Archive - 2014
2014 Results
Month
Date
Opponent
Results
Match Stats
Comments
MAY
HAC
Saturday
3rd May 2014
Draw
Moose CC 245-7, Hinchliffe 71, Munro 54
HAC 187-6
-
MAY
NETS
Thursday
8th May 2014
-
-
-
MAY
BLOEMANDAAL
Thursday
15th May 2014
HOLLAND TOUR
Moose Win
Moose CC 228-9, Brawn 45, Morten 31
Bloomendaal CC 152-7, Hinchliffe 3-19
-
MAY
ZAMIGOS
Friday
16th May 2014
HOLLAND TOUR
Moose Win
Zamigos 170 all out, Burnett 2-7
Moose CC 171-1, Howie 84*, Rudkin 59
-
MAY
SGS
Saturday
17th May 2014
HOLLAND TOUR
Moose Win
Moose CC 250-4, Thomson 100*, Munro 86
Gelre CC 168-6, Brawn 1-9
-
MAY
BUZZARDS
Saturday
31st May 2014
- CANCELLED -
- CANCELLED -
- CANCELLED -
JUNE
GRIFFIN T20
Sunday
15th June 2014
Moose Win
-
-
JUNE
RUTTERS T20
Wednesday
18th June 2014
-
-
-
JUNE
THE GRIFFIN
Sunday
29th June 2014
Moose Win
McGahan 66
T Ogden 3-25
-
JULY
IN & OUT CLUB
Sunday
6th July 2014
- CANCELLED -
- CANCELLED -
- CANCELLED -
JULY
FALCONHURST
Saturday
12th July 2014
Moose Win
C Brown 51
J Howie 3-12
-
JULY
BALDWINS
Sunday
27th July 2014
Moose Win
Rudkin 123*, T Ogden 55
Howie 4-26
-
AUGUST
GOBLINS
Saturday
2nd August 2014
Lost
Howie 5-24
-
AUGUST
BLUEMANTLE'S
Wednesday
6th August 2014
Moose Win
Rudkin 54, Biker 53
-
AUGUST
BOMBAY TAILORS
Saturday
9th August 2014
Moose Win
Hinchliffe 99, Howie 91*
P Kearney 5-25
-
AUGUST
WALDRON
Sunday
17th August 2014
Draw
Harris 3-39
Hinchliffe 61
-
SEPTEMBER
RASCALS
Sunday
14th September 2014
Moose Win
Munro 90
-
SEPTEMBER
CHELSEA ARTS CLUB
Saturday
20th September 2014
Draw
Thomson 31
Howie 4-44
-
OCTOBER
AUTUMN GOLF DAY
Friday
3rd October 2014
GOLF DAY
-
1. Paddy Butler & Stephen Yorke 81 with 8 pars
& winners of the Harris Trophy
2. Jeremy Burke & James Howie 81 with 7 pars
3. Rupert Harris & Andy James 82
Closest to the Pin - Louie Munro
Longest Drive - Jeremy Burke
-
NOVEMBER
MOOSE GATHERING
Thursday
27th November 2014
GATHERING
-
-
-
2014 Results Summary
Results
Number of Games
Won
11
Draw
3
Loss
1
Cancel
1
2014 Batting Averages
Batsman
Innings
Catches
Not-Outs
Runs
Average
* Based on minimum of 4 innings
1
H Rudkin
9
2
1
365
45.6
2
R Thomson
7
0
1
246
41
3
C Hinchliffe
12
7
2
384
38.4
4
J Howie
14
6
5
342
38
5
L Munro
11
3
0
374
34
6
T Ogden
5
2
1
112
28
7
P Kearney
4
5
1
80
26.7
8
S Morton
10
1
1
197
21.9
9
M McGahan
4
0
0
74
18.5
10
J Burke
4
0
1
46
15.3
2014 Bowling Averages
Bowlers
Overs
Maidens
Runs
Wickets
Strike Rate
Runs Per Over
1
A Brawn
17
7
38
5
7.6
2.24
2
T Ogden
53
5
208
7
29.71
3.92
3
P Kearney
26
1
104
10
10.4
4
4
H McGahan
57
5
238
10
23.8
4.18
5
J Burnett
19
2
93
9
10.33
4.89
6
M McGahan
24.2
2
122
8
15.25
5.04
7
W Morrish
31
5
157
3
52.33
5.06
8
J Howie
95.1
11
507
31
16.35
5.33
9
C Hinchliffe
31
1
179
11
16.27
5.77
10
R Harris
39.2
0
259
11
23.55
6.61
* Based on minimum of 15 overs
Top Run Scorers & Top Wicket Takers
Top Run Scorers
Runs
Top Wicket Takers
Wickets
1
C Hinchliffe
384
1
J Howie
31
2
L Munro
374
2
McGahan
11
3
H Rudkin
365
3=
R Harris
11
4
J Howie
342
3=
C Hinchliffe
11
5
R Thomson
246
5
P Kearney
10
Autumn Golf Day, 3rd October 2014
-
Paddy Butler & Stephen Yorke 81 with 8 pars... winners of the Harris Trophy
-
Jeremy Burke & James Howie 81 with 7 pars
-
Rupert Harris & Andy James 82
​
Closest to the Pin - Louie Munro
Longest Drive - Jeremy Burke
A very proud Stephen Yorke with the Harris Trophy along with Jem Burke and Louie Munro
Moose CC v Chelsea Arts Club, 20th September 2014
The final game of the season took place in Dunsfold, Surrey, against the Chelsea Arts Club. Once again, in spite of an rigidly organised timetable set out by skipper Munro, Howie missed the train down. The captain sacrificed himself and H McGahan and waited at Godalming station for the creature, Morrish also turning up very late for their shuttle run having driven from Timbuk 2. The team assembled at the ground and once more welcomed the fearsome Jonny Bass to add gumption to the attack. The square was an unnerving dark green shade and the amount of wormcasts present ruined a potentially magnificent game of mushy between Hinchliffe, Thomson and Morten.
​
