🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 28 Sep 1952 🧢 Marriedv Linton Park CC · HomeformL

Sunday 28 September, and Linton Park travelled with hope in our hearts and, as ever, not quite enough jumpers between us for the weather. Winning the toss, I had no hesitation in sending us in to bat — a decision that looked rather better once Stan Wratten got going. Stan played an innings of real substance, 79 to his name, striking the ball with the sort of authority that makes the rest of us quietly reconsider our own techniques. John Ames matched him for class with a tidy 55, and Gordon Fenner chipped in with 20, as we motored to 35 for the loss of a single wicket in just six overs — brisk work by anyone's standards.

There was a personal landmark buried in all that scoring, too: Stan's 79 eased him past John Thirkell into second on the club's all-time run charts, a bit of history made between overs while most of us were still doing up our pads. He now sits proudly atop the 1952 Married run charts as well, while John Thirkell continues to lead the Singles table — the two of them waging their own quiet contest within the wider one.

In the end neither side could force a result, and honours were shared. A draw, then, but a thoroughly agreeable one — bowled along by a wonderful lesson in batting from Wratten and Ames, and quite possibly the most cheerful stalemate Linton Park has enjoyed all season.

Sun 21 Sep 1952 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLDLLL

Sunday, 21 September 1952, and the visitors came to Linton Park with runs in their boots. Put in first, we chipped away at them for the best part of fifty-two overs, Gordon Fenner leading the charge with a fine 4-34, well backed by Frank Taylor's tireless 2-46 — eight maidens from that man alone, miserly enough to make a Yorkshireman blush — and John Thirkell chipping in with 1-21. G Ashby's 43 was the innings that hurt us most, with H Gosling and T Ewell lending a hand, but we had them back in the hutch for 155, J Stinchcombe and C Pilbeam both departing without troubling the scorers.

Our reply was a more nervous affair. William Buck's 29 and Don Hartridge's 28 gave us something to build on, John Taylor chipping in a handy 20, but poor Richard Harris fell for a duck and we never quite found the fluency to chase the game down, settling for 131/7 from our thirty-three overs. Tony Levick had a torrid time behind the stumps, nine byes leaking through like water through a village-green drain.

Amid it all, a couple of milestones worth toasting in the clubhouse: Gordon Fenner's runs eased him past Tom Osborn into 17th on the all-time run charts, while Frank Taylor's two wickets vaulted him to the very top of the club's all-time wicket-takers. Honours shared, then — a draw, but one with rather more silverware in the small print than the scoreboard let on.

Sat 20 Sep 1952 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformDLDLL

We lost the toss on Saturday and were asked to make first use of the ball, which in Linton Park terms usually means twenty minutes of grumbling and then getting on with it. Dummy Site were shot out for 93 in 34 overs, tidy work all round, with John Taylor bowling like a man possessed — 6 for 32, five of those overs maidens, not a run given away lightly. Tony Snell chipped in with 3 for 35 and Ray Tippen picked up 1 for 18, his solitary wicket enough to nudge him past W H Fryer into 19th on the club's all-time list. Only Tiley, with a defiant 36, gave their innings any shape; the rest came and went, 24 for 2 collapsing to 30 for 5 before we knew where we were.

Chasing 94, we simply strolled it. Basil Sears played the innings of the day, 52 not out, calm as you like, and in doing so eased past Don Hartridge into 7th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — the sort of milestone you only notice once someone points it out. Stan Wratten offered fine support with 20 not out, keeping his season in rude health, second in the 1st XI charts with 671 runs, while Taylor's 58 wickets keep him out in front of the bowling table.

Beaten by nine wickets, and thoroughly deserved. Dummy Site simply had too little to bowl at. We'll dust ourselves down and come back stronger next week.

Sun 14 Sep 1952 🧢 1st XIv MT Medway Towns · HomeformDDLDL

Sunday 14 September saw Dummy Site roll into Linton Park with, it must be said, rather more spring in their step than we managed after losing the toss and being asked to field first — hardly ideal on a warm afternoon, but there we are.

The visitors made 122 all out from their 42 overs, G. Lukehurst the chief architect with a fine 62, while F. Dixon departed without so much as a nibble at the scoring. Honours, though, belonged to John Taylor, who span a web through their order for a magnificent 5-45 — utterly unplayable, and thoroughly deserved. John Ames (3-44) and Frank Taylor (2-7) tidied up the rest, with Tony Snell characteristically stingy, sending down four maidens and giving nothing away for love nor money.

Chasing 123, we got there in some comfort at 127/4 from 30.1 overs, John Thirkell the mainstay with an unbeaten 52, ably assisted by William Buck (32) and Stan Wratten (22) — their fourth-wicket stand of 67 the innings' backbone. I'll confess my own 52 gave me no small satisfaction.

Milestones abounded: Thirkell's knock lifts him to second on the club's all-time run charts, past Wratten himself, while Taylor's five-for edges him past Herbert Rayner into fourth among our wicket-takers. Both remain, unsurprisingly, streets ahead in this season's charts.

Beaten by six wickets, then — but with performances like these, we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 13 Sep 1952 🧢 1st XIv YC Yalding CC · HomeformLDDLD

Saturday the thirteenth of September found Dummy Site paying us a visit, and my luck with the coin was as reliable as ever — they called correctly and took first use of a good batting surface. They compiled 175 all out from their 48 overs, built chiefly around F Hooker's 47 and useful support from W Norris (45) and J Sedge (36), with an 82-run third-wicket stand doing most of the damage. Small mercies: we did for S Oliver without troubling the scorers at all. Gerald Wright was magnificent, tearing through with 5-68, John -'s Taylor chipped in handsomely with 4-54 (five maidens — not a run given away lightly), and John Thirkell added 1-23 for good measure.

In reply we raced to 176/6, 64 runs already on the board before the first wicket fell — a proper flying start. John -'s Taylor batted beautifully for 98, well supported by John Thirkell's 38, and I even managed to contribute 38 of my own.

Two notes for the mantelpiece: John Thirkell passed 2,000 career runs for the club and, with that solitary wicket, climbed past Bert Buckoke into 11th on our all-time list. He now leads the 1952 run charts with 720, while Taylor tops the wicket charts with 47.

All that, and still we finished down by four wickets. Heads up, lads — back to the nets.

Sat 06 Sep 1952 🧢 1st XIv YC Yalding CC · AwayformLLDDL

Saturday 6 September 1952, away at Dummy Site, and for once the coin did what it was told. I put us in, and by the close I had very little to complain about.

