OC trio in first-class action

A remarkable day for Cranleigh and Old Cranleighan cricket on April 10 with three players in action in first-class matches.

At The Oval, Stuart Meaker was in action for Surrey against Derbyshire, taking 2 for 58 as Surrey struggled at the start of the County Championship season.

At Canterbury, Alan Cope was captaining Loughborough MCCU against Kent, while at Durham, Seren Waters took his debut first-class wicket for Durham MCCU against Nottinghamshire.

Meaker on ECB Fast Bowling Programme

Stuart Meaker has been included by the England board as one of a five young players in its Fast Bowling Programme. In the coming months they will spend time at a conditioning camp in Florida and at the MRF Fast Bowling Camp in Chennai under the guidance of Australian legend Dennis Lillee.

Waters and Meaker impress on centre stage

Many congratulations to Seren Waters who became the first Old Cranleighan to score a first-class hundred when he made an unbeaten 157 on the third day of Kenya’s ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Canada in Toronto. Waters shared a massive third-wicket stand of 330 with the veteran Steve Tikolo and Kenya went on to register a comprehensive win.

A day later and another young OC, Stuart Meaker, made his maiden first-class fifty, cracking 72 for Surrey against Essex in the Championship game at Chelmsford. The Surrey CCC website reported as follows:-

Stuart Meaker, who looked very comfortable in just his sixth Championship innings. Schofield and Meaker were chasing down the 400 and maximum batting points and had put on 125 for the seventh wicket until Ryan ten Doeschate came into the attack and found some swing, having Schofield caught behind for a brilliant 144.

The stage was then set for Meaker to take on the scoring and he went to a maiden First-Class half-century off 107 balls. He pulled well and was also strong off the back-foot through the off-side as he and Jade Dernbach took Surrey to 400, just two balls before the 120 overs were up. With maximum points in the bag they looked to push on, but Essex swiftly cleaned up the tail. The last three wickets falling for 24 runs, as Meaker was the last man out on 72.

Meaker followed by taking 2 for 91 and making 23 in the second innings, but it was not enough to prevent Essex coasting to an easy win.

Click here to watch video on the innings

Meaker makes Championship debut

Congratulations to Stuart Meaker who made his Championship debut for Surrey against Nottinghamshire at The Oval on September 17. Stuart made 16 and 6 and took 3 for 86, taking the new ball in Nottinghamshire’s only innings.

His opening spell of 4-1-6-1 was impressive, although Jonathan Batty, Surrey’s keeper, might disagree. Stuart’s fourth ball skidded through, Batty failed to take it cleanly and fractured one finger and dislocated another, ending up in hospital having an operation. He took his first wicket when Will Jefferson nicked one to stand-in keeper Scott Newman who made a complete horlicks of the chance, but the ball spilt from his gloves and looped to Usman Afzaal at second slip.

Stuart’s second and third spells on the first day were less rewarding, although in fairness to him by then a woeful Surrey side were shipping runs at an alarming rate. On the third morning he grabbed two more wickets.

The feeling was that he showed real promise but was still, understandably, quite raw. His pace was impressive, so much so that he looked quicker than the dismal Shoaib Akhtar, and especially early on, he got a few to rip through. He certainly has a good future ahead of him but Surrey need to manage him carefully and play down some of the wilder predictions. As he came on to bowl, one voice in the pres box piped up that he “had been clocked at 100mph”!

Stuart’s was the first Championship appearance by an OC since Maurice McCanlis played for Surrey against Lancashire at The Oval in July 1926, his only county appearance. He opened the bowling and took one second-innings wicket.

Stuart also took one wicket on his first-class county debut against Loughborough UCCE in April, and so his four wickets at 34.75 means he is the leading OC wicket-taker in first-class cricket, moving ahead of Nigel Paul who took three. Perhaps that is not something to write home about!

He also made his FP Trophy debut in April and the weekend before his Championship bow, he played his first Pro40 match, taking 1 for 57 against Leicestershire.

