🧢 Captain's Log

Sun 26 Sep 1954 🧢 Marriedv Linton Park CC · HomeformLDD

As the honorary match reporter, I don't need tools for this — just the facts supplied. Here's the report:

Sunday last, and the fixture list was kind enough to bring the visitors to Linton Park, where I won the toss and, in a fit of optimism I can only put down to the weather, elected to bat. What followed was a tale of two very different tempos: 12 for 1 off our first four overs suggested a side in no particular hurry, but the innings settled beautifully thereafter, built almost entirely around one magnificent effort at the top of the order.

John Ames was simply immense, carrying his bat to 95 not out in an innings of real substance — the sort that has the tea urn conversations running long after the close. He had capable company too, with J. Coomber's 38 and Tony Tipples's 23 giving the innings proper backbone. I'll confess to a quiet satisfaction of my own, leading from the front with 95 of my own runs, though on a day like this it felt entirely secondary to the main event.

For it was rather a landmark afternoon for John: 1,000 career runs for the club now safely banked, and his 95 sees him leapfrog Richard Harris into 14th on our all-time run-scorers' list — a fine piece of arithmetic for a Sunday. He sits proudly atop the 1954 Married run charts, while young Stan Wratten leads the Singles.

In the end neither side could force the issue, and honours were shared. A draw, then — but one that will live long in the memory for reasons rather more personal than the scoreboard suggests.

Sat 25 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformWDDDW

The road to West Farleigh CC does not go quickly at the best of times, and Saturday brought the added indignity of losing the toss — though watching what unfolded, I'm not sure the coin did us any disservice. Put into the field, we found our range early: John Thirkell, relentless as ever, took 4-24, while John Taylor span a web around the home side, 6-64 with six maidens thrown in for good measure, unplayable by any reasonable definition of the word. Reg Fermor, A Heard and R Gibbons all fell without troubling the scorers, and only S Kitchen's 27 kept West Farleigh from complete embarrassment as they folded for 114 in 36.4 overs.

Chasing 115, we made harder work of it than the bowling perhaps deserved, but Ron Aiston batted with real class for an unbeaten 78, well supported by John Basten's 21 and a tidy 13 from Tom Osborn, seeing us home at 168 for 5 with overs to spare. I even found some rhythm myself with the ball, four wickets to show for it.

Milestones worth raising a glass to: John Thirkell passed a hundred career wickets and climbed past Stan Wratten into 8th on the all-time list, while Tom Osborn's runs nudged him past John Ames into 15th. Tony Levick, meanwhile, sits second in this season's run charts with 347.

A comfortable five-wicket win, and a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work. Onwards.

Sun 19 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv TC Tunbridge Wells CC · HomeformDWDDD

It was a canny toss to call and I'll say so myself: on winning it, elect to field was the only decision worth making on Sunday 19th September, and Tunbridge Wells CC duly obliged us with a target to chase rather than a mountain to defend.

They battled to 149/9 off their 51.4 overs, with Charles Wicker constructing a handsome fifty and Alan Burton and James Scrace lending sturdy support either side of a third-wicket stand of 57 that threatened, briefly, to get away from us. But get away it did not — we tightened the screws from 134-5 to 146-8 in the blink of an eye, poor Reg Hobbins departing without troubling the scorers. The architect of the collapse was Gordon Fenner, spinning a web for 6-45 and stingy enough with it to send down three maidens, while Ray Tippen chipped in with 2-24 and, almost incidentally, his fiftieth career wicket.

Chasing 150, we made handsomely light work of it, cruising home on 151/2 from 33 overs. Tony Levick anchored things beautifully with 45 not out, ably assisted by William Buck's 31 and John Thirkell's unbeaten 26 — with the extras column contributing a generous 32 of its own. I even found time to squeeze out 26 runs myself, more by accident than design.

A day for the history books besides: Stan Wratten brought up his hundredth Linton appearance, Levick and Tippen both climbed the all-time club charts, and we got over the line by eight wickets. All told, a thoroughly good day for the club.

Sat 18 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · HomeformLDWDD

Saturday saw us welcome Bearsted CC, and having called correctly at the toss, I didn't spend more than half a second thinking about it before opting to bat — some decisions make themselves. What followed was a proper treat: 188 for the loss of just one wicket in 44 overs, built on a marvellous unbroken innings of 92 from Tom Osborn and fine support from Basil Sears, who cruised nicely past his own fifty to finish on 89. Two lads well set and, frankly, making the rest of us look rather superfluous with the bat.

Bearsted's reply never quite got away from us, though J Bastin batted with real composure to see them to 78 for 4 from his 35 overs, unbeaten on 45 and doing most of the carrying himself. Our bowling was the story of the innings — Michael Morton probing away for figures of 2 for 19, with Stan Wratten and Ray Tippen chipping in a wicket apiece. Special mention for Ray, who bowled six maidens and simply refused to be hit off his length; not a run given away lightly all afternoon.

With Morton now sitting second in the club's 1954 wicket-takers list with 38 to his name, the season's shaping up nicely for him. In the end neither side could force it, and honours were shared. A draw, then — but on this evidence, a thoroughly satisfying one to be part of.

Sun 12 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv MT Medway Towns · HomeformLLDWD

From the captain's chair — Sunday 12 September 1954. We hosted Dummy Site, and the coin gave us nothing to work with; they won the toss, elected to bat, and off we trotted into the field to make the best of it.

Best of it we duly made. Forty-four overs of honest endeavour saw the visitors bowled out for a modest 77, R. Griffiths their one real resister with 48, while H. Doust, A. Lawson and G. Woodward all trudged back for ducks, done in by our attack. John Ames was quite magnificent, 4 for 11, with Stan Wratten (3-14) and Ray Tippen (2-26) offering sterling support, and Tony Snell tying up an end with five miserly maidens — the sort of spell that makes tea taste sweeter.

Chasing 78 should never trouble a side with William Buck in this sort of form, and so it proved — 34 from him, 20 from Tom Osborn, and we cruised to 62 for 2 off 16.5 overs before the heavens, or at least the umpires, decided honours would be shared.