John Thirkell simply took the day away from everyone — 120, a proper captain's-innings-stealer, and I should know, having contributed one myself of exactly the same number, which felt rather satisfying even if I say so. D Simmons chipped in a tidy 43 and Basil Sears 23, the two of them putting on 152 for the second wicket while I mostly stood at the other end admiring the view. 215/3 from 39 overs was a total with a bit of swagger to it.

In the field it was Frank Taylor's afternoon in every sense — 4/27, and in doing so he sailed past George Champion to sit top of the club's all-time wicket-takers, and popped his 200th career scalp along the way. Gerald Wright bowled beautifully in support, 3/20 with five maidens, mean as you like. Norris (44) and Stanley (37) threatened to drag them home, but between two ducks, a wobble at 2 for the loss of an early wicket, and our lot refusing to be shaken, they closed on 117/7. Eight byes did rather give the game away behind the stumps — a testing day for the gloves, we'll say no more.

A draw, then — honours shared, nobody quite able to land the killer blow. With Thirkell top of the season's run charts and Taylor now third in the wickets, I'd call that a thoroughly satisfactory way to spend a Saturday.

Sun 31 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLLLDD

We won the toss on Sunday and had no hesitation in taking first knock — the pitch looked a shade too kind to bowl first, and so it proved, more or less. We were bundled out for 153 in 45.4 overs, though "bundled" flatters our opponents somewhat given how long it took them. Ray Tippen played the innings of the day, a fifty of real substance, with Gordon Fenner chipping in handsomely alongside him for 41. We lost a wicket at 1-1 and briefly wondered whether we'd be back in the pavilion before the tea urn had boiled, but a stout stand of 50 for the seventh wicket dragged us to something defensible. Special mention, of a sort, to John Thirkell, whose duck earns him pride of place in the Duck Club ledger.

In reply, the visitors made 135 in 37.3 overs, J Coomber the chief architect of their effort with a fine fifty and a 61-run third-wicket stand doing the damage. Ray Tippen led the attack superbly with 3-30, well supported by John Taylor's 3-40 — four of those overs maidens, not a run given away lightly — and Tony Snell chipping in with 2-27. As for the skipper, the less said the better: a golden blob, proof that leading by example doesn't always extend to the scorebook. One shaft of light amid the gloom — Gordon Fenner passed 200 career wickets, a landmark worth raising a glass to.

In the end we fell 18 runs short. Not our finest hour, but not a disgrace either — we'll dust ourselves down and be better for it next week.

Sat 30 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · AwayformLLLLD

From the captain's chair — Saturday 30 August 1952, away at Hunton Wanderers CC, and the coin did us the courtesy of landing right side up. I had no hesitation in putting us in.

We reached 150/9 from our 47 overs, which felt rather more comfortable in the making than it sounds on paper. John Taylor led the way with a fine 54, well supported by D Simmons (26) and Arthur Cradduck (23), the pair sharing a sturdy 59 for the second wicket that gave the innings its spine. Then, as is our club's happy custom, the wheels came off with some enthusiasm — 98-2 became 108-5 before anyone had quite worked out what was happening, and poor John Thirkell and H Newport were both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

In the field we found rather more discipline than we'd managed with the bat. Hunton replied with 66 for the first wicket, and A Pilcher made a classy 67 to anchor things, with G Lambell (29) and J Ludden (27) chipping in — but they too wobbled late, subsiding from 140-3 to 142-6, C Fenner departing for nought. John Thirkell was the pick of the attack with 3-27, and John Taylor, having done his bit with the bat, chipped in with 1-42 and three tidy maidens; Gerald Wright took 1-65. I contributed a duck with the bat, best drawn a veil over, but managed 3 wickets to salve my conscience.

A draw, then — honours shared, and honestly, after that batting collapse, we'll take it.

Sun 24 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLLLL

It was a scorcher of a Sunday, 24 August 1952, and we welcomed the visitors home in fine spirits — though rather less fine cricket, if I'm honest.

Put into the field, the lads toiled manfully as the opposition ground us down to 235/6 from their 55 overs. We had them 7 for 1 and I dared allow myself a quiet smile, but Robin Bush (74 not out) and Jack Whibley (62) put paid to that with a stand of 63 for the third wicket, ably assisted by Don Capeling's 26. Their last pair then had the cheek to bolt on 45 runs we could frankly have done without — the sort of thing that makes a captain reach for the teapot rather early. John Ames led our attack heroically with 3-53, Stan Wratten chipped in with 2-55, and Tony Snell bowled a tidy 1-69 with two maidens to his name. Small mercy of the day: E Putwain, sent back without troubling the scorers.

With the bat we never quite got going, subsiding to 148/7 from our 47 overs. Tom Osborn held things together with a gritty 45, well supported by Stan Wratten (31) and Tony Levick (20), while I scratched about for 15 of my own. Ten byes rather gave the game away on Tom's afternoon behind the stumps. There was a silver lining, mind — that 45 nudged Tom past Gordon Fenner into 17th on the club's all-time run list, which called for at least one extra pint.

So honours shared, neither side able to force it home. A draw that flattered nobody, but on a day like this, I'll happily take it.

Sat 23 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv CA Charles Arkcoll · HomeformWDLLL

Here is the report.

Saturday last saw Charles Arkcoll roll into Linton Park, and having called it right at the toss, I had few doubts about batting first — a decision I still stand by, whatever the wobbles that followed. Losing our first wicket at 6 was not the beginning any captain dreams of, but the middle order stiffened admirably, and I was rather chuffed to lead from the front with 75 of my own, well supported by Arthur Cradduck's tidy 22 and a priceless sixth-wicket stand of 88. Alas, cricket has a way of humbling a man just as he's getting comfortable, and a collapse from 116-7 to 127 all out reminded us why the game is called a great leveller. Spare a thought for D Simmons, Gordon Bugge and Bob Arnold, who made the lonely walk for nought apiece — the Duck Club welcomes three new members.

In the field we scrapped hard without quite landing the killer blow. Their openers put on a breezy 77 before D Simmons prised things open with 2-23, backed nicely by P Ruddy and Bert Buckoke, while Gerald Wright bowled with the miserly discipline of a man guarding his allotment — seven maidens and barely a run given away. Randolph Thompson's 36, with Heathfield and Wratten in support, eventually saw them home by five wickets, our cause not helped by nine byes that poor Bob Arnold would rather forget.

A small mantelpiece consolation: my 75 nudges past Basil Sears into 7th on the all-time list. Otherwise, not our day — heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 17 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv MA Mote A · HomeformLWDLL

1952 was a golden vintage. Sunday, 17th August, with Dummy Site the visitors, the coin obliged and I stuck us in — a decision I spent the rest of the afternoon quietly regretting.

