At the AGM in 1996 Rick Johnson suggested that it was about time that the OCCC undertook an overseas tour, although the suggestions he came up with were widely ridiculed . Undeterred, Johnson continued with his research and to the surprise of many less than a year later a group of nineteen set off for a four match tour of Antigua.

The trip got off to the worst possible start as the umpire, John McDermott, (who managed to avoid any umpiring on the tour) almost missed the flight after being detained in a Gatwick bar (at 7.30am). On arrival we were greeted by first class accommodation and a tropical storm which lasted for three days. By the time the rain ceased every bar in the area had been visited and the commitment of the side called into question by the cricket obsessed local population. Chetwode tried to get the players back into the right frame of mind with a series of fielding practices; these were watched with increasing amusement by the Antiguans.

Over a week after arriving the OCs played their opening game against the Antigua Under 19 side; the match took place on the St John’s Recreation Ground, the venue of the West Indies versus India Test which had finished two days earlier. Despite being overawed by the ground and intimidated by the opposition, the OCs batted with increasing confidence to reach 171-6 in the allotted 40 overs (all games were played under Red Stripe Cup rules - 40 overs per side, one day wides, fielding restrictions etc.). Ed Copleston (32) and Graham Brown (39) played with splendid determination, although the high point of the innings was Chetwode straying further and further to leg to give himself room against the quick bowlers. When the inevitable happened and he was hit, he was closer to the square leg umpire than to the wicket. The Antiguans were obviously talented but they batted with understandable immaturity, several perishing to wholly inappropriate shots. Watkinson (3-34) and Isaac (2-36) led the way and amid jubilant scenes the OCs won by 44 runs. The celebrations lasted long into the night and the locals were strangely subdued the next day.

Two days later the OCs returned to earth with a very large thud. At The Factory Ground, which had been decimated two years earlier by the hurricane, an Antiguan Cricket Association XI won at a canter by seven wickets with 22 overs to spare. In truth the OCs went into the match with a defeatist attitude, not helped by the sight of a very quick bowler opening the attack on a hard, fast track. The OCs reached 42-2 but, after a brief break for rain, collapsed to 98 all out. Any hope of bowling the Antiguans out were dispelled with the first three overs which conceded 27 runs.

The following morning the side set out for the far side of the island, in a coach driven by a care in the community escapee named Shipwreck, to play the national champions, Falmouth. The ground was one of the most beautiful one could hope to see, with gentle hills on three sides of the pitch and the turquoise waters of the yacht infested English Harbour on the other. Batting first, the OCs posted a respectable 164-9, Watkinson (46) and Brown (46) leading the way. Falmouth lost early wickets but still seemed well on course as injuries meant that the OCs had to use non-bowlers to deliver eight of the overs. Brown took two wickets with successive balls, Stephens bowled a superbly tight spell and in fading light the hosts were bowled out for 147, to give the OCs a 17 run win. The game was memorable for the non-stop reggae music which emanated from a massive sound system located next to the pavilion, and for the numbers of locals who appeared throughout the day to watch. Again, the party went on well into the night.

The final game at the impressive Antiguan Police ground was preceded by a day of alcoholic and solar abuse aboard a yacht. The combination of hang-overs and sunburn did not bode well. Put into bat, the Police lost two quick wickets but that was as far as the OC success went. Lawrence hit a wonderfully aggressive unbeaten 139 for the hosts and the OCs had no answer. Half a dozen catches were spilled, the fielding disintegrated and the bowlers were subjected to ridicule from spectators, the increasingly wayward Watkinson being singled out for attention. If the fielding was poor, the batting display was worse. The first three wickets fell before a run had been scored off the bat, and thereafter only Simon Copleston (25) showed any application. On a crumbling track the leg-spin of Thompson (5-12) was the final straw and the OCs were all out for a paltry 86, a 142 run defeat.

The disappointment of losing the last game was tempered with the knowledge that overall the results had been much better than we had dared to hope for. The locals certainly gave us no chance against sides who were amongst the best on the island. The team morale had remained high and even in defeat we were not disgraced.

Off the field, the spirit within the group was superb throughout. Within any collection of individuals thrown together for over fortnight there are usually clashes; amongst this motley crew there was no friction. Will Stephens consumed everything which was put in front of him (animal, vegetable and mineral); Johnson just ate everything and got run out; the diminutive twins Bailey and Clark mooned and tequila slammed their way through the fortnight; McDermott consumed Bloody Marys at all hours; Ed Copleston sunbathed by day and gambled by night; Isaac remained in a different galaxy; Khurshid in his one appearance confirmed that he was on the wrong tour; Seeckts proved that white men most certainly do not have natural rhythm; Watkinson entertained with his organ playing; Brown (Tour Puppy) went various shades of pink; Dunnett tried to spend money faster than his parents could telex it to him; the usually dedicated Simon Copleston’s hangovers prevented him attending early morning fielding practices; and Williamson travelled 8,000 miles for one (superb) throw. The captain, accompanied by his wife, contracted an addiction to rum, crashed golf carts and generally set an appalling example. Any hope that the four ladies would add some decorum was dispelled within hours of landing on the island. Mrs. Chetwode outdrank, outsmoked and outpartied everyone; Mrs. Seeckts single handedly supported the whisky industry in between single handedly supporting the rum industry; Miss Bentley (Dave) proved that she had no medical knowledge that could possibly be of any use in the real world; and Mrs. Williamson snogged the entire tour party on her birthday.

As a place to tour Antigua must rank as one of the best. The authorities could not have been more helpful to our ever changing requests, the Antiguan people are laid back and cricket mad and the island itself is glorious. The work done by Rick Johnson in organising the trip cannot be understated; the follow up to Sri Lanka in 1999 is already being planned.

For a copy of the acclaimed tour booklet please contact the Hon. Secretary.

Tour Party Mike Chetwode (Captain), Steve Bailey, Graham Brown, Nigel Clark, Ed Copleston, Simon Copleston, Nick Dunnett, Steve Isaac, Rick Johnson, Steve Isaac, Dodie Khurshid, John McDermott (umpire), Richard Seeckts, Will Stephens, Henry Watkinson, Martin Williamson. Melissa Bentley, Louise Chetwode, Ginny Seeckts and Mel Williamson