered and found 11. On the day we had two drop out, one through a suspected dose of alcohol poisoning, which I can sympathise with, horrid business, hits you unexpectedly. The Old Talbotians, incidently, were founded by journalists on Now! magazine, an ill- fated venture by the late Sir James Goldsmith. Private Eye referred to the mag as Talbot! for some obscure reason. We started at 1.45 or so without lunch because it rained overnight and, briefly, in […]
5th July 2009
Published by Megan at 5th July 2009
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V&A v. Thebertons

SIMON BARNES of The Times, and of the mighty Tewin Irregulars (a team we beat regularly), once quoted me as saying matches are won and lost on the telephone – meaning that the strength of your team is in direct proportion to the time spent on the phone. But, conversely, a game can be lost on the morning of the match in a trice with four phone calls from chaps crying off (for good and bad reasons), which happened on Sunday. There was a suspicion that drink had played a part in a couple of cases. We missed the batting of Andrew Taylor and the batting and – particularly – the bowling – of Jake Warman. What a difference 10 overs from Jake would have made, he rarely goes for more than 3 an over and would have picked up wickets. Father Alaster is a great asset but does not […]
20th June 2009
Published by Megan at 20th June 2009
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V&A v. London Erratics

A DREADFUL CRASH on the M40 meant a three-hour drive to Stonor for some. Bummer. Typically, the police closed the motorway to photograph bits of glass and tyre marks, but only after traffic had built up for 2 hours and had backed up 20 miles. They do things better in France. And probably provide crudités and a crisp Sancerre. We didn’t start until well after 1 and although Bird N. – temporarily standing in for the marooned Richard Woolhouse (captain) – won the toss and might have preferred to bat, he put the Erratics in as they were only 5 at that stage, hardly a quorum for fielding. We decided on a 30 overs game because of the late start. Sunil and James Nixey opened the bowling and did extremely well, doing just what was required, keeping the runs down while avoiding a hatful of wickets which, in the circumstances, […]
2nd May 2009
Published by Megan at 2nd May 2009
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V&A v. Midnight CC

RICHARD WOOLHOUSE WAS CAPTAIN and lost the toss in a 40 over game. But that was the only blip in his first start as captain for the V&A. They elected to bat on a damp pitch, possibly a mistake. They were soon in trouble. Sean Mayana got the first wicket and their best batsman – a good ball and excellent catch by Richard at extra cover. Martin Bowden got a quick second wicket – a nifty caught and bowled. Sean got another and they were struggling but one batsman steadied their innings with a sound 44; it took a Richard Woolhouse spell of 3 wickets to reduce their innings to a meagre total of 135 for 7. Pete Linthwaite bowled ‘very very well’ according to Bowden and only went for 23 runs off his 7 overs. Ian McKinley also bowled tightly for his 1 for 16. Jacot bowled nicely too. […]
20th September 2008
Published by Megan at 20th September 2008
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V&A v. A Few Good Men

OUR LAST GAME. And a beautiful day, how different from recent experience. The opposition, A Few Good Men [ex Durham University], whose first visit to Stonor this was, arrived promptly. We did not. They were a very agreeable and helpful lot, and busied themselves bringing out tables and chairs in the sunshine. Eventually we dribbled in, but Adam, Jake and Ally Fraser only made it – from Cambridge and Marble Arch respectively – just before lunch. Jake had waited vainly, through a mix up, for Cobb Jr. to arrive. Adam, so he said, had been enjoying the company of a few good men in Cambridge. I mention the late arrivals because it had a bearing on the match. Martin Bowden, our captain and Alistair Metcalfe, their skipper, agreed – optimistically I thought – on a 40 over game. In the event the light persisted, just. We won the toss and […]
17th August 2008
Published by Megan at 17th August 2008
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V&A v. The Hermits

HEAVY RAIN in the night had drenched the pitch and it was generous of groundsman Tony Fisher to let us play. Terry Blake, captaining the Hermits as always (N. Bird was the V&A’s skip), won the toss and elected to bat (!). An odd decision considering the sodden outfield and muddy crease. We played a 35 over game, with an option to reduce to 32 if the rains came (they did, but only when the match was just won and lost). The wet pitch dictated our bowling order. Our key weapon was Jake Warman, but it would have been wasteful to open with him as his speed and accuracy need dry footing and ball. So Nixey opened for 3 overs with Shaun bowling his accurate medium pace the other end. Nixey nearly got Terry Blake out third ball when he skied a short one (or long hop) to Dennis at […]
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