🧢 Captain's Log

Sat 29 Aug 1936 🧢 1st XIv CA Charles Arkcoll · HomeformLDWLW

Saturday last, the 29th of August, saw Charles Arkcoll come to us at Linton Park, and calling correctly at the toss I had no hesitation in choosing to bat on a morning that promised well for runs. Arthur Ash gave the innings its backbone with a fine 39, and J Pocock lent able support with 22, though the tail told a sorrier tale, E Cheeseman, N Tiley and Frank Sutton each trudging back for nought without troubling the scorers. All out we duly were, but with runs enough on the board to make a match of it.

In the field we found our form quickly. Hubble batted soundly for the visitors and made the bulk of their runs with 36, but P G Honnor departed without so much as a run to his name, sent back the way he came. The bowling honours belonged unmistakably to N Judge, whose figures of five wickets for none were the spell of the day and richly deserved, while C Thomsett chipped in handsomely alongside him with five for none of his own. Between them there was precious little for the Arkcoll batsmen to enjoy.

It leaves Bert Buckoke sitting second in our 1936 run charts with 54 to his name, and N Judge now heads the wicket charts with nine victims taken. We ran out winners by 29 runs, a thoroughly good day for the club, and Charles Arkcoll left Linton Park, I fancy, with a healthy respect for the strength of our attack and no complaint about the manner of their reception.

Sat 15 Aug 1936 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformTLDWL

Percy Brattle here, and I set down the record of our meeting with Bearsted CC on the fifteenth of August, with the ground in fine order and the whole eleven turning out in good heart.

We batted first, and it must be told plainly that ours was not a chanceless innings. N Tiley played the innings of the day, thirty runs made with real application, and found a willing partner in Bert Buckoke, whose twenty-five not out was every bit as valuable for coming when the innings most wanted steadying. Elsewhere the story was less happy, and I will own my share of it without dwelling upon it, for a captain who cannot laugh at his own golden blob has no business leading an eleven at all.

Bearsted's reply promised trouble, with R J Hall and L F Wright both compiling useful twenty-eights and giving their side the look of a side well set. But our bowlers would not be denied. N Judge bowled with real venom to take four for twenty-five, and Arthur Ash, who has had a fine season with the ball, matched him with four for thirty-two, while W Tree, Thomas Benger and George Smith were all sent back without so much as troubling the scorers. Between the two of them the innings was fairly torn up by the roots.

So it came down to the finest of margins, and we crossed the line by six runs, a result to gladden any pavilion. Bearsted played their part like true sportsmen throughout, and if the scorebook records more ducks than any captain would wish, it records too a match fought hard and won fair, which is all that ought to matter in the end.

Sat 27 Jun 1936 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLTLDW

Skipper's Log — Saturday 27 June 1936, away to Bearsted CC

We journeyed over to Bearsted on a fine June Saturday, and though the result did not fall our way, there was cricket enough in it to warrant a proper telling. Winning the toss, or otherwise finding ourselves at the crease, our innings closed with the runs owed chiefly to N Tiley, whose unbeaten 43 was the backbone of the innings, and who found willing company in Bert Buckoke's useful 28. I was glad to contribute 37 myself, though poor E Godden will wish to forget his afternoon, departing without troubling the scorers.

Bearsted's reply asked a good deal of our bowlers, and for a long while it seemed we might hold them, Bert Buckoke bowling with real heart to finish with four for 64, well backed by O Fryer's two for 50 and a wicket apiece for Arthur Ash. We had W "Bill" Tree back in the pavilion without scoring, a small consolation. But Jack Tree, batting with the calm assurance of a man who meant to see the job through, carried his bat for a splendid unbeaten 68, and with Thomas Benger's 30 and Frank Harnett's 26 in support, the home side edged home by the narrowest of margins, a single wicket standing between us and victory.

A hard match to lose, closer than the eventual margin might suggest, and Bearsted deserved their win for Tree's innings alone. We shall take it on the chin, as the game demands, and look forward to putting matters right in the nets before our next fixture.