A word too for Ray Tippen, whose brace of wickets eased him past H. Freed to 21st on the club's all-time list — a small but pleasing footnote in a season where Buck (785 runs) and Ames (34 wickets) continue to lead our charts. A draw, then, but one that felt rather more like a victory denied than a defeat avoided.

Sat 11 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv OR Old Roffensians · HomeformLLLDW

Well, the coin let us down again — heads or tails, it never seems to matter which way I call it, Dummy Site won the toss and had no hesitation sticking us into the field. We toiled away through 40.5 overs as they compiled 179 for 5, built chiefly around a fine half-century from a- Levick (69) and sturdy support from J- Newman, who cruised past his own fifty to 54, with C- Pilcher unbeaten on 24 to round things off. Small mercies: C- Martin departed without so much as a squeak off the bat. Gerald Wright was our pick of the attack with 2 for 29, Michael Morton chipped in with 2 for 56 and bowled like a metronome — four maidens, not a run given away lightly — while John Ames took 1 for 31 for good measure.

With the bat we set about our reply steadily, reaching 120 for 3 from 33 overs, John Ames again to the fore with a splendid 73. Spare a thought, though, for poor Len Conway, whose walk back for a duck will earn him a permanent line in the club's ledger of shame. Bob Arnold had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, ten byes escaping his gloves like eels.

Amid it all, a proper moment of pride: William Buck brought up 3,000 career runs for the club, and continues to lead our 1954 run charts with 751, with Morton sitting second in the wickets column on 36.

Honours even, then — a draw that flattered neither side, but pleased this old skipper well enough.

Sun 05 Sep 1954 🧢 1st XIv GK Gillingham CC, Kent · HomeformLLLLD

As Skipper of Linton Park, on Sunday 5th September 1954, we welcomed Gillingham CC of Kent to our ground, and I lost no time at the toss in choosing to bat first — a decision I've thought about a good deal since, given what followed.

We laboured somewhat to 172/8 from our 47 overs, saved from mediocrity by Tony Levick, whose 83 was the innings of the day, well supported by William Buck's tidy 43. Elsewhere the top order rather fell on its sword — John Larking, John Thirkell and Richard Harris all departed for ducks, and I must confess to adding my own name to that unhappy list. The less said the better, as I told the wife.

Defending 172 looked a tall order until Gordon Fenner got his hand on the ball and produced a spell of real quality — five for thirty-nine, with four maidens to boot, bowling as tightly as a Sunday sermon. John Taylor chipped in with three for thirty and Alan Wilkes picked up one, and between them Gillingham were bundled out for 134 in 35.1 overs, A Fairbrass's fifty-seven the only real resistance. Eleven byes did creep past poor Tony Levick behind the stumps, but nobody was counting too closely by the close.

Amid the drama, Tony Levick brought up 1,000 career runs for the club, and William Buck's innings lifted him to the top of our all-time run-scorers. A fine, hard-fought 38-run victory, and two points thoroughly banked.

Sun 29 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLLLL

Sunday last, with the visitors in town, I won the toss and, ever the optimist, sent them in. Wise enough, as it turned out: they crawled to 162/9 from their sixty-one overs, R Aiston top-scoring with a stubborn 42 and J Basten chipping in with 28. Frank Taylor was in fine old form, prising out three for 34, while Gordon Fenner (3-48) did his bit and Tony Snell strangled the middle overs into submission — two for 39, with five maidens that will have driven the opposition batsmen quietly demented. I even found some rhythm myself with the ball and picked up three, which for a captain of my modest gifts felt almost indecent.

With the bat we were altogether more sedate, reaching 123/6 from our 32 overs. Maurice Fenner was the class apart, a handsome 66 that did all the heavy lifting, well supported by twenties from both Tom Osborn and John Ames. Poor Stan Wratten, meanwhile, contributed nothing but a golden duck to the cause — these things happen to the best of us, Stan, chin up.

Worth raising a glass to the milestones: Maurice's 66 vaults him past Arthur Cornwallis to ninth on the club's all-time run-scoring list, and Tony's two wickets edge him past Dennis Smith into fourteenth among our wicket-takers — Maurice now sits second in this season's run charts with 284, Tony fifth with 22 wickets.

In the end neither side could force it home, and honours were shared. A fair result, and no complaints from this captain.

Sat 28 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · AwayformLDLLL

Saturday last took us to Hunton Wanderers, and for once fortune smiled early: I called correctly and, surveying a wicket that looked full of runs, promptly put us in to bat. Reader, I have made better decisions. Nineteen all out in fifteen-point-four overs is not an innings so much as a cry for help, and when Basil Sears, William Blight and John Thirkell all contributed golden ducks to the cause, I did briefly wonder whether we'd left our bats on the coach. I should confess, in the interests of full disclosure, that your correspondent also departed without troubling the scorers. We shall not dwell on it.

With so little to defend, the lads set about proving that cricket is indeed a funny old game. Michael Morton bowled with real venom for 2-18, while Alan Wilkes was positively miserly, three maidens and 1-4, ably supported by Gerald Wright's 1-4. For a spell it looked, remarkably, like a contest. But 36 runs was never going to trouble Hunton Wanderers for long, and they eased home at 36-4 from sixteen overs, six wickets in hand.

A note of cheer amid the wreckage: Michael Morton's two wickets carried him past Bert Buckoke into 16th on the club's all-time list, and Alan Wilkes continues to lead the 1954 wicket charts with 53 to his name. Fine consolations. But nineteen all out will win you nothing. Back to the nets, gentlemen.

Sun 22 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLDLL

Sunday 22 August 1954 and Linton Park welcomed the visitors under skies that promised more than they delivered on our batting card. Winning the toss, or losing it — captain's log discreetly omits which — we took to the field first, and for once the plan held together nicely. The visitors were shored up by Robin Bush's 33 and a watchful 24 from E Putwain, but their innings never quite found wings, folding for 99 in 33 overs. Alan Wilkes was magnificent, 4 for 38 and full of menace, with Ray Tippen (3-25) and Tony Snell (2-17, five maidens and barely a run to be had) squeezing the life out of the middle order.

