🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 02 Sep 1945 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLLDL

We put the visitors in on a Sunday that promised more than it delivered, and for a while it looked a shrewd move. The opposition were shot out for 98 in 23.2 overs, tumbling to 2 for the loss of an early wicket, and while E- Hodges battled to 26, C- Edwards and K- Wells departed without so much as troubling the scorers — the first ducks of the day, though sadly not the last. J Jerman was magnificent, 7-48 and thoroughly deserved, with Gordon Fenner (2-18) chipping in dutifully.

With the ball job so well done, we somehow contrived to make a meal of the chase, limping to 133/7 from our 36 overs. Stan Wratten batted beautifully for an unbeaten 56, well supported by Gordon Fenner's 24, but D Clark and Jimmy Jameson both walked the walk of shame for nought, and poor Frank Sutton had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 14 byes escaping his gloves like eels. I contributed a modest 18, more workmanlike than glorious.

Amid the wreckage, real cause for cheer: Herbert Rayner brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, Stan's 56 lifted him past F S W Cornwallis into 5th on our all-time run charts, and Jimmy Jameson's solitary wicket edged him past J Woollett into 25th among our wicket-takers. Stan and J Jerman remain the season's standard-bearers, leading the 1945 run and wicket charts respectively.

The final margin — an innings and 34 runs — tells its own story. Not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 01 Sep 1945 🧢 1st XIv HC Harrietsham CC · AwayformLDLLD

Saturday last took us down the road to Harrietsham, where the coin betrayed us and we were put into the field first — never our favourite way to start an afternoon.

Harrietsham made themselves at home, racking up 167 all out in 45.5 overs, R Parsons the chief architect with a fine 62 not out, well supported by A Goodhew's 26, the pair putting on a stubborn 54 for the first wicket. But we had our moments: Peter Wakefield, R Hutchins and D Jordan all took a duck at our hands, and Herbert Rayner bowled beautifully for 4-55, with Peel-Yates (2-60) and Stan Wratten (1-13) chipping in, while Gordon Fenner refused to give an inch — four maidens' worth of miserly economy.

With the bat we set off promisingly, Tom Osborn playing the innings of the day with 64, and Herbert Rayner (44) and Stan Wratten (20) lending sturdy support — 81 came for the second wicket, and for a while 167 looked gettable. Then, as is our custom, the wheels came off spectacularly, 126-2 collapsing to 146-5 before we could catch our breath, and all out for 164 in 49.2 overs. Tom's gloves had a torrid time too, 16 byes leaking through. I managed 44 with the bat and, happily, 4 wickets with the ball — small consolation on a losing day.

There was cheer amid the gloom: Stan Wratten's runs lifted him past Ernest Cruttenden into 7th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and Herbert Rayner's four wickets took him past Jack Fryer into 2nd on the all-time wicket-takers' roll. Tom Osborn and Herbert lead the season's charts too. But three runs shy is three runs shy — not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 26 Aug 1945 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformWLDLL

Sunday the 26th of August, 1945, dawned fine enough for me to win the toss and, in a fit of confidence I would shortly come to regret, stick us in to bat. We were bowled out for 123 in 51.2 overs — a total that flattered to deceive. T Crawford top-scored with a fine 33, and young Jimmy Jameson chipped in with an unbeaten 24, but in between there was a collapse of the sort that makes a captain reach for something stronger than tea: 56 for 3 became 67 for 6 almost before I'd finished my sandwich, with Herbert Rayner and D Paine both departing for golden ducks.

As for the skipper, the less said the better — a first-ball blob, out without troubling the scorers. They do say a captain should lead by example; I led by example of exactly how not to bat.

With the ball we set about defending our total, and the innings simply ran out of overs before it ran out of wickets or patience — honours shared, a draw, neither side able to force the issue.

There was, at least, one thing to raise a glass to: Jimmy's 24 runs eased him past F E Wallis to 20th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, a fine achievement on a day short of other cheer. Crawford, meanwhile, sits proudly atop our 1945 run charts. A curious afternoon, then — honours even, pride dented, but the old averages ticking quietly onward.

Sun 06 May 1945 🧢 1st XIv ? · AwayformLWLDL

Sunday 6th May, 1945, and off we trundled with the bat still smelling faintly of linseed and hope. Given first use of the ball, we set about the opposition with real purpose, and they folded for a modest 82 in 22.2 overs — Chambers their one man to trouble the scorers with 32. Poor Mugford, meanwhile, was sent back for nought without so much as a nibble, the sort of golden duck that makes for a lonely walk. Gordon Fenner was magnificent, 3 for 20 with two maidens thrown in for good measure, and had the very fine support of Stan Wratten (2-14) and Herbert Rayner (2-18) — not a run given away lightly, as the saying goes.

And then, dear reader, we batted. E-Humphreys fought the good fight for 32, but the rest of us contrived to leave the innings all out for what the book rather bluntly records as "None" — a scoreline that speaks for itself, and not kindly.

Still, silver linings: Gordon Fenner brought up his 100th career wicket, a landmark not to be sniffed at, while Humphreys's 32 nudged him past J N Tonge to 12th on the club's all-time run charts, and Wratten's brace lifted him past T Gandy into 23rd among the wicket-takers. Small mercies in a defeat by 15 runs. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets — Tuesday's not going to bowl itself.