Clifton College v Sherborne School, 150th Anniversary Match

Saturday 20th June 2015, 11am The Close, Clifton College OldCLIF CliftonianTON Society Cricket Week 2015 COLLEGE

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The Close Contacts for the OC Cricket Society: Clifton College Jeremy Brooks - President [email protected] Monday 6th July 07966 264405 Old Cliftonians v Clifton Badgers Rupert Swetman - Captain Tuesday 7th July [email protected] Old Cliftonians v Flaming Sambucas 07773 786004 Wednesday 8th July John Davies - Treasurer Old Cliftonians v Old Bristolians [email protected] Thursday 9th July 07866 440958 Old Cliftonians v Gloucester Gypsies Charlotte Graveney - Secretary Friday 10th July [email protected] Old Cliftonians v Free Foresters 07971 638880

Old Cliftonian cricketers with current Clifton College 1st XI at Commem, May 2015

Published by CLIFTON Clifton College 32 College Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JH COLLEGE 0117 315 7000 ESTA BLISHED 1862 www.cliftoncollege.com Find us on [email protected] The teams, 2015

Clifton College 1st XI Joel Barber Louie Shaw Finlay Trenouth Thomas Costley (Captain) Alexander Binnington Savage Charlie Spink Daniel Lewis Thomas Probert Vir Lakhani Thomas Griffith Gareth Jones

Sherborne School 1st XI Will Cochrane Dyet (Captain) Will Caldwell George Pope Fergus Hughes-Onslow Tom Mason James Caldwell Alex Rydon Conrad Fish Bradley Weatherhead Charles Carr-Smith Charlie Smith Alex Kwaitkowski

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 3 CLIFTON COLLEGE

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A very warm welcome to Clifton.

Today’s match marks the 150th anniversary of the Clifton v. Sherborne match.

Clifton’s cricket pitch stands proudly in the middle of the Close whose ‘breathless hush’ was made famous by Old Cliftonian Sir Henry Newbolt.

On a lighter note it is also the place where another famous Old Cliftonian, John Cleese, first entertained the spectators with his ‘silly walks’ to and around the boundary. Cleese was, incidentally, a fine cricketer.

Although mindful of those who have gone before, today’s game will be contested by pupils whose minds will be focused on the present: let us hope for a great game played in the right spirit.

Enjoy the day: enjoy reminiscing about the games you played in and enjoy one another’s company.

Mr M. J. Moore MA Head of College and Head Master of The Upper School

4 Every schoolboy cricketer who steps on to the Close at Clifton can count himself fortunate and Sherborne is particularly honoured to be invited to play in this historic 150th anniversary match to celebrate the first-ever fixture between our two schools. Our team will doubtless be thankful that the 5 am departure from Sherborne that was necessary in the 19th century no longer applies today! These early starts for the away sides, however, were fully justified with a series of closely fought fixtures beginning with a tie in the inaugural match itself.

Sherborne’s own ground, the Upper, has allowed us to nurture the talents of many fine players over the last 150 years. We are lucky to number two England captains among them, Arthur Carr and David Sheppard. It is an irony that neither captained the Sherborne XI in their time at school. David Sheppard (later Bishop of Liverpool) will surely forever retain the unique record of scoring a match-winning test century against Australia at the MCG on a Thursday and preaching to a packed Melbourne Cathedral on the Sunday. In modern times, another Shirburnian, Jimmy Adams of Hampshire has proved himself one of the most consistent batsman and finest captains on the county circuit.

I am sure that those playing today will continue the traditions of excellent cricket and true sportsmanship of those who have gone before them. I wish the very best of luck to both teams.

