2012 SEASON SUMMARY
Played 25. Won 10. Lost 8. Drawn 7. Cancelled 13
v St.Edward's School, Oxford Drawn (rain)
St. Edward's 151 (C.Everett 43, O.Smith 30. R.Lagden 3-32, F.Vainker 3-34)
Cryptics 92-5 (E. Murray 29. G.Chaffer 3-7)
v Hurlingham Cancelled
v Hampstead Cancelled
v CUCC Cancelled
v Amersham Lost by 6 wickets
Cryptics 201-7 dec (S.Wijeratne 40, S.Lewis 30*)
Amersham 202-4 (N.Nguyen 80, H.Jackson 59*)
v Brook Lost by 5 wickets
Cryptics 283-4 dec (M.Stafford 84, J.Lyon-Taylor 75, R.Walker 49, J.Thilakawardana 45)
Brook 284-5 (J.Hamilton 86)
v Sandhurst Cancelled
v OUCC Cancelled
v Oxford Downs Cancelled
v Middleton Stoney Won by 55 runs
Cryptics 176 (R.Hastings 57, W.Pike 41)
Middleton Stoney 121 (A. Hutchinson 3-5, R.Hastings 3-17)
V Radley College Cancelled
v Frogs Lost by 4 runs
Frogs 154 (J.O'Gorman 57. C.Ward 7-36)
Cryptics 150 (J.Doole 52, G.Gibson 23. A.Marshall 6-15)
v Defence Academy Cancelled
v St Edward's Martyrs Drawn (rain)
Martyrs 104 (N.Hodgson 4-30, S.Botha 2-11, J.Ireland 2-12)
Cryptics 15-1
v MCC Cancelled
v Old Bloxhamists Cancelled
v Earl of Carnarvon's XI Cancelled
v Warborough & Shillingford Won by 9 wickets
W&S 170 (R.Iswariah 106. R.White 5-42)
Cryptics 171-1(S.Hanney 82, B.Hardy 72*)
v Hampshire Hogs Won by 7 wickets
Hogs 160-8 dec. (J.Sutherland 91. G.Ratnavel 3-26, W.Tremlett 2-17)
Cryptics 220-4 dec (O.Mills 80, D.Steward 47, D.De Silva 33*)
Hogs 177 (J.Fox 67. W.Tremlett 5-29, D. De Silva 3-40)
Cryptics 137 for 3 (O.Mills 52*, S Wijeratne 48)
v Eton Ramblers Drawn
Eton Ramblers 221-8 dec (T.Andrew 3-32, R.Hastings 3-33)
Cryptics 219-7 (D.Pike 104, T.Claughton 35, R.Hastings 32)
v Ditchling Lost by 2 wickets
Cryptics 230-5 dec (P.Armstrong 90*, W.Gilgrass 42, H.Sutton 25)
Ditchling 231-8 (A.Cubbage 91, G.King 64. J.Ireland 4-65)
v Stragglers of Asia Cancelled
v Royal Household Drawn
RHCC 174-7 dec. (S.Ensom 87. S. Jones 4-24, M.Elworthy 2-25, S.Elworthy 2-37)
Cryptics 125-8 (W.Buckland 25, S.Halliday 20*)
v HAC Won by 8 wickets
HAC 277-4 dec (S.Harty 119, D.Fulton 106. A Hutchinson 4-62)
Cryptics 278-2 (T.Chappell 130*, E.Murray 107)
SOUTHERN TOUR
v Free Foresters Lost by 72 runs
FF 217 (O.Altendorf 52. J.Ireland 5-60, W.Buckland 4-37)
Cryptics 145 (S.McLennan 42, W.Buckland 37*)
v Old Amplefordians Drawn (rain)
Cryptics 128-2 (A.Davidson 62*, S.Rusling 46)
v Sussex Martlets Cancelled (rain)
v Old Hurstjohnians Won by 63 runs
Cryptics 231 (S.Halliday 90, J.Doole 50)
OHJs 168 (A.Hutchinson 3-23)
v Old Rossallians Won by 5 wickets
ORs 160 (T.Elliot 3-25, A.Hutchinson 3-39)
Cryptics 161-5 (A.Davidson 71*)
NORTHERN TOUR
v Yorkshire Gents Won by by 7 wickets
YGs 153 (G.Barker 38, R.Umbers 33. W.Vaks 4-22, R.Page 3-11)
Cryptics 154-3 (J.Storey 80, R.Page 34)
v Settle Lost by 4 wickets
Cryptics 139 (T.Mooney 28)
Settle 140-6
v Durham Pilgrims Drawn
Cryptics 220-5 & 226-4 (M.Woodall 134*, J.Cann 60, D.Salpietro 60*)
Pilgrims 233-8 & 71-1 (S.Brown 85. J.Cann 4-45)
v East Lancs Lost by 5 wickets
Cryptics 120
East Lancs 121-5
WEST MIDLANDS TOUR
v Warwickshire Imps Won by 8 wickets
Imps 180-5 (C.Elsden 2-41)
Cryptics 182-2 (E.Gross 82*, T.Claughton 53*, I.Oakley 40)
v Old Malvernians Lost by 3 wickets
Cryptics 208-8 dec (L.Anderson 54, A.Lewis 50, B.Hughes 45)
OMs 209-7 (G.Gross 2-21, L.Anderson 2-23)
v Shropshire Gents Drawn (rain)
Gents 251-7 (A.Hutchinson 2-41, R.Davenport 2-73)
Cryptics 38-2
v Worcester Gents Won by 190 runs
Cryptics 265 – 3 dec (L.Anderson 150*, A.Milton 69*)
Worcs Gents 75 (E.Pollock 3-32, R.Davenport 2-4)
v Glos Gypsies Won by 98 runs
Cryptics 238 – 5 dec (F.Martin 83, A.Lewis 55, A.Davidson 41)
Gypsies 140 (M.Stafford 4-17, B.Precious 3-54)
2012- Top Performances
BATTING – for Cryptics
150* L.Anderson v Worcester Gents
134* M.Woodall v Durham Pilgrims
130* T.Chappell v HAC
107 E.Murray v HAC
104 D.Pike v Eton Ramblers
90” P.Armstrong v Ditchling
90 S.Halliday v Old Hurstjohnians
84 M.Stafford v Brook
83 F.Martin v Glos Gipsies
82* E.Gross v Warwickshire Imps
82 S.Hanney v Warborough & Shillingford
80 J.Storey v Yorkshire Gents
80 O.Mills v Hampshire Hogs
75 J.Lyon-Taylor v Brook
72 B.Hardy 72* v Warborough & Shillingford
71* A.Davidson v Old Hurstjohnians
69* A.Milton v Worcester Gents
62* A.Davidson v Old Amplefordians
60* D.Salpietro v Durham Pilgrims
60 J.Cann v Durham Pilgrims
57 R.Hastings v Middleton Stoney
55 A.Lewis v Glos Gipsies
54 L.Anderson v Old Malvernians
53* T.Claughton v Warwickshire Imps
