Rovers ties can be obtained direct from the Hon Secretary.
Teamwear is available from Masuri: https://teamwear.nxt-sports.com/shop/ uppingham-rovers-cc
uppinghamrovers.play-cricket.com
UPPINGHAM ROVERS 2024
Played 5 Won 2 Lost 2 Abandoned 1
Friday 24th May v The School - Lost by 6 wickets
Uppingham Rovers 174 all out (C Bennett Baggs 56, F Tucker 42, T Welch 2-20, J Wyatt 2-21)
Uppingham School 175 for 4 wkts (W Macdonald 75, E Stavely 46, W Marriage 2-24)
Sunday 9th June Cricketer Cup 1st Round v Haileybury Hermits - Lost by 157 runs
Haileybury Hermits 270 for 7 wkts (J Timms 89, T Billings 80, B Harris 3-57, A Macdonald 2-68)
Uppingham Rovers 113 all out (S Turbeville Smith 48, R Carter 5-30, B Wells 2-18)
OTHER FIXTURES
Saturday 29th June v The Guards CC - Won by 182 runs
Uppingham Rovers 339 for 3 wkts (S Peters 100 ret’d, Ed Lewis 101 ret’d, S Wheeler 60, C Bashall 2-49)
The Guards CC 157 all out (G Cazalet 66, H Peppiat 2-21, H Polhill 2-7, S Wheeler 2-19)
Saturday 6th July v Charterhouse Friars – Won by 7 wickets
Charterhouse Friars 146 for 5 wkts (A Beddows 57, R Barrow 1-10, A Macdonald 1-19)
Uppingham Rovers 147 for 3 wkts (A Collins 77, A Macdonald 44)
Saturday 6th July v Deccan Chargers – Match Abandoned
Uppingham Rovers 98 for 5 wkts (A Collins 58, A Macdonald 24 no, R Seymour 2-14, J Capel 2-16)
Deccan Chargers did not bat
Please could all members check that the contact details shown in the Handbook are correct. It is especially important for all playing members to check that their mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses are up to date. Please contact the Secretary with any up-to-date information.
Front cover; Upper pavilion on 22nd May 2024 and in 1946.
In Memoriam
We are sorry to report the passing of the following Rovers;
MG Waller
MI Robinson
WN Greig
BP Setchell
Introduction to The Handbook 2025
Even though we didn’t play as much cricket as we would have liked in 2024, it was memorable in the sense that we were able to enjoy watching and playing cricket on the Upper once again from the refurbished Sir David Samworth Pavilion. If you didn’t manage to get to Uppingham last year it would be great to see you in 2025 when we look to play three matches over the Bank Holiday week-end at the end of May. In true Rovers style we are also having a black-tie dinner at the Falcon after the match against the school on the Friday evening which will be a chance for us all to get together and enjoy each other’s company just as we used to do when we got together at the end of our week in Eastbourne. We’re very much looking forward to this evening.
We have a couple of new fixtures as well and hope anyone interested will get in touch with the match managers rather than wait to be asked. We will play the Frogs on the Sunday (25th May) of the Bank Holiday weekend on the Upper and then later in the summer have a first visit to Sudbury in Suffolk on August 31st – a club and a ground I have heard much about and look forward to visiting for the first time to watch Birdie come off his long run !
You will also see that we have been given a particularly hard Preliminary Round Cricketer Cup match away at Tonbridge which is a tough ask but not an impossible one given that we have given them some good games in the past (no, I’m not going to mention the 1979 final).
We’re very hopeful that some of the talented young cricketers that have recently left the school and play a really good standard of Club cricket will be up for the trip to “The Head” – a fantastic place to play cricket.
You will also notice another new match and see that we have also entered the Over 50 Cricketer Cup competition and under the experienced management of Billy Beaumont and Ed Fowler. We have very high hopes of doing well in the opening match on the Upper v Eton Ramblers on June 1st. Please don’t ignore any calls from either Billy or Ed as I know there will be keen competition for places. If we have a Rover that is also a physio I’m sure your services would also be appreciated by the team!
Finally, I’m delighted to announce we are touring again next year, as detailed on the opposite page. After our own aborted attempt in 2020, from a personal perspective, I hope it will be third time lucky. I was due to tour in late 1982 but then, rather selfishly, the Argentinians decided to invade the Falkland Islands and our organiser felt it wasn’t sensible to travel and play cricket there!
A big thank you to all our Match Managers who make it all possible and again please get in touch with them if you want to play. Anyway, hoping to see many of you playing, watching and socialising in true Rovers style this summer.
