LITTLE MARLOW CRICKET CLUB Newsletter – February 2014

your favourite tour story, whether it be amusing, inspiring,

unbelievable, embarrassing or whatever. There are so many to

chose from. Provided they can be printed without fear of reprisals,

I'll list them all – omitting the sender's name if requested to do

so!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Richard Tedham

REMEMBER THE CLUB A.G.M. - WEDNESDAY 5TH MARCH, 7.30 pm IN THE

PAVILION.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Welcome to the first Newsletter of 20 14 .

This edition includes an

excellent potted history of Little Marlow tours by our President, a fascinating 'Player Profile' from

Mike Bath and a look back at our first season of league cricket.

Q's article has given me an idea for our next edition, due to be

published in April and the last for this close-season. It is one that gives all tourists an opportunity to contribute. Just let me know

Q TIPS – FROM THE PRESIDENT What Goes On Tour...

In 1977, the same year “Sir” Geoffrey Boycott scored his 100th first-class century in a Test Match versus the Aussies at Headingley, The Queen celebrated her Silver Jubilee, and The Sex Pistols infamously uttered the f-word live on ITV shortly after 6pm, L.M.C.C embarked on its first ever cricket tour.

As, sadly, it looks likely that, for the second year running, the club won’t be able to muster enough players to get back out “on the road” during the season, I thought I’d muse on some of those golden “breaks” of yore which, across more than 30 years, took in some of this isle’s more picturesque cricketing locations – from Somerset, North, South & East Devon and Kent to the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, East Sussex and the West Midlands.

Our inaugural foray took place during the first three days of August, starting at Hartley in Kent, then on to Hartfield (and a 1 wkt win) in East Sussex, near the home of a former L.M.C.C. player/secretary, before climaxing in the sea fret at Sandwich on the Kent coast. Modesty forbids recounting in detail an heroic individual bowling performance as we struggled to contain the seasiders who were seriously stronger than the tourists, believing us to be main Marlow town team. A backs-to-the-wall draw followed by a fresh fish-and-chip supper at least meant we returned to South Bucks unbeaten.

Little Marlow's first ever touring party pose for the camera at Hartfield, Sussex in 1977

back row: Tony Curtis, Gerry Keeler, Richard Tedham, Dave Glennerster, Ron Passfield, Quentin Falk, John Braithwaite front row: Dennis Exall, Iain Angus, Roger Smith, Les Meaden, Martin Stoolman

This was the first of an unbroken 12 years of annual touring, despite a rather anti-climactic follow-up in ‘78 when two or the three games were abandoned due to the weather. As we all know, there’s nothing worse than having to spend all afternoon and evening in a pub. Hartfield, the only game to have survived, remained on the schedule the following year when the other two fixtures were with Stonewall Park and Hurricans, both, I think, in Kent (*) although I can find no reference to the latter on Google 35 years on.

In 1980, we decided to turn left out on to Little Marlow Road rather than right and head South West for the first time to seek the warmth of the Gulf Stream in a series of matches beginning at the quaintly-named Huish Champflower, whose pitch was situated prettily on top of a Somerset hill but whose rustic tranquility was occasionally sullied by the irregular arrival/take-off of giant Hercules transport to/from a nearby RAF airfield.

Our “digs” for the duration, or possibly not if you read the following, especially as following a game at delightful Timberscombe, the tour concluded with two games in Devon – at Bickleigh and Offwell – was a rather austere hostelry in the middle of Taunton run by the formidable Mrs Richards. After one or possibly two nights of debauchery in the county town, which included one of the hottest curries in Christendom and, as uncomfortably, having my mattress removed so I had to sleep on springs (but was generally too “out of it” actually to realise) we were informed the following morning by Mrs R that, “Little Marlow is no longer welcome in Taunton”. I have been back many times since to the town and, happily, her scary fatwa seems to be no longer operative.

(*) 'Q' is quite correct – Hurricans played at Biggin Hill, hence the name – ed.