Defeated but not disgraced

Old Malvernians 178 (Nash 70, Watkinson 4-14, Meaker 2-35) beat Old Cranleighans 152 (Waters 68) by 26 runs
Click here for match photos

The dream of winning the Cricketer Cup in only our second year in the competition ended in the final at Old Deer Park as we lost to Old Malvernians by 26 runs. Nevertheless, we played superbly for three-quarters of the match and it was only in the dying overs that Malvern’s experience proved too much. They were the worthy winners but the youth of our side means that we should be a force to come for a number of years.

Malvern had a superb record in the competition, with five wins from five finals. Like us, they also made the final in their second year, although they went one better than we eventually managed.

Henry Watkinson won the toss and opted to field, hardly a surprise given that we had successfully chased in all four rounds. The pitch was dry and produced variable bounce, and Malvern found runs hard to come by. Stuart Meaker bowled a fiery opening spell, in contrast to Watkinson who relied on guile and accuracy and who took the first wicket in the sixth over, bowling Powell.

Watkinson’s opening spell of 5-2-4-1 set the benchmark, and Meaker got his reward four overs later when Mark Hardinges, who seven days earlier had steered Gloucestershire to a one-day win over Hampshire, dragged into his stumps for 2. Gifford looked capable of posing problems before he played an ugly cross-batted shot to Seren Waters, and at 31 for 3 in the 15th over, our tails were up.

Middlesex’s David Nash was clearly the danger man, and he found gaps with the skill expected of a professional, and with Franklin, the opener, he rebuilt the innings. Franklin should have been run-out with the score on 56 but Michael Chetwode fumbled a return to the bowler’s end with the batsman stranded mid pitch. However, we struck a crucial blow with the last delivery before lunch when Franklin tamely cut Matt Crump to Phil Roper at backward point for 29. We headed off in the better position, with Malvern 86 for 4 off 30 overs.

Nash and Usher batted well after the break, taking the total to 153 for 4 with judicious placement more than out-and-out aggression. In the innings overall there were only ten fours. In the final overs the batsmen hit out and, inevitably, wickets fell.

Nash perished for 70 to a tumbling catch from Roper and in the next over, the 46th, Meaker bowled Usher for 30. Watkinson then chipped in with two in two, and a brace of run-outs in the final over restricted Malvern to 178. Watkinson finished with excellent figures of 8-3-14-4 and the last six wickets had gone for 25 in five-and-a-bit overs.

The pitch continued to throw up puffs of dust and the outfield was slow, so it was a gettable target but not an easy one. The early sunshine had also given way to low cloud and the temperature had dropped into the 50s.

Waters top-edged the first ball he faced, a bouncer, over the keeper for four, and was struck by the second. But he showed composure beyond his years and was soon looking as assured as ever. Howard fell early, getting a leading edge, but that brought in Matt Crump, another young player in great touch.

Early shackles were broken when Waters twice lofted fours over midwicket, and Crump then joined in, surviving a half chance when he hammered the ball to the right of square leg who could only parry the ball.

Crump perished for 17 – one of three leg-befores against batsmen going back – and then Malvern’s seasoned spinners really tightened their grip on the game, backed by some excellent fielding. Abeed Janmohamed, such a class act in the semi-final, struggled to find his touch, but Waters kept things ticking along. Janmohamed departed for a 27-ball 3 (69 for 3) but Meaker sought to impose himself from the off.

The penultimate over before tea appeared to have swung the balance of the match, 15 coming off it including the day’s first six, a swing over long leg from Meaker. We headed off on 102 for 3 off 30, needing 77 to win in 20 overs with wickets in hand.

Whatever was served for tea, it perked up Malvern and pretty much did for us. Meaker fell lbw to the first ball after the restart and the pressure was on. James Halton, who specialises in run chases, looked up for it, but wasn’t able to stay long enough to make a difference.

Waters, who passed his fifty before tea, found it almost impossible to get enough of the strike. Eds Copleston was unable to push the ones needed to keep Waters at the striker’s end, although he did strike one sublime straight six.

The run-rate, which had hovered around four an over throughout, began to rise as the gloom worsened. Copleston perished trying to hit over the top, and three balls later Waters was bowled for a superb 68 as he tried to make up the lost ground.

From then on in we were always off the pace, although Tom Crump and Roper kept the flame flickering. Thirty three were needed off four, but Roper fell to a thick edge and then Crump was run-out after being sent back by Watkinson, who was bowled off the next ball to seal a deserved victory for Malvern.