‘Floreat the Rovers’.
Hedley Stroud, President
Tour plans for 2026
A land renowned for its red wine, steak, tango, football, Maradona’s “Hand of God,” rugby, and Evita—but probably not cricket.
Yep, this unexpected destination might not seem obvious on paper, yet it’s been in the works for quite some time. When you hear about it day after day, it gradually starts to make perfect sense.
Pre-2020, when masks were mostly worn by tradesmen, surgeons, and those in the more eccentric nightclub scene, the now mythical Rovers legend DJK rallied a touring side, secured deposits, and even booked 15 flights from LHR to BA. The kit was ordered, the sponsorship collected, the songs sung—we were nearly on the plane when the World Health Organisation had other plans.
But it couldn’t be the tour that never was.
Cricket made its way here thanks to British expats who introduced the game in the late 19th century. Even in a place where football reigns supreme, a dedicated group of locals and expatriates has kept the sport alive.
Sure, cricket tours to India, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand are fantastic, but if you’ve played enough cricket, you likely know someone who’s been there. Yet, how many can say they’ve embarked on a cricket tour to such an offbeat locale?
Likely very few.
For insight into the quality of cricket, we turned to fellow Rover and renowned international batsman Sam Hatt, now headmaster at St George’s School in Buenos Aires. Sam has been invaluable in connecting us with the right people involved in the local cricket scene, which has evolved into a full itinerary featuring six competitive matches—each designed to test our skills and forge lasting bonds within the cricketing community.
With the cricket sorted, a competitive squad of 15 Young Rovers have committed to upholding the club’s legacy by carrying the Rovers flag— blue to the sky—all the way to South America and back ahead of the 2026 summer.
The plan is to arrive in Buenos Aires on Friday 16 January and return to the UK on Sunday 25 January, brimming with steak and a treasury of memories for the club to cherish for years to come.
Everyone is welcome on the tour. Just book your flight and join us for what promises to be an incredible trip.
Yours,
The Not-So-Famous Rovers Ghost Writer
Uppingham
Cricket 2024
It is with great pleasure that I am writing this review of the 2024 season at Uppingham School, having completed my first year as Director of Cricket. 2024 was a season to look back on and celebrate, with numerous on field successes for individuals and teams throughout the school.
In 2024 we were again featured in the Cricketer Magazine Top 100 Schools which included our Girls 1st XI featuring on the front cover. The season started with our first cricket tour since Covid, as we took 15 boys to Dubai and Sri Lanka for a 16-day trip. The boys were able to experience a variety of conditions in both countries, which included playing under floodlights in Dubai as well the international stadiums in Dambulla and Galle. These trips are about more than just the cricket, getting the boys to learn about the countries we are visiting and the people that call them their home. We visited Sigiriya Rock, Galle Fort and The Foundation of Goodness in Hikkaduwa, set up to support families who had been affected by the Tsunami. There were 3 hundreds scored on the tour, Arush Buchake scored his at Galle Stadium and Will Henson scored 2, one in Dubai and one in Sri Lanka. We had one 5fer on tour, taken by Thomas Welch in Dubai. It was no coincidence that a strong tour at the start of the year, prepared us for a good season in the Boys 1st XI and the Boys U17. The Boys 1st XI won 11 of their 19 games including 2 draws. We started the season with dominant wins against Stowe, Oakham and Bedford as well as the first round of the county cup against Leicester Grammar. Oakham in the U18 cup and Repton, in our block fixture resulted in our first losses of the season, but
the boys headed into the half term break having had a good first half of the season. The re opening of The Upper Pavilion was a day to remember for both the school and the OUs and my thanks go to those who helped with the renovation of the pavilion. As you all know, The Upper is a uniquely special place to play cricket and now has a splendid, restored pavilion to match. I hope the OUs enjoyed their fixture vs the school and seeing cricket being played on The Upper last summer.
Ollie Dring and Will Macdonald both passed 500 runs for the summer, which allowed a number of batters to bat around them and gave us runs throughout the top order. It wasn’t just the batters in the Boys 1st XI that put in some excellent performances. Billy Read and Ivan Brookes both passed 500 runs in the summer, representing the U15’s and U17’s. Billy scored a destructive 153 vs Oakham to set up a huge U15 win. Ivan shared a match winning partnership of 122* with Will Macdonald in the U17 plate, facing a bowling attack that included England Lions bowler Alex Green and 4 other Leicestershire pathway bowlers.