Ralph Barlow Headmaster, Sherborne School

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 5 CliftonCLIF v TONSherborne 1865-2015 COLLEGE

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Discrepancies between Clifton and Sherborne records flagged [C] and [S]

1865 Match tied 1866 Sherborne won by 20 runs 1867 Match drawn 1868 Clifton won by 10 wickets 1869 Sherborne won by 7 wickets 1870 Sherborne won by 11 runs 1871 Match drawn 1872 [not played] 1873 Clifton won by 56 runs 1874 Clifton won by an innings & 83 runs 1875 Clifton won by an innings & 35 runs 1876 Clifton won by an innings & 120 runs 1877 Clifton won by an innings & 284 runs 1878 Clifton won by 23 runs 1879 Clifton won by an innings & 187 runs 1880 Sherborne won by 66 runs 1881 Clifton won by 6 wickets 1882 Clifton won by an innings & 197 runs 1883 Clifton won by an innings & 119 runs 1884 Match drawn 1885 Clifton won by an innings & 34 runs 1886 Clifton won by an innings & 56 runs 1887 Clifton won by an innings & 365 runs

not played for 50 years

1938 Match drawn 1939 Match abandoned 1940 Match drawn 1941 Match abandoned 1942 [not played] 1943 Match abandoned 1944 [not played] 1945 Clifton won by 43 runs [C] / 42 runs [S] 1946 Sherborne won by 5 wickets

6 Clifton v Sherborne 1865-2015 (cont)

1947 Sherborne won by 9 wickets 1948 [not played] 1949 Clifton won by 4 wickets 1950 Clifton won by 58 runs 1951 Match drawn 1952 Sherborne won by 2 wickets 1953 Clifton won by 19 runs 1954 Match abandoned 1955 Match drawn 1956 Clifton won by 108 runs 1957 Sherborne won by 1 wicket 1958 Match abandoned 1959 Clifton won by 2 wickets 1960 Match drawn 1961 Clifton won by 7 wickets 1962 Match drawn 1963 Clifton won by 2 wickets 1964 Match abandoned (rain) 1965 Sherborne won by 4 wickets 1966 Match tied 1967 Match abandoned 1968 Match drawn 1969 March abandoned 1970 Match drawn 1971 Match abandoned 1972 Match drawn 1973 Sherborne won by 2 wickets 1974 Sherborne won by 100 runs 1975 Match drawn 1976 Sherborne won by 1 wicket 1977 Match drawn 1978 Match drawn 1979 Sherborne won by 4 wickets 1980 Match drawn 1981 Match cancelled 1982 Sherborne won by 5 wickets 1983 Match abandoned

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1984 Sherborne won by 123 runs 1985 Match drawn 1986 Sherborne won by 9 wickets 1987 Match cancelled 1988 Sherborne won by 106 runs 1989 Match drawn 1990 Sherborne won by 105 runs 1991 Match drawn 1992 Sherborne won by 5 wickets 1993 Match cancelled 1994 Sherborne won by 8 wickets 1995 Clifton won by 60 runs

Limited overs matches 1996 Sherborne won by 8 wickets 1997 Sherborne won by 146 runs 1998 Match drawn [C] / Sherborne won by 29 runs [S]* 1999 Clifton won by 6 wickets 2000 Sherborne won by 74 runs 2001 Clifton won by 1 run 2002 Sherborne won by 43 runs 2003 Match cancelled not played for 6 years 2010 Clifton won by 39 runs 2011 Clifton won by 27 runs 2012 Match cancelled 2013 Clifton won by 97 runs 2014 Clifton won by 2 wickets [C] / 4 wickets [S] 2015 TBD

* Draw claimed under ‘West Country’ rules (since Clifton were not bowled out)

8 Clifton v Sherborne 1865-2015 (cont)

Centuries 209* H.S. Schwann later Bagehot Swann (Clifton) in 1887 199* T.F. Smith (Clifton) in 2013 137 H.B. Mapleton (Clifton) in 1882 133* F. Taylor (Clifton) in 1873 [discounted second innings] 130 R.L. Knight (Clifton) in 1877 129* W. Fairbanks (Clifton) in 1871 124 D.P.T. Deshon (Sherborne) in 1940 123* T.D.W. Edwards (Sherborne) in 1974 120* A.H. Heath (Clifton) in 1874 111 R.E. Bush (Clifton) in 1875 109 J.R. Head (Clifton) in 1886 102 G.H.J. Rees (Clifton) in 1991

