CRYPTIC CRICK CLUB - DINNER 2018
Sat 10 March 2018 @ Oxford University OTC

The assembled company had an excellent evening with retiring President Mark Williams as MC.  

For Grace, Nick Priestnall was credited with being very poetic but readily admitted the words were written by C B Fry!

A superb four-course meal was provided by the caterers at the OU OTC led by the wonderfully named David Cook!  He and his team were duly thanked by all those eating. 

Mark Williams took the opportunity to say how much he had enjoyed his spell as President and that he would continue to support the Club in every way possible.  He acknowledged with gratitude that the AGM had unanimously agree to make him a Vice President of the Club.  He provided a full introduction to our guest speaker,  Nick Stewart, highlighting his prowess as an opening bowler.  Nick entertained us well with a mixture of political and cricketing stories and a fantastic repertoire of impersonations.  If the day job ever goes wrong he could make another career as part of the cast of Dead Ringers!  Whether it was Churchill or Stafford Cripps, John Arlott or Blowers, it was brilliant.  He concluded by wishing the Club well and highlighting the importance of young players coming through before proposing the Toast to the Club.  Distinguished Vice President Dougie Dalrymple replied in his wonderful inimitable style.  He was able to pick out elements of Nick's career with which he was personally familiar entertaining everyone with his story of how Nick removed West Indian opener Conrad Hunte in Nairobi.  Not only did Dougie deliver with style he was, always, impeccably researched and drew attention to each of the Club's guests before asking members to rise and drink their health.  

It was left to incoming President, Nick Priestnall, to bring the formal part of the evening to a close  He thanked Nick Stewart for his words,  Ed Montague for his tremendous work for the Club as Hon Gen Sec and Mark Williams for his three year Presidential stint and presented each of them with an engraved tankard.  Nick spoke briefly of his 2020s vision and his aim to guide the Club towards the 2020s with optimism and the right people in place to ensure the Club's success and the best use of technology to make their jobs as effective and efficient as possible.  He concluded with an anecdote which was going well until a certain V P anticipated the punchline!  

Guests retired to the bar which the last ones left just before midnight.

All in all an excellent evening, greatly enjoyed by all those present.