A convivial pre-season drinks evening was held on 21 May at Doggett’s Coat and Badge, Blackfriars Bridge, to welcome the new season and to celebrate the induction into the Cricketer Cup Hall of Fame of the All-Time Cricketer Cup 1st XI 1967-2023 and also of the Team of the Decade 2010-19. About 80 attendees from every Cricketer Cup decade met to exchange memories and to meet up with old friends and rivals.

The Cricketer Cup Hall of Fame was the brainchild of Rob Mason (Old Malvernians) who compered the evening. He explained the rigorous selection process, based on nominations from clubs and the stats available on Cricket Archive, with a limit of no more than two per club and the need for a balanced team of batsmen and bowlers. He announced that further ‘teams of the decade’ would be inducted at future events.

The ‘Team of the Decade 2010-19’ had already been announced last summer, but during the evening they were formally introduced to the gathering and presented with commemorative scorecards and bottles of Nicholson Gin by our President Nick Pocock (Shrewsbury Saracens). This team is:

Fabian Cowdrey (Old Tonbridgians), Will Vanderspar (Eton Ramblers), Greg Smith (Oundle Rovers),
Ed Young (Old Wellingtonians), Will Gifford (Old Malvernians) - Captain, Alex Milton (Old Malvernians) - W/K, Seren Waters (Old Cranleighans), Jack Scriven (Old Cranleighans), Oliver Howick (Old Tonbridgians), Patrick Foster (Oundle Rovers), Francois Vainker (St Edwards Martyrs). A further three names were added to the match day squad - James Irvine-Fortescue (Old Wykehamists), James Kettleborough (Old Bedfordians), Ben Stevens (Old Wykehamists).

Tension mounted as Rob moved on to the All-Time XI with nearly twenty of those short-listed present in the room. He announced them in batting order and asked them to come up to receive a framed scorecard and bottle of Nicholson Gin from incoming President Johnny Barclay (Eton Ramblers).

This All-Time Cricketer Cup 1st XI 1967-2023 is

Andrew Bernard (Downside Wanderers)

Chris Walsh (Old Tonbridgians)

Nick Pocock (Shrewsbury Saracens) Captain

Will Kendall (Bradfield Waifs)

James Hamblin (Charterhouse Friars)

Alex Milton (Old Malvernians) Wicket-keeper

Peter Edwards (Oundle Rovers)

Richard Hutton (Repton Pilgrims)

Richard Gracey (Old Tonbridgians)

Simon Dyson (Old Alleynians)

Richard Savage (Marlborough Blues)