We limped to 132 all out from our 40 overs, and only just at that. Gordon Fenner batted with real sense for his unbeaten 45, and heaven knows we needed it, because the middle order took one look at the situation and fled: 63 for 5 became 68 for 8 before anyone could reach for the scorebook, with Tony Snell and Gerald Wright both departing for golden ducks. That the 9th-wicket pair somehow conjured 54 runs between them, from nowhere, with nobody left to bat behind them, remains the mystery of the season.

108 all out in reply, so we'll take that as vindication of sorts. Harman (27) and McCabe (21) did the early work for them, while Waters and Stewart both went for ducks at our end. But the story of the day, and quite possibly the year, was John Taylor: 6 for 40 off a miserly 13 maidens, spinning them into knots. John Ames (2-17) and Gordon Fenner (2-30) tidied up what was left, and I managed 6 wickets myself to go with a scratchy 19 with the bat — poor Tony Levick had a torrid time behind the stumps, 18 byes the price of a lively pitch.

Beaten by 24 runs, then, but with milestones for Don Hartridge and Gordon Fenner to soften the blow. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 10 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv LC Lenham CC · AwayformDLWDL

We were sent in to field on that Sunday down at Lenham, and if the toss was the first blow against us, it wasn't the last — though heaven knows we made them work for their 181. It could have been so much better for them, mind: a wicket down before a run was on the board should have set the tone, but D. La Plain settled in for a fine 59, with C. Cole (37) and S. Holloway (22) chipping in, and a stubborn 53-run stand for the seventh wicket did the real damage to our afternoon. Gordon Fenner was magnificent throughout — 4 for 25, three maidens, not a run given away lightly — with Tony Snell (3-42) and John Ames (1-40) mopping up round him. R. Cole and S. Shearn both walked back for ducks, small mercies in a long day.

Chasing 182, we made a fair fist of it without ever quite threatening. John Ames played beautifully for 52, Don Hartridge added 40 and John Thirkell 33, and after losing the first wicket for just 1 a second-wicket stand of 65 gave us genuine hope. I contributed 33 myself, for what little that's worth in the final reckoning. Sixteen byes, though, tells you all you need to know about the state of things behind the stumps — a testing day for all concerned — and three more ducks, for Taylor, Dampier and Maynard, didn't help our cause.

There was one bright footnote: Fenner's 13 runs saw him leapfrog Percy Brattle into 19th on the club's all-time run list, proof that something good can come from even a losing Sunday. Beaten by 33 runs in the end — no disgrace, but no cigar either. We'll be better for it next week.

Mon 04 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv LX Lord Cornwallis XI · HomeformDDLWD

Lost the toss on Monday and put straight into the field — never my favourite way to spend an August afternoon, but there it is. Dummy Site set about us with real purpose, and one J- Pocock in particular decided he fancied a hundred, getting one too, unbeaten on 105 by the close of their innings. He had willing company from J- Larking (36) and Tom Osborn (26), and though we nabbed an early wicket at 2-1 to raise hopes of a tidy afternoon, the fourth-wicket pair put on 104 and rather took the game away from us. Credit where due: Gordon Fenner toiled magnificently for 2-52 with four maidens, John Ames chipping in with 1-35, but 206/4 from 48 overs was always going to be a stiff ask.

And so it proved. Maurice Fenner played beautifully for 52, Stan Wratten (33) and John Ames (24) lending fine support, and the openers gave us real hope with 70 for the first wicket. But wickets tumbled thereafter and we folded for 167, poor Gordon Fenner enduring the walk of shame for a duck to complete a rather mixed day with bat and ball.

Some sunshine amid the gloom: Stan Wratten brought up 2,000 runs for the club and still leads our 1952 run charts with 591, while Maurice Fenner's fifty eased him past Ernest Cruttenden into 14th on the all-time list — Gordon, meanwhile, sits third in the season's wicket-takers with 28. Milestones aplenty, but the scoreboard read defeat by 39 runs. Heads up, lads — back to the nets.

Sun 03 Aug 1952 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLDDLW

It was Sunday 03 August 1952, at home, and I called correctly at the toss – I don't know why I bother pretending it's a hard decision, we're always batting first if I've anything to do with it.

We got 213 all out from 43.4 overs, which on our ground is a total you can defend with a straight bat and a straighter face. John Ames played the innings of the day with a fine 66, and it was heartening to see William Buck (34) and Maurice Fenner (27) putting bat to ball in support – the pair adding a rather handsome 89 for the second wicket, which was very much the spine of the innings. I contributed a modest 16, the sort of score that draws polite applause and nothing more. Spare a thought, though, for poor Gordon Fenner, who was undone for a duck – the walk of shame performed with what I'm told was tremendous dignity. 🦆

Up on the season's run charts, William Buck continues to enjoy himself, sitting third in the 1952 1st XI standings with 404 runs to his name – a fine effort, and no more than he deserves for the way he's been striking the ball.

In the end neither side could force matters, and honours were shared. A draw is nobody's idea of glory, but on a day when the bat did most of the talking, I'll happily settle for it – all square, and home in time for tea.

Sun 27 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv FC Folkestone CC · HomeformLLDDL

Sunday 27 July 1952 will be remembered, in these pages at least, as the day the coin let us down but the ball did not. Folkestone won the toss, elected to bat, and no doubt fancied their chances on what looked a decent surface. We had other ideas. S Godden and J Court were sent back for a pair of ducks with the score on a positively skeletal 2-1, and from there Folkestone were fighting a losing battle. Ernie Thunder played the only innings of note for the visitors, a battling 23, but he had precious little support. Tony Snell, spinning his web through the middle order, finished with a magnificent 5-35, ably backed up by Gerald Wright's 4-37, and Folkestone were bowled out for 90 in 25.5 overs — a total that flattered them.

Chasing 91, we made harder work of it than the bowlers deserved, limping to 91/5 from 21.3 overs. Stan Wratten, our reliable engine all season, top-scored with 35 and duly extended his lead atop the 1952 run charts to 558. Basil Sears, less happily, contributed a duck of his own to keep the ducks column honest.

Five wickets to spare, then, and a home victory to enjoy over tea. A scratchy chase, but a job done — and on a day when the bowlers did the heavy lifting, nobody in the clubhouse was complaining about the manner of it.

Sat 26 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv Town Malling CC · HomeformLLLDD

Skipper's Log, Saturday 26th July 1952. Town Malling CC in the village for what I'd hoped might be a nice quiet afternoon, and instead we got a proper cricket match, which is of course the last thing anyone wants at this club.

