Nick Read in action at St George'sReport courtesy of the St George's Vets newsletter - St George Vets hosted the Old Cranleighan Cricket Club of Surrey, England in an international at Harold Fraser on Tuesday 21 January 2003. The Steve Bailey-led OCCC arrived at Harold Fraser looking resplendent in their OCCC striped blazers. We had no trouble in identifying them despite the fact they had apparently lost their coach (read omnibus) some distance from the ground.

After a light lunch the Captains tossed under a hazy sky. The Vets won the toss and elected to bat. Peter (Hobbsy) Hobbs and Nick (Reado) Read opened the bowling for OCCC. Their bowling was far more original than their nicknames and they showed fine skill despite the fact that they were obliged to use a Kookaburra rather than the swinging Duke. In the fifth over Hobbs persuaded Toomey to help one on and the Vets were one for 8. At the other end Geoff (Elbows) Glover was showing some glimpses of the good form which has recently eluded him. Peter Wooden recruited from the Shire joined Geoff and the crowd settled into their deck chairs as the game unfolded. Hobbs and Read bowled accurately and well. Glover and Wooden batted steadily on a pitch which was giving some assistance to the bowlers. In the eighth over Geoff Glover miss hit a hook and was out. The Vets were 2 for 20. Nick Ashley joined Wooden. Would the young guns fire?

Tom (Harry) Hufton replaced Hobbs and after bowling 5 successive dot balls to Peter Wooden persuaded Peter to push one to cover where Eds Copleston (who apparently unlike almost every other OCCC member does not have a nickname) took a good catch. The Vets were a little shaken and some would say also a little stirred. Steve Liggins joined Nick Ashley and they batted steadily against an accurate attack until Michael (Snake) Chetwode (of Frogs CC) got one to hop and persuaded Nick Ashley to mistime a pull shot. The Vets were 48 for 3 (expressed, in that way, on this occasion, in deference to our English readers).

Man of the Match Tom HuftonThe OCCC with the first four Vets in the pavilion with only 48 runs on the board had taken the initiative. Hufton continued to bowl well with good pace and movement. The Gnome was up to his tricks in bowling Rodgers and Verco in quick succession for 1 and 0 respectively. Meanwhile Stephen Liggins showed fine style hitting the ball particularly hard. The crowd, building by now, enjoyed a fiercely hit six to the pavilion and a beautiful cover drive to the south-western boundary. The aspirations of the Vets rested on Liggins' broad shoulders. He was joined by Dr Bray. Reado was brought back into the attack and persuaded Liggins to smash him through extra cover. It was a furiously hit drive. Unfortunately a very composed Freddi Hood was lurking in the area and he took a great catch diving forward. Birla screamed in delight. Surely this was the Champagne Moment. She could already taste the bubbles. Exit Stephen Liggins for a fine 25. The Vets were 72 for 7.

Bray and Sadler defended stoutly. Dr Bray delighted the crowd with a fine drive through the leg side for 4 and the Vet's hopes were lifted only to be dashed, moments later, when Snake Chetwode persuaded Dr Bray to nick one to Mike (Editor's note- I cannot bring myself to use his nick name 'Wild Goose') Chase in the slips and the Vets were 83 for 8. A solid Bill Sadler was joined by Rick Glover who, despite his primary only three days before, maintained his position at number 10 in the line up. At this stage Kitbag Bailey clearly concerned with what Glover might do to his OCCC quicks (and with a long tour in contemplation), resorted to spin. Sadler and Glover enjoyed the moments. They each took full advantage of OCCC's spinners and added 39 for the ninth wicket. The Vets finished with 8 for 122 off their forty overs with Sadler not out 23 and Glover not out 16. Well played Bill. Nice support (how it hurts to write those words) Glover. We adjourned for tea. The Consort's Cake and Jenny Lanham's antipasto were well received.

Eds Copleston and Freddi Hood opened the batting for OCCC. Peter Wooden and Stephen Liggins took the new ball. Both bowled with good pace and with good line. At 22 minutes past 4 Freddi Hood flicked one through the leg side, Nick Ashley after foxing a misfield sent a fine return to Geoff Verco over the stumps and Freddi Hood was run out for 2. The Vets opening attack kept OCCC's batsmen in check conceding only twelve runs off the bat in the first eight overs. With the first ball of his fourth over Liggins persuaded the man in the metaphoric white coat to adjudge Eds Copleston LBW and the OCCC were 2 for 21. It was then OCCC played their trump (read Australian) card by the introduction of Nathan Ross of Randwick CC (although to be fair sometimes of Cranleigh CC) How did the Vets let him slip through their net?

