After a false start when the HAC failed to raise a side, we began the season in Hampshire and a 5 wicket win against Hartley Wintney, a valedictory victory for James Philpott after his fine early season work over the years getting us all going in the mixed April weather.
If that was an excellent win in Hants, it was mirrored by an outstanding one over the Hogs by an identical score. The Hogs slipped to 57-5, then 124-6 and not even the lack of lunch (the skipper ADM having forgotten the need to instruct his team it was self-service) could put a hungry team off their game, the Hogs all out for 161, three wickets for young Fergus de M as the others were shared around. In response 109-2 became 112-5 after the soporific effects of a huge carb-loaded tea kicked in (who can blame the team after the lunchtime fiasco) but Ed Gross was going well and just needed support. David Amato followed up an excellent spell with the ball with just that, helping Ed to his century - 104 not out - and The Grannies to a worthy and rare win over the Hogs.
St Paul’s was washed out, The Stragglers sadly never happened but it did mean an influx of players for Castle Hill under Tom Bell. On a “squidgy pitch” a 6th wicket stand of 53 between Matt Siebert and Alex Stone gave us some momentum and an approved ringer Matt Davis then whacked a quick 33 meaning we reached 155 off 40 overs and declared. The left arm Toms, Bell and Gibbs, had them 32/4, that became 52/6 but a late surge kept them in contention before Tom Gibbs returned to bowl three tight overs, finishing with 4/18 off 11 overs and the match was drawn, Castle Hill finishing on 134/8.
Goodwood saw a narrow defeat by three wickets, 165 a little under par after several batters couldn’t capitalise on promising starts. We then dropped their two key batters before either had scored and despite a late comeback, they just got over the line, Archie Clarke’s leg spinners the pick of our attack.
It was a pleasure to be back at Highclere this year even if a crack squad of south London league players was something of a shock. They rattled up 265 but we never flagged. Harry Felgate picked up 2 wickets, we saw the inside of his lordship’s woods a few times, Theo Tritton took an outstanding catch at cover and the highlight was a spell of controlled fast medium bowling from teenager Arthur Bentley on his debut, grandson of Grannies illuminati Tim Villiers Smith. When the umpire informed the captain that Arthur had to come off after 7 overs, because of his age, Tim remarked “Never heard so much bloody nonsense in all my life.” 266 was gettable and with James Scott (62) and Matt Withers (48) - after his impressive opening spell with the ball - together we had a chance but we faded away and with 7 overs to go Felix Tritton was joined by the number 11, his uncle, Chairman and captain, Mark Pougatch. Felix hit the odd ball for 4, the Chairman blocked the hell out of it, they dropped a catch in the last over, and we limped to a draw - which felt like a win. Great to be back at Highclere.
Demijohns saw a resounding seven wicket win under Chris Good’s stewardship. Archie Clarke opened up with 14 overs of spin, 1-62, tying down the Johns and dismissing their best batter. Hugo Llewelyn benefitted from the home side’s frustration by taking 5-48 off 10 overs, Tom Penton taking a smart catch at midwicket. Milo Wills took an outstanding goalkeeper style grab to complete Hugo’s five for, all the while wearing his captain’s trousers as he had forgotten his. 190 was our challenge, and Bazball was our approach. Ollie Penton hammered 29 off 13 balls, Alex Morgan and Will Moffat then slowed down to 10 an over as we careered towards victory. Alex finished 83 not out, Alec Younger 53 and Milo Wills finished it off with as glorious straight six - still in his skipper’s trousers.
Worcester College cried off, and the Dusters were too good for us in a T20 by 9 wickets, our 149 just not competitive enough, but we shaped up well to the cold beer and hot dogs afterwards.
Back in Sussex and the Earl’s XI at Withyham, our umpire was enjoying the complementary barrel of Harveys pre-game. Matt Siebert (3-32) and Sam Pougatch bowled tidily and apparently the chairman was chirping away behind the stumps as the home side closed on 179-8. Their bowling was on the money and despite a rash of 20s, no one could stay in purposefully and we ran out of steam, going down by 33 runs. We presented his Lordship with a Grannies sweater as a thank you, enjoyed his beer and BBQ and very cleverly had ensured we would be invited back having come second in the match. Smart thinking, Siebs.
We fared little better at the Griffin on the Sunday, a rare Sussex double header of defeats. Then we went down narrowly in a thriller against the Bar of England and Wales. Tom Penton (80) and Billy Maisey (50) put on 110 for the third wicket as we closed on 216-8 off 35. Jim Davis was the pick of our bowlers with 2 wickets and plenty of Grannies starred for BEWCC, one of our own Quinton Newcomb getting them across the line by 4 wickets with two balls to spare.
London New Zealand saw us off by 39 runs at Sheffield Park. M Molinga on debut helped keep the run rate down and Charlie Hope took 3 wickets leaving us a very gettable 180 off 40 overs. At 80/2 off 10, we were in the box seat, but a TGC (Trademark/Typical Grannies Collapse) was just around the corner as our innings fizzled out at 141 all out. Our hosts were as generous as ever and the view from the pub, beer in hand, as lovely as you could wish for.
Sheffield Park hosted our first meeting with the IZ of Australia for about fifteen years. Finn Kirkland, a guest straight out of school, made an attractive 51 but thereafter we couldn’t deal with guile and accuracy of their spinners, seven men dismissed in single figures, and we subsided to 93 all out which was never going to be challenging enough. At least we could forget about the ten-wicket win afterwards in the Griffin with a pint and singalong.
