PRSIDENT: Mr. J. Gaisford  COMMITTEE:  Chairman Paul Bates; Secretary Adrian Lamberth; Treasurer Matt Balkwill; Fixtures Adrian Barrett; Captain Howard Turner; Vice-Captain Jason Stephens

Players - Matt Balkwill; Adrian Barrett; duncan Barrett; Paul Bates; Kevin Cheeseman; Robbie Gumbrell; Mike Hills; Dave Hurren; Dave Lamb; Tim Lamb; Adrian Lamberth; Dominic Lowe; Alex Newman-Smith; Duncan Perry; Jason Stephens; Howard Turner; Jason Walliker

    The year saw our relationship with the Parish Council at a lower ebb than for some time due to a multitude of factors that built up over the season. Issues that were often out of our immediate control were outlined in a letter sent to us by the Council, who wished to see them quickly resolved. The state of the outfield was brought into question however the council was cutting it less frequently than in the recent past and ongoing problems with our (then) ageing mower meant we were not able to cut the outfield satisfactorily on occasion. The posts and chain that had been installed the previous year were often the target of petty vandalism, being pulled up and left lying about from time to time.

    Over time, the venerable artificial strip sadly garnered increasing amounts of unwarranted attention by groups of youths who’d sit on the pitch, idly burning another hole in the top layer to join the others. Incidents like these had been on the increase and on a few occasions the police had been called. As their response was somewhat lacking they must have viewed these occurrences as low priority. Occasionally, such senseless vandalism meant re-scheduling a game until the necessary repair work had been carried out. One such occasion went way too far. One of the heavy rollers parked in the trees near the church had its retaining chain cut It was towed out to the pitch where its handle and/or sharp cutting implement had left a yard-long gash at one end, rendering the surface completely unusable. This time we knew our efforts at remedial work would be completely inadequate and we put in a claim with our insurers. To our pleasant surprise, we got virtually the full amount back to the tune of around £2,000, enough to replace the entire strip! There was some justice in the world after all, but it stirred us up a bit.

    Our response to the Parish Council detailed our various difficulties (especially the local vandalism) and our desire to resolve all other issues mentioned. But it went one step further by expressing our intention to install a grass wicket on the Recreation Ground. To this end we needed to arrange a meeting with the Parish council to discuss this goal, an ambitious on for a club of our size to say the least. we hoped this meeting could to take place early in the New Year.

The Season

    The Season that happened before most of this at least featured a couple of good early results that made the local News & Mail paper. On 8th May, the visiting Knaphill side fought well to restrict us to 88 for 7, Dom Lowe, Peter Hull, Tim Lamb and Jason Walliker all falling in their teens. Matt Balkwill and Dave Lamb then shored the score up, their stand of 42 taking back the initiative from the visitors who only managed to take one more wicket, allowing us to declare at tea on 135 for 8. Knaphills' reply stuttered to 18 for 5 after the first seven overs. Easing off the pressure allowed a recovery, Hockley and Ireland making 35 and 31 respectively, but then we moved in for the kill to leave Knaphill all out for 88.

    If that was a good win, what followed was better. Thorpe were always a good team to beat and here there would be none better. The previous day's rain meant the game was in slight doubt, but the home side elected to bat first, knowing their home wickets. Four balls in and Jason Walliker took their opener Smith for nought and we were on the way. It was one of those days where we did little wrong, containing runs and holding the catches, eight of them no less. Danny Bell was wicket-keeping at this time, and held on to two. Dominic Lowe at gully clutched hold of another two to put pressure on. But the best catches were from Captain Jason Stephens and Kev Cheeseman. Jason grabbed one that was going high and quick over him at slip, while Kev's was a reactionary catch to his left at backward short-leg. That we had a fielder in such a position shows how on top were must have been. More on the season to follow.

SOMERSET TOUR

The Heatherton Grange Inn

    The May Bank Holiday weekend in '94 was earmarked for tour, Howard Turner and Adrian Barrett having done their research personally the previous autumn. The Heatherton Grange Inn at Bradford On Tone, a small but reasonably spacious hotel found midway between Wellington and Taunton in Somerset, gave us a nice welcome with a colourful blackboard by the front door. We were convinced they were expecting someone else! Moe photos are found on the 1994 Gallery Page.

    Overcast at times the weather was a bit better than one year previous and we played some good cricket. The first at Hinkley Point near the coast had a small amount of surface water as "Beefy" Turner testified - his rear end found just about the only muddy puddle on the field! Second match opposition was provided by Rowley Craddick, a local who collated a side to play us after the original team pulled out. It took place on a cooler Sunday in overcast semi-conditions on the outskirts of Taunton, but we came up trumps again. On a sunny and warmer Monday, the third game against "Unknown Village Name" (I really need the scorebook, don't I) provided some stiff opposition who were probably perplexed by at least two of our players taking the field wearing a long, flowing dress as a forfeit. Some photos are below - click each for a larger one. More are to be found on the 1994 Gallery Page.

Team line-up at Hinckley Point	In the Heatherton Grange bar
Enthusiasm shines through!	The congregation in Taunton

    A set of tour rules (below) were issued to all before tour commencement. The Kangaroo court, forerunner of our current "Finesmaster" set-up, took no prisiners in dishing out the penalties and anyone that "Judge Beefy Jefferies" in his blond wig thought should be got was got. Ian Hunt's penalty for whatever offence he committed was to perform an "updated" version of that favourite hymn, "All Things Bright And Beautiful," sub-titled along the lines of "Hunty Grunts And Smells". Kev Cheeseman had to wash the hotel managements' cars with extra thrown in. Both these and more are something for the future, as video footage exists of these and other memorable moments!

    All in all, a successful second tour, the only caveat being we had to travel to get anywhere for nightlife or a restaurant. Two rooms had all contents including furniture exchanged to confuse the respective occupants and one room's bed 'broke' when all the supports bar a few were all removed, bringing its occupant crashing through. Not bad. The following year's tour was set up by the aforementioned Rowley Craddick, he found us a beautiful location in Perranporth in Cornwall which exceeded all expectations and led Rowley to comment that he wished he'd found it for himself first!

THE ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER

  The Annual Awards Dinner was slated for just under a fortnight after the season end, Saturday 1^st October.