We lost the toss, they batted, and I confess I'd rather have had first use of the strip myself, but there it is. Raymond Hollands played the anchor role with 45, and W Durtnal (22) and R Chambers (21 not out) chipped in to see them home to 161 all out. Bill Hall was the pick of the attack, mixing his usual accuracy with genuine menace for 3-37, and had the good manners to send W-- Paish back for a duck. Gordon Fenner (3-40) and Tony Snell (2-47) kept up the pressure at the other end.

Our reply promised much through John Thirkell's fighting 41 and Gordon Bugge's 20, and I managed 41 of my own, but between 103 and 111 the whole card seemed to collapse in a fit of collective embarrassment — Gordon Fenner's golden duck among the casualties — and we folded for 130.

There was one gleam of sunshine amid the gloom: Bill Hall's three wickets took him past fifty for his career and up to fourteenth on the club's all-time list, past H G Smith no less — a достижение thoroughly deserved and entirely his own doing.

Verdict: beaten by 31 runs, heads bowed, and back to the nets we go — though with Bill in this sort of form, I'll wager the wickets keep coming even if the runs don't.

Sun 20 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv J J.G.Larking's · HomeformWLLLD

Lost the toss on a fine Sunday, 20th July, and duly found ourselves put into the field against Dummy Site — never the outcome I'd have chosen, but there it is. Their openers set about us with real purpose, the first-wicket pair piling on 168 before we so much as looked at the wicket, and R- Dollingmore was eventually sent back without troubling the scorers, for all the good it did us by then. J-G- Larking made a superb 104, with a- Hughes (66) and J- May (52) offering fine support, and 291/5 from 49 overs felt like a mountain by tea. Bill Hall dug in nobly for 2-44, Ray Tippen and Tony Snell chipped in with a wicket apiece, and John Ames bowled two miserly maidens to at least slow the bleeding.

Set an awkward chase, we made a decent fist of it without ever threatening to get there. Bill Hall (47) and John Ames (43) again did the heavy lifting, John Thirkell added 26, and I contributed 26 of my own before running out of ideas. Poor Tony Levick had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, conceding 19 byes, and we closed on 203/9 from 48 — short, but respectable.

Amid the toil, some cheer: Tom Osborn's 17 runs lifted him to 17th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and Bill Hall's two wickets moved him to 15th among the wicket-takers — Stan Wratten and Gordon Fenner, meanwhile, continue to lead the way in this year's charts.

A draw, then — honours shared, pride just about intact.

Sun 13 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv RL R Langridge · HomeformDWLLL

Sunday 13th July, and the sun did us the courtesy of turning up along with our visitors, Dummy Site. I called correctly at the toss — a rare enough event that I felt duty-bound to bat, and for once the decision looked positively inspired.

The openers set the tone with a magnificent stand of 114 before the first wicket finally fell, and from there Stan Wratten simply carried on regardless, compiling a glorious 118 not out. John Taylor chipped in handsomely with 63, John Thirkell added a tidy 22, and I contributed my own modest 22 down the order before we declared, if that's the word, on 243/3 from our 45 overs. A proper total, and one that owed everything to that opening platform.

In the field we toiled honestly without quite landing the killer blow. Their number one, D. Parry, departed without so much as troubling the scorers — a duck to warm the bowler's heart — but J. Smith batted beautifully for an unbeaten 80, ushered along by W. Hall's calm 48 and R. Driver's 28, the pair adding a crucial 50 for the second wicket to steady the ship. John Ames led our attack manfully with 2-41, with Gordon Fenner (1-28) and Frank Wright (1-46) also among the wickets, but 169/4 from 42 overs left them short of our total and us short of theirs.

Honours shared, then — a draw when neither side could quite force the issue. With Stan Wratten now sitting proudly atop the season's run charts and Gordon Fenner lurking fourth among the wicket-takers, there's much to be cheerful about, even if this particular afternoon ended, like so many good English Sundays, in genial stalemate.

Sat 12 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv T Tovil · HomeformDDWLL

It was Dummy Site at home, Saturday 12th July, and having lost the toss I was duly informed we'd be chasing — a sentence that never fails to make my stomach sink slightly before a ball's been bowled. Still, put in the field, we settled to our task, and I've rarely seen the lads bowl with such relish. Tony Snell was a menace all afternoon, finishing with 4-17, while Bill Hall bowled as tight as his own waistcoat, four maidens among his figures of 4-26, with John --'s Taylor chipping in with 1-28. Dummy Site got to 109-4 looking rather too pleased with themselves before subsiding to 110-7 and eventually 113 all out from 38.3 overs, S- White's 30 the top score. A fine morning's work.

Chasing 114, we made rather harder weather of it than the bowling had promised. D- Hitchin, a- Crouch and B- Epsley all departed without so much as troubling the scorers — not our finest passage of batting, and one I shall gloss over as captain's prerogative. Basil Sears held things together with a composed 45, Bill Hall continued his fine day with 29, John --'s Taylor added 23, and I contributed a workmanlike 19 of my own. But 155-7 from 42.3 overs wasn't quite enough, and we went down by three wickets.

There was cheer amid the gloom: John --'s Taylor's 23 saw him leapfrog Frank Taylor into 4th on the club's all-time run charts, and Bill Hall's four wickets lifted him past Herbert Sunley into 16th among our leading wicket-takers — both thoroughly deserved. Not our day, all told, but heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 06 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv OM Old Maidstonians · HomeformWDDWL

Beaten by 5 wickets on Sunday, but honestly, we gave it a proper go against Dummy Site, and there's plenty to be cheerful about in defeat.

Lost the toss – no change there – and found ourselves in the field as the visitors settled in for what turned into a marathon 55.4 overs. They ground their way to 188 all out, with Francis (45) the chief architect, well backed by Sayer (30) and Benger (21 not out). Credit to Bill Hall, who was a nuisance all afternoon with 3-32 and five maidens to boot – the sort of miserly spell that makes batsmen mutter into their gloves. Thirkell (3-33) and Ames (3-54) chipped in handsomely, and even the skipper managed three for the collection, which is always a nice line to write about oneself. Only poor Beresford went without troubling the scorers.

With 189 to chase, Frank Taylor played the innings of the day – a chanceless 61 that hauled him past John Taylor and up to 4th on the club's all-time run charts, no less. He and Bill Hall (42) added a priceless 78 for the fifth wicket, with Gordon Fenner (36 not out) keeping things ticking at the death. Alas, 189/5 from our 34 overs wasn't quite enough, and William Buck's ten byes behind the stumps didn't help matters.

