Decade

1993 Season

Results

Appearances, runs, wickets and catches totals

1993 - Commander vindicated in glorious season

his was a wonderful season for The Gents and the main reason is not hard to see. It was all down to the quality of players Mark Ashton had at his disposal. Steve Bignell, miffed at the lack of use of his talents by West XI’s then-captain Charles Arthur, joined The Gents as opening batsman but would also take 25 wickets, sharing All Rounder of the Year with his captain. Mike Hughes joined to great effect. Nick Hubbocks and Rich Wilman played more. Dave Thornicroft and Mark Burville joined in the second half of the summer. Marty Renvoize played in almost every game and produced the best cricket of his life. Daniel Todd began to shine as a genuine all rounder. Mark himself was in superb form. There were reduced appearances by several players, but the net result was still 14 wins, a club record.

                Yet it all started tentatively, Lager Louts (inspired by Chelsea fan and club swapee Mr Todd!) scraping a one-wicket win. Two easy wins followed, a record opening stand of 128 between Hubbocks and Bignell putting daylight between The Gents and Enterprise, before an easy win on a nightmare wicket against a shambolic seven-man Cubbs outfit. The Cheetahs cancelled, leaving a fortnight gap before West XI pitched up. The Gents bowled well, but some late heave ho set a fair total, and one that looked well beyond The Gents when they stood at 66 for four off 26 overs. But a crucial and brilliant assault by Toddy on Kanthan’s leg-spin (20 coming in one over) proved decisive and Bignell (35 not out) steered The Gents home with 14 balls left. On a high, dear Biggers then ground out a catatonic 38 not out in 50 overs in 80° heat against Southampton, eight spectators tragically dying of boredom in their deckchairs. It was not enough though, for The Gents lost a classic time game on the last possible ball following their maiden declaration.

                Several new sides were played in 1993. The sun shone for the arrival of Dave Thornicroft’s North East London Probationers, who were mainly hand-wringing, liberal social workers, apart from a ferocious West Indian pace bowler and fine bat, Brian, who acted the goat all day. After insisting that Mr Ashton remove his baseball cap while bowling (“it puts me off”) he brought NELPS to within a whisker of victory before Rich Wilman castled him. Excellent bowling by John Black on the artificial wicket in Hackney a fortnight later saw a tight second victory v. NELPS, Brian refusing to walk when clearly c and b Bignell, who was not amused. Astonishingly, Mr Black (a) found the venue and (b) arrived early. In between times, GWLCC declaration No.2 had a happier result. A marathon Bignell/Ashton stand of 60 at Berrylands was the precursor to the then-lowest Weasel total in recorded time, 48 all out, guest Phil Hill sniffily refusing to contemplate their addition to West XI’s card as “they are not up to our standard.” The ensuing controversy, during which a UN Peace Envoy was summoned, was most amusing, the game a freak.

                The Bob Ashton Memorial Cup was won for the first time with an accomplished Gents display in riot-torn circumstances. Nick Boddington’s superb 78 helped post a challenging, but not insuperable, 165 for 5 on 4 July. A man short, with Ashton having refused the loan of The Gents’ twelfth man Alderman, West XI signed up a local youth called Robert, who had been hanging around angling for a game. A Berkshire U.15 player, he and Charles Arthur led a valiant fightback but excellent catching from Wilman, Townley and Hughes saw The Gents home. There was a Stewards Enquiry into two Wilman catches. For more details, see the Games of Glory later. It was the moment The Gents had been waiting for since 1990 and for eight glorious weeks the Ashton trophy cabinet had two cups in it (figuratively speaking, as West XI had lost the original cup, Mr Jolin later replacing it). It is hard to recall a more consistent season. Even when a hirsute new oppo, Urban Associates (immediately dubbed “The Ponytails”) fielded superbly on 11 July, The Gents still nearly grabbed the win. A shattering defeat of a weak London Owls side followed. Nick Boddington, newly a dad, played less often in 1993 and his was the only Gent wicket to fall in that game, John Black giving a regulation lbw that caused Bodders to spontaneously combust in anger, although he had his revenge in the “beer” match. Great days. The Weasels return was a classic won in the last over by Dolan’s neanderthal hoiks when the more orthodox Gents middle-order, Mr Ashton aside, had been found wanting. The Old Cubbs Gala Game return will forever be remembered for Todd’s Hat-Trick and an absurd winning margin, albeit one which would be repeated two weeks later. West XI’s fierce commitment rightly saw them home in the dead third game after the final four Gents’ wickets had added no runs. Mike Hughes returned a week later and had a blazing August, scoring three fifties and romping off with the Batsman of the Year award, although Ashton outscored him 490 to 311 over the year. The Gents’ Compton and Edrich then posted a superlative 152 stand against Southampton (curiously another 110-run win), Mark going on to complete an awesome century. Hughes valiantly led Enterprise a week later, but The Gents prevailed in a tight, low-scoring thriller notable for fine catching.

                Luck was going The Gents’ way at almost every turn. This, combined with some cricket whose standard was undreamed of two years before, made the club favourites not only to retain the President’s Cup, but also to go through to season’s end unbeaten. Just when you think you’ve got cricket tamed, however, it turns round and bites you. On a warm day, FC Chad’s reasonable 102 was overturned in under eleven overs with an amazing blitzkrieg by Hughes (50*) and Hubbocks (30), but a brilliant 52 not out by Bill Flack in the final proved a hurdle too far for The Gents to climb, despite another whirlwind Mike Hughes fifty. The Weasels were rather pleased, as you would be, and cavorted long into the night! The game with London Owls on 5 September is the most remarkable in the history of The Gents. A total of 235, a record stand (eighth wicket this time), a good Gents attack. Nothing could go wrong, could it? London Owls never looked like losing a wicket as Bulmer and Maddocks smashed every batting record going; highest stand, highest second innings total, biggest Gents hammering (and still the only ten-wicket margin in Gent history) and plenty more besides. It had, however, been a glorious season. It had also been a long one, and only nine men played in the final game, but on a warm, sunny late-September Sunday, despite rain all week, eight catches (still a record) were taken as Urban Associates were overpowered, Maughan and Thornicroft bludgeoning The Gents to victory as the autumn twilight set in.

©The Gentlemen of West London Cricket Club 2006