The turnout was excellent, and many former and present OCCC players were in evidence, along with a good smattering of non cricketers and representatives of the school. There was a pleasant atmosphere, although staging the final at a ground under the Heathrow flight path was a downer.

Although the result was disappointing, everyone who has taken part in the competition for us this summer can be proud. As can the club and the school. Eight years ago we weren’t even in a knock-out tournament. In the interim we have won the Brewers Cup three times and the Cricket World Trophy once. Even participating in the Cricketer Cup was beyond our wildest dreams, and yet we achieved that and within two years we reached the final. We’ll just have to make sure that next year we go one better.

One last thought. In 2007, we became the first new side in the Cricketer Cup since it was expanded from 16 to 32 teams in its third year (1969). Our success has shown that there are strong sides out there who might not have been so four decades ago. Allowing some of these old boys’ teams into the competition can only bring new life to it, and the organisers should think about the value of looking at some expansion, adding new sides rather than waiting for old ones to drop out. It might mean a first qualifying round each year for the less successful teams, but that might be no bad thing either.

One change for Cricketer Cup final

The side for the Cricketer Cup final against holders Old Malvernians at Richmond is as follows:-

Seren Waters, Will Howard (wk), Matt Crump, Abeed Janmohamed, Stuart Meaker, James Halton, Tom Crump, Eds Copleston, Phil Roper, Henry Watkinson (capt), Michael Chetwode. 12th man: Jumbo Jupp.

There is one change from the semi-final XI, with Stuart Meaker back from England Under-19 duties to replace Alan Cope who is playing for Malden Wanderers.

Cranleigh School will have a marquee on the ground for OCs.

Click here for a map of how to find the venue. The game starts at 11.30am.

Meaker gets England call

Stuart Meaker will miss the Cricketer Cup semi-final against Old Alleynians after being drafted into the England Under-19 squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand.

Roper seals a win for the School

Cranleigh School 233 for 6 (Waters 77, Hannah 68*) beat Old Cranleighans 232 for 2 (Halton 97*, Meaker 89) by four wickets

Rarely has there been a better advertisement for Cranleigh – and Old Cranleighan - cricket than the game on Speech Day. Played out on a superb track in sunshine, the OC side were all under 21 and the 40-over match was highly competitive but played throughout in the right spirit. And as for the finish …

Stuart Meaker opted to play against a School side he was very much part of until last year, and while his Surrey contract is as a bowler, he underlined his ability with the bat in a sparkling innings of 89 off 93 balls. The pick of his strokes was an audacious reverse sweep for six, and after a slow start – the score was 66 for 1 after 17 overs – the innings really came alive.

Meaker and James Halton, cautious at first, laid into the bowling, the last 15 overs producing 127 runs. Halton found gaps with precision, and although the School fielded excellently, they were unable to stem the flow.

Meaker was run-out when seemingly set for a hundred, and then Halton was denied his at the death when he hit the penultimate delivery to long-on only for his calls for a second to get him back on strike to be declined by Jonny Haynes. He finished unbeaten on 97.

The feeling was the School needed a big innings from Seren Waters to have a chance. Waters, with almost 700 runs to his name, certainly started confidently, unleashing some lovely glances and drives, as well as three towering pulls for six when the bowlers dropped short. He had moments of luck as well, twice inside edging past his leg stump.

The openings stand was worth 50 in seven overs, with Preece matching his captain with some lovely shots before gloving a pull and Mike Roper held a good, low leg-side catch. The innings then wobbled with three cheap wickets, Haynes taking a breathtaking one-handed catch in the covers, the highlight of some sublime fielding.

Waters remained but he was undone by a grenade from the unusual legspin of Tom Crump, whose fourth ball he slapped straight to Bradley Gilchrist at short cover. As he headed off, most believed the school’s hopes went with him.

But Hannah and Allen defied the odds in a sixth-wicket stand of 75 in 44 minutes, taking singles steadily to add to the pressure. But with the finishing line in sight, Meaker, bowling of half a dozen paces but still at speed, had Allan leg-before for 30.

