Sarasota 2007 - Sharks, golf and some dreadful cricket

Rob Merry reports on the second tour of the year, a return to the USA
Click here for tour photos

We travelled to this popular six-a-side tournament in Sarasota, Florida with a mix of youth and the experience offered by captain Henry Watkinson and Mike Chetwode – both of whom had been several times before. A few of us got there a day early to ‘acclimatise’ on the beach. The first night gave us an indication of what was to follow – our thanks to the wonderful hospitality shown by the extended Perry family.
While we were rarely found wanting in the drinking department, it was unfortunately a different story on the cricket pitch. It took the four young guns time to come to grips with the nature of six-a-side (five overs, five different bowlers, limited run-ups, two runs + another ball for wides and no-balls, and an artificial wicket). We failed to get bat on ball often enough, lacked enough big hitting and always had one poor over bowling.

Our first two games were probably against the weakest of the sides in our group and by the time we had found our feet with some strong hitting from both Jonny Gates and Sam Langmead we were up against stronger opposition. In the past we had always reached the quarter-finals but this year it was not to be. Our nightly antics probably had something to do with it and there were some useful players knocking about – Shiv Chanderpaul kindly agreeing to don the OC touring blazer.

Off the pitch we were equally unsuccessful! We had to get more golf balls delivered on our golf outing on what was admittedly a difficult but very impressive and enjoyable course. We did have some success in on a deep-sea fishing trip but whilst we were catching relatively little fish two Americans on our boat caught a shark!
Our partying really came to a head at the gala dinner, where Mac was guest speaker - our failure to make the finals day meant that we had nothing to hold back for. Other highlights included a trip to our sponsors – a local entertainment arena our dubious repute, some great dinners, thanksgiving partying, and the weak dollar!

Everyone enjoyed the trip, despite our cricketing prowess, or lack of it. A big thank you to Sarasota Cricket Club, the other teams and the extended Parry family – who provided wonderful hospitality throughout.

I’m sure that all the youngsters will return and hopefully Henry and Mike will join us. Damien has also lost no time in addressing our cricketing performance. He is spearheading the effort to get a OCCC six a side tournament up and running at Cranleigh sometime next summer – watch this space!

Style gurus lose their way Stateside

The fourth trip to Florida was our least successful on the pitch but probably the most enjoyable off it.

After the human cost of last year's eight-day tour, this year's strategy was to arrive late - so late that our first match took place 13 hours after our arrival in Florida (and about eight hours after we finally extracted ourselves from the Alamo Car Rental office in Tampa). It was little surprise that we lost to a Sarasota side we should have comfortably beaten. We had woken (sobered) up by the time of our second match in the afternoon and comfortably beat. The salubrious Denny's Restaurant hosted a 'Schooldays' dinner at which we enhanced our reputation as a side who cared more about enjoyment that winning.

The squad against the picturesque backdrop of the Holiday Inn
On Friday we faced the eventual winners Ashurst Crusaders, a side which contained Mike Gatting and Ashley Cowan among others. Gatt found the OC attack of Johnson and Trevett to his liking (in a throwback to his days as captain, Chetwode hid until Gatt was well out of sight) and chasing 69 we were well beaten.

Our final match was a formality in that we were already eliminated, but it still had spice as it was against our old rivals Houston Memorial, previous winners and a side who had never beaten us. Houston batted first and set a target of 69, a tough score in the five-over format. Although we lost pinch-hitter Chetwode for 0, Nathan Ross, Rick Johnson and Pete Hobbs, aided by a plethora of wides, saw us home with eight balls to spare.

So we ended with a 2-2 record. In fairness we were probably one of the best four sides in the tournament but suffered from late nights and being in a tough group.

Nathan 'Random' Ross was the pick of the batsmen, and one of the best in the whole competition - at last a ringer who can ring - and he retired in each of his four innings.

Off the field Random also displayed an un-OC habit of talking to girls and not have them walk away within seconds. Hobbs arrived with a massive reputation as a stud, was blown away by some silly drinking on the first night and only recovered as the tour ended. Tom Trevett, king puller in Kenya, enhanced his reputation further with some smooth action in Sarasota.

