1938

Batting

                     Mts       Inns    NO    Runs      HS      Av’ge        100   50     Cts     Sts

R. Stevens     8        8        1               137      34     17.12            –       –        5

H. Tozer        7        7        1                 93               15.50           –       –        1

L. Ritchie       8        8        0               104      54     13.00            –       1        2

D. Walden      8        8        0               102      51     12.75            –       1      14        1

A. Stevens     7        7        1                72       27*   12.00            –       –        1

W. Baisden    7        7        0                77       39     11.00            –       –        2

R. Webb        4        4        0                34                  8.50            –      –         1

G. Wall          5        5        0                40                  8.00            –      –         2

E. Smith        6        6        1                36                  7.20            –      –         1

L. Pearce       8        8        0                52                  6.50            –      –         5

Also batted:     L. Walden   7, 3, 5      W. Ash   8, 17 (1 ct)      R. Hunt     0, 0*     C. Page   0, 0     W. Stevens     5, 2*     K. Chipperfield   2      R. Chipperfield   1    J. Dixon   0     A. Dunkin   4     M. Fitzgerald   0     K. Johnson   0     R. Johnson   6      M. Schaefer   4     L. Scoley   0     G. Williams    7     M. Williams   0

Bowling

                     Overs Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Av’ge 5wi

L. Ritchie         72       16       180     29       6.20     1

H.Tozer           60       15       115     15       7.66     –

L. Pearce         32        7        71       9       7.88

G. Wall            28        6        89      11       8.09

Also bowled: R. Hunt   15 -2 -62 -4     W. Ash   10-2- 27 -3     R. Stevens   12 – 3- 31 -3

These statistics were proffered by Bill Ash in a document summarising the averages prepared for the inaugural Club meeting. Keith Newton and I decided not to include these in the club and player statistics because of missing detail.

There was no playing record for matches played, won or lost. A general consensus was that eight matches were played, Stevens, Ritchie. Walden and Pearce being ever-present but only four matches were in what was to become the 1939 scorebook. All the players who played are listed because they would have been potential members. However only the leading bowlers were shown and then only wickets and runs aggregates. Harold Tozer was able to add his overs and maidens because he kept a record of his own performance. He was also able to recall to us that Ray Chipperfield, John Dixon, Mel Fitzgerald, Len Scoley and (Man)fred Schaefer all bowled at some time. None of these were in the scorebook we had.

Doug Walden was the leading fielder (as wicket keeper) and Ron Stevens and Les Pearce are shown as the leading outfielders. In hindsight more information could have been gathered from the scorecards available. The highest scores shown were deduced in so far as they were in the scorebook and the batsmen didn’t have enough other runs to have bettered them.

Ron Stevens remembered that in the match against the Men of the Church they turned up with only ten players so sent for Gordon Williams who turned up with his brother -who was also allowed to play so they had twelve. He thinks they were again allowed to field twelve in the return match. In all probability both of these matches were scored in the Men of the Church scorebook.

                                                                                  Clyde Cartwright 

Batting

                    Mts       Inns    NO    Runs      HS      Av’ge        100    0     Cts     Sts

R. Stevens   8        8        1         137       34      17.12             –       –        5

H. Tozer        7        7        1            93                15.50            –       –      1

L. Ritchie       8        8        0         104       54      13.00             –       1        2

D. Walden      8        8        0        102       51      12.75             –       1      14      1

A. Stevens     7        7         1          72       27*   12.00            –       –        1

W. Baisden    7        7         0          77       39      11.00            –       –        2

R. Webb        4        4         0          34                  8.50           –      –         1

G. Wall          5        5         0           40                   8.00           –      –         2

E. Smith        6        6 1           36                   7.20                  –         1

L. Pearce       8        8        0            52                   6.50       –      –         5

Also batted:     L. Walden   7, 3, 5      W. Ash   8, 17 (1 ct)      R. Hunt     0, 0*     C. Page   0, 0     W. Stevens     5, 2*     K. Chipperfield   2      R. Chipperfield   1     J. Dixon   0     A. Dunkin   4     M. Fitzgerald   0     K. Johnson   0     R. Johnson   6      M. Schaefer   4     L. Scoley   0     G. Williams    7     M. Williams   0

Bowling

                    Overs Mdns  Runs  Wkts  Av’ge 5wi

L. Ritchie         72       16       180     29       6.20     1

H.Tozer           60       15       115     15       7.66     –

L. Pearce         32        7        71       9       7.88

G. Wall            28        6        89      11       8.09

Also bowled: R. Hunt   15 -2 -62 -4     W. Ash   10-2- 27 -3     R. Stevens   12 – 3- 31 -3

These statistics were proffered by Bill Ash in a document summarising the averages prepared for the inaugural Club meeting. Keith Newton and I decided not to include these in the club and player statistics because of missing detail.

There was no playing record for matches played, won or lost. A general consensus was that eight matches were played, Stevens, Ritchie, Walden and Pearce being ever-present but only four matches were in what was to become the 1939 scorebook. All the players who played are listed because they would have been potential members. However only the leading bowlers were shown and then only wickets and runs aggregates. Harold Tozer was able to add his overs and maidens because he kept a record of his own performance. He was also able to recall to us that Ray Chipperfield, John Dixon, Mel Fitzgerald, Len Scoley and (Man)fred Schaefer all bowled at some time. None of these were in the scorebook we had.

Doug Walden was the leading fielder (as wicket keeper) and Ron Stevens and Les Pearce are shown as the leading outfielders. In hindsight more information could have been gathered from the scorecards available. The highest scores shown were deduced in so far as they were in the scorebook and the batsmen didn’t have enough other runs to have bettered them.

Ron Stevens remembered that in the match against the Men of the Church they turned up with only ten players so sent for Gordon Williams who turned up with his brother -who was also allowed to play so they had twelve. He thinks they were again allowed to field twelve in the return match. In all probability both of these matches were scored in the Men of the Church scorebook.

                                                                                  Clyde Cartwright 

The Awards  Dinner and Entertainment evening is being held on Saturday, 14 October 2017 at the KNK Stadium Banqueting Hall, Bishopford Road, Morden, SM4 6BF commencing at 7pm. Reminiscent of events throughout the Club’s history it has been easier to get 15 players for a “piss-up” than it has been to get 11 for a match!!

Congratulations anyway to the Club who attend the evening as Division 2 champions.

It is with great sadness that we advise that Keith Finch, one of our finest ever cricketers and a most popular figure passed away, quite peacefully on Monday night, 2 October 2017.  He had been moved into a hospice for his last hours. His wife, Jan and his daughters, Natalie and Victoria were at his bedside.

Keith was heartened in his last hours by the many tributes paid to him. At a suitable moment we will publish these.

In the meantime we expect many of you will wish to join in his final farewell to be held at Eltham Crematorium (Falconwood), Crown Woods Way, Eltham, SE9 2AZ at 11.45  and afterwards at the Police Sports and Social Club, The Warren, Croydon Road, Hayes, Kent BR2 7AL

A tribute to Keith’s career was published last year and can be found under Player Profile

A service was held at Vinters Park Crematorium, Maidstone  on 24 August 2017 for Clyde Cartwright who died on 26 July.

In a 34 season career Clyde played  an incredible 756 matches for the Club having joined in 1956 at the age of 23 after National Service. His younger brother Alan joined at the same time. Sadly, Alan had died some 23 years ago.

A slow left arm bowler his total of 97 wickets in the  1958 season remains the second best season’s total of all time and together with his appearances total is unlikely to be surpassed by today’s cricketers.

The ceremony and the after celebrations were attended by Alan and Vera Coupland, Phil and Pat Blake, Ken Angelo, Pete Emmison, Greg Stevens and Lesley Meyer (Peter Cocklin’s daughter) together with Alan Cartwright’s widow, Marion, son. John and daughter, Sue. Dave and Teresa Sitch were unable to attend due to Dave falling ill the previous day but sent their condolences. Condolences were also received from John and Ann Duffell, Barry and Anne Vernon, Keith and Jan Finch and Frank Cambridge.

Donations were made in favour of the Heart of Kent Hospice where Clyde spent his last days.

A full tribute to Clyde’s career is published in the Player Profile Section

 

CLYDE CARTWRIGHT                                                                                               by Greg Stevens

 

We are sad to have to say farewell to one of our most popular of all players. A decent, kind and gentle person he was passionate about cricket, playing 756 games for the club. It seems unlikely that any team picture taken between 1956 and 1989 will not have Clyde in it. I am slightly dumbfounded when I now contemplate that our respective playing careers overlapped twenty- five seasons, a quarter of a century. I had, of course, known him before I began playing and he continued an involvement as an umpire after his playing days. But it was not just as a player that he made his mark. He was a committed member of the club, involved in all its activities and events; generous with his time and support although he never took office. He was the epitome of a good club man and much appreciated and respected for it by all his fellow members. One of the earliest car owners in the club it was inevitable that he would give lifts to matches, his little four-seater invariably squeezing in five passengers as well as transporting the club gear. It seems likely that the club bag with all the bats, pads, gloves and other equipment would also have resided in the boot of Clyde’s car for the best part of twenty seasons (and throughout the intervening winters).

It was jointly with Keith Newton that Clyde, in 1959, set about compiling the club’s history – the very records from which I will draw for this tribute. It was in his capacity as unofficial club historian (there is no official one) that he wrote the obituaries for Stan Chisnell, Pete Cocklin, my brother Rog and Graham Strelley.

Born in London 3rd September 1932 the middle brother of three sons. His younger brother, Alan, also played for Grenfell. All three boys were encouraged into cricket by their father who had only played a limited amount himself but loved the game. Older brother Percy showed little interest but Clyde and Alan played interminably in the street, school playground and public parks in between air-raids during the war years. During this time Clyde discovered that he could seriously spin the ball and did so to wind up his little brother who cajoled him to bowl straight “so I can hit it”.

Aged 12 he joined the local Boys Brigade where he first met an older Deptford lad, 15 years old Stan Chisnell. Although they played some organised matches these were dominated by the older boys and Clyde got few opportunities to show what he could do.

At age 15 he left school and began a printing apprenticeship with publishers, McMillan & Co with whom he remained all his (50 year) working life eventually qualifying as a photo typesetter operator and finishing his career as a proof reader.  His apprenticeship was interrupted in 1951 with two years National Service with the Royal Artillery and Ordinance Corps stationed in Germany.  In these years attempts were made to play cricket matches between the various military units but being in Germany no facilities were readily available and they spent longer preparing patches of ground for play than they could make the matches last.

On leaving the army he joined the Boys’ Brigade Old Boys Association where he renewed his acquaintance with Stan Chisnell and met fellow old boys Harry Pearce and Derek Dennis. Some prearranged cricket was played and Derek Dennis, who was captain of Grenfell, having successfully introduced Stan Chisnell  to Grenfell in 1955 invited Clyde to join in 1956.