Once rumours of cancellation were quashed and Howie had outrageously announced his arrival at the ground, the Moose were in bat. A bat start materialised, Howie flicking a slow full toss into the gleeful old hands of square leg. Hinchliffe joined McGahan at the crease to try to rebuild, with the latter showing some stylish cover drives. These perhaps became too much of a focal point for him however as he chased one wide one too many and schnicked off. Hinchliffe showed good signs but hit one back to the opening bowler, who by this stage had his tail well and truly up. Thomson showed once more his ability to hit the cricket ball extremely hard, but he too fell having made a good start. The failure to convert starts continued, Munro looking to shepherd the tail towards the end of the innings but falling for hard-earned 28. The Moose had limped to 119 all out and retired to the pub for a spot of lunch and to lick their wounds.
​
Lunch was provided by the pub itself and was fantastic. The jaded Moosey soldiers took on board what they could and spoke at length about the Premiership, with McGahan coming to the fore. An 8/10.
​
Moosey had to hit their straps early and perhaps didn't quite live up to that, with J Bass and McGahan bowling well but the vital wickets evading them. The opposition top 5 were accumulating runs well but the Moose were chipping away in the form of Howie and McGahan who returned for hugely effective second spell. The CAC tail looked in no mood to finish off the run chase falling a few short, ending up on 105-8 with suspense running amok within the Moose playing and non-playing members. Special mention should go to the CAC opening bowler and no. 4 batter, who took 6 wickets and could have carried them home with the bat had his esteemed colleague not run him out.
​
And so the season was over and a highly successful one it was too. McGahan took over the reigns as head of post-match entertainment in Rudkin's absence and introduced Moosey to a darts game named Shanghai.
Moose CC v Rascals, 14th September 2014
As the sun begins to set earlier and the season draws to a close, the Moose CC were psyched up for their penultimate game of the year against the Rascals. Skipper C Hinchliffe hardly led from the front at the start of the day, arriving just before kick off thanks to Munro’s tardiness in arriving at Clapham South despite the quality of the bacon sarnies on offer. The skipper du jour correctly called heads at the toss and it would have been rude not to have batted in good conditions. Rudkin and James were sent in at the top of the order and Moosey struggled to find early rhythm as Rudkin fell early for 4 to a beautiful short and wide delivery and James was missing the fluency of earlier in the season. Enter Munro whose batting immediately appeared more pleasant than his hangover. Working well with the season’s most brutal hitter Thomson, the two put their foots to the floor. Controversy reared its ugly but interesting head, Munro calling Thomson through for a dreadful single only for the keeper to spill the ball and break the bails with his cymbals. Umpire Rupe de Moose Harris, unsighted initially, gave Thomson out only for certain members of the opposition sportingly calling him back. One oppo player provided vocal refusals of this U-turn, but his efforts were thwarted by the might of common sense. Thomson did not last for much longer having sprinted to 40, but Kearney took over from where he left off and Munro continued cruising towards 3 figures. Kearney fell short of his half century and the captain strode to the crease to join Munro, who then fell for a fine 90. Comedy moment of the day once again fell to the feet of Burnett, falling for a golden quacker - there were murmurs amongst the crowd that he had done something in a past life and karma dictated that he now consistently makes a tool out of himself. A Hinchliffe, on his season debut, walked to the crease with what only seemed to be 4.5 paces and saw off the hat-trick ball with typical unease. The brothers combined to tee off at the back end of the innings, Hinchliffe Jnr. rotating strike nicely and Hinchliffe Snr. embarrassing himself with the kind of late-innings hitting that Stevie Wonder would have pitied. A mammoth 280 was set after 35 overs.