1981, despite losing the third of our four fixtures to the weather, remains an enduring memory of almost unrelieved pleasure as the tour ran in parallel to the amazing fight-back in the Third Test of that series known as “Botham’s Ashes”. Beefy began his epic second innings as we were back battling Huish Champflower on the Brendon Hills and concluded, with Willis still in full cry, the following lunchtime as we were turning into the ground at Timberscombe.

Still mindful of Mrs Richards’ stern admonishment, we had relocated to The White Hart at Wiveliscombe, which also remained our charming (and indulgent) base for the next two years, as we traversed Somerset always concluding, however, in Devon – in ’82 at the imposing Plymouth Civil Service Ground, where we recorded a famous win against a genuinely strong side, and in ’83 at Raleigh.

Then, for five years, from 1984 to 1988, it was pretty much North Devon all the way, and yet another HQ, for some the best of all our summer bases, at Culloden House B&B overlooking the sea at Westward Ho! We must have made some kind of good impression on the Scottish management for they would in the late evening often leave us to our own devices in the bar relying on an honesty box to check our drinks. This despite my memory, something he still contests, of “Ted” vomiting down the entire stairwell from the top floor(*).

1984 Tourists with the Culloden House girls. Players are:

back row: Matt Curtis, Dave Stoolman, Dennis Exall, Mike Storey, Danny Meaden, Martin Verspeak middle row: Rob Loudon, Les Meaden, Jake Smith, Andy Warwick front row: Dave Glennerster, Quentin Falk, Richard Tedham (Ron Passfield and Mike Thomas missing)

(*) not guilty – I couldn't reach the top floor. Anybody able to recommend a good lawyer? – ed.

Either en route to, from there or while returning home, we enjoyed some of the area’s nicest grounds including Bideford, Braunton, and North Devon CC itself by the seaside at Instow. A rather more bucolic and more inland regular on this series of tours was the village of Newton Tracey. I recall one game there when their aging gully fielder, having already rolled and lit his cigarette between overs, then somehow managed to pouch a fine catch with the fag still dangling from his lower lip.

For whatever reason (s) that was the end of LMCC’s first series of tours, as from 1989 through 1994 we stayed firmly put at the Rec before resuming in 1995 with a splendid sortie to the Isle of Wight where we fulfilled three sunny fixtures, at Brading, Westland Aerospace (where a pair of brothers accumulated – actually smashed - a first wicket stand of over 200 to beat us by a humiliating 10 wkts) and Ryde. Thence, in 1996, for the first and only tour to the West Midlands, with games at Stone and Pelsall.

1996 Tourists prior to departure from The Queen's Head

back row: Graham Field, Dave Armitage, Stuart Drury, Roger Fenwick, Dave Stoolman middle row: Ian Clements, Richard Tedham, Steve Dargue, Ben Falk, Judith and Brian Lee (landlords)

front row: Dave Taylor, Danny Meaden, Jake Smith(Robert King and Richard Postins were also on this tour)

’97 saw us return to the near South West where, during the build up to, and the occasion of, Princess Diana’s funeral, we cricketed in, first, what appeared to be the back garden of a pub at Hinton Admiral (*) where former player/now VP Roger Fenwick recorded the club's highest ever individual score, 163, before moving on to an altogether more testing venue

against Bournemouth 2nd XI finally finishing off at Shaftesbury on the Dorset/Wilts border.Then, after a tour-less ’98, it was back to the Isle of Wight for a trio of games followed at the start of the new Millennium by our first (and to date only) overseas trip, to the other MCC – the Menorca Cricket Club in the Med – where a former club player, later President, and local resident, John Braithwaite, was a genial “host”.

(*) The Old Vicarage Hotel, where we were based – ed.

That signaled the end of the away frolics for almost a decade when, pretty much thanks to the sterling single efforts of Steve Shore, a motley - and, for the first time, ethnically diverse – bunch went back on the road for four successive tours, taking in Somerset & North Devon, the New Forest, South Devon and, finally, for the time being it seems, Sussex. Which somehow brings us full circle.

