Captain’s Report
What a sumptuous year 2024 proved to be, with a fantastic western tour and a “warm up” weekend in Norfolk. Both are excellently reported elsewhere.
Whilst the weather was against us in Norfolk, it relented sufficiently for us to enjoy a good weekend of cricket and fun. Two good wins with games played in the best of spirits. The opposition will certainly rally and we have just confirmed a repeat for late June 2025.
The Western tour was full of good cricket and incident. 8 wins, 3 draws and a loss tells a story and Peter George’s prose brings it all back to life.
For me the highlights of the year included Charlie Everett’s hundred at Castle Acre, Harry Kennedy at last breaking his Sou’westers century duck (and then following with 2 good 90s) and a cracking game to start the tour at Morebath. Also Flatt and Sunter’s batting, which was at times sublime. Freddie Bucknell and Henry Parker’s bowling led the way and the wickets. I gather Alec Sprague’s innings at Taunton Deane was a masterpiece.
But again Sidmouth, as is so often the case, produced the real drama together with some very high quality cricket. Above all it was an amazing game of declaration cricket, an aspect which seemed to go unnoticed by several of the participants. Suffice to say Freddie Bucknell’s opening spell was of the highest class. He was unlucky not to take a hat full of very good wickets.
Loyton was again a fantastic base for the early part of the tour. The Carruthers Cup, for all round contribution (by youth) on tour, was awarded to Harry Kennedy for performances in 2023. The inaugural award of the Loyton trophy, for a specific moment or performance on tour, went to George Oliver for his bowling in 2023 at Morebath.
As for meetings, the committee recognises the importance of these and that as many members as possible attend and contribute. As the AGM is not a decision taking occasion – decisions were delegated to the management committee some years ago – the function of any gatherings should be less formal and more reporting/consultative/social.
We intend therefore that there should be two informal meetings each year, one in March (in London) and one on the West Country tour. This will enable both London based members and those living in the west to attend more easily and participate.
The London gathering is provisionally arranged for Thursday 20th March at The Perseverance, London WC1N 3NB. The “Western” meeting is planned to be at 8pm on Tuesday 29th July at Loyton (with pizza afterwards). Please try to attend one or both.
The details of a tour to Sri Lanka over Easter 2026 are being finalised and will be circulated very shortly. We are booked in to tour Menorca in Spring 2027.
A big thank you to all the committee, particularly our President, Martin, who presides with supreme skill, our umpires (Mark Williams and Christopher Dean leading from the front), our scorers (Marion of course for a scorebook that is the envy of all), our scribes (Peter George and Philip Oliver) and everyone helping to make this the most remarkable club it is.
Finally, I have to report the sad death of Chris Carruthers. He was a colossus of this club and there is an obituary elsewhere in the yearbook. He was also my house master at Fettes and brought me on tour with the Sou’westers in 1981, my final year at school. I am grateful to him for quite a number of things but the greatest of all was that introduction. His presence lives on through the Carruthers Cup, awarded each year to the young cricketer who contributes most on the western Tour.
Jonathan Kennedy