A big part of our success came from how our bowlers performed. Liam Tew and Johnny Wyatt provided us with a strong opening partnership with the ball, sharing 53 wickets between them for the season. This successful pair allowed our spinners to get to work through the middle overs of games, and
between Angus Maloney, Thomas Welch & Matthew Key, our spinners shared 49 wickets. Will Henson was the deserving winner of the Ballance Cup, for showing his development and commitment to his game, which came good in the 2024 season. Will formed a vital partner for the attacking Ollie Dring and scored 482 runs at an average of 34.43, including a century vs Oundle.
The stand out team from the summer was the Boys U17 who made the National Plate Final vs Bradfield. Having been knocked out of the Cup competition via a bowl out in the 2nd round, the U17s went on to win their next 4 games to make the final, beating Monmouth, Stamford, Gresham’s and Wrekin College on the way. The final was played on the first weekend of term in September, where we lost to Bradfield by 58 runs. However disappointing this result was, it provided some real positivity looking ahead to this summer’s Boys 1st XI, which will be made up of a good number of the U17 team, as well as a couple who have joined in the L6.
Elsewhere across the school, our Boys U15s became back to back county champions as they won the County Cup. This meant they qualified for the U15 regional finals held at Shrewsbury. After a 32 run win v Warwick school, they lost to a strong Shrewsbury side in the final by 5 wickets. This is an exciting year group who have now progressed into our senior teams, so worth keeping an eye on in the next couple of years. The Boys U15s weren’t the only County Cup winners this year. The Girls U15s became Champions which was a great achievement as none of the girls in this team had entered a cup competition before. The Girls 1st XI and U15s also got a taste of national competitions as they entered The Cricketer 100 Ball competition and will do so again in 2025. At the end of the season Arush Buchake signed his first professional contract with Northamptonshire CCC. After scoring a match winning hundred in the 4th innings against Leicestershire for Northamptonshire
2nd XI during the season, his performances and potential have earned him his first county contract. Elsewhere, Liam Tew and Will Macdonald represented Leicestershire CCC Academy, Matthew Key represented Lincolnshire CCC and Henry Brown represented Suffolk. Liam has now graduated from the Academy, but the others remain involved at their counties. Katie Gray and Verity Lilley played for Leicestershire CCC and along with Eloise Gretton, made it on to the winter training programme for 2025.
Our pitches were excellent last summer. This can be seen by the sheer volume of runs scored in the Clarke Williams Festival and the Leicestershire Academy fixtures that we hosted on The Upper. The Upper and The Old continue to be high quality cricket pitches and Callum Bristow our new head groundsman has settled in very well.
2025 promises to be an exciting summer. It will be one that goes by quickly, due to the term dates, but there is plenty of cricket to be played by the school, the Rovers and external teams too. I am particularly looking forward to hosting the Rovers on the 23rd May and hope that you enjoy your weekend, full of cricket on The Upper.
I wish every Rover a wonderful 2025, the best of luck in the Cricketer Cup and hope to see you at some stage through the summer.
Rob Taylor Director of Cricket
TGL Ballance Uppingham Rovers Cup
The TGL Ballance Cup was donated to the school in 2021 to encourage and celebrate cricket and the link with the Rovers. The winners so far have been:
2021 - Will Harris
2022 - Freddie Read
2023 - Will Macdonald
2024 - Will Henson
Uppingham School 1st XI Fixtures 2025:
11.30 start unless stated. Boys home games – The Upper; Girls home games – The Middle
Saturday 26th April Boys vs Oakham Away
Girls vs Oakham Home (2.00pm)
Thursday 1st May Boys vs Oundle Away (2.30pm)
Tuesday 6th May Girls vs Stamford Home (2.30pm)
Tuesday 13th May Boys vs Stamford Away (2.30pm)
Girls vs Leicester Grammar School Away (2.30pm)
Saturday 17th May Boys vs Repton Home (11am)
Girls vs Repton Away (2.15pm)
Friday 23rd May Boys vs Uppingham Rovers CC Home
Tuesday 3rd June Boys vs MCC Home
Saturday 7th June Boys vs Rugby Home Girls vs Rugby Home (2.15pm)
Saturday 14th June Boys vs Oundle Away
Girls vs Oundle Home (2.15pm)
Tuesday 17th June Boys vs Leicester Gents CC Home (11am)
Saturday 21st June Boys vs Haileybury Away (11am)
Girls vs Haileybury Home (2.30pm)
Monday 23rd June Boys vs Knox Grammar School, Sydney Home
Tuesday 24th June Boys vs Shrewsbury Day 1 Home
Girls vs Gresham’s Day 1 Away
Wednesday 25th June Boys vs Shrewsbury Day 2 Home
Girls vs Gresham’s Day 2 Away
OLD BOYS MATCH
The Upper, Friday May 24th
Uppingham Rovers lost by 6 wickets
2024’s match vs The School was upon us. Although it was different this year for a couple of reasons…
First of all, this game was scheduled to be the first of three day’s cricket at Uppingham, as we sought to recreate a focal point to our season, now that the Eastbourne Tour was very sadly no more. Secondly, our opposition was fresh off the back of a successful Sri Lanka tour and had enjoyed a strong start to the season. The school team included 4 county players and
their reputation had been ‘bigged up’ by the Headman as “the greatest Uppingham XI in 20 years”. He must have got his dates slightly wrong as Ped (Stu Peters) claims that accolade belongs to his team! To add to the build-up, we were back on the Upper, celebrating the official opening of the impressively renovated new Pavilion.
