​2025​​
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Cricketer Cup 1st Round
Charterhouse Friars v Lancing Rovers
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On June 8th we ventured to Charterhouse in the first round proper of this year's Cricketer Cup, the third year running we'd been drawn away first up. Despite a few late drop-outs we put out a decent eleven, won the toss, and decided to have a bowl on, despite all the rain the previous day, a rock hard surface.
Lewis Franklin and John McCauley opened up and struck in the third over when Barney Hall took a great catch over his shoulder at deep square leg off Lewis' bowling, 10-1, and when Ollie John had their other opener caught at point by Cosmo Portman at 67-2 off 15 we were in control.​​
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Unfortunately despite an enormous unsuccessful appeal for LBW in James Allen's first over​ we weren't to trouble the umpires for another 189 runs until Yosef Salameh finally trapped their no.3 for a well constructed 106, then like London buses found himself on a hat-trick, it wasn't to be but he did soon bowl the former Hampshire player James Hamblin for 114.
James Scade and skipper Hector Loughton also turned their arms over and the Friars 'collapsed' from 256-2 to 307-7 in the last eight overs, a great comeback by the bowlers (excluding the centurians they scored 87-5). Unfortunately 307 is the fifth highest total we have conceded in the competition, three of them occurring since we were readmitted to the competition in the last five years, although all of them were away from home - every cloud.
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​So Hector and Ollie set about chasing down the daunting total, but the latter was bowled fifth ball by the aforementioned ex Hants pro with an absolute beauty. Hector followed shortly after to leave us 'wobbling' at 12-2! Barney and Steve Crosby steadied the ship with a partnership of 36 before Barney was adjudged LBW for a confident 22 off 38 balls, which given the circumstances was exactly what was needed. Steve was next out, top scoring with 24 and certainly didn't look like a batsman having his first knock of the season.
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​Jeff Kerr-Dineen, who thankfully answered our SOS on the eve of the match didn't trouble the scorers, nor did Yo who yorked himself, but everyone else chipped in. At this stage three figures was the target, and thanks to knocks of 18 from Cosmo, 17 Lewis and 12 James we manged to get there, reducing the margin of loss to under two hundred runs...just.​
In the past three season we have lost by 197,199 and 238 runs, chasing over 300 in each one, something needs to change. With respect to all those who played we were missing half a dozen players for a number of reasons who would normally have started, and without whom we are going to struggle to progress against the majority of schools in the competition. That said half the teams in the first round were bowled out for 150 or less, so we're in good company.​
Here's to a home draw next year...fingers crossed.​​​
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