Tall for his generation, maybe 5’ 10” and slim built Clyde was a genuine left hander who bowled and batted with an easy, fluent style and ran with a loping, long-legged action with an air of nonchalance that belied the swiftness of his reactions. He was a reliable catcher, specialising in the gully where he would position himself to make the most of his left-handedness. Invariably among the leading fielders, he excelled in 1963 with 17 catches for the season. A slow left arm bowler equally at home whether bowling over or around the wicket he didn’t offer variety, a single, repetitive action, almost monotonous, simply delivering in a high arc pitching around middle and off stump and spinning it big, turning away from a right-handed batsman.

It was Clyde’s good fortune to start under the captaincy of Derek Dennis who was experimenting with turning himself into an off-spinner and had become a keen advocate of the value of spin bowling. Clyde with 170 overs and off-spinner, Stan Chisnell with 105 were the most used bowlers and the leading wicket takers with 51 and 30 wickets respectively.

If his impressive debut season was aided by a sympathetic skipper it got better in his second season under the leadership of Bill Ash. Bill, himself, was a wily leg-spinner who brought both guile and boldness to his captaincy. Early in the 1957 season, on 2^nd June, Grenfell having only posted a modest score against strong opponents Cyphers Bill chose to open the bowling with himself and Clyde daring them to chase what should have been an easy target. Clyde responded brilliantly taking six wickets for just three runs as they collapsed against an unexpected opening spin attack.

Using Clyde as opener or early first change was a tactic Bill would resort to frequently and in a summer which saw Clyde bowl a mammoth 309 overs and take 73 wickets (av. 12.37) only Peter Cocklin matched his wicket haul.

His 1958 season got off to a tremendous start when in the third match on 11 May, opening the bowling, he took 9 -27 against Sirius C C. It was the best individual analysis by anybody at the time and remains the third best ever to this day. He followed that up with 5-16 in the next game against Metrogas. By now, Bill was giving Clyde the first over of an innings although it is quite likely that his opening partner, Peter Cocklin, as a fast bowler, still got choice of ends. His remarkable form continued throughout the summer; 12 wickets (6-15 and 6-29) in one weekend, 6-13 and 5-27 in the last two matches. All in all he had 9 five wicket analyses and finished the season with a then Club record 97 wickets (av. 10.44) in a monumental 355 overs. Only Ken Angelo with his 101 wickets in 1973 has superceded his season total. 

A by-product of Clyde’s spin dominance was that Bill Ash’s wrist spin enjoyed something of a renaissance in his wake. Stan Chisnell became captain in 1959 and adopted a far more orthodox approach. Despite himself being a spinner Stan generally preferred a more hostile, fast bowling attack. In fact, 1959 was a very hot summer and most bowlers found it hard going on batting friendly wickets. Nevertheless, Clyde’s 33 wickets (av. 14.60) from 151 overs was a very commendable performance as was his return of 33 wickets (av.15.42) in 1960. In 1963, though, it all went wrong for Clyde; he had developed “the yips” a recognised but not understood condition. The encyclopaedia describes it as the loss of fine motor skills in athletes. The condition occurs suddenly and without apparent explanation usually in mature athletes with years of experience. It is poorly understood and has no known treatment or therapy.   Many are forced to abandon their sport at the highest level. The yips manifest themselves as twitches, staggers, jitters and jerks. The condition occurs most often in sports which athletes are required to perform a single precise and well-timed action such as bowlers in cricket and pitchers in baseball, golfers and darts players. Famously, Surrey’s Keith Medlycott was forced into retirement at age only 26 by the condition and England’s Phil Edmunds had a couple of seasons in the wilderness until he came back with a totally reformed action.

Everybody wanted Clyde to recover but the reality was that he could not get it right even in the nets or in pre-match knock-ups. A couple of decent returns in 1972 looked promising but given similar opportunities to bowl in 1973 he proved too erratic.

Resigned to not being able to bowl he resolved to improve his batting which he had pretty much neglected in his early years. Always an elegant looking batsman he had a good technique, good enough to be used as an emergency opening bat. Ted Gorham always told the story of his first game for the club when Clyde opened the batting without looking out of place although he did not score many runs. The following game Clyde was in his usual number ten spot. Not realising that Clyde had only been a stopgap Ted thought this was an incredibly hard club to play for when an opener fails and is then relegated to the bottom of the order.

Unlike most left-handers Clyde was not strong playing off his legs. He was an upright, front foot player whose best shots were on the drive – through cover, mid-off and mid-on. His transformation from bowler to lower middle order batsman was successful enough for the decade between 1967 and 1976 to yield over 900 runs (nearly half of his career total) at a reasonable average. The most runs in a season was 146 (Av. 7.30) in 1970. His highest score was 47 v City of London Poly on 25 August 1973. Batting at number five that day he shared a fifth wicket stand of 77 with Bill Davies.

He shared in only two other fifty wicket stands but for a year he and his brother Alan held the tenth wicket record stand with 48 v Meadows on 21 May 1961. It is probably apocryphal but according to Stan Chisnell what made it remarkable was that there were about six missed run out opportunities. In one such moment, the brothers were stranded together mid-wicket, both well short of completing a run, when the return to the bowler’s end was overthrown. However instead of completing the run they were on they turned around and went back, scoring nothing when they might have had two.

Overtly Clyde was good natured, mild mannered and warm-hearted but you don’t get to be a successful cricketer, even at Club level, without a serious competitive element and one memory I have exemplifies his steely determination. I was only about eighteen years old and we played Petts Wood. I don’t remember how I did except that I would have been one of the failures. Batting second we were eight wickets down and with no chance of getting enough runs to win when Clyde went in, instructed by skipper Ted Gorham to hold out for the draw. The Petts Wood bowler who did the most damage was a hostile fast bowler George Armitage, a burly Yorkshireman. He was clearly getting frustrated that Clyde was only playing defensively and he let him know it but, of course, there was no way Clyde would engage in a slanging match. Eventually a delivery caught the edge of Clyde’s bat and, without being a catch, the ball flew through the slips for a boundary. It being an unintentional shot Clyde muttered a “sorry” to the bowler as he ran down the wicket. It may seem as difficult now as it did then to imagine how a softly spoken word so outraged the bowler. “Sorry? Sorry?”, he repeated, “I’ll give you fuckin’ sorry”. Consequently, every delivery to Clyde, surrounded by close fielders was intimidatingly short pitched and followed up with more verbal abuse. In his rage though, he was playing into Clyde’s hands who remained implacably calm and just let the ball harmlessly through to the wicket-keeper. Eventually it came down to the last ball, Armitage to Cartwright, and with two wickets to fall we could not now lose. Another short-pitched delivery but this time Clyde put in a big, fearless front footed step and meeting the ball on the up pulled it through a vacant mid- wicket area for four. He had had the last word, albeit unspoken.

He wasn’t just mentally strong, despite his slender frame he was physically tough as well. This was typified by an incident in a match against Temple Bar. In the field, our bowler dropped a return throw near the stumps, Clyde raced in to pick up the loose ball. Just as he got it in his grip the batsman, running through, trod on his hand. His third and fourth fingers were broken and the studs on the batsman’s boot sliced the back of his hand. It was a bloody mess that required seventeen stitches. Required to bat on his return from the local hospital we tried to talk him out of it. It would be nice to say that he successfully defended and saved the game but he was too badly hurt and was soon out without scoring. In fact, his hand was so badly damaged he couldn’t drive. Fortunately, we had a spare driver, Alan Wild, who was able to take Clyde home. Unable to play for a two weeks Clyde generously lent the car to Alan so that the club gear and a couple players still got to matches while Clyde came along as an umpire.

In 1976 he was, for the first time, afflicted with a bad back which restricted his appearances although he was still a useful contributor when he did play. In 1978 a reoccurrence of his back troubles not only affected his availability but never fully fit from then on his performances were also impeded. However, it speaks volumes for his spirit and magnitude that he continued to play, on demand and often painfully, for another ten years finally announcing his retirement at the end of the 1988 season, signing off grandly with 2-25 in a 6 over spell.

Always a willing umpire he then volunteered himself in 1989 as umpire for the Saturday second XI League matches but it should be no surprise that the records show that on six occasions he was obliged to exchange the white coat for flannels and he ended up playing another six matches! Sixty years old at the end of the 1992 season Clyde decided that even umpiring was too much for his debilitating back injury and packed it all in.

 

 

 

He had never sought office but was my vice-captain for consecutive seasons in 1973 and 1974 although by his own admission it was a responsibility he didn’t enjoy; readily recognizing that his was a default appointment when Dave Sitch declined nomination to stand in deference to continuing as Club Treasurer. An advocate of Kevin Laroche for the role he was happy to relinquish the position in favour of Kevin in 1975. Always a contender for the Jean Pearce trophy the purport of which might well have been designed for him it is surprising therefore that he did not win the award until 1985, an achievement rendered especial when on this occasion he was honoured to be presented with it by Kent and England cricketer, Derek Underwood. However, as a fore-runner to the Jean Pearce trophy Clyde had been the recipient in 1970 of a specially engraved tankard in recognition of his commitment and off – the- field support to the wellbeing of the Club.

In the nineteen-eighties, his employers had moved their operation to Basingstoke a journey that Clyde commuted daily from his mother’s home in Deptford. In 1984 Clyde began working, for the second time, on compiling the Clubs history. His employer, McMillans, granted him permission to utilize their facilities in his own time which entailed him driving all the way to Basingstoke on a Saturday morning and returning in the afternoon to play cricket!! It was for this level of commitment that Clyde was so admired by generations of Grenfell Club members.

 

An ever present for every Club tour during his career; he drove me to the Isle of Wight in 1966 and over twenty years later in 1987 I roomed with him and John Heinson in Devon. On these occasions, without the responsibility of driving, he often let his hair down more than we usually saw.

There was one evening of pure slapstick which occurred on the 1970 Devon tour. Clyde was one of those rested for a match and along with the other rested players enjoyed a few extra beers in the afternoon. It was uncharacteristic for Clyde to over-imbibe which made his behaviour all the more comedic when he stumbled into the late-night hotel bar brandishing his camera and proclaiming himself the official team photographer. His guise for this self-appointed role inexplicably included sun-glasses, a flat cloth cap and a transparent pac-a-mac worn over khaki shorts. He reeled unsteadily around the bar and the camera flashed – flash, flash, flash as we smiled, embraced, raised glasses and were gathered into groups. Having bumped into the furniture for the umpteenth time and satisfied he taken enough shots he finally announced his retirement for the night. The following morning at breakfast someone asked how many pictures he’d got. “Unfortunately,” he paused, “I forgot to put any film in the camera.”