2009 Tour Match at Porlock, Devon

2012 Tourists at Westfield, Sussex

back row: Mark Wilson, Tahir Rashid, Dave Stoolman, James Wilson, Arfan Sharif, Tim Potter, Mike Buckle

front row: Richard Tedham, Farooq Hussain, Steve Shore, Andy Findlay, Paul Slatter

LOOKING BACK

1983 - Little Marlow's First Year of League Cricket

A pivotal decision at the March 1968 Club Cricket Conference A.G.M. ushered in a new era for the game in our region. Until then league cricket had largely been confined to the North and Midlands, whilst membership of the C.C.C., founded in 1915 to foster the interests of amateur cricket in London, and later the home counties, precluded teams wishing to play in such competitions. Traditionalists held strong views against league cricket, such as a fear that it would have an adverse effect on behaviour and the spirit in which matches were contested. They were also concerned that weaker players would be sidelined and teams encouraged to adopt negative tactics. However, the march of time could not be resisted and those who favoured cricket with an 'edge' to it won the day. Member clubs endorsed a change in C.C.C. rules by a large majority.

To a considerable degree the C.C.C. probably just bowed to the inevitable - league cricket would almost certainly have proliferated regardless of its decision. Clubs would simply have sacrificed the benefits of membership, such as access to the fixtures arranging bureau. Nevertheless, the rule change was, at the very least, a recognition of the sea change that was about to effect village and club cricket in the south of the country.

The Thames Valley League (1972), Chilterns League (1975), Mid-Bucks League (1975) and Berkshire League (1978) were all founded during the next decade. They dictated an improvement in playing conditions and, although LittleMarlow did not immediately jump on the bandwagon, by the early 1980s we had anumber of ambitious young cricketers who played home matches on high

quality pitches and had access to good off-field facilities. Also, with so many teams now playing competitive cricket it was becoming increasingly difficult to arrange attractive 'friendly' fixtures.

Following an investigation by the committee, with some reservation an E.G.M. in May 1982 agreed to make an application to the Berkshire League. Having gained admission we were placed in the third of four divisions and played our first match, at home to Theale, twelve months later.

A Dave Glennerster half-century secured a draw after five wickets for Mike Thomas, a highly skilful swing bowler formerly with Marlow, helped restrict Theale to 163 for 8. Ivor Storey claimed Little Marlow's second five-wicket haul a week later at Welford Park, but dismal batting saw us collapse to 47 all out. Wet weather, which had almost completely decimated the pre-league programme, then returned to wipe-out the next two games.

Draws against Caversham & Sonning Common and Cippenham followed; Glennerster and skipper Dennis Exall, a reliable batsman and extremely accurate slow-medium bowler, scoring fifties whilst Thomas continued to lead the attack. Iain Angus then took 4 for 42 in the local derby at Cookham Dean before they declared on 205 for 8 and bowled us out for 140, despite Gerry Keeler's 45.

Batting first for the first time, we were indebted to Keeler (79), a strong leg-side player and wicketkeeper, and Exall (46) for guiding us to our highest league score to date, 179 for 4 declared against Wraysbury. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough; the visitors completed a four wickets victory with one over to spare. A dire draw at Mortimer therefore meant the club reached the halfway stage of the season without a single win.

time; declaring on 216 for 9. Mortimerbegan well, reaching 93 before losing their third wicket. However, that proved to be the catalyst for a Glennerster-inspired collapse. He removed four of the top order on his way to figures of 5 for 44, and then applied the coup de grace by catching the last victim off Les Meaden.

Our 64 runs victory handed the wooden spoon to Mortimer and enabled us to squeeze ahead of Theale by three points.

Encouraged by this last ditch escape, the club made a successful application to enter a second eleven in the competition.

A Rare Exception – The Wycombe and District League

The Wycombe and District League was one of very few southern competitions prior to the modern era. It was established in 1899 by sixteen teams, including Naphill, West Wycombe, Great Kingshill, Wycombe Reserves, Loudwater and Wheeler End. Various religious groups – Primitive Methodists, Wycombe Church Room, Booker Temperance, Newland Bible Class, Victoria Street Wesleyans and Mr Collins' Bible Class – were represented, as was the Y.M.C.A. By 1905, with theexception of Church Room and Newland Bible Class, all these organizations had withdrawn, to be replaced by clubs such as Stokenchurch, Penn Street, Tylers Green, Lane End, Holmer Green, Downley, Booker, Wycombe Marsh, Lacey Green, Hazlemere and Speen.