10+ wickets in match (two innings) 15 for 72 E.W. Bastard (Sherborne) in 1880 12 for 36 T.W. Stubbs (Clifton) in 1874 11 for 41 E. Smith (Clifton) in 1887 11 for 52 W.C. Johnston (Clifton) in 1879 11 for 62 G. Fowler (Clifton) in 1885 11 for 103 R.N. Exton (Clifton) in 1946 10 for 83 L.E.G. Abney (Clifton) in 1886 10 for 86 F.E. Lacey (Sherborne) in 1878

10 wickets in match (single innings) 10 for 34 A.J. Smith (Clifton) in 1950

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 9 CliftonCLIF & TONSherborne: 300* Partnership COLLEGE

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During a property dispute in 1598, a Guildford man John Derrick recalled that fifty years earlier he and his schoolmates had used the land in question for a game they called ‘creckett’. That is the first sure use of the term, and it takes us back to the reign of the boy king, Edward VI. It is unlikely that Edward knew about ‘creckett’ let alone played it, but from his regality descends the contest we celebrate and renew today. For on 13 May 1550, while Derrick was perfecting his reverse sweep on a Surrey field, the Great Seal of Edward VI was affixed to the foundation charter of Sherborne School. Because Dorset was then in the Diocese of Bristol, the making of statutes was entrusted to Bishop Bush of Bristol, who held the land at Abbots Leigh where Cliftonians now play a game they call ‘cricket’. First image of Sherborne cricketers: Bell Court c. 1845 (detail) Playing on The first schools cricket match was between Westminster and Eton in July 1796. The Etonians received a metaphorical thrashing on the field, and an actual one next day from their Head Master, who had prohibited the event. Eton and Harrow began their famous encounters in 1805, on Thomas Lord’s original ground. This also was arranged by the boys, and only possible because of the relatively short distances involved. Nationwide sporting competition was a by-product of the railway revolution. Gaslight also helped, allowing dinner at a progressively later hour, so freeing the afternoon for recreation. School sport shared in these developments, though it was driven by other factors. Headmasters introduced organised games, then made them compulsory, as an antidote to vice and general mayhem. Later this practical expedient was overlaid with the dogma that playing games (more specifically team games) bred manliness, character and leadership. Earlier contests had been just for fun.

The first reference to Sherborne cricket is in 1841, when boarders met day boys on Lenthay Green (the east side of the Common, where the town club played), and this became a regular event. In 1846 Sherborne had its first known ‘foreign’

10 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

match, against another Edwardine foundation, King’s Bruton. A contemporary print of the Bell Court shows two boys carrying bats, one of them also clutching stumps; but they are not playing, because Sherborne’s claustral site lacked the space which cricket demands. All that could be managed was a debased game with shaved bats known as ‘broomsticks’. So in 1856 the school rented a sloping hayfield on the edge of the town; at first only the upper end was usable, and ‘the Upper’ it has remained.

The genesis of the Close was very different. Clifton’s founders (unlike Edward VI) knew the importance of cricket, and stipulated that the college should be built alongside a large and flat playing ground. It was meant to exercise 500 boys, and astonishingly that number was reached just 12 years after Clifton opened. An XI was formed in the first summer (1863), captained by J.F. Walker of whom nothing is known save that distinction. A few matches were played against club sides, though for long the internal competitions (Forms then Houses) were the chief interest.

Clifton 1865 Connecting Of the inaugural match against Sherborne we know only that it was played at Clifton on Thursday 15 June 1865, and resulted in a tie. We must assume that meant level scores and not merely an inconclusive draw. Although Sherborne had played other schools, this is reckoned as the first school fixture, and was meant to ‘encourage’ Clifton as a new foundation. For this Sherborne’s Headmaster Daniel Harper must have been directly responsible. He was consulted over every arrangement for matches, which he assured a worried parent were played ‘with gentlemen only.’ Harper, who made Sherborne a school of national importance, was devoted to cricket, and indeed frequently expressed that devotion in the pulpit. He also endorsed Clifton’s rapid advance to the front rank by inviting John Percival to the second Headmasters’ Conference at Sherborne in 1870.

