Saturday April 26 v Emmanuel College at Cambridge - Lost by 6 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 188-5 dec (R J A Hughes 51); Emmanuel College 189-4 (C R Bean 85, A R W Daniel 66)

Wingfield Digby and Hughes put on 79 for the second wicket in 85 minutes, and after lunch Walker (26) and Rowe (25*) helped the score along. Although we batted steadily for end April, the scoring rate was never quick enough to give our bowlers a good target. Daniel and Bean had 124 on the board for the first wicket in 98 minutes, but in spite of losing three quick wickets, Emmanuel won with time to spare.

Sunday April 27 v Magdalene College at Cambridge - Abandoned

Saturday May 10 v Oxford University Authentics at New College, Oxford - Lost by 4 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 130 (R W B Gwyn 6-43); Oxford University Authentics 131-6 (C H Ainscough 50*)

We won the toss but Gwyn and Price bowled well and our innings was in ruins at 55-7. Hume (27) and Floyer put on 47 for the next wicket, whilst Floyer and Kennedy (12) added a valuable 28 for the last wicket. Helped by some good bowling from Scott we managed to pin the Authentics back to 43-5 but here our effort ran out of steam. Ainscough batted with more application than we had and the Authentics had a comfortable win.

Sunday May 11 v Vincent's XI at Queen's College, Oxford - Lost by 2 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 195-8 dec (J M Wingfield Digby 55, P N C Rowe 54); Vincent's XI 198-8

Rowe and Wingfield Digby put on a quick 101 for the first wicket, but three run outs spoiled the initial momentum. All our bowlers were in the wickets and Vincent's slumped to 120-7. We slackened our grip and, after Lough had steadied things, Fursdon was allowed to score most of the runs in a last wicket stand of 50.

Sunday June 1 - Cricketer Cup first round v Repton Pilgrims at Repton - Lost by 51 runs
Repton Pilgrims 215-7 (H J W Wright 65*); Sherborne Pilgrims 164 (G C Turner 4-26)

On a hard, fast wicket we were pleased to capture the first three Reptonian wickets for 13 runs. At this stage the bowling and fielding was very tight and, after twenty overs, the score was 25-3. Gradually we loosened our grip and two missed chances allowed Fry and Pilch to add 87 for the fourth wicket. The score was 111-5 (38 overs) at lunch and another wicket soon after had us in good heart, but then two stands dominated by the left-handed Wright added more than 100 in the last 15 overs. Even Fursdon could not escape the punishment, conceding 14 in his last over to tarnish an otherwise excellent bowling analysis. We started our innings confidently but after Rowe was out to a loose shot (20-1) numbers three to six could only muster 23 runs between them. Gould, who had opened, was left with far too much to do and the scoring rate fell alarmingly. Leakey, Andrew Wingfield Digby (26), with help from Nick Wingfield Digby, added 64 for the last two wickets, but once again we had thrown away our chances.

Sunday June 8 v Esher at Esher - Lost by 9 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 146 (A D W Robertson 57; R C Crawford 6-41); Esher 147-1 (J M Moore 91)

After a noon start we struggled to 57-2 at lunch. Robertson and Cobden-Ramsay received poor support and 80-2 turned into 141-6 and 146 all out. We were short of bowling and Esher won with some ease. Moore batted well but Wreford "scratched" and appeared to be playing for his average.

Sunday June 29 v Radley Rangers at Radley - Lost by 5 runs
Radley Rangers 209-4 dec (T E Macdowel 69*); Sherborne Pilgrims 204 (A D W Robertson 56; K J Hacker 4-47, C E Comins 4-76)

We lost the toss, our wicket-keeper failed to arrive and so we fielded ten. Radley scored consistently in spite of good bowling from Gould and N J Wingfield Digby. Macdowel and Vernon (24*) set up the declaration with an unbroken partnership of 81. Our batsmen played as if the Radley total was well within reach (which it was on a good wicket and fast outfield) but most managed to get out when well set. We lost in the last over when Dudley executed an "Ali shuffle" towards cover whilst trying to push the ball into a gap near mid wicket that he claimed to have seen. He was bowled middle and off.