​
Tea was a delight and perhaps provided some of the best cake of the season, a fine lemon drizzle effort. 7.5/10.
​
The start of the Rascals’ innings wasn’t ideal, with some wayward post-tea bowling aiding the chasers’ cause. Ogden struck first having the cheeky opener caught at first slip but could not make further inroads. Kearney and A Hinchliffe replaced the two openers and to good effect, Hinchliffe’s bowling cramping the batsmen and drying up the run rate and Kearney’s glorious slower ball accounting once or twice for opposition scalps. The effort in the field was second to none. Even the pair of Burnett and Rudkin were backing each other up during run-out attempts, putting the tribulations of the early season behind them and sharing opportunities to try an uproot their victim. The brakes had been slammed on and as the Rascals tried to push on, Moosey reverted to the spin of Harris who once again bamboozled the oppo with some vintage F&G. This accounted for several batters and James was backing up his bowlers superbly behind the sticks. As the 10 wickets approached, H McGahan was reinstated into the attack and bowled a hugely effective spell of death bowling. It obviously frustrated the Rascals, as a particularly curious series of events ensued. Having pinned one batter on the knee roll, the opposition umpire signalled a wide delivery. Even following the most polite of remonstrations from Moose ranks, the umpire stood by his decision despite it being against quite simply one of the basic rules of the entire sport. Sarcastic shouts of ‘WIIIIIIDDDE BALLL’ were let out by the fielders after the following delivery was dispatched to the straight boundary. Umpire Stuart Stubborn stuck to his guns and duly wided the bowler, only for the promising Rascals teenager to fall during one of the resulting extra deliveries of McGahan’s over. A tragic state of affairs. Rob Thomson then came on to take 2-for in one over, flummoxing the tail-enders with mental Chinamen.
​
The game was won by 90-odd runs and the teams retired to The Bell to dissect the performance and talk heatedly about the run scoring charts, with Rudkin’s crown all but relinquished.
Moose CC v Bombay Tailors CC, 9th August 2014
The much anticipated match vs the Bombay Tailors was unaffected by the back-end of Hurricane Bertha, although overnight rain had seeped through the covers at Ardingly College to result in one very juicy end. The opposition were much changed from last year and had put together a very strong side, especially in the batting department. Tailors skipper Ed Miller had no hesitation in bowling first upon winning the toss.
​
A steady start played out early on but Max McGahan was the first to fall to the slowness of the pitch offering a leading edge to short cover. Hinchliffe came in at number three with a recent run tally that was dryer than Gandhi’s flip flop. To start with he was a mere spectator as C Brown attacked the bowling, adopting the strategy of ‘if it’s in the V, it’s in the tree’. Moosey had achieved a good rate and the crowd were disappointed to see Brown depart, chasing a slightly wide one and guiding it to first gripper. Munro strolled out and the new pair maintained the strong rate, running well and dispatching the bad deliveries. At lunch Moosey were well set with 140 on the board after 20 overs for the loss of just 2 wickets.
​
Both sides were treated to the culinary delights of Drew Howie who yet again produced a quite stunning spread with no shortage of meat. An absolute privilege and a certain 9.5/10, front runner for lunch of the season.
​
After the break the Tailors drew early blood as the left arm slow bowler got one to mis-behave out of the wet zone, the ball spitting viciously and taking the shoulder of his bat to first slip. Hinchliffe passed the half century mark and along with Howie looked to inject impetus into the batting display, with Howie showing the bowlers very little respect indeed. The rate continued to increase and the Moose had a very solid platform. Having cruised through his second 49 runs, Hinchliffe then committed the ultimate cricketing sin by falling on 99, LBW plum as you like. The changing rooms looked as though they had been taken to task by Ben Stokes shortly after this dismissal. It didn’t do much in slowing down the Moose machine with Howie, Blundell-Jones and Kearney hammering the ball. Special mention to Blundell-Jones for avoiding a nasty short delivery despite his best efforts to try and take it in the teeth. Howie finished nine agonising runs short of a rapid ton, Kearney doing a marvelous job in hogging the strike at the end. A daunting 315 was set for the Bombay Tailors to chase.