On the 1985 fiftieth anniversary tour we had a free day and the club entered four teams in the afternoon quiz. I found myself in a team that included Clyde where it turned out not to be false modesty when he declared that he would not be much help, “I only know Sport”. Having offered no suggestions to questions on athletics and horse racing he revised his knowledge, “not sport so much as just cricket and football”. He did surprise us therefore in the Geography round when he knew Karachi was the capital of Pakistan. “They play cricket there” he explained but he was wrong when it turned out that the chief produce of Columbia was cocoa beans and not cocaine.

He never regarded himself as much of a footballer and although he played some matches for the Boy’s Brigade Old Boys alongside Harry Pearce and Stan Chisnell he was not a regular and did not play after 1955. Instead he met on the South terrace on Saturday afternoons with a group of fellow enthusiastic Charlton Athletic supporters within Grenfell cricket club – Frank Cambridge, my father Ron Stevens, Les Pearce, John Strelley and Keith Newton. He later worked with Keith Newton from 1959 onwards in researching and gathering together Club records.  Another special friendship developed with Peter Cocklin, often ending up in Peter’s home for a late supper.

Never married, he was an avuncular figure among us children of players, bigheartedly giving his time to give structure to and oversee our pitch side games. He was something of a mentor to my younger brother, Rog, who like himself was a left hander that Clyde was convinced he could coach into a quality spinner. That my brother did not quite make it (for Grenfell) is no reflection of the encouragement he received from Clyde.

Late in life, Clyde took it upon himself to look after his widowed mother and even though he had a flat at Basingstoke he preferred to stay with her making the daily trip to the old family home in Deptford. Soon after his retirement in 1997 he had a double hip replacement but his body became increasingly gnarled with other arthritis. Eventually he moved to Maidstone, Kent to be near his brother Percy.

However, he was always much closer to his younger brother Alan and was a welcome addition on their family holidays. Alan, sadly, died in 1994 but his widow Marion and children John and Susan will especially mourn Clyde’s passing. Our thoughts are with them as we all miss but fondly remember a gentle and good-humoured man.

 

CAREER RECORD

Matches:756      Runs: 1,949 (av. 5.72)     Highest Score: 47              Most Runs in a Season: 146 (av.7.30)

Overs: 1,456.4    Wickets: 336 (av.14.07) Best Bowling 9 – 27         Most Wkts in a Season: 97 (av.10.44)

5 Wicket Analyses: 13     Catches: 169      Most catches in a Season: 17

 

WICKET STANDS OVER FIFTY

Wkt       Runs                                  Between                                                      Opponents                       Date

5^th           77           C. Cartwright (47)     and   W. Davies (43)                City of London Poly         25 Aug 1973

6^th           68           G. Stevens (43)          and   C. Cartwright (28)         Swanscombe                    5 Jul 1970

4^th           51*         A. Haylock (108*)      and   C. Cartwright (6*)         Metrogas                          19 Aug 1978

10^th         48           A. Cartwright (22)      and   C. Cartwright (21*)      Meadows                          21 May 1961

 

FIVE WICKET ANALYSES

9 – 27    v   Sirius                                          11-May-1958

6 – 3       v   Cyphers                                         2-Jun-1957

6 – 13     v   A.S.E. (Gillingham)                     14-Sep-1958

6 – 15     v   Walworth                                    10-Aug-1958

6 – 39     v   Acons St Helens                           9-Aug-1958

6 – 40     v   Wat. Bonded Warehouse        26-May-1958

6 – 53     v   Trinity                                              2-Jun-1956

5 – 14     v   Cassington                                     26-Aug-1956

5 – 16     v    Metrogas                                     17-May-1958

5 – 21     v    Eltham & Ladywell                     22-Sep-1957

5 – 24     v   Farnborough                                16-Aug-1958

5 – 27     v    Centymca                                     20-Sep-1958

5 – 43     v   Pinchin & Johnson                       29-Jun-1958

 

 

SEASON BY SEASON                                       

Year	Mts	Inn	No	Runs	Hs	Avge	50	Cts		Over	Mdn	Runs	Wkt	Av’ge	5wi
1956	30	18	4	37	9	2.60		7		170.1	35	505	51	9.90	2
1957	36	31	3	116	15	4.14		9		309.1	71	903	73	12.37	2
1958	38	17	8	28	12	3.11		11		355.2	77	1013	97	10.44	9
1959	32	16	7	66	10*	7.33		9		151.2	34	482	33	14.60
1960	36	24	7	52	8	3.05		6		145.4	28	509	33	15.42
1961	31	29	13	102	21	6.30		4		84	16	255	14	18.21
1962	31	21	5	112	20	7.00		5		65	10	234	11	21.27
1963	27	19	4	74	13	4.93		17		19.3	3	55	1
1964	27	16	2	41	10	2.92		4		7	1	29	0
1965	20	15	5	79	19*	7.90		3		16	1	52	5	10.40
1966	21	19	3	21	11	3.50		5
1967	18	14	4	79	19	7.90		5		5	0	30	0
1968	23	13	3	83	16	8.30		1		2	0	7	0
1969	29	21	2	93	14	4..89	–	9		3	0	9	0
1970	33	23	3	146	28	7.30		6		2	1	5	0
1971	26	15	4	19	5	1.88		8		8	1	32	0
1972	28	20	3	124	20	7.29		5		35	6	182	8	22.75
1973	26	16	3	81	47	6.23		11		26	1	149	3
1974	24	15	4	104	38	9.45		5		5.3	0	37	0
1975	28	16	8	108	37*	13.50		7		14	0	67	4	16.75
1976	16	12	4	74	17*	9.25		2		1	0	6	0
1977	20	12	5	41	17	5.85		5		11	0	66	0
1978	12	8	3	57	13	11.40		7		3	2	17	0
1979	20	9	1	26	8	3.25		3
1980	16	6	1	15	5	3.00		2		4	0	16	0
1981	15	9	2	25	6	3.57		3
1982	11	9	1	39	14	4.85		1
1983	8	5	1	7	5*	1.75		–		3	0	25	0
1984	8	3	2	1	1			1		5	1	10	1
1985	19	10	6	16	5*			2		1	0	7	0
1986	11	6	1	25	20	5.00		1
1987	16	7	5	35	15			3
1988	14	7	2	11	6			1		6	1	25	2
1989	6	3	1	12	5			1
	756	473	132	1949	47	5.72		169		1456	229	4727	336	14.07	13

 

 

 

Born 18 September 1941. Died  21 June 2016.

By Greg Stevens

I met Mike through my friendship with Ken Angelo when in the 1965/6 season Ken persuaded Mike to turn out for our Sunday soccer team, Cedar Rangers. As soccer was not his preferred winter sport I have no doubt Mike had been the victim of Ken’s unashamedly persuasive plea technique, (“Broken your foot? You can still hop, though, can’t you? Tell you what we’ll play you where you’ve only got to head it”).

Mike had been a pupil at Aske’s Grammar School with whom he maintained an association throughout his life, at various times serving on the committees of both the Old Boys’ Rugby and Cricket sections. The fact that Mike, with his body battered and bruised from Saturday’s Rugby encounter, would turn up on Sunday morning to help out a pal was typical of his spirit and his commitment to his friends. By his own admission he was not good at football; only 5 foot 4 inches he was nevertheless a resolute, rugged right- back and I saw enough to think that I wouldn’t like to be against him on a rugby field.

With the formation of Westhorne Athletic, Mike’s (reluctant) soccer career appeared to end although he often attended matches with his good friend, Dave Golding to watch from the touchline and enjoy a drink afterwards.  Then, when Westhorne started a 3^rd eleven in 1969 Mike was one of the first to respond to an appeal for players. “What was I thinking of?” he often said in later years.

However, the bond that underpinned my relationship with Mike was not soccer but cricket. In the successive summers of 1966, 1967 and 1968 I played mid-week cricket for Greenwich Tax Office for whom I opened the batting with Mike. I like to think it was a successful partnership and I recall an instance when we put on a century stand against Belair C C, both getting a fifty.

At this time Mike was playing his club cricket for Dulwich Rosebery. His father, Frank, had been a wicket-keeper/ batsman for the Rosebery before him and Mike (like all sons of players) had been pressganged into a debut at age thirteen and played regularly from the age of sixteen.

Without question his prime cricket years were spent at Dulwich Rosebery C C but there was still plenty more to come when he joined Grenfell in 1975 on the sad demise of Dulwich Rosebery. If the weight of his runs were history it was at Grenfell that he achieved his highest ever score and his best bowling performance.

Predominantly a batsman, compact in defence and classic in style he could be attractive to watch when at his best. He was only an occasional bowler but more than useful as a slow left arm spinner.

When Mike joined Grenfell he was Assistant Secretary at Leyton Orient F C; the demands of this position heavily impacted on his availability and things did not significantly improve when he changed occupation in 1976 to serve on Great Britain’s Olympic Committee. Sporadic appearances meant he struggled for form although 1979 gave a glimpse of Mike’s true ability.

Oddly, the Olympic Year 1980 (presumably by when his work was done) saw a regular availability and his best season to date with 247 runs (av. 20.58) and 9 wickets (50.2 Overs, av. 24.00).

His good form continued through 1981, 1982 and 1983 despite a second term appointment on the GB Olympic Games Team Management restricting his appearances. 1983 saw his highest place in the batting averages when he finished fourth with 137 runs (av. 19.44). He also was making progress as a spin bowler, his 15 wickets (av. 17.73) included his first five wicket analysis (and career best thus far) with 6 -63 v Bromley NALGO on 7 July.

He managed only three games in 1984 before his Olympic Games involvement curtailed his season but even although he could not play the Club felt his influence as Hector Mullens explained in his (1985) article Our Fiftieth Anniversary (embracing the years 1975-1984) in paying  tribute to Mike Blake.“Since taking over as Fixture Secretary in 1982 to allow Greg to take the captaincy he has worked tirelessly. The loss of our “home” facilities at Delta Metal’s sports ground and the advent of league cricket decimated our established fixture list and it has not been easy to reconstruct, especially as wanderers. No doubt his experience as a professional administrator stands him in good stead but he is equally committed to the amateur game simultaneously serving his old school, Old Askeians and recently joining our Ron Stevens and Len Johnson on the A.K.C.C.  Committee. Despite this workload he has been instrumental in finding us new ground facilities at National Dock Labour Board in Sidcup after two years wandering. He is ambitious for us. One of his first initiatives was to replace winter nets by entering us in the Indoor Cricket League and he currently presses us to join the Metropolitan League. He believes that induction into League cricket is irresistible for the future despite our own reservations that we are an aging and declining side that needs refreshing before we can contemplate such a move. In Mike’s view recruitment will be impossible unless we have league recognition.”

