🧢 Captain's Log

Mon 01 Aug 1910 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLLDL

We hosted our visitors on a fine Monday, the first of August, and having called correctly at the toss I did not hesitate for a moment in taking first knock — a decision I remain rather pleased with, for once. H G Smith batted with real authority for his 92 not out, seeing us through in fine style, while Guy Bracher chipped in a useful 25 and F W M Cornwallis 23. Alas, the reverend gentlemen did not have their day with the bat — both Rev F A Leveson-Gower and Rev J R Leigh departed for golden ducks, no doubt reflecting afterwards on the virtue of patience.

With ball in hand we set about our task with some purpose. A Eltham was the pick of the attack, snaring 3 for 0, with excellent support from F W M Cornwallis and Ernest Cruttenden, both also 3 for 0. J Cloke and S Loder fell without troubling the scorers, though W T Beeching's 38, backed up by W Betts's 27 and E J Banger's 25, kept the visitors in the hunt rather longer than we'd have liked.

As for my own contribution, I managed a duck — the least said about that the better. There was, however, a footnote of some pride: A Eltham's three wickets carried him past J N Tonge and into 13th on the club's all-time list. H G Smith and F W M Cornwallis continue to lead our season's run and wicket charts respectively.

We fell 27 runs short in the end — a defeat, but not a disgrace, and one from which the lads will surely bounce back next week.

Sat 16 Jul 1910 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLDLLD

Saturday last, the sun almost cooperating, I called correctly at the toss and never seriously considered doing anything but batting first — a decision I stand by, whatever the scorebook eventually made of it. We were all out in the end, rescued from complete embarrassment by Rev F A Leveson-Gower, whose watchful 33 was very much the innings' backbone. Elsewhere the ledger made for grim reading: F S W Cornwallis, Rev J R Leigh and A Eltham all took that lonely walk back for nought, three ducks quacking in unison. I chipped in with 33 of my own, for what little comfort that offered the committee.

With the ball we fancied our chances, and for a while it looked promising as B G Ellis departed without troubling the scorers. But B W Payne settled in for a handsome 55, well supported by A Brownscombe's 52 and O Flint's unbeaten 22, and the visitors' innings closed with them very much in credit. Charles Wycherley, F W M Cornwallis and Guy Bracher each picked up two wickets apiece, honest toil that simply wasn't quite enough.

There was some cheer amid the gloom: Leveson-Gower's 33 nudged him past C Murdoch into 7th on the all-time run-scorers' list, and Wycherley's brace lifted him past Arthur Cornwallis into 23rd among the club's wicket-takers — both now lead our 1910 charts in their respective trades.

We went down by two wickets. Not our day, lads — heads up, and back to the nets.

Wed 29 Jun 1910 🧢 Midweek XIv ? · Awayform—

Match report — Wednesday 29 June 1910

Away we went on our travels, and having called correctly at the toss I elected to bat, a decision I stand by even now. The innings, in truth, never quite got out of second gear, though F W M Cornwallis batted beautifully for his 34 not out, well supported by H G Smith's watchful 20 and Captain Walter's useful 18. Tom Peach Jnr, alas, was undone for a duck — these things happen to the best of us, and he took it with his usual good grace at tea.

In the field we fared rather better. H H Foster, W L Reading and J Trousdell were all sent back without so much as troubling the scorers, and A Eltham was quite magnificent, finishing with a hard-earned five-for on his way to 7-0 — bowling of real venom on a day when little else went our way. Charles Wycherley chipped in admirably alongside him.

There was much to celebrate amid the gloom: H G Smith brought up 1,000 runs for the club, a landmark he thoroughly deserves, while Captain Walter's runs lifted him to 21st on our all-time list and Eltham's eight wickets carried him to 14th among our leading wicket-takers. Cornwallis and Wycherley, meanwhile, continue to top this season's Midweek XI charts for bat and ball respectively.

Sadly none of it was quite enough, and we went down by an innings and 13 runs. Heads up, chins high, and back to the nets we go.