The highlight of the season was our participation in the Cricketer Cup. We played some good cricket at Shrewsbury and it was a great pleasure to see a Pilgrims side play to its full potential. Charterhouse were too good for us but playing in better company, together with the competition for a place in the "Cup" side, must help to raise standards in the Club. After the terrible weather in May we only had the first match at Charterhouse rained off. Good weather and close finishes helped the Tour to be very enjoyable.

Saturday May 20 v Bradfield Waifs at Tisted - Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 105-3 (J R Tozer 61*) - Rain

This match was played under "Cricketer Cup" rules and seven of our side for the first round were playing. In 30 overs before lunch Tozer and Gould batted carefully on a damp wicket. Unfortunately this was all the practice we were able to get as a heavy and prolonged thunderstorm flooded the ground after the interval.

Sunday June 4 - Cricketer Cup first round v Shrewsbury Saracens at Shrewsbury - Won by 48 runs
Sherborne Pilgrims 252-8 (J R Tozer 101, P R D Gould 57, A R Brown 52; B M Smallwood 4-26); Shrewsbury Saracens 204 (J S Ker 62, A G Phillips 52; J M S Kennedy 4-38)

The ground had been under water five days before the match and Shrewsbury had no hesitation in putting us in. Tozer and A R Brown opened the innings and against some accurate seam bowling scored four runs in the first seven overs. However, the wicket presented few problems and, after playing himself in, Tozer hit the bowling to all parts of the ground. He was dropped at long-off at 30 but this was his only blemish in a superb display of batting. After 20 overs the score was 95-0. Brown was out in the 30th over and his share of the opening partnership of 146 was very valuable. The lunch score was 160-2 in 35 overs with Tozer 97 not out. He had scored eight runs in the last 25 minutes, having had little of the bowling. He completed his century immediately after lunch but was soon out. The next six overs were not so happy for us with only ten runs scored for the loss of three wickets. At 170 for 5 A J T Brown joined Gould and with sensible striking and good running they put on 66 in 12 overs. A fine drizzle was falling and made bowling difficult. The innings closed after 55 overs at 252-8.

The weather became worse for the start of the Shrewsbury innings and the wet outfield made the ball very slippery. In the fifth over F V Harris ran out their opening bat with a fine bit of fielding from cover. At tea the score was 33-1 after ten overs. J S Ker and M L Y Ainsworth batted steadily after the interval but in the 24th over Ainsworth was caught at the wicket off J.J. Barber, and in the next over Ker was missed at slip with his score 40. In the 31st over he was caught off Kennedy and the score was then 106-4. The conditions did not improve for the bowlers but only Phillips was prepared to attack. He was dropped at 23 in the 37th over with the score 133-4 but otherwise played a graceful innings with attacking drives. There was a chance that he might get the runs but when he was bowled by Kennedy at 179 in the 44th over the tail quickly folded up. This was an absorbing match which we deserved to win with more aggressive batting and better bowling and fielding in trying conditions.

Sunday June 11 v Esher at Esher - Drawn
Esher 195-6 dec (A E Seager 80); Sherborne Pilgrims 159-8 (Seager 4-31)

Esher batted steadily for just over three hours without showing the urgency required in a one day game. Our bowling was treated with unusual respect until Seager started to hit out half an hour before the declaration. We lost two quick wickets and then struggled for runs. In attempting to get up with the clock we lost wickets rather stupidly, and it was left to Kennedy and Geddes to save the match and our reputation with a stand of 34 in the closing 20 minutes.

Saturday June 17 v The School at Sherborne - Won by 4 wickets
Sherborne School 178-7 dec (R W O'Hanlon 74); Sherborne Pilgrims 180-6 (R C Constant 83)

After an uncertain start (67-4) O'Hanlon and Robertson put on 71 for the fifth wicket and the School were able to make a fair declaration. Constant and Rowe gave us a flying start with 109 in even time but when the former was out the task of scoring 58 in 43 minutes was made to look very difficult.