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 11 CliftonCLIF & Sherborne:TON 300* Partnership (cont) COLLEGE

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There have been many other connexions. The first assistant master appointed to Clifton, T.H. Stokoe, had taught briefly at Sherborne. H.R. King (Clifton 1869-75) spent his whole working life at Sherborne, as master and then honorary chaplain (1883- 1934); his diaries nevertheless reflect some residual Cliftonian piety. Not much of this can have rubbed off on W. Allis-Smith, Sherborne 1869: the first team photograph who had two terms in the Clifton Junior School (1879) before moving to Sherborne. He reached the XI, and so played against his old school on the Upper in 1884, where he was adjudged caught behind despite (according to home observers) failing to contact the ball.

Clifton has educated two Headmasters of Sherborne. C.H.T. Wood was struck down by fatal illness a few weeks after taking office in 1909. A.R. Wallace, a member of the Clifton XI of 1910, ran Sherborne from 1934 to 1950, and revived the Clifton fixture after half a century of abeyance. Because of that interlude several of the migrants never played in these matches. R.J. Bamberger (Clifton 1897-9) transferred to Sherborne, where he played in the XIs of 1902 and 1903. Arthur Wyatt-Smith (Sherborne 1888-95), Head of School, Captain of the XV and XI in his last year, came to Clifton as a master, before advancing (?) to Harrow. His football side of 1894 included a former Cliftonian, W.H. Dalton. In this year we recall particularly H.G. May, Captain of the Sherborne XI of 1907, who spent two years on the Clifton staff before returning to Sherborne in 1914. He died of wounds on active service early the following year.

A.R. Wallace, Clifton 1910, and as Headmaster of Sherborne 12 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

R.T.M. Lindsay, Captain of the Clifton XI of 1947, was for many years the proprietor and Headmaster of Sherborne Preparatory School. Canon J.P. (‘John Percival’) W. Lovett (Clifton 1892-9) was Vicar of Sherborne from 1939 to 1947. A looser association (in all respects) is that of Col. E.C. Plant, Clifton’s Corps Commander and Technical Drawing Master (1867-1902), who as Mr E. Hall lived another life near Sherborne, where he kept bees and a supernumerary Mrs Hall.

Awaydays Sherborne station had opened in 1860, but for reaching Bristol it was not immediately any use. The Shirburnians of course knew this, and took a trap to Yeovil Pen Mill. At Westbury they changed from the standard metals of the L&SWR to the GWR’s broad gauge, and so proceeded to Temple Meads. Before the line to Clifton Down opened in 1874 this stage of the journey was also horse-drawn. One year the Clifton party set off without having mastered the complex railway map of Yeovil, and were relying on a tight connexion between trains which actually stopped a mile apart. A bone-shaking conveyance had to be hired at great expense for the remaining six miles. This problem was resolved on future occasions by Sherborne’s Captain meeting the visitors at Pen Mill with his own equipage. Development of the railway system eventually made things a little easier, but not much. It always meant leaving at 5.30 am, and over three hours in transit. No masters escorted the teams; games were in general run by senior boys, and this extended to away matches. The baggage would have been considerably less than is now needed by the most junior players. On arrival substantial breakfast would be served, with play beginning at the civilised hour of 11.30.

Troubling the scorers Despite the logistical difficulties the original format was a two-innings match in a single day. Nevertheless an unanswered second-innings was discounted, so that a result could be reckoned from the first exchange. So in the 1866, because there was no time for Sherborne to bat again, they won by 11 runs on first innings lead (72 against Clifton’s 52), although Clifton had made a further 104. Sherborne’s win in 1870 was achieved on the same basis, while in 1873 Clifton’s margin of victory (56 runs) was much lower than their aggregate advantage (412 against 104). This was clearly unsatisfactory, and in the following year the fixture was extended to two days. Perversely the first result was an innings win for Clifton, including an undefeated 120 from opener A.H. Heath, later of Gloucestershire and Middlesex. The match ended so early that a ‘pick-up’ was played to fill the afternoon, during which Heath knocked off another 73.

