September 2016

 And we'll begin this piece with a few lines from the canon of Break Wind and Fire.

Every man has a place

In his heart there's a space

And the world can't erase his fantasies

No, not that one, although......

Ah yes, here it is:

Ba de ya say do you remember

Ba de ya dancing in September

Ba de ya, golden dreams were shiny days

There now follows a brief resume of the FACTS (and I don't know why this word is increasingly written in capital letters but I believe it has something to do with Rafael Benitez) of why Maurice White's lyrics are particularly apposite to Longparish Cricket Club at this time.

Longparish I

 Four games to go and with Longparish sitting top of the shop, a genuine prospect of returning to the top flight of the Hampshire Leagues after a twenty year absence.

At home to Basingstoke, Michael Taplin and William de Cani put on 92 for the first wicket before Taplin departed for 40 in the 15th over. Sam Trinder added 30, Paul Blackmore 34 and de Cani 93 as Longparish closed on 247 for 9. Sam Trinder took a brace of wickets each and Harry Martin bagged 3  to complete a 156 run win for Longparish.

The away game at Petersfield was an irritable business played out on an uneven track. The home side batted first and mined a wealth of experience on how to play on such a surface to eke out 202 runs. The Longparish reply stuttered and finally stalled 33 runs short with Matt Jackman and Scott Sturt putting on 56 for the final wicket securing important batting points in the chase for the title.

Compton & Chandlers Ford arrived for the penultimate game of the season and with their own hopes high for promotion batted first and after many breaks for rain closed on 223 6 with Scott Sturt the pick of the Longparish attack with 4 for 45. It rained throughout tea, and the teams even took the field in drizzle which seemed to irk openers William de Cani and Michael Taplin who proceeded to tonk 41 from the first 3 and a bit overs before the heavens opened and the game was abandoned meaning Longparish were promoted and needed a point from their final game at Bournemouth II to be promoted as champions.

Which they did, despite losing by 42 runs and a brilliant 50 from Ben Gardner.

Well done the Longparish 1st XI, Thank you to Neil (and Ray) for the umpiring, to Rachel for the scoring, to all the players who have stepped up when first team regulars have been absent and to all the supporters  who turn out to clap politely both home and away and to all who have provided a tea at a home game.

Longparish II

With four games remaining Longparish II lay fifth with the prospect of promotion more than feasible.

In the derby game away at Penton, Longparish were dismissed for 94 with Adam Lister the chief contributor with 23. Barry Blackmore took 2 for 23, Will Arnold 2 for 3 from 8 balls and Alex Brinton 4 for 20 as Penton were all out for 93 in the 28th over.

Longparish II moved into the promotion places with a stunning home win over Over Wallop who batted first. Alex Brinton took 2 for 15, Callum Giles 3 for 20 and Gary Taplin 3 for 2 as Wallop were all out for 78. A target that Longparish II passed just before drinks, without loss and with Gary Taplin on 28 and Dan Bearpark on 32.

The away day at Kingsclere was done for by the weather leaving Longparish II needing a win from their final game at home to league leaders Stockbridge to secure promotion.

Longparish II batted first and closed on 202 for 9 with Gary Taplin striking 47 and Martin Bearpark nurdling 54.  Chris Clarke and Alex Brinton picked up a brace of wickets each and Harry Samways bagged 4 for 23 to secure a 134 run win for Longparish II and promotion from Regional Division 1 to County Division 4.

Well done the Longparish 2nd XI. Thank you to all who have umpired, scored, made tea and turned out to cheer on the team, and thank you to all those players who have stepped up seamlessly to fill in when required through absence.

Longparish III

Longparish III secured promotion to Regional Division II sometime around the summer solstice, but  sustained an eagerness and hunger throughout their final games that hinted at ambitions for even higher   places .

At home to Sparsholt III, Barry Ewens and Jordan Blackmore both scored 43 as Longparish II closed on 188 for 7, Jordan Blackmore and James Young then bagged three wickets each to seal a 93 run win for Longparish III.

The away day at Harley Wintney III was a bit of a struggle as the  talented hosts put on 303 for 3.Tim Oram top scored with 23 as Longparish III chased a rain adjusted target that ultimately fell 121 runs short.