Chasing 100 should have been a formality, and William Buck's 47 suggested it might be, but the rest of us contrived to make hard work of easy sums, subsiding to 106 for 5 in 33.1 overs. Poor Tony Levick had one of those afternoons behind the stumps, nine byes escaping his gloves like eels, and somewhere in there we contrived to lose by 5 wickets with victory in plain sight.

Still, silver linings: Alan Wilkes brought up his 100th career wicket, and Ray Tippen climbed past Herbert Sunley into 22nd on the club's all-time list. Buck and Wilkes continue to lead the season's run and wicket charts respectively, so the engine room is sound even if the chassis rattles. Not our day, on balance — heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 21 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv CA Charles Arkcoll · HomeformLDLDL

Saturday 21 August 1954, and Charles Arkcoll came to Linton Park with the sun out and, rather more to the point, the coin against us. They chose to bat, and we settled for first use of the ball, which on a day like this always feels the lesser prize until it isn't.

And so it proved. Arkcoll huffed and puffed their way to 97 all out in 46.1 overs, Stan Wratten's 32 the only real resistance. Michael Morton was quite magnificent — 6-45, a thoroughly deserved five-for and then some — while Gerald Wright bowled with the meanness of a man who begrudges every run (3-19, eight maidens to prove it), and Frank Taylor chipped in with one. Three Arkcoll batsmen departed without scoring, which even a generous captain must call a rout.

Ninety-seven should have been a formality. It was not. We contrived to make an even more modest 51, all out in 19.4 overs, Frank Taylor's 21 a lonely beacon amid three ducks of our own — Thirkell, Morton and Wright all back before troubling the scorer, and I myself contributed precisely nought, a innings on which the least said the better.

Beaten by 46 runs, then, and somewhat sheepishly at that. Still, there was real cheer in Morton's six-for, which sees him leapfrog Bill Hall into 17th on the club's all-time wicket list, and he now sits second in this year's charts behind William Buck's 644 runs. A fine bowling performance let down by feeble batting — we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 15 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv MA Mote A · HomeformLLDLD

Sunday 15th August 1954 saw Dummy Site roll into Linton Park, and losing the toss meant we were straight into the field — never my favourite way to spend a summer afternoon, but there we were.

Credit to the lads, though, because it was a fine shift with the ball. John Ames was superb, bowling with real fizz to finish with 4-34, and Gordon Fenner matched him wicket for wicket with 4-44, five of his overs unscored off — miserly barely covers it. J- Waters gave the visitors' innings its only real substance with 35, but wickets fell steadily around him, including I- Milsted for a duck at our hands, and 41.3 overs later they were all out for 85. A word too for John Ames's 38 with the bat, which quietly nudged him past F S W Cornwallis into 15th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — these things matter more than we let on.

Chasing 86, we made harder work of it than the target suggested, my wicketkeeping generous to a fault with 12 byes gifted back to the visitors. But Tony Levick played the innings of the day, an unbeaten 68 that anchored us to 87-1 from 29.1 overs — a proper, well-made fifty and more.

And yet somehow we contrived to lose it, beaten by 4 wickets. Runs on the board, wickets in the bag, and still we found a way. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 14 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv M Marden · HomeformLLLDL

Under grey Kentish skies on 14 August, Dummy Site arrived, won the toss – or rather I lost it, as is my custom – and elected to bat first, leaving us to have first use of the ball.

They ground their way to 199/8 from the 45 overs, J- Clark the chief architect with a fine 71, well supported by P- Sunnucks's unbeaten 59 and D- Nye's 43. Credit where due: Gerald Wright bowled beautifully for his 4-55, three of those overs maidens to boot, and Michael Morton chipped in handsomely with 3-57, Basil Sears tidying up with 1-11. M- Day, at least, departed for nought at our hands – small mercies.

Chasing 200, we made a fair fist of it without ever quite threatening, closing on 133/8. John Thirkell led the way with 27, Michael Morton and John Taylor lending sturdy support with 26 and 23 respectively, and I'll own to a modest 27 of my own. Richard Harris and Monty Deakes both fell for ducks – a blot on an otherwise honest card.

There was a footnote worth toasting: Morton's three wickets carried him past Rev Thomas Burra into 18th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list, while William Buck and Gerald Wright continue to lead the season's run and wicket charts respectively.

In the end, honours were shared – a draw that flattered neither side, but bruised nobody's pride either. All square, and home for tea.

Mon 02 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv LX Lord Cornwallis XI · HomeformLLLLD

Skipper's Log — Monday 02 August 1954. Dummy Site paid us the visit, and true to form the coin let me down again, so we were put straight into the field.

They battled to 190 all out, R- Webb top-scoring with 39 and getting good company from C- Marsham (35) and R- Harland (25), the three of them stitching together a 63-run stand that threatened to run away from us. But once we got among them it was swift work — 121 for 3 became 140 for 6 in the blink of an eye, with Alan Wilkes utterly unplayable, spinning his way to 6 for 65, and John Ames doing his bit too, 4 for 68 with three tidy maidens thrown in for good measure.

146 was always going to want some care, and Maurice Fenner supplied it with a lovely half-century, well backed by Tony Levick (39) and William Buck (28) — the openers putting on 72 before the first wicket fell, which promised more than we managed. Stan Wratten and John Thirkell both departed for ducks, and your correspondent, I'm sorry to report, joined them — the less said the better.

Small consolations amid the gloom: Tony Levick's 39 nudges him past F S W Cornwallis to 14th on the club's all-time run charts, and Alan Wilkes's six-for lifts him past John Thirkell into 7th among our wicket-takers. Buck and Wilkes continue to lead the 1954 averages regardless.

Beaten by 44 runs, then — not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sun 01 Aug 1954 🧢 1st XIv HC Hunton Wanderers CC · HomeformLLLLL

Here's the match report:

There are moments in a captain's career when winning the toss feels like divine intervention, and Sunday 1 August was one of them. I elected to bat — the right call, if I do say so myself — and the lads set about proving me correct with a display that had the tea urn practically boiling itself in anticipation.

