🧢 Captain's Log

Sat 10 Aug 1895 🧢 1st XIv ? · AwayformLWDLD

From the captain's chair — Saturday 10 August 1895. We were away, and for once the coin did as it was told, so I put us in to bat, rubbing my hands together with more confidence than the innings ultimately deserved.

It must be said the scorebook makes for uneven reading. H G Smith batted with real conviction for his 47 — currently good enough for second in our 1895 run charts, which tells you something about the state of the rest of us — while J Lampard, D A Kenward and F Smith all trooped back for ducks, three abreast, like men who'd seen the bowling and decided against involvement altogether. All out, and not a total to frighten anyone over the teacakes.

Still, we came out to defend it with the sort of grim optimism only club cricket can manufacture. Jack Fryer bowled beautifully for his 3-0, George Champion chipped in with 1-0 — enough to keep him top of our season's wicket-takers on five — and J Lampard, having done nothing with the bat, made some amends with the ball for 1-0 of his own. But E Barton anchored their reply with an unbeaten 33, well backed by H A Hughes' 29 and H Waghorn's 28, and they eased home by 5 wickets without ever looking especially troubled.

Not our day, then. Heads up, chins slightly less so, and back to the nets — there's little for it but application and the hope that next Saturday the ducks stay in the pond.

Mon 05 Aug 1895 🧢 1st XIv RC Rochester CC · HomeformLLWDL

Monday the 5th of August, Rochester CC our visitors, and for once the coin obliged me. I called it right and had no hesitation in sending us in to bat — a decision I stood behind rather more firmly than several of our top order managed to stand at the crease.

We were bowled out in the end, the final total playing second fiddle to the tale of J N Tonge, who sailed serenely past his fifty and on to a splendid 94, carrying the innings almost single-handed. Less splendid were the efforts of Ernest Cruttenden and J Edmonds, both back in the pavilion for ducks before they'd troubled the scorers, joining that select and unloved fraternity. Typical Linton Park generosity, meanwhile, saw the extras column swell to a handy 26 — arguably our most consistent contributor of the day.

Asked to defend our total, the lads did their job and then some: Rochester could only manage 0 for 0 from two overs before the match slipped away from either side's grasp. I chipped in with 18 of my own, and note with rather more pride than the achievement strictly warrants that it carried me past L Friend into 15th on the club's all-time run-scorers list. Tonge, for his part, now sits proudly atop our 1895 run charts.

Honours shared, then, and a draw few could argue with — Rochester left as they arrived, and so, more or less, did we.

Wed 31 Jul 1895 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · HomeformLLLWD

Beaten in a canter, but let's have some fun with it. It was a fine Wednesday for losing the toss, and Headcorn made the most of it, setting themselves up nicely on a pitch that clearly took a shine to G Knight, who ground us down for a chanceless 77, with W Hubble (32) and the Reverend A C Scott (28) lending willing support. Credit where it's due: George Champion bowled beautifully for his 4, backed up gamely by Tom Peach Snr and H G Smith, though by the time they'd finished we were staring down a target that would have troubled a far better side than ours.

And troubled us it did. Our reply folded for nought, which is not a misprint I write with any pleasure. Ernest Cruttenden and H G Smith both made the long walk back for ducks, and the less said about the rest the better — though say something I must, given this is a report and not a confession. Champion, not content with his morning's work, took 4 more wickets in the field for good measure, a captain's dream in a match that was otherwise a captain's nightmare.

There were, at least, crumbs of comfort in the ledger books. Jack Fryer's 8 runs eased him past A M Streatfield into 11th on the all-time run list, and Tom Peach Snr's 3 wickets shuffled him past Walter Wright into 9th among the wicket-takers — and Champion sits proudly atop both season charts. Beaten by 128 runs, then, and no dressing that up. We'll be better for it next week.