🧢 Captain's Log

Sat 28 Aug 1948 🧢 1st XIv BC Bowaters CC · HomeformLWLLW

Basil Sears here, keeping the book for our meeting with Bowaters CC on the twenty-eighth of August. Winning the toss on a fair-looking morning, I had no hesitation in taking first strike, though the eleven found runs harder to come by than we might have wished. P Clark battled through unbeaten for 39, and Peter Weedon lent him sound company with a plucky 25, but the rest of the order came and went with more haste than judgement, poor L Young departing without troubling the scorers, and we were all out for 130 in the forty-seventh over.

It fell to Herbert Rayner to set matters right with the ball, and set them right he did, three wickets for a mere 23 runs bowled with real craft. Don Hartridge gave him splendid support, tying down one end with four maidens on his way to 1 for 18, and I was pleased enough to chip in myself with a wicket for 26. Henry Martin and Stephen Argent both fell without scoring, and though Roy Melhuish played the more considerable innings of the day with 24, well backed by Roy Beach's unbeaten 20, Bowaters could push no further than 102 for 7 from their forty-two overs.

A small note for the record books amid the afternoon's exertions: Bert Buckoke's 16 runs carried him past Guy Bracher into twenty-fifth place among the club's all-time run-scorers, a quiet achievement not lost on those of us who watched it. In the end neither side could force the issue, and honours were shared in a draw played very much in the best traditions of the club.

Sun 25 Jul 1948 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformWLWLL

Fiennes Cornwallis's Match Report — Linton Park CC v West Farleigh CC, Sunday 25 July 1948

The coin ran kindly for us that Sunday, and I had no hesitation in asking West Farleigh to take the field first, the pitch looking a shade too good to waste on a short afternoon's fielding. It proved a sound notion, for though we were put out for 182 in our forty-five overs and two balls, there was substance enough in the innings to satisfy the most exacting of judges. I found my form early and was glad to see it through to a well-made fifty, 55 in all, with Frank Sutton giving stout support with 31 and John Thirkell playing a tidy 25 alongside him. It was not without its blemishes — Richard Harris and C Newman both departed without troubling the scorer — but the total had a solid look to it when we came in for our tea.

West Farleigh's reply never quite gathered the momentum it needed. Harry Webb batted with some enterprise for his 36, but wickets fell steadily at the other end, G Page and George Reffell both undone for ducks, and the innings folded for 88 inside thirty-five overs. Herbert Rayner bowled beautifully to take 4 for 36, and I was fortunate enough to find some rhythm myself, taking 3 for 32 with six maidens besides, while J Fermor chipped in with 2 for 4. Frank Sutton had a trying afternoon behind the stumps, fourteen byes slipping past him, but he never let it dampen his spirits.

A hundred and ninety-four runs the margin in the end — 94, to be precise — and two points thoroughly and honestly earned. West Farleigh took their reverse in the best of spirits, and we parted, as ever, the best of friends.

Sat 15 May 1948 🧢 1st XIv HC Herne Bay CC · HomeformDWLWL

Saturday the fifteenth of May found us at home to Herne Bay CC, and losing the toss I led the eleven into the field, resigned to seeing what fortune the willow might bring our visitors. Herne Bay made good use of their innings, D Wicks playing the anchor's part with a fine 49, though we had our moments too, sending back both J Gadsden and S H Williams without troubling the scorers. Bert Buckoke was pick of our attack, his figures of 4 for 0 the sort a captain dreams of, while Herbert Rayner and John Hartridge chipped in loyally with 4-0 and 2-0 of their own.

Our reply never quite found its rhythm on a wicket that gave little away. John Thirkell battled manfully for 30, the mainstay of the innings, and found a willing ally in L Breedon, whose 27 kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely. Elsewhere the effort was more fitful, and poor Sessions will not thank me for recording his duck, though such misfortunes come to us all in this game.

There was consolation off the field, at least, for the record books. Herbert Rayner's useful 7 lifted him past H G Smith to third on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and Bert Buckoke's four wickets carried him past E C Streatfield into fourteenth among our wicket-takers. Thirkell and Buckoke, fittingly, now head the season's run and wicket charts alike.

In the end Herne Bay's total proved just beyond our reach, and we finished the day 28 runs adrift. A fair result, honestly earned, and no disgrace in it. Heads up, and back to the nets for another go.