🧢 Captain's Log

Thu 25 Aug 1904 🧢 House Teamv ST 1st Innings Leeds Castle CC - House Team · HomeformDWDWW

We had the good fortune to bat first upon the ball being tossed our way against Leeds Castle CC on Thursday last, the twenty-fifth of August, and it fell to our trundlers first to make their mark. Tom Peach Jnr bowled with real purpose, sending back both W Thorndycraft and H Thorndycraft without troubling the scorer, and finishing with three wickets to his name. He found willing support in E Mitchell and T Woollett, each claiming a brace, though our visitors were not without their own man of substance in A Hollands, whose forty-five was the innings' chief ornament and kept the game alive for Leeds Castle.

When our turn came at the wicket, I was fortunate enough to find good form and carried my bat to a score of one hundred and five, a knock I confess gave me no small satisfaction, though the credit is shared readily with H Goodenough, whose twenty-two in support was played with sound judgement throughout. Not every man among us prospered, it must be said, for T Woollett and G Pearce were each dismissed without scoring, and must console themselves that such fortune visits every batsman in his time.

It is worth remarking, too, that Tom Peach Jnr's contribution with the bat carried him a step further up the club's long roll of run-scorers, past S Christopherson and into twentieth place, a quiet distinction earned amid the day's larger business.

Neither side could press home the advantage before the close, and honours were shared in a draw. A fair result, I think, and no discredit to either eleven.

Tue 09 Aug 1904 🧢 House Teamv ST 1st Innings Leeds Castle CC - House Team · AwayformWDWDW

Tuesday last, the 9th of August, saw us take the field against Leeds Castle CC's house eleven, and glad I am to set down an afternoon that reflected credit upon both sides. We had first use of the ball, and our trundlers were not long in finding their length.

Our visitors' innings owed most to Hollands, whose well-made fifty was the backbone of their total, and to Stedman, who gave him able support with a useful 38. Wickets fell steadily elsewhere, poor Bodiam sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Jack Fryer bowled with fine control to finish with four wickets, well supported by Tom Peach senior with three, and by his son with two, so that the innings was in due course brought to a close.

When our turn came at the wicket, young Tom Peach again distinguished himself, carrying much of the innings with a capital knock of 70, a score that carries him past Captain H Hamilton into twenty-first place upon the club's list of run-scorers. I was fortunate enough to chip in with 22 in support. Jack Fryer, so effective with the ball, endured the lesser fortune of a duck with the willow, borne, I am told, with good humour. It may be noted too that Tom Peach senior's three wickets carried him past J N Tonge into tenth place among the club's wicket-takers, a fine season in which his son already leads the house eleven's run charts and Fryer its wicket charts with seven.

We were fortunate enough to get home by ten wickets, a handsome margin, though our opponents contested the day with spirit throughout and left the field with our respect and good wishes for the remainder of their season.

Sat 06 Aug 1904 🧢 1st XIv BC Boxley CC · HomeformLWLLW

On Saturday last, the sixth of August, we welcomed Boxley Cricket Club to Linton Park, and I elected to take the ball first upon winning the toss. Our visitors batted with no little skill, C H Style leading the way with a fine half-century of 68, well supported by L Caldecott, whose own well-made fifty realised 62, and R H Style, who added a useful 26. Our bowling, however, held its nerve throughout, and honours were shared handsomely between W H Forshaw, C Murdoch and myself, each of us claiming three wickets for the innings.

When our turn came at the wicket, H C Barker gave a splendid exhibition, remaining not out for 76 and carrying his bat through the innings, while W L Hubble contributed a sound 61 past his fifty and Allan Peach chipped in an unbeaten 40. Twenty-seven runs came our way in extras, no small mercy on the day. For my own part I made 15 with the willow, a modest score in support of stouter efforts than my own.

A word, too, for Ernest Cruttenden, whose single wicket in this match carried him past H Freed to fourth place among the club's wicket-takers of all time, a milestone worthy of note in our modest annals. He stands, besides, at the head of this season's wicket-taking with ten victims to his name, while H C Barker's innings lifts him to second place among the year's run-getters with his 76.