​
A good start was needed for the Tailors and they lived up to that bill, G Burrough letting off several large fireworks early on with Moosey on the back foot conceding 42 runs from the first 2 overs. The Moose didn’t panic however and patience and sensible field placings saw Burrough succumb to the famous Moosey nous. The other Tailors opener carried on the good work but wickets fell regularly around him as the run rate dropped. Kearney was the star of the show taking 4 wickets in a miserly spell, displaying his slower ball capability. Howie, Ogden and McGahan Snr. all chipped and McGahan Jnr.’s second spell must be mentioned as it was as though the Moose had their very own Pankaj Singh in their ranks. Tension was visible in the air when Brown shelled perhaps the easiest catch of his career to deny H McGahan a much deserved W in the book. The four juggles involved in his attempt exaggerated the clown-like outcome and it was rumoured Brown was later contacted by the circus. There was one more nervous period for the Moose as the Tailors’ number 10 came out blasting it to all parts, Harris taking severe punishment in his brief but eventful spell. His demise was met with huge relief and the Moose polished off the innings and bowled the opposition out to retain the trophy.
​
A great day and another entertaining and competitive match between these two sides more than pleased the adoring fans.
Bluemantles CC v Moose CC, 6th August 2014
Bluemantles Week meant one thing - having to take the Wednesday off work to play the Bluemantles v Moose fixture at the Nevill, home to Tunbridge Wells CC and one of the finest grounds in the region.
​
News reached the car of Sam Biker en route that play would be delayed until after lunch due to heavy rainfall overnight, which was met with deep sighs. Instead of heading out of the ground to create mischief before lunch, Moosey congregated in the nets for a much need twirl and a biff. The heights of jazzerdom must be noted, with members netting in bare feet, whites and suede shoes.
​
Lunch was taken without a ball bowled and the salmon proved energising for the Moose as Luke Fisher and Max McGahan opened up with pace and skill. The run rate to start was far from spectacular and the subsequent pressure built, McGahan schnicking off the Bluemantles opener to first slip. Ogden, Howie Kearney chipped away and the Bluemantles managed to find an extra gear or two, with their dangerous number six launching some fantastic shots. He was removed by a wonderful display of bowling by Kearney, setting him up and finishing him off with a fast yorkie. Hinchliffe also burgled a couple of wickets with his tedious waftas. Fisher displayed his versatility by turning to his off-breaks which brought him instant reward. The Bluemantles were bowled out for 197.
​
Conor Brown and Henry Rudkin opened up and the Moose were not able to impose the usual positive start. Brown succumbed to a straight slow one and Hinchliffe and Munro were not far behind, once again giving their wickets away with dreadful strokes. This brought Biker to the crease and he brought with him a calming influence, enabling Rudkin to play his wide array of cover drives. The two rebuilt effectively and Rudkin reached his fifty off just 38 deliveries. His pleasing strokeplay could not keep the rain again and a short downpour brought the players off, requiring Diane the scorer to set a revised target of 160. This created some fascinating chemistry between herself and Munro and only God knows how that played out. Soon after the return to the field Biker raised his bat for his half century. Rudkin, perhaps a tad overzealous, went for the big shot but failed to connect, seeing his stumps shatter. Kearney and Biker then fell quickly, bringing the big-hitting Fisher to the crease who lived up to the reputation with some fierce striking. Howie, as always seems the case, was there at the end to grab the glory as Moosey cruised home with ample time to spare.
​
Festivities moved onto the George and Dragon in Speldhurst where food and drink were provided in fantastic proportions and quality. The Ros Bairamian Cup was handed to the winning captain as all involved took a moment to remember the great lady.
Goblins CC v Moose CC, 2nd August 2014
he first Saturday of August saw the Moose hit the road to take on the Goblins CC at St John’s College, University of Oxford. Moose and Goblins alike arrived at Paddington with very little time before departure, mounting different carriages of the train to ensure they weren’t left behind. Conversation on the train included a detailed review of Jos Burnett’s net session the night before, with Club Sec Howie disclosing he was smoking it to all parts. It was also disclosed Burnett was so keen to practice piercing the in-field that he headed down early in the morning for round 2.
​
Taxis were summoned for transport to the ground and a short journey through the beautifully picturesque city ensued. The mood was dampened , quite literally, upon our arrival at the ground as the Gods decided to pull their trousers down and release a deluge of precipitation. The two sides took shelter in the fantastic pavilion and Moose Chairman Nick Ogden Esq. took the opportunity to dish out some much vaunted Moosey sweaters, still the best looking in the land. With Moose skipper Howie opting to bat first after the correct call at the toss, the club welcomed back Tom Ogden who had been signed by St Bede’s the Dicker for the early summer months. Skipper Howie was evidently relieved at this arrival, so much so that Ogden was elevated from no. 10 to opener. Ogden Jr. and Pat ‘Henry Olonga’ Kearney started fantastically, scoring aesthetically pleasing runs at a great lick. This start was rudely interrupted by the heavens as they well and truly opened. Play was suspended and an early lunch was taken.
