June 2017
Froth
Wikipedia teaches us that froth is either:
1: A mass of small bubbles in liquid caused by agitation, fermentation or salivating.
2: A 70's'80s Prog Rock band born out of the breakup of Jefferson Froth
3: A character in a play by W Shakespeare titled A Midsummer Night's Dream
4: Worthless or insubstantial talk, ideas, or activities.
5: The estuary of several Scottish rivers including the river Froth that meets with the North Sea with Fife on the North Coast and Lothian on the South. Known as Bodotria in Roman Times, today it is known as the Firth of Froth.
6: "Good Morning" in a defunct Cornish dialect with heavy emphasis on the vowel in pronunciation.
The prologue to this piece is oft described as froth. Which of the above is applicable , we don't know, but here we go again.
Longparish 1st XI
At home to Hook II Longparish were dismissed for 219 with Jack Levy the principle contributor with 54. Levy capped a fine all round performance taking 5 for 19 as Longparish secured a 94 run win.
Rain was never far away throughout Longparish's trip to Hythe and Dibden who batted first and were all out for 89 with Scott Sturt and Ben Gardner taking 2 wickets each and Jack Levy 4 for 16. Michael Taplin scored 28 and Ben Gardner 20 as Longparish passed the target with 7 wickets and 31 overs remaining.
Longparish suffered defeat for the first time this season at Lymington II despite some excellent bowling by James Bevan, 42 for Michael Taplin and 50 for William Samways.
The home tie with United Services Portsmouth was rain affected and a nervy affair. US batted first and scored 270 for 8 from their 50 overs with Jack Levy and Tom Trinder taking 2 wickets each and James Bevan bowling another economical spell. The Longparish reply began well with a fifty partnership for the 1st wicket before Michael Taplin departed for 28. William de Cani added 63 and Jonnie Wahid and Jack Levy got Longparish to within 2 runs of victory before Levy departed lbw for 77 from the penultimate ball of the match leaving Scott Sturt to stride to the crease to biff the last ball to the boundary and seal a 3 wicket win for Longparish.
Longparish faced a tough task away at unbeaten league leaders Portsmouth & Southsea, who won the toss and invited Longparish to bat. William de Cani and Ben Gardner put on 219 for the 1st wicket before Gardner departed for 92. De Cani was out in the 45th over for 141 as Longparish posted 329 for 5. Jack Levy and Sam Trinder picked up a couple of wickets and Alex Coetzee took 4 for 28 as the Portsmouth & Southsea reply closed 212 runs short.
Longparish currently sit 4th in the top division of the Hampshire Leagues (The largest cricket league in the world by the way, and that's not according to Jeremy Clarkson but a genuine bona fide fact)
Longparish 2nd XI
Away at Alton III, Callum Giles was in imperious form with the bat, scoring 63 in a final total of 176 for 8. Chris Clarke and Harry Samways both took 3 for 28 from their 10 overs each as Longparish II won by 65 runs.
The home game with IBM Hursley was lost to the weather, but the following week it was squeaky bum time in a very close game with near neighbours Wherwell. Most made a double figure contribution with the bat as Longparish II closed on 193 for 8 and then picked up 9 wickets but failed to get the tenth as Wherwell passed the target in the 42nd over.
Away at Medstead Jamie Blackmore was in superb form with the bat scoring 80, with Father Barry pitching in with 36 as Longparish II set Medstead a target of 205 for victory. Harry Samways took 4 for 17 and Alex Brinton 3 for 16 in an 83 run win for Longparish II.
Jamie Blackmore's fine form with the bat continued in the home game against St Cross IV as he scored 59 alongside Callum Giles who contributed 52 to a final Longparish II total of 175. Matt Jackman and Callum Giles both bagged 3 wickets each as the St Cross IV reply ended 33 runs short.
Longparish II currently lie 8th in County Division 4
Longparish 3rd XI
After losing their opening game of the season to promotion favourites Laverstock, Longparish III are currently on an unbeaten run.
