16 Buccaners past and present, plus a guest or two met at Woldingham GC today to play a team competition for the Buccacup. Last played for in 2011, this year’s competition was won by the Allstars – the younger players (plus the very useful Mssrs Thompson and Phillips).

The highest individual point scorer was Chris Leech with 44 points. Longest Driver and winner of the Howard Spencer medal was Richard Hobbs. Nearest the Green winner was Paul Thompson.

Under the watchful gaze of leading sports QC Mark Milliken-Smith, a selection of Buccaneer players past and present met on the evening of Thursday 28 October at the East India Club Pall Mall, to reflect on the past season in convivial company.

With the President Simon Woolfries sidelined by you know what, Hon Sec (and future President) Rob Rydon brought the assembly to order and talked attendees through the season. The results for the season and the averages for the year can be found here.

Winners on the night included leading aggregrate wicket taker Angus Berry, bowler with the lowest average Tom Rydon (FBP*) and leading batter Steve ‘the Axeman’ Moules. The recipient of the Geoffrey Moore Award for the season was Ludo Milne for his outstanding efforts of 144 runs at 72.0 and 7 wickets at 11.4. Ludo is pictured receiving an original Geoffrey Moore Mk1 club tie from Rob Rydon (as last year’s winner was away and was unable to return the magnificent trophy in time).

Mark Milliken-Smith responded to the traditional toast to the club’s guests. In a wide ranging discussion based on on his many years defending rugby players and cricketers who stray from the path in their professional lives and acting for sports authorities, he entertained the Buccaneers and made a strong pitch for who club members should turn to in case of any nightclub or recreational drug-related incidents in the future. Chatham House rules prevent any more comment on what was discussed!

Thanks as ever to David Close for organising another excellent evening.

*Future Buccaneers’ President

This year the Gentlemen and the Players returned to Betchworth for the Annual House Match. With overcast conditions and a characteristically spongy wicket prevailing, the Gentlemen won the toss and inserted the Players.

The opening partnership of S. Moules and E. Wedge-Bull quickly made the Gentleman regret their decision, putting on 153 for the first wicket. Despite the best, and very commendable, efforts of I. Krunic, W. Noble and A. Berry (newly-styled as an opening bowler) Moules was imperious, racing to a quick (and what would prove to be match-defining) century before magnanimously retiring at the lunch interval. 

The Gentleman were not dispirited; after hydrating appropriately and filling themselves with the Red Lion’s finest offering of meat and (“premium”) vegan mayonnaise, they returned to the field to take a quick flurry of wickets, courtesy of B. Hudson.  W. Okines and S. Leefe bowled with their usual elegance and guile, Leefe even treating spectators to the rarely-seen long run-up for one tantalising over.  However, the Gentlemen’s success was short-lived as W. Metcalfe brought impetus back into his side’s innings with an explosive half-century, taking the Players to 255 (declared). 

The Gentlemen were stifled early on in their chase by the loss of a number of quick wickets, courtesy of J. Greenhalfe and T. Rydon: E. Kalidasan fell to a delivery that spat off the Betchworth wicket, Noble was strangled down the leg side, and Berry swung to clear the boundary, making it only as far as first slip (alas). At 29-5, and with over 200 runs still to chase, the prospect of victory looked slim for the Gentleman. Hudson, Krunic and both Markos (making their Buccaneers debut) put up a valiant fight but couldn’t prevent the Gentlemen’s inevitable defeat.

2021 House Match – The Players XI beat The Gentlemens XI by 161 runs

Innings of Players (W Metcalfe’s XI)

S Moules retired 102
E Wedge-Ball b B Hudson 48
R Hobbs ct W Noble b B Hudson 7
O Paruin ct E Kalidasan b B Hudson 3
I Moroz b W Okines 3
J Harcourt run out 1
T Rydon ct E Kalidasan b B Hudson 1
E Howes not out 16
W Metcalfe not out 52
Extras 11

Total 255-6 dec

Bowling

A Berry 6-1-31-0
I Krunic 3-1-15-0
W Noble 5-0-47-0
S Leefe 6-1-25-0
B Hudson 8-0-69-4
W Okines 5-0-21-1
M Gasic 1-0-16-0
[ ] 1-0-26-0