​
The lunch spread was out of this world and up there with the best. A definite 9/10.
​
The rain stopped with several faces maintaining their sombre expressions as play was not expected for a good while. The groundsman however had other ideas and in no time he had maneuvered the covers off and forced us onto the field to resume - Sport of the day goes to him. The break and triple-helpings had obviously affected the Moose and the cause was not helped by the extra spice injected into the pitch. The openers went quickly and Munro and Hinchliffe fell cheaply in unconvincing fashion. Burnett seemed to lack adrenaline and struggled before being put out of his misery and the Goblins bowlers were disciplined and used the pitch to their benefit. Hope rested with Howie but he was also undone by the slowness of the pitch, and some lusty blowers from Orellana-Hyder proved too infrequent. The Moose were bowled out for a modest 100. Ogden and Howie opened up looking to apply early pressure and hunt for wickets. Some accurate bowling was helped by the raging seamer the deck had transformed into, and The Goblins were 50 for 5 come tea time.
​
The game was suddenly back in the balance and spirits were lifted, inspiring the team in the field with some fantastic field work from Kearney and two stunning catches from Rupe de Moose and Hinchliffe. Before anyone knew it, it was squeaky-bum-time. The Goblins showed expert application and the Moose were consistent in hitting their areas. Josh Weston, on Moose debut, showed great control but without the reward he deserved and Marsh displayed top drawer tea-drinking skills in the outfield. The batters edged closer and the bowlers struck at the right moments, but in the end there were just not enough runs to play with and the Goblins came home victorious by one wicket.
​
Showers were taken and the pub was entered, with pints of sausages awaiting the battle-scarred players. A fantastic way to round off a brilliant day. Numbers began to dwindle as several members embarked on their long journeys home, however a strong contingent navigated themselves towards town centre to demonstrate some fancy footwork. Many thanks to the Goblins for the fixture’s organisation.
Moose CC v The Baldwin's, 27th July 2014
On a muggy summers afternoon The Moose C.C. assembled at the Dulwich Community Sports Ground in anticipation of their tussle with the thespian outfit the Baldwin XI. A youthful ensemble including Adam Brawn and Stuart ‘Boundary’ Morten struck fear in the oppositions eyes. With the mean age of the Moose being roughly half of the oppositions, a cautious agreement was made for the Moose, in the words of Henry Rudkin, to put their ‘mums and dads on’. Andy James and Stuart Morten were the burly opening partnership and despite a couple of early boundaries for both batsman neither managed to survive the new ball. On struts Henry Rudkin, the Moose’s form batsman. With the top run scorer accolade in his sights Rudders characteristically dug in early doors. Batsman fell around the seemingly impenetrable Rudkin, Howie missing a straight full toss and Brawn miraculously dollying a sweep to the slips. Rudkin violently accelerated displaying his signature cover drive on numerous occasions punishing the Baldwin’s ill ruthlessly. Edging towards his century, Rudkin shared stands with Macbean who scored a swift 23 and Tom Tom Ogden who hit a ferocious and classy 55. Despite a rocky start the Moose ended just short of 300 with the imperious Rudkin finishing on 120*
​
With a substantial score on the board the Moose mounted the field nonchalantly. An erratic start from H.Mcgahan put pressure on his opening partner Burnett. ‘The Laser’ wasn’t phased in the slightest by the stroke making openers. There were shades of Praveen Kumar in his test career pomp as Jos glided in bowling with inconceivable control and movement. It was no surprise ‘Laser’ was the first to strike, Harry Reilly taking a smart catch of his bowling. Opening batsman Whitmore accelerated impressively putting the Baldwins back into contention. The ship was then steadied by Max Mcgahan and James Howie who both bowled accurately. Despite a powerful 70 from Whitmore batsmen fell around him with wickets shared around the Moose team, the Baldwin’s ending up on 141.
