Whitchurch Cricket Players
Current players
Below is a distinguished selection of our regular players. We are always keen to welcome new players, so contact us to find out about joining us for a game.
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Lyn "Look You" Williams | Club Captain Signed from Tonypandy Tonkers in the 1986 transfer window, Lyn is the team's token Welshman. He started his career with Whitchurch as a fielder in the same mould as Colin Bland and Jonty Rhodes but since then has learned to bat and bowl. |
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Cormac "Liam" Neeson | Saturday Captain Signed from Ballykissangel Barbarians, Cormac bears an uncanny resemblance to Hollywood legend Liam Neeson, which is no doubt why he is the self-styled leader of the Whitchurch 'brat pack'. Not the most sartorially elegant cricketer due to the lack of an iron in the Neeson household. |
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Duncan Seward | Saturday Vice-Captain Unconfirmed rumour has it that as a tour virgin, Duncan was the perpetrator of the Northamptonshire Toilet Disaster 2002. When not disgracing himself, he likes to open the batting. |
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James "Jimbo" Shanahan | Sunday Captain Leading light in the 'international' squad, James joined us from Mandela Maulers. Used to the harder tracks of South Africa, his technique is to pitch the ball short. A big mistake at Whitchurch! |
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Mike "Buttie" Butt | Club Chairman Transferred from Ruislip Manor at the start of the 1977 Season, Mike has been virtually ever present ever since. A useful opening bat in days gone by and a tricky slow bowler with a useful wrist action, he is now Club Captain and Number One in the Whitchurch Boat Race Team. |
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Andy Arthur A recent signing for Whitchurch who topped the batting averages in his first season with us. |
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Ian Ashworth |
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Dominic Attard Now a regular in the Sunday side, Dom's also our resident West Ham fan, ruling him out of Whitchurch's transfer market dealings. |
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Alastair Batchelor |
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Matt Chapple Matt made a welcome debut for us at Aldermaston this season. |
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Musab Chaudhary Outstanding in the field: don't even think about that quick single if the ball's heading in Musab's direction. |
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Tim Close Closey's our one-man Australian division (and don't we know about it) and a leading light in establishing the Whitchurch Colts programme. |
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Matt Cook The reluctant keeper almost tops the season averages after one game behind the stumps. |
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Robin Cotgreave Once removed the stumps of two batsmen in his opening over, prompting the opposition to play for a draw with just 5 balls gone. Has still not been forgiven by his teammates as it was bloody cold and they froze their nuts off. |
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Owen Darbishire Owen was dispatched to Lord's to see what we could learn from England or the West Indies recently. When the answer came back 'not much' we were a bit surprised. Now all is clear. |
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Dodsey |
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Chris Ellard |
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Matt Flood |
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Chris "Grogie" Grogan Chris likes to take his cricket seriously: a fact normally attributed to his Yorkshire upbringing. He's famous for refusing to walk on the 2001 Devon tour when the snick was heard in Cornwall, as well as for going on a celebration run around the Whitchurch Oval shouting "Yes, yes, yes!" after bowling a 10 year-old. No wonder he was once tied up and left to repent in a phone box whilst on Tour. |
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Richard Hand |
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Rob Hayes |
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Dave "The Horse Waterer" Hill Banana Boy hails from South Africa and is the Whitchurch's official Resident Comedian. Bucket hands can be found fielding in the slips, and thinks he can still leap like a Springbok. A heavily sedated one, perhaps. -Ed.] Dave's most significant contributions to club are perhaps introducing James Shanahan and possibly being the only "Quinquagenarian" [tr. fairly old man - Ed.] to score a century for the club. |
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Geraint "G" Jones Missing in action. Last spotted a long way down the M4. Failed to turn up for breakfast on tour in France. Large fine still accruing. |
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Ronnie Khan The first, and possibly only, Whitchurch player to have proposed in front of the team in a restaurant in Cape Town. |
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Alan Kydd |
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Richard Leach |
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David Mattimoe | Secretary Quick in the field, though not quite quick enough at the AGM to avoid re-election as Club Secretary. Best known for his ability to conjure any form of step from a few bits of old decking. |
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Jamie Nixon |
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Jim Power | Treasurer Originally found his way into the team on the "having a pulse" criteria, Jim has rapidly moved up to fill the all-important "specialist number 11" slot and now has his eye on promotion to 10 and possibly 9th-change bowler. |
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Sid Rashid |
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Sean "Foxy" Renard Sean is our Zimbabwean International... at Sudoku. Formerly a child prodigy with Bulawayo Bouncers, he soon moved on to Mugabe Mashers. It was from here that he transferred to Whitchurch for a club record signing on fee of 985 trillion billion Zimbabwean dollars (10p). Keeps wicket. Owns the smartest kit in the club. Rarely to be seen without a pipe stuffed with Old Jockstrap tobacco in his mouth. |
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Chris "Rusty" Russell Rusty loves driving... not through the covers as one might hope, but in his car as he travels up from Petersfield in Hampshire for every game. A mean left arm over and a swishy right hand bat. |
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Pete Shufflebotham |
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John Steward Topped the bowling averages in his Whitchurch debut season. Not a bad start then... |
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Paul Struthers Wicketkeeper and scorer of a fine early-season century. |
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Travis McRae |
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Pete "Horse" Welch "Horse" is so named not because of any appendage about his person but because he has bred them. A true fast fit all rounder who has progressed from the middle order to be one of the club's most consistent openers, he is also a man of mean pace. Talking of which, don't make him cross! |
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Harry "Bandana" Williams A leading alumnus of the Whitchurch academy system, Harry is his father's son and hotly tipped to be an even better player. Cool under pressure, Harry even makes time to adjust his hair before taking a catch. |
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"Scooby" Williams Scooby is the latest in the long line of Williams' starring for the club, following father Lyn and brother Harry. Expectations are high. |
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Steve "Long Hop" Willis Signed in 1985 from Gillingham Football Club where he was a goalscoring legend, Steve earned his nickname when two amazing overs at Wallingford cost Whitchurch a match they were cruising. Can't bat, can't catch, can't run... but incredibly still allowed to bowl. Acting Fixture Secretary "I'll do it just for a few seasons" from 1988 to 2009. |
Some Past Players
We'll be endeavouring to track down some old Whitchurch players and let you know what they are doing these days.