Innings of the Gentlemen (E Kalidasan’s XI)

W Noble ct Harcourt b Greenhalfe 1
E Kalidasan ct Harcourt b T Rydon 9
S Leefe run out 4
A Berry ct Harcourt b T Rydon 8
J Milne ct Hobbs c Greenhalfe 0
I Krunic lbw Howes 22
B Hudson ct Moules b I Moroz 7
W Okines b Parvin 10
M Krunic not out 6
M Gasic run out 2
Extras 15

Total 83 all out

Bowling

J Greenhalfe 5-0-15-2
T Rydon 5-2-11-2
I Moroz 5-0-28-1
E Howes 6-0-7-2
R Hobbs 2-1-4-0
O Parvin 2-0-4-1
S Moules 1.5-1-0-0

Why not join us for the Annual Dinner, held at the East India Club, Pall Mall on Thursday 28 October 2021 at 18.45.

Mark Milliken-Smith QC has been asked to propose the toast to the Club. Mark has been a Buccaneer, including on the ’93 tour to South Africa, is a member at Brook where the Hon Sec hit him on the head some years ago! He has represented a lot of high-profile sports people across a range of sports and is on the ECB’s Discipline Commission and was recently appointed Chair of the MCC’s Disciplinary Panel. He’ll be keeping a close eye on behaviour on the night!

Why not also attend the annual Annual General Meeting before Dinner at 18.30. The agenda for the AGM can be found here.

To book your Dinner ticket, please contact David Close at dclose@griffithsandarmour.com or on 07947 370069.

Follie’s Farm, as always, delivered a blisteringly sunny September day for us to play out a 40 over game in good spirits, supported by roast pork sandwiches and crisp Provençal rosé.

Buccaneers arrived slightly short staffed with 10, waiting for S Moules to lose a morning cricket tournament and make the train journey to Godalming.

The Bucc’s batted first and Follie’s struck early, capitalising on an uncharacteristically cavalier Eswar Kalidasan, dabbing a third swipe of the bat to cover on his 4^th ball of the innings. Berry held firm for a few more overs facing a fairly mild-paced opening pair without treading on square legs toes. Jeremy Milne came to the crease at Eswar’s demise and rolled back the years with some incredible reading of the occasional uneven bounce and seam. He delivered a mature 43 partnering firstly with young Charlie Leefe, who very characteristically smashed two sixes followed by straight forward catch and out for 29. Milne senior and junior were the pick of the Bucc’s batsmen working well together and remarkably not running each other out. Ludo came agonisingly close to his maiden ton with 89 not out, Tom Fletcher shutting up shop at the other end for 11 from many, many balls. Bucc’s closed out the innings with 221 from our 40 overs.

All star all rounder Ludo Milne opened up the bowling with debutant Thomas ‘Show me the Money’ Chaumet at the other end. Ludo eagerly delivered with 3 maidens and a wicket from his first 4 overs. Chaumet providing some support at the other end but without a wicket to show for it. With the first and second changes came a slight lull in the Buccaneers wicket taking statistics. With messieurs Barson and Griffiths sitting comfortably at the crease scoring 72 and 43 respectively, before eventually falling to Okines & Moules. With 8 overs to go Follies needed 82 to win and the game started to look just out of reach. At close of play Follie’s Farm posted 193 for 6 and fell 29 runs short of the required total.

A lovely day and match in the sun was closed out with some good conversation and even better scampi and sausage rolls accompanied by a couple more bottles of blush, before carriages at 19.30.