A five-wicket defeat, then, but records tumbling and character shown. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 05 Jul 1952 🧢 1st XIv CA Charles Arkcoll · AwayformDWDDW

Saturday the 5th of July found us on the road to Charles Arkcoll, where the toss went against us and we were duly asked to chase — no bad thing, I thought, with the ball feeling lively in my hand. And so it proved: we tore through their order, from 9 for 1 to 21 for 4 almost before the urn had boiled, poor Humphrey Morris trudging off for a duck. I found real rhythm, finishing with 6 for 30 — two maidens thrown in for good measure — while Frank Taylor chipped in handsomely with 4 for 35. All out for 71 in 23.3 overs; a job well done.

Sadly, our own batting told a rather different story. Two runs on the board and we'd already lost our first wicket; from there it was 2 for 1 collapsing to 18 for 4 in a blur that had me wincing from the boundary. Poor P Ruddy departed for nought, and only Bob Arnold, digging in for a defiant 21, gave us anything to cling to. All out for 63 in 29.5 overs — eight runs shy of victory.

There was a personal silver lining amid the gloom: those six wickets took me past fifty for the club, and beyond H G Smith into 13th on our all-time list — I sit 2nd in this season's run charts too, with Frank Taylor leading the wickets column on 32.

Not our day, then — down by eight runs. Heads up, lads. Back to the nets.

Sun 29 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv SC Selsted CC · HomeformWDWDD

Sunday 29th June, and Selsted came to Linton Park with the sun out and, rather rudely, the toss in their pocket. We were put into the field, which after last week I'm starting to take personally. Fletcher had other ideas about our afternoon, ground out an unbeaten hundred with the sort of patience I associate with paint drying, and with Godden (26) and Dearman (21) chipping in, and that pesky second-wicket stand of 66, Selsted eventually declared their innings closed rather than out, at 246 for 8. Full credit to the bowling unit for not simply surrendering the scorebook — Clive Smith (2-41), John Thirkell (2-42) and Stan Wratten (2-62) all found the edges Fletcher wouldn't give them, while Gordon Fenner bowled three overs so miserly the batsmen must have wondered if he owed them money.

Chasing 247, we made a fist of it. Wratten (47) and Smith (41) both batted properly, and the openers put on a splendid 85 before the first wicket fell — the kind of start that has you mentally composing the match report in your head, prematurely as it turned out. What followed was less composure and more comedy: 85 for 1 became 102 for 4 before anyone had really settled back into their deckchair, and we subsided to 156 all out. Eight byes down the sheet, too — a testing afternoon behind the stumps for poor Tony Levick.

A fine defeat by 91 runs, then, dressed up here as anything but. Onwards, as ever — and gladly to next week, where the sun, and hopefully our top order, might stay out a little longer.

Sat 28 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv MA Mote A · AwayformDWDWD

As it stands, my luck with the coin remains firmly at Dummy Site level, and the opposition's decision to bat first duly gave them 193/8 from their forty overs. Ian Milstead's well-made fifty (61) set the tone, with G Woodhams (43) and H Hawkins (26) filling in nicely, and a 76-run stand for the fourth wicket did the real damage after we'd nipped out their opener for just six. Basil Sears was the pick of our attack by some distance — 4-27 was bowling of real quality — with Tony Snell (2-58) and Robert Muir (1-40) chipping in.

Chasing 194, we never quite got there, closing on 129/7. Basil Sears backed up his bowling with a fine half-century (54), and Don Hartridge (32) played his part in a 98-run third-wicket stand that promised much. But cricket, as ever, had other ideas, and 120-3 became 122-6 before we'd barely settled back into our deckchairs. John Thirkell and J Shuttleworth both walked for ducks, and your captain, determined as always to lead from the front, produced a golden blob that will be discussed at the bar for some weeks yet.

There was a silver lining amid the wreckage: Sears's 54 eased him past H G Smith into 9th on the club's all-time run-scorers list, a fine personal landmark on an otherwise chastening afternoon. With neither side able to force it home, honours were shared — a draw that, on reflection, probably flattered us.

Sun 22 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv RB R H Birketts · HomeformWDWDW

Sunday 22 June 1952 saw us play host, and if you'd wandered onto the ground expecting fireworks, you'd have gone home satisfied on drama if not on runs. I lost the toss — a habit I'm developing something of a reputation for — and we were sent out into the field, which on a morning like that felt less like a punishment and more like a mercy.

Dummy Site made 102 all out from their 38 overs, Dunster the chief architect with 28, but the innings rather fell away from under them: 71 for 4 became 85 for 7 in a hurry, with Chance and Ruddy both back in the pavilion without so much as a run to show for their trouble. The bowling was the day's real story. John --'s Taylor was a menace all afternoon, 4 for 17 with six maidens thrown in for good measure — the sort of spell that makes batsmen doubt their life choices — well supported by Bill Hall's 3 for 30 and Gordon Fenner's 2 for 30. I even found some rhythm myself with four wickets, which I shall be mentioning in the pub for weeks to come.

Chasing was never really on the cards — we managed 10 without loss from 9 overs before bad light or good sense intervened — while poor Bob Arnold's afternoon behind the stumps is best summed up by eight extras in byes.

So honours shared, a draw when neither side could force the issue. Stan Wratten continues to purr along nicely in second in our run charts, and John --'s Taylor now leads the wickets column with 31 — the lad's in the form of his life, and frankly so is my back after chasing his fielding all day.

Sat 21 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv AC Aylesford Paper Mills CC · HomeformDWDWD

Saturday 21 June 1952, and Aylesford Paper Mills CC rolled up as our visitors. I lost the toss — no great surprise, my coin-calling remains a weak link in an otherwise decent side — and we were asked to field first, which on a warm afternoon is rarely the treat it sounds.

Aylesford made a fight of it, reaching 217/8 from their 48 overs. R Harvey anchored things nicely with 53 not out, J Overy chipped in a fine 52, and E Carrington added 42, the pair putting on a stubborn 98 for the eighth wicket just when we thought we'd got them. D Simmons was our chief tormentor with 3-45, backed up by J Baker (2-15) and H Newport (2-53), while I managed a couple of maidens myself for whatever that's worth on the scorecard.

Chasing 218, we got home in some style: 221/4 from 38.4 overs. I'll confess to rather enjoying myself with 107, well supported by William Buck's 47 and Don Hartridge's 29, our second-wicket stand of 106 doing the heavy lifting. The wicketkeeper on the day had his hands full, eight byes leaking through, but nobody was counting by the close.

A tidy footnote: that one wicket nudged me past Herbert Sunley into 15th on the club's all-time list, and I find myself leading the season's run charts too. A fine win by six wickets — onwards we go.

Sun 15 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLDWDW

From the captain's chair — Sunday 15 June 1952. We hosted, won the toss, and I elected to bat, a decision that, for once, I shall claim full credit for.