Rovers won the toss and the skipper didn’t want to make the same mistake as last year.
“We’ll have a bat.”
Collo dusted off his pink helmet and shuffled out with young Lewis. This opening partnership made a formidable pair, however things didn’t quite play out as planned or hoped. Collo’s innings of 9 of 25 balls showed what a pure
traditionalist he really is, despite what his helmet might insinuate. Lewis managed to remove some shine from the new ball, before responsibility fell to the skipper and his trusty old steed (BB).
Could these two Rovers’ workhorses pull us out of a four year losing streak against The School? They constructed a decent partnership with 42 & 56 respectively, but it wasn’t a game changer, sadly.
“Don’t worry lads, we bat deep”, was the rallying cry, echoing through the changing room. Unfortunately this didn’t transpire in practice. Despite heroic efforts from Harry Funnell, our last 5 wickets fell for as many runs, or thereabouts.
In between innings we shared a special moment between 80 odd pupils, OUs, parents and staff around the re-furbished pavilion. Sincere gratitude was expressed to the late Sir David Samworth, without whose generosity along with significant contributions from others, we wouldn’t be admiring the renovated building, restored as it has been to its former glory, along with some significant improvements to the changing facilities.
175 felt like it was considerably short of what would constitute a winning total. On a sunny afternoon, the schoolboys had their tails up.
Their top three comprised county cricketers and thousands of schoolboy runs between them. But they were no match for Funnell and Marriage. The board displayed a pretty glum 31-3 an hour into the School’s innings. The lads were rattled; the Rovers were on the rampage and the spectators were worried we might not make it until the tea interval.
Tucker, in similar vein to previous Rovers’ captains, wanted to craft a closely contested game and so replaced the fiery openers with an arsenal of dibbly dobblers. TK, Debs and Regis fell into that roll nicely, in fact rather too nicely…
What hadn’t been taken into account was that the two young Upper 5th lads (Macdonald Jnr & Stavely Jnr) could actually bat! Macdonald saw off his older brother’s best efforts as the pair put together a 110+ partnership. About halfway through this innings, the skip started to worry that the schoolboys might be running away with it. Chucking the 35 over old dog ball back to Funnell and Marriage went about as well as you’d imagine. Too little too late.
Will Macdonald’s unbeaten 75 , alongside Staveley’s respectable 46, did most of the work to get the School over the line to a convincing victory.
Uppingham Rovers
E Lewis lbw b Tew 21
A Collins ct Dring b Tew 9
F Tucker ct Buchake b Welch
C Bennett Baggs
Kennedy
Uppingham School
W Henson c Bennett Baggs b Funnel 20
O Dring
Dring
Macdonald
H Funnell ct Tew
A Macdonald ct Buchake
W Macdonald
Tew 7 T Regis ct Dring b Tew 1 W Harris b Tew
Tew
Saturday 25th May
Inspired by bazzball and ICC’s drive towards the shorter format, the Saturday of our new ‘Uppingham Weekend’ saw the first ever 10s tournament for the Rovers. A strong 40 odd turnout from different generations spoke volumes about the strength in depth that we have, spread throughout this unique club.
Four squads were assembled, with a few dusty heads, to play a round robin tournament on The Middle, with the over 40s taking the crown…Some would say it was a surprise, others might point to the value of experience over the exuberance of youth!
Sunday 26th May
Rain forecast on Sunday was disappointingly enough to scare off the Rugby Meteors from making the effort to even travel up to The Middle. Very disappointing, not least because conditions were perfectly playable, but also because this game was scheduled as an important cricketer cup practise match.