The league, in common with nearly all sport, was discontinued during the First World War. Many clubs had no choice as so many of their members had joined up. Others considered it inappropriate to continue in such circumstances. However, once hostilities had ceased the competition not only

Thankfully, we only had to wait a few days more. Significant scores fromGlennerster, Angus and Keeler contributed to a 172 total at Theale before Exall (5-19) ensured his team triumphed by 74 runs and received a much-needed boost in moral.

Sadly, it proved to be a false dawn as five of the next six matches were lost.

Defeat by Welford Park was followed by a respectable performance at White Waltham, where two nineteen-year-olds featured prominently. Andy Warwick claimed four victims before the hosts declared on 215 for 7, whilst Mike Storey made 70 of Little Marlow's 185 for 8.

The club fell 31 runs short against Braywood, despite Keeler's 72 and Exall's 40, before a run of low scores kept us rooted to the foot of the table. Caversham & Sonning Common recovered from three early strikes by 'quickie' Mike Thomasson to overhaul 120, whilst 140 (Angus 53) and 110 against Cippenham and Cookham Dean (Glennerster 6-39) proved equally inadequate.

With two matches remaining we found ourselves locked in a three-way relegation battle alongside Theale and Mortimer.

An excellent captain's performance from Exall at Wraysbury kept his team in the hunt. Having contributed 40 towards our 159 for 9, he shared ten wickets with Thomas and Angus as a 44 runs victory set up a must-win home match against Mortimer.

Having been inserted, Glennerster (70)and Angus (52) gave us a wonderful start by sharing an opening partnership of 100. That enabled the team to post aleague total in excess of 200 for the first

from the Caribbean Club and West Indian Sports Club in the 1960s, followed by Pakistani Club in the early 1970s.

The beginning of the end arrived in 1975, when ten clubs left to form the Mid-Bucks League. Seven others followed during the next four years. It soldiered on until 1987, by which time it had been reduced to a single division, but that proved to be its final season.

….................................................

Competitive cricket in the Maidenhead area was virtually non-existent until recent times. The Holyport League, which included Knowl Hill, Cookham Dean, Littlewick, Pinkneys Green, Wargrave, Hurley and Cox Green in addition to Holyport, ran from 1906 to 1914. However, it was not resurrected after the War and I could find no further reference to league cricket in the area prior to the 1970s revolution.

resumed but steadily expanded to seven small divisions. Flackwell Heath, who'd played an isolated season in 1900, Wheeler End, Hampden, Marlow Working Men (now Marlow Park), Cadmore End, Widmer End, Little Kingshill, Totteridge, Sands, Parkers Sports Club, Bledlow Ridge, Wycombe Tech Old Boys, Fingest, Bledlow, Bradenham, Broomwades, Turville and Hughenden Valley all joined in the fun.

Unlike the 'Great War', sport was encouraged to continue during the 1939-45 conflict. The Wycombe and District League therefore ran five divisions in 1940. However, the vast majority of clubs then pulled out and for the remaining years there was just the one division.

The competition, which became known simply as the Wycombe League, quickly re-established itself post-war, with Winchmore Hill and Coleshill becoming members. Wycombe's ethnical development was reflected by teams

PLAYER PROFILE – MIKE BATH

Little Marlow was indeed fortunate when Queen's Head landlord Andre Antonow delivered an exemplary sales pitch for the club to new customer Toni Bath. A while later, on the 19 th

April 2003, her husband hit the ground running by scoring a half-century in his first match. Three games for the 2nd X1 were then enough to convince the selectors they'd acquired an accomplished all-rounder. Mike was promoted to the 1sts where, notwithstanding a spell captaining the 2nds in 2010, he has found his true home.

A solid batsman with a sound technique, particularly strong off his legs, Mike usually bats towards the top of the order. He also bowls off-breaks, generally with commendable accuracy while varying his flight and producing a reasonable degree of turn.

He's been very consistent during his eleven years with the club. However, he was particularly successful in 2011, being comfortably our leading bowler in addition to scoring nearly 800 runs.