The Marlborough Blues failed to raise a side, and we were back to winning ways (not that it matters!) with a 42 run win over the Armadillos before we went down by 5 wickets against the Eton Ramblers, always a very strong opponent. Our 216-8 was based around Billy Maisey’s 75 and Matt Withers 57 but after their opener got himself in, we never really looked like holding them back and just for once, we couldn’t run the Ramblers close.
Tilford fell victim to the rain, as did so sadly our double weekend at Arundel against the Dutch side Amstelveen and then across Sussex in the Willoughby Wynne derby with the Old Amplefordians.
Back at Falconhurst, Sam Pougatch threatened to reprise his maiden century of the year before but when he fell for 29, the Grannies collapsed to 110-9. Theo Tritton and Harry Felgate, with a career best 20 not out, wagged merrily and 143 was at least something to defend. Debutant Toby Colehan removed both openers and at 20/3 we were on top, but their number 4 knew his manor and took the game away from us. Sam Pougatch took a stunning catch, Felix Tritton kept wicket for the first time ever and conceded only 2 byes, the tea was sumptuous but this year we had to concede a 6-wicket defeat.
Oxford Downs was a memorable occasion given the age of the Grannies. Big Jim Streeter literally and figuratively towered over his teammates, the only Granny over 30, let alone 40! And the youth did not let us down. Debutants Frank Faber and Freddie Evans shared three wickets and were at it from the start, Freddie getting their danger man just after he had reached 50. The catching was as faultless as the Chairman has seen in half a century. Harry Felgate winkled out three of them with his off spinners, Billy Stephens got 2 in 2 on debut (and commentated on them both…) and James Woodcock was faultless behind the stumps with three dismissals. Chasing 141 to win and mindful of so many near misses, the Chairman couldn’t bear to watch and went off to work, but this time there were no alarms. Sam White eased his way to 54, Leo Boddington 39 not out on debut and we cantered home by 8 wickets. Well played the young team - and Big Jim.
The Grannies won next time out as well, in Kent at Marden, by 5 wickets. Marden were all out for 158, Alex Taylor with 4 wickets and Mo Ahmad’s sharp return catch the pick of the 5 we held. Mo followed up with an unbeaten 51 and Tom Morgan joined Extras in easing us home on a lovely day down in the garden of England.
Into September and a healthy win at Odiham by 29 runs, even if the pavilion had a meaty selection of ale, we were road testing before the start. 281 off 40 overs was a fine score after an opening stand of 137, Lucas Hancock to the fore, and then some disciplined bowling and sharp fielding (the advantages of a young side) kept the home side pleasingly at bay.
The Turks match never happened and the FAS were beaten by 18 runs. Rob Finn flayed 41 at the top of the order, and Oscar Robert (37 not out) and Bern Chiam (45) combined to steer us to 201-6, hitting the ball to every part of Kent - into rivers, passing cars and even a pizza establishment. Every blow was recorded as a 4 as the ball “needed to come back wet” for it to be a 6. Tahir Khan and Richard Wade then bowled beautifully reducing FAS to 34/5, Tahir all late swing and guile and young Asjad Khan made an unscheduled debut, foxing batters three times his age. Mo Ahmed and Matt Siebert finished it off, a very enjoyable day embroidered by a satisfying win.
Against the Royal Household, we went down by 150 runs although the Chairman was more perturbed by the reports from his two sisters about tea. “Extremely disappointing, given where we were!” We must remember, they were brought up on the best teas in England courtesy of Mary James. To the cricket - an excellent display in the field. Tom Carr, always such a skilful and willing opening bowling, got an early wicket; the brace of Sam’s, White and Pougatch, got a brace of wickets; Mo Ahmed and Max Felgate held fine catches and, Felix Tritton did his bit with the ball and 211 for 8 off 36.3 overs was a good return for us. And that’s as good as it got. Rain at tea juiced up the deck, as the Aussies say, and their big strong bowlers exploited it together with a keeper who held six catches. The umpire confirmed the pitch had turned into a minefield which blew our batting to smithereens. As Bob Percival so rightly says “we are always privileged to play at Frogmore. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.”
We said goodbye to 2023 at Stone in Oxney with a narrow win by 2 runs or was it 3?! The discrepancies in the scorebooks could have led to rancour...! Our openers Roger Taylor (Sussex and England over 70s) and Larry Brennan (Iz and the Army) made 24 and 40 respectively at measured pace, and then Mo Ahmad made a brutal but aesthetically very pleasing 70 not out. Chapeau to Pari Job who came out of retirement and was promptly run out for nought. Will Dunn took 2 for 55 with the new ball, and Mo Ahmad then mixed up medium place with offies to finish with 1-44. MOM though was Charlie Brennan, Eddie’s son, who aged 10 hurled himself about the field saving runs - critical runs, given the narrow margin of victory. Thanks as ever to Stone for defying the weather at the fag end of the season.
And so, we put 2023 to bed, a season where the youth of the club really started to come into their own. Without them, we will have no club. It is enormously gratifying to see how many of them want to play, enjoy it, and tell their friends to join it. It’s the perfect mix of youth and (some) experience. Long may it continue.