1st XI
Record: played 18; won 11; lost 6; abandoned 1
Squad: James Palmer (5th, BH), Matthew Ward (L6, L), Josh Dell (L6, H)*, Jamie Jamieson-Black (captain, U6, H)*, Jonothan Jamieson-Black (5th, H), Edward Cutler (L6, S), George Key (U6, H)*+, Max Dymoke (5th, NH), Paddy Milton (U6, Xt), Gianluca Mech (L6, Xt), Joe Warner (L6, S), Benedict Frisby (5th, L) * denotes Full Colours; + denotes keeper
Preparation for the 2015 season started in the darker months of the Autumn Term and moved in to the colder months of the Spring Term. Every Sunday saw a well-attended nets session in The Barn, as the squad prepared for an intensive summer of cricket and the further challenges of managing the increased academic pressures of the exam season. As the cricket term approached, Mr Mark Briers professed that he did not think
that any XI in the past had spent such a period of time hitting balls, and bowlers being put through their respective paces. It certainly was the time spent in preparation that allowed a number of the XI, namely Gianluca, Edward and Joe to stake strong claims for starting spots in the first competitive match – against Radley College in April. An intensive indoor programme was followed by what has now become an established and highly useful pre-season series of games against St Peter’s School, York, the University of Bristol, the University of Exeter and the Gloucestershire U17 side. Wellington College were also added to the warm-up games. It was a highly productive and intensive series of games in which the XI were able to put all their hard winter work into effect. From the outset Jamie led well and certainly managed the side well in the field with his placement of his field and rotation of bowlers. Across the board the runs were scored by a variety of players and the bowling unit was well led by the trio of seamers in Joe, Ben and Edward, competently supported by the spin department of Jono and Jamie, alongside Gianluca’s leg spin. Radley is a tough start to the season, both as a block and for the XI, and it was also the opening game of the John Harvey Cup. George and James were dismissed cheaply and, whilst Josh and the skipper gave us some stability towards lunch, Jamie (41) fell to an unnecessary run-out in the over before lunch which allowed Radley to nip Jono out the ball before lunch. With Josh (60) straight after lunch and at 146‑7, the game looked to have gone Radley’s way. But as was the case for much of the season, the XI rallied and in true cricketing terms the tail
100 years ago There had been discussion with the Principal on the subject of Swedish Drill or gymnastics, old style. ‘After prolonged discussion and some opposition the proposal that Swedish drill take the place of gymn’ old style from this time forth was carried’ at a meeting on 7 February 1915. Swedish Drill, or Free Standing Educational Gymnastics, was directed more towards improving general health than muscular development. Most of the exercises were to correct the effects of bad posture. Exercises were done to commands, helping pupils to develop important mental qualities as they learned the power of quick and correct responses to commands. It involved concentration and quickness of thought, alertness of action, and effort of will.
SPORT
Cricket
[Playground Committee Book, 1906-1939, p158; MH Spalding and LL Collett: The Swedish Drill Teacher, 1910] wagged. Breezy innings from Gianluca (32), Edward (33) and Paddy (22) saw College post a total of 240‑7. A shaky batting display was then a distant memory as the bowlers set about rolling the opposition for 109, a 131-run victory. The Old Cheltonians was a competitive game and Josh (91) looked in decent nick until he was outsmarted by the guile of Archie Brooksbank’s (1999‑2004, L) occasional ‘off-spin’. Runs flowed freely and the XI posted 252‑6. An eventual win for the XI by 24 runs suggests that it was a close game but the OCs were gifted 33 in Although the Athletic Sports started in October 1853, the first surviving details are for 1861 when one of the events was for the cricketers. ‘Members of the XI or XXII run with pads on and bat in hand 100 yards. The Prizes for it were given by James Lillywhite who was for twenty-five years our Cricket professional. … No other School professional can say that he coached as a boy … a father and … a son for the XI of the same school.’ William Tonge (1853‑1856, NH) in the 1st XI in 1856, and his son William (1875‑1880, NH) was in the 1st XI in 1878, 1879 and 1880; the son was also in the Gym VIII and was Racquets champion those three years. [History of the Cheltenham College Athletics Sports, 1882; edited by William Vassall (1871‑1876, Beaufort; Housemaster of Christowe, 1882‑1883)]
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