Mike has also done more than his fair share off the field. He was a league captain for three years and vice-captain for five. In 2008 he took the lead role when Little Marlow established its first colts section, wading through a sea of paperwork and assisting head coach Ingram Jones at the lads' training sessions.

A senior officer in the Royal Navy, he told me about his life on, in and out of the water.

PLEASE COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EARLY LIFE?

I was born in May of 1966 and attended King Edwards Five Ways School in Birmingham before going on to Leicester University, where I read geology.

I started playing cricket in the Birmingham leagues and was on Warwickshire’s books until about 14 when they said I wasn't good enough! We used to have to carry the players’ kit bags from their cars into their changing room and my autograph book was full of names like

Amiss, Kallicharran, and Willis. It was part of our development to occasionally bowl to or face them in the nets – luckily Bob Willis came off a short run! I remember the spinner Norman Gifford (with pipe in his mouth!) bowling to me in the nets which opened my eyes to the art of spin bowling – and I’ve been trying to copy him ever since! I then played in the Leicester area during my university time and we had a great relationship with the county side who liked to see us at practice – so we got to know the likes of Agnew, Whitaker, De Freitas and Les Taylor – needless to say they liked to have a good time and play hard cricket – practical jokes with chilli sauce in your underwear and shaving foam in your batting gloves that sort of thing - and Agnew was the worst culprit.

Norman Gifford – minus the pipeHOW HAVE YOU EARN ED YOUR LIVING?

I'm a Royal Navy Officer (Commodore), having been in the service since '87, and spent just under a third of my career in ships and submarines. I started off in a Destroyer in the Gulf

during the Iran/Iraq war, then spent some time on a Survey ship which make the Admiralty charts which are used worldwide. I then joined Submarines and served for a few years during the end of the Cold War; if you want an idea of what it was like, there was a very accurate documentary on the ‘Silent War’ recently on the BBC. I went back to surface ships in the late '90s and spent more time in the Gulf and Far East before finishing my sea time in an amphibious assault ship around the time of the conflict in Sierra Leone. Between 2006-11 I was in the UK headquarters in Northwood where we commanded the operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya amongst many others worldwide. Ive spent just under a quarter of my career in the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall which is where I'm currently serving.

I BELIEVE THE NAVY HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH SOME WONDERFUL CRICKETING OPPORTUNITIES?

It certainly has! After I joined I alternated between the Devon and Southern leagues, playing for clubs in Plymouth and Portsmouth. I was lucky to go on tours with the Navy side to India, West Indies and Hong Kong, and I've played in places such as Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Bermuda, Florida, Gibraltar, the Falklands, Iraq, and Afghanistan – but never South Africa, NZ or Australia – although we did once stage an unofficial Ashes contest on the flight deck of an Aussie frigate! Ive concluded that just about anywhere you go in the world, you can get a game of cricket.

PLEASE WOULD YOU TELL US ABOUT SOM E OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE CRICKETING EXPERIENCES?

There are quite a few. My last match for the university was against Leicestershire 2nds in 1987 with a bowling attack comprising Agnew, De Freitas, Les Taylor, Winston Benjamin and Nick Cook – so just 5 Test players! I got 30 odd and was chuffed! My best ever season was in 1990, in that long hot summer, I scored 1000 runs at about 40 avge in the Southern Premier league which at the time had one pro per side, generally Hampshire players on their days off or overseas players – I remember hooking and pulling Kevin Shine for about 20 runs in one over whilst he verbally abused me! Later on, I even faced a 14 yr old Chris Tremlett! My team had some great pro’s over the years and I learnt a lot from all of them including Habibul Bashar (a future Capt of Bangladesh) and Mahendra Nagamootoo (WI).