Twenty-two were needed off the last two overs, and ten off the last. Jordan hit two off the first was followed by a wicket as Meaker bowled him. Phil Roper took a single and then Hannah did the same. With six needed off two, Roper played the most audacious shot, going down on one knee and slog sweeping Meaker over the pavilion. The cheers could be heard on the Lowers.

This was what OC against School matches should be like but haven’t been for almost 30 years. We had a full-strength side on the Lowers but this XI would rate among one of our stronger XIs and it has to be hoped that a number of those who played will go on to become OC regulars. One last thing that stood out was the universally outstanding fielding and throwing, a testament to the work put in by Stuart Welsh.

Cope and Meaker join first-class ranks

Congratulations to Alan Cope, who became the second OC to make their first-class debut this summer. In April, Stuart Meaker, who played for England in the Under-19 World Cup over the winter, turned out for Surrey against Loughborough UCCE, taking one wicket in a rain-blighted match. Cope made his debut for Loughborough UCCE against Worcestershire.

Meaker prepares for U-19 World Cup

Stuart Meaker is blogging for Surrey CCC during his time with England at the Under-19 World Cup

Last week was the official start of the competitive cricket that we were going to be playing in Sri Lanka. The Triangular One Day series between us, Pakistan and Sri the Lankan under 19s had kick started on the Tuesday with Pakistan triumphing over the home side.

The following day, it was our turn to get a crack at the Pakistan team. It promised to be a very competitive match because of our encounters last summer. We won the toss and elected to bat but our start left much to be desired as we slipped to 44 for 5.

This however brought Ben Brown to the crease with Dan Redfern at the other end. Their partnership of 105 and Brownies' knock of 93 not out left us with a respectable total of 213. Thanks to a reasonable start with the ball, tricky middle spells from our spinners and great death bowling from Jimmy Harris and Jimmy Lee we won our first match of the series. The following day however was not as successful. Taking on Sri Lanka, we struggled to post a big score and got bowled out for 208 - well short of what was required on a fairly flat wicket. This showed as the Sri Lankans knocked it off with relative ease.

We had a well-earned day of rest the next day and a team meal in the evening. We followed the time off with a net session the next day and the squad felt ready to battle against the Sri Lankans once again, this time at the Singhalese Sports Club a Test Match ground. It was a huge game as all three teams had both won one and lost one match so we still had a good chance of making the final. Unfortunately this was not to be the case. We elected to field this time on what was in hindsight a very flat pitch. The Sri Lankan top order got a hold of our bowlers and set about producing a mammoth score of 310. They had returned the favour from our first encounter and hit us at a crucial time. Browny got the chance to open with Billy Godleman and after getting off to a flier with a few early boundaries the wickets began to tumble and so too our chances of qualification into the final. We eventually fell 140 short to be exact! I think its safe to say that on this occasion we were very much outplayed in all departments of the game.

Our final Tri-series game came with some good news for me. I was given the ok to play against Pakistan. It was a great relief after the frustration of having to watch my team mates have all the fun. We were on the same wicket that we had taken on the Sri Lankans on just two days before. As such, we elected to bat first and thanks to a brilliant Century from Billy Godleman, his second of the tour so far, we managed to post a total of 250. The other half of the innings unfortunately did not go quite according to plan. The excitement of getting the chance to play was short lived as my first two overs went wicketless for 18 – not the best start! Pakistan got off to a great start and in an attempt to stem the flow of runs we introduced the spinners after only five overs. This however did not do much to slow the rate as they galloped ahead to 88 from just 10 overs. This forced the skipper Alex Wakely to not take the power play and they proceeded to about 130 before they lost their first wicket. The wickets prompted my second spell which was far better, producing overall figures of six overs for 34. Not bad considering.

Although that day there was a fair amount of frustration within the squad there was also a huge amount of determination, guts and character to keep plugging away and running in despite the ball disappearing to all parts. Many individual and team lessons have been learned this tri-series. Hopefully we can implement them next week.