While Hector was extolling Mike’s administrative contribution Mike was playing some of the best cricket of his career. His Olympic involvement concluded, Mike was able to commit to a full season; consequently 1985 saw him accumulate his most runs in a season, 346 (av.13.84) and most wickets in a season, 43 (av.18.18). This remarkable season also saw him achieve his best ever score 101 not out v Nat West Bank C C in the opening match of the season. He was the oldest Grenfell player at 43 years 8 months to achieve every batsman’s aspiration. He was also the first to reach the landmark for Grenfell without having scored a fifty. His obvious delight was shared by all his team mates that evening and made for a perfect start  to the the season socially. With Joe Sitch retiring during the season, Mike became the go to spinner in many games bowling 188 overs in total and taking 7 – 41 v Coney Hall on 10 August , his best ever performance as a bowler. He also finished the season with 5-32 v Basildon on 29 September. He was also among the leading fielders with 9 catches.

Under Mike’s counsel we entered the Metropolitan League for 1986 with mixed reactions. Mike himself among those who considered themselves too old for, and not expecting selection for, League matches. Surprise then that Mike was chosen and, by and large, bowled a full allocation of 10 overs in the League games  –  although wickets were at a premium. Less in demand for his batting, his technique did not lend itself to lower order batting and he was not at his best in the late order. Nevertheless he had another decent season. 246 runs (av. 10.25), 21 wickets (av. 36.90 ) and 8 catches.

By 1988 Mike absolved himself from League matches and he took the opportunity to step up his involvement with Old Aske’s for whom he had been secretary for some years. He was however persuaded for another season when, in 1989, Grenfell recalled all its veterans in an attempt to create a League second eleven. Most enjoyed successes that they thought were past, Mike no exception as he just missed out on a fifty when he scored 44 against Sidcup. After just one game in 1990 the second eleven experiment failed and Mike finally hung up his boots.

Among Mike’s attributes was a very dry sense of humour. Not given to sledging he was, however, renowned for his put downs and some have survived. Before they become apocryphal, let me repeat a couple of examples.

At Erith, Mike having got part bat on a wide off- side delivery sliced it past gully field for a boundary four, the displeased bowler ran through to Mike at the crease,

“Is that your best shot?” he demanded.

Mike, as calm as ever, “No,” shaking his head, “That was all it needed. It wasn’t worth my best shot.”

 

On another occasion against Crayford, Mike was having a bit of a torrid time against an onslaught of short pitched bowling. Mike was leaving it alone much to the bowler’s frustration, who, in exasperation, finally accused Mike with,

“You haven’t got many shots, have you, mate?”  To which Mike responded with

“That’s just because you haven’t got many deliveries.”

 

My own favourite though involved Mike helping me out as an umpire. Our fiftieth anniversary tour was blighted by bad weather. In an endeavour to provide us with some cricket our opponents in one of the fixtures agreed to play a shortened game of 20 overs a side commencing after an early tea.  We batted second and seemed to be heading for a comfortable victory when we were slowed by the home team bowlers adopting a negative leg-side line. Mike was batting and the tactic clearly infuriated him as both batsman found difficulty in scoring, Mike especially so as his strength was always his off-side. It came to the last over and after some runs squeezed off the first two deliveries we were left with one to win off four balls. Two hit Mike on his pads going down leg side. The next Mike moved across his stumps and waved at a ball that passed a foot or so outside leg stump. Wide enough for me to call a wide. It wasn’t particularly controversial but not as satisfactory as hitting the winning run. As I pulled stumps the bowler was trying to tell me that it wasn’t as wide as some that I hadn’t called. Mike who had to pass by me (my back was to pavilion) stopped to intervene on my behalf.

“Which stump do you think it was it hitting?” Mike asked.

“Well, it wasn’t hitting any”

“It was missing the wicket, then?”

“Yes, “agreed the bowler

“So,” Mike began deliberately and the expression on the bowler’s face became priceless as he suddenly anticipated where Mike’s sentence was going, as with slow enunciation he finished, “it….was….    wide”!

 

As Hector alluded in his article, Mike gave generously of his time to those organisations with which he was concerned. That he never seemed to have spread himself too thinly is a compliment to how seriously he took and assiduously undertook all his assignments.   Well educated, well informed and erudite Mike led an interesting life. At one time Assistant Secretary at Leyton Orient, he then served eight years on the Great Britain Olympic Team Management. The Olympic years encompassed the Moscow (1980) and Los Angeles (1984) Games where both were shrouded in controversy; the Americans leading a boycott of the Moscow games and then the Russians boycotting Los Angeles.  The political shenanigans were outside Mike’s role but nevertheless made for a difficult and demanding time. After the Olympics he returned to sports journalism and broadcasting and embarked on long harboured project to write the biography of Charlton Athletic’s  legendary goalkeeper, Sam Bartram working closely with Sam’s daughter. Published in 2006 it was successful enough to go to reprint in a revised edition and is now available on Kindle. He followed this up with another publication, Great British Olympians which has been equally well received by reviewers.

Another venture commenced around 1986 when he went into partnership with Bruce Birchall our erstwhile compatriot from Old Brockleians forming Sports Tours UK.com arranging tours to the UK for both adult and juvenile sports clubs. Which side of the ether this alliance was forged is uncertain but has continued to this day.

Two stories of Mike have recently emerged.

Jim Waddell recalls, “A lovely chap. We once shared a train journey down to Devon for one of our tours. I think Mike bought every Sunday paper for the journey.!  Fond memories!”

Andy Littlechild has this story about Mike. “We once found ourselves on the same quiz team at a Grenfell event. We were doing OK but not setting the world alight. The next round was on trophies where the quizmaster named the trophy , we had to name the sport. One trophy was called the Gordon Bennett Cup. Like a shot , Mike answered without hesitation “that’s easy ….ballooning” . He was right. For those of you that knew him, the fact he knew this wouldn’t surprise you at all, that was the nature of the man”

If his livelihood depended on professional sport he also cared passionately about the recreational game.

GRENFELL CAREER RECORD

Year	Mts	Ins	NO	Runs	HS	Av’ge			CT	Ovrs	Mdn	Runs	Wkt	Av’ge
1975	7	7	0	39	19	5.57			3	4	0	21	0
1976	14	13	2	117	22*	10.63			5	11	1	47	2
1977	13	10	1	98	38	10.88			3	10	1	81	2
1978	11	10	0	88	32	8.80			4	7	2	17	4
1979	8	8	1	138	36	19.71			1	23.3	2	76	8	9.50
1980	14	14	2	247	40*	20.58			3	50.2	5	216	9	24.00
1981	12	12	2	164	47*	16.40			1	33	5	141	8	17.63
1982	14	12	2	118	23	11.80			7	26.2	2	147	9	17.70
1983	15	11	4	137	37*	19.57			2	62	5	266	15	17.73	1
1984	3	2	0	51	36					3	0	11	0
1985	30	29	4	346	101*	13.84	1		9	188	15	782	43	18.18	2
1986	30	27	3	246	41	10.25			8	168	13	775	21	36.90
1987	22	20	4	98	15	6.12			7	101.1	5	423	15	28.20
1988	3	1	1	15	15*
1989	9	8	0	112	44	14.00			2	35	1	149	6	24.83
1990	1	1	0	12	12					6	1	20	0
	206	185	26	2026	101*	12.74	1		55	828.2	57	3172	142	22.47	3

 

 

STANDS OVER FIFTY

3              117*      J.Duffell  90*      &  M.Blake  37*                 Raglan                                   12-Jun-1983

3              114*      M.Blake  101*    &  J.Connell  60*               Nat West Bank                  4-May-1985

2              86           M.Blake  35         &  J.Connell  49                  Southfleet                          15-Jun-1985

1              85           J.Duffell    31       &  M.Blake  101*              Nat West Bank                  4-May-1985

2              77           J.Heinson  100*&  M.Blake  21                   Old Colfeians                     17-Jun-1979

3              77           M.Blake  36         &  A.Haylock  64*             Kemnal Manor                  23-Jul-1979

4              69           J.Duffell   69*     &  M.Blake  38                   Suburbagas                        29-May-1977

3              60           G.Stevens  36    &  M.Blake  47*                 Cobham                               26-Jul-1981

4              59           M.Blake  47         &  M.Mullens  26              Phoenix                               2-Sep-1981

1              59           J.Duffell   24        &  M.Blake  36                   A.E.I.                                     10-Jun-1984

6              58           M.Blake  30         &  I.Walker  33*                Old Colfeians                     1-Jun-1986

3              56           M.Blake  36         &  P.Blake  26                     Bromley NALGO               10-Aug-1980

3              52           J.Connell  57       &  M.Blake  14*                 Coney Hall                           10-Aug-1985

2              51*         J.Heinson  35*   &  M.Blake   22*                Wellcome                            0/0/82

3              51           M.Blake  19         &  P.Blake  28                     I.N.O.                                    10-Aug-1975

4              51           M.Blake  20         &  A.Thomas  34                West Kent Wndrs            1-Aug-1976

3              51           J.Heinson  48      &  M.Blake  21*                 Locksbottom                      23-Sep-1979

3              50           M.Blake  40         &  P.Blake  12                     Leybourne                          1-Jun-1980

4              50           G.Stevens   27   &  M.Blake  14                   Met.Police                          16-Aug-1981

 

 

KEITH FINCH – LEGEND by Greg Stevens

In what Keith might regard as his twilight years the young cricketers with whom he was playing in the nineteen-nineties gave him the nickname” Legend”, sometimes reduced to “ Ledge”. How did he acquire such a compliment and respect? I have had the privilege of being Keith’s friend for more than fifty years and – so, having put JD under the microscope last year, it is time to put the spotlight on Keith’s career.

Keith Robin Finch was born 19 March 1949. Tall, 6’2’’ and a bulky, muscular build he was quite simply one of the most gifted cricketers the Club has known. If his size and talent had a tendency to intimidate he is also one of the most modest, humble and gentle of men you are likely to encounter. Sociable too, although drinking stories are rare.

I first met Keith in the late summer of 1965 when he turned up with his pal, Dave Angelo to an early season, mid-week match at Charlton Athletic. Dave was already known to me and we stood together on the terraces. Keith would have been just sixteen years old. I was eighteen. It was after that match that Dave persuaded me and my friend, Eddie Brownlow, to abandon plans for our Sunday morning football team and join him and Keith at Cedar Rangers, a team run by Dave’s older brother, Ken. Ken was also already known to us – which can be another story.

Less than a week later we were in pre-season training at Sutcliffe Park in Eltham. Not only did I share thirty-seven cricket seasons with Keith but we were soccer team-mates for seven seasons. Keith was our goalkeeper, a role for which he was ideally sculpted added to which a daring and fearless temperament and touch of madness made him a formidable opponent. Mostly you would be glad he was on your side but in those moments when you are looking upwards at a descending ball, thinking that you ought to be heading it you would have to brace yourself on hearing those dreaded words, “Keith’s ball” knowing that it would be his ball and he would be taking out everything in the way of getting to it. Teammate or not.

In 1966 Keith was part of a select group assembled by Ken Angelo and which included Dave Angelo, me and two others that created Westhorne Athletic F C. From its modest origin it became a very successful club in a very short time, running three Sunday teams and one Saturday.

