The 2024 season got off to a soggy start with the Demijohns and then the Hogs both washed out so it wasn’t until May and a T20 that we finally took the field, only to find ourselves on the end of a bit of a pummelling from the St Pauls’ Masters by 10 wickets. 130/5 from our 20 was underpinned by Larry Brennan’s unbeaten 34 and a pugnacious run a ball 33 from Felix Tritton but although we had no answer to their aggressive batting, we were offered a rematch five weeks later. A youthful bowling line up restricted St Paul’s this time to 129/5 but we fell just six runs short despite Sam Pougatch’s unbeaten 53.
The Stragglers of Asia are always a tough nut and so they proved at Mill Hill this time. The Stragglers set a formidable 318/3, with Bertie Clarke getting all three, and we started well in reply, 50s for both George Macdonald and Toby Reynolds but with their dismissal we ran out of gas, all out for 230.
Even though we then lost to the HAC, a terrific game went to the last gasp. It was the first of many exciting, close finishes. In a declaration game we eked out 205/9, Kit Schutzer- Weismann (50) and Alex Younger (56) and then their opener hammered an unbeaten 123, no other batter getting out of the teens. Even so, we took it right to the end, admirable bowling from Messrs Wilkinson, Pougatch, Hancock and SW of the Mike variety. What a fabulous ground on which to play.
The weather held fair for our trip to Castle Hill and the garden of England. Skipper Tom Bell led from the front 1/13 off 5 overs “a disciplined line and deceptively slow pace” so said the skipper himself. 191 was the target, mutterings that Castle Hill might have batted a tad too long and it was indeed always a touch too far, the Grannies finishing on 155/5, Rob Finn making an untroubled and elegant 67 not out in the manner of his grandfather. Will Dunn’s 32 was a hugely enjoyable knock. Game drawn.
Back to Sussex where a Goodwood side stock full of league batting seemed to over egg the wandering cricket pudding a little. 260 was a hefty total but Dan Chitty’s 3/28 from 8 overs was a great return and he was well backed up by Archie Clarke, Luke Rooke, Mo Ahmad and Kit SW. Despite flirting with victory in the end we came up well short 160 all out, but it didn’t detract from a lovely day in a magnificent setting with great hospitality.
Come June 2nd in Surrey and we celebrated our first win, a terrifically close affair at Old Spots where we squeaked home by three wickets. Captain James Scott elected to field, not trusting his young squad with a bat in their hands so soon after a pre match visit to The Crown. Gus Hinton was the star with bat and ball. Opening with Luke Rooke, Gus removed both openers and then Archie Clarke’s leggies and Ollie Simpson’s slow left armers kept a lid on things as The Spots reached 90/2 at the halfway stage. Thereafter we took wickets at vital moments, held our catches and restricted The Old Spots to 171 all out. A fine BBQ and bracing pint set us up for our reply and at 71/2 off 20 we were a touch behind the rate but crucially Billy Maisey was still there, batting quite sensibly as if fatherhood has changed him…Needing 60 off the last 10 it seemed as if things had just got away from us, especially when Billy went for 62 but Gus’s bowling had infected his batting and with bravado vignettes from Luke and captain Scottie, we needed just one of the last over. Even then it took to the penultimate ball to get over the line and reassure the Chairman that we were actually going to win, Gus Hinton 3 for 15 and 36 not out on debut. It can only be downhill for him after this.
One win became two at Highclere against Lord Carnarvon’s XI. Last year the Earl fielded a crack side of league youngsters; this year it was much more the XI we had anticipated - but how good would this incarnation be? We were quickly out of the traps. Matt Withers took 2 wickets in the opening over; it would have been 0/3 but the Treasurer - mindful we needed to make a game of it - shelled one at mid off. Harry Stevens wheeled encouragingly away on his return to Granny colours after several years absence, the fielding was un-Granny like in its catching and execution and then Max Felgate, straight out of Saigon, returned the extraordinary figures of 3 overs 3 maidens 3 for none - surely the best ever figures of a Vietnam-based Granny, the Earl’s XI 73 all out. Sam Pougatch didn’t hang around hammering 44 not out off 36 balls in the company of Theo Tritton and we were home and hosed by 8 wickets in time to over indulgence on tea.
The rain returned to ruin the Dusters game and then followed us to the Earl de La Warr’s XI in Withyham. The weather relented the following day against the Griffin where we celebrated a rare win, by 5 wickets. The home side reached 180, the Granny bowling so good we had to hold back our South African speedster, according to skipper Mark de St Croix. Mark’s son, Sam, made a tidy 15 opening, nicely complemented by Dan Armitage’s steady 35 and then George Jones, the quickie who couldn’t get on to bowl, hit his first ever 50 before we retired to The Griffin pub to celebrate the win.