Despite Sunday’s disappointment, this was a fantastic weekend of celebrations and one that it is hoped will stay in the calendar for many years to come. All that remained, with no cricket on offer, was for the remaining Rovers to make sure that they feasted on the leftover chicken chow mein from Wings and Guiness from the Crown…
Thanks must go to Guy Robins for umpiring all weekend and for those who managed squads on the Saturday and persuaded their respective peer groups to attend in good numbers.
We’re planning another ‘Uppingham Weekend’ for 22-25 May this year. Details on the back page of this handbook. Hopefully you’ll also have seen communications via email and/or WhatsApp about the cricket and other events that will be taking place.
Match report by Freddie Tucker
THE CRICKETER CUP 2024 1st Round v Haileybury Hermits
At Haileybury, Sunday June 9th 2024
Haileybury Hermits won by 157 runs
On a bright summer’s morning, a fresh-faced and enthusiastic Rovers side faced Haileybury Hermits in the Cricketer Cup 1st round at Haileybury School. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Hermits capitalised on having the first use of a used wicket.
Tom Billings got off to a steady start, with Rovers’ captain Hughes left with little choice but to open with the fast-paced ‘spin’ of
Jackson after he picked up an injury in the warm-up. Sadly, an injury earlier in the week had also ruled out star player Funnel, who had performed well in the 2023 campaign.
Left-handed Billings, cousin of England’s Sam Billings, anchored the innings with a composed 80, supported by Jack Timms’ exceptional 89. Their partnership laid a solid foundation, allowing the team to reach a formidable 270-7 in their allotted 50 overs. Late contributions from Van Westhuisen and Lane added a flourish to the innings.
The Rovers bowlers worked hard, with Harris bowling a mix of seam and spin, emerging as the standout performer with figures of 3-57 from his 10 overs. Jackson and debutant leftarmer, Alex Macdonald chipped in with key wickets, but the Hermits’ disciplined batting kept the scoreboard ticking. Extras also played a role, with 25 runs coming from wides and
no-balls, further boosting Haileybury’s total on a pitch that was beginning to get harder to bat on.
Chasing a tricky 271, The Rovers struggled from the outset against a disciplined Haileybury attack. Opener and another debutant, Ed Lewis, showed resilience with 17, while Sam Turbeville-Smith top-scored with a patient 48. However, regular wickets prevented any momentum and as Hughes was run out, the total looked a long way off. The middle order faltered under pressure, and in truth, the Rovers never properly got going. Only brief late resistance from Harris and Esse delayed the inevitable.
Haileybury’s Rhys Carter was the architect of The Rovers collapse, claiming a brilliant 5-30 in 9.5 overs. Wells provided excellent support, taking 2-18 in his spell, while Seagrave and the fielders contributed with some sharp catching and two exceptional run-outs. The Rovers were bowled out for a disappointing 113 in 39.5 overs, falling well short of the target.
Hermits celebrated a commanding 157-run victory, a testament to their dominance on the day and they were to go on to reach this year’s semi-final, but the youthful Rovers side will take valuable lessons from the game, as they reflect on their campaign and seek to bounce back stronger in 2025!
Rovers
OTHER FIXTURES 2024 Uppingham Rovers v The Guards CC
At Burton Court, June 29th 2024
Uppingham Rovers won by 182 runs
With the reflection of the Thames sparkling upon the ranks of sash windows that bedeck the grand façade of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Uppingham Rovers emerged from the modest porticos of Sloane Square station to an enclave of old Britannia where the echoes of Boer guns reverberate with each crack of leather on willow and where morning carillons bid the roosting larks into eternal ascent. Clustering about the stout pavilion, crowned by the regal burgundy of Burton Court, we Rovers could but gaze upon the
handsome red brick town houses and ponder; what were we, humble men of the land, amidst the glory of the imperial metropolis?
Commadore Bennett-Baggs (WB03) was summoned to the middle and, with the coin in mid-flight, one could almost hear the Norns twining the rope of fate. Winning this first of the myriad rituals which form this game of ours that “makes men sit and watch and dream of past occasions and of wistful yearnings never quite fulfilled”, Bennett-Baggs elected to make first use of the glistening strip of Chelsea pasture that had been manicured for the occasion.