This was the era of the solid-as-a-rock, slippery-as-soap heavy leather football and yet, imposing a figure as he was in the goalmouth, Keith’s paramount attribute was his ability to catch. His big, bare hands (no gloves in those days) clasping the ball while he calmly waited for his teammates to reorganise. His long throw, and he could throw further than some could kick, was a prized weapon in launching swift counter-attacks but he also possessed a big kick. His kick was not just about power though; he could use it subtly and, in fact, for a while was Westhorne’s penalty taker. Sadly I cannot tell you how many goals he got but apart from penalties he also scored a couple of times as an outfield player. His appearances out of goal were very few and only came about while he was nursing a broken arm; that he played at all while injured is testimony to his hardiness.

At the same time he also played soccer for the City of London Police in the Essex Midweek League and on Saturdays in the South East London Alliance and continued to do so after we both retired from Sunday football at the end of the 1971/2 season. From school he played cricket for Dulwich Rosebery from 1965 to 1968. He made his debut for Grenfell against Old Erithians on 24 August 1968 alongside two other debutants, Dave Angelo and Alan Wild. It was also Eddie Brownlow’s first game in three seasons and with me, my brother Rog, Pete Bowers and JD in the team it was a very young and inexperienced side. It would be fair to say that the skipper Stan Chisnell had no high expectations that afternoon. However, the nineteen-year-old Keith changed that; on a hard and fast wicket he produced a quick and hostile spell that saw Old Erithians all out cheaply and Keith with figures of 5 – 20. He then top scored with 24 not out to see us to the win. An impressive debut and the first of many match-winning performances from a thoroughbred all-rounder. Stan was delighted as we had recently lost Barry Vernon, our only previous genuinely fast bowler, to the first of his overseas appointments; what is more all the newcomers’ liked a drink.

My brother Rog was less enthralled. He had been happily fielding in the gully when, after a couple of edges off Keith’s bowling had flown wide of second slip, he was moved into third slip. Sure enough it was not long before another delivery found the edge of the bat and, in an act of self-preservation, Rog instinctively took a catch in front of his nose the force of which knocked him backwards. The congratulatory praise that followed was of little comfort; after all, this had been a ball that if he had been quick enough he would have got out of its way. “Fuck that!” he said tucking his still throbbing hands under his armpits and beseeching somebody, anybody to swap places with him. There were no takers.

The following weekend was the Clubs mini tour weekend to Maidstone. In the two matches Keith , batting at number three scored 39 and 26 and took another 4 wickets for 47 to bolster his reputation as a quality talent.

That was his lot for that season but he went on to play another thirty-six seasons, hanging up his boots in 2004 at the age of 55. In that time he amassed 4,618 runs (at an average of 18.11) and took 691 wickets (average 13.87). He is the eleventh highest runscorer of all time and his wickets total is exceeded only by Alan Coupland and Pete Cocklin. Today’s bowlers will be envious that on retirement he had bowled 3817.1 overs in 354 games, an average of 11 overs per game and this despite much of his cricket from 1986 being played in the same limited overs league cricket that so frustratingly restricts the modern bowler. The 18 July 1971 edition of the Kentish Mercury report on a match against Dagenham Dock includes the observation “In the (Dagenham Dock) total of 154, bowler Keith Finch had a mammoth 22 overs but finished with a well-earned 6-52.”

That small excerpt from 1971 also indicates how much the game has changed since then. 154 would have been a typically good total and yet we must have bowled 44 or 45 overs. Around 1990 regulations were instigated for the unification of cricket pitches by the introduction of a loam topsoil. The effect has been to make pitches slower, bounce lower and therefore much more batsman friendly. Generally speaking this transition makes comparison of statistics between generations a flawed process and it is therefore remarkable that Finchy’s still stand- up despite his career having straddled this very period.

Finchy’s record reflects the enormity of his performances but not necessarily the importance of his contribution. So many times Keith’s was a match winning role. As a batsman he was calm and composed at the crease, unhurried in his strokeplay and solid in defence. Playing half forward or off the back foot he was a calculated, not flamboyant, big hitter. For the most part his innings were characterised by a steady start building to an explosive climax. Initially a number three batsman he would sometimes be allowed a rest down the order if he had earlier endured a demanding bowling session. It was his ability to produce a cameo knock in these circumstances that soon had him deployed in the orthodox all-rounder spot at number six on a regular basis; capable of switching on the aggression when it was needed but also being able to switch it off. He could govern his innings’ to suit the occasion.

In 1987 we had a good chance to beat Selkent in a Metropolitan League match when we bowled them out for 122. It would not be easy as Selkent, who were a mostly Carribean eleven, had two fast bowlers – Grieves and Marcel – who had played first class cricket in their native islands. The pair were known to us, having played for Delta C C more than a decade previously. We started badly and were soon 10 – 3. A recovery began, Grieves and Marcel were rested but after twenty overs they were brought back and we collapsed again to 79 – 6. Keith Bishop with 41 had got more than half of them ; batting at number eight I went out to replace him. Finchy who had barely begun his innings, maybe 4 or 5 not out, came down the wicket to greet me. I think he could not believe we were making such a mess of such an opportunity to win. Forty-four to win was looking like too tall an order.

“Surely we can’t lose this one, Greg,” he said, “take your time. We can have another look if we can see off these two” with reference to the bowlers who each had four overs left. For six overs we were very circumspect but had nudged eleven runs off the target. It was painstaking and the target still felt a long way off – when eleven is the second largest stand of the innings. We were talking between overs, “That’s it, keep it steady”, “No rush of blood”.

A warning from Finchy, “This is his (Marcels) last over, just see it out.” But Marcel had lost it a bit, two short pitched and one half volley and I’d taken three boundaries. Twelve runs. They were a gift. Don’t get carried away. Nothing has changed. Keep my head down. They had brought relief but there was still a job to be done. We were to take it easy, work the runs; I let one go outside my off-stump and blocked the last. All Finchy now had to do was play out Grieves’ last over and we could re-assess the position. To my surprise Finchy swept a four past fine leg and pulled another wide of square leg. We then ran a quick two which became a hard run three thanks to an overthrow. I was on strike. Breathless for a moment. Consolidate. Don’t go mad I say to myself, we might just do this. I straight bat the last three. Grieves is off. No conference needed. Ten runs off ten overs. We can do this in singles. The pressure is off. Strangely I’m getting nervous now the end is eminently achievable. A new bowler, we’ll just have a look at him. Take no risks. I have not even worked out what he is bowling when Finchy ‘s left foot has come fully forward, his body over the ball. A classic cover drive races to the boundary. Glorious to watch. Second ball, another perfect cover drive for another four. Wow. Only two to win now. There’s a pause as the field is brought right up to stop any singles. I am aware of the bowler’s approach and begin my back-up walk. I sense the delivery somewhere behind my left shoulder. Finchy has barely moved, he’s risen from his crouch, he’s on the back foot, the bat is lifted behind him. Twenty years I’ve played with this bloke, I can tell this is game over. The ball pitches. The bat descends like sledgehammer, meets the ball in its middle and continues upwards in its arc. We do not run as I watch the ball disappear over the sightscreen. Finchy has 31 not out and I am 21 not out. Thirty-seven runs have come off fifteen deliveries, six of which I’ve played as a dot ball. The finish has been barmy, out of all context with the rest of the game. As we leave the pitch together I say to Finchy,

“What happened there? I thought we were going to play it safely”

“I thought you’d changed your mind” he shrugged.

As a fast bowler Keith did not have a long run up but a precisely measured rhythmical approach culminating in a three-quarter on delivery. If you were a batsman he must have presented a daunting sight. The Peek Frean opening batsman on watching Finchy marking out his run remarked to Eddie Brownlow “Geez, he’s a big fella – I can’t see the sightscreen”.

Exercising great control he bowled a consistent back-of-a-length, off- stump line. He was thoughtful too. In one game against the Met Police he carefully set a trap for their star batsman using his slower ball which, in case the batsman could not read it, he signalled it to him by making sure he saw the fielders being retreated. He didn’t mind the odd run being scored from it. After four or five overs the pattern was set. Then the next over, with the field set back and the slower ball anticipated, he demolished his stumps with a fast Yorker.

His highest score for the Club was 92 against Bromley Common in the Metropolitan League on 21 June 1986. It came in a scintillating fifth wicket stand of 146 with Tony Haylock who scored 96. It was our first season of league cricket and Bromley Common were to become league champions that year. We had got off to a reasonable start in this game but a mite slow. Tony and Keith picked the scoring rate up and when Tony was out in the thirty-fifth over the score was over 180, Keith was on 61. It was unlikely that Keith would get to a hundred in the time left but in the five and a half overs he added a vigorously struck 31 taking our total to 240 before his last over dismissal. It was a club record total at the time and the fifth wicket record. Sadly though it was not enough to win us this game.

Ten years earlier though he had been instrumental in our first successful 200 run chase to beat Britannic House on 29 August 1976. He and Andy Thomas (29 not out) put on exactly 100 undefeated for the fourth wicket to give us a win by seven wickets. Keith’s contribution was 79 not out.

In all Keith scored twelve half-centuries, his maiden fifty (52) came against Tilling Stevens on 24 June 1973, his last (53) was against Old Roan on 28 July 1996 at the ripe old age of 47. Scrutiny of each of his fifties reveals that they were all against the strongest of our opponents.

The most runs he got in a season was 308 (average 23.69) in 1975. 291 runs (average 20.79) in 1991 was the closest he got after that with 268 (average 29.78) in 1986 and 267 (average 20.54) in 1987. He never topped the batting averages but was second in 1970 and in the top six sixteen times out of the twenty-nine times he qualified for the (batting) averages.

His best bowling was 9 for 25 against Sidcup on 18 June 1977. It is the second best ever analysis. Peter Cocklin’s 10-43 versus Downham & Bellingham being the only better. Keith also had 9-47 against Old Wilsonians on 14 August 1976. Both shattered any allusion to a run chase and were single-handed match winning returns. In all Keith had an astounding thirty-nine five wicket analyses but possibly those that gave him the greatest satisfaction were the four against the Met Police. Our oldest of foes, the first fixture being in 1953 they were to prove our nemesis. But if the Met Police were our nemesis, Keith would have been theirs. In addition to his four fivefors he also scored two of his fifties against them. Our only victory in twenty years had been in 1959 until 26 August 1973 when Keith with 5-49 and Barry Vernon 5-39 bowled them out for less than 100. After a decent opening stand, Keith (31 not out) joined Stan Chisnell (38 not out) in an undefeated partnership of 64 that saw us to an eight wicket victory. It was Keith’s game. He got drunk that night. We all got drunk that night.