Falconhurst v Moose CC, 12th July 2014
The morning of the Falconhurst fixture started badly, with Howie standing Hinchliffe up having organised a warm-up game of squash at the Home of Cricket. Reports suggested that Howie cannot yet quite drink with the same vigour and stamina as the rest of the popcorn industry. The culprit fittingly missed the train from Ldn Bridge to Cowden, with the Moose arriving (almost) in one go at the Kentish Arms for pre-match hydration. Having expertly dodged the cow-pat travelling to the ground, skipper McGahan reported back to the pavilion that the Moose would wield the willow first. Conor Brown and Morten did well in setting the platform, with a roar erupting from the sidelines as Morten fought through his dry patch to finally reach the boundary. Brown showed measure and brutality as he passed 50 without anyone in the ground realising. A mini collapse ensued, the catalyst appearing in the form of Hinchliffe's dodgy shoulders coming back to haunt. Useful runs from Rudkin and Howie helped the recovery and the Moose were amazed to see the last man standing after the oppo had taken 10 wickets was none other than Burnett. Memorable.
​
Tea was taken after a target of just over 200 was set. Some marvellous sandwiches, chocolate cake and some even better mature candy proved a more than adequate spread - a solid 7.5 out of 10 for tea...
​
McGahan it was with the new-but-not-new cherry and he appeared to target the batsman's strength, the knee-high full-toss outside off stump. A quick start materialised for the home side but it wasn't long before the Moose were amongst the rabbits, with Burnett, tearing in at frightening speeds, starting the rot. McGahan Snr., Harris, Reilly and Howie brought control to the party and each chipped in with wickets of their own. Trickery was amok in the field, with Hinchliffe adding a hefty load of saliva to the ball before sending to Howie, Howie returning the favour by stealthily adding excrements of the neighbouring field's cows when returning it from the boundary later on. Harris took the key wicket of the Falconhurst opener and from then on it was a matter of time before the Moose wrapped it up. A less convincing margin of victory following last year's record breaker, but a victory that was just as valuable. A debrief on the train back took place with Rudkin showing admirable puff when regaling us of his tales with his mate Greg Smith... the stuff of sheer legend.
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Our thanks to our hosts Falconhurst CC, who have the joy of playing on one of the most picturesque grounds on the circuit.
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Allez Moose...
The Griffin v Moose CC, 29th June 2014
Will Morrish(1 for 13) opened up with pace and vigour (no Harris for guidance today) and with Tom Ogden (3 for 25) bowled tight, Ogden ripping through James Pullan in the 6th over, 21 for 1 after 9 overs. Steve Macbean (1 for 26) and Max McGahan (2 for 21) then consolidated the pressure before the Griffin took a likening to the spin twins Rob Thomson and Henry Rudkin who finished with the same figures 3 overs for 31 each. With the Griffin in full flight James Howie (on at the wrong end- short boundary) ( 1 for 55) bowled well with little success. The Moose generously allowed The Griffin to post 191 for 8. Statement by the Chairman to the Captain at tea was you may have wanted to chase 20 fewer!
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Moose were to start slowly and build, Needing 5.5 an over and 30 for 3 after 10 a stiff challenged was faced by Max McGahan (66) who batted with patience, on by now, a difficult wicket. Assisted by the long Moose tail, Rudkin 17, Macbean 21 from his new blade, Ogden 21 and with 22 needed from the last 2 overs Morrish hit hard with 10 leaving the skipper, Andy James, to hit the winning runs on the last ball of the game. Perfect timing and a better greeting for the skipper from the Chairman than at tea!
Moose v The Griffin, Fletching
Moose victorious at Grffrin T20
Moose Amsterdam Tour, 15th-17th May 2014
Moose CC gathered early at Gatwick Airport on the morning of 15th May 2014 to embark on the much anticipated tour to Amsterdam, without forgetting to fit in a crucial game of mushy in the South Terminal prior to check-in. The first near miss and fine of the tour unexpectedly went to club stalwart Rupe ‘de Moose’ Harris, who managed to arrive at Gatwick only to realise he had forgotten his cricketing attire - for a cricket tour. Harris’ penchant for punctuality meant he had enough time to swing back to London in rush hour to grab his gear and make it in time for our departure.