Maurice Fenner was simply magnificent, compiling a chanceless 113 that not only anchored our innings but brought up 1,000 career runs for the club along the way — a landmark that deserves rather more than the polite ripple of applause it received from the boundary. It also lifted him past Richard Harris into 12th on our all-time run-scorers list, which is the sort of thing that gets murmured about approvingly in the bar for weeks. William Buck's 43 and Ray Tippen's unbeaten 31 rounded out a total of 227/3 from 43 overs that looked, frankly, rather beyond Hunton Wanderers.

And so it proved, up to a point. Restricting them to 93/5 from 36.3 overs, with M Owen (26) and A Pilcher (23) the only real resistance, we bowled with real discipline — Ray Tippen picked up 3-32 and, in doing so, eased past R W Mitchell into 23rd on the wicket-takers' list, while Gordon Fenner's four maidens were the picture of parsimony.

That we couldn't quite force the win, given the arithmetic, says everything about Hunton's stubbornness and perhaps a touch too much tea being taken. A draw, then — honours shared, but with two names quietly rewriting the record books, I'd call it a thoroughly satisfactory afternoon's work.

Sat 31 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv AC Aylesford Paper Mills CC · AwayformLLLLL

Saturday last took us to Aylesford Paper Mills, where I called wrong at the toss and duly resigned myself to watching from the field first — no great hardship, as it turned out, given what followed with the willow.

The lads did us proud with the ball. Aylesford were shot out for 128 in 37 overs, Eric Churchyard's 43 the backbone of their innings, with G Webb (25) and an unbeaten 20 from R Taylor offering support. Three of their number — R Fowler, M Burton and D Worrell — trudged off without troubling the scorers, which is always a pleasing sight from the boundary. The star turn was John --'s Taylor, whose 5-55 (five maidens besides) was as miserly as it was menacing, with Gerald Wright (3-57) and Frank Taylor (2-16) chipping in handsomely.

Then, alas, we batted. Fifty-four all out in 26.3 overs is not a total one boasts about over a pint, and the Duck Club did brisk business — John Thirkell, Bob Arnold and Brian Relf all walked back for nought, and I regret to report your correspondent joined them. The least said, the better.

There was one bright entry in the ledger: Gerald Wright's three wickets carried him past Dennis Smith to 13th on the club's all-time list, and he sits second in this season's wicket charts with 24, behind William Buck's 565 runs atop the run-getters.

Beaten by 74 runs, then — no disgrace in the bowling, only in the batting. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 24 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv Town Malling CC · HomeformDLLLL

Winning the toss is meant to be the captain's one guaranteed contribution to proceedings, so naturally I contrived to lose it, and Dummy Site elected to bat. Not that it did them much good. Gerald Wright bowled like a man possessed, seven maidens and figures of 6-21, ably backed by Michael Morton's 4-35, and between them they had the visitors in all sorts of bother — Checksfield and Hepsted both trudging off for ducks. All out for 69 in 27.4 overs was a tidy morning's work, and I confess I did very little except stand at slip looking purposeful.

With such a platform, the lads set about building something substantial, and 191/4 from our 38 overs duly followed. John Taylor's 66 was the innings' backbone, a proper well-made fifty and then some, with William Buck's 45 and Bob Arnold's unbeaten 26 filling out the total nicely. Bob did concede a slightly generous 12 byes behind the stumps, though we'll put that down to enthusiasm rather than incompetence.

Milestones abounded: Michael Morton reached 50 career wickets, and Gerald Wright's haul lifted him past Tony Snell to 14th on the club's all-time list — Buck and Morton continue to top this season's run and wicket charts respectively. And yet, in the way only cricket manages, we contrived to be beaten by 6 wickets regardless. We'll be better for it next week.

Sun 18 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv JL John Larkings · HomeformLDLLL

Sunday last saw us at home to a side who, having lost me the toss, wasted no time helping themselves to first knock. They ground out 194 all out in 40.2 overs, built chiefly around Goodridge's untroubled 55 not out, with Saville's 38 and Bennett's 22 filling in the gaps. Credit where due — Alan Wilkes toiled manfully for 4-72, and John Ames bowled with real discipline, 2-29 including four maidens that must have driven their middle order to distraction, Tony Tipples chipping in with 2-35.

Chasing 194 always felt a stretch, and so it proved, though not without a fight. John Ames, 58 to his name, and Tom Osborn, a fine 51, put together a stand of 90 for the fifth wicket that had us daring to dream. Then, as is so often the way with this club, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion — 151 for 7 became 153 all out before anyone had quite finished their tea, John's Taylor and Alan Wilkes both walking for ducks. I confess I contributed one myself, and the less said about that the better.

Small mercies: Tom Osborn's 51 lifts him past Tony Levick into 16th on the club's all-time run charts, and Wilkes's four wickets move him past Ernest Cruttenden into 9th among our leading wicket-takers — while Thirkell and Wilkes continue to lead the way in this year's charts.

Beaten by 41 runs. Not our day. Back to the nets.

Sun 11 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv S Selstead · AwayformLLDLL

11 July 1954, away at Dummy Site — and what a soggy old riddle it turned out to be. Lost the toss, asked to bowl, and I can't say I minded much; there's something honest about being sent into the field first. They limped to 95 all out from 44 overs, Godden's 26 the only innings with any real substance about it. John Ames was in irresistible form, running through them for 5-45, with Tony Snell (4-23, seven maidens — miserly doesn't begin to cover it) and Gerald Wright (1-23) tightening the noose from the other end. A tidy, disciplined shift in the field, and no more than we deserved.

Chasing — sorry, replying to — 95 should have been a formality. Instead we somehow contrived to lose by an innings and 17 runs, which takes some doing when your bowlers have just bowled the opposition out for under a hundred. William Buck's 58 was the class act of our reply, well supported by William Blight's 35 and John Thirkell's 34; I chipped in with 34 myself, and we posted a very respectable 205/8 from 39 overs. Poor R- Waters bagged a duck, and somewhere in there the arithmetic of a two-innings match did for us entirely.