Sunday June 25 - Cricketer Cup second round v Charterhouse Friars at Charterhouse - No result
Sherborne Pilgrims 18-4 - Rain

Only 40 minutes' play was possible before heavy rain caused the match to be declared void and a replay required.

Sunday July 2 v Radley Rangers at Lincoln College, Oxford - Lost by 1 wicket
Sherborne Pilgrims 136; Radley Rangers 140-9 (J M S Kennedy 5-60)

This was an interesting struggle with a close finish, but it was a match that we should have been very annoyed at losing. Radley did not appear to have a strong side although our batsmen got out with little difficulty. No one got stuck in and our total was depressing on a reasonable wicket. Radley met some hostile bowling from Kennedy and 31-4 was a good start for us. At 89-7 we seemed to be in control but the bowling became a little ragged, any luck deserted us and the tail wagged to good effect.

Sunday July 16 - Cricketer Cup second round replay v Charterhouse Friars at Charterhouse - Lost by 6 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 133; Charterhouse Friars 136-4

The replay took place under very different conditions, and the sun shone all day. After a most entertaining day's cricket we were beaten by six wickets, and the Friars went on to play the Repton Pilgrims in the semi-final.

We won the toss and batted first on a well-grassed wicket which still had some moisture left from overnight rain. We were soon in trouble and in the second over Constant was caught off bat and pad at short-leg. At 13 W F Hughes was caught in the slips off a ball that lifted sharply from a length and from which he was unable to remove his bat. Further misfortunes followed: at 21 Tozer was caught at mid-wicket from a mis-hook; and at 30 Harris was caught in the slips. The Friars' opening bowlers, Livock and Murray, bowled exceptionally well and were supported by splendid fielding and at the end of 20 overs we were 34-4. In the Cricketer Cup 20 overs is a significant milestone since, if through rain or other reasons it is impossible to finish a match, the side scoring more runs at the end of 20 overs wins.

A useful stand developed for the fifth wicket between Gould and Brown and during the next hour and a quarter these two put on 56 and were only parted on the last ball before lunch when Gould dragged a ball from Hooper into his stumps. They had, to a certain extent, retrieved the situation, but the overs were running out. Gould had taken 89 minutes for his 41 and, at the time he was out, was beginning to play really well. The speed of the wicket caused many mistakes, the chief of which was playing shots too soon. Brown, particularly, was having a great deal of trouble in timing his shots and this was obviously worrying him.

Lunch was taken with the score at 86-5 but, what was more serious, after 40 overs of the allotted 55 had been bowled. The hundred came up in 137 minutes but at 101 Pickering was out, and at 108 Brown left after a most valuable innings of 39 which, however, had taken 103 minutes. A stand then developed between Geddes and Kennedy, both of whom played some fine forcing shots, and the two were only parted when Kennedy was unfortunately run out by a magnificent return from Hooper at mid-wicket. The innings finally closed when Geddes (17) was finely caught one-handed at short mid-wicket from a powerful pull. Thus we were all out at a quarter to three after 52.4 overs for 133 scored in 173 minutes. The fielding of the Friars had been of a very high order with many runs being saved. The bowlers had given little away, and it was significant that no spinners were used. Livock, particularly, had bowled splendidly taking 2-14 in his allotted spell of 12 overs which included seven maidens.

Godson and Bidwell opened for the Friars against the bowling of Geddes and Barber, both of whom bowled accurately, and after 12 overs only 20 runs had been scored. Unhappily, Bidwell was badly dropped at slip when he had scored seven and the first wicket did not fall until the total was 39 when Godson (19) was finely run out by Harris from cover. At the end of 20 overs the Friars were 43-1. After a painstaking innings Bidwell was out to a magnificent catch in the gully by Hughes off Kennedy, who had taken over from Barber, and was making the ball rise awkwardly. Bidwell had taken 110 minutes over his 45 scored out of 89, but his innings had laid the foundation for the Friars' eventual victory. Kennedy continued to bowl well but Hooper, Carless and Ullman accelerated the rate of scoring and, although Kennedy sent back Hooper (25) and Ullman, Carless (21*) and Allom saw the Friars home with some powerful driving. The Friars scored their runs in 44.2 overs and it was only a pity that we had not scored another 50 runs since the Friars might have been pushed.