Saturday July 12 v The School at Sherborne - Abandoned

Friday July 18 v Old Sedberghians at Sherborne - Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 214-8 dec (R W O'Hanlon 62); Old Sedberghians 201-9 (M F Webb 53)

We won the toss and made a scratchy 104-6 by lunch. O'Hanlon and Gould put on 105 for the seventh wicket in 85 minutes to restore our fortunes. The Sedbergh innings was similar - 108-6 before Webb made an attractive 53 in 40 minutes. We had nine balls to get the last wicket - a draw was a fair result.

Saturday July 19 v Hampshire Hogs at Sherborne - Drawn
Hampshire Hogs 210-6 dec (S M Lapage 67, R Wilson 50); Sherborne Pilgrims 169-6 (R W O'Hanlon 60)

The Hogs won the toss and, after losing an early wicket, Wilson and Lapage put on 88 for the second wicket. The lunch score of 107-1 immediately became 107-2, and then 163-6. Mallett (26*) and Lindsay-Clark (25*) put on 47 and the Hogs declared at half time. We made a bad start (18-3) but Proctor and O'Hanlon added 77 for the fourth wicket. O'Hanlon batted well, before being run out for the second day running. Unfortunately we were behind the clock as a result of the early collapse and Gould (29*) and Pertwee (14*) could only play for stumps.

Sunday July 20 v Sherborne Town at Sherborne - Lost by 9 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 78 (A S Hodgson 5-26); Sherborne Town 79-1

The first attempt at an all day game was thwarted by rain which delayed the start until the usual 2.00 time. We won the toss and, as it turned out, possibly made the wrong decision and decided to bat. The wicket was not difficult, but different from the two previous days, and we batted badly. House and Lewis found batting much easier with an opening partnership of 57.

Monday July 21 v Somerset Stragglers at Sherborne - Won by 2 wickets
Somerset Stragglers 178-9 dec (K P Elliott 53; E D Fursdon 4-47); Sherborne Pilgrims 179-8 (Fursdon 66*)

The Stragglers won the toss and against some accurate bowling made a cautious start before lunch (81-4 in 34 overs). We had two wickets after the interval (87-6) but let seven, eight, and nine score 29, 26 and 28. We had 150 minutes batting but played rubbish. 24-4 was a terrible start which was rescued to an extent by Lough (26) and J.M. Wingfield Digby (28) adding 52 for the next wicket. With 40 minutes to go we were 84-7. Enter Fursdon who must have thought he was still batting at Lord's. Walker (26) helped him put on 52 in 23 minutes and the last 43 came in four overs. It was rather late in the season for our first victory.

Tuesday July 22 v Dorset Rangers at Sherborne - Won by 79 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 259-9 dec (P R D Gould 68, P N C Rowe 57); Dorset Rangers 180 (J Dunk 51; H R J Walker 6-37)

We were put in and the Rowe/Gould opening partnership celebrated with 104 in 85 minutes. They were followed by some who scored a few, and some who failed. The end result was good value for 55 overs' batting. Dunk and Joslin (25) put on 47 for the first Rangers wicket, and helped by good batting from Watson and Foot they were well placed at 149-3. It was then that the wiles of Walker's off breaks started to take wickets and we won with six overs to spare.

Wednesday July 23 v Old Cliftonians at Sherborne - Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 188 (P R D Gould 84); Old Cliftonians 164-9 (Gould 5-38)

We won the toss, and on a wicket which was doing a bit after early morning rain, were soon in a horrible mess at 18-4. Gould had come in at 5-2 and put on 49 for the fifth wicket with Proctor (28) and 86 for the sixth with Hume. No-one else reached double figures and without these three, and Gould in particular, it would indeed have been the "early pint". Clifton started well and with 20 overs left were 88-2. A good springboard for victory, but as in 1973, they were over eager and missed the boat.

Sunday July 27 v Old Tonbridgians at Tonbridge - Cancelled

The OTs were playing in the semi-final of the Cricketer Cup: they lost to Old Malvernians by four wickets.

Saturday August 9 v Bluemantles at Tunbridge Wells - Lost by 2 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 162 (P J Lough 66; R D H Hamilton 7-51); Bluemantles 163-8 (S C Gallyer 50)

After losing a wicket in the first over, Lough and Devitt (25) had 95 up for the second wicket, but after this our batting faded. The Bluemantles had similar problems, 11-2 and then 89-3, thanks to a partnership of 78 between Gallyer and Rylands. At 139-8 they were in a worse position than we had been, but a resolute stand of 24 by Chandler (25*) and number nine denied us.