🧢 Captain's Log

Tue 10 Aug 1909 🧢 1st XIv BC Boxley C C · HomeformWWDWL

Tuesday last, the tenth of August, saw Boxley County Cricket Club our guests upon the ground, in a match that ended, most properly, in a draw shared with honour on both sides.

We had first use of the ball, and our trundlers gave a fine account of themselves. Ernest Cruttenden was quite unplayable, taking five wickets for none, with F W M Cornwallis and myself each accounting for a couple more. Yet Boxley's eleven batted with skill and resolve, W A Coveney remaining undefeated on a well-made seventy-one, ably supported by G M Style's forty-eight and a useful twenty-seven from the Reverend C J Hilton.

At the wicket ourselves, I was fortunate enough to carry my bat to an unbeaten hundred and ten, a knock that gave me no small satisfaction, made the sweeter for following hard upon my passing two hundred wickets for the club. F D Thomas batted soundly for thirty-eight, W R Gosling added a useful twenty-one, and the extras column, generous as ever, chipped in forty-nine.

So the match went to neither side, and I think honours were fairly divided between two elevens who gave of their best. I note, for the club's record rather than my own credit, that I stand at the head of our first eleven's run-getters this season with one hundred and fifty-nine, and second among the wicket-takers with five. To Boxley, and to Mr Coveney especially, our compliments upon a capital display, and our thanks for as sporting an afternoon as one could ask.

Sat 07 Aug 1909 🧢 1st XIv RC Royal West Kent Regiment CC · HomeformLWWDW

We won the toss on Saturday and I had no hesitation in electing to bat first, a decision that seemed, at the time, thoroughly sound. R W Mitchell gave the innings its backbone with a fine fifty of 54, well supported by C G E Farmer's useful 27 and Arthur Cornwallis's capital 24. Not every man found his form, however, and C Stevens will, I fear, wish to forget his contribution of a duck, though such misfortunes will happen to any of us in this game.

Royal West Kent Regiment CC then took to the crease and gave a sound account of themselves. Captain Bush led their reply with a well-made fifty of 65, ably assisted by Captain Robinson's 42 and Captain Druce's 37, and though R W Mitchell bowled tirelessly to return four wickets, with Stevens and F W M Cornwallis chipping in three and two apiece, the runs came rather too freely. I confess to a personal disappointment, having been dismissed myself without troubling the scorers, a lapse over which the less said the better.

Two matters deserve a note for the club's records: C Murdoch's 18 runs carried him past the Reverend F A Leveson-Gower into seventh place among our all-time run-scorers, while R W Mitchell's four wickets lifted him past W H Fryer into seventh on the wicket-takers' list, small consolations upon a defeat. Our visitors played in excellent spirit throughout, and if the result was not ours, the lesson it offers will not, I trust, be wasted upon us.

Sat 24 Jul 1909 🧢 1st XIv BC Barming Asylum CC · AwayformWLWWD

On Saturday last, the twenty-fourth of July, we journeyed out to meet Barming Asylum CC upon their own ground, and I had the good fortune to call correctly, choosing to send our opponents in first to the willow.

Our visitors made a solid fist of it. J Joy played a fine and patient innings, unbeaten on 68 when the last wicket fell, and found capable company in B Mullins, who contributed 33, and F Curtis, who added a useful 20. Yet our trundlers were not to be denied their share of the afternoon's honours, for A Older, M Hills and C Maynard were each despatched without troubling the scorer. The bowling laurels belonged unquestionably to P Le Feaver, whose figures of five wickets were as handsome as they were deserved, with George Champion following close behind with three, and A Eltham accounting for one.

Called upon to reply, our men set about the task with a will. Guy Bracher batted in capital style for 77, well supported by George Champion, who followed his bowling with 49 of the bat, and H G Smith, who made a sound 35. Only Charles Wycherley was less fortunate, departing for a duck. The issue hung in the balance to the very last pair, but we crept home by the narrowest of margins, one wicket in hand.

A contest fought in the best of spirits throughout, and one which did credit to both sides.