The final of the Cricketer Cup between the Old Bedfordians and Old Tonbridgians was a nail biting affair, with the OBs emerging victorious by two wickets, with six balls to spare!
This was the first time the Club had reached the final, having come agonisingly close on two earlier occasions. Across their six matches, the OBs drew on thirty five players, demonstrating the depth of talent the Club can call upon.
Remarkably, both sides progressed all the way from the bye round of the competition. This was the first time this had happened since the round was introduced in 2017 to accommodate the growing number of alumni clubs wishing to participate.
The final was the highest-scoring Cricketer Cup Final in its 55-year history. Twice before, the side batting first had passed 300 (the Old Cliftonians in 1993 and the Old Malvernians in 2023), but the aggregate of 579 runs in this match exceeded that of any previous final.
Bowlers endured a tricky day, with only one maiden over recorded in the entire match. Captain Charlie Thurston (07-14) won the toss and chose to bowl. This was hardly a surprise, even on a hot day, given that we had successfully chased in every previous round, twice winning by ten wickets. Tonbridge made a solid start and, after some excellent all-round batting, and competitive bowling from Anish Katechia (15-22) closed on 288 for 6 from their 50 overs.
The consensus among the crowd was that Tonbridge’s total was slightly above par on a flat wicket with a fast outfield, where the boundaries had been brought in closer than usual. The OBs’ reply began well, with the openers racing to 80 before the first wicket fell in the eighth over. Ed Wharton (07-12) took a particular liking to the seam of Tonbridge’s strike bowler, striking a flurry of boundaries before being smartly caught for 53 off 35 balls. Fellow opener Ewan Cox (10-15) batted in similar fashion, scoring 63 from 62 balls and adding 77 in 13 overs with Vedant Somal (16-23).
At 192 for 2, with 23 overs remaining to score just 97, the OBs appeared to have the game sewn up. But a poor spell cost them dearly. Ewan was dismissed via a brilliant leg-side stumping. A potentially match-winning catch in the deep to remove Shiv Patel (04-15) saw OB supporters looking nervous. Former Northants captain Alex Wakely (96-07) chipped one to mid-off, and fellow ex-Northants professionals, wicketkeeper Harry Gouldstone (12-19) and Charlie, also departed fairly quickly. The OBs had now lost six wickets for just 54 runs in 13 overs, leaving them 246 for 8 and still needing 43 to win from 10 overs.
The tension around the ground was palpable, but the OBs still had batsman Ben Slawinski (09-16), partnered firstly by Max Hunt (22-24) and then number ten Alex Rennie (10-19), who was more than capable of holding his end. Against tight bowling and strong fielding, the pair kept the scoreboard moving until Ben broke the deadlock with a pair of boundaries in the 49th over, taking the OBs over the line, bringing up his own fifty in the process, and earning a well-deserved ‘Man of the Match’ award.
After lifting the trophy the team raised a glass in memory of Pete Sowerby (74-85), a long time supporter of the OBCC and who had played in many a Cricketer Cup in his time, in the hope of lifting the trophy, but who had sadly passed away in 2018.
Action shots of the match can be seen on Eagle Connect.
And so it was that the OBs now have their name etched onto the Cricketer Cup for the first time. An outstanding achievement! The strong sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship among the OBs who took part in the campaign shone brightly. Their sense of fun, combined with steely determination and character, saw them over the line to a famous victory.
A huge thank you to Charlie for captaining the side. The administrative side of a campaign like this is often forgotten, and he did a fantastic job. Similarly, stalwart Peter Rowe (03-08) scored every game and was even called upon to field in the Sherborne game. A big thank you to Peter and 12th man Tom Blythman (08-19).
The organisers of the Cricketer Cup have recently instigated an over-50s competition, with ten teams participating. We now have our next challenge: to get our name on that cup!
The OB Cricketer Cup squad:
Charlie Thurston, Ed Wharton, Ewan Cox, Vedant Somal, Shiv Patel, Harry Gouldstone, Alex Wakely, Ben Slawinski, Max Hunt, Alex Rennie, Anish Katechia, Zaid Faleel, Shaylen Tomlinson-Patel, Tom Blythman, Rowan Bascetta-Pollitt, Oli Hind, George Wood, Jamie Dunk, Archie Houghton, Sam Kumar, Richard Wharton, Charlie Blythman, Jacques Wildon, Michael Wells, William Barford, Jake Duxbury, Sam Bailey, Huw Turner, Vicram Sohal, Freddie Drake-Lee, Jack Morecroft, Lucas Inman, Harry Aitkenhead, Jamie Welch and Peter Rowe.
In other cricketing news, Durham County cricketer Emilio Gay (11–18) scored 119 not out in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, laying the foundations for victory against the Kent Spitfires.
Winning the Cricketer Cup comes at an opportune moment, with the school celebrating 180 years of competitive cricket.
Cricket aficionado Kevin Clement has captured the spirit of the game as nurtured within the school’s environment, highlighting a rich tapestry of personalities and memorable events in his recently published book 180 Not Out. The book is available from the School Shop at NoLimitz, with all proceeds going directly back into the Bedford School Cricket Club. To buy a copy, please follow the link HERE.
