🧢 Captain's Log

Wed 12 Aug 1908 🧢 1st XIv BC Boxley CC · HomeformLWLWW

Wednesday last, the twelfth of August, saw us host Boxley Cricket Club upon our own ground, and winning the toss I had no hesitation in electing to bat, a decision that served us well. Beeching gave a truly magnificent display, unbeaten on 102, while Captain Walter lent fine support with 52 and Lieutenant Wallace ran him close with 51 of his own. I was fortunate enough to add 43 to the total myself, and with extras contributing a useful 35, our men gave a capital account of themselves at the wicket throughout.

Boxley replied with spirit. Hubble led their effort with a well-made 67, finding support from Lawrence with 40 and Wood with 35. Our trundlers, however, kept a tight rein upon proceedings, none more so than Eltham, whose four wickets fell without the concession of a single run, a spell of the highest quality. Simmonds and Cruttenden each claimed a wicket to complete the reckoning.

The afternoon brought cause for quiet satisfaction beyond the match itself. The Reverend J R Leigh's 7 runs carried him past A W Fulcher into eleventh place among the club's all-time run-scorers, while Eltham's four wickets lifted him past Arthur Cornwallis into twenty-second on the list of wicket-takers. I note also that I presently head the season's run charts with 165, and that Cruttenden leads the wicket-takers with 11 for the year.

In the end neither side could force a result, and honours were fairly shared. Boxley proved courteous and determined opponents, and I trust we shall meet them again before the season closes.

Mon 08 Jun 1908 🧢 1st XIv SC 1st Innings Maidstone CC · HomeformDLWLW

Monday last, the eighth of June, saw Maidstone CC our guests upon home turf. Winning the toss, I put our visitors in, and though they made a fight of it, their innings brought us little cause for alarm. E E Hoadley carried his bat for a most watchful 34, well supported by T Bunting with 29 and T M Oliff with 25, but our trundlers held the upper hand throughout. Ernest Cruttenden was in irresistible form, taking four wickets without conceding a run, and found capital support from A Eltham, who claimed three for none, while I was fortunate enough to gather three wickets of my own.

When our turn came at the wicket, I found some rhythm with the willow and was glad to see a personal fifty carried on to 63, a knock I confess gave me no small satisfaction. The Reverend F A Leveson-Gower batted most handsomely for 44, and Guy Bracher added a brisk 41, while C Murdoch's useful 21 was, I am told, sufficient to carry him past the Reverend gentleman and into seventh place upon the club's all-time list of run-getters, a small distinction not to be overlooked amid the day's larger business.

The upshot was victory by an innings and 96 runs, a result as decisive as it was agreeable, and I could not have asked more of our men. Maidstone bore their reverse with the good grace one has come to expect of them, and I trust we shall meet them again in similarly fine spirit.

Sat 30 May 1908 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone Conservative Club CC · HomeformWDLWL

On Saturday last, the thirtieth of May, we welcomed Maidstone Conservative Club CC to our ground, taking the field first against a pitch sporting a good length, and trusting our bowlers to make early inroads upon the visitors' order.

Our trundlers acquitted themselves handsomely. Mr Beeching gave the innings a fine foundation with a well-made fifty, ably supported by Mr Goodbody's thirty-one, but the remainder of the order found little comfort against our attack. R Turner was sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers, and it was Ernest Cruttenden who claimed the honours of the day, returning the admirable figures of six wickets for none, a spell as fine as any seen upon our ground this season and richly deserved. Charles Wycherley and H G Smith lent useful assistance with two and one wickets apiece, and between them our bowlers brought the visitors' innings to a close.

In reply, our batting proved fully equal to the task. C Murdoch played a splendid innings of ninety not out, carrying his form well past the half-century mark, and found a willing partner in myself, my own contribution of fifty-nine proving a most satisfying afternoon's work at the wicket. Between us we saw the total home, the match falling to us by eight wickets and two points thoroughly earned.

It was, moreover, an afternoon of some personal note for C Murdoch, whose ninety runs carried him past the Reverend F A Leveson-Gower and into seventh place upon the club's all-time list of run-scorers, a fitting reward for a season in which he now leads our first eleven's run charts, just as Cruttenden leads the wicket-takers with his six. Our visitors played the game throughout in the best of spirits, and I can say only that a finer Saturday's cricket would be hard to wish for.