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 13 CliftonCLIF & Sherborne:TON 300* Partnership (cont) COLLEGE

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The Three Graces: W.G. and his brothers in a Gloucestershire match on the Close, 1875

Clifton produced a host of fine players from the very start. E.F.S. Tylecote (Captain of 1868), whose 404* in an internal match was briefly the world record, went on to play in six of the earliest Tests. Before that J.A. Bush had kept wicket for W.G. Grace’s Australian tourists of 1873-4, and was a stalwart of Grace’s Gloucestershire team for many years. His brother R.E. who played for the county while still at school, made 111 in the Sherborne match of 1874 (presumably on one leg when he was bowled). Frank Taylor, whose 133* in the ‘dead’ second innings of 1873 was the first century in the fixture, was also already a Gloucesterhire player. The county connexion and the patronage of W.G. Grace (local resident and Clifton parent) gave great encouragement to College cricket. The Close itself was a regular county ground from 1871 to 1932, and over 30 Cliftonians have played for the side. Sherborne’s links with Somerset and Hampshire have not been so pervasive. Indeed in 1876 Sherborne was reduced to panic by the tidy bowling of two future Hampshire players: L.G. Bonham-Carter began by taking 4 for 6 in the first innings; A.H. Evans (who also played for Somerset) completed the task with 5 for 9 in the second. School opponents often became county colleagues: the first Somerset side to play a 1st-class match (Old Trafford 1882) included members of the Clifton and Sherborne XIs of 1877, H.F. Fox and W. Trask.

14 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

Treading the pitch Sherborne won the second match in 1866, and had a comfortable 7 wicket victory in 1869, after Clifton had lost Tylecote and the Bushes. Sherborne also won in 1880, largely through the left-arm spin of the future Somerset player E.W. Bastard (15 for 72). In that era bowlers dominated, and in public schools that meant slow bowlers, because gentlemen did not sweat. Among Sherborne’s smart performers was E.A. Nepean, later of Middlesex, who once felled Francis Newbolt (brother of Clifton’s poet) with a ‘curly one’. F.E. Lacey, who took 10 for 86 in the Clifton match of 1878, played for Hampshire before many years as Secretary of MCC, and was the first sportsman to be knighted. However the beginnings of the fixture were dominated by Clifton, with the likes of K.J. Key (later Captain of Surrey), G. Fowler (Somerset) and J.H. Brain (Gloucestershire), who in the

1883 match took respectively 6 for 31, 5 for 5, Edward Bastard and 5 for 4. Clifton won 14 of the first 22 matches, 15 wickets for Sherborne, 1880 ten of them by an innings.

The Shirburnian had to feed its readers largely on humble pie. It was even suggested that the Cliftonians were more sporting. One correspondent Sperans Meliora deplored the failure to applaud opponents’ good play, and ‘caddish’ laughter at their dropped catches. Poor conditions made things worse, though both sides found fault with the other’s ground. The 1867 match was abandoned because neither batsmen nor bowlers could stay upright in the mud. Another year (again on the Close) the Sherborne bowlers had to ‘discharge’ the ball from a stationary position. Despite all this the Shirburnian gamely acknowledged that the fixture was the most enjoyable of the year.

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 15 CliftonCLIF & Sherborne:TON 300* Partnership (cont) COLLEGE

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There was nevertheless a growing feeling that the fight should be stopped. In 1887 Clifton won by an innings and 365 runs; H.G. Schwann made 209*, which remains the record for the fixture. The Shirburnian put some blame for this latest disaster on Clifton’s rock-solid pitch, but thought the main problem was the school’s greater enthusiasm for football. The OC master H.R. King hoped that this ‘frantic hiding’ would be the last.

And so it was, though, though not just for cricketing reasons. From 1888 to 1892 Sherborne was wracked by a quarrel between the Headmaster E.M. Young and a volatile assistant master, E.C. Malan. Malan was an OS who had played against Clifton in 1867, being dismissed by C.B.L. Tylecote for 0. Young did

Top of the form: H.S. Schwann not get rid of him so easily, and Malan eventually 209* in Clifton’s won an action for libel against the Headmaster. The 1887 victory issue split the Sherborne Common Room and fuelled public debate; discipline in the school collapsed, and numbers dropped to half the capacity of 240. Just when Sherborne’s strife erupted, Clifton’s numbers peaked at 673. Clifton was also moving into a bigger league, playing Cheltenham from 1872 and Rugby from 1887.