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Upon arriving at Schiphol Airport our steed was ready as soon as we strolled out into the Dutch sunshine, a bus as red as the Devil’s member with a horseshoe seating arrangement at the back giving Moosey the perfect environment to talk tactics and play 21s. Rolling into Bloomendaal CC, rumours had spread of an Australian overseas who had been clocked at 86mph lining up to face the tourists. These rumours were soon to be quashed as sheer sensationalism as openers Charlie Hinchliffe and Stuart Morten were faced with an opening bowling trio with a cumulative age of 32. They were however wiser beyond their years and displayed a true exhibition in taking pace off the ball, playing well to the slow pitch. A slow start ensued as the tourists saw off the new ball contesting large boundaries and a slow outfield, even the rugby-playing arms of Morten not being able to dispatch the ball to the ropes - a feat he would not shirk off on tour. Regular wickets fell and Moose were indebted to the good work of Henry Rudkin and Adam Brawn in taking us to a competitive 220 off 35 overs. Captain and Tour Manager Andy James also contributed to the end of innings rush. A quick tea of vegetables and pepper-flavoured sucking sweets was taken and it was Hinchliffe who opened the attack, taking advantage of opposition mis-judgement of the straight delivery to flatten 3 sets of stumps at 33mph. The pubescent age of the victims must be noted. Harry McGahan, Brawn and Rudkin all bowled much better spells but found Kiwi Paddy hard to shift as he began to make Moosey sweat. The cause wasn’t helped by shoddy fielding, Hinchliffe being most at fault with a very sad sprint in from the boundary only for the ball to drop just over his head and plug for two. The danger man would pile on 80 more runs... His departure signalled the end for the oppo and Moose ran out comfortable winners, but not without a fascinating dual between Brawn and The Wall that was Professor Weeto. Brawn came a distant second best to the inventor of the chocolate hooped cereal. Special mention to the performance of specialist boundary-rider Jos ‘Laser’ Burnett, whose throws reached keeper James sometimes on the 15th bounce, lifting the standards and morale in the field. Post-match lubrication was held by host Gijs ‘Jizz’ de Long and the victorious Moose headed into central Amsterdam for a debrief of epic proportions, with Morten getting the Moose off the mark off the field.
Breakfast of jellied eggs and dodgy sausages was wolfed down before the team headed to the VRA ground at Amstelveen, home of the Dutch national side and one of the best grounds the Moose have set foot on. The Zamigos were the opposition of the day, with McGahan and Brawn bowling well without the deserved reward and containing the curious number three batsman whose style resembled something from the New York Yankees. A good showing from the Zamigos number two took them to 170 with the Moose taking 10 wickets. A notable fielding performance was put in by Social Secretary Louis Munro as we witnessed what can only be described as total mental disintegration when faced with the dolly catch. Two painfully straightforward chances were given and put down and Munro was visibly experiencing severe bowel movements when the ball came his way. What was to happen after tea was tragedy on the proportions of the under-arm delivery scandal of Australia v New Zealand 1981, as skipper James Howie opened the batting with himself. Despite the outrage displayed by all parties, the club Secretary went on to score 84 not out and take Moose to the target. Rudkin also weighed in with a half century of his own, an innings of much higher quality than that of his skipper - he was perhaps inspired by the arrival of Club Chairman Nick Ogden Esq. Victorious Moose then sampled what the opposition’s pavilion had to offer and ceremonies took place, awarding Rudkin with MoM deservedly for his runs and wickets. A short journey was taken into the town centre where the Moose again did themselves no disservice with the locals. There was an early element of mystery to the evening, with McGahan vehemently claiming that tour fast bowler Brawn was in fact former World Snooker Champion and Question of Sport star John Parrott. Upon thorough physical examination from all members of the group, it was upheld that McGahan was indeed correct. Will Morrish took home the effort prize for running in all evening without managing to uproot the stumps of his victim and special mention must go to Wingman Rob Thomson for his night-watchman contribution. Despite Munro’s struggles on the field, he came across a former batting partner from Sweden out of pure coincidence in the Moose’s evening venue. After discussing career averages since they had last attacked the crease together, they took to the showers late on with Munro’s fatigue preventing him from reaching three figures as Hinchliffe, a bag of nerves, couldn’t bear to watch.
The Swedish opener departed to a standing ovation and the Moose took plenty of sausage on board for the long journey to Zupthen to take on the Gelre Invitational XI, captained by none other than Super Mario himself, who had sacrificed a busy karting schedule to take on the tourists. The Moose really did save their best till last, as skipper Harris promoted Thomson to number three. Following James’ departure, what was to be witnessed was some incredibly savage hitting from Thomson, who smashed his way to 100 retired off very few deliveries, blasting the ball to all parts and almost maiming a young member of the raucous crowd in the process. Munro nudged and nerdled himself to a 86, perhaps falling to fatigue for the second time in 12 hours. Moosey had set a daunting target of 250 in 35 overs and the opposition were never close as the deadly opening pair of Hinchliffe and Rudkin kept the batters under the required rate at the start of the innings. Some admirable fielding and catching added to the performance with James pulling off catch of the tour from the vicious pace bowling of Brawn. Fantastic verbal input from Rudkin, and Harris displaying the guile he is renowned for meant Gelre did not come close despite the efforts of Man City FC owner Sheikh Mansour, who had confused his cricket whites with his footy club's away strip. A fantastic Grolsch session with our hosts took place before our train back to Amsterdam, on which the Moose showed true travelling capabilities with the help of some gifts from our friends from Zupthen. The end of tour banquet was held at Mayur Indiaas Restaurant and the Moose thanked Andy James for his impeccable organisation of the tour with some local relics to be enjoyed back in blighty. Certain Moosey members refrained from sneaking liquids into his hand luggage to save him much embarrassment at airport security. The team waltzed into the glitzy venue for the evening, with Rudkin carrying field form into the bar - roommate Burnett later reinforced to the group of Rudkin’s well-documented ability through the covers... McGahan also showed his good tour form on the occasion as he dispatched his victim to all parts of the Ibis, only to be rudely run out by Morton, Munro and Hinchliffe. Munro also managed to run into his paternal father, but relations with the incumbent son were tense to say the least.