52* O.Mills v Hampshire Hogs
52 J.Doole v Frogs
50 J.Doole v Old Hurstjohnians
50 A.Lewis v Old Malvernians
BATTING – against Cryptics
119 S.Harty for HAC
106 D.Fulton for HAC
106 R.Iswariah for Warborough & Shillingford
91 A.Cubbage for Ditchling
91 J.Sutherland for Hampshire Hogs
87 S.Ensom for Royal Household
86 J.Hamilton for Brook
85 S.Brown for v Durham Pilgrims
80 N.Nguyen for Amersham
67 J.Fox for Hampshire Hogs
64 G.King for Ditchling
59* H.Jackson for Amersham
57 J.O’Gorman for Frogs
52 O.Altendorf for Free Foresters
BOWLING – for Cryptics
7-36 C.Ward v Frogs
5-29 W.Tremlett v Hampshire Hogs
5-42 R.White v Warborough & Shillingford
5-60 J.Ireland v Free Foresters
BOWLING – against Cryptics
6-15 A.Marshall for Frogs
Match Secretary’s Report
2012 was a damp squib for Cryptic cricketers with one-third of scheduled matches cancelled completely and others drawn as a result of rain. Apart from that it was a pretty good season with 40% of the matches played being won. One of the great victories came in the extraordinary match against the HAC: 550 runs were scored by the two teams for the loss of just 6 wickets and everyone is still scratching their heads to think of another cricket match in which all four opening batsmen scored hundreds. (Answers on postcard…)
I have been fortunate over the years of writing this piece to have been able to draw on some wonderful writing by Match Managers in their reports. In some cases the facts have not got in the way of excellent stories, while in others wit and verbal dexterity have matched flight and guile or magnificent stroke play on the field. For 2012, partly due to the number of matches cancelled, there are few match reports on which to draw. I do urge Match Managers to fulfil this duty as at some point in the future these narratives will be the only way to find out what really happened in matches.
So that’s my final rant. I hand over the responsibilities for this column to the incoming Hon Match Sec., Chris Barras,* and wish him well. During my 14 years in post, the highlight must be the Centenary year; it was a privilege and a pleasure to be involved with many of the activities which marked that landmark in the Club’s history. I have been involved with the re-establishment of one of the Club’s great traditions, the pre-season European tour. It was on one such trip that I first got to know Chris; some years later we even shared a room on tour. I greatly enjoy his company and know that he has huge enthusiasm for the Club and will do an outstanding job as HMS. The handover is from one ‘keeper to another, so hopefully will see neither anything dropped, nor pass us bye, and that no aspect will leave him stumped.
My memorable highlight as a player in 2012 was being part of Chris Ward’s lifetime best bowling return against the Frogs (before I sadly helped the Club wrestle defeat from the jaws of victory). Chris has scored a fifty more recently than me, and I was intrigued to see that he recorded a stumping as well. Notwithstanding his challenge, I am not planning to consign my gloves to the bin and hope to play in 2013. With apologies to those many Cryptic bowlers off whom I have missed chances; to paraphrase Sinatra, there’s been a lot, too many to mention.
Forgive a little rambling prior to finally accepting the umpire’s decision and trudging off to the Pavilion, but it occurred to me that the following notes on my first season as HMS might prove of interest:
- Colin Dean managed two matches and the West Midlands Tour.
- Two Dalrymples played for the Club and one played against.
- Trevor Gripper scored fewer runs for Cranleigh CC against the Cryptics than he did a few weeks later for Zimbabwe against Australia.
- Mark Williams and Simon Halliday hit hundreds for the Club.
When in 1999 the Club divided the jobs done by Harold Fawcus between four, yes four, of us, the role of the HMS as specified in the Job Description Harold wrote for each of us could not have envisaged by the time of the handover to its successor the Club would have a website, regular e-mailings, branded kit (perhaps soon to leave my loft for another home?) and a membership database held on a computer.
It has been a pleasure being part of the management of the Club over these years; many thanks to those who have supported me.
Let’s hope for a splendid start in Corfu and a great season thereafter.
Nick Priestnall.
*Ed Note. This is of course subject to the will of the AGM.