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Oxfordshire Friendly Cup
(Updated to end of Season
2021)
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The Far from the MCC were
invited by Keith Whiter (Isis CC) to first participate in the Friendly Cup in
2016, and in doing so did well enough to reach the final before losing to the
Oxon County
Council Staff CC in what was a beautiful advertisement for acronyms (FFTMCC v
OCCSCC). An enjoyable backdrop and distraction from regular Sunday (friendly)
cricket, the competition has been going since as far back as 1989, and a
brief history is found below, co-written by the hands of Nigel Hessey (Moreton)
and Ian Howarth (FFTMCC). The MAD withdrew from the
competition in the fall of 2021. |
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“Friendly
Cup History”
(contribution
by Nigel Hessey – 2019)
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Founding of the competition: The Friendly Cup knock out competition was established
by Moreton CC with the purpose of providing the club with more competitive
cricket, Moreton CC not being in a league and predominantly playing ‘friendly
cricket’. Gerald Howat & Michael Stimpson were the instigators. Documents
to action the establishment of the competition exist from 1987. At a meeting at Old School House, North Moreton on 25th
March 1988 Gerald Howat and Michael Stimpson (Moreton), Rod & Ian Clewley
(Radley), Robert Harvey (Oxon CC Staff) and John Harrison (Blewbury
&Upton) met to agree the regulations of a knock out competition played
over two Sundays, arranged the purchase of a trophy, considered a title for
the competition, decided to explore getting a sponsor and made a draw for the
first round to take place on Sunday June 25th 1989. The play off for 3rd
& 4th place and the final was scheduled for Sunday July 22nd. Regulation 24 stated: ‘All are reminded that the spirit of the Competition is
embraced in its title, The Friendly Cup.’ The original competition involved just 4 clubs playing
45 overs a side matches with bowlers limited to nine overs. The original
members were as follows: * Blewbury & Upton CC * Moreton CC * Oxon County Council Staff CC * Radley (village) CC In 1988, Blewbury were about to join a league, the
other clubs did not play league cricket. Titles considered for the
competition were The Friendly Cup, The Quartet Cup, Isis Cup and Bloxmora
Cup, the last idea being made up of the first two letters of the founding
clubs. The decision on title was made by vote. A sponsor was not found so each club gave £20 towards
buying the trophy. The first final took place between Moreton & Radley on
a hot summer’s day in 1989 & was very keenly contested.
MacDonald Bros (Will and Tom) celebrate whacking tons against the
FFTMCC in the final at Horspath in 2018. Developments: Later (when?) four more clubs joined: (did the
competition go straight up to 8 sides, or 6, then 8?) When did the following clubs join: * Crowmarsh CC (2001?) * Stoke Row CC * Dorchester Dodgers CC (2008) (withdrew
after 2009) * Ipsden CC (2002) * Cuxham CC (withdrew after 2006) * Aldworth CC (2008) * Far from the MCC (2016) (withdrew
after 2021) * Astons CC (2022) In 2001, as only 5 clubs were involved (Stoke Row,
Brightwell, Blewbury, Moreton, Oxon CC Staff), Crowmarsh having resigned and
a 6th club not being found, the competition was run on a league basis with
each club playing two matches. Run rates were an issue! In 2007, the format changed to 40 over matches with
bowlers limited to 8 overs. The Dorchester Dodgers were based on the Dorchester’s
U17’s team coached by Mike Stimpson. They did well to win the competition back
in 2009. 2014: Six a Side Tournament held at Aldworth to
celebrate the Friendly Cup’s 25th anniversary in very wet conditions. 2019: Cholsey to join with Ewelme for the school
holiday period. At the end of the 2021 season after a competition
ruined by rain, the Far from the MCC dutifully withdrew from the Friendly Cup
to be replaced by Astons CC. It would be a FaceTime coin toss that would
scupper Mr Timms and The MAD’s hopes of starring in a third FC Final,
allowing HNCC to compete and win their first trophy (The MAD would instead
organise a friendly thrashing of themselves out at Aldworth).
OCCSCC winners of The Acronym Cup in 2016. Change of Format: At the 2018 AGM, Secretary Ian
Howarth of FFTMCC, suggested changing the format of the Cup to two pools of
four teams playing Round Robin, followed by the top two teams etc playing for
placings. This required an extra match in July, which would bridge the
elongated gap which existed between the second round and the final games in
September. The idea was greeted with enthusiasm by the teams and the
competition details agreed at the 2019 AGM for actioning in 2020. The Pandemic: With a change of format came
a change in world events as the planet was largely shutdown for portions of
2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It blighted the first few months of the
cricket season and as such the Friendly Cup was shelved until 2021 with
friendlies replacing what would have been the final games of the competition. In the case of the FFTMCC,
they arranged to play Ipsden CC, as for whatever reason the two clubs had
somehow avoided playing each other in the competition since The MAD joined
back in 2016. For a write up of the game, please head here (Report). The End: With the final season of MAD
involvement in the cup being largely a washout, they contested a 3rd/4th
place match against Aldworth CC near the Bell Inn. For a write up of this
particular game, please head here (Report). And that, ladies and
gentlemen, is all she wrote. We wish the remaining teams left in the
competition all the very best and may see you out and about on the green
fields in the near future.
* Friendly Cup
Records
Historical Winners of the Friendly Cup
* Historical List of Friendly Cup Secretaries
* Pub Venues that have Hosted a Friendly Cup AGM
‘Nigel
Hessey & Ian Howarth’
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