Nigel must have had a Delphic premonition about fathers facing sons, as he dropped himself in favour of Toby for the Fixture Secretary's XI at Belmont with some dubious agricultural excuse, and then only donned his whites in the penultimate over. Out in the middle the...
Stragglers met with triumph and disaster in two games in quick succession at Nonington and Provender. Harry P starred with the ball at Nonington, to record an exceptional 6 for 21, but the batting then failed to convert and were overwhelmed. Three days later, five of...
With a remarkable impression of Prince Eugene of Savoy raising the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683, Simon Allport rode to the Straggler rescue with 5 for 38 to repel the apparently unstoppable Turkish charge. At 135 for 2, with plenty of time remaining and a rampant...
Another damp day in this very damp summer (drought order and hose pipe ban excepting) and circumspect batting saw its just rewards. Gone were the cavalier innings and glory days of 2011, chasing record totals in 30 overs or fewer, replaced by grim determination on...
There is nothing like a drinks break to interrupt the flow, and for Standard Athletic at Belmont, the drinks break removed the shackles from Ben Bowles, and saw Theo flourish with abandon. The run rate for the previous 60 overs has drifted along at a miserly 4 an...
2011 Awards Leading Batsman (and honourable mention) Charlie Munton 460 runs at an average of 76.67 (Jasper Smallwood 321 runs at an average of 64.20) Leading Bowler Nick Tapp 27 wickets at an average of 16.30 Young...
Our illustrious President made a rare appearance in the middle at Hollingbourne, keen to be part of the action in a season of high profile umpiring decisions. And not a moment too soon, as Matthew Roberts, batting with great style, was undone on 81, and out strode the...
Cruising for victory with Jasper and Pit-pat smashing sixes though the cedar trees into the park land, everything was perfect at the most perfect of country grounds. Plenty of fire power in the locker, 120 for one and cruising; Giles was forgiven the pies that had...
A sticky dog at Beneden, a shower and intermittent drizzle, the sky was lit up by a pair of perfect rainbows arcing over the ground with a very autumnal feel to the air. Out in the middle Al Smallwood, manfully holding the innings together after Jasper's demise, was...
Age is beginning to take its toll on a number of senior Stragglers. It was widely postulated that montane erosion is more eye-catchingly swift than the Boulanger on the boundary or Snapper fielding off his toes; and the Chairman's bowling now has such lack of pace as...