That match is an example of two bowlers bowling in effective tandem. Wretchedly, cricket denotes stands between two batsmen but not bowling partnerships – yet they can be equally important. In 1975 Ken Angelo took 9-31 against Lewisham Hospital; bowling throughout at the other end was Keith. He only took one wicket but there was no doubt his menace made it a joint effort. Mention of Ken is relevant; Ken played in the last match of 1968 and the following summer together with Keith the pair made a formidable spearhead that was the mainstay of our attack for some fifteen years. The development of Kevin Laroche and the return of Barry Vernon in 1972 made for a quartet of the fastest bowlers in the Club’s history that were enviably at my disposal during my time as captain. To put this in perspective, in the forty or so years since we have had only three, Keith Secrett , Tony Camies and Simon Stevens as comparably fast. For thirty of those forty years though we also still had Keith.

His first five-wicket haul was on his debut in 1968, his last, 6-7 v Old Askeians, on 19 July 1998 included the second “hat-trick” of his career; the first was against Coney Hall on 9 August 1980 when he finished with 5 – 24.

The most wickets he took in a season was 48 (average 8.96) in 1969 with 46 (average 9.26) in 1971. With rare exception he took over twenty wickets a season until, remarkably in our first year of league cricket and at thirty-seven years old he took 32 wickets (average 15.19) and scored 268 runs (average 29.78).

He was beaten to the top of the bowling averages in his first full season (1969) by the casual involvement of Len Johnson but he otherwise topped them eleven times in his career, 1971, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988,1993,1997,1998 and 2003. The last, fittingly, his last full season.

The usefulness of the fast bowling quartet wa that during their bowling spell they would be rested between overs by fielding in the slips to each other. Probably also allied to his goalkeeping skills, Keith was an alert, athletic and safe catcher. Of course, if he wasn’t in a bowling spell he wasn’t in the slips either. With his huge throw he would be alternatively found in deep outfield. His career record of 93 catches is impressive.

His only two century partnerships have been mentioned but he appeared in forty other wicket partnerships of fifty. Nine were with John Duffell, five with me and five with John Heinson. Overall his forty-two partnerships were with twenty-two different partners. The 146 with Tony Haylock was a club record until 2003. One of the stands with me, 85 for the ninth wicket against Clapham-in-Third on 1 August 1999 was a record for that wicket. By then we had both been relegated to tailenders to enable a new generation of cricketers to thrive. Until then the ninth wicket record had been held by Keith (48 not out) and John Heinson (21 not out) with an undefeated 72 versus Lamorbey Park on 10 September 1994. Quite why John Heinson was batting number ten is not clear. What inspection of his partnerships demonstrates is that with the majority of his contributions being scores in the twenties and thirties, he was adept at making the most of late innings’ opportunities. It is important at any level of cricket for the lower order and tail end to add runs and yet so few batsmen keep the necessary discipline when dropped down the order. Keith could and what is more was uncomplaining about being asked. All this is further evidence of his calibre as a cricketer and as team member.

Another stand, 63 against Norbury Ramblers on 23 May 1979 between Keith and Dave Angelo (32) is worthy of particular mention for one especial moment. Keith’s 46 was renowned for inclusion of the biggest six hit anybody in the Club has ever seen. The pavilion at Norbury stood some forty to fifty yards back from the boundary so when Keith launched a straight drive for a six the ball must have travelled some 110 -120 yards and was still in flight when it smacked high into the pavilion wall next to the pavilion clock.

His other achievements are as twice winner of the Founders Trophy for “Player of the Year” in 1987 and 1991 and affiliation to the select band of players to complete the all-rounders match double of a fifty and five wickets with 51 not out and 7-37 versus West Wickham on 15 June 1986.

His understated confidence was always a welcome presence in the changing room as was his dry sense of humour. On any match day there is plenty of banter, leg-pulling and storytelling but it usually subsides when the match gets under way. Rainy days and interrupted play are a players’ nightmare. Without the adrenalin of match anticipation the “wet” changing room can sometimes be a bit dismal. On these days Keith would usually find a corner and read a book. It was such day at the Christ Church Institute ground where there were two games in progress when someone from the other game walked into our room holding aloft a dripping wet pair of batting gloves.

“Do these belong to anyone here? They’ve been left outside. They’re marked PPCC”

Keith looked up from his book. “No, they won’t be ours. Ours are marked L and R”

His commitment to the club was exhibited when he chose to keep his creaking body on the line to provide invaluable help and support when, for the 1997 season, Grenfell took the decision to continue as a Sunday only club. The decision was not popular with every member and some were lost but Keith, JD and I saw it as an opportunity to encourage and develop a younger team. In reality the seeds had already been sewn with the Sunday XI in 1996, a season in which Keith enjoyed his best form in five years.

The players of that subsequent era, Graham Charles, Jim Wilson, Matt Stevens, Jamie Muddiman, Gary Willson, Jon Jones, Simon Stevens, Leo Meggitt, Paul Angelo, Brian Mullens knew nothing of his history, they simply saw a competitive player defying his age who willing applied himself to the demands of the game. In one game at Old Aske’s, aged fifty, he bowled eighteen overs because we were short of bowlers. On another occasion in the same season he joined opening bat John Duffell to grind out a fourth wicket recovery with a stand of 67. His 7-28 against Skyliners together with an innings of 23 (in partnership with Jamie Muddiman) on 24 August won him the 1997 Ernest Littlechild award for the performance with the most impact on a match. He was an inspiration to them and they dubbed him with the soubriquet “Legend”; it was hard earned but well justified.

A career policeman, Keith’s duties sadly restricted his availability but not his devotion. His demeanour gave little clue as to his occupation. It was not until Keith was telling a story about his work that Neil Quinton realised that the mild-mannered giant he had been playing with all season was a copper. On learning further that he was a mounted policeman Neil was dumbfounded. A man to whom a horse rider wore coloured clothing and was five foot two tall Neil was moved to rhetoric, “What’s he ride? A fucking shire horse!”

Sociable and genial Keith and his wife, Janis invariably would be found at any of the Club’s social functions; regulars at the annual dinner and dance. To celebrate its fiftieth year the Club toured Devon staying at Warners Holiday Camp in Seaton. The cricket week was blighted by poor weather and a couple of games were cancelled, one was abandoned, we lost to Paignton and drew with Outwood. No wins, however Keith would wind everybody up with the jovial boast that at least he had been in a winning team that week because his wife Jan had won the Miss Warner contest.

It may be unusual to consider that a husband and wife constitute a team but I can vouch from first-hand experience that Keith and Jan are indeed a fearsome combination on the mixed doubles badminton court. Well, too good for casual players like me and Jess. In fact badminton was a major pursuit for Keith and Jan who were members first at Dartford from 1973 and then at Whiteoaks Badminton Club in Swanley from 1983. Keith was also a useful squash player but I’m glad to say that this was a game where I could hold my own. We only played occasionally but the occasions diminished in direct proportion to the increase in parental responsibility.

Something else we tried was ballroom dancing. Successful as Keith has been in many activities this was beyond him; he cannot dance. Nor can I but never mind, it was very funny. The purpose was only to dance socially – it was not competition dance. Since it was to give us confidence to dance with others, from time to time our tutor would mix up the couples ; on arrival there would be two bowls, ladies and gentlemen, containing folded slips of paper. Each slip of paper would have a word that was one half of a pair, Bubble (and Squeak), Peaches (and Cream) etc. – you get the idea. We would each take a slip and then seek out our partner. Jan however was uncomfortable dancing with others so no matter what she picked she would always pair off with Keith. Whilst they proceeded to happily amble around the dancefloor as Fish and Custard a nonplussed Banana and Chips wandered around until, as the last two left, they came to the bemusing conclusion that they must be a pair.

Forever restless, since retiring from cricket Keith has taken up golf with his oldest and closest friend, Dave Angelo and is also playing bowls. Married to Janis for forty-three years, they have two delightful daughters, Natalie and Victoria and three grandchildren.

CAREER RECORD
Mts	Inns	NO	RUNS	HS	Av’ge	50	CTS	OVERS	MDNS	RUNS	WKTS	Av’ge	5wi
354	303	48	4618	92	18.11	12	93	3817.1	953	9598	691	13.87	39

YEAR BY YEAR

YEAR   MTS  INNS NO  RUNS    HS    AV’GE    50    100  CTS    OVERS MDNS  RUNS   WKTS  AV’GE    5wi

1968      3        3         1          89      39       44.50      –        –                   30.3        11            67           9        7.44      1

1969     17       17        1        233      41        14.56       –       –                   201.1       52         430         48       8.96     5

1970     13       12        2        222     46        22.20      –       –        3        151.4        40          371        27       13.74     2

1971      16       14        2        123      30       10.25      –       –         3       203.4        62         426       46        9.26      4

1972       9         7        1          74       19       12.33       –       –        7          94            21         280       22       12.72     2

1973      10        9        1       124       52        15.50      1       –        4         128          30         365       29       12.59      3

1974      10        9        1       165        51        20.63     1       –        1          129.1       35         338       24      14.08      1

1975      15       14        1      308       61        23.69     2       –        5          170.2      34          516       22      23.45      –

1976      12       12       1       216        79*     19.64     1        –        3          149.1       34         400       28      14.29      2

1977      12        8        1       150       31*      21.43     –        –        3           121.1       25         340       26      13.08      2

1978       7         7        2        75        39        15.00     –       –        2             78         17          237       20       11.85      2

1979     10         9        2      137        39*      19.57      –       –       3             80         13         212         14       15.14      –

1980     11         9         1       98        22        12.25      –       –       6          117.5       41         273         22       12.41      2

1981       9         7         1        72        31        12.00      –      –        2         143.5       39        274         24       11.42      1

1982     11         9         2      163       40       23.29       –      –       4          145.3       36       383         28       13.68     3

1983      6         5         0       66        29       13.20       –      –       2            72.1       17         181          17       10.64      1

1984      9         8         2     136        71        22.67      1       –       2          114.4      33        280         17        16.47      –

1985    13         11        1        75        21          7.50       –      –       3           161        39         360        27        13.33      1

1986    14         12       3     268       92*     29.78      2      –        2           170.1     39        486         32        15.19      2

1987    15         15        2     267      41*      20.54       –      –        5           141.4     54         271         16        16.94      –

1988     7           6        1        91       32        18.20      –     –         2            67.1      22        138          17          8.12      1

1989    10        10        2     248      72*      31.00      2     –        4            95.3      25        268         15         17.87      –

1990    11         10        2     123      38        15.38      –      –        6            90.5      19        283         12        23.58      –

1991     15        15         1     291       59       20.79     1      –         2          128.1      35        328         22         14.91     –

1992     12       10         1     107      27        11.89      –      –         6            76          19        310           6         51.67     –

1993      7          6         1      40      18         8.00      –       –        3            55.3      16         134          10        13.40     –

1994      7          7         3      79      48*      19.75      –       –        1            45          9          126          10        12.60     1

1995      6          3        0      44       31        14.67      –      –        2            45          13        103            5        20.60     –

1996     11         11       2      177      53        19.67      1      –        –            93          12        365           12       30.42     –