It began at Broughton where Tally O'Farrell and Nathan Smith took 2 wickets each and Christian Dawson and James Young bagged 3 apiece to dismiss the home side for 78 in just over 20 overs. William Arnold scored 29 and Martin Bearpark 30 in the 5 wicket win.
Hursley Park IV next who batted first and scored 205 for 3 a target that Longparish III coolly chased down with Jordan Blackmore scoring 65 and Rory Kerr an unbeaten 45 in a 4 wicket win achieved with 5 overs to spare.
Against Michelmarsh and Timsbury II William Arnold batted brilliantly and deserved a hundred but was dismissed for 92 in a Longparish II total of 228. Christian Dawson took 3 for 26 and Nathan Smith 5 for 9 as the Michelmarsh & Timsbury II reply closed on 8.
Longparish III currently occupy 5th place in Regional Division II
Midweek 20/20
Longparish moved through to the quarter finals of The Tichborne Trophy with an impressive win over SPL side Fair Oak. Jordan Blackmore Harry Samways and Scott Sturt bagged a brace of wickets each as The Oak closed on 135 for 7. Scott Sturt hit a brilliant 53 to see Longparish through to a quarter final against Ropley.
Longparish U11
In their opening game of the season, Longparish U11 took on Sparsholt B. Thomas Parker, Jake Blunden and Zac Allen picked up wickets but Conal Proctor was the pick of the Longparish U11 bowling attack with 4 wickets for 3 runs. Thomas Parker scored 18 and Fynn Bryan 10 in a 20 run win for Longparish U11.
In the cup competition Twyford U11 proved to be tough opponents . James Newman top scored for Longparish U11 with 22 and Charlie Keefe, Oliver Keefe, William Stone and Fynn Bryan all picked up wickets but could not prevent Twyford U11 securing a 4 wicket win.
Away at Amport U11, Edward Tressler bowled well as did Stephen Williams Daniel Sanderson and Niamh Cooper-Smith picked up wickets. William Stone top scored for Longparish U11 with 12 in a 24 run win for Longparish U11.
Longparish U13
Are quite a force and currently remain unbeaten in 2017.
In the 22 run win against Fairoak U13 Alfie Smith and Jude Cooper-Smith both scored 26 and William McDermott added 14. Harvey Randall, Harry Randall and William McDermott picked up a wicket each, Zac Allen claimed 2 for 12 and Kieron Tasker took 3 for 11.
In the home match against Andover U13, William McDermott, Alfie Smith and Harry Randall were in the wickets and Zac Allen took 3 for 9. Oliver Oram top scored for Longparish U13 with 30, Zac Allen struck 23 and Myles Cole 18 in a 4 wicket win for Longparish U13
Oliver Oram's fine form with the bat continued against Compton & Chandlers Ford U13 as he scored 27 runs and Zac Allen chipped in with 22. Cameron Wigmore and Jude Cooper-Smith picked up a wicket each and Kieron Tasker took 2 for 16 to secure a 14 run win for Longparish U13.
Longparish U15
Longparish U15 began their 2017 campaign with a trip to IBM Hursley U15. Where they batted first and scored 103 for 7 with Arlo Matley striking 17, Tally O'Farrell 19 and Oliver Oram 20. Luke Benzing took 2 for 12 as IBM Hursley U15 secured a six wicket win with one over remaining.
In the cup competition Longparish U15 were drawn at home to Amport U15. Batting first Luke Benzing hit a superb unbeaten 52, Bailey Sampson-Bridgen 23 and Tally O'Farrell 18 as Longparish closed their 20 over innings on 152 for 2. Jack Proctor and Ben Arnold both picked up a wicket and Louis Pereira took 2 for 8 in a 58 run win for the home side.