The setting for Parham was absolutely glorious and the weather perfect but we came up just short, and sadly the Flashmen couldn’t raise a side this year. Against a strong Bar side 2 Grannies playing against us (Messrs De Mestre and Gross) set them on their way to 222/8 off 35 overs. Harvey Park’s figures of 6 overs 4 for 36 were highly commendable as was his stylish 46 with the bat but we couldn’t in truth get anywhere near, all out for 112.
We were back to winning ways against London New Zealand, a 5 wicket win despite being 2 men down on the beautiful Sheffield Park ground. A tight and energetic display in the field was backed up by some fine bowling from Will Pickford, Michael SW and Tom Morrissey in particular. Alec Younger then continued his stellar form, cracking an unbeaten 80 to steer us home with some comfort.
We were thwarted once more by the rain as we tried to play at Arundel and back at Sheffield Park we came second this time, the Armadillos too good for us by 6 wickets. While the opposition warmed up with stretches and throw downs, The Grannies opened the bar. That decision wasn’t directly linked with us then falling to 80/6 but Tom Carr and Rory Bethwaite guided us to calmer waters, Rory falling for 32 and the tail nursing us to 149 all out. Mike SW snared their opener with the classic 9th stump line, caught backward point, brother Pete SW picked up two wickets in the slow ball trap but their skipper scorched home and everyone could settle down to watch England lose the Euros Final.
The Eton Ramblers is always a tough fixture and this time we went down by 60 runs. Matt Withers removed their opener with a ball described by skipper Billy Maisey as “the single best ball I have seen in 20 years as a Granny cricketer,” nipping back off a length to hit the top of off. 26/1 became 63/3 until a hockey player’s ton motored the Ramblers to an imposing 281/9 off their 45. Matt Withers finished with 3 wickets, Billy and Archie Clarke 2 each and Felix Tritton bowled his obligatory over. 15/2 was a sticky start but we rattled along at 5 an over and while Billy was there we always had a chance. James Woodcock and Tom Penton gave support but Billy fell for 97 and our target was 59 runs out of reach.
Hurlingham at the end of July saw one of our outstanding wins of the season. The home side always field a strong XI and after a fast start, our slower bowlers put the brakes on - Ben Hope, Sam Pougatch (2/19) and Rory Bethwaite picking up wickets. Freddie Evans got his men at either end of the innings (3/73) as Hurlingham reached 246/7 before declaring. It was a very fair declaration and our batters picked up the mantle. Ben Hope charged out of the stalls, racing to 23 at a run a ball before falling, Lucas Hancock made another fluent, telling contribution with 51, Tom Penton kept up the challenge with a fine 35 and then Sam Pougatch decided counter attacking was the way to win it. After a careful start he upped the ante with a tremendous 54 off 39 balls, hitting 8 4’s and a six to take us to the verge of victory. Kit Dixon Smith got us over the line, a fine team performance and a 2 wicket win properly celebrated in southwest London for its worth and rarity.
That victory was followed up by another, this time by 5 wickets as a youthful side, embroidered by Matt Siebert, enjoyed the sunshine at Tilford. The Sieberts was just one family combo, to go along with the Clarke brothers and skipper David Amato with son and - to her surprise - daughter. Tilford made 191/7 off their 40, Eliot Amato with two wickets on debut, Rupert Henson with much purpose from the River End and a short third man boundary that almost made the fielders part of the slip cordon. Tea was enjoyed in the Barley Mow pub, a tradition since 1840, and well fed the Grannies set about their chase with vigour, Nicky May setting the tone, contributions aplenty but the star man was Monty Clarke with a belligerent 80 as we got over the finishing line in glorious sunshine and retired to the pub for a proper debrief.
We couldn’t get the better of the Old Amplefordians in the Willoughby Wynne derby. The Grannies stuck manfully to their task in the field, 3 outstanding catches by Will Pickford, 3/30 from Sam Pougatch, 2/37 from Tom Carr who ran in manfully all season and bowled with great skill and heart, and 1/18 from James Cutter whose day in the sun was just around the corner. 226 was gettable and we got off to a great start, another elegant 50 from Lucas Hancock but skipper Anthony Dunn summed it up well when he said “we just came off the bridle” and we slipped to 181 all out. Next year!
