The Chairman’s XI came out on top in a titanic encounter with the Captain’s XI as Marsh Gibbon Cricket Club hosted their inaugural Presidents Day on the August Bank Holiday Sunday competing for the ‘Horace Leonard Memorial Trophy’. Such was the desire to play in this prestigious game, that the match became a 14-a-side contest with player being turned away!
In front of a large crowd of supporters the Captains XI skipper Joe Leonard won the toss and inserted Carl Needham’s Chairman’s XI into bat in overcast swinging conditions. Saturday Original’s opening bats, Will Honour and Paul Thornton, strode out to face their fellow strike bowler Nathan Callow and the returning David Stringer, now playing in the Kent league. Stringer striking early trapping Honour LBW, brought Rupert Shipperley to the wicket, who entertained the crowd with some majestic hitting as he ably transferred from his usual Wales lnternational Hockey stick to cricket bat in scoring 47 (30 balls) to top score, before being caught off his younger brother Charlie, taking the first family bragging rights of the day….not to be the last!
Paul Thornton glued the early innings opposite Shippo before being caught by Leonard off Cello for 33. Then Stuart Leonard (30) kept it rolling and accelerated towards a respectable score at 135-5 with 10 overs remaining. (Rodnight came and went in Standard fashion!)
Handy cameos from Tom Leonard (13), James Mitchell (11) and Pete Stringer (9) who rolled back the years with his all action batting style and pre-war cap. Martin Deeley (you can’t keep a good man down) was back to grace the Recreation Ground once more and showed that timing is ever-lasting.
David Stringer and Chris Coxhill the pick of the bowlers with Stringer 6-1-17-3 and Coxhill 3-0-15-3, with all other bowlers returning creditable figures.
Indeed tight death bowling from Julian Chambers and Chris Coxhill kept the lid on the final charge from The Chairman’s side as they closed on 177 (for 11) from their 40 overs. A challenging total, but well within reach of the Captain’s XI with some talented free scoring batsmen on display.
A tight start required from the fielding side as Captain Needham and Mitchell took the new cherry against James Coxhill, one of three brothers featuring in the game and first teamer Alex Coultate. Early strikes from both bowlers had the Captain’s XI at 7-2, as Mitchell bowled Coxhill and Lee Hodges clutched gleefully onto a slip catch from the evergreen Needham. Nick Turner was looking comfortable at one end despite the wildly hopeful stumping shouts. Not that they weren’t out more that Luke Connell, standing umpire at Square Leg, was dreaming of the row of cakes set up for Tea!
Captain Leonard now brought his master plan into effect. Having studied past golfing Ryder Cups, he knew this game would also be a match-up of individual players in the confrontation of Bat versus Ball. Consequently, he packed the middle order with his dangermen and the competition between bat of Black, Charlie Shipperley & himself versus the ball of opposing brothers Charlie Shipperley and Tom Leonard, backed up by the wily Crab, would be the Recreation Ground Battle of The Bulge!
All these swashbuckling batters possessed the power and skills to take the game away in an instant. Black started strongly, reminiscent of his time with the club back in 2011, dispatching anything loose, with Shipperley (R ) getting the brunt of it with three maximums in an over, before avenging this by bowling the former with a quick delivery, as Black departed for a typically aggressive 43 in just 25 deliveries.
Charlie Shipperley and Joe Leonard, despite some questionable running between the wickets, were looking set before a small change in the field worked perfectly for Will Honour to snaffle his Saturday Skipper Leonard at gully off Mitchell, for a poultry 28 by this season’s standards.
The removal of Charlie Shipperley was of paramount importance to the Chairman as he had also raced into the 40’s at quicker than a run a ball. Then he was also castled by his brother on 48 and the bragging rights swapped allegiance. Would the runs be stemmed? Was it too late as the Captain’s team was surely on the brink of victory only needing 41 runs in 14 overs with 6 batters to come.
Shipperley was now bowled out with 4-42, and Needham brought back the opening pair; himself and Mitchell. Leonard had played his hand and got close, but who would light the cigar? Mitchell (3-29) bagged Chris Coxhill and Needham (2-23) got the crucial wicket of Chambers Senior (to the unbounding delight of Chambers Junior!), but the opening bowlers were now bowled out too and the introduction of Lee Hodges was pounced on by the swinging bat of Callow.