Silver linings, though: John Ames's five-for nudged him past Dennis Smith into 12th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list, and he now sits third in this season's wicket charts with 17, while Buck leads the run-making with 510. Character-building stuff. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 10 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv A A.Trembeths · HomeformLLLDL

Beaten by 24 runs at home to Dummy Site, and if I'm honest, we did this one the hard way — losing the toss, sent into the field, and then bowling rather better than we batted, which is never a comfortable combination.

Credit where it's due: the lads did us proud with the ball. Frank Taylor was magnificent, 4 for 34 and the pick of the attack, while Robert Muir (2-11) and Michael Morton (2-36, with four maidens thrown in for good measure — not a run given away lightly) kept things suitably mean. Webb's 20 was the best the visitors could muster as they were bowled out for 107 in 32.3 overs, with Skeim back in the pavilion for a duck. All told, a fine shift in the field, and for a while there I allowed myself to think we had this one in the bag.

Then came the small matter of chasing 108, and here the wheels came off rather more than any of us would like. Michael Morton again led from the front with 20, but support was thin on the ground, and with Robert Muir and Bob Arnold both departing for ducks, we were skittled for 83 in 38.5 overs.

There was, at least, one thing to raise a glass to: Morton's two wickets carried him past H Freed and up to 20th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — and he now sits second in this year's bowling charts, behind only William Buck's imperious 452 runs at the top of the batting table. As for the rest of us — we'll be better for it next week.

Sun 04 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv S S.Kimmins · HomeformLLLLD

We were sent in to field on a warm 4th of July, and by the time D. Altham had compiled a handsome 56, ably assisted by S. Kimmins (40) and R. Loup (37), 247/8 looked like a rather large mountain to climb. Frank Taylor was magnificent with the ball, 3-19, and did his level best to keep us in the contest, with Michael Morton (2-48) and Stan Wratten (1-22) chipping in gamely. R. Arnold, at least, we sent back without troubling the scorers — small mercies.

Our reply never quite found its rhythm. Stan Wratten led the way with 27, and got good company from N. Deal and John Thirkell, 25 apiece, while I contributed a modest 25 of my own. But 176 all out from 51.4 overs was never going to be enough, and William Blight's afternoon went from bad to worse — a first-baller followed by 13 byes conceded, the sort of day best forgotten over a pint.

Elsewhere in the season, William Buck continues to bat like a man possessed, topping the 1st XI charts with 436 runs, and Michael Morton isn't far behind with the ball, sitting second with 17 wickets — proof there's talent enough in this side when the stars align.

Beaten by 71 runs in the end, then, and no arguments about it. We were second best from the first ball to the last, but there was enough defiance in the middle order to suggest better days are coming. We'll dust ourselves down and go again next week.

Sat 03 Jul 1954 🧢 1st XIv CA Charles Arkcoll · AwayformDLLLL

Saturday 3rd July found us bound for Charles Arkcoll, and for once the coin cooperated — heads it was, and I had no hesitation in sending us in to bat. It proved a sound instinct, if not an entirely comfortable afternoon in the deckchairs, as we ground our way to 178/9 from 46 overs. William Blight was in fine, unhurried touch for his unbeaten 63, with William Buck's well-crafted fifty giving him excellent company, and Basil Sears chipping in a useful 25. John Thirkell and Robert Muir, alas, will not be troubling the scorebook beyond a pair of ducks between them.

With the ball we set about defending our total with more industry than menace, restricting the visitors to 162/4 from their 42 overs — enough to deny us victory but not, thankfully, to hand them one either. Edgar Humphreys played the anchor role beautifully for his 60, ably supported by Randolph Thompson's unbeaten 49 and Ken Heathfield's tidy 22. It was Michael Morton who kept us in the contest throughout, his 3-48 laced with three miserly maidens a proper old-fashioned spell of accurate seam bowling. As for your correspondent, I contributed a duck of such comprehensive uselessness that the less said the better.

There was, happily, more to celebrate than the scoreline suggests: William Buck's fifty eased him past Stan Wratten into 2nd on the club's all-time run charts, while Morton's three wickets lifted him past Herbert Sunley into 21st among our leading wicket-takers — both now front-runners in this year's charts too. A draw, then, honours shared, and on this evidence, entirely fair.

Sun 27 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv S Selstead · HomeformLDLLL

Sunday last, and Dummy Site rolled up to Linton Park with the sun out and, rather unfairly, the good fortune of the coin as well. They elected to bat, and who am I to argue with a spinning shilling — though I did mutter something uncharitable under my breath.

The lads made a fair fist of it in the field. Fletcher gave us the most trouble with a tidy 35, but our attack had answers for most of the rest, with Perkins and Ridge back in the pavilion without so much as troubling the scorer. Alan Wilkes was in inspired form with 3-17, Michael Morton bowled with the patience of a saint — 3-30 and five maidens, not a run given away lightly — while Stan Wratten chipped in with 2-21. All out for 109 in 45 overs felt a job well done.

With the bat we set about the task with rather more gusto. William Buck led the way with 35, John Ames and William Blight both weighed in with 29 apiece, and I managed a modest 21 of my own. Morton and Skinner had quieter afternoons, both departing for ducks, but 182 all out was more than enough.

A word too for Stan Wratten, who leapfrogged William Buck into 2nd on the club's all-time run list and passed Ernest Cruttenden into 8th among the wicket-takers — quite the double for one Sunday.

We won by a landslide, and frankly, after that coin toss, we'll take it.

Sat 26 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv YC Yalding CC · HomeformLLDLL

Saturday last saw Dummy Site roll up the drive, and winning the toss I had no hesitation in taking first knock — on a morning like that, with the outfield fast and the sun behind the pavilion, batting first felt less a decision than a formality. And so it proved.

We posted a handsome 197 for 6 from our 36 overs, the innings built around a fine unbeaten 57 from Frank Taylor, who middled it with the quiet satisfaction of a man who knows exactly what he's doing. William Buck weighed in with 40 and John Thirkell 31, both playing their part in a total that had a bit of everything — except, sadly, for poor Peter Weedon, who contributed a golden duck to proceedings and will no doubt be reminded of it at the bar for weeks to come.

