Newsletter Edited by Simon Black (01480 475553) and produced courtesy of PTC Software Ltd. The Hunts Herald Match Reports and Statistics by John Walker. News about the Huntingdonshire County Club Edition 4, Spring 2010 Meet The Editor Ballderdash THE SEASON SO FAR Name: Simon Black Jokes by John Walker Born: Berlin, W. Germany as was, 1951 As a former umpire I thought that it might be good to Two wins and two defeats but a bright start Marital Status: Married to Ruth for 33 years (I include a few umpire jokes. Unfortunately, like a few think). 4 Children : Ben, Abi, Bryony, Sam umpires I know, they are not very funny. RAF Put to Flight Job: Technical Director of and partner in a In a tense game, a batsman was given run out, a decision Huntingdonshire made it three wins in the last four seasons from their annual fixture with the Royal Air computer software company with which he obviously disagreed. He paced up and down Force. It was a very encouraging start to the new season despite having two regulars including County Education: German then English Primary then outside the pavilion until the umpires came in. skipper Paul Swannell unavailable for selection and the large margin of victory by 67 runs was fully Dollar Academy Boarding School in Scotland ‘I wasn’t out, you know,’he said to the umpire. deserved because of good performances with both bat and ball. With several newcomers in the side Hunts Early Cricket: Started playing cricket at 9, ‘Oh no? Look in the paper tomorrow!’said the umpire . looked balanced and well prepared and skipper David McCallum switched his attack intelligently as well keeping . When I got too big to keep wicket The ball had hit the next batsman on the arm and yet he as finishing with the best home bowling figures. The only disappointing feature was the cold weather but I took up bowling. was still given out. As he passed the umpire, he asked, well protected with sweaters the sides coped well including surviving a sharp shower in the first innings. Clubs: Carleton CC Edinburgh, Gibraltar CC, ‘How was I out?’ Hunts 220 all out in 49.3 overs (Michael Cafferkey 78) Staines CC, Great Paxton CC. ’Why don’t you look in the paper tomorrow?’ replied the RAF 153 all out in 47.4 0vers (David McCallum 3 for 25) Speciality: Nothing. General all rounder, having umpire, smugly. opened both bowling and for clubs ’Why don’t you look?’ said the batsman. ‘I’m the editor!’ Northants First Class Highs: A number of five-fors, and highest score The office boy had taken the afternoon off to go to his Northants II arrived at St Ives with several players who had experience and they of 84. Umpiring briefly with Dickie Bird. uncle’s funeral. The boss, thinking that the boy might not proved too strong for Hunts who nevertheless produced a creditable performance. Batting first the Hunts Regrets: Never getting a century. Not being very have been entirely truthful, went along to the cricket innings starred Sri Lankan batsman Dhanushka De Seram who scored 74 but generally the visiting bowlers good at cricket. ground to check him out. Sure enough, there he was. dominated. It was however their batting power that won them the match as they strolled to a seven Other Hobbies: General interest in rugby, ’So this is your uncle’s funeral?’he said. victory with Harvey scoring 105. amateur dramatics, design and run a number of ’It looks like it,’said the boy, ‘he’s the umpire!’ Hunts 222 all out in 46.4 overs (De Seram 74) Web sites. The umpire had been hard on the bowler, no-balling him Northants 226 for 3 in 45.3 overs (James Cowan 2 for 35) Now: Spending time watching cricket with my and turning down his every appeal. grandchildren, having umpired for 10 years. Just ’By the way,’ asked the bowler, ‘What is your first name?’ Surrey a Class Act hung up my coat (too young, will try again when ’Simon,’ said the umpire, ‘S-i-m-o-n.’ Michael Cafferkey scored the first Huntingdonshire senior century since 2002 but it was not enough to I retire). ‘Just as I thought,’ murmured the bowler, ‘only one ‘I’ !’ inspire his side to victory in the face of some powerful batting by the visitors to St Ives. The Surrey Sponsorship CountyAcademy XI are a band of talented young players striving to break their way into the professional game and their class showed, particularly in the batting department, after Hunts had posted a very creditable Yet More Balls HCCC are currently sponsored by 251 for 5 in their 50 overs. Cafferkeycarried hisbat throughout the inningsfor an unbeaten 123 and hewas Hunts County Bats The HCCC are once again very ably assisted by his Godmanchester colleague Taylor West who recorded his maiden County senior The Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon grateful to Hunts County half century. Bats for providing all the Cambridge Building Society (Continued on Page 2) cricket balls to be used in PTC Software Ltd. this years matches If you wish to sponsor HCCC contact Gary Whitbread or any other committee member, whose details can be found Members Tea below. Simon Black HCCC Committee After the last two Members Teas we have changed the day to try and improve attandance. The tea, which Chairman: Gary Whitbread (01480 212350) this year takes place on the day of the match against the MiddlesexAcademy, is on a Sunday, thus hopefully Sponsor a Match allowing more of you to come. Who can resist the temptation of a days cricket against a first class county’s This season we are looking for Match Sponsors. Secretary: Sandra Mitcham (01480 301679) Treasurer: John Walker (01480 477295) young guns, one of the Ivo’s fine teas, and even a glass or two to wash it down with? For as little as £50 you can get your name or your Please come along, tea will be about 4 p.m., but the games starts at 11 a.m. company’s name associated with any match during Team Manager: Hedley Swannell (01487 832328) the year. There are some highly prestigious matches Other Members: Kevin Clement to chose from, as you will see on our fixture list. David Summers Simon Black

