Meaker makes Championship debut

Congratulations to Stuart Meaker who made his Championship debut for Surrey against Nottinghamshire at The Oval on September 17. Stuart made 16 and 6 and took 3 for 86, taking the new ball in Nottinghamshire’s only innings.

His opening spell of 4-1-6-1 was impressive, although Jonathan Batty, Surrey’s keeper, might disagree. Stuart’s fourth ball skidded through, Batty failed to take it cleanly and fractured one finger and dislocated another, ending up in hospital having an operation. He took his first wicket when Will Jefferson nicked one to stand-in keeper Scott Newman who made a complete horlicks of the chance, but the ball spilt from his gloves and looped to Usman Afzaal at second slip.

Stuart’s second and third spells on the first day were less rewarding, although in fairness to him by then a woeful Surrey side were shipping runs at an alarming rate. On the third morning he grabbed two more wickets.

The feeling was that he showed real promise but was still, understandably, quite raw. His pace was impressive, so much so that he looked quicker than the dismal Shoaib Akhtar, and especially early on, he got a few to rip through. He certainly has a good future ahead of him but Surrey need to manage him carefully and play down some of the wilder predictions. As he came on to bowl, one voice in the pres box piped up that he “had been clocked at 100mph”!

Stuart’s was the first Championship appearance by an OC since Maurice McCanlis played for Surrey against Lancashire at The Oval in July 1926, his only county appearance. He opened the bowling and took one second-innings wicket.

Stuart also took one wicket on his first-class county debut against Loughborough UCCE in April, and so his four wickets at 34.75 means he is the leading OC wicket-taker in first-class cricket, moving ahead of Nigel Paul who took three. Perhaps that is not something to write home about!

He also made his FP Trophy debut in April and the weekend before his Championship bow, he played his first Pro40 match, taking 1 for 57 against Leicestershire.

OCCC go down in Cricketer Cup final

Old Malvernians 178 (Nash 70, Watkinson 4-14, Meaker 2-35) beat Old Cranleighans 152 (Waters 68) by 26 runs
Click here for match photos

The dream of winning the Cricketer Cup in only our second year in the competition ended in the final at Old Deer Park as we lost to Old Malvernians by 26 runs. Nevertheless, we played superbly for three-quarters of the match and it was only in the dying overs that Malvern’s experience proved too much. They were the worthy winners but the youth of our side means that we should be a force to come for a number of years.

Malvern had a superb record in the competition, with five wins from five finals. Like us, they also made the final in their second year, although they went one better than we eventually managed.

Henry Watkinson won the toss and opted to field, hardly a surprise given that we had successfully chased in all four rounds. The pitch was dry and produced variable bounce, and Malvern found runs hard to come by. Stuart Meaker bowled a fiery opening spell, in contrast to Watkinson who relied on guile and accuracy and who took the first wicket in the sixth over, bowling Powell.

Watkinson’s opening spell of 5-2-4-1 set the benchmark, and Meaker got his reward four overs later when Mark Hardinges, who seven days earlier had steered Gloucestershire to a one-day win over Hampshire, dragged into his stumps for 2. Gifford looked capable of posing problems before he played an ugly cross-batted shot to Seren Waters, and at 31 for 3 in the 15th over, our tails were up.

Middlesex’s David Nash was clearly the danger man, and he found gaps with the skill expected of a professional, and with Franklin, the opener, he rebuilt the innings. Franklin should have been run-out with the score on 56 but Michael Chetwode fumbled a return to the bowler’s end with the batsman stranded mid pitch. However, we struck a crucial blow with the last delivery before lunch when Franklin tamely cut Matt Crump to Phil Roper at backward point for 29. We headed off in the better position, with Malvern 86 for 4 off 30 overs.

Nash and Usher batted well after the break, taking the total to 153 for 4 with judicious placement more than out-and-out aggression. In the innings overall there were only ten fours. In the final overs the batsmen hit out and, inevitably, wickets fell.

Nash perished for 70 to a tumbling catch from Roper and in the next over, the 46th, Meaker bowled Usher for 30. Watkinson then chipped in with two in two, and a brace of run-outs in the final over restricted Malvern to 178. Watkinson finished with excellent figures of 8-3-14-4 and the last six wickets had gone for 25 in five-and-a-bit overs.

The pitch continued to throw up puffs of dust and the outfield was slow, so it was a gettable target but not an easy one. The early sunshine had also given way to low cloud and the temperature had dropped into the 50s.