The Captain’s crew needed only 20 runs in 5 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Nathan Callow (21) now anchored the lower order, but lost Tyler castled by Guns Leonard before the most astute bowling change brought on young Jacob Chambers. He promptly bamboozled and bowled Greg Bonne, then took the return catch from Coultate (in for a 2nd go to even the sides up). Callow needed to score a further 16 from 18 balls in the last wicket stand to take the game. But the Captain’s side completed their capitulation when Callow was caught by Thornton off Tom Leonard; the last 4 wickets falling in just 10 balls, for 4 runs, handing victory to the Chairman’s Elect as the innings closed on 161.
Rupert Shipperley scooped the man of the match award (kindly sponsored by Chris Mullis) for his valuable contributions in both innings,
Nick Tyler the ‘Champagne moment’ (sponsored by Lee Hodges) for his first over in many years after returning to the club to a standing ovation and most important of all, the ‘Horace Leonard Memorial Trophy’ was raised by jubilant skipper Needham, presented by Vi Leonard.
A fantastic day for the club and the memory of Horace Leonard. Many thanks to our sponsors, helpers and supporters of the event. Especially Debra for her wonderful cake organisation and the superb volunteer bakers for the array of cakes. Plus, Mark Leonard for keeping order out in the middle and Mikey Timms for keeping the numbers throughout. And watch out for the photos – thanks to Neil Honour for being our roving cameraman.
Finally, to the family bragging rights……
The Shipperley’s were probably even with 47 vs 48 runs, though Rupert managed to get the ball to bounce when bowling!
Guns Leonard and opposing Skipper scored blows on each other, with Guns taking the final 2 wickets to win the game whilst brother was wicketless, though scored more runs.
Whilst, Chris Coxhill bagged 3 wickets, brothers Jimmy and Matt, outscored him with the bat.
David Stringer showed his potency with the ball, but Pete’s 9 including a boundary shadowed his brothers Quacker….
And finally, did young Chambers eclipse the old man? Scoring more with the bat and taking more wickets with ball….We will leave Sally to referee that tussle!
Scorecard
President’s XI
W Honour LBW D Stringer 4
P Thornton ct J Leonard N Callow 33
R Shipperley ct S Black C Shipperley 47
S Leonard ct & Bowled C Coxhill 30
W Rodnight ct J Leonard C Coxhill 4
T Leonard ct J Leonard D Stringer 13
L Hodges Bowled C Coxhill 1
G Cross Run Out 0
J Mitchell ct S Black J Chambers(Snr) 11
P Stringer Bowled D Stringer 9
J Chambers(Jnr) Bowled G Bonne 5
M Coxhill Not Out 4
M Deeley Not Out 2
C Needham(capt) DNB
Extras – 14
Total – 177 All out, from 40 overs
N Callow 6 0 19 1
D Stringer 6 1 17 3
G Bonne 6 0 40 1
C Shipperley 4 0 20 1
S Black 5 1 10 0
J Chambers(snr) 6 0 31 1
C Coxhill 3 0 15 3
J Leonard 3 0 17 0
N Tyler 1 0 4 0
Captain’s XI
J Coxhill Bowled J Mitchell 7
A Coultate ct L Hodges C Needham 0
N Turner Bowled R Shipperley 7
S Black Bowled R Shipperley 43
C Shipperley Bowled R Shipperley 48
J Leonard(capt) ct W Honour J Mitchell 28
C Coxhill Bowled J Mitchell 0
J Chambers(Snr) Bowled C Needham 0
D Stringer Bowled R Shipperley 0
N Tyler Bowled T Leonard 2
N Callow ct P Thornton T Leonard 21
G Bonne Bowled J Chambers(jnr) 1
A Coultate (2nd go) C&B J. Chambers (Jnr) 0
L Connell Absent.
Extras – 3
Total – 161 All out, from 37.1 overs
C Needham 8 1 23 2
J Mitchell 6 1 29 3
R Shipperley 7 2 42 4
G Cross 7 1 21 0
T Leonard 4.1 0 19 2
L Hodges 3 0 28 0
J Chambers(Jnr) 1 0 2 2