Saturday July 29 v Hampstead at Hampstead - Lost by 154 runs
Hampstead 244-6 dec (R Oakley 84, P McMorland 83); Sherborne Pilgrims 90

This was, in many ways, a very disappointing game from our point of view since, after a splendid start, we let the game slip away and, finally, a dismal batting display handed victory to Hampstead on a plate. The usual problem of late withdrawals arose and, in the event, although the bowling strength was good, the batting was very thin. We won the toss and put Hampstead in on a green wicket. We quickly met with success, the two openers Houghton and Bakker, both good players, being sent back quickly. Geddes, getting movement through the air and off the pitch, bowled Bakker with a beauty which had him in two minds. Kennedy had Houghton lbw with one which kept low and Hampstead were 11-2.

Oakley, a fine player but a bad starter, did precisely what was planned for him - a bat-and-pad - but the short legs were slow to get to the chance offered. The next ball from Geddes beat him completely and he must have been very near lbw. McMorland also was lucky not to be out before he had scored, but, after this early uncertainty the two put on 167 for the third wicket, and this stand was fatal to us. Both Oakley and McMorland batted well, although they were beaten on a number of occasions and gave several chances and near misses. The bowling was, on the whole, good as was the ground fielding but in cricket of this kind it is fatal not to accept chances and, if these had been taken, four Hampstead players would have been back in the pavilion for less than 20 runs. Geddes, in particular, bowled very accurately and had the batsmen in trouble on a number of occasions. Kennedy also bowled well but tended to pitch short.

If the good start had been maintained Hampstead should have been out for well under 150. In the event, they declared shortly after 3.30 and we were set to get the runs at the rate of just under 80 an hour - a reasonable target.

When we went in, the light had started to deteriorate and this continued throughout the innings. It was, however, no excuse for abysmally bad batting, and the first three wickets all fell to catches resulting from careless strokes. Porter (27) played some fine shots including a magnificent hook for six, but was finally out to a shot played far too soon. Wickets started to fall with monotonous regularity as the light got worse and worse, but this did not excuse some very bad mistakes. The last wicket put on 23, but the end was inevitable, and at ten to six we were all out.

Friday August 4 v Old Sedberghians at Sherborne - Drawn
Old Sedberghians 238-3 dec (W H Shucksmith 100*); Sherborne Pilgrims 209-9 (C R J Eglington 72, R W J Hardie 68; T M Chapman 6-74)

Sedbergh were put in on a good batting wicket. After a cautious start they found little trouble with our bowling and the declaration was a welcome relief to the fielders. Our early batsmen may have been affected by the long stint in the field but disaster followed disaster and with 90 minutes left we were 70-7. Eglington and Hardie, in his first innings of the season, put on 135 for the eighth wicket in 83 minutes, but both were out just before the close leaving Geddes to play out the last four balls.

Saturday August 5 v Canford Cygnets at Canford - Won by 4 wickets
Canford Cygnets 81 (P R D Gould 4-15); Sherborne Pilgrims 83-6

Canford won the toss and decided to bat on a damp wicket. This was their first mistake. Our batting was carefree until Hughes (28) and Gillespie (13) decided to get their heads down. The match ended at 5.20 and after our football demonstration we made a slow, and at times dignified, retreat to Sherborne.

Sunday August 6 v Sherborne Town at Sherborne (Terrace) - Lost by 5 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 144 (P R D Gould 54*; A F G Brimble 5-50); Sherborne Town 145-5 (Gould 4-41)

The antics of the previous evening did not help our cricket and after half an hour we were 45-6. Brearley and Gould restored the position but in doing so were unable to force the pace and the Town were not set a large enough total in the time available. Steady batting and the odd dropped catch saw them home with two minutes to spare.

