OB Club Cricket
See also: Somerset CCG Fixtures on the Ted Crowe Room page.
Review of the 2023 Season
The OBCC played five matches, losing the first three but then winning the final two. For the second year running, we had a short Tour to Surrey. There was a good level of interest from OB’s wishing to play. Our batting is invariably stronger than our bowling. “Proper bowlers” are in short supply.
We started on 22 June with the usual comprehensive defeat in the T20 match against the School.
- Blundell’s School 153 for 6 wickets (20 overs)
H Southgate 50, L Walker 33, T Reynolds 4-0-7-2, J Fairclough 2-29 - OBCC 121 for 8 wickets (20 overs)
S Sobczak 30, L Lewis 25, D Pugsley 3-12, H Pryce 3-28 - The School won by 32 runs.
On 24 July, we had our traditional match against the Sou’westers, who have toured in the South West for decades. This year, we fielded a weak team and the visitors were very strong.
- OBCC 120 (T Chambers 24, W Bucknell 20, J Kennedy 3-15)
- Sou’westers 121-0 (T Sunter 60*, H Kennedy 40*)
- Sou’westers won by 10 wickets
OBCC team: J Williams (Capt), G Bucknell, W Bucknell, F Bucknell, T Chambers, J Day, L Chambers, T Legodi, R Prowse
Surrey Tour (Tuesday 1 August to Thursday 3 August)
This was well supported. We were fortunate to be invited to return and play an all-day match against Guildford at their excellent ground in Woodbridge Road (which also hosts outmatches played by Surrey CCC). The scores at Guildford on 1 August were:
- OBCC 220 all out
L Lewis 48, W Gingell 41, W Bucknell 35, S Sobczak 32, V Moses 3-27 - Guildford CC 221-5
B Walter 66, Mohan Kumar Raja 38*, W Hall-Tomkin 2-25 - Guildford won by 5 wickets.
Our scheduled match on the Wednesday at Epsom CC was rained off. Fortunately the weather improved on the Thursday and we managed to beat an enthusiastic Woking & Horsell team:
- OBCC 177-9 (40 overs, innings closed)
S Sobczak 36, G Bucknell 33, W Bucknell 26 - Woking & Horsell CC 160 all out (36.4 overs)
M Thomas 38, L Lewis 3-28, D Penberthy 2-41) - OBCC won by 17 runs.
OBCC Tour Party: Jon Day, Andrew Chambers, Tim Chambers, Will Gingell, Simon Sobczak, Will Bucknell, Will Hall-Tomkin, Liam Lewis, Tom Cowle, Dylan Penberthy, Tom Heard, Guy Bucknell.
Manager: Chad Murrin; Umpire: Tom Hillman
The Glenthorne Cup (Sunday 10 September)
Lynton’s beautiful ground in the Valley of the Rocks was at its spectacular best, bathed in September sunshine. The OB’s, led by Richard Pugsley supported by his sons Dan and James, played well and we retained The Glenthorne Cup.
- Lynton & Lynmouth CC 121 (32 overs)
A Keech 25, F Banks 4-17, C Salter 2-6, J Pugsley 2-34 - OBCC 122-6 (21.5 overs)
D Pugsley 36, R Pugsley 24, T Chambers 18) - OBCC won by 4 wickets.
The OBCC team at Lynton
From the left, Back Row: John Freeman (Umpire), Joe Brock, Dan Pugsley, Adam Simson, Fraser Banks, James Pugsley, Dan Lessiter, Gary Auger (Scorer), Chad Murrin (Umpire)
Seated: Chris Salter, Richard Pugsley (Captain), Tim Chambers, Dylan Penberthy, Tom Cowle
Thank Yous
Many thanks to John Smith for umpiring and Gary Auger for scoring. At the T20 match in June, we appreciated the welcome and hospitality extended by Dean Headley. Graham Cox and his team prepared excellent pitches for us at Blundell’s. Thanks again to Sue Beale and her team for the usual excellent catering.