Buccaneers won by 33 runs

Innings of Buccaneers

A Berry st CSD b Hicks 17
E kalidasan ct Bell b Kirkham 2
J Milne b Hicks 43
C Leefe ct Maunder b Bell 29
L Milne not out 89
S Leefe ct CSD b M Barson
T Chaumet b M Barson 0
T Fletcher not out 11

Extras 29
Total 226-6 (40 overs)

Bowling
Hicks 8-0-24-2
Kirkham 8-1-56-1
Bell 8-1-35-1
Griffiths 6-0-31-0
T Barson 2-0-29-0
M Barson 8-3-26-2 3

Innings of Follies Farm Old Spots

Lumley b L Milne 0
Palmer stumped b S Leefe 22
Barson ct [ ] b Okines 72
Griffiths stumped b Moules 43
Maunder not out 20
Sandamore not out 18

Extras 17
Total 193-4 (40 overs)

Bowling
L Milne 8-3-23-1
T Chaumet 6-0-32-0
S Leefe 8-1-24-1
A Berry 5-0-21-0
R Hobbs 3-0-28-0
W Okines 4-0-23-1

C Leefe 2-0-19-0
Moules 4-1-16-1

The only thing different this year was the welcome return of the match tea. In most other respects it was a repeat of the 2020 fixture, with Warborough & Shillingford comfortably holding on for a draw but without challenging the target. How we yearned for a repeat of that famous draw when scores were level.

This game, too, included a notorious run out. Asked to bat on a bright morning, the Buccaneers began in calamitous fashion. Taking rather too seriously his opening partner’s comment that he had his laptop and plenty of work to do by the boundary’s edge, Angus Berry saw off Eswar Kalidasan in a yes-no-sorry mix-up. From then on it seemed plain sailing, at least until the uneven bounce became no bounce, and both James Marsh and Angus Berry were bowled in quick succession after deliciously fluent 30s. Enter the old guard. Going through the gears, rolling back the years, Simon Leefe and Rob Rydon notched another century partnership and set the platform for the selfless Archie Marsh, the crisp-hitting Stephen Moules and the still-unbeaten-at this ground Tom Fletcher to bash the Buccs to a declaration at 245-6 from 40 overs. The final 5 overs were 5-0-62-3.

From then on the game, like the bounce, somewhat died. Will Metcalfe opened up proceedings and was unlucky not to draw first blood. Angus Berry whirled delightfully at the other end, bowling a fabulous opening spell that brought two wickets. The first atoned for the captain’s botched run-out attempt, the second bamboozled everyone with drift, bounce and movement. The pitch was made for James Marsh to be match-winner but, alas, a migraine immobilised him. W&S’s provision of a replacement fielder on rotation was much appreciated, and perhaps they should have been thrown the ball, but as it was all 9 Buccaneers outfielders had a try but in the end failed to extract enough from an increasingly lifeless pitch and an increasingly determined batting card. When it was – perhaps belatedly – Simon Leefe and Rob Rydon’s turn, they both made breakthroughs, Rob Rydon making the ball talk more than it had at any time in the match. Perhaps with a bit more sharpness in the field and some luck with the marginal LBW decisions, we could have taken all 10. Perhaps we should have declared sooner. As it was, after 47 overs of doughty defence, the game drew to a close and the players ambled to the Six Bells to reflect on the day. Hoping that next year sees the return of the famous luncheon. And perhaps a different result.

Innings of Buccaneers
Angus Berry b Hassan 31
Eswar Kalidasan run out (Johnson / Ward† / Hassan) 0 James Marsh b Hassan 33
Simon Leefe run out (Rainbow / Ward†) 47
Rob Rydon c Rainbow b Hanson 62
Archie Marsh st Ward† b Iswariah 11
S Moules not out 23
Tom Fletcher not out 5
Extras (6 byes, 3 leg-byes, 8 wides, 13 no-balls) 30

Total (6 wickets, 40 overs) 245
Fall of wickets: 1−1, 2−72, 3−73, 4−184, 5−216, 6−218

Bowling
Ian Potter 5 0 20 0
Junaid Hassan 11 3 41 2
James Tilley 7 2 29 0
Logan Rainbow 4 0 21 0
Adrian Zagoritis 5 0 29 0
Jamie Hanson 4 0 48 1
Rohan Iswariah 3 0 29 1
Andy Hobbs 1 0 21 0