Monday August 7 v Somerset Stragglers at Sherborne - Lost by 4 wickets
Sherborne Pilgrims 261-7 dec (P R D Gould 84, C R J Eglington 51); Somerset Stragglers 264-6 (D Dolman 70, B Hebditch 70, W J Maidlow 68; Gould 5-64)

We won the toss and had first use of an excellent wicket. The score was pushed along steadily and at lunch was 133-4 after 105 minutes. Our declaration after three hours' batting left the Stragglers equal time. We got a quick wicket, but our bowlers could not extract any life, and likely catches always seemed to fall in the open spaces. The Stragglers kept their scoring rate moving sensibly and a shower of rain with half an hour left gave them their chance. Fielding became tricky and the remaining runs came in a rush, the match being finished with five minutes left. Our declaration and some of our bowling changes may have been generous but who can complain at losing with over 500 runs in a day of decent weather.

Tuesday August 8 v Dorset Rangers at Sherborne - Won by 5 wickets
Dorset Rangers 147 (P R D Gould 4-33); Sherborne Pilgrims 151-5

The benefit match atmosphere had disappeared overnight and we were back to the grim slog of the five day match. The Rangers won the toss and on a good wicket made 66-3 in 35 overs before lunch. Some scientific hitting produced 47 for the last two wickets. We batted carefully and won the match at 6.30 with half an hour to spare.

Wednesday August 9 v Old Cliftonians at Sherborne - Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 201-8 dec (A S Legg 55; A F Ham 4-62); Old Cliftonians 174-8 (I M M Barlow 59*; B D C Shields 5-76)

We won the toss and made 76-4 in 90 minutes before lunch. Steady but unspectacular. Legg played with calm authority and when quick runs were needed before the declaration Gould and Hardie (19*) found the gaps in the field. Clifton started slowly and after tea wanted 165 in 115 minutes. Shields bowled accurately but we were held up by King and Barlow, both of whom were dropped early on, and they put on 55 for the fifth wicket. In going for quick run Clifton lost wickets but had no difficulty in holding out for a draw. Our catching lost us this game.

Thursday August 10 v Wiltshire Queries at Fovant - Lost by 54 runs
Wiltshire Queries 171-7 dec (R Opperman 64; D K Geddes 4-43); Sherborne Pilgrims 117 (R H S Brewer 6-62)

The Queries won the toss and with it the match. Why do we never play well at Fovant? Our bowling was not good enough on a suspect pitch, and the batting lacked application on a very suspect pitch.

Saturday August 12 v Bluemantles at Tunbridge Wells - Drawn
Sherborne Pilgrims 278-8 dec (N R H Parker 102*; B Thomas 5-51); Bluemantles 254-9 (R R Baraimian 120; C W Yeldham 4-69)

We won the toss and were given a great start by Hughes and Constant (23) who had 60 up for the first wicket in 34 minutes. This was too good to last and after Hughes was bowled by a half volley we quickly slithered to 129-6 at lunch. The interval and the spin bowling were to the liking of Parker and after the seventh wicket fell at 157 he was helped by Hardie in putting on 72 in 33 minutes and then by Geddes (26) in an unbroken stand of 49 in 20 minutes. The Bluemantles had bowled 76 overs in just over three hours and were left with exactly three hours batting. The recipe of seam one end and spin the other did nothing to unsettle them and Baraimian was severe on the loose ball. With 25 minutes to go the Bluemantles wanted 42 with five wickets left. This should have been simple but Baraimian was caught at short third going for an off drive and the third run out of the innings followed at once. We just could not snatch the last wicket, although a catch was dropped at slip in the last over. Our quick bowlers had 33 overs but we still managed to fit in 70 overs in three hours. First class cricket please note.

Sunday August 13 v Old Tonbridgians at Tonbridge - Drawn
Old Tonbridgians 249-8 dec (C H Tilling 55); Sherborne Pilgrims 205-6 (N R H Parker 83)

Tonbridge produced their usual depth of batting and our bowling was never accurate enough to be a real threat. Our innings got off to a bad start with W F Hughes caught at the wicket in the fourth over and Constant taking 40 minutes to get off the mark. The tea score of 44-4 soon became 46-5. Parker was again in good form against the spinners and his 83 occupied 66 minutes. Stamp (29) played some attractive shots after an uncertain start, while Newman continued to defend skilfully.