Exciting Cricketer Cup Celebration match at Arundel on Sunday 9 August

On a blistering Sunday at Arundel, in place of what should have been the 2020 Cricketer Cup final, two mixed Cricketer Cup select XIs served up a true run feast for a good crowd of cricket-starved Arundel members and other supporters.

Nick Brothers , the South West XI captain, won the toss and, much to his predominantly Millfield side’s delight, elected to bat. Mumtaz Habib (1-34) dismissed Brothers early to a sharp slip catch by Tom Elliott, but otherwise the first hour belonged to James Seward (55) and Billy Mead (50) who added 95 for the second wicket at a good pace. Both batsmen made attractive fifties but then succumbed to the South East’s array of off-spinners. The batting side never lost momentum in spite of losing wickets, David Scott (83 from 56) and Tom Dann (51 from 36) also posting fifties. Dann in particular injected extra momentum and at one point 325 looked on the cards. The South East did not let their spirits sag and, with seamer Jamie Monkhouse (2-66) returning strongly, the regular stream of wickets saw the innings brought to a close in the 43rd over at 280. Johnny Charles (1-45) Henry Gane (2-63) and Freddie Fox (3-66) were the pick of the other bowlers.

Amartya Kaul (65) and Marcus Campopiano (33) opened up for the South East, with the former taking Charlie Hartley’s first four balls for sparkling boundaries. Campopiano made a stylish 33 off 41 balls, but his dismissal brought Joe Lydon (including back brace) to the wicket. Fluent from the moment he arrived at the crease, Joe played the innings of the day scoring an undefeated 126 off 89 balls, only narrowly failing to get his side over the line in the last over. After a partnership of 92 with Kaul, who was dismissed for 65 in the 32nd over, Lydon saw his various middle-order partners struggle to arrive at the wicket and score immediately at the now required ten an over. The South West were excellently served by a quartet of off spinners Ali Eastern (1-44), David Scott (0-37), Tom Bevan (2-52) and the pick of them Marcus Critchley (3-43). In spite of Lydon’s efforts the run-rate carried on rising.

Needing 21 off the last 2 overs the South East were up against it, but Lydon and Charles (18*) produced some hard hitting and clever improvisation against the returning seam bowlers. With eight required from 3 balls, Lydon managed to scoop Hartley for 4 over the keeper’s head, but Hartley held his nerve and restricted the last two balls to a single. Lydon’s heroic efforts could not quite overcome a superior all round bowling and fielding performance from the South West XI .

Teams:

South West. Millfield unless stated: Nick Brothers, James Seward, Billy Mead (Marlborough), Marcus Critchley, Tom Bevan, David Scott, Tom Dann, Ali Eastern, Charlie Hartley, Nye Norman, Chris Hellings.

South East: Amartya Kaul (Charterhouse), Marcus Campopiano (Hurstpierpoint), Joe Lydon (Hurstpierpoint), Ollie Durell (Tonbridge), Ed Farley (Eton), Tom Elliott (Tonbridge), Jamie Monkhouse (Tonbridge), Johnny Charles (Charterhouse), Freddie Fox (Eton), Henry Gane (Lancing) & Mumtaz Habib (Harrow).

Umpires: Keir Hopley & Mark Williams

A huge thank you to Arundel Castle Cricket Club for hosting the game and to Freddie Fox and Nick Brothers for organising, managing and captaining the sides.