Our ringer comes good - at last. Random scores some runsThe game remained nicely poised. Peter Wooden followed Liggins' wicket maiden with a maiden. After 11 overs OCCC were 2 for 38. With the first ball of his 12th over Liggins persuaded Nathan Ross to nick one. Unfortunately Geoff Verco, wrong footed by the inside edge, was unable to take a difficult chance high to his left. Random Ross took advantage of the let off and proceeded to hit three fours off Liggins' next five balls. Peter Wooden completed his first spell of 7 overs for 16 runs Steve Liggins was rested after taking 1 for 25 off 6. In the meantime Mike Chase joined Nathan Ross and they together added 72 for the third wicket. It was a decisive partnership with each batting well. Each survived the wiles and maturity of Bray and Rick Glover respectively. They both bowled tidily but unfortunately with no success. With the score steadily mounting the Skipper reintroduced Wooden bowling left arm spin and Liggins down wind. It was the last best hope. Liggins had success with the first over of his second spell and troubled the incoming Gnome Hufton (whose plaintive request to the Captain that he bat at No. 11 obviously fell on deaf ears). OCCC outplayed the Vets and scored the requisite runs in the 30th over with seven wickets in hand thanks, principally, to Nathan Ross (45) and Mike Chase 44 not out. Tom Hufton finished with 9 not out.

THE MAN OF THE MATCH
Tom Huffon's 3 for 19 of 10 overs plus his 9 not out which featured two blows (a painful blow to a particularly sensitive area and a magnificent blow to the boundary to score the winning runs) saw him receive the Man of the Match Award. The other contenders were Steve Liggins for scoring 25 and taking 2 for 38 off 9 and Mike Chase 44 not out, 0 for 17 off 4 and a fine catch in the slips.

THE CHAMPAGNE MOMENT
Freddi Hood, to the delight of Birla received the Champagne for providing the Champagne Moment in taking a fine catch to dismiss the rampaging Steve Liggins. The other contenders were Steve Liggins' big six into the clubhouse (the only six of the game) and Nick Ashley's fine throw to run out Hood.

POST MATCH CELEBRATIONS
Both teams then enjoyed typical St George Vets' hospitality. The President of OCCC, John McDermott and the President of the Vets, Ralph Sadler both spoke as did the respective Captains Steve Bailey and Stephen Toomey, Appropriate presentations were made to the Man of the Match and to celebrate the Champagne Moment. To mark the OCCC's visit down under the Vets presented OCCC with a dozen specially labeled bottles of "Cricket Pitch" Shiraz. There was opportunity for good conversation as night fell. The inaugural fixture was a good one. It was our privilege to host the Old Cranleighans. Anglo-Australian relations were repaired in the wake of the Ashes battle. We hope OCCC's 2003 Australian tour is a successful one.

St George's Old Boys v Old Cranleighan CC St Georges, New South Wales January 20, 2003 Old Cranleighans won by seven wickets St George's Old Boys r b 4s 6s Toomey b Hobbs 1 Glover c Ross b Read 13 Wooden c Copleston b Hufton 14 Ashley c Ross b Chetwode 12 Liggins c Hood b Read 25 Rodgers b Hufton 1 Verco b Hufton 0 Bray c Chase b Chetwode 5 Sadler not out 23 Glover not out 16 Extras b 2 lb 5 w 3 nb 2 12 Total 40 overs 122-8 Fall of wickets 8, 20, 30, 48, 54, 60, 72, 83 Bowling o m r w Hobbs 5 0 11 0 Read 9 3 28 2 Hufton 10 3 19 3 Chetwode 8 3 21 2 Chase 4 0 17 0 Ross 3 0 14 0 Trevett 1 0 5 0 Old Cranleighans r b 4s 6s E Copleston lbw b Liggins 10 F Hood run out 2 N Ross lbw b Liggens 45 M Chase not out 44 T Hufton not out 9 Extras b 6 lb 9 15 Total 29.4 overs 125-3 R Johnson, S Bailey, N Read, P Hobbs, M Chetwode, T Trevett did not bat Fall of wickets 21, 24, 100 Bowling o m r w Wooden 10 2 26 0 Liggens 9 3 38 2 Bray 5 0 26 2 Glover 5 1 14 0 Rodgers 0.4 0 6 0 Toss St George's Vets Match Facts The margin of victory - seven wickets - equalled our best on tour (against Coast Development XI at Mombassa in 2001) Match referee CH Lloyd (WI) Man of the Match SK Warne