Interval Before Clifton and Sherborne met again, there were major developments in both schools. Grounds were extended, and pitches were re-laid with marl, ushering in an age of big batting. Clifton cricket spread over the road to New Field in 1890 and across the river to Beggar’s Bush in 1910 At Sherborne the original playing field was levelled, making the distinction between ‘Upper’ and ‘Lower’ purely nominal, and other land was acquired. Sherborne’s pavilion was capped by a clock tower in 1913, and reached its present form in 1930. Clifton made do with a humble wooden shed until the stylish Jack Painter (Gloucestershire classical box was erected in 1923. Both schools benefited and England) from professional coaching: J.R. Painter (Gloucestershire Professional at Sherborne then and England) worked first for Sherborne (1889-93) and then Clifton, 1889-1900 at Clifton until his death in 1900. In the early 20th century

16 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

Sherborne cricket was in every sense shaped by E.J. Freeman (Essex), professional and head groundsman for 36 years. Clifton had Harry Pickett (Essex), John Tunnicliffe (Yorks) aka ‘Long John of Pudsey’, and huge George Thompson ‘the Northamptonshire Nugget’ (Northants and England).

Sherborne recovered its numbers and reputation, while Clifton continued to prosper. Both schools found new fixtures, some more distant but usually along direct railway lines. Clifton also began its annual meeting with Tonbridge at Lord’s, held between 1914 and 1968, and memorably revived last year to mark the centenary. Sherborne had made their sole appearance at Lord’s in 1874, a resounding victory over Rossall.

Some of the legendary figures of Clifton and Sherborne cricket flourished in the years of separation. C.L. Townsend never quite fulfilled the forecast of his mentor W.G. Grace that he would be ‘the great cricketer of the end of the century’. He played in just two Tests; but he was Clifton’s finest and a Gloucestershire giant (twice achieving 1000 runs and 100 wickets in a season). Others who never played Sherborne were A.E.J. Collins, who at the age of 13 took the world batting record to 628* where it remains, and G.W.E. Whitehead, who made the highest score for the school (259* in 1912). Among their talented Sherborne contemporaries was R.W.F. Jesson (96* and 7 for 18 in one Tonbridge match), who played briefly for Hampshire. These three all fell in the Great War.

Although Clifton has produced far more first-class cricketers, Sherborne leads 2-0 in England captains. The first of these A.W. Carr never led the school XI (as he did the XV), but he scored prodigiously, averaging 62.42 in 1911. He became a successful Captain of Nottinghamshire, encouraging Larwood and Voce to develop leg theory, though this eventually brought about his downfall. He had two equally controversial spells as England Captain (1926, 1929). Carr is the model for Lovelace ma. in Alec Waugh’s Loom of Youth, the 1917 novel which exposed the sinews of Sherborne’s sporting life.

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 17 CliftonCLIF & Sherborne:TON 300* Partnership (cont) COLLEGE

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Resumption In 1934 A.R. Wallace OC became Headmaster of Sherborne, and four years later Sherborne returned to the Close, where a last-wicket stand saved the day for Clifton. Weather and war disrupted the early years of the resumed fixture, though in 1940 there was time for D.P.T. Deshon to make Sherborne’s first century in it (124). Early next year Clifton was evacuated to Bude, and though some schools matches were possible, Sherborne was out of range. Plans to meet in Exeter in 1944 had to be abandoned.

The contest began again in 1945 with a strong performance by Clifton, thanks largely to the off- breaks of Bernard Thomas (9 for 17). Next year Clifton were beaten on the Upper by 5 wickets, despite more fine bowling from their Captain R.N. Exton (6 for 56 and 5 for 47). The Sherborne hero was opener D.S. Sheppard, whose first innings 74 was more than Sherborne centurions Clifton’s total. The Shirburnian admired his polish and D.P.T Deshon 124 (1940) T.D.W. Edwards 123* (1974) alertness at the crease, though he was thought rather slow in the field. Later that summer Sheppard was at Lord’s to see his future England colleague M.C. Cowdrey of Tonbridge give Clifton another hammering. In 1947 Sherborne did even better; Sheppard laid the foundations with a useful 30, though the honours went to J.R. Tozer (73) and P.N. Wilson (51*). Clifton never recovered from a poor start, and were defeated by 9 wickets. The Cliftonian felt the batting so far below standard ‘that comment is unnecessary’, and could find merit only in R.T.M. Lindsay’s undefeated 11. Sheppard went on to captain Cambridge University, Sussex and (briefly) England, playing in 22 Tests with three centuries and an average of 37.8. He was also of course to achieve distinction as a pastor and prelate.