The final game with Easton fell by the wayside, but no matter, Longparish III are promoted to regional division II.

Well done the Longparish 3rd XI. Thank you to Paul Giles for the umpiring, to Mr Dawson for the scoring and to all who have helped out with teas and donned the whites during player shortages.

Details of how all three Longparish senior sides secured promotion this season can be found at www.longparishcc.co.uk and www.hantscl.com.

Lawks, what a summer, to paraphrase Mr Grace - you've all done very well

Tichborne Trophy Final

Is  a midweek twenty over cup competition that occasionally sees Longparish get to the final.

Sorry June , but didn't we do this in the last one?.

A message from Tony Hart (Google him Kids, he was very much the Banksy of his day)

Doo be doo be doo be doo, be do doo, be do do be doo, doo be doo be doo be doo,

The Club are in the fortunate position of owning a gallery where critically unacclaimed photographs loosely themed around cricket are displayed each week. Initially devised as a community project the thing has been hijacked by a doofus with an idiot proof camera and an unhidden agenda to obfuscate.

If anyone has any photos they would like to appear in the gallery don't be stranger, all contributions welcome from all corners of Longparish cricket, just keep em clean, clothed, kind and focused and we will hang em high in the gallery that promises to rival the Louvre. 

Still stands - leave it in June

The Ground

Remains one of the finest in the Hampshire Leagues (which happens to include significant swathes of Wiltshire, Dorset, Surrey and Berkshire) and a terrific place to spend an afternoon.... Well done.

That too - June, but we may want to add in a bit about that chappie on the green tractor with the plough thingy on the back arriving later this month, Oh yes and perhaps a press gang piece for bodies to put the benches away on Saturday 23rd September at 10.00am

EasyFundRaising

A practice much favoured by the Sopranos and Krays et al, protection rackets are an area that the club committee feel could raise much needed funds for the club.

This isn't what was agreed in the editorial meeting - June

Quite right June, I got confused

Easy fund raising is a legitimate means of raising funds for Longparish CC through all your online shopping.  Access all of your online shopping requirements via the LCC portal and the club receive money (if anyone clicks the link and ends up in a room full of Weasleys, the club deny all responsibility)

It's not a racket and you won't be inundated with poorly worded business opportunities from the centre of Africa or offers of betrothal from people in countries  that were once concealed behind an iron curtain. 

Look out for the Portal's appearance on the LCC website (coming to a sidebar near you soon) and use it to access your usual shopping sites and soon we'll be swimming in dosh.

Presentation Evening

Friday 16th September and is kindly hosted by The Cricketers Inn. Starts at 7.00pm with the first cut of meat transferred from flank to bun at 7.30pm

There are is an extensive list of FAQs and Do's and Don'ts regarding the Presentation Fandango in the News section on the website

Everybody welcome: players, non players, seniors, colts, family, friends, everybody, everybody.

But please let Julie Sturt know if you intend to attend on the night.

Hundred Club Draw - July

Numbers have once again been generated by the miracle of Binary Code

Thank you to everyone who wrote in with their first font of choice to herald the winners of the hundred club draw.

This month's winner of first choice of font is a Mrs Googie Withers from Sydney Australia, who writes:

" Ar Bonnie has always stirred great feelings within my heart as it is redolent of the Art Deco period. The 1930's were a great time for me. Graduating from the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts I was immediately cast as an extra in Michael Powell's The Girl in the Crowd to no little acclaim. This led to a part as one of Margaret Lockwood's friends  in Alfie Hitchcock's -The Lady Vanishes, and so a star was born. Each time I see this font I am transported  across time to Locky's dressing room at the Queens Theatre and her tales of Maurice Chevalier and his early life as a painter and decorator"

Googie's letter continues at length (nine pages) but I think we get the gist.

Thanks Googie, Ar Bonnie it is,  

 Enjoy              Googie Withers, Isn't that a part of a horse June?

£35  JaN West           £15  Maria Bundy           £15   Jo Jackman

If anyone out there has a font that they are fond of with an accompanying tale, that they would like to see used to display the Hundred Club winners, please send a postcard to:  Fonts I am fond of, Stable Cottage, Bransbury, Winchester SO21 2QJ.