In the 2nd round of the cup Longparish U15 travelled to Compton & CF U15, batted first and lost early wickets. Tally O'Farrell then hit an unbeaten 39 as the Longparish innings closed on 96. In the Compton reply, Louis Pereira bagged a brace of wickets and Tally O'Farrell capped a fine all round performance with 3 for 6 to secure a nine run win for Longparish U15.
Sunday Friendly Fixtures
Coooooontinue to be held on Sundays
There was a fun do up at St Marybourne where Rory Kerr impressed with bat with 38 at the top of the order, William Samways added 45 and Jack Proctor took two wickets.
The home game against Southampton based Merlin was a bit of a run fest. Luke Benzing struck 25, Sam Gardner 27, Ben Gardner 46 and Justin Jackman 51.
With the exam season upon us there has been a brief hiatus in Sunday friendly games but fixtures resume in the coming weeks (details on website) if you would like a game on a Sunday (for fun or to find form) please contact Martin Bearpark
The Ground
Has greened up a little but the track remains full of runs and the outfield has moved from the taupe of early May to a verdant green. Thank you to everyone who has drained their vegetables or emptied their bathwater on to the outfield this past month, every little helps and it seems to have made a difference. Mowers have been whizzing and banging about the ground constantly and well done and thank you to Paul Blackmore and Alan Longden for all that they do around the ground. Rain is not a problem other than on match day as the ground retains a huge capacity to soak up most of what has fallen and will fall in the coming months so keep bringing the bath and bog water and any other fluids that you are no longer in need of, bodily or otherwise.
On the thatch front we have managed to secure six reeds and four bits of straw, which is a start, but to my eye we need some way north of nine hundred bits of straw. A swarthy thatcher man with rough hands suggested the thing could cost forty thousand pounds for a bespoke affair formed from golden bits of reed. Our quest for a universal "one size fits all" thatch continues on Ebay and other corners of the internet, with proposals of an inflatable thatch being considered. Those brim full of urban enlightenment are now moving away from the roof idea and building swimming pools and home cinemas underground this is also something under consideration. We don't have forty thousand pounds for a bespoke thatch formed from golden reed and the net surfaces desperately need a refurb that could come in at five figures. The dream of a Media Centre replete with Sky TV and a fridge full of cold cuts and beer currently lies in tatters so in the event that nobody steps forward with a spare thatch roof that they have in the loft or garage can we all agree to meet at the ground in five years time with spades, adze and canaries to dig the world's first underground pavilion..
Match Ball Sponsors and Donations
Thank you very much to everyone who stumped up for Match Balls at £15 a pop. It is very much appreciated all balls now have sponsors, (even some that shouldn't). Thanks also for the substantial donation from a departing pair of Colts' and their family that has been used to purchase colts equipment and sponsor the balls and much more besides on Colts day in September (date on website under Sunday Friendly Fixtures)
Hundred Club Draw - May
Thank you to everyone who wrote in with their font of first choice to herald the winners of this month's hundred club draw.
An Emperor N Bonaparte, St Helena writes:
Salutations mes amis de Sainte-Helene. J'espere que vous allez tous bien. Le temps a ete un peu inclemant tard et ma toux est un peu pire...
Stop right there Emps, and cease speaking in tongues, we're not in Europe now you know. Please continue in the mother tongue.
Of course, whatever was I thinking off. While in exile in Elba I enjoyed casting a net with the locals and although I do say so myself, became quite good at it,
Cough, Cough, Splutter,
excuse me.
Sardines were our quarry and the font Monotype Corsiva stirs something inside me as it is redolent of the font used to write the names on the small white fishing boats of Elba. A small thing I know and but for an army of a hundred thousand or more demanding my return to lead their march on Paris I could quite happily have lived out my years fishing for Sardines on
Cough, Cough, Splutter,
excuse me,
that idyllic isle
Always a popular choice. Monotype Corsiva it is Emperor,
I'd see someone about that cough.
£35 Conal Proctor £15 Graham Darrah £15 Anne Hammond
If anyone out there (emperor or otherwise) 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.