A season which promised so much - the club’s second overseas tour, a record number of fixtures and a new captain - ended in anti-climax, largely thanks to appalling weather both here and in Sri Lanka. No fewer than five matches were completely washed out with another four falling victim to rain after they had started.
A detailed account of the tour can be found elsewhere in The Cranleighan; suffice to say the relentless rain left the players frustrated and just one match was completed.
The season proper started in early May against the School, although for the first time since 1975 the game was not played on Speech Day. The OCs recovered from a poor start to post 171-7 thanks mainly to 65 from Janmohamad, and after recovering from in an inauspicious start of their won the School looked in with a chance of victory as they started the last 20 overs needing 82 with six wickets in hand. The batsmen, however, never showed any inclination to chase a win and in the end they just held on for a draw, ending at 131-9 after Chetwode put down a sharp chance off the final ball.
At Headley Chetwode more than made amends for that miss with his maiden century, blasting 137 out of 198 runs scored while he was at the crease. Opening the innings, he took just 73 minutes to reach three figures, the fourth fastest OC hundred of all time; had it not been for several interruptions caused by the search for lost balls Chetwode would have reached the landmark in even quicker time. Chasing 228 to win, the home side never threatened and a sixty-run victory was achieved with almost an hour to spare.
The inaugural match with the Buccaneers coincided with the World Cup final; the numerous OCs who opted to go to Lord’s left Chetwode running a weakened side, and having been put into bat they struggled to an inadequate 150. The visitors made hay against a dire bowling attack and cruised to an eight-wicket win. The Lancing match lasted just over an hour-and-a-half before a third deluge left the Lowers under water with the visitors on 78-0.
The new-look week started against the Frogs but again the OC batting faltered despite a gutsy 55 from Ed Copleston and on a fast outfield the final score of 220 was always insufficient. The all-seam attack persevered and when the last 20 overs started the visitors needed an relatively easy 78 with seven wickets in hand. But Chetwode (4-73) and Stephens (1-35) pegged the Frogs back and only some lusty hitting in the penultimate over saw them scramble home by three wickets.
Rain returned on the Monday and limited the match against the Butterflies to ten overs. The Stoics brought down a selection of overseas players but tight bowling from Chetwode (4-27) and Graham Webb (1-81) restricted them to 208-7. Despite taking just one wicket Webb, making a welcome return after a three-year absence, was as parsimonious as ever in a mammoth spell. The OCs’ reply suffered from a lack of momentum and once the in-form Ed Copleston (41) had perished the match petered out into a draw.
In recent years the Wednesday trip to St George’s College has produced some epic contests; this time they fielded a woefully weak team and the game was over before tea. The Old Georgians started confidently but from 39-0 they crashed to 106 all out; but for an unbeaten 20 from veteran Brian O’Gorman their total would have been far worse. Coleen, who had taken seven wickets in this fixture in 1996, threatened to repeat his demolition job with early wickets, but with little support from he other end he was always fighting a losing battle. A whirlwind 41 from the School’s Zimbabwean coach Trevor Grippa settled the tie as the OCs won by five wickets.
The Grasshoppers failed to profit from spilt catches and found Webb (4-21) to much to handle on a dry wicket on which all but one wicket fell to slow bowlers. Set 171 in plenty of time, a cameo innings from Mike Wilson (64*) put the match beyond the visitors. Opening the innings as he had to leave early, the Loveday housemaster smote the ball to all parts in an innings which owed much to a remarkable eye and little to technique.
On the Friday another new opposition, the Wanderers, smashed a poor OC attack to all parts in blistering heat. The mightily Chetwode conceded three figures (1-112) as did Grippa (2-115), sending down all but ten overs between them as the visitors racked up 306-4. Such a total would have stretched a full-strength OC side; against this one there was only going to be one outcome. Grippa (87) ensured that the final margin of defeat was kept to 92 runs.
The final game of the week brought the second win as the Old Hurstjohnians were defeated by 77 runs. Batting first Ed Copleston (115*) led from the off in a masterful innings, reaching his maiden OC century in just under three hours. With little support apart from Johnny Wright (51), the younger Copleston brother was the difference between the sides. Henry Watkinson (5-33) then grabbed five wickets to complete the victory.
Eton Ramblers were on the receiving end of good innings from both Coplestons, Simon making 69 and Ed falling agonisingly two runs short of another century as the OCs scored 257-6. On a pitch offering abundant help to the slow bowlers Graham Brown (5-75) took his first five-wicket haul but the visitors just held on, closing on 243-9.
Our annual away match on Jubilee, against the Cryptics, produced the game of the summer. The ‘home’ side ground down the OCs in the heat, taking 55 overs to reach 283-5 and leaving a maximum of 47 overs for the second innings. Jock Vickers (60) got the reply off to a flier, but at 142-6 the game seemed as good as over. But McCarthy (73*) and Porter (38) put on 89 for the seventh wicket and then Chetwode (36*) finished the contest in typically belligerent style. Two days later the Old Wellingtonians game was washed out.
The Cranleigh Village match was a bitter disappointment, the Surrey Championship side fielding an eleven which contained seven colts and not one Saturday first or second team player. The outcome was a formality and so one-sided was the game that Ed Copleston (56*) and Nick Read (82*) both retired to give others a chance. It also saw Nigel Dunnett bring down the curtain on his long and distinguished career for the OCs.
It was apt that the last fixture, at Esher, was washed out by a downpour at tea with the OCs at 68-0 chasing 239.
The season was a disappointment for new captain Henry Watkinson who regularly struggled to raise sides. A number of stalwarts found that they were unable to free themselves after committing to the tour and others played one or two games whereas they had previously been relied upon to play most of them.
Ed Copleston was easily the pick of the batsmen, standing head and shoulders above others in a season which saw him in excellent form. Apart from him there were glimpses that others had the potential but no-one showed the necessary combination of consistency and regular availability.
The bowling again relied on old war-horse Michael Chetwode, but advancing years finally seemed to be taking their toll and he would now be at his most effective being used sparingly; the lack of another penetrative seamer resulted more often than not in him filling the role of stock bowler. Watkinson was disappointing, so much so that he ended a season which had seen him tour France with the MCC playing for the Village 3rd XI.
As ever the club would not have been able to function without the behind-the-scenes efforts of a few key individuals. Michael Chetwode and Henry Watkinson worked tirelessly in raising sides, Simon Copleston continued to arrange fixtures but could do nothing about the weather and John McDermott charmed opponents and players alike in his own individual style. Our thanks go to the School, who made us feel very at home during the week, and we were delighted to be able to field the Headmaster and members of the Common Room.
In November the club returns to Florida to defend the six-a-side trophy won in 1998, and despite the inconsistencies of 1999 the omens for the coming season are good...if only the captain can be persuaded to avoid distractions on match days. The OCCC remains a closed club and so relies on new blood from the School. Any recent (or not so recent) leavers who would like a game or two should contact the captain.