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Surrey a Class Act Under 19 Side Season 2010 (Continued from Page 1) Fixtures Skipper David McCallum weighed in with a cameo innings of 18 at better than a run a ball and at tea Wed 02/06/2010 Lincolnshire Home Market Deeping (won) there was every expectation that Hunts could either restrict their visitors’ reply or bowl them out. However the wicket was full of runs and the Hunts bowlers had a torrid afternoon with none of them Tue 29/06/2010 Essex Home St.Ives every able to tame the Surrey batsmen who ran out comfortable victors with more than eleven overs to Tue 04/08/2010 Norfolk Away Fakenham spare. All Matches begin at 11 a.m. Hunts 251 for 5 in 50 overs (Michael Cafferkey 123 n.o. Taylor West 60) Surrey 255 for 3 in 38.1 overs (James Cowan 1 for 42) Clement’s Classic Corner Kevin Clement has a keen interest in the history of cricket in Huntingdonshire, and has done a lot of Lincs Surprised research into Hunts past. Here he goes back even before the days when Gary Whitbread was playing. Lincolnshire were the East of England U19 champions last season and fancied their chances of retaining HCCC v MCC the trophy after a big win over Norfolk in their opening game. However Jon Carpenter, fresh from Has Huntingdonshire ever played at Lord’s? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is yes and that bowling at the England side in their warm up for the first Test against Bangaladesh, returned home to in 1870 and 1871 HCCC played MCC in two day matches at the home of cricket. captain the U19 side to an impressive if very unexpected victory. Carpenter led from the front with a Both matches ended in defeat although Lord’s wasn’t the idyllic place it is today. Less than a month before very responsible century as the wickets tumbled around him and then in harness with off spinner Taylor the 1870 match, a young Notts batsman called Summers was killed whilst batting against MCC and the West they first slowed the Lincolnshire reply that had threatened to gallop away with a victory and then pitches were described as very bowler friendly. between them in their joint spell they saw seven wickets fall for just 49 runs (including two run outs). Let’s set the scene. Conventional bowling as we know it today was very new and most bowling was delivered A special mention must be made of the impressive ground fielding of the young Hunts side as they round-arm or under-arm. Lob bowlers [a type of predecessor to the Hedley Swannell School of Bowling] recorded their first victory over Lincolnshire at U19 level since that County joined the competition. were a common sight and overs merely consisted of four deliveries. The art of wicketkeeping was also in its Hunts U19 224 all out in 49.4 overs (Jon Carpenter 108) infancy and most teams still employed a long-stop. Batsmen had little protection with helmets over a century Lincs U19 173 all out in 42.4 overs (Taylor West 4 for 25) away, leg-guards primitive in design and batting gloves not worn by most. STOP PRESS - Army in Retreat Above all playing the game was the preserve of the gentry, the clergy and those in professional classes, e.g. Huntingdonshire (237 for 5 wkts in 38.3 overs) beat the Army (231 for 7 wkts in 50.0 overs) by 5 doctors, solicitors. Working classes were generally bowlers but again, unless professional, couldn't play as wickets. matches were normally played on weekdays. Who appeared for Huntingdonshire in these matches? Thomas Frederick Fowler, a Huntingdon solicitor Seniors Season 2010 who had the dubious distinction of being successfully sued for breach of promise by his ex fiancé and Fixtures Charles Marshall, who was involved with the family brewery, were the leading all-rounders and both played Wed 12/05/2010 RAF Home St. Ives (won) first-class cricket. Thu 27/05/2010 Northants II Home St. Ives (lost) VictorAlexander Montagu, the son of the Earl of Sandwich, played, as did the Eaton Socon pair of Surtees Wilkinson and Doctor Charles Burnett. Representing the clergy was the wonderfully named Harry Harbord Thu 03/06/2010 Surrey Academy Home St. Ives (lost) and from the renown Diddington family of Linton was James, the all-time leading wicket-taker for HCCC. Thu 17/06/2010 Army Home Godmanchester (won) HCCC lost the first match by seven wickets and were soundly thrashed in the second game, by an innings Sun 27/06/2010 Middlesex Academy Home St. Ives and 50 runs, despite appearing to have a stronger side. This team included Thomas Sherwin Pearson, who Wed/Th 28-29/07/2010 Northumberland Away Tynemouth played 122 first-class matches, and Henry Nixon who was a professional net bowler at Lord’s and recorded 8 for 76 in the MCC innings. All Matches begin at 11 a.m. Professionalism in club cricket is not a modern day phenomenon or a practice that only occurred in Northern Development Side Season 2010 cricket. A whole army of men earned a living as cricket professionals at schools, members clubs like MCC, Fixtures as well as urban and rural cricket clubs. Wed 23/06/2010 Lincolnshire Home Market Deeping The afore-mentioned Nixon was a professional at Eaton Socon and paid cricketers are known to have Wed 14/07/2010 Suffolk Home St. Ives played for Godmanchester Town, Ramsey and St.Neots in the 19th century as well as Peterborough, which Wed 21/07/2010 Norfolk Away Horsford was to remain in deepest Northamptonshire until 1965. Tue 10/08/2010 Essex Home St.Ives One final thought on Victorian cricket. Now days umpires venture into the world of officiating after their playing days have finished. Not so 140 years ago when professionals, and Nixon was one, supplemented Wed 25/08/2010 Cambridgeshire Away Clare College their income by standing when not required to play. All Matches begin at 11 a.m. Kevin Clement

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