We are grateful to our Match Managers: Liam Lewis, Justin Williams, Jon Day and Richard Pugsley. Justin now has his hands full on the domestic front and has handed over running the match against the Sou’westers to Will Bucknell in 2024.
Contacts
| Club Captain | |
| Andy Giles | 07818 085928 andgiles@aol.com |
| Match Managers | |
| Liam Lewis | 07841 825752 ljl@blundells.org |
| Justin Williams | 07837 771520 justin_g_williams@hotmail.co.uk |
| Jon Day | 07967 303932 Jonday30@gmail.com |
| Richard Pugsley | 07729 511710 Richard@hole-pugsley.co.uk |
| Chad Murrin | 07767 224632 chad_murrin@msn.com |
| Umpires | |
| John Smith | 01884 840798 |
| Alistair Horton | 07946 259199 |
| Scorer | |
| Ed Bailey | 07967 643579 |
Review of the 2022 Season
The OBCC had a more ambitious programme in 2002, embarking on our first tour for many years. The tour was to Surrey and was well supported. We propose to repeat it in 2023.
We played six matches in total in the season. We won four and lost two. The only disappointment was that the Old Tauntonians were unable to raise a side to play us at Blundell’s.
We are very grateful to our match managers (Liam Lewis, Justin Williams, Jon Day and Richard Pugsley) for their work in raising teams. Thank you also to John Smith and Alasdair Horton for umpiring. Alastair heroically stood three days running on the Surrey tour in heat wave conditions. Thank you also to Graham Cox, Head Groundsman at Blundell’s, and to Sue Beale and her team for catering.
*
23rd June at Blundell’s v The School
OBCC 107-8 (20 0vers)
L. Lewis 33, M. Mayor 3-18
Blundell’s School -108-2 (10.5 overs).
H. Southgate 30*, J. Whittaker 20*, T. Hatton 20
Once again we were soundly beaten by a strong School 1st XI. The School won by 8 wickets with nearly half the overs left.
*
25th July at Blundell’s v Sou’westers
Sou’westers 195 (57.1 overs)
H. Chatfield-Roberts 56, P. Oliver 33, W. Hall-Tompkin 2-22, T.Reynolds 2-33, M.Mayor 2-35
OBCC 197-9 (49.4 overs)
F. Bucknell 55, A. Chilcott 52, A. Chambers 28, A. Bolan 3-35
We prevailed by one wicket in an extraordinary match against our old friends the Sou’westers. Chasing a modest 195, we were cruising at 140-2. We then lost six wickets for nothing. The last pair scrambled us over the line to a one wicket win.
*
Old Blundellian Cricket Club Surrey Tour 2022
The first OBCC Tour for many years was successful and well supported. Jon Day did great work raising teams and we had 12 or 13 players on each day. The weather was extraordinarily hot.
We were fortunate to secure an invitation to play Guildford CC in their Cricket Week at their excellent ground at Woodbridge Road. The OB’s made 280-9 dec., with a century from Liam Lewis and solid support from Simon Sobczak and Andrew Chambers. We then found ourselves a couple of bowlers short and the home side eased to a four-wicket win.
It was good to see a good number of OB’s coming to watch the match, including Andy Giles (who played on Thursday), Tom Hillman, Chris Harding, Anthony Jacques and Peter Price.
Next day, we had an evening T20 against Holmbury St Mary at their beautiful village cricket ground, up on the North Downs. The OB bowling restricted Holmbury to 139-5, with Benedict Barton and John Hill rolling back the years. Tim Chambers nipped in with two quick wickets at the end. Our batting was too strong, with a classy half-century from Will Bucknell and then Guy Bucknell hitting the winning runs.
The final game a was less competitive as we were too strong for the home side. The OB’s made 259-5 in our 40 overs, with runs from Will Hall-Tompkin, Ed Carter and Will Gingell. We then bowled Normandy out for 158, with three wickets each for Tom Murphy and Hall-Tompkin. Jon Day starred in the field, with two catches and a run out.
9th August at Guildford
OBCC 280-9 dec.