But the undoubted success of the tour was not one of these, but the striped blazer. Ridiculed at Gatwick, it was idolised by Americans and attracted comment (and women) wherever it went. It proved the best ice-breaker known to man, and was only undermined by the inability of most of the wearers to follow-up these openings. Safe to say it looked far better on the ladies at Cheetah's and various waitresses than it did on any of the OCs.

Tour party Steve Bailey (capt), Michael Chetwode, Rick Johnson, Tom Trevett, Pete Hobbs, Martin Williamson, Nathan Ross, Will Bond, John McDermott, Sylvia McDermott, Andy Wright, Liz Wright.

Sarasota semi-final heartache

The third jaunt by the OCCC to the Sarasota International Six-a-Side festival ended, as in the 1999, in semi-final defeat. But again (and mystifyingly) we won many friends off the pitch and funded Cheetahs nightclub's operating costs for another twelve months.

For the first time we entered two sides - one in the main competition and one in the social league - and also brought an increasing number of supporters. We also introduced coloured kit to the Americans, chosing to play in a fetching navy blue strip with orange hats.

The first team lost just one of their group matches, defeating the fancied Houston side for the second year running and also seeing off last year's winners, British Airways. In the end we won our qualifying group by the narrowest of margins.

John McDermott sings My Way during the annual Festival dinner
In the semi-final we were again slightly the worse for wear after a particularly evil drinking session at the Festival dinner and never quite scored enough runs to challenge a strong Tornoto side.

Nick Read was again the pick of the batsmen, although Watkinson and Chetwode both showed signs of their big-hitting abilities. With the ball Chetwode was as parsimonious as ever, although in one match he managed to concede 21 runs from his over.

The social side were on paper probably the strongest in the group but we suffered from kit difficulties (Trevett opting to play in boat shoes after losing all his luggage) and the captain's rather strange agreement to a 7.30am start for one of the matches (we had to wait for dawn to break before we could start).

Off the field Nick Whitfield travelled in hope but failed to play a match after his cruciate ligament injury flared up whenever starting times were mentioned; he won an award for visiting Cheetahs on ever day throughout the tour.

The behaviour was generally good, although there was too much shopping done in many peoples' opinion, too little drinking and too long spent in burger bars and Denny's. Nigel Clark's behaviour on the outward journey leaves little reason to believe that he will make it to Australia without being kicked-off the flight.

First Team: Henry Watkinson (capt), Steve Bailey, Rick Johnson, Nick Read, Michael Chetwode, Richard Thomas.

Second Team: Will Bond (capt), Tom Trevett, Tim MacKenzie, Nigel Clark, Martin Williamson, ANO.

God slams fitness jibes

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The OCCC have confirmed that they will break with 110 years of tradition and wear coloured clothing for the forthcoming trip to Sarasota.

The clothes, designed by Armani, will be predominantly navy blue, with orange trim. The cap will be of a colour chosen by Henry Watkinson. Coloured pads etc have been borrowed from a county side. As another concession to the modern game all players will have names on the back of their shirt, although Rick Johnson is threatening to sue after it was revealed that his shirt will bear the legend Dyson!

Another open for endless ridicule is Nick Read, a man who is fir for about three weeks of any year. He has not let the side down this time, pulling a hamstring during last weekend's OCHC match.

When asked, he denied that he was a weak drip. "I pulled my hammy this last time last year before Florida, attempted to pull out of the cricket, was coerced into playing four games (embarrassingly hobbling) by Messrs McDermott and Watkinson, and managed to do more damage such that I did not play hockey again until February, and then pulled it again in first game back as was recommended by physio to take a year off sport to which he said 'bollo** off' (though this may be seen as a blessing to the OC's)."

Stung by suggestions that he would be out until 2001, he thundered, "Unlikely to be fit before Christmas" needs to be differentiated to "being bullied to play 10 overs of cricket by Williamson et al in Florida" to "unlikely to be match fit to play hockey, save ripping the frickin muscle again."

"Puurrlleeaasee! Let's hope I have more joy in pulling things other than muscles in the US. One can only pray." When asked about the possibility of the latter, the consensus of OCCC tourists was that there was more chance of Bailey avoiding another confrontation with The Wall than Reado pulling.

Heading back to Sarasota

Following the OC's success in Florida in the 1999 international 6-a-side festival, tour manager John McDermott hopes to field two sides when we return to Sarasota in November.