One would have been forgiven for being intimidated as the Guards strode out of their quarters, replete with the aura of the highest tradition and the honour of their forbears, but – protected perhaps from the weight of finer and greater generations by the innocence of youth – this appeared to have no impact upon Rovers opener Peters (WB01). It was rumoured that Olly Pope himself had bequeathed Peters’ weapon of choice unto the Rovers’ deserving hero and Peters confirmed that, having withdrawn Excalibur from the annals of lore,
he knew no fear and subsequently laid waste to the Guards’ opening salvo.
The same cannot however be said of Peters’ partner and captain, Bennett-Baggs, who, apparently disturbed by the pressures that come with leading men in battle against such storied and gloried opposition, returned a catch to Bashall, giving the Guards the initial upper hand. Drilled in the habit of conquest, the grenadiers stood down allowing the sappers to sack the Rovers’ breached citadel. Peppiatt, a Rovers debutant, was ill equipped to withstand his majesty’s cavaliers and was struck on the pad, the thud shuddered from the Court’s four walls as though dreadnought’s 12 inch cannons had started to supply covering fire, as the shellshocked Peppiatt trudged back to the pavilion like a PoW to the gulag.
Was he inspired? Or merely unphased? In any case, young Rover Lewis proved himself more
than the man of the moment, swearing bloodbrotherhood with the determined Peters, the umpire overheard him utter to his bat “now Notung, bear witness to my deeds”. Peters and Lewis took the rudder, rounded Jutland and proceeded at full steam to demolish the next 15 overs with the brute and precision of the Napoleonic armies sweeping across the Northern European Plain towards Moscow. In the 16th over, Peters reached one of the most spectacular Rovers’ centuries in recent history from a meagre 50 balls. Engrossed in Clausewitz’s magnum opus, Bennett-Baggs had become hyper-sensitive to the dangers of over-extending his forces and summoned Peters home.
Lewis however, who had yet to get wind of the news that Tilsit had been signed, continued the charge alone, achieving his hundred in the 25th over. Bennett-Baggs, dismayed that his scheme to slow the game and save the fixture for years to come was being thwarted by Lewis’ juvenile gusto, interfered again, channelling his inner Wotan to retire Lewis on 101 from a comparatively sedate 69 deliveries, with the Rovers on 222-2.
Though only a few matches into what we hope and anticipate will be long and storied Rovers’ careers, Wheeler and Macdonald batted with maturity that well exceeded their years for the next 10 overs to prevent the Rovers from achieving an uncouthly imperious total at a ground where brashness is highly unwelcome – particularly from a visiting side. In the 38th over, Wheeler having batted nobly, shovelled the ball to Pilcher and this exemplary stand was broken. The innings petered out at 339-3 from just 40 overs with Macdonald not out on 48 from 57.
The message before the Rovers took up their positions was a simple one: make a game of it so we can keep playing here. As BennettBaggs issued this warning, though, the twilight of the gods drifted in from a nearby record player: a sign maybe that this final plea may not be heeded..
The shadow of Waltraute returned to the wistful imaginations of the scattered spectators and play resumed. In an unexpected shift to the major key, four consecutive 4s were struck from the second over, perhaps the Guards may prevail after all? “Some talk of Alexander and some of Hercules, of Hector and Lycander and such great names as these; but of all the world’s great heroes, there’re none that can compare to the British grenadiers!” – might the stem of empire blossom yet on this dazzling Saturday in central London?
Alas, the death knell. Hanbury was dismissed by Peppiatt in the 7th, bringing these early heroics to a premature close as an ominous glimmer blazed in the western sky. Sensing the impending catastrophe, the Rovers stared at Peppiatt as if to inquire “what dost thou, Hagen?! What didst thou”. 42-1 became 43-2 and an increasingly untenable required runrate as Peppiatt removed Bashall. Meanwhile the shadow of a pair of ravens strafed the Thames…
Pilcher was dismissed, then Paynter to leave the Guards on the precipice not seen since Dunkirk. Lewis and Knapman got the message and served some generosity, however sadly the others did not. As the rate climbed into double figures, Hogarth-Jones muttered to Cazalet “we’re on our own. We’re playing for time. And it’s running out!”. All that could save the Guards now was a civilian flotilla from the white cliffs of Dover, with Priti Patel out of office, they had hope at least that a civilian vessel may see them to safer shores.