Waters top-edged the first ball he faced, a bouncer, over the keeper for four, and was struck by the second. But he showed composure beyond his years and was soon looking as assured as ever. Howard fell early, getting a leading edge, but that brought in Matt Crump, another young player in great touch.

Early shackles were broken when Waters twice lofted fours over midwicket, and Crump then joined in, surviving a half chance when he hammered the ball to the right of square leg who could only parry the ball.

Crump perished for 17 – one of three leg-befores against batsmen going back – and then Malvern’s seasoned spinners really tightened their grip on the game, backed by some excellent fielding. Abeed Janmohamed, such a class act in the semi-final, struggled to find his touch, but Waters kept things ticking along. Janmohamed departed for a 27-ball 3 (69 for 3) but Meaker sought to impose himself from the off.

The penultimate over before tea appeared to have swung the balance of the match, 15 coming off it including the day’s first six, a swing over long leg from Meaker. We headed off on 102 for 3 off 30, needing 77 to win in 20 overs with wickets in hand.

Whatever was served for tea, it perked up Malvern and pretty much did for us. Meaker fell lbw to the first ball after the restart and the pressure was on. James Halton, who specialises in run chases, looked up for it, but wasn’t able to stay long enough to make a difference.

Waters, who passed his fifty before tea, found it almost impossible to get enough of the strike. Eds Copleston was unable to push the ones needed to keep Waters at the striker’s end, although he did strike one sublime straight six.

The run-rate, which had hovered around four an over throughout, began to rise as the gloom worsened. Copleston perished trying to hit over the top, and three balls later Waters was bowled for a superb 68 as he tried to make up the lost ground.

From then on in we were always off the pace, although Tom Crump and Roper kept the flame flickering. Thirty three were needed off four, but Roper fell to a thick edge and then Crump was run-out after being sent back by Watkinson, who was bowled off the next ball to seal a deserved victory for Malvern.

The turnout was excellent, and many former and present OCCC players were in evidence, along with a good smattering of non cricketers and representatives of the school. There was a pleasant atmosphere, although staging the final at a ground under the Heathrow flight path was a downer.

Although the result was disappointing, everyone who has taken part in the competition for us this summer can be proud. As can the club and the school. Eight years ago we weren’t even in a knock-out tournament. In the interim we have won the Brewers Cup three times and the Cricket World Trophy once. Even participating in the Cricketer Cup was beyond our wildest dreams, and yet we achieved that and within two years we reached the final. We’ll just have to make sure that next year we go one better.

One last thought. In 2007, we became the first new side in the Cricketer Cup since it was expanded from 16 to 32 teams in its third year (1969). Our success has shown that there are strong sides out there who might not have been so four decades ago. Allowing some of these old boys’ teams into the competition can only bring new life to it, and the organisers should think about the value of looking at some expansion, adding new sides rather than waiting for old ones to drop out. It might mean a first qualifying round each year for the less successful teams, but that might be no bad thing either.

All Cranleighans invited to Cricketer Cup final

From Guy Waller and John McDermott

The Old Cranleighan Cricket Club has reached the final of the Cricketer Cup. To do so, in only its second year of entry in this prestigious competition, is a considerable achievement and reflects greatly on the current health and strength of Cranleigh cricket.

The 2008 Cricketer Cup final will see the Old Cranleighans playing the Old Malvernians at Richmond Cricket Club (Old Deer Park), on Sunday, August 17, 2008.

The Cricketer Cup sponsor, Rensburg Sheppards, is very kindly offering a complimentary lunch for the first 100 guests at its barbecue. Additionally, free Pimms sponsored by Cranleigh School will be served from 4.00pm to 7.00pm in the OC Society marquee.

Now in its 42nd year, the Cricketer Cup has enabled the leading cricketing schools to compete annually against each other in knock-out competition. Not included in the original 32 schools selected, Cranleigh has had to wait until 2006 to be invited to replace Blundells in the competition.

Last season, after the great win in our first match v Harrow on the Jubilee, the toss of a coin on a wet Sunday in a Fulham pub finished our hopes v Highgate. This season the OCCC have recorded convincing wins v Lancing, Clifton, Cheltenham and Dulwich.