Although the festival actually starts on Thursday 23rd November, with the final on Sunday 26th, the tour party will depart for Orlando from Gatwick on Saturday 18th November so that some of the more mature tourists can spend time at Disneyworld. Some of the more senior pros will be flying out later, thus avoiding the frightening prospect of watching McDermott letch over Minnie Mouse.

If anyone would like to join this trip, please contact John McDermott on 01932 226821 or Henry Watkinson on

Tour Details:
Depart Virgin VS015 Gatwick-Orlando (leave 12.30, arrive 16.40)
Depart Virgin VS016 Orlando-Gatwick (leave 19.10, arrive 08.15 Tue)
Stay (Sarasota) - Holiday Inn, Sarasota

2000 (confirmed): Steve Bailey, William Bond, Michael Chetwode, Louise Chetwode, Allen Dean, Heather Dean, Rick Johnson, John McDermott, Nick Read, Max Seager, Henry Watkinson, Martin Williamson, Andy Wright

1999: Steve Bailey, William Bond, Michael Chetwode, Allen Dean, Heather Dean, Rick Johnson, John McDermott, Nick Read, Max Seager, Lawrie Smith, Henry Watkinson, Martin Williamson, Andy Wright

1998: Steve Bailey, William Bond, William Brown, Nigel Clark, Rick Johnson, Andrew McVeigh, David Morgan, Tom Murray, Filipe Olivera, Willie Porter, Nick Read, John Reader, Duncan Roe, Tom Trevett, Henry Watkinson, Nicholas Whitfield

Another Thanksgiving in Sarasota

It is generally assumed that a state which has George Bush's brother as Governor and is lashed by hurricanes fairly regularly wouldn't fear much. But the one thing that the inhabitants of the Sanatogin State really worry about is happening. The OCCC have confirmed that we are returning for a fourth time to play in the Sarasota International Sixes.

New skipper Steve Bailey issued an open invitation to all OCCC members to take part this week. A translation of Bailey's statement is available on request.

"As those of you went on the full 2001 tour will know several OC's are still wanted by Special Agent Mike Lopez of the Orlando FBI. Bearing that in mind, the plan this year is to fly in under yank radar (the Colombians all do it all the time) on Wednesay November 21st and (hopefully) get out again on Monday 26th (ie before they catch up with us and Bondy has to spend 8 years in Sing Sing as Bubba's roomie/bitch/dongcleaner).

"We have an action packed few days planned (being organised by the Bart-man - Lawrence's son-in-law for tour virgins) for those of you who worry (for different reasons) about Rik's/My organisational track record at such things. This will include finding the redneck in Florida (probably called either Cleitus or something-Bob) who owns the fastest one of those really cool hovercraft-type boats with the fans on the back. It will be good.

"Anyway, we will need to book flights by the end of the week so time to put your money where your mouth is. Flights to Tampa (out on the 21st, back on the 26th - the Maccas and Wongs are going on the 20th for anyone who finds drinking three bottles of red wine followed by two of scotch a pleasant way to spend your first day on holiday) are going to weigh in at about £360 with BA. Will get back to you when we get an exact number and number to call with Credit Card details, if that's a problem for any of you cats let me know. If anyone is even thinking about lezzing out they should bear in mind that they will receive months of calls/threats/whining/annoyance/irritation (above the usual) from Johnson and as we all know by now that just isn't worth it.

"Finally, this year's blacks are: West 14 Mules (strong lager, ginger beer, creme de cassis), smoking jackets and pipes), Johnson sleeping with the fishes, Trevett and Williamson finally getting it together in that special way, me clearing the pit and Bond not agreeing to everything Lol Parry says."

The OCCC takes no responsibility for any offence caused by Bailey's complete lack of decency.

Details

# You will need four days off work (Wed, Thu, Fri, Mon) and an iron constitution
# We will be staying at one of Florida's top hotels, the Holiday Inn, Sarasota (due for demolition early 2002) at £25-35 per night (extra for rooms away from McDermott)
# We will be playing five games (unless we go and do something stupid like qualify for the semi-finals).
# No Pelican Shield match (lucky as we're flying at the time).
# It will be another opportunity to accumulate more OCCC tour kit.
# You must let Bailey know immediately.