With the ball, Alan Wilkes was simply magnificent, tearing through the visitors for 9 for 55 — a spell for the ages, and richly deserved. John Ames chipped in tidily with 1 for 17 and two maidens, not a run given away lightly, while Bob Arnold had a busy afternoon behind the stumps, 9 byes the only blemish on an otherwise cheerful day. I managed 31 with the bat myself, more by luck than judgement. Dummy Site were bowled out for 105 in 29.2 overs, J. Martin's 28 the best of a poor lot.

A red-letter day off the field too: William Buck's 100th appearance in Linton colours, Bob Arnold climbing to 22nd on the club's all-time run-scorers list, and Alan Wilkes now 10th among our wicket-takers. Won, in the end, by 92 runs — and we'll take that into next week with a spring in our step.

Sun 20 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformDLLDL

Beaten again at home, and by Sunday teatime I was reaching for something stronger than the urn. Sunday 20 June saw us put the opposition in, and for a while it looked the shrewder call — we bowled them out for a modest 88 in 38.3 overs, G Clarke's watchful 25 the only real resistance, while poor G Taylor trudged off for a duck. Tony Snell was magnificent, 4 for 38 and a spell that put him past Bill Hall into 15th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list — a fine bit of history-making on an otherwise ordinary Sunday. Alan Wilkes (3-16) and Gordon Fenner (3-24, three miserly maidens) squeezed the life out of the innings either side of him.

Which left us needing 89 to win, and needing it, as it turned out, rather more than we managed. John Thirkell's 29 was the backbone, Robert Muir's 20 useful support, and I chipped in with 29 of my own — but three ducks, for William Blight, Richard Harris and Bob Arnold, told their own sorry tale, and we folded for exactly 89 in 37.5 overs. Beaten by nought wickets, which is about as final as defeat gets.

William Buck and Alan Wilkes continue to lead our season's run and wicket charts respectively, so the engine room is sound even when the coachwork lets us down. We'll be better for it next week — we'd rather like to be, at any rate.

Sat 19 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv AC Aylesford Paper Mills CC · HomeformLDLLD

Saturday's fixture against Aylesford Paper Mills CC was one of those afternoons where the coin let us down before a ball was bowled — they called correctly, elected to bat, and we trudged into the field wondering what the pitch had in store. It turned out rather a lot, courtesy of E Carrington, who made himself thoroughly at home for 88, with Bobby Brigden's 31 lending sturdy support as the visitors climbed to 183 for 8 off their 52.2 overs. Credit where due, though: Alan Wilkes was in fine and miserly form with 4 for 46, Gerald Wright chipped away for 2 for 38 with three tidy maidens to his name, and John Thirkell picked up one. E Bentley, at least, we sent back for nought.

Our reply never quite got going. William Buck battled hard for 40, but wickets tumbled around him and we folded for 101 in 32.3 overs — William Blight, Monty Deakes and Bob Arnold all enduring the walk of shame for ducks. That we reached three figures at all owed no small debt to 28 extras, a sum that rather says it all. Poor Bob Arnold had a torrid time behind the stumps too, 11 byes going begging on a tricky afternoon with the gloves.

So it's back to the nets, gentlemen — beaten by 82 runs, and no arguing with the arithmetic. Small mercies: William Buck continues to top the run charts with 293 for the season, and Alan Wilkes leads the wickets with 23. The form is there; Saturday just wasn't our day.

Mon 07 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv M Marden · AwayformWLDLL

Called correctly on a Monday in June and didn't dither for a moment — Dummy Site awaited, and batting first felt like the only decent thing to do. The lads duly obliged: 261 for 6 off our 62 overs, built around a superb hundred from Stan Wratten, 102 of the finest, with John Thirkell keeping him honest at the other end for an unbeaten 42 and Tony Tipples chipping in a handy 30. Extras weighed in with 34 of their own, which I like to think reflects the opposition's generosity rather than our running between the wickets. I added a workmanlike 42 myself, mostly by staying out of Stan's way.

In the field we set about defending it, and defend it we did. P- Tipples made a well-crafted fifty for them, ably supported by J- Wheeler's 26, but F- Day departed for a duck without so much as a nervous glance at the scorebook. Tony Snell was magnificent — 2 for 19 with ten maidens, bowling as though the boundary rope had personally offended him — with John --'s Taylor and Robert Muir a wicket apiece for support. They closed on 138 for 7 off 55, honours shared.

A fine day all round, and one for the mantelpiece besides: Stan's century eases him past William Buck into second on the club's all-time run charts. Buck still leads the season's table on 253, and Snell now sits fifth among the year's wicket-takers on nine. A draw, then — but a thoroughly satisfying one.

Sun 06 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv ? · HomeformLWLDL

Sunday, 6th June 1954. A fine afternoon for it, and the visitors duly arrived to test us. Winning the toss, I put us into the field first, and it proved a shrewd call — though I'll admit the shrewdness was largely Gerald Wright's doing. He bowled like a man possessed, 8 maidens in his allowance and figures of 5-8 that had T Hobbs and K Blundell back in the pavilion without troubling the scorer. Alan Wilkes chipped in handsomely with 4-23 — and in doing so slipped past Dennis Smith to 11th on the club's all-time wicket-takers list, a quiet little piece of history amid the afternoon's noise. Tony Snell picked up one for good measure, and the visitors were bundled out for 60 in 35.2 overs. Only poor Tony Levick had a torrid time of it behind the stumps, shipping 8 byes — the sort of afternoon that makes a wicketkeeper wish the ground would swallow him whole.

With 61 needed, we ought to have strolled it, and to be fair we mostly did, J Smith anchoring things nicely with an unbeaten 30. But 71 for 3 from 26 overs told its own story of nerves creeping in, and somehow — I still can't quite explain how — we contrived to lose by seven wickets. Basil Sears continues to purr along nicely in the season's run charts, and Wilkes leads the wickets column with 19, so the individual furniture is all present and correct. The result, though, was a proper reminder not to get ahead of ourselves. We'll be better for it next week.