We batted ourselves into a handsome position of 244/6 off 43.3 overs, built on an opening stand of 165 for the first wicket that had the tea urn practically boiling over with excitement. Stan Wratten was the chief architect with a splendid 91, William Buck chimed in with 65, and John Ames added a tidy 39 — though poor Don Hartridge will be quietly airbrushing his contribution from the album, bowled for a duck. Still, 244/6 was a total to be proud of, and I said as much to anyone who'd listen at the boundary rope.

In the field we were, dare I say it, rampant. Their innings folded for a mere 87 in 30.1 overs, undone by an early wobble at 4-1 and a spectacular collapse from 80-7 to all out. R Richardson's 36 was the only real resistance; R Harlow departed without troubling the scorers. The day belonged unquestionably to John --'s Taylor, whose 5-40 with six miserly maidens was a masterclass, backed handsomely by Fiennes Cornwallis's 3-41 and a canny wicket from John Ames.

Off the field, William Buck's 65 nudged him past Arthur Cornwallis into sixth on the club's all-time run列 — sorry, run-scorers list — while Stan Wratten and John --'s Taylor continue to top the season's charts with bat and ball respectively.

With such a gulf on paper, a draw felt almost perverse, but honours were shared and neither side could force the issue. A curious result, but a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday nonetheless.

Sat 14 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv Headcorn CC · AwayformDLDWD

Skipper's Log — Saturday 14 June 1952. The toss went against us, as it so often does, and Headcorn had no hesitation in sending us out to field. Not that we minded much, as it turned out. They were 1-1 before some of the members had found their deckchairs, and things rather unravelled from there — 31 for 5 became 34 for 8 in the blink of an eye, with Maybourne, Kemp and Farrance all trooping back without so much as a single to their name. John Taylor was the chief tormentor, turning it square for 6-13, with Bill Hall miserly and menacing in equal measure — 4-17 including four maidens that gave the batsmen nothing whatsoever to work with. All out for 37 in barely twenty-one overs. A rout, frankly.

Batting looked briefly like it might turn into a comedy of our own making when we slipped to 4 for 1, and I contributed my customary nought to proceedings — the least said about that the better. But Don Hartridge, with a fine 41, and Bill Hall again, with 31, put together the 64 that made the game safe, ably assisted by William Buck's 29. P Ruddy and John Thirkell both fell for ducks, but by then it scarcely mattered. All out for 143.

A day of milestones besides the win — Don Hartridge to 1,000 club runs, William Buck up to 9th on the all-time run list, Bill Hall up to 19th among the wicket-takers. Won by 0 wickets, and thoroughly deserved.

Sun 08 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv OS old shootershillians · HomeformLDLDW

Sunday last, we welcomed Dummy Site to Linton Park in conditions kind enough for cricket and nothing more, and having called correctly for once in my captaincy career, I had no hesitation whatsoever in sticking us in to bat. Stan Wratten, playing the innings of his life, brought up three figures — a hundred, no less, and one that quietly nudged him past John Thirkell into second on the club's all-time run-scorers list, which is the sort of thing a man mentions to his grandchildren. John Ames chipped in handsomely with 40 and Don Hartridge stayed unbeaten on 38, the pair sharing a third-wicket stand of 67 that gave the innings its spine, before a defiant last-wicket flourish of 44 runs padded us out to a highly respectable 260 for 6 from our 54 overs.

In the field, Dummy Site made it look altogether too straightforward, racing to 139 for 2 off 24 overs behind an opening stand of 51 and unbeaten knocks from P. Riley (43) and A. Henry (38). Stan Wratten, evidently not finished for the day, picked up 1 for 34 with the ball, and John "-'s Taylor chipped in with 1 for 42 — form that keeps him third in this season's wicket charts on 16. Poor Bob Arnold had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, conceding 11 byes to nobody's great surprise, while I contributed a workmanlike 18 with the bat.

In the end honours were shared, a draw when neither side could force the issue — and on a day when one man rewrote a slice of club history, that will do very nicely indeed.

Sat 07 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv Town Malling CC · AwayformDLDLD

Skipper's log, Saturday 7th June 1952, away to Town Malling CC. I won the toss and, with the pitch looking true enough to trust, had no hesitation in asking my lads to bat first. William Buck set the tone with a handsome 47, John Thirkell farmed the strike beautifully for an unbeaten 32, and John --'s Taylor chipped in a tidy 25. We looked set fair at 82-2 before the middle order took leave of its senses and we slid to 100-5 in the blink of an eye, eventually settling for 152/7 from our 43 overs — respectable, if a touch untidy round the edges.

Town Malling's reply never quite got away from us. J- Lewis's 34 was the backbone, with W- Bailes (29) and B- Simpson (27) lending a hand, but once they wobbled from 100-5 to 108-8 the game was effectively up, and they were bowled out for 130 in 34 overs. M- Wheatley, John Blake and v- Royals all trudged back without so much as a single to their names. John Thirkell was magnificent, running through them with 5-25, Frank Taylor bowled with real discipline for 3-27 (four maidens — not a run given away lightly), and John --'s Taylor mopped up with 2-58. I added 25 of my own for good measure.

A red-letter afternoon besides: William Buck reached 1,000 career runs, John --'s Taylor climbed to 4th on our all-time run-scorers' list, and John Thirkell moved into 16th among our wicket-takers. A fine win by 22 runs — the sort of Saturday that makes the winter nets worthwhile. Onwards.

Mon 02 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv Marden CC, Kent · AwayformLDLDL

We travelled down to Marden on Monday, lost the toss, and were sent in to field first — which at least spared my batting the indignity of an early start. Marden made steady if unspectacular progress to 123 all out from their 51 overs, Peter Tipples the chief architect with a fine 52. R- Tippen, mercifully for us, departed without troubling the scorers. Gordon Fenner was the pick of our attack with 4-55, well supported by Tony Snell, whose 3-19 and seven miserly maidens strangled the scoring at one end, and Frank Taylor with 2-20.

In reply we laboured to 108-9 from our 48 overs, never quite finding our rhythm. Gordon Fenner again led the way with 24, but a startling collapse — 30-1 becoming 40-4 almost before anyone had settled into their deckchair — undid much of the good work. John Thirkell walked the walk of shame for a duck, and I can offer no better excuse for my own golden blob than to say a captain must lead by example, and on this occasion I led by rather too good an example of how not to bat. William Buck, meanwhile, had a testing afternoon behind the stumps, eight byes slipping through his gloves.

There was a silver lining: Fenner's 24 runs eased him past E- Humphreys into 21st on the club's all-time run-scoring list, a landmark worth raising a glass to. In the end, honours were shared — a draw that flattered neither side, but one we'll happily bank given the way our innings unravelled.