In the meantime, here are some names to savour...
Malcolm "Oooh Ma Bloody Leg" Parkinson
Chris "Round The" Horne
News
Planning Application
Cricket Club supports planning application based on agreement reached with the Parish Council.
Read our agreement that protects cricket in Whitchurch and improves village facilities.
Valiant Rearguard Action
Whitchurch draw vs Stonor
Captain's Report: Drowning men found close to Thames
Whitchurch clung on like a drowning man to a straw as they scraped a draw on Saturday. Stonor posted 253, with one of the openers scoring 120+, despite being dropped on 20 (Don't worry Lewis, Brian Lara scored 500 after he was dropped once). However a strong rearguard action from Craig Hampton and Dominic Motha saw us home.
Catches Win Matches
Whitchurch win away against United Oxford Hospitals CC
Captain's Report: 3 good catches from Mark, Lewis and Jon for Whitchurch wasn't matched by United Oxford Hospitals who proceeded to drop the Whitchurch skipper at regular intervals, allowing him to score 58. 3 wickets each for Mark and Nick, and an excellent spell of bowling by Andrew bowled UOH out for 162. Runs for Jack, Nick, Lewis and 'the lucky one' ensured that Whitchurch eventually ran out the victors by 4 wickets.
Boat Race Glory
Captain's Report: Williams L, Mutepfa, Charlton, Crist, Haggerty, Kilford A, and Steward Win Back Boat Race Title.
If only they could play cricket with the same aplomb that they can drink!! A 30-over game straddling the football saw Whitchurch run up 162 for 9 with Jack G back from his exams and back in the runs, and Hicksey brilliantly protecting his average. In reply Jack Frost recovered well from 85 for 5 to eventually win by 2 wickets with 3 overs in hand. And another catch for the boy wonder: that's 2 for the season and counting.
Sunday Best?
A victorious Whitchurch side.
(links to Henley Standard website).
Captain's Report: Everybody remembers their first !!
Whitchurch were led to victory at Checkendon on Sunday by Matt Kilford taking his first catch for the Club at the tender age of 11. Notable contributions from Andy, Lyn and Alan (proud father) with the ball ensured that Checkendon were bowled out for 139 at tea. After tea Robbie, Andrew and Nick made sure that the score kept ticking over despite the loss of a few wickets; Whitchurch eventually winning by 4 wickets with 8 overs in hand.
Headcase Skipper
Nepotists win
Captain's Report: A&E waiting times improving in Reading. Whitchurch bowled and fielded brilliantly before tea to restrict Nepotists to 160 for 8. How well we did, or didn't, bat after tea in being bowled out for 84 is a complete blank: having my head stitched back together by Zia (the very nice nurse) in A&E at the time. If Whitchurch could have batted for the same length of time I was in A&E – 3hrs 2mins – we would have won easily.
Pea Shelling
Whitchurch lose to Star 2009
Captain's Report: New Pea-Shelling Plant Opens in Whitchurch.
The Whitchurch team put their recent intensive training in pea-shelling to good use on Saturday by dropping 7 catches, which allowed Star to amass 231 runs in their innings.
Whitchurch made a good fist of a response with Closey and Duncan in particular putting in fine batting performances. However the run rate proved to much for the lower order and we were all out for 180.
10 Significant Figures
Whitchurch beat Goring
Captain's Report: Caught and bowled surprise – one very sharp and one relatively easy caught and bowled chance by Andy and Alan respectively – they never do that off my bowling!! - restricted Goring to 169 for 6. After tea, and without the usual alarms, Whitchurch chased the score down for the loss of only four wickets and with 8 overs to spare. More runs for Andrew, who says his average is now 134.3426759 – not that he's counting.
Bright Future
Whitchurch beat Hetaroi
Captain's Report: Congratulations to Lewis Crawleygay on scoring a 50 in his first game of cricket ever! Put Whitchurch on track for a good win against Hetaroi, who scored 180 in their innings, and Whitchurch even managed a customary mini collapse to make things a bit more interesting. Congrats also to Duncan on 5 for 31 off 11 overs. A fine spell of dibbley-dobbley bowling.