L. Lewis 105*, S. Sobczak 50, A. Chambers 49, W.Hall-Tompkin 20
Guildford CC 284-6
W. Jenner 54, Sobczak 3-64
Guildford CC won by 4 wickets
10th August at Holmbury St Mary, Dorking
Holmbury St Mary CC 139-5 (20 0vers)
N. Menzies 51, T. Chambers 2-27
OBCC 140-3 16.5 overs)
W. Bucknell 50, S. Sobczak 26, W. Gingell 22
Old Blundellians won by 7 wickets
11th August at Normandy, Guildford
OBCC 259-5 (40 0vers)
W. Hall-Tompkin 53, E. Carter 51, W. Gingell 36
Normandy CC 158 all out (38.4 overs)
W. Hall-Tompkin 3-9, T. Murphy 3-24
Old Blundellians won by 101 runs
*
11th September at the Valley of the Rocks – The Glenthorne Cup
The official guidance was the match should proceed despite the death of Queen Elizabeth II three days earlier. The teams wore black arm bands and observed two minutes’ silence at the start.
OBCC prevailed in an exciting close finish. With a dominant undefeated century from Liam Lewis, we totalled 186-7 in our 35 overs. All credit to Lynton, who chased gamely and finished just 10 runs short. Richard Pugsley was the pick of the OB bowlers with four wickets.
OBCC 187-7 (35 overs, innings closed)
L. Lewis 118*, H. Weekes 35
Lynton & Lynmouth CC 176-7 (35 overs, innings closed)
L. Constable 65, C. Constable 33, R. Pugsley 4-32
Old Blundellians won by 10 runs.
Review of the 2021 Season
The OBCC played four matches, winning two and losing two. It was pleasing that we have four match managers, each of whom raised good young teams. The best cricketers from the School's 1st XI, Joe Du'Gay and Tom Reynolds, made their debuts.
In June, a strong-looking OB side was thrashed by a very strong School 1st XI, which ended the season unbeaten. Full credit to Liam Lewis, Master in Charge, who has done great work developing some good young cricketers. We then lost comfortably in the traditional all-day match at the end of July to the Sou'westers. Two days later, Jon Day led the OB's to an impressive victory against the Old Tauntonians at Taunton School. We celebrated in style over a curry in the town centre.
The season ended with victory in the Glenthorne Cup against Lynton & Lynmouth CC. How good it was to see Lynton back playing cricket, after no matches in 2021. Richard Pugsley assembled a decent team and we saw off the locals.
Many thanks to John Smith for umpiring and to Graham Cox, Head Groundsman at Blundell's.
24th June at Blundell's
Blundell's School 194-2 (20 overs)
T. Hatton 99*, J du'Gay 74
OBCC 144-9 (20 overs)
W Gingell 26, J. Frankpitt 25, L. Lewis 21, T. Murphy 5-30
The School won by 50 runs.
26th July at Blundell's
Sou'westers 203-9 dec. (50 overs)
J. Flatt 69, W. Bucknell 3-69, W. Gingell 2-21, T. Reynolds 2-28
OBCC 103 (35 overs)
A. Chambers 18, J. Williams 17, H. Parker 5-26
Sou'westers won by 100 wickets
28th July at Taunton School
Old Tauntonians 236-8 (46 overs)
W. Abell 79, J. Dart 342, T. Reynolds 2-40
OBCC 237-5 (51.4 overs)
J. Dart 103*, J. Du'Gay 45, W. Bucknell 27
OBCC won by 5 wickets
12th September at the Valley of the Rocks
OBCC 202-9 (35 overs)
T. Chambers 65, N. White 46, A. Chambers 24, A' Spice 3-30
Lynton & Lynmouth CC 118 (35 overs)
N. Shilling 22, W. Bucknell 3-35, N. White 2-24
We are hoping to expand our programme in 2022. The OBCC has a historic tradition of touring and we are considering a short venture into Surrey next August.
Glamorgan County Cricket Club has announced that after 10 years as Chief Executive, Hugh Morris MBE (W 1976-82) will step down from the position at the end of this year.