Cranleigh School has long been proud of its cricketing tradition. Following convincing investment in cricket facilities and resources, the 1st X1 enjoyed unbeaten seasons in 2006 and 2007 against the likes of Tonbridge, Radley, Winchester, Wellington and Charterhouse. In 2008 Seren Waters broke the record for runs scored in a Cranleigh 1st X1 career. Several recent players have gone on to shine at university, county and even national level. All these are playing now in the OCCC Cup team.

Furthermore, Cranleigh remains committed to the future development of such potential. 2008 saw Cranleigh School host the first ever Spirit of Cricket event held outside Lords. 2008-9 will not only see the redevelopment of the much-loved Cricket Pavilion on the Jubilee under a joint OC Society and Cranleigh School project, but also the creation of dedicated indoor nets to complement the newly improved outdoor nets. The refurbishment of the Prep School Pavilion ensures that the School's youngest talent, too, can be nurtured, with facilities that are now the envy of many of the Schools we play.

The School's commitment to cricket, and subsequent achievements, have in turn enhanced one of the strongest ever eras of Old Cranleighan Cricket. Over the past 15 years, the OCCC has travelled on 12 international tours across all continents. It has been victorious in 4 national knockout cups and is proud to still host probably the strongest and most enjoyable annual Old Boys cricket weeks in the country on the Jubilee.

Malvern can boast a total of 10 appearances in the final, five as winners. Only Tonbridge has a slightly superior record to Malvern in the competition's history. It certainly will be a challenge and also a great occasion.

The match starts at 11.30am, so bring a picnic and spend a wonderful day supporting this Cranleighan achievement and don't forget to get there on time for the free BBQ which should start at about 2.00pm.

For directions to the grounds, click here.

Cranleigh eyes up Craddock

Charlie Craddock, a 13-year-old pupil at Cottesmore Preparatory School in West Sussex, almost single-handedly saw his 1st XI side to victory over St Aubyn's in a Twenty20 match, scoring 119 off 56 balls (including 13 sixes) and taking six wickets - four in four balls - to earn his school colours. Craddock starts at Cranleigh in September.

OCCC into Cricketer Cup quarter-finals

Old Cranleighans 238 for 2 (M Crump 107*, Cope 41, Howard 38, Janmohamed 36*) beat Old Cliftonians 235 for 9 (Houcke 100, Chetwode 3-38, Cope 3-47) by eight wickets
Click here for match photos

A super hundred from Matt Crump guided us to an eight-wicket win over Old Cliftonians on the Lowers and book us a Cricketer Cup quarter-final trip to Cheltenham College. In two Cup matches this year we have only lost four wickets and the bulk of our runs have been scored by players under 22. The future really is bright.

On a sunny but windy day, Clifton won the toss. The pitch had little bounce and the ball didn’t come onto the bat, but it was a true surface. The first and crucial wicket, that of former England A and Gloucestershire batsman Matt Windows, owed nothing to the pitch, a Henry Watkinson full toss scooped back to the bowler. He struck again two overs later to leave Clifton 22 for 2.

Houcke and Meadows took the score to 74, struggling to get after Graham Webb who bowled through his ten overs for 28. Michael Chetwode’s first spell produced the breakthrough and a second catch for Abeed Janmohamed, and apart from one wayward over, he was typically parsimonious.

There then followed Clifton’s main stand, Houcke and Swetman adding 90 in 18 overs. Our fielding wobbled and we split four hard chances, and for a time there was a danger the game was going to get away from us. Chetwode finally lured Swetman into a weak drive, and from then on we regained control. The last 14 overs yielded 71 runs for six wickets.

Houcke continued to plough a lonely furrow, falling to a sharp stumping the ball after reaching his hundred. Morrison ruined Alex Craven’s figures with some good late hitting, but Alan Cope kept the damage within limits with an excellent late burst.

Our innings started shakily, Will Howard surviving the first of two drops in the opening over. His luck ran out when he had made 38 but by then he and Crump had got us off to a good start. Cope came in and looked in good touch, relishing a brief clash with Windows until trying for one hit too many.

At 121 for 2 we were still in the driving seats but quick wickets and we might have struggled. Abeed Jamohamed was not in the best of form but he dug in, rotated the strike and thumped the bad balls. Crump, happy to play second fiddle to Cope, upped a gear on his dismissal and drove in the V ruthlessly, especially on the leg side. Clifton wilted under the onslaught, their fielding became ragged and they split more catches. Crump reached his hundred with a pull through midwicket and an over later completed an emphatic win with a similar stroke.