Hope which was swift to be whisked away into Macmillan’s winds of change as Hogarth-Jones fell to Symes. An OU himself, the non-striking Cazalet offered Symes a bitter “et tu Brute?!”. Wickets began falling more regularly, Wheeler, ah, our noble friend Wheeler, took 2, Hopkins 1, Macdonald 1. Pick of the Rovers bowlers was Polhill (WB03) with figures of 3 overs, 1 maiden, 7 runs and 2 wickets. Even BennettBaggs, a wicket keeper by guild, took 1 as the Guards, a once mighty edifice of tradition,
honour, and empire crumbled to 157 all out in just 26.2 overs, Cazalet top scoring with an impressive 66 in an effort which fell 182 runs short of the Rovers innings.
We hope, despite our second inconsiderately thumping victory, that this fixture may not have to fall out of the annals of cricketing history forevermore.
Match report by William Marriage (WD 17)
Uppingham Rovers
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Charterhouse
Cricket Festival
Game 1 vs Charterhouse Friars –Rovers won by 7 wickets
Game 2 vs Deccan Chargers –Match Abandoned
With last year having been a wash out for the new look quad team tournament, the Rovers ‘doubled down’ and tried again to do our best to save Old Boys Cricket and create a product ready for generations to come. Two days of cricket was planned with four teams playing a round robin style T20 tournament with excitement, skill and camaraderie all combining to make a great weekend. There is however one fundamental issue with this…You need all four teams to turn up. Unfortunately for us, the call came through 3 days beforehand that the Old Eastbournians could only muster three players for the weekend which wouldn’t be enough for a tennis match let alone a cricket tournament.
Spirits however could not be dampened and with our hosts, Charterhouse, and the Northamptonshire-based roving side, the ‘Decan Chargers’, still keen to make the journey down to Guildford, the decision was taken to carry on and make a go of it. Sadly, the second key requirement for enjoyable cricket is sunshine or, at the very least, some dry weather and the gods were really not on our side.
And so it transpired that the Friday games were a complete wash out and there was some debate whether the night in Guilford was damper in the pubs or damper on the outfield. All three teams met at The White Horse in Guildford and the Deccan Chargers (The IPL’s new Northampton franchise) were introduced very quickly to the golf ball game. Food and a night out in Pop World whilst watching Ronaldo take Portugal through to the semis of the Euros was one to remember.
The Saturday started slowly but the sun was out and the wind was really blowing. Perfect conditions to dry out an underwater pitch. The Rovers and the Friars made their way from the
Guildford Travel Lodge to the Charterhouse Cricket ground (via Greggs of course) to try and get this cricket weekend off the ground. Frustratingly, on arrival, a severe sense of déjà vu occurred back to 365 days before. The pitch had been covered but the rest of the square hadn’t and on inspection it resembled a muddy bog. Frustratingly, the umpire deemed it too dangerous to start immediately and so we had to wait once again. It was 12:30pm when the first ball was bowled.
Wanting to get the boys moving, Kennedy won the toss and elected to field. Tom Regis was given the new ball from the pavilion end and showed that the two hours of warm up net bowling hadn’t really helped, going for 8 runs in the first over, three balls of which were wides. Alex Macdonald, with his rat’s tail in keeping with most Uppingham fast bowlers of recent years, opened from the school end and piled the pressure back on with a great maiden. All great opening bowling attacks operate in partnerships but today it seemed Regis didn’t want to. The third over went for 17 and at 25-0 Macdonald was a little upset with his teammate. Have a blow Reg. The rat tails were brought together at this point, as Will Harris and Mac got to work, finally securing the break through in the 5th over. The spin of Knapman and Charlton was then given a run and they tied down both ends extremely well. Barrow and Hamilton rolled back the years to 2011, as the final bowling pairing of the day, with both creating chances and containing a limping Charterhouse to 146-5 off their 20 overs. Pick of the Rovers’ bowlers was Knapman with 4-0-18-0 on debut.
With the frustration of the last few days getting to TK, he decided to open the innings and vent his anger on the poor Chaterhouse bowlers. He was joined by Collins who was rarely dismissed on the Charterhouse pitch and must have scored at least 90% of his Rovers runs in the shadow of the great chapel!
The Friars opened the bowling with A Hill whose bowling action would have done him well in WW1. Grenades that moved on the wind and barely made the wicket were the ultimate temptation. Collins and Kennedy kept calm though and found gaps, taking the score to 24-0 off two overs. Kennedy couldn’t however hold his nerve and skied a ball back to the bowler for 16 off 9. Clayton (Clayts) joined Collins, looking to keep the run rate high and keep the pressure on the Friars. Having tried to win the ‘jumper on the head game’ Clayton was supporting a shiner to the shin having run through one of the Charterhouse benches and this meant he struggled between the wickets. One run off 7 balls didn’t really help the Rovers’ cause, but we had plenty of batting waiting in the shed. Macdonald, fresh off his debut bowling spell, got to work and looked really good, cleverly sweeping and manoeuvring the ball around. Collins realised he was in his element and tucked into some more Rovers runs, starting to hit his rhythm as he moved to 50. With 6 runs required and at the end of the 19th over, Rovers cruised to victory.
