An extraordinary game of cricket at Arundel ended in victory for the Bradfield Waifs over the Old Millfieldians in the Nicholson Cricketer Cup final. A large and enthusiastic crowd enjoyed a game of rapidly changing fortunes, as well as plenty of opportunity to sample the Nicholson Gins on offer from the competition’s new sponsors. The atmosphere around the ground and in the sponsor’s tent bore comparison with the days of Moet and Chandon sponsorship at Burton Court in the early days of the competition, except that the tipple was gin rather than champagne.

A hot day, rapid outfield and generally good batting pitch was expected to bring a feast of runs when Bradfield Waifs won the toss and not surprisingly decided to bat. Both teams needed to bring in reinforcements to plug gaps in the sides which won the semi-finals, as Minor County and club cricket, as well as booked holidays, took players away. Chris Hellings, a member of the committee organising the final, was pressed into service as Millfield wicket-keeper, while Mark Nicholas, who captained the Waifs to wins in 1996 and 1997 finals, and presented the cup today, looked as though he could have done well as one of the Bradfield replacements.

Bradfield made a terrible start as Imran Malik was caught behind in Charlie Hartley’s opening over, and Hartley then took three more wickets to leave Bradfield at 40-4. His figures of 4-37 in his 10 overs testified to his accuracy and occasional movement. Jack Bransgrove with 43 and Charlie Gwynn 22 staged a rally in a partnership of 49, but 89-5 quickly became 136-9 after 33 overs, with 17 overs still available. At this point Sam Negus and Monty McKenzie, both of whom left school last term, decided that the earlier batting had been too bad to be true and proceeded to put on 84 in only 13 overs with a barrage of imaginative and well executed sweeps, reverse sweeps, drives and even the occasional scoop. McKenzie looked far too good to be number eleven but suffers from a similar heart condition to the one which forced the retirement of James Taylor, the former England batsman, which leaves him having to skip between the wickets rather than run. Negus was finally bowled for 38 off 55 balls, leaving McKenzie 39 not out off 39 balls, a brilliant joint effort which gave their team a competitive total to defend. The last wicket partnership between Negus and McKenzie was the highest in any final, and the second highest in the history of the competition, while McKenzie’s 39 not out was also the highest score by a number eleven in the history of the competition. Millfield were left to rue a dropped chance in the outfield when the partnership was in its early stages.

The feeling around the ground among the cognoscenti was that 220 was a bit below par but at least defendable. In the event it was far better than that as Millfield seemed to approach the target as if it was a T20 run chase. They lost prolific opener Ed Wade in the third over, and then five more rapid wickets to leave them 29-6 in the 9th over. Nick Pang, hero of last year’s final, ripped off some boundaries, but was bowled at 46-7 after 11 overs, and only Charlie Hartley with 26 not out delayed the inevitable, Millfield succumbing for 80 in 18.3 overs, the lowest score in a final since Repton’s 73 all out in 1985. Bradfield only needed three bowlers with seamer Tom Ettridge taking 6-37 in his 9.3 overs and Charlie Gwynn’s slow left arm 4-33 in 7. Ettridge, who plays his cricket at Falkland in the Thames Valley league, moved the ball a little at a brisk medium pace and rightly claimed the Nicholson Man of the Match award for his startling figures., which have only been surpassed in two previous finals by Nick Wisdom’s 6-12 in the 1991 final for Charterhouse Friars, and Mark Hickson’s 6-27 in the 2000 final for Old Tonbridgians in what proved a losing cause. Bradfield also caught well, wicket-keeper Negus taking three catches to add to his valuable runs, and two smart slip catches by Imran Malik and Hugo Darby. Millfield, like Bradfield before them, badly needed one of the upper order batsmen to build an innings and try to bat through 50 overs because batting was not nearly as difficult as the scores suggest.

Mark Nicholas recalled his own playing days in the competition as he presented the cup to Bradfield captain, Ollie Birts, while individual Nicholson Gin bottles were given to both teams and the officials. Tom Ettridge was presented with the Man of the Match award and a cheque for £4000 was given to the Bradfield team for a celebration club dinner.