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A sad journey back to terra firma ensued on Sunday morning after one of the most memorable experiences for the members who took part. Special mention again to Andy James for wicket-keeping prowess and designing a tour schedule that ran like clockwork - we will never forget his efforts in preparing a superb 3 days. Special thanks must also go to our Dutch hosts, who showed us nothing but warm receptions and sheer generosity in playing and fuelling us. Three in three to follow on from a positive start at the HAC.
Allez Moose
Honourable Artillery Company CC v Moose CC, 3rd May 2014
And so here we are, the start of the Moosey season 2014, and what better place to start than the home of our newest fixture, the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the City of London. With the sun shining and the ground looking stunning, Skipper Andy James had no hesitation in winning the toss and batting first after a couple of sodas at the Master Gunner. Alex MacDonald and Stuart Morton were the chosen ones to open up, and they more than satisfied the following batters’ requests of a solid start with a mixture of caressing strokeplay and early season rust. They exceeded all expectation in taking us past 50 at 13 overs. MacDonald, having looked so comfortable, was then pinned in front of all three giving good friend and umpire Harry McGahan no choice but to raise the dreaded finger. Relations between the two remained frosty until after tea. Morton followed shortly after for 41 having been flummoxed by a straight one. Munro and Hinchliffe were the fresh meat at the crease and, having negotiated the tricky start on a slow pitch, began to play fluently as the opposition bowlers began to flag, Munro taking a particular liking to the left arm slow bowling of Phil Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel Air. He fell to a beauty from Shahid Afridi having scored 54, new batsman Howie then falling cheaply to the pitch’s slowness as the Moose looked to kick on. The fall of Hinchliffe for 71 to the HAC’s 100 year-old elder statesman introduced a galvanised middle-to-lower order, and very useful runs from Rudkin, Burnett and James took the Moose to 244-6 declared.
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Tea provided was a melange of numerous meal deals from the adjacent Tesco. Being some Moosey members’ 2nd MD of the day and the fact that you can’t go wrong with them, this was deemed as about par - a 6/10.
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What was to come may not go down as the Moosey’s finest bowling hour. A run out in the 2nd over was just reward for the early efforts of opening bowlers McGahan and Morrish who had obviously wintered well. They bowled with skill and energy but without the luck that they deserved until McGahan sent the HAC’s dangerous opener packing with a superb yorker. Keeper-bowler Hinchliffe then entered the fray to send down 4 overs of utter filth, picking up 2 wickets with his stock delivery, the waist-high full toss. Special mention to MacDonald’s tremendous catch at mid-on for the second of these - champagne moment. Howie at the other end was displaying good control, but the HAC’s stocky big hitter was depositing anything on a length over cow corner for some of the biggest maximums you will lay your eyes on. Suddenly 244 was looking very getable, so his departure for 58 was met with Moosey relief. The HAC lower order was then resigned to shutting up shop and the Moose were unable to penetrate their resilience - they fell 50 odd runs short for 6 down.
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The day was rounded off and reminisced with some lubrication in the Artillery Arms. Many thanks to the HAC for their hospitality, the day was one of thorough enjoyment and was a great way to kick off the season.
Moose Prize Giving
Prize giving time at the Moose Winter Curry
RIP
Francis Pemberton aka 'Pembers', has sadly died after a short illness. His laughter and general bonhomie will be sorely missed both on and off the pitch
Moose Amsterdam Tour
Moose CC have recently returned from Amsterdam having successfully avenged England's defeat in their recent 20/20 fixture against Holland, winning 3 out of their 3 games and showing notable ability off the field. The main details of the trip are now in the Match Reportssection.
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Having started the season off in the best way possible, now comes the main bulk of the fine English season and the recruitment drive is well under way. So dust off the whites and loosen those shoulders as there are plenty of games to get your teeth stuck into. Cast an eye over the fixture list and get in touch with the skipper of the day.