If it wasn't for the Navy I wouldn't have had so Phil Tufnell – firmly put in his placemany cricketing opportunities and I count myself very lucky. Our coach for one of the seasons was Desmond Haynes and I dare-say you cant get better tips on opening the batting from anyone! The Navy side used to play many of the southern county 2nd teams and often there were a number of Test players coming back from injury. Against Middlesex, I opened the batting against Angus Fraser and he went for about 60 in 10 overs – his language got steadily worse the longer he bowled especially as Id mastered the thick edge through gully for four!! Phil Tufnell was bowling really badly and we kept smashing him for 4 or 6 – my batting partner was a Royal Marine Falklands veteran and brilliant player – after one particularly torrid over which had yielded about 3 or 4 boundaries, Tufnell threatened to do something nasty with his bat handle – I mentioned to him that the guy at the other end was a Marine and had seen action, and furthermore would probably have more experience of doing something with his bat handle than he had – funnily enough he kept very quiet after that!

We once played the Cross Arrows side at the Nursery ground at Lord’s. They had Ian Salisbury playing for them - we were quickly 130 odd for 6 chasing 250. One of our guys took a liking to Salisbury and started smashing him into the main ground (before the media centre was there!) and he eventually won us the match – I was sitting next to an older guy on the park bench having just got out and he said it was some of the cleanest hitting he’d ever seen – when I looked I realised I was speaking to Denis Compton!

In 1993, on a tour to Barbados, we’d won a few games so they put quite a strong Barbados XI out against us at the Kensington Oval – I found myself opening against Vasbert Drakes - the quickest thing Id ever seen. After the first ball of the match whistled past my nose – the slip cordon just clapped

slowly and I can remember the Captain saying to Drakes – ‘ Hey Vas man, now take him to the 4th floor’!

My best innings for the Navy was in 1991 scoring a century against Hong Kong at their cricket club where the airlines come in so low over the ground you can almost touch them. I batted 3 and our opening batsman had lost his front teeth to their opening bowler (we didn't bother much with helmets then!). I made my mark in a batting crease covered with blood - not the most inspiring beginning!

My proudest moment for LMCC is the first match we played against Farnham Royal after our great mate Pete Wesson was killed. It was a fitting celebration of his love of the game and the two clubs he’d played for – but he’d have been annoyed at us losing in the final over!

HOW DID YOU COME TO JOIN LMCC?

Back in 2003, we’d just moved to the area and I was looking for a club to join. My wife, Toni, was in the Queen’s Head. She noticed the cricket memorabilia in the main bar and asked the Landlord why. He was a supporter of the club and gave her a very convincing sales pitch!

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS AND HOBBIES OTHER THAN CRICKET?

I used to play a lot of Hockey but retired in 2000 with an intact set of teeth which I felt was an achievement! I had to give up Squash after snapping my Achilles tendon so now I play a bit of Golf, and like cycling and generally trying to keep fit. I read a lot and have lots of

subjects that interest me from history to palaeontology. Toni sums up my interests as ‘War, Sport, the Dead, the nearly Dead and things that kill other things'.

HOW HAS THE GAME CHANGED DURING YOUR TIME AS A PLAYER?

I think coaching has got a lot better thanks to the ECB. They've really put a good structure together and it should hopefully leave the domestic club and county game and England in good stead for the future – barring thiswinter’s performance! Yet I thinkthey've realised they've gone a little toofar in not letting the England playersthink for themselves – lets face it, onceyou've mastered technique cricket isplayed mostly in the head and so mental strength and agility are fundamentals of success. At the club level, cricket is having to compete in a day and age where a youngster has an enormous variety of activities they can undertake and choosing what’s best or right for them can be very challenging.

Closer to home, playing standards in the Chilterns league have dropped over the past 10 years but its not clear why. The league is putting off the inevitable changes they need to make in order for the league format to adapt to the environment and attract more younger players as well as keep players in their 30s playing the game.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND PLANS FOR LMCC IN 2014?

The 1sts need to win the league and get promoted – it's a travesty that we went down when Pinkneys Green stayed up! The 2nds need to have a solid season - mid table or better. We need to keep the Youth section alive and channel the best of them into the 2nds and Sunday sides to give them the confidence to perform well in the 1sts by the mid to later stages of the season.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ?

Its amazing how quickly our younger players develop from year to year and the formation of the Youth section is the most important development during my time at the club. Its thanks to people like Steve Shore, Ted, Kay and Naz that we still have 3 sides turning out every weekend.

(Mike has played 179 matches for Little Marlow, during which he has scored 4,707 runs and taken 234 wickets)