1997      8          5        0      94      23        18.80      –      –        1            77          24        175           17        10.29     1

1998      9          3        1      37       22        18.50     –       –        1         107           32       221           30          7.37     2

1999      9          7        3    128      32         32.00    –        –      2           94.1        22       309           14        22.07     –

2000     7          3        0     40      30          13.33    –       –       –             58          17        132           11         12.00     –

2001      4         2         0       11        7                       –        –      –             25            6          74            2         37.00     –

2002     3         3         0       13      10                      –        –      2              8             1          56            2         28.00     –

2003     5         5         3       34     21                       –        –      –             30            8          74            8           9.25      –

2004     1                                                                                     1              5             1          12            0                         –

 

 

 

HIGHEST SCORES

92 v Bromley Common 21/6/1986

79* v Britannic House 29/8/1976

72* v Old Brockleians 1/7/1989

71 v Christchurch Inst. 4/8/1984

61 v Met. Police 24/8/1975

59 v Met. Police 25/5/1991

57 v Blackheath Wndrs 13/7/1975

53 v Old Roan 28/7/1996

52 v Tilling Stevens 24/06/1973

51* v West Wickham 15/6/1986

51 v Dagenham Dock 30/6/1974

51 v Eynsford 20/5/1989

 

FIVE WICKET ANALYSES

9 – 25 Sidcup 18/6/1977

9 – 47 Old Wilsonians 14/8/1976

8 – 45 Blackheath Wanderers 14/7/1974

7 – 15 Peek Frean 2/8/1969

7 – 24 Skyliners 24/8/1997

7 – 28 Zephyr 24/7/1971

7 – 37 West Wickham 15/6/1986

7 – 57 Hempstead 23/5/1976

6 – 7 Old Askeians 19/7/1998

6 – 20 Dagenham Dock 20/7/1969

6 – 22 Kings Hall Wanderers 27/4/1985

6 – 23 Catford Cyphers 14/8/1994

6 – 25 Leybourne 1973

6 – 26 Sharps 30/8/1969

6 – 26 Coney Hall 13/8/1977

6 – 27 Leybourne 16/8/1969

6 – 27 Alex. Howden 16/5/1981

6 – 31 United Dairies 9/8//1970

6 – 32 Met. Police 17/8/1986

6 – 37 Hildenborough 28/6/1969

6 – 52 Dagenham Dock 13/7/1971

6 – 72 A.E.I. (Gravesend) 2/8/1980

5 – 2 Old Grammarians 4/7/1982

5 – 10 Old Askeians 7/5/1988

5 – 15 Leybourne 27/5/1978

5 – 16 Swanscombe & G’hithe 5/7/1970

5 – 18 Norbury Ramblers 29/5/1971

5 – 18 Metrogas 1/7/1978

5 – 20 Old Erithians 24/8/1968

5 – 23 Met. Police 11/6/1983

5 – 24 Coney Hall 9/8/1980

5 – 28 Telston 29/5/1972

5 – 37 Elliotts 11/9//1971

5 – 38 Coney Hall 30/7/1972

5 – 39 Met. Police 15/8/1982

5 – 41 Old Colfeians 31/5/1998

5 – 42 Britannic House 3/9//1973

5 – 46 Churchleigh 5/6/1982

5 – 49 Met. Police 26/8/1973

 

STANDS OVER FIFTY

5th     146 A.Haylock 96 & K.Finch 92 Bromley Common 21-Jun-1986

4th     100* K.Finch 79* & A.Thomas 29* Britannic House 29-Aug-1976

4th       97 K.Secrett 56 & K.Finch 38 Crayford/Dartford 3-May-1990

3rd       95 J.Heinson 79 & K.Finch 40 Churchleigh 5-Jun-1982

2nd      92 J.Duffell 62 & K.Finch 57 Blackheath Wndrs 13-Jul-1975

5th       89 P.Blake 49 & K.Finch 39 Sidcup 17-Jun-1978

5th       89 K.Bishop 46 & K.Finch 36 India & Millwall 17-Aug-1991

9th       85 K.Finch 31 & G.Stevens 57* Clapham in Third 1-Aug-1999

2nd      84 P.Emmison 30 & K.Finch 61 Met.Police 24-Aug-1975

2nd      83 J.Duffell 42 & K.Finch 51 Dagenham Dock 30-Jun-1974

4th       79 D.M.Demarzo 17 & K.Finch 59 Met.Police 25-May-1991

9th       72* K.Finch 48* & J.Heinson 21* Lamorbey Park 10-Sep-1994

4th        71* W.Mumford 53* & K.Finch 31* Met.Police 21-Aug-1979

2nd       71* J.Duffell 43* & K.Finch 38* Erith 2-Aug-1986

2nd      67 K.Laroche 66* & K.Finch 28 Peckham Rye 24-Jul-1976

4th       67 J.Duffell 37 & K.Finch 32 Old Colfeians 30-May-1999

3rd       66 K.Finch 52 & M.Way 26 Tilling Stevens 24-Jun-1973

3rd       64* S.Chisnell 39* & K.Finch 31* Met.Police 26-Aug-1973

3rd       64 K.Finch 34 & F.Cambridge 37 Holmesdale 23-Aug-1969

4th       64 W.Mumford 57 & K.Finch 29 Britannic House 4-Sep-1977

5th       63 K.Finch 46 & D.Angelo 32 Norbury Ramblers 23-May-1970

3rd      62 J.Heinson 100* & K.Finch 20 Bowrings 7-Jun-1980

3rd      62 J.Duffell 19 & K.Finch 42 India & Millwall 29-Jun-1991

7th      59 K.Finch 71 & L.Johnson 12 Christchurch 4-Aug-1984

5th      59 A.Briant 51* & K.Finch 19 C.O.L.P. 15-Jun-1991

5th      58 J.Heinson 100* & K.Finch 21 Lamorbey Park 11-Aug-1985

4th      58 J.Duffell 31 & K.Finch 51 Eynsford 20-May-1989

2nd     57* J.Duffell 29* & K.Finch 30* Telston 6-Jun-1970

2nd     54 K.Angelo 55 & K.Finch 18 Streatham Lewin 28-Jun-1970

2nd     54 G.Stevens 51 & K.Finch 19 Leybourne 8-Jun-1975

3rd      54 J.Duffell 52 & K.Finch 24 Barbados O.C. 2-Jun-1990

4th      53 A.Haylock 57 & K.Finch 11 Nat West Bank 3-May-1980

5th      53 K.Finch 29 & G.Stevens 33 Catford Wanderers 4-Aug-1996

4th      52 K.Finch 51* & J.Waddell 11 West Wickham 15-Jun-1986

5th      51 G.Stevens 72 & K.Finch 22 St.Barts Hospital 10-Jul-1983

5th      50 J.Duffell 54 & K.Finch 17 Elliotts 11-Sep-1971

3rd     50 M.Way 29 & K.Finch 31 C.O.L.P. 21-Jul-1974

2nd    50 G.Stevens 74* & K.Finch 29 Delta 28-May-1977

4th     50 K.Finch 31* & J.Griffiths 20 AEI Gravesend 1-Aug-1981

2nd    50 J.Heinson 39 & K.Finch 31 Lamorbey Park 10-Aug-1986

2nd    50 P.Emmison 39 & K.Finch 32 Ewart 28-May-1988

6th     50 J.Muddiman 59* & K.Finch 23 Skyliners 24-Aug-1997

FIFTY SUMMERS IN THE COMPANY OF JD

 

It occurred to me recently that this summer sees the fiftieth that I have shared with my friend John Duffell, universally known by the soubriquet JD.

 

A good time, then, for me to reflect on our friendship, his achievements and his contribution to the cricket club; a contribution that continues with him reliably standing as umpire most weekends. Also, another chance for me to recount my favourite stories – which I never tire of telling!

 

With only a couple of exceptions today’s players only know John and I as umpires but it is true for both of us that that is not how we would wish to be remembered. Umpiring is an unfulfilling substitute for playing and this is best exemplified by JD himself when three summers ago in 2012 Grenfell were a player short. With wickets tumbling and the danger that high scoring Madhu Singireddy would be stranded having run out of partners someone came up with the notion of recalling the umpire to see if he would be willing to don the pads. JD did not need asking twice and even managed 5 not out. A repeat of this situation in the following year, 2013 leaves me with one of my happiest and abiding memories of JD. Fielding in the mid off position a catch was spooned up in his direction. Lumbering forward, eyes on the ball, JD nearly didn’t get there but tumbling forward he managed to gather the catch close to the ground. Oh happy days! Sixty-six years old and still moments to treasure! In his career JD took many spectacular catches but none to such acclaim as he got on this on this day and none where the square leg umpire (me) rushed over to high five him!

 

It was in the midst of 2005, one our most successful summers, that JD announced his retirement. This was a big surprise as I think we all believed that he would die with his pads on. In fact many of us thought we had witnessed that very event only for him to suddenly push the ball to silly mid-off and call “one”.

 

It was an innocuous end to a long and distinguished career that had begun forty years earlier in 1966. That was in the days of black and white television and before England had won the World Cup. Our only subs were an annual sub of £2 and tea was a shilling (5p). I was playing on the day of John’s first game which was at the Civil Service ground on the junction of the A20 and the South-circular roads at Eltham. I don’t recall how he performed but his appearance was made memorable when having been asked by the skipper, Stan Chisnell, if he would mind fielding at square leg, JD replied that indeed he would mind. Mine were not the only eyebrows raised at John’s audacity. JD had still to learn that such requests from captains are purely rhetorical. Knowing Stan, the proper etiquette would have been explained to him that very evening in no uncertain terms. If they had got off on the wrong foot, Stan was to become much admired by JD and vice versa. A gritty left handed opening bat, Stan worked for his runs, he had a limited range of shots but which he played to great effect; traits that JD would also display.

 

That was the first of many games that I played in with JD and our cricketing careers ran in parallel thereafter, there being only two months between our ages. As he did on his debut, JD couldn’t help leaving without some controversy and I recall consoling his last captain, Martin Secrett, “Don’t worry, Martin, you aren’t the first captain JD thought to be wanker.”  At various times he has thought it of all of them – and expressed it.

 

What his remarks did demonstrate was JD’s commitment. There has not been a more devoted and competitive cricketer in my time at the club and that allows for the fact that we could fill a bus with players on whom such description would rest easily. It would be fair to say that JD expected every one of his team mates to share his resolve. However, whatever irks JD he still remains loyal to the cause and I think that an admirable quality.

