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The
section following this is the only
piece of 1980 history I have unearthed so far, and even then it is incomplete. It
appears to have originated from a Brookwood area photocopied newsletter/magazine and
refers to an evening game on 13th May 1980. I have taken the liberty of
including the whole existing text as it makes intriguing reading.
The item starts at the top of the page.
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. . . . .or as the first fixture of the season could be called - the
fixture fiasco to end all fixtures - in the Woking Review Invitation
Cricket League May 13th (very ominous).
The Brookwood Cricketers
assembled at various points in the hospital ostensibly for a match arranged at
the Sussex Road Ground against a West End Eleven. At the duly appointed time of
pitching the wickets, namely six o'clock, the cricketers arrived at Sussex Read
to find no wickets, no pitch marked out, no team to play, and - where has one
heard this phase before - the pavilion burned down. Not to be dismayed or
discouraged, an outrider was dispatched to scour Knaphill with the sole purpose
of finding wickets, pitch, and a West End Cricket Eleven.
Eventually the outrider
returned to report that movement had been observed in the region of the Waterers
Park Sports Ground. The exodus from Sussex Road began in earnest with car after
car in search of the elusive opponents. This time it was the right venue with
wickets, a pitch correctly marked and a gaggle of cricket persons anxious for
play. By this time Brookwood numbers had risen to more than the permitted
allowed (a healthy sign) and consequently some were more than anxious to stand
down. The game finally commenced some forty-five minutes late with Brookwood
having the worst of the light by batting last.
EPILOGUE
(Every plot should have one) - The communication between
league officials, home team, and visitors appeared in this instant to be sadly
lacking. One could charitably allow for delays, this being the first fixture of
the season, also it is not often that a team has its pavilion burnt down
(outside of Brookwood) but full marks for initiative and endeavour to the
Brookwood cricketers in pursuing to a conclusion the chance to play this chosen
sport.
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| Details for 13th
May 1980 at Waterers Park, Woking |
|
WEST END 71 V. Mayers, 3 for 6 |
| BROOKWOOD 6 (?) G. Aberjafna
10, R. Johns 15, B. Gamage 23. |
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The following week was a
more pleasant affaiar when Brookwood played Laybourne Grange Hospital. Although
all arrangements went without a hitch, an unevenly bouncing pitch was the
culprit for low scores and good bowling figures as Brookwood scored just 37. Two
bowlers took all their scalps, with one taking 7-10 - almost as good as our
Jason Walliker on his day in the 1990's!
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