Innings of Warborough & Shillingford
Andy Hobbs lbw b Okines 61
Ian Potter c Okines b Berry 1
*Adrian Zagoritis b Berry 11
Rohan Iswariah not out 34
Freddie McElwaine-Johnn b Rydon 26
Logan Rainbow b Leefe 1
James Tilley not out 8
Extras (6 byes, 3 wides, 1 no-ball) 10

Total (5 wickets, 47/47+ overs) 152

Will Metcalfe 7 1 25 0
Angus Berry 10 3 19 2
R Hobbs 6 1 15 0
S Moules 4 0 16 0
Archie Marsh 7 1 30 0
Warwick Okines 4 0 26 1
Simon Leefe 5 2 5 1
Rob Rydon 3 2 5 1
Eswar Kalidasan 1 0 5 0

Henley won by 9 runs

Innings of Henley

B Purchase b Wedge-Bull 14
A Gunshaw ct b Berry 73
H Radhakrishan b Wedge-Bull 5
A Lubbock run out 17
A Searle ct b Berry 6
S O’Leary B Hobbs 20
D Farland ct b Rydon 54
O Saunders ct b Hobbs 0
E Hyman ct b Wedge-Bull 35
A Chappell not out 1
Extras 4

229-9 (40 overs)

Bowling

Wedde-Bull 8-0-41-3
R Rydon 8-0-43-1
J Marsh 5-0-34-0
A Berry 7-0-37-2
S Leefe 4-0-24-0
R Hobbs 5-0-25-2
Machin 3-0-25-0

Innings of Buccaneers

A Berry b Hyman 31
E Khalidasan ct & b Searle 26
C Leefe b Hyman 11
J Marsh b Farland 31
S Leefe lbw Quinn 21
R Rydon b Farland 3
E Wedge-Bull ct b Hyman 36
S Moules ct b Searle 13
H Machin run out 15
T Fletcher not out 17
R Hobbs ct b Hyman 2
Extras 10

Total 220 all out

Bowling

A Chappell 7-0-41-1
A Searle 8-1-50-2
E Hyman 8-0-30-3
D Farland 8-1-32-2
C Quinn 5-0-40-1
A Lubbock 4-0-18-0

After a 9.00am discussion with the OHJ’s manager, it was decided to chance it , even though the forecast was dodgy.  Driving through Hurstpierpoint in torrential rain tested the optimism of even the captain. It was obvious we were not going to start on time, but some port at midday and an early lunch soothed the grumbles (mainly from the umpires).

Play started at 2.15pm with the captain opening the batting with his middle son. All proceeded smoothly and just shy of the fifty run partnership, Rob decided to hit a short ball to midwicket. James Marsh entered the fray, hit a few impressive shots and then lofted one to mid on. Meanwhile, Alex Rydon upped the tempo and accelerated to a fifty but was then caught on the boundary. Pace was taken off and after Jim Mann was out we found it increasingly difficult to penetrate the inner ring. It wasn’t until numbers 10 and 11 (Harry Mann and Ed Howes) saw the clock ticking down that the runs started to flow. 149 for 9 was a fair declaration with only Tom Rydon failing to get to the crease. The OHJ’s returned to the pavilion damp and bedraggled.

With no little irony, Tea was taken in glorious sunshine Then on to the cricket, with Harry Mann steaming in from the top end . His brother, Olly freshened the oppo captain from the bottom end with a waist high no ball full toss with his first delivery. The second elicited an edge and dad Jim pouched it at first slip. In the third over, Mark Semmence, a true run machine against the Buccs, was dropped at second slip. It was a sharp head high chance.  Second slip had asked to go there as he claimed to be the best catcher in the team. The captain hoped it would not prove costly. It turned out not to be as yet another shower came down and the umpires had had enough and called proceedings to a halt.

A crowd gathered to hear the closing speeches and listen to the Last Post as the flag was lowered on the OHJ’s 100^th cricket week.