Sun 01 Jun 1952 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformDLDLD

Here's the report:

---

Sunday the 1st of June saw us play host at Linton Park, and after a coin toss that for once went our way, I had no hesitation in sticking us in to bat — a decision I'm rather pleased to say I'll stand by in print. The lads set about the visitors' bowling with real purpose, racing to 198 for 3 off our 28 overs. D Simmons was the star of the show, compiling a magnificent 101, while John Thirkell played the perfect foil with an unbeaten 47. The pair added 118 for the third wicket, a stand that took the game clean away from Dummy Site before they'd had a sniff.

Defending that total, Gordon Fenner produced the spell of a lifetime — 7 for 54, three of those overs maidens, unplayable stuff that ran through their order. John Ames chipped in admirably with 3 for 46. G Tomkinson (26) and P Day (22) offered the only real resistance as the innings folded for 117 in 27.2 overs, A Smith Snr and J Hayhow both departing without troubling the scorers. Poor Tony Levick had a torrid time behind the stumps, nine byes escaping his gloves, and I managed a tidy 47 with the bat myself.

A quiet word too for Maurice Fenner, whose unassuming 8 runs nudged him past the Reverend F A Leveson-Gower into 15th on the club's all-time run list.

Beaten by 81 runs in the end — chastening, but we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 31 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv OC Old Williamsonians CC · HomeformLDLDL

Saturday 31st May, and Old Williamsonians rolled up to find us losing the toss and being sent out to field — never our favourite way to start a Saturday, but the lads took it on the chin and got on with it.

Hadlow's 33 was the innings that set the tone for them, with Trower (32 not out) and Purle (23 not out) lending sturdy support, and their last pair had the cheek to bolt on 46 more we could happily have lived without. Frank Taylor was magnificent with the ball — 4-79 and five maidens, proof that not every over need leak runs — with John Thirkell chipping in a tidy 2-51. Poor Brooks departed for a duck, which I'm sure he'll want no further mention of. They closed on 131/6 from their 39 overs.

Our reply had real substance to it. The openers gave us the platform we needed, 90 for the first wicket before the breakthrough came, and Maurice Fenner then played the innings of the day, 62 of real quality, with Basil Sears (33) and William Buck (20 not out) keeping the scoreboard ticking nicely. We finished on 128/4 from 29 overs — agonisingly short of the target, but never really in danger either.

So, honours shared, and rightly so — neither side could quite force it home. A draw that flattered nobody and shortchanged nobody: exactly the sort of afternoon that keeps you coming back the following Saturday.

Sun 25 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv OC Old Westminster Citizens · HomeformLLDLD

Sunday, 25 May, and Dummy Site were our visitors. I lost the toss — some things never change — and we were asked to chase, which meant an afternoon leather-hunting before we got anywhere near the tea urn. Their openers set about us with unseemly confidence, cantering to 93 before the first wicket fell, and eventually declared themselves all out for 172 from 49.4 overs, Forrester's 48 the backbone, ably supported by Lamus (43) and Bunton (39). We did send Hepburn and Skinner back without troubling the scorers, small mercies. Stan Wratten was magnificent with 5 for 43, well backed by Robert Muir (3 for 14) and John Ames (1 for 27), while Taylor bowled miserly enough to post three maidens. Poor Bob Arnold had a torrid time behind the stumps, ten byes leaking through.

In reply we posted 180 for 6 from our 50 overs. John Ames, in fine touch, made a handsome 58, Stan Wratten added 31 to his day's work with bat as well as ball, and Don Hartridge finished unbeaten on 30 — their 83-run fourth-wicket stand held the innings together. Bob Arnold's afternoon was completed with a golden duck, while I contributed a modest 18.

There was one bright note for the ledger: Wratten's five-for lifts him past Dennis Smith to ninth on the club's all-time wicket-takers, and he now leads our 1952 run charts with 154, with Gordon Fenner third among the season's bowlers on seven. The scoreboard, though, tells its own tale — we finished four wickets short. Not our day. Heads up, back to the nets.

Sat 24 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · HomeformLLLDL

Saturday 24 May 1952, and Hunton Wanderers CC were our visitors. The toss went against us — it usually does — and they chose to bat, so out into the field we trooped before we'd properly finished our tea. R Murray gave us a torrid time of it, carving out a superb hundred, and found fine support in G Lambell's 40, the pair adding 77 for the third wicket as Hunton pressed on to 222 for 8 from their 44 overs. Small mercies: W Hool departed for a duck at our hands 🦆. Bert Buckoke was pick of our bowlers with 3 for 49, John Thirkell chipped in with 3 for 60, and Don Hartridge took 1 for 19.

We replied with 156 for 5 from our 40 overs. The first wicket went cheaply, at 8, but a second-wicket stand of 91 gave us something to build on, with Basil Sears making a fine 41 and my own 51 — the runs that mattered, and rather satisfying to get. Don Hartridge's 25 kept the innings ticking. Poor Bob Arnold had a torrid time behind the stumps, 14 byes his unwelcome souvenir.

Milestones aplenty: Basil brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, my 51 saw me move past Frank Taylor into 4th on the all-time run-scorers' list, and Bert's three wickets lifted him past Rev Thomas Burra into 11th among our wicket-takers. John Thirkell, meanwhile, continues to lead our 1952 run charts.

Honours shared, then — a draw when neither side could force the issue, and a fair one at that.

Sun 18 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv The Mote CC · AwayformLLLLD

Sunday last took us out to The Mote CC, and it must be said we didn't win the flip — nor much else besides. Put in, our hosts made themselves at home to the tune of 178 for 8 off their 62 overs, John Larking (42), J Coomber (41) and P Eckersley (28) doing the bulk of the damage after an early wobble at 8 for 1. Their third-wicket pair added a stubborn 58 before John --'s Taylor got among them with a fine 3-46, six of those overs maidens, mind you — not a run given away lightly. Bill Hall (3-55) and Tony Tipples (2-36) chipped in handsomely.

Our reply never quite got up to speed. Three wickets down and only 3 runs to show for it set an unhappy tone, and though Tony Tipples battled to 31, with Frank Taylor unbeaten on 26 and Tony Levick weighing in with 24, we subsided to 135 all out in 43.4 overs. Richard Harris and Arthur Cradduck both went for ducks, and poor Tony Levick had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, shipping 25 byes — the sort of thing that gives a captain grey hairs.

There were bright spots amid the gloom: your skipper managed 3 wickets, and Don Hartridge's unassuming 6 runs nudged him past F S W Cornwallis into 11th on the club's all-time run charts, while Bill Hall's efforts lifted him past S Christopherson into 21st among the wicket-takers. Beaten by 43 runs in the end — chins up, lads, we'll be better for it next week.

