Date: 27th June, 2009.

Venue: Newlands Lane, Stoke Row.

Toss: Stoke Row won the toss and elected to bat.

Result: Stoke Row (33) beat Mortimer West End (7) by 26 runs.

Pitch: Bizarre. The opening salvo saw Stoke targeting 250, until the slower bowlers Bielby and Hodson had the ball ‘popping’ all over the show. A thundery shower saw the pitch hold together for MWE’s reply, although there was evidence of ‘skidding’ which meant conditions were even for both sides.

Weather: Glorious sunshine initially before a light drizzle was supplemented by a heavy downpour. Clouds then suc*****bed to some late evening sunshine towards the end of the game.

Highlights: Ken Allsobrook’s (3-20) and Bob Hodson’s (6-31). The match-winning eighth wicket stand of 46 between Dicky Lunnon (13) and George Baker (28). Some fireworks from Dion Sampson and Charlie Macdonald at the culmination of the Row innings. Sampson’s (3-24) and Will Macdonald’s (3-57). 16 year old Graham Mackenzie showed sheer class in his 36, whilst Tom Prinn (46) and Nick Bielby (24) also batted well.

Catering: You simply wouldn’t believe it. A debut tea from 19 year old Sam Fletcher was phenomenal. ‘BLT’s!!’ In addition were a great selection of alternative sandwiches – 6 loaves – plus chocolate bars, melon, savouries and cake. A close contender with both Marcus Lunnon and whoever compiled the Grosvenor delights for ‘Tea of the Season’ so far.




Report: Stoke Row claimed arguably their greatest ever FNG-BCL victory as they edged a tight encounter with reigning Premier Division champions Mortimer West End by 26 runs.

Having won the toss, Stoke Row captain Rich Ashton elected to bat first but this tactic was immediately put under the cosh as the returning Sam Fletcher drove his third ball straight to mid-off. However, with the classy Will Macdonald assisting skipper Rich Ashton in a dominant partnership, the Maharajas were able to advance to 58-1 at the end of the tenth over.

As has often proved his unfortunate wont, Row’s skipper proceeded to strike a ball high into the air and was removed for a hard-hitting 32. With Nick Howell following shortly after, Stoke had slipped to 66-3. When Christopher Young and Darren Clark also fell in rapid order, Row were on the proverbial ropes at 75-5.

This score was to prove even more uncomfortable as the drying nature of the track became evident – the medium pace of Bob Hodson and Nick Bielby proved nigh on devastating as the wicket became something of a Mumbai ‘spitting cobra’ – popping repeatedly to the extent that Macdonald Sr. was forced to retire hurt having been struck on the jaw. With his quickfire departure post-return supplemented by Hennessy’s failure, Row stood at 93-7 and effectively out of both the game and the FNG-BCL Premier Division.

Yet it may be the case that Saturday 27th June proved a case of ‘Cometh the hour, and cometh the men’. A mature partnership between Richard Lunnon and the normally pyrotechnic George Baker saw the hosts advance to 136-7 before the former was trapped leg before to give Hodson a deserved five wicket haul. The benefits of bowling a tight line and length were certainly evident in this particular spell.

Alas, Row seem to attract players who are nothing if not ‘out of the ordinary’, and to see a number ten batsman striker his first delivery straight over the sightscreen would reinforce this assumption. According to all interviews conducted with the South African ‘legend’ Dion Sampson, he is the equivalent of Jacques Kallis, and his blazing 14, allied with Charlie Macdonald’s blitzkrieg unbeaten 9, saw Row post a competitive 162 All Out.

In reply, Mortimer West End could not have suffered a worse start – run machine Jamie Stead and Australian Jono Bray were both dismissed in rapid order by Will Macdonald to leave MWE 0-2 after just a single over.

Yet MWE are not champions for no reason, and a destructive partnership from Gary Belcher, the ‘anchor’ in relation to Tom Prinn’s ‘speedboat’, saw 55 added in double quick time. After 11 overs, the rain came.

In what proved to be a vital over, the aforementioned Sampson was able to dismiss both Prinn and Andy Johnson with balls that skidded off the surface. With Charlie Macdonald inducing an edge of Belcher, and Sampson claiming a third wicket in wonderful spell – Hodson caught at slip – MWE had collapsed to 71-6.

At the risk of repetition, MWE are champions for the sheer fact that they possess exceptional depth both in their batting and bowling. With 16 year old Graham Mackenzie and the experienced Nick Bielby at the crease, the champions looked set to pull off yet another great escape. Indeed, it is worth stating at this interlude that, at least in this correspondent’s mind, Mackenzie is the finest young player that has been witnessed – his 36 was an innings of pure class and elegance.

With Mackenzie and Bielby taking the score to 130-6, it was again a question of the ‘gun players’ (a Nasser Hussain expression if ever there was one) coming to the fore. And, in the case of the Maharajas, a certain WJA Macdonald is said ‘gun player’. Trapping the youthful Mackenzie plum in front, the match was transformed, especially when Darren Clark swiftly removed the dangerous Nick Kingston shortly after.

With this dramatic double strike resonating in the MWE dressing room, a further brace of run outs secured the game for the Maharajas. A marvellous double assist from ex-Nettlebedians Young and Baker saw the invaluable Bielby caught short, before a direct hit from Howell found Allsobrook languishing and Row celebrating a 33 point haul in comparison with MWE’s 7.

Thus Stoke Row ended the first half of the season with a result that the desperately needed, against a side that remain, at least from this reporter’s view, equal favourites with Peppard for the title. Interestingly ‘The Irish Rugby Team’ (please refer to previous forum postings) suffered something of a shock defeat to Swindon NALGO, for whom Zahid Saeed enjoyed an extraordinary day – (50 unbeaten and 6-23). SN 204 All Out, Peppard 154 All Out.

The big winners in the past weekend were new table-toppers Sandhurst, who nailed Emmbrook and Bearwood by 7 wickets. Again, the ever impressive Graham Sanders posted an undefeated 76. Slipping to second were Sulhamstead, who fell to a frantic two wicket win to Grosvenor in what by all accounts was a belter of a game. Steve Belcher made more runs (88) in helping S&U to 257-8, before Hamid Sana (104) and Chad Cudjoe (98*) saw the hosts home by 2 wickets.