It was a close-run affair in the end, decided by two wickets in our favour, and I am bound to say our visitors bowled and batted with a spirit that made the contest a thoroughly pleasant one. Two points to the good, and gladly earned.

Mon 04 Jul 1904 🧢 1st XIv SS Sutton Valence School · HomeformLLWLL

On Monday last, the fourth of July, we had the pleasure of receiving Sutton Valence School upon our own ground. The toss went against us, and our visitors, electing to bat, set about their innings with purpose. F A Thew was the chief architect of their total with a well-made 35, finding capable company in H W Hunting, who contributed 30, and J M Druce, who added 23. Our attack, however, was not to be denied, and N Strickland was sent back without troubling the scorers. It was R W Mitchell who did the greater share of the damage, his figures of 6 for 42 a fine display of sustained accuracy, while F B Leney and the Reverend F A Leveson-Gower lent useful support with two wickets and one apiece, conceding not a run between them.

When our turn came to bat, George Champion gave the innings its backbone with a capital knock of 55, well past his fifty, ably assisted by Leveson-Gower with 37 and Mitchell with a further 27. Fortune was less kind to Arthur Cornwallis, C H Style and Allan Peach, each dismissed without scoring, though such things befall every side in its turn. I was glad to add 16 of my own to the total. It was gratifying, too, to note that Leveson-Gower's innings carried him past F E Wallis into eleventh place among the club's run-scorers, and that F Reeves's wicket lifted him past T Gandy into twelfth on the bowlers' list.

Altogether it proved a match to be recalled with quiet satisfaction, and a win to be savoured.

Sat 18 Jun 1904 🧢 1st XIv SC 1st Innings Leeds Castle CC · AwayformDLLWL

On Saturday the eighteenth of June, in the year 1904, the road took our eleven to Leeds Castle, where I had the pleasure of leading the side and, winning the toss, elected to give our men first use of the ball. Our visitors settled to their innings with F Foreman batting soundly for 25, well supported by D A Harrison with 22, though Dr Whitestone was less fortunate, sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers. It was a happy afternoon for our trundlers, Tom Peach Jnr chief among them with four wickets to his name, and George Champion and Ernest Cruttenden each following with three apiece, so that the home side's innings was at length brought to a close.

Our own reply, I confess, did not match the promise of our bowling. Tom Peach Jnr, so effective with the ball, endured the bowler's small indignity of a duck with the willow, though C Murdoch batted with credit for 20, runs which, I am pleased to record, carry him past A M Streatfield to twenty-fourth upon the club's all-time list of run-scorers, a distinction warmly received by his fellows.

As the season stands, A E Piper leads our run-getters with 45, and George Champion heads the wicket-takers with ten, both auguring well for the months ahead. On this occasion, however, Leeds Castle proved the stronger side, and we were beaten by 106 runs. We take the lesson in good part, and trust to better fortune next week.

Wed 15 Jun 1904 🧢 1st XIv Town Malling CC · AwayformLDLLW

We journeyed to Town Malling on Wednesday last, the fifteenth of June, and having lost the toss found ourselves asked to take the field first, our opponents electing to bat. G H Adam gave a fine display for sixty-six, passing his fifty with considerable authority, and found willing company in R A Arnold and W H Cooper, each compiling a creditable half-century of fifty-two runs apiece. Only W Phillips departed for a duck, sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers. In the field Ernest Cruttenden bowled with real venom to claim three wickets without cost, and I was fortunate to lend some support with three wickets of my own, W E H Hills also chipping in with one.

When our turn came at the wicket the innings did not prosper as we had hoped. C Reid was undone early for a golden duck, and though I contributed fifteen runs myself, the total we set down could not approach what our visitors had amassed.

There was some small consolation to be salvaged from the wreckage. Those fifteen runs carried me past F Marchant into twelfth place among the club's run-scorers of all time, while Cruttenden's three wickets took him past W H Fryer into fifth on the list of wicket-takers, and each of us presently heads the eleven's charts for the season, myself in runs and he with the ball.

In the end our visitors proved too strong, the match going against us by one hundred and ninety-eight runs. We return to Linton Park a little chastened but no less resolved, and trust the next fixture shall find our fellows in better order.