Sunday 2nd August, 1998
The highlight of the cricket calendar at Chalfont St Giles is President's Day, where the current 1st XI plays the President's XI, made up of former players and (just for this year) the odd overseas recruit.
Chalfont St Giles 1st XI
Back Row: Colin Saunders, Andy Hardy, Mike Scott, Jim Payne, Adrian Turton, Tony Taylor, Cliff Webber
Front Row: Mike Stannard, R.Reading (overseas player), John Eyles, Richard Hardy, Simon Hardy
After a big Saturday night up at the clubhouse celebrating a good win in the League fixture, I managed to stagger 200 yards down the road and spent what remained of the night on the lounge of team-mate Gary Cross (thanks Gary). I don't often get so drunk that I can't make it home, but I'm thirty now and old enough to do this stupid kind of thing. When I woke up on Sunday morning and figured out where I was, I spent a short time hoping to die, then picked myself off the floor and wandered up to the ground. Play in the President's match was due to start at 11am, and there were quite a few sore heads on show. A cup of tea and a couple of aspirins and I was on my way, ready for 100 overs of cricket under the rarely seen English sun.
President's Day at Chalfont St Giles is a big event, with many spectators, a marquee with bar, fine food and refreshments and a BBQ at the end of the match. The club President chooses a side consisting of former players to take on the current club 1st XI, and this year I was very honoured to be included in the President's XI. The match was played in front of a full clubhouse and in festival mood - back home I'm used to sledging as a matter of routine, but joking and conversation out in the middle are far more enjoyable.
Chalfont St Giles CC Pavilion and Clubhouse, President's Day 2/8/98
The President's XI batted first, and an opening stand of 50 soon slumped to 5-60 before, in finest Australian tradition, R.Reading gritted his teeth and dug in for the day. When I finally departed in the 49th over we had moved the score on to a competitive 170. After an excellent lunch (and a bit of a lie down) we returned to the field, confident that our total gave us a good chance of putting the President's XI name on the trophy for the third time in succession. However, the 1st XI were more than up to the occassion, and built around a wonderful 74 from John Eyles reached the 171 they needed to win with one over and 4 wickets to spare. Cliff Webber, Simon Hardy, Mike Stannard, Adrian Turton and Mike Scott all bowled well for the 1st XI, and John was well supported by Tony Taylor and Colin Saunders with the bat. Special mention must also go to Mike Stannard, who engineered a "champagne moment" by getting out stumped off the bowling of Mick Alexander, apparently a rare event indeed.
And if I hadn't already been incredibly lucky to be invited to play and make a few runs, just before the conclusion of the match I had a my own "champagne moment" in the field which will surely become part of Chalfont St Giles folklore. Swapping with one of my team-mates to save him a long walk, I was stationed on the long-on boundary when Andy Hardy decided to win the match with a big six. When Andy hits a ball it usually stays hit and this blow was no exception. I stood on the boundary line looking at the ball a long way up in the air, rapidly coming my way and thinking "that's well over my head" - Andy didn't bother to run because he thought it would easily clear the fence. Then right at the last second I thought I might have a chance of at least touching it, so I stuck my right hand up over my hand and, leaning backwards, somehow found the ball in my hand and managed to stop an inch inside the boundary. No-one could have been more amazed than me that I had taken it one handed above my head. I think in a few weeks Andy might be talking to me again, and long after I've gone "that catch" will still be remembered at Chalfont St Giles.
Mike Stannard and Andy Hardy celebrate their win
(Simon Lancaster, Chris Cross, Nick Lancaster & John Eyles watch from the safety of the marquee)
The end of a perfect day saw the club's token Aussie manning the BBQ (sadly no shrimps) and wondering why I didn't play some cricket in England years sooner than now.
I must thank Ted Payne, our club President, for the chance to play (a very great honour) and to all the boys for the countless hours of effort which go into making the day such a success.
