.I o 6ew Karle Simpson President ln 1958 we toured the uplands of Northamptonshire for our first game. ln following years we ventured into the jungles of eastern Surrey and the rugged grandeur of Sussex - though we also added the College in Oxford - and so the fixture list grew. Then in the 70s and BOs foreign climes beckoned. Annual pilgrimages to that Mecca for cricketers, Paris; and also Brussels and Amsterdam entered the fixture list. Not to mention our two tours to ltaly, one of which also took in Switzerland, engineered by that prince of organisers Adrian Hawkes. And now Zimbabwe, where not only will the hospitality be at least equal to that of our ltalian hosts GOOD LO(K (a real compliment) but the standard of cricket will be infinitely betterl This a brief message ol goodwill and good luck to members oi the Demijohns Cricket tour rnemories always have a touring team to Zimbabwe. I had rather hoped to have been particular flavour of their own. Two stand out with you all io assist with a displaybf in my memory. One, from our {irst tour to ltaly, imaginative umpiring but unlortunately the tour which took place in late September, is of dates clashed with other inescapable fielding against Milan C.C. (founded by Ted commitments. I was particularly interested in Dexter's father) in a batch of autumn crocuses your tour because I was a member of the (the farmer from whom the field was rented Romany CC touring side that played against the '1960 was prepared to allow these sports-mad Stragglers in December on what was then lunatics to pay him money for the use of his Salisbury Sports Ground (the test wicket) when the Romany called in to play that game belore field provided they did not cut his cattle's going on for a more protracted tour of South peaks winter fodder!), with a backdrop of the Africa. That tour was described in the Durban of the Dolomites gleaming with their first Sunday Tribute as being "probably the first of its snowfall. Even Dexter in his prime would type ever embarked upon by a never have reached the boundary along the completely amateur non-international side and ground. Frustrating for batsmen; but what a has taken two years of planning. fund raising glorious scene. Made particularly memorable and organising". I myself remember the match when, on the same ground on our following againsl the Stragglers particularly clearly visit, we defeated All ltaly; the only English because in the first over of their innings our wickei keeper lifted a ball from a rather quick team to win a match against an international opening bowler into my face at first slip and I side that year, until England won the first test finished up in hospital and ultimately back in the in Australia in December of that year! bar with one of the local supporters, A.P. The second memory is of a Demi.john, at an Singleton, who had captained Oxford and advanced hour following an enthralling victory Worcestershire in his day, insisting that I should over Meudon, standing on a traffic island in hold a tankard of beer to my mouth 'so that as the middle of a Parisian street and "claiming the swelling subsides it will set in the right this island in the name of Her Majesty the shape". I also remember appearing on the newly-opened Rhodesian television Queen". to be interviewed by Tony Pithey, then playing for And now Zimbabwe, most exciting of all our South Africa s test side. tours so far. I am certain that we shall return Above all I remember the extreme hospitality of with many happy memories of both the cricket the people in Zimbabwe because although we and the apres-cricket. Our thanks go to the only played the one game we were there for Stragglers CC for their invitation, and several days and nothing was too much trouble particularly to Tim Gleeson for all the hard lor them. I suspect that nothing in that respect work necessary to make it all possible. has changed and I hope you all have a wonderlul Zimbabwe, here we comel tour. T. Sutton-Mattocks 3 ITINERARY 26 2Tannrvr HARARE D E PART HEATHROW FLY to BULAWAYO 29 30 31 DEMIJOHNS Rest doy Rest doy BULAWAYO HWANGE HWANGE .) I J VICTORIA DEMIJOHNS VICTORIA FALLS FALLS STRAGGLERS FLY to HARARE 4 6 7 8 10 DEMIJOHNS DEMUOHNS DEMUOHNS DEMIJOHNS COACH HARARE Mrlro to FREE DAY SHAMUA HARARE GOROMONZI TREIAWNEY ROSHANGA I 11 I2 L3 T4 15 t6 t7 HARARE GOLF DAY FREE DAY FREE DAY FREE DAY FREE DAY FREE DAY 2200 FLY to HEATHROW STRAGGLER PLAYE,RS) PROFILE,S Karle Simpson Martin Abbott A Demijohn of the earliest vintage - probably corked Educated at the Salesian Colleoe Farnborouoh