Sat 05 Jun 1954 🧢 1st XIv Town Malling CC · AwayformWLWLD

Down by 10 runs at Dummy Site on Saturday 5th June, having lost the toss's better half — no, having won the toss and rather fancied our chances with bat in hand.

We won the toss, chose to bat, and made a fair fist of the early overs before subsiding, in the time-honoured village fashion, to 127 all out in 37.1 overs. Basil Sears played the innings of the day with a well-made 25, though the same could not be said for Peter Weedon and L Skinner, both back in the pavilion without troubling the scorer. Still, 127 felt defendable on the day, and defend it we very nearly did.

Frank Taylor was quite magnificent with the ball, running through their order for 6-37 and dismissing R Terry, D Driver and T Homan without scores between them, ably backed up by John Thirkell's tidy 2-19 and Gerald Wright's 1-25, with John's namesake Taylor keeping things miserly with two maidens. But J Chambers had other ideas, top-scoring with a stubborn 43, well supported by N Vidale's 25, and between them they dragged their side agonisingly past our total, closing on 117 all out in 35.3 overs. Poor Bob Arnold had one of those afternoons behind the stumps, with nine byes escaping his gloves — the sort of thing that keeps a wicketkeeper awake at night.

So, ten runs the wrong side of glory. William Buck continues to lead our run charts for the season with 227, and John Thirkell now sits fourth in the wicket-takers with eight. Not our day, but heads up — back to the nets, and on to the next one.

Sat 29 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv OC Old Williamsonians CC · HomeformDWLWL

We were sent in to bowl on the last Saturday in May, and Gerald Wright made sure it hurt: 5-36 of pure menace, with Michael Morton chipping in a fine 4-39, and not so much as a stray boundary given away by John Taylor's three tidy maidens. It should have been a rout. R. James, though, dug in for a battling 51 and F. Myers lent him 34 sturdy runs of support, and between them the opposition somehow stretched to 107 all out from 32.4 overs — rather more than their batting deserved against that attack.

Chasing 108 ought to have been a formality. It was not. J. Brooks, L. Wadhams and J. Weatherhogg all trooped back without so much as troubling the scorers, John Thirkell added a duck of his own to the collection, and your captain — leading, as ever, from the front — contributed a golden blob that will not trouble the highlights reel. Only William Buck showed any sense of occasion, standing firm for an unbeaten 32 as we stumbled to 65 for 6 off 23 overs and the umpires, sensing mercy was required, called it a draw.

There was, at least, real cause for cheer: Gerald Wright reached 50 wickets for the club and leapfrogged H. G. Smith into 18th on the all-time list, while William Buck continues to lead our season's run charts and Morton sits second among the bowlers. A day, then, of one hero, several ducks, and a captain who really must find some form with the bat before it becomes a running joke.

Sun 23 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv ? · AwayformLDWLW

Sunday the 23rd of May, and off we trundled for an away fixture, the coin obligingly falling my way — I had no hesitation in sending us in, a decision I stood by for approximately as long as it took Peter Weedon and C Sandford to walk back for ducks. Ray Tippen, bless him, held the innings together with a fine 43, and around him the rest of us contributed rather apologetically to a total of 126 all out from 49 overs. Not a score to frighten anyone, but cricket, as ever, had other ideas.

Defending it looked a tall order on paper, but the ball began to talk. Alan Wilkes was quite unplayable, spinning his way to 6 for 29 with three miserly maidens thrown in for good measure, ably backed by Gordon Fenner's 3 for 26 and a tidy contribution from John Ames. T Ades, Robin Bush and B Williamson departed without scoring, and only Don Capeling's 23 offered the opposition any real resistance as they folded for 76 in 34.2 overs. Poor Tony Levick had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 8 byes slipping past him, though his 15 runs with the bat quietly nudged him to 17th on the club's all-time run charts, while Wilkes's six-for lifted him to 12th among our wicket-takers — small consolations on a chastening day.

Down by 50 runs in the end, and not our day by any stretch. Heads up, chins out, and back to the nets.

Sat 22 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv Gore Court CC · HomeformDLDWL

Skipper's Log — Saturday 22 May 1954. Gore Court CC at home.

Lost the toss again, which by now feels less like bad luck and more like a personal vendetta from that coin. They elected to bat, and after a wicket down cheaply for 3 the sun rather went out of our afternoon, as Maurice Ingleton and Brian Bradley put on 115 for the fifth wicket like a couple of men who'd read the wicket report and decided to ignore it entirely — Ingleton to 72, Bradley unbeaten on 60. Credit where due, John Thirkell dragged us back into it with 4-57, and Michael Morton bowled with the parsimony of a man counting out his own tea money, four maidens and 1-64 to show for it. They closed on 177/5 from their 38 overs — competitive, and no more than that.

Chasing 178, William Buck played the innings of the day, a fine 65, with Frank Taylor's 35 and Bob Arnold's unbeaten 29 keeping the engine room turning and a good 60-run stand for the fifth wicket doing the heavy lifting. The tail then wagged merrily to the tune of 40 runs, which did nothing for the fielders' blood pressure, and I managed to find some rhythm with the ball for four wickets of my own earlier in the day. We got there by four wickets with the over count in our favour.

Nice footnotes too — Bob Arnold's 29 nudges him to 23rd on the all-time run-scorers' list, and Thirkell's four scalps move him to 7th among the wicket-takers. All told: a good day for the club, and one the tea urn thoroughly deserved.

Sun 16 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv MA Mote A · AwayformLDLDW

Sunday 16 May 1954 saw us make the trip to Dummy Site, and I lost the toss — asked to field first, which in hindsight might have been the day's only correct decision made by anyone in a blazer. Whatever the merits of chasing, our bowlers made light work of it: the opposition were bundled out for a paltry 53 in 47 overs, with I- Milsted, P- Larking and D- Oliver all back in the shed without so much as a run to their name. Tony Snell was quite magnificent, taking 6-19 — a five-for and then some, and richly deserved — while N- Deal chipped in admirably with 3-19 and a positively miserly 13 maidens. Milestone watchers will note Snell reached 50 career wickets and leapfrogged H G Smith into 17th on the club's all-time list.