Sat 17 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv Gore Court CC · AwayformLLLLL

We were away at Gore Court on Saturday, and honours finished shared, which on reflection was about right given the tale of the tin hat we came within a whisker of donning.

Lost the toss, put in to field, and watched Gore Court compile a workmanlike 151 all out in 48.4 overs — George Jarrett's 28 the backbone, with Ted High (26) and David Jarrett (22) chipping in round him. Brian Reynolds, mercifully, was the only one of ours to depart without so much as a look at the scoreboard. The story of the innings, though, was Frank Taylor, who simply ran riot: ten wickets for 65, seven of his overs maidens, bowling with the sort of relentless miserliness that leaves batsmen muttering into their tea. Quite how Gore Court reached 151 against that spell is a mystery only cricket can produce.

Set 152 to win, we replied with 132 for 9 off our fifty, never quite finding the fluency to chase it down but never collapsing either. John Thirkell led the way with a tidy 26, well supported by P Ruddy's unbeaten 22, and I managed to potter to 26 myself. Eighteen byes, alas, spoke volumes about the day Bob Arnold had behind the stumps — a lesson, if ever there was one, in the perils of a wandering pitch.

Thirkell now sits second in our season's run charts, and Taylor tops the wicket-takers by some distance — form both will hope to carry forward. A draw, then, and honestly a fair reflection: we bowled like champions and batted like men who'd left their nerve on the coach.

Sun 11 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv FC Folkestone CC · AwayformDLLLL

Toss won, and with the sun doing its best over Folkestone, there was only ever going to be one decision from this captain: we batted.

Stan Wratten set the tone with a well-made 71, and Tom Osborn matched him stride for stride with a fine 61 of his own, the two openers putting on 95 before the first wicket fell — a platform any side would be grateful for. Tony Levick chipped in a useful 25, but then, as club cricket so loves to do, the innings rather fell off a cliff: 145 for 3 became 165 for 6 in what felt like the time it takes to pour a tea. John Thirkell and Don Hartridge both departed for golden ducks, and yours truly did rather worse — a first-baller, captain leading by example in entirely the wrong direction. Still, 215 all out was a total to bowl at.

And bowl we did. Gordon Fenner ran riot with 5 for 64, two of them maidens, well supported by Stan Wratten's 2 for 41 and John --'s Taylor's 2 for 74, and D Morton went for a duck under our pressure. But Folkestone had W Barrett (67), Ernie Thunder (52) and Jim Gordon (43) to thank for a stubborn 105-run stand that dragged them home at 219 for 9.

Tom Osborn's 61 now sees him past Percy Brattle into 18th on the club's all-time run charts — small consolation on a day we fell agonisingly by one wicket. Back to the nets, heads up.

Sat 10 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformDDLLL

Saturday 10 May 1952, away at Dummy Site, and the toss went against us — never a good omen when you fancy the shine's still on the ball. So it proved: their number three, G- Hawkins, decided he rather liked the wicket and made himself thoroughly at home for 117 not out, with B- Wood (35) and S- Luckhurst (22) content to watch from the other end as a stand of 124 for the sixth wicket did us no favours. John --'s Taylor kept plugging away for 3-53, Frank Taylor chipped in with 2-64 and three tidy maidens, and Bert Buckoke took 1-49, but 221/6 from 52 overs was a hefty target to chase on a testing pitch — and, with 10 byes conceded, a testing day for whoever was standing behind the stumps too.

Chasing it, we made a proper fist of things. John Thirkell played the innings of the day, 93 in fine touch, with Don Hartridge (39) and Richard Harris (37 not out) lending sturdy support in a third-wicket stand of 106 that gave the innings its backbone. I won't pretend my own 93 didn't feel rather satisfying from where I was standing. Poor Bob Arnold, though, had one of those days — a duck, and the walk of shame to go with it.

In the end we fell five wickets short, 232/5 not quite enough. Small consolations amid the defeat: Frank Taylor's 31 runs lift him to fourth on the club's all-time run charts, and John --'s Taylor's three wickets move him to fifth among the wicket-takers — history quietly made even in a losing cause. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 03 May 1952 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformDDDLL

Saturday 3 May 1952, and off we trundled to Dummy Site, having lost the toss and been invited to field first — never the news you want over your cornflakes, but there we are.

Truth be told, we bowled tidily enough. Smith Snr (39) and Trevor Fermor (37) put on 63 for the first wicket before we could get among them, and Philpott chipped in with 20, taking them to a competitive 150 for 7 off their 43 overs. Frank Taylor was the pick of us, 3 for 69 with six miserly maidens, and got his man R. Kemp for a duck into the bargain; Newport (2-26) and Ruddy (1-7) offered honest support.

Chasing 151, we made a proper hash of it. Basil Sears batted beautifully for his unbeaten 51 — carrying the innings almost single-handed — but around him the rest of us seemed to be auditioning for a comedy sketch, tumbling from 20 for 2 to 21 for 5 in the time it takes to pour a cup of tea. Thirkell, Hartridge and Taylor all fell for ducks, and your correspondent must confess to adding his own name to that unhappy list — the less said, the better. Ten byes past poor Bob Arnold rounded off a chastening afternoon, and we folded for 90.

A 60-run defeat, then, and no arguing with it. Basil Sears and Frank Taylor remain the season's shining lights atop the run and wicket charts respectively — for the rest of us, it's heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 27 Apr 1952 🧢 1st XIv MT Maidstone Trades · HomeformDDDDL

Sunday last, at home to Dummy Site, and the coin let us down again — I really must practise my calling. They elected to bat, and for a while it looked a shrewd choice, until we chipped away and had them 92 for 6 before they folded to 96 all out in the 42nd over. Lambell's 24 and Pocock's 22 were the only real resistance; the rest melted away, S. Crump departing without so much as a nibble. The day belonged to John --'s Taylor, whose 5 for 40 (three of them maidens, not a run given away cheaply) was as fine a spell as we've seen this season, with Frank Taylor's willing 4 for 40 doing the damage at the other end and Gordon Fenner chipping in with one.

Ninety-six looked gettable, and so it proved, though not without the usual comedy. Stan Wratten played the innings of the day, a composed 52, well supported by Frank Taylor's 26 and William Buck's 21, as we reached 164 for 6 in the 36th over. John Thirkell fell without scoring, and as for your correspondent — the less said the better; a duck is a duck, however elegantly acquired.

Amid it all, John --'s Taylor's runs and Frank Taylor's wickets both nudged them up the club's all-time lists — quiet history being made while the rest of us just tried to keep up. A comfortable win, then, by four wickets: not a bad way to spend a Sunday, ducks and all.