2007 averages - Young batsmen, old bowlers

Alan Cope, who had such a good India tour, topped the batting averages (Seren Waters and Stuart Meaker had higher averages but did not play enough to qualify) with his 61 against Harrow the innings of the season. He also made his first OC hundred at home � all four centuries came from players under 25. Dane Groenveld, back for a sabbatical from Australia, was in awesome form and played some thrilling attacking innings. Rob Merry found good form, but Johnny Gates, after a good start, again struggled. He will come good and few players deserve success more than him. Damien Hill was unable to capture his form of 2006, and Matt Crump was surprisingly out of sorts other than in the Brewers Cup final.

While his body may show signs of ageing, Michael Chetwode continues to be our most parsimonious bowler and yet again he tops the averages. You have to go back more than two decades to find the last time he was not either the leading wicket-taker or topped the averages. Another not-quite-so-old oldie, Henry Watkinson, equaled Chetwode's 11 wickets, while only Matt Crump, two decades Chetwode's junior, had a double-wicket tally. Alex Craven was the pick of the cup bowlers, although Cope had his moments in the Brewers Cup, but we lacked a spinner. Graham Webb, two years off 50, came back for the cup and showed what a class act he remains . He is also still able to fit into the whites he wore at school ... and how many of us can say that, Tristan?

Click here for the full averages

Meaker rewarded with Surrey contract

Three pieces of good news for Stuart Meaker. Not only was he named Surrey’s Academy Player of the Year at the county’s End-of-Season dinner but it was also announced that he had been offered a one-year contract with the club, the first OC to be contracted to a county since Nigel Paul at Warwickshire in 1955. A few days later Stuart was named in the England Under-19 side for this winter’s tour of Pakistan. On behalf of the whole club we congratulate him.

Meaker spills the beans

In August, Stuart Meaker played two Tests and three ODIs for England Under-19s against Pakistan. In the September issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, Jenny Thompson spoke to him.

Why he’s special

Originally from Durban, he moved to England aged 12 with his mother and sisters and Cranleigh School immediately offered him a sports scholarship for cricket and rugby, both of which he played at junior provincial level. He is strong at hockey, water polo and athletics, too. But cricket is his major sport and he has come through Surrey and national age groups to be an England Under-19 fast bowler. He also plays for Surrey 2nds. Like another tall, blond Stuart (Broad) he has a good action and is quick (around 80mph) and aggressive. He can swing it both ways and his batting is improving.

England or South Africa?

“It’s a tricky question. My grandparents are sort-of Rhodesian but they’re relatively English. They had their roots there but we were never strongly South African. We were of Dutch origin. I still love my home country but England has become my home.”

Rugby or cricket?

“My main sport was rugby. I could have played for Surrey youth and I played provincial stuff but I wasn’t ever going to compete to be a professional, I’m too small. I stopped growing at 6ft. It’s unfair. But then again the speed comes from the chest and arm; I’m quite a skiddy bowler.”

He bowls like Brett Lee ...

“I wish I could bowl as fast as him. I’m not too far off him looks-wise, anyway.”

... but has also been compared to Allan Donald …

“Really? He’s my hero. Growing up I watched him on TV. I used to love how aggressive he was. I almost used to model my action on his.”

… and there’s similar aggression

“Certainly, if I’m fired up for a game, I’ll try to get stuck into the batsmen, have a few words and unsettle them. If it’s a close game, I’ll get more fired up. I used to have a housemaster who was in the military, Mick Haddock, and his favourite motto was ‘Never give up’. It’s been drummed into me. If people around you are giving their all, that’s
what you’ve have to do.”

What he says about himself

I need to work on my action – getting the pace and control together.

What they say about him

Stuart Welch - Cranleigh School coach

“He’s a fantastic prospect and has all the attributes to play first-class cricket. We’ve been working on trying to get him to stand up more and swing it away consistently. He’s raw. At times he just wants to run in and bowl as quick as he can. Batting, he has a talent, he just needs to play against better players. But he’s worked hard to become a No.6 or 7. He doesn’t get flustered, he’s a tough nut. The tactical side lets him down at times but he can learn that. What you can’t teach is bowling 80mph and striking the ball well. He’s as talented as Rikki Clarke, whom I’ve also coached: whether he goes on is down to how much he wants it.”

Mark Butcher - Surrey captain

“He came away on our pre-season tour to India and he impressed everyone with his athleticism and his attitude.”