Without exaggerating, this was probably the best day in the club’s history. Aside from this result, we also fielded an Under-21 side on Jubilee which would have beaten most opposition. With several players returning from the School match for the next round, for the first time the selectors face a real quandary over the team to take to Cheltenham.

A super hundred from Matt Crump guided us to an eight-wicket win over Old Cliftonians on the Lowers and book us a Cricketer Cup quarter-final trip to Cheltenham College. In two Cup matches this year we have only lost four wickets and the bulk of our runs have been scored by players under 22. The future really is bright.

On a sunny but windy day, Clifton won the toss. The pitch had little bounce and the ball didn’t come onto the bat, but it was a true surface. The first and crucial wicket, that of former England A and Gloucestershire batsman Matt Windows, owed nothing to the pitch, a Henry Watkinson full toss scooped back to the bowler. He struck again two overs later to leave Clifton 22 for 2.

Houcke and Meadows took the score to 74, struggling to get after Graham Webb who bowled through his ten overs for 28. Michael Chetwode’s first spell produced the breakthrough and a second catch for Abeed Janmohamed, and apart from one wayward over, he was typically parsimonious.

There then followed Clifton’s main stand, Houcke and Swetman adding 90 in 18 overs. Our fielding wobbled and we split four hard chances, and for a time there was a danger the game was going to get away from us. Chetwode finally lured Swetman into a weak drive, and from then on we regained control. The last 14 overs yielded 71 runs for six wickets.

Annual OC Ladies cricket match?

It is hoped to have, at the very least, an annual OC Ladies' cricket match against the School. Interested OCs please contact May Millburn-Fryer: MayMillburn-Fryer@hotmail.com or call 07837 352759

Lancing drawn in Cricketer Cup

The OCCC have been drawn at home against old rivals Lancing Rovers in the first round of the 2008 Cricketer Cup. The tie will be played on Sunday, June 15 on Jubilee and, if we win, we will face the winners of the game between Winchester and Clifton. We first played Lancing as long ago as 1926 and for more than three decades they provided the traditional finale to the annual cricket week.

The match will again coincide with OC Day and more details of that can be found on the official OC Society site. For more information on the OCCC click here.

England cricketers to debate at Cranleigh

England cricketers past and present will form a distinguished panel at a forthcoming MCC Spirit of Cricket event, sponsored by Artemis Investment Management and being held at Cranleigh School, Surrey, on Monday 21st April.

Former Test captain Chris Cowdrey will host an evening of lively debate and will be joined by England spin bowler Monty Panesar, Middlesex captain Ed Smith and the National Selector, Geoff Miller, in discussing the spirit of cricket and issues affecting the game today.

The MCC Spirit of Cricket evening at Cranleigh is a spin-off of the hugely popular annual Cowdrey Lecture (first delivered by Richie Benaud in 2001) - an event that has quickly established itself as an important date in the cricket calendar.

The invited audience will be comprised of young school and club cricketers and their coaches. In what promises to be an entertaining evening, the host, Chris Cowdrey, said:

"I'm proud of my father's achievement, along with Ted Dexter, of setting out a vision for the spirit of cricket. It was terrific for this to become part of the Laws of Cricket but the challenge now is to make this relevant to cricketers of the future. Cranleigh School has set us the challenge of having a fun evening which also gets to grips with some of the big questions facing the game today. At such a busy time of the cricketing year, we are extremely grateful to Monty, Ed and Geoff for giving up their time to debate these issues with us, and to Artemis Investment Management for sponsoring the event."

MCC Secretary & Chief Executive, Keith Bradshaw, said: "MCC retains a passionate commitment to promoting the spirit of cricket. The Cowdrey Lecture serves an important function in discussing the cricketing issues of the day and the evening at Cranleigh School promises to be an exciting extension of this. I am particularly pleased that the event will be held in the early season and will be attended by a young audience. With such an impressive panel, I'm sure that the topics raised will inspire each young cricketer as they approach the beginning of their own cricket season."

Managing Director of Artemis Fund Managers, Dick Turpin, said: "Artemis is delighted to support such an important venture. The Spirit of Cricket must play a central part in the future of the game worldwide".

Guy Waller, Headmaster of Cranleigh School, said: "We are thrilled to be hosting this event. Those of us involved in Schools' cricket like to think that we play the game in the best possible spirit but it is never something to be complacent about. "