and Ratcliffe Colleoe. Leicester, a Demi rather than alohn. he graduated from Liverpool- by now - in whose rooms at St.John's the club was University where he read History and Politics and played hockey for the conceived. Has been known to score runs, frequently University. After forays into the accountancy profession, the religious life and with the assistance of a runner. These days known as the ILEA, he is now games master at a Benedictine boys prep school in London. El Presidente - amongst other things. A medium pace bowler, whose only surprise ball is his first, he has been seeking variety and subtlety to relieve the monotony and predictability of his action for years, but without success. A batsman in the Botham mould (he likes to think), but without the runs to prove it! - He drives too fast, enjoys walking and the pinl! . Sue Simpson occaslorral Astonishingly still the same after thirty three years of marriage. A staunch Demijohn from the earliest days, Sue has grown to enjoy even the cricket going so far Anthony Fincham & as to become a proficient scorer. Louise Linehan Ageing right arm medium pace bowler and lower ,:* d1,,- - middle order batsman. Fleetingly played first class Bob & Tessa Rham rS8' .yl, cricket for Oxford University in 1976 with best bowling ;t- oI 4lor 42 against Glamorgan, when he was warned lv ! I for bouncing Majid Khan, or so he says. Now he says he is happy to play for anybody who will Robert Hugh Rham, born Swaythling , t:: ) t-: Hants, 19.8.32. King's Wimbledon Xl ,* put up with him - which means a decreasing number of wandering sides. One previous Af rican tour - to Kenya in 1980/1 with the Cryptics. He makes the extremely 1948-51 . On National Service just f3iled unlikely claim of having then averaged 70 with the bat. As recently as last November, he to reach Timbuctoo. organised the Law Society Cricket Club tour to steamy Bangkok, about which he makes the even E Oriel College, Oxford 1953-56 lI more improbable claim that the sole object and indulgence of the trip was the cricket itself . has Works in the city as a par,tner in the law firm of Cameron Markby Hewitt. treasured card from Colin Cowdrey asking me to Captain the Editors note: Finchcake is pipped by Martin Abbott as the oldest bachelor in the party, but the Freshmen of 1954. Shell welcomed him because he wanted to go back announcement of his engagement to Louise is expected before the end of the tour. to West Africa - and then posted him to Borneo. When lndonesia kicked Shell out he ended up in lCl Metals when fluent lndonesian got him a job in Export Sales, Western Europe. Rolls-Royce offered him more to leave for Bristol where he remained happily and prosperously enough to retire at 55 and walk the 500 mile South-West way. Other Frederick Dove clubs: Hampshire Hogs, Gloucestershire Gypsies, Clifton, Flax Not one of the giants in the Demijohns squad by any means.rConsiders Boulton, Wessex Stags, XL Club. quality to be above quantity. A slow bowler - you can't get much slower. His Theresa (Tessa) Bloilrfield Rham wife of Bob, born Great Horkesley secret is in the bowling action and a low trajectory. Definitely not a wrist 19.6.33, of Col. V.G. Royal Marines. Won Bedales' spinner, but can swing, spin and seam, sometimes even with the ball. Used daughter Clayton to be Secretary of the Khartoum Cricket Club - the only cricket elub left in The Throwing The Cricket Ball, Dorset House Oxford (O.T) 1952-56, WW,,;WA Sudan - so isn't daunted by the prospect of fielding on African outfields. He's married the above in1958, also speaks fluent lndonesian,3 children all married to Chrissy and produces Current Affairs programmes at the BBC World Service. He's rather bright. also the proud producer of one and a half year old Dominic. PLAYE,RS) PROFILE,S Chris Hardin Felicia Pheasant I bowl off breaks and bat lefthanded. Joined Crockham Hill Cricket Club as a Born Kingston, Jamaica. Educated St.Andrews, Kingston, Redland High boy of 12 and have been a player there for 40 years, apart from a brief spell School (Bristol), St. Hilda's College, Oxford, reading French. Worked in with Surrey C.C.C as a quickie (that has to be some years ago!) Have been publishing for Penguin. Now translates books from French into English. CIub Captain for over 25 years. lnterests, apart lrom a fanatical love for Musician: LRAM (piano); soprano with Brussels Choral Society. cricket, are horse racing and classical music. Works as a Sales Area Homeopathy enthusiast - shortly to begin translating a family guide to Manager for Nestle.