MAD News & Occasional Blog
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“2007 - Eastbourne Tour!” Despite the alarmist view that only old
people holiday in Eastbourne awaiting their predictable demise, the Mad
enjoyed a successful 2007 Tour of the region and even managed to return
without any deaths among the party.
Many thanks to James Hoskins for organising the
trip – especially the match he underwrote against Worthing CCC where a South
African youngster was unleashed on us bowling in excess of
80mph! Reports and other particulars from the trip
can be found in the usual place among the “Match Reports” section. |
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“2007 - Pembroke Floods!” With
most of England submerged under the summer floodwaters, groundsman Kev,
braved the waters with his fishing wellies and snapped the scenes down at our
home of Pembroke College Sports Ground. Needless to say
the game against Wootton & Bladon CC was called off on the Sunday 22,
July….
The neighbouring ground of Corpus Christi faired
little better, although the much-improved pavilion did a passable homage to a
castle surrounded by its moat. Point of note, the ground was turned over to
some hippies growing
fruit and veg some few year later….
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“2007 - The MAD Invade Lords!”
Friday, July 6 saw the Far from the MCC finally
celebrate a successful Social Day under the careful supervision of new Club
Secretary, Nick Hebbes. The day comprised of getting totally sloshed in
London and watching a Twenty20 extravaganza at the home of cricket. A full
report from the day, and pictures thereof, can be found in the
“Miscellaneous” section within the Match Reports. Well done, Nick – I’m sure you enjoyed every minute of looking after the
club’s irresponsible children…. |
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“Moo Boy is now THE MAN!?”
Martin
Westmoreland followed up his unbeaten knock of 106 against Hanney CC, to post
a new MAD individual high scoring record of 109 not out against the Oxford
University Offices. Congratulations to him and because of his innings(s), he
is now The Man to beat – or at least he would have been if Gary
Littlechild hadn’t hit 117 not out against Hanney CC
a few weeks later. Then oif course there was Ian
Howarth’s 112 a year after that and James Pearson’s 113 not out in 2014. Of
course, Dave Shorten might likely have topped the lot if he hadn’t run out of partners when stranded on 103* the same
year…. |
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“2005 - Minehead Tour!” The Far from the MCC made it a hat-trick of
consecutive visits to Minehead in 2005, and also
enjoyed some great coastal weather. Despite winning only 33.3333333333% of
their matches, it was deemed a huge success with many wonderful highlights.
Amongst the varied and happy memories, is the iconic imagery of Thornton
Smith’s campervan doubling as a scoreboard at Watchet CC. Time advances, but the team will maybe one day
return… maybe in 2017.
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“The Worst ground in the UK!” Unloved
and given over to rabid dogs and local chavs, Cowley Marshes flew the flag
for all that was wrong with council pitches in England in 2005. The legendary
graffiti etched in the minds of the unfortunates who played there….
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“MAD Return to Minehead!” After a successful and highly enjoyable tour to
the Minehead region of Somerset in 2003, the team returned in a sun blessed
2004 to enjoy a 75% winning ratio of matches played. One of the standout
performances was by Jake Hotson, who managed to juggle a kettle of boiling
hot water whilst utterly inebriated at four in the morning….
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“Rock Hard!”
Australian
import and dark-thought harbouring novelist, Antony Mann, proved in 2003 that
using your face against hostile bowling was definitely the
way forward. Quoted after butting a rising delivery at Pembroke College, he
added “you soft pommy bastards ain’t
got shit – bring it on.” |
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“MAD Curry 2000!” An old tradition before The MAD became too attached
to the pub, was a group curry post AGM. In the rare photo below, Mr Noel Reilly
has pulled two birds (Clare Norris and Ruth Lester) and ushered the team from
his pub to the Bombay restaurant just up the road on Walton Street. The eagle-eyed
will note Jake Hotson (left) enjoying a smoke “indoors”….
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“The MAD 2000 AGM!” Matt Bullock (centre) and a guy on the right who
eloped after murdering his nanny, help Antony Mann (left) celebrate his Player of
the Season award at the Jude Obscure pub in Jericho. The exact date is unknown as
is the current whereabouts of Mr R. J. B. Hadfield.
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“The Jude and the Manders!” An early snap dated around the millennium of team
members enjoying themselves in the club house (the pub). Young Ben Mander and
his dad (Tony) are seated at the front to the left. The first captain of the
club, Ed Lester is sat between his wife and a smug Aussie who now lives back
down under.
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“A Cricket Club is Formed!” A
beautifully captured hi-resolution photo captured outside the Jude the
Obscure pub, Jericho in late 1997 or early 1998 – defining the birth of this
cricket team. The gentleman at the bottom, centred, is the landlord Noel
Reilly, now posthumous patron to the club. Nobody knows who the bicycle
belonged to or who some of the blurry people are, but one would imagine
drunk.
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