David Sheppard, Sherborne1946 18 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

New forms The revived fixture had reverted to the single day two-innings format. After the war road travel replaced rail, though the journey was still irksome; indeed the Cliftonian tried to blame the 1946 defeat on the motor buses. Two innings were last played in 1949, when both sides collapsed on a turning wicket. To celebrate the start of a new format, in 1950 leg-spinner A.J. Smith took all ten Sherborne wickets for 34, helping Clifton to victory on the Upper. Sherborne gave him the killer ball, which was passed to our Archives and is exhibited today. Not far behind was D.C. Mills, who helped Clifton to victory in 1953 with 7 for 34 (though the Cliftonian unkindly printed it as 1 for 34). Sherborne’s S.P. Tindall made a hat-trick in 1955, when the Close saw one of those exciting draws which so puzzle the unlearned. Clifton’s ninth wicket fell with three minutes left; the new batsman survived the last ball of a Tindall over, and the bowler at the other end rushed through six deliveries, hoping to give Tindall another crack at the no. 11 – but time ran out. Sherborne returned to 10 out of 10: the Close in 1957 fearful of a strong Clifton side, whose Captain had A.J. Smith already played for Gloucestershire. In the event J.R. Bernard’s 79 Clifton 1950 was unsupported (J.M. Cleese being third highest scorer with 7), and though Sherborne also collapsed, their tail-enders secured an unexpected victory.

Clifton 1957, captained by Richard Bernard; John Cleese behind him Clifton College v Sherborne School | 19 CCliftonLIF & Sherborne:TON 300* Partnership (cont) COLLEGE

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Until the mid 1960s honours were fairly even. Indeed the 1966 match ended in a tie with both sides all out for 141. The rest of the century was largely dominated by Sherborne. Clifton’s last win had been in 1963; there would not be another until 1995, which was also the last of the declaration games. The best Clifton batting of this era came in 1991 from T.A.N. Windows (88) and G.H.J. Rees (102). The only other post-war century (123*) was made by T.D.W. Edwards of Sherborne in the school’s 1974 home victory. The same match saw C.J. Symondson take 6 for Clifton wickets for 9. Although in those days the Close was reckoned a soft wicket, the going on the Upper was softer still. In 1984 Clifton were appalled to find the Sherborne pitch green and apparently unrolled. Although the home side were the first to suffer, they steadied and then seemed to bury the match with a late declaration. However N.H. Peters (already an English Schools player) won it for Sherborne with an ‘inspired’ 5 for 4.

Although limited-overs cricket became popular in the 1960s, it was a slow developer in schools, and has only applied here for twenty years. The 1998 result remains in dispute. Sherborne claim a straightforward victory, having made 122 (or maybe 126) against Clifton’s 97; but Clifton reckon it a draw under ‘West Country rules’ because Sherborne were all out while they had wickets in hand at the close. Clifton played other matches to this format, but no evidence has been found that Sherborne did so. Indeed in his match report M.D. Nurton maintained that LO was introduced to encourage positive play, and to prevent blocking-out for a draw. His opposite number D.C. Henderson still maintains that Sherborne had agreed to the WC rules. Perhaps the teams should be recalled for a re-play.

Onward The fixture had another brief hiatus between 2004 and 2009, but is now happily restored. Recent matches cannot yet be viewed in historical perspective, but the landmark achievement was undoubtedly the 199* from Clifton’s T.F. Smith’s in 2013.

Despite competition from other sports, and the shortening of the season, both schools have invested confidently in cricket development. In particular the pitches of the Close and the Upper have been rebuilt for firmness and consistency. New stars have appeared in the firmament. In 1988 N.H. Peters of Surrey became Sherborne’s first county player since Sheppard. After more than a century Clifton produced its third Test player in R.J. Kirtley, who had captained the XI of 1993. Hampshire’s current Captain J.H.K. Adams led Sherborne in 1999.