Rory Hamilton-Brown - England U-19 and Surrey junior team-mate

“His season has gone up and up and up and the England call is richly
deserved.”

Meaker wins England call-up

In August, Stuart Meaker played two Tests and three ODIs for England Under-19s against Pakistan. In the September issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, Jenny Thompson spoke to him.

Why he’s special
Originally from Durban, he moved to England aged 12 with his mother and sisters and Cranleigh School immediately offered him a sports scholarship for cricket and rugby, both of which he played at junior provincial level. He is strong at hockey, water polo and athletics, too. But cricket is his major sport and he has come through Surrey and national age groups to be an England Under-19 fast bowler. He also plays for Surrey 2nds. Like another tall, blond Stuart (Broad) he has a good action and is quick (around 80mph) and aggressive. He can swing it both ways and his batting is improving.

England or South Africa?
“It’s a tricky question. My grandparents are sort-of Rhodesian but they’re relatively English. They had their roots there but we were never strongly South African. We were of Dutch origin. I still love my home country but England has become my home.”

Rugby or cricket?
“My main sport was rugby. I could have played for Surrey youth and I played provincial stuff but I wasn’t ever going to compete to be a professional, I’m too small. I stopped growing at 6ft. It’s unfair. But then again the speed comes from the chest and arm; I’m quite a skiddy bowler.”

He bowls like Brett Lee ...
“I wish I could bowl as fast as him. I’m not too far off him looks-wise, anyway.”

... but has also been compared to Allan Donald …
“Really? He’s my hero. Growing up I watched him on TV. I used to love how aggressive he was. I almost used to model my action on his.”

… and there’s similar aggression
“Certainly, if I’m fired up for a game, I’ll try to get stuck into the batsmen, have a few words and unsettle them. If it’s a close game, I’ll get more fired up. I used to have a housemaster who was in the military, Mick Haddock, and his favourite motto was ‘Never give up’. It’s been drummed into me. If people around you are giving their all, that’s what you’ve have to do.”

What he says about himself
I need to work on my action – getting the pace and control together.

What they say about him
Stuart Welch - Cranleigh School coach
“He’s a fantastic prospect and has all the attributes to play first-class cricket. We’ve been working on trying to get him to stand up more and swing it away consistently. He’s raw. At times he just wants to run in and bowl as quick as he can. Batting, he has a talent, he just needs to play against better players. But he’s worked hard to become a No.6 or 7. He doesn’t get flustered, he’s a tough nut. The tactical side lets him down at times but he can learn that. What you can’t teach is bowling 80mph and striking the ball well. He’s as talented as Rikki Clarke, whom I’ve also coached: whether he goes on is down to how much he wants it.”

Mark Butcher - Surrey captain
“He came away on our pre-season tour to India and he impressed everyone with his athleticism and his attitude.”

Rory Hamilton-Brown - England U-19 and Surrey junior team-mate
“His season has gone up and up and up and the England call is richly deserved.”

Meaker named in England U-19 squad

Stuart Meaker, who left the school this summer after five seasons in the 1st XI, has been named in the England Under-19 side for the Test series against Pakistan.

Another undefeated season for the school

Cranleigh enjoyed a second successive undefeated season, with victories including Epsom, Winchester, St Paul’s, Wellington, St John’s Leatherhead and St Peter’s Adelaide. James Halton held the batting together and captain Seren Waters led by example with both bat and ball. Stuart Meaker’s pace was too much for many opposition batsmen, taking 28 wickets at 13.92.

Cricket week bodes well for the future

The 2007 week was one of the best in recent years with four wins, all by good margins, one defeat and a winning draw at Charterhouse. What was most heartening was the age of the sides. Most days we had the majority of the team under 23 and the youngsters provided signs of remarkable talent.

Seren Waters and Alan Cope, both under 20, scored memorable hundreds, Matt Crump bowled well and Stuart Meaker showed the class that has been apparent with both bat and ball. Several others, such as Jumbo Jupp, made useful contributions. Dane Groenveld, back from Australia for the holidays, batted with great success, while the old guard, in the form of Michael Chetwode, Graham Webb, Simon Copleston and Henry Watkinson, showed they still have plenty to offer.

Click here for the full week's match reports and photos