Innings of Buccaneers

R.RYDON  30
A.RYDON 50
J.MARSH 12
J.MANN 12
T.FLETCHER 22
A.BERRY 0
A.MARSH 4
O.MANN 0
H.MANN NOT OUT 7
E.HOWE NOT OUT 11
T.RYDON  DNB

149 FOR 9 DEC

M. HARRISON 6.2.19-0
D.BURSTOW  4.0.14.0
J.LOWNDES 3.0.28.1
P.MCGAHON 5.1.24.1
S.HALL 10.1.39.4
R.HICKMAN 7.2.25.2

Innings of OHJ

C.VIGGON  NOT OUT 8
S.WARRENDER  CT J.MANN BWLD O.MANN 0
M.SEMMENCE  NOT OUT 2

D.BURSTOW, M.HARRISON, P.MCGAHAN, R.COPE, S.HALL,R. HICKMAN, R.WILSDON J.LOWNDES DNB

H.Mann 2.0.9.0
O.Mann  1.0.3.1

12 FOR 1   RAIN STOPPED PLAY

Lindfield CC

Batting

Bowling

The Buccaneers

Batting

Bowling

The weather forecast was not a happy one: light showers to be followed by heavier rain in the late afternoon.  Both sides were keen to bat first, but Bryant lost the toss and Frensham put the Buccaneers in the field under a predicted light shower that soon became persistent light rain.  Hamish Robertson and Steve Moules opened the bowling very tidily; the batsmen not playing many scoring shots but, as usual on this ground, the runs started coming in fours.  Steve took his first wicket in the sixth over and then another in his next.  Still the rain came down in a light drizzle and the umpire left it to the players to decide whether or not we should continue.  All credit to Frensham, their batsmen were content to play on.  Had we come off, there would have been little chance of resuming.  The weather was not going to improve.

James Marsh took over from Hamish and took a wicket in his second over, that of Martin Breddy, a former Buccaneer.  Angus Berry then replaced Steve and bowled extremely well, taking four wickets, including a double wicket maiden.  It was difficult to prise the ball away from him but after about 33 overs with around 150 on the board Frensham’s captain let us know that with the weather forecast so dire, he would bat for only another six overs.  Angus gamely sacrificed the chance of taking 5 so as to let someone else have a go.  Frensham then put on 40 odd runs, Archie Marsh taking a wicket in the two overs he was given before a very sporting declaration at 192 for 8 with theoretically buckets of time left but probably buckets of rain to come.

Since there was to be no official tea break (it was bring your own), the Buccaneers opened their innings immediately with the canny choice of Angus Berry and James Marsh as openers.  The rain got heavier and no doubt did the hearts of the fielders as Angus and James started to turn on their own tap.  But still Frensham showed willing and very generously stayed out on the field, getting wetter and wetter, while being punished for their endurance.  To add to their suffering, they gave the Buccaneers a third player, a man called “Extras”, who managed to put on 45 in total (note that our Tom Fletcher had not conceded a single bye.)  With Angus scoring 73 and James 75, the Buccs paddled home without loss in only 18.2 overs.  A magnificent achievement.  When was the last time we had an opening partnership of more than 190 (Hurlingham 2011? see this link)

An extraordinary game of cricket, probably the only game in Surrey that finished that day.  Many thanks to Frensham for their fortitude and willingness to give us a match, come what may. Buccs won by 10 wickets.

Innings of Frensham

Breddy                  b. J. Marsh                           26
Bixby                     b. Moules                            5
Champneys           lbw Moules                        6
McCabe                 c. Berry                               36
Jones                    b. Berry                               29                          
White                    not out                                59
Smith O.               c. Fletcher b. Berry          0
Smith M.               b. Berry                                4
Smith D.                b. A. Marsh                         8

Extras                                                                12
Total                                                                  192 for 8 declared

H. Robertson     7-2-0-27
S. Moules           8-2-2-43
J. March             6-2-1-33
A. Berry              9-3-4-25
G. Stapleton       3-0-0-17
O. Robertson     3-0-0-26
A. Marsh                              2-0-1-16

Innings of Buccaneers

Berry                     not out                  73
J. Marsh                not out                  75

Extras                                                 45
Total                                                   193

C. Jones                               4-0-0-31
M. Smith                              3-0-0-15
P.McCabe                           4-0-0-30
D. Bigsby                              3-0-0-28
C. Doian                               2.2-0-0-28
E. White                               2-0-0-29