May today’s players be inspired by their predecessors through a combined 300 years of cricketing history. 20 Clifton & Sherborne: 300* Partnership (cont)

Clifton 1993, captained by James Kirtley

Sherborne 1999, captained by Jimmy Adams

Text C.S. Knighton (Clifton) With thanks to R. Hassall, G.H. Tatham, A. Willows (Sherborne); J. Bobby, D.C. Henderson (Clifton) Graphic design L. Gatward (Clifton) Opinions are those of the writer and are not attributable to Clifton College or Sherborne School Jack Painter portrait (p16) © ESPN

Clifton College v Sherborne School | 21 CliftonCLIF CollegeTON 1st XI, 2015 season COLLEGE

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The season started with a two-day tour to play Pangbourne College and The Oratory School. On both occasions we scored over 250 with six players scoring 50. The stand-out performance came from Tom Probert who smashed 101 in just 55 balls against The Oratory. The first fixture of the term was SGS Filton, always a tough game against a number of Gloucestershire players in their side. Clifton bowled really well in the second part of the Filton innings. We went past the Filton score with an over to spare, Fin Trenouth scoring an excellent 80 not out. Cheltenham College is always a closely fought contest, none more so than this year. Needing 14 to win from the final two overs we were certainly favourites but inexperienced batting under pressure saw Cheltenham win by one run. The fixture against Taunton School was a test of resilience against the weather as the game was played through 100 overs of drizzle. Once again a strong batting performance, including a wonderful 121 from Louie Shaw, put Clifton in a strong position at 292-5. Taunton then put on 70 for their final wicket to lose by just 8 runs. In the following week the College’s T20 campaign started with a crushing 9 wicket win over Bristol Grammar School. Clifton progress into the next round probably against SGS Filton. Batting first against Kingswood School and Monmouth in the last two Saturday matches of the first half of the term brought two strong performances. Over 290 against Kingswood and 222-8 against Monmouth. Both games resulted in two wins for Clifton by 16 and 20 runs. Captain Tom Costley bowled superbly against Monmouth to secure the win. The XI have been busy and successful so far, playing some good cricket and being well lead by their captain. There is considerable optimism for the second half of the term. John Bobby (Master i/c cricket, Clifton College)

Back: Mr P.W. Romaines, Vir Lakhani, Louie Shaw, Gareth Jones, Charlie Spink, Finlay Trenouth, Thomas Griffith, Miles Hackett, Mr J.C. Bobby; Front: Thomas Probert, Alexander Binnington Savage, Thomas Costley (Captain), Joel Barber, Daniel Lewis 22 Sherborne School 1st XI, 2015 season

Sherborne's 1st XI season so far has been one of mixed fortunes. After starting so promisingly with wins over Wellington, Sherborne Town and Bryanston, the team have found it tough going on a strong schools circuit. We lost against Millfield by two wickets, and were further defeated by Marlborough and Cheltenham. The standout performer so far has been Will Caldwell, a new recruit to the lower 6th form. A tall right-handed opening batter, he has an unflappable temperament and high powers of concentration that has seen him make two centuries and two half centuries so far, prior to half term. Bradley Weatherhead has been ever reliable as the primary left-arm spinner, and continues to cause inroads into opposition sides. With Blundell’s and Canford still to play before Sherborne travel to Clifton, they will be hoping to gain some positive results and momentum to take into the fixture. At the time of writing, the U14s at Sherborne find themselves in the last 4 of the county cup, whilst the U15s have progressed to the 3rd round of the National Lord’s Taverners competition. The U17s are due to play away in the next round of the National competition at Truro College. The fixture is always highly anticipated with a fantastic rivalry between the two sides, and I have no doubt this will be another competitive and successful day for all involved. Once again thank you for hosting us. Tom Flowers (Master I/C Cricket Sherborne School)

Back: Alex Kwaitkowski, Charlie Smith, Tom Mason, Conrad Fish, George Pope, Charles Carr-Smith; Front: Will Caldwell, Fergus Hughes-Onslow, Will Cochrane-Dyet (Captain), James Caldwell, Bradley Weatherhead, Alex Rydon Clifton College v Sherborne School | 23 Cricket at Sherborne School, 2015

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