 

As to his ability, his was no precocious talent but a technique developed by practise and dedication. Handicapped by virtual blindness in his left eye which can just about distinguish between light and dark – he consequently adopted a very square on stance to compensate and use his right eye. Predominantly a back foot player and playing quite late he was at his best against the fastest of bowlers when, using the bowlers own speed, a square cut or leg glance would deflect the ball to the third man and fine leg areas – often gathering boundaries as these are big areas to defend against a speeding ball. His signature stroke however was a square drive (that not many of us can play); positioning himself square in front of stumps and leaving it until late he would drop a heavy bat driving it off his toes past cover point. Another shot recognisably typical of JD was the sweep when he would drop low and strike the ball either backward of square leg or through mid – wicket. Most important to his success was the soundness of his defence and the mental strength to resist playing shots he couldn’t play. Eminently suited to opening the batting it was a role he relished for some thirty or more seasons forging many successful partnerships. The most prolific of these was with John Heinson; his first with Stan Chisnell and others included Ken Angelo and, sometimes, me.

 

The statistics for JD are quite staggering and we all know that they are important to him but there is no doubt that many times over the years JD has provided some priceless runs in the Grenfell cause. His biggest strength is not only that he likes to occupy the crease; it is that he has the capability and concentration to do it. Throughout his career he has been a very prolific run-scorer. After serving his apprenticeship at 9, 10, 11, JD was promoted to open on a regular basis I would guess around 1968. He responded in 1970 with a seasons total of 924 runs (av.30.80 )including 7 fifties. A club record at that time it remains his season’s best and was sandwiched between 548 runs (18.90) in 1969 and 547 (24.86)in 1971. His only blip was in 1972 but JD was not the only one to suffer a decline in form that summer and he recovered to post 462 (30.80), 426 (23.67), 418 (34.83), 420 (26.25), 468 (29.25) and 456 (24.00) in the six seasons between 1975 and 1980, a model of consistency. But the best was yet to come. In 1981 he scored 745 (av. 35.48) with 6 fifties and followed that in the seasons 1982/3/4 with 657 (av. 28.63), 502 (av. 33.47) and 739 (av. 46.19), the last with another 6 fifties. He topped the batting averages in 1970, 1971, 1975 and 1983.

 

Assuming he has played his last, but until he has a mobility scooter I would not rule out another, he has made 699 appearances. It may well be a conservative estimate to suggest that we played more than 500 matches together. He is the club’s leading run scorer of all time with a monumental 13,044 runs at an average of 24.93. He never made a century, his highest individual score being 91 not out in an undefeated partnership of 204 with John Heinson. That was the only double century partnership in which he figured but he shared in another 23 century partnerships and a further 141 stands over fifty. Remarkable statistics.  With thirty-five different partners it is interesting to analyse the most recurrent of them. 30 were with John Heinson and 30 with me. Of the others, 10 were with Tony Haylock, 9 with Keith Finch, 7 each with Stan Chisnell, Phil Blake and Kevin Laroche, 5 each with Ken Angelo and Pete Emmison. These names are all contemporaries of JD and are a nod to a peak era in the nineteen seventies and eighties. With the possible exception of Stan Chisnell and John Heinson the most conspicuous feature of all these partners is that they are all renowned strokemakers.  However, he also shared 5 (two of them century) with Gary Willson in the nineteen-nineties when in his veteran status. Others of the nineties and noughties to share stands with JD include Brian Mullens (3) Jamie Muddiman (2) Matt Stevens (2) Simon Stevens (2) Danny Demarzo (2)and John Jones  – again, all aggressive batsmen.  What all this suggests is that JD was at his best when providing support to the more adventurous of his teammates. For my part he has always been my favourite partner and I know that Kevin Laroche often remarked on the value and security of having JD as a partner.

 

Commencing in 1977 JD began an association with John Heinson that was to yield 30 partnerships over fifty, 22 of them as openers and 10 of them becoming century stands. Bizarrely JD has only twice held a club record, the longest being that of 176 undefeated with John Heinson for the third wicket v Higham & Mockbeggar on 25 September 1982. That it occurred for the third wicket and not the first is because both had arrived late at the ground. It stood until 2000. His other, 69 with Alan Coupland v Blackheath Wanderers for the 7^th wicket on 14 June 1970 was exceeded just one year later.

 

His first stand over fifty was in conjunction with me when, as nineteen year olds, we put on 79 for the 3^rd wicket against United Dairies on 5 June 1966, in his debut season. Scrutiny of our partnerships shows that over 40 seasons we made fifty stands for every wicket from first to eighth! Our last together, and coincidentally the last either of us was to make, was an unbeaten 63 for the 7^th wicket against Broadway on 18 August 2002. Ten of our thirty stands were as openers and much as I enjoyed batting first I was mostly regarded as an all-rounder and usually gave way to more specialist batsman. However in 1993 the Saturday League XI were not enjoying any success but JD and I were nevertheless astonished to be recalled (aged forty-six) by a desperate skipper, John Heinson, to open the batting against League leaders, Met Police on 7 August. We surprised ourselves with our response putting on 71 and two weeks later followed it up with 59 against ROTA.   

 

Although not a big hitter of the ball, JD was (and in fact right up to his last innings) an accumulator, master of the push and run. It did get me into trouble with him once when we were playing against Suburbagas. He pushed and ran, I started out from the non-strikers end but soon realised that I wasn’t going to make it to the other end so I turned and went back. As JD was very quick it was touch and go whether I got back before he got home. With the wicket duly broken at the other end we both stood our ground while the umpires tried to decide which one of us was out. I was more than a bit annoyed with JD.

“You might at least call,” I said.

“O.K.” he casually replied, “heads”!

 

John will doubtless have his own views on what was his best innings. I have mentioned his highest but others stand out in my memory. The first was against Statics on 12 June 1971, a game in which he was not scheduled to play but a frantic telephone call summoned him when we were a man short. He arrived just in time to go in at number seven as we were too soon 64 for 5 (despite a fifty from Pete Emmison!). JD led the recovery but a big total still did not look possible at 109 – 8 when an inexperienced sixteen – year – old Graham Strelley joined him. Graham was urged only to hold up his end and with JD commandeering the strike whenever he could they put on 49 – of which John scored 48!! Yes, 48. Their undefeated partnership enabled Grenfell to declare at tea on 158 – 8 of which JD had scored 76 not out including a rarely, for him, struck six.

 

One more innings that averted a disaster was his 86 v Blackheath Wanderers on 14 June 1970. I was at number six and not anticipating batting before lunch in an all – day match so finding myself going out to bat within the first half hour with the total at 11 – 4 was a concern that the whole game could be over by lunch. It was not to be as JD and I put on 77 although I was still out before lunch. Alan Coupland followed me in and with JD they steadily added another 69 for the seventh wicket before John was out enabling a more than respectable total.

 

However, it was another innings against Blackheath Wanderers that is especially impressive. On a green and hostile wicket we only needed 73 to win having bowled them out for 72. JD scored 41 not out as we won by only four wickets and was the only batsman on either side to get into double figures!

 

During the drought summer of 1976 it was very, very hot and JD and I opened the batting facing just 4 or 5 overs before tea. Our opponents, Tilling Stevens, having declared early setting us a target of some 200 plus. For some reason we started like a train and had thirty or so runs on the board by teatime but in the oppressive heat running between the wickets had been very tiring. As we came off I suggested that we cut out some of the quick singles when we restart. “Good idea,” agreed JD, “we’ll cut out yours”  

 

I said he was quick. For those of you that have only known JD in the last few years you probably cannot imagine that he was an outstanding and agile outfielder. Small and slightly built he was quick across the ground with a good pick-up and throw. At a time when we had a lot of young players with good arms I’m still inclined to think that John‘s throw was the longest and most accurate. He also was a sound catcher and a brave close fielder when required.

 

If batting and fielding were JD’s strengths he was also a decent slow left arm bowler and could keep wicket, making him more than useful to have around. His early career was hampered, as was mine and any other prospective spinners, by having captains who were not believers in spin bowling. In later years he had too much competition for his craft but more so was he preserved for his batting. Nevertheless he bowled more than 800 overs for the club taking 145 wickets at an average 24.01. His best, 5 -24 v Britannic House on 29 August 1976. Overall, he took 166 catches (29 as wicket-keeper) and 5 stumpings.

 

In 1981 he became the third winner of the Founders Trophy after Kevin Laroche and John Heinson had been the first two winners. 1981 was JD’s best season since 1970.

 

Recent years have seen him the recipient of the Jean Pearce award for his umpiring commitment but he has also previously served the Club in official capacity; Assistant Secretary 1970 – 73 (inclusive) and seven years as Treasurer from 2000 to 2006. Beyond that he provided invaluable help and support when, for the 1997 season, Grenfell took the decision to continue as a Sunday only club. The decision was not popular with every member and some were lost but JD and I saw it as an opportunity to encourage and develop a younger team. We had a strategy to go with our ideal; depending on the situation one of us would bat at one and the other at six and, in the field, keep Keith Finch bowling from one end for as long as possible. Need I express our thrill at the young players progress and the delight at the extension to our playing careers at fifty years old?

 

I was surprised in my research to discover that JD was not a Club Captain until 1996 although he was first a vice-captain in 1980.He will have skippered many times in his career, often, I now suppose, as the senior player in the absence of appointed captains. The enigma with JD’s captaincy is that it is far removed as you can get from his image as a batsman. Whereas JD’s batting was usually about not taking risks, he was surprisingly bold as a captain, always looking to ring changes, to make things happen. Happy to declare leaving gettable targets or to gives runs away if it means opening a game up for opponents to chase.

 

Most of you will know that even when not skippering a side he’s still very attentive to what is happening and often gives invaluable advice. We were playing a team, Cobham, near Gravesend and for those of you not familiar with the ground it is a near perfect batting strip and in all the years that we played there, no side had ever been bowled out. Bearing this in mind and having a side very short of bowlers, on winning the toss I elected to bat second as our best chance of getting a win. It was a boiling hot day and the whole thing backfired on me as within an hour they had reached some 100 for 1 and I had already used five bowlers. I was looking for inspiration when JD caught my attention. Oh, good I thought, JD will have something useful to offer.

“Do you want some advice, skipper” he asked.

“You bet” I said

“Did you win the toss?”

“Yeah”

“And you put them in?” he exclaimed

“Yeah, well?” I asked

“Well,” he says after a thoughtful pause “I wouldn’t have done that” and walked away.

 

If JD and I are not alike as players I can at least say we are similar in our approach to captaincy. Another reason I am so fond of him is that my most prolific seasons as a batsman coincided with when I was promoted to open the batting with him. There were many amusing exchanges between us, on the field as well as off, and a lot of leg pulling.

 

On the personal front he has been married to the delightful and long suffering Anne since 1972 with whom he has a daughter, Suzanne and son, Peter. But their lives have not been without tragedy when their first born, son Stuart, died after three days having been born with respiratory difficulties. An unbearable loss with which they have coped stoically despite their suffering. For a long while John enjoyed a successful globe-trotting career as a commodity broker specialising in nuts but it came to a premature end. An uncomplaining Anne endured rheumatoid arthritis for most of her life but as her health deteriorated John has spent the last twenty years as her carer.