The following day was one of those red-letter days for a Granny candidate who is now very much a Granny member. James Cutter batted through our innings at Falconhurst, reaching his first ever century in the last of our allotted 35 overs with a mighty blow over mid on, finishing 102 not out. It was wonderful to witness, and he celebrated in the grand manner by enjoying one of the very best teas in Kent. Simon Hungin made a stylish 44 in the way only left handlers can but the home side’s chase of 225 always looked threatening. 48/0 became 62/4 and then 108/5 but then 177/5 before a phenomenal catch changed the tide of the game. Theo Tritton took an effortless, brilliant reflex snatch, smashed at him at extra cover, the chairman admitting it was “one of the most astonishing he had ever seen in Granny colours.” We were on top after that, 2 wickets for Theo to back up his catch, 2 each for Tom Carr and centurion Cutter who ignored his tiredness to run in willingly. Toby Colehan pounded in with the new ball, Harry Felgate skilfully rotated his bowlers and Falconhurst needed 12 to win off 2 overs when Sam Pougatch cleaned bowled nos 10 and 11 and we retired to the Kentish Horse, with its beautiful views over the Weald, to hear about Jim’s century, ball by ball.
The next week against Oxford Downs a young Granny XI fielded and bowled their hearts out in the sunshine. After a lively opening spell from debutant JJ Sugden, Oliver Simpson wheeled away for 13 unbroken overs with his slow left arm spin to take his first Granny five for, 5/63 and his spin twin Harry Felgate weighed in with 3/15 at the other end, both also took two catches each. The more Harry bowls, the more confident and better he gets. Their efforts, backed up by some enthusiastic fielding (it has actually been really quite impressive this year) meant the Downs slipped from 118/1 to 195 all out. The chase was on and at 104/4 we had every chance. Debutant Sam Wallis (who clearly needed to impress the Chairman for reasons of the heart…) made a fine 50 and it was wonderful to see Mark Johnstone back in Granny colours after an absence of two decades, even if one spectator mistook him for Ray Winston as he went out to bat in what looked like a peaky blinder. Sam fell having just reached his half century (56), Mark made a typically hard hitting 25 but the support was lacking. Defeat by 45 runs. Special mention to our third debutant Archie Smellie, following in his much missed father’s footsteps, and fielding with Justin’s speed and purpose. The first of many times we hope we see Archie and also next time his brother Oscar.
Back to Parham and The Flashmen and the narrowest win of the season, by one wicket with 8 balls to spare. Charlie Hope opened the bowling for us so well that the skipper had to take him off ‘in the interest of the game lasting more than an hour.’ James Woodcock then pulled out some of his well-hidden off spinners to take a 4-for and they were all out for 172. Henry Webster on debut was the cornerstone of our reply, James followed up his spell with some fine batting alongside Hugh Taylor and we were home with an over to spare.
We crushed Marden by 95 runs, our 195/4 seeing sizeable contributions from Mo Ahmad (34) Gus Hinton (33) and Nick Herbert (32). Marden were all out for 100, Archie Clarke bamboozling them with 5 for 13 off 5 overs, a convincing win and a very enjoyable day.
The Turks match never got off the ground and the rain ruined any chance of play at Odiham and the Royal Household. The penultimate game saw us go down to the FAS Ramblers, Tahir Khan’s excellent opening spell of 2 for 12 from 6 overs stunting their start. Archie Clarke and Hugo Orange backed him up well but thereafter our fielding was a little laissez faire and FAS finished 155/6 from their 35 overs. 36/3 in reply was challenging, Monty Clarke and Matt Siebert gave us a chance but then Oliver Castle’s prophecy that he was “off to Kent to drop a catch and get 0” came true and we came up 39 runs short.
We finished 2024 at Stone in Oxney, another thrilling finish where we were beaten by 2 wickets. Batting first Eddie Brennan and Harry Thomson both made elegant 37s, with Harry hitting 4 6’s in the final over, all embroidery to a magnificent 123 from Matt Withers opening - an innings of consummate skill and timing. 255/6 off 40 looked at least par but at halfway they were 151/2 and going very well. Our youth then weighed in, Hugo Robinson and Charlie Brennan turning their arms over before Matt Cooke got 2, Harry Thomson 2 and Giles Robinson one. Ultimately though Stone got home by 2 wickets with only 2 overs to go but it was Matt Withers’s day. His century was followed by a tight bowling spell of 2/11 and a stunning run out with just one stump to aim at. A fabulous all round performance and a worthy performance on the day our former chairman Bob Percival handed over the reins of Stone to the next generation.
And so 2024 came to an end, a season of many terrific finishes, lots of youngsters wanting to play, and some very enjoyable cricket. Looking forward to 2025!