Fifty-three to win should have been a formality, and here is where the wheels came off rather spectacularly. We contrived to be shot out ourselves for 85 in 26.3 overs — only Stan Wratten showing any sense with a fine 48, which nudged him past George Champion into 2nd on the all-time run charts. Less gloriously, John --'s Taylor, John Ames and N- Deal all made the long walk back for nought, a hat-trick of ducks that rather summed up our afternoon with the bat.

So there it is: 53 all out to beat, and somehow we couldn't. Snell's heroics deserved far better support, and William Buck's continued fine form up top offers some consolation. Not our day. Heads up, and back to the nets.

Sat 15 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv Gore Court CC · AwayformWLDLD

Saturday 15th May 1954 saw us head off to Gore Court, hopes high and, as ever, the toss going against us — so it was pads off, boots on, as we took to the field first.

Gore Court laboured to 143 all out in 40.1 overs, Maurice Ingleton the chief architect with 38, but the rest offered precious little resistance once we found our rhythm. Alan Wilkes was in irrepressible form, tearing through the middle order for 5-65, while John Ames bowled with a miser's precision — four maidens and 4-44 — and Michael Morton chipped in a tidy 1-19. From 109-5 to 125-8 in the blink of an eye; the collapse was as sudden as it was satisfying to watch from the covers.

Chasing 144, we made harder work of it than the bowling perhaps deserved, crawling to 150-7 from 36 overs. Frank Taylor's 29 set the tone, Bob Arnold's unbeaten 27 saw us home, and Michael Morton's 20 kept the scoreboard honest in between — before the tail, in fine village tradition, wagged its way to a nerve-jangling final flourish of 38 that had the fielding side pulling their hair out.

Off the field, honours too: Bob Arnold's runs nudged him past Joe Fenner to 24th on our all-time run charts, and John Ames leapfrogged Alan Wilkes into 14th among the club's wicket-takers — not bad for an afternoon's work.

Three wickets, two points, and a good deal of relief. A scrappy win, but a win nonetheless — and we'll take those all season long.

Sun 09 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · HomeformLWLDL

Sunday the 9th of May found us hosting West Farleigh CC, and with the coin falling kindly I had no hesitation in taking first knock — the sort of decision that looks either shrewd or reckless by teatime, and I'm pleased to report it landed on the right side of the ledger. John Larking played the innings of the day, a thoroughly well-made fifty worth 60, while John Taylor chipped in handsomely with 38 to help us to a respectable 184/7 from our 41 overs.

With the ball, the lads set about their work with real purpose. Gordon Fenner was the pick of the attack by some distance, tearing through with 4-32, while Coomber and Alan Wilkes chipped in with a wicket apiece, and John Ames bowled with admirable discipline, three maidens to his name and barely a run to show for his trouble. West Farleigh battled to 122/8 from their 35, Ron Kemp top-scoring with 38, but the required rate was always beyond them. Poor Tony Levick had a torrid afternoon behind the stumps, 12 byes leaking through, though he can console himself with 14 runs that carried him past Tom Osborn and up to 17th on the club's all-time run-scorers list — history made, if quietly.

In the end neither side could force the issue, and honours were shared. A draw feels almost diplomatic after a match we shaded in most departments — but there's a certain English pleasure in a game that simply refuses to be finished.

Sat 08 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv Bearsted CC · AwayformLLWLD

The lads asked us over to Bearsted on Saturday, and after a week of grey skies I'd half a mind to call it off — I rather wish now I had, though I'd never admit that to their skipper.

Put in to field, we made a decent early fist of it, prising out an opener with just 5 on the board, and for a heady over or two it looked our morning. But Fleetwood and 'Bert' Wood put paid to that with a stand of 55 for the third wicket, Fleetwood cracking 37 and Wood finishing unbeaten on 36, with Tiley chipping in 24 besides. They closed on 147 all out, which felt about 40 too many by teatime. John Taylor bowled beautifully for 3-26 with a couple of maidens thrown in for good measure, and Morton (3-54) and Thirkell (2-25) kept things honest at the other end.

Our reply never quite got out of first gear. Pound, Benger and Elswood departed without so much as a raised eyebrow, and the card bore the usual ugly blot of two ducks, courtesy of Harris and Barclay. William Buck battled manfully past his fifty for exactly that, and I managed a modest 16, but 104 all out in 27 overs was never going to trouble the scoreboard operator. Poor Bob Arnold had a torrid time behind the stumps too, 13 byes going begging.

Down by 43 in the end — not our day, and no use pretending otherwise. Heads up, and back to the nets we go.

Sat 01 May 1954 🧢 1st XIv West Farleigh CC · AwayformDLLWL

The road to West Farleigh is a pleasant enough drive, and happily the coin agreed with my plans for the day, so I had no hesitation in sending us in first. Maurice Fenner set about it in fine style, compiling a handsome 55, with William Buck unbeaten on 40 and Basil Sears chipping in a brisk 28 for good measure. That we also conjured 41 extras says rather more about West Farleigh's bowling discipline than our running between the wickets, though I shan't be the one to point that out to them. All told, 198 for 6 from our 32 overs looked a tidy total to defend.

And defend it we very nearly did. West Farleigh dug in through T. Harlow's unbeaten 40, with G. Tompkinson and R. Rivington offering sturdy support, but Basil Sears turned in a spell to remember, spinning his way to 5 for 48 and leaving their middle order in knots, with John Larking chipping away for 1 for 11. Poor Maurice, having done the bulk of the scoring, then had to strap on the gloves and endure 9 byes for his trouble — no rest for the willing.

It finished 153 for 6, honours shared, neither side able to force it home. Small consolation, but a proud footnote nonetheless: Fenner's 55 eased him past Richard Harris and into 12th on the club's all-time run-scorers list. A draw, then — but one earned with genuine credit on both sides of the game.