Collins finished with a classic 77 red inker (great for the average) and Macdonald got himself stumped right at the end for a well crafted 44. One to watch for the future for sure.
Charterhouse Friars
A Beddows ct Collins b R Barrow
Uppingham Rovers
Turbeville
Dovell not out
Woodruff run out
Wainwright
Fischell
Topley
Hill
Don
Regis
Barrow
Knapman
The second game of the day was against the Deccan Chargers, Northampton’s franchise option for the IPL. The boys had rather enjoyed themselves in Guildford the night before and had barely made lunch on the Saturday before their afternoon game. That being said they were out and raring to go by 3pm and opted to bowl against the Rovers. Collins and Kennedy went back out, the latter hoping to do better than the morning session. One run was all TK could muster to put a pretty dismal weekend for him to bed. Collo carried on where he left off and was joined briefly by both Clayts and Sam Turbeville Smith. However both departed quickly to leave Macdonald to carry on where he left off earlier in the day. Re-united with
Uppingham Rovers
A Collins b J Capel
T Kennedy ct Edwards b Seymour 1
E Clayton ct Halcrow b Sunter 2
S TurbervilleSmith ct Bliss b Seymour
A Macdonald not out
S Charlton did not
Collins, the pair got the Rovers to 91-3 off 11 overs. Collins was finally out in the 12th over for 58, making it a productive day for him, with 135 to add to his Rovers tally. Great to see him back in the runs. Barrow joined Macdonald and was out for a 2nd ball duck, just before the heavens opened, leaving Macdonald unbeaten on 22. Noah’s Ark was then called for, bringing an end to an entertaining but frustrating day. A massive thank you must go to both Charterhouse and the Chargers for making the most of a weekend where every element was against us. Frustrating but we live on to fight again.
Match report by Tom Kennedy
Chargers
UPPINGHAM ROVERS
200+ CLUB
The 200+ Club is a major fund-raising initiative which goes a long way to helping our young Rovers play for the Club by subsidising their cricket and supporting any accommodation/ travel expenses in the Cricketer Cup.
The cost of purchasing a number in the draw is just £10 and if you would like to be in it please do one of the following:-
1. Transfer £10 per entry into the Uppingham Rovers CC Bank Account. Please don’t forget to put your name as the reference on the remittance – perhaps also drop Robin an email to confirm robin.hargreaves@gmail.com. Sort code 20-63-66 Account number 10903590
2. Contact Stu Peters (07816 133223) directly, who continues to do a brilliant job managing ticket sales and the annual draw on behalf of the Club.
a. sort code 20-63-66 b. account number 10903590
2024 Winners
Thank you to all those who bought tickets in 2024. The winners (drawn after The Guards’ game at Burton Court) were;
£1000 Ellen Lewin
£350 Ed Watson
£200 Alex Collins
£50 Simon Thompson
2025 Draw
The 2025 draw will take place on Friday 23rd May at The Falcon Hotel Dinner, in front of what will hopefully be a sizeable live audience! As always, winners will be notified soon afterwards in addition to the usual updates on the night via the Rovers WhatsApp group chat.
Current Player Statistics
AGW Lewin 143 34 4990 45.78 168
DJ Kennedy 142 19 4105 33.37 10
ER Fowler 101 15 3567 41.48 36
BP Aspell 82 16 1872 28.36 93
C Bennett Baggs 82 11 2450 34.51 3
SD Smith 71 11 1368 22.80 9
SW Peters 59 9 1353 27.06 12
CRJ Timm 56 23 452 13.70 150
TJ Kennedy 50 7 1526 35.49 38
SC Debenham 48 22 576 22.15 154
JN Beaumont 44 3 1126 27.46 2
AP Collins 34 6 1246 44.50 4
O Esse 26 2 475 19.79 43
DC Wood 25 4 496 23.62 54
M Bird 25 6 307 16.16 56
H Hughes 24 0 706 29.42 0
WG Hodson 24 7 299 17.59 64
C Paxton 21 5 230 14.38 30
B Kennedy 17 3 399 28.50 5
CC Stevens 17 3 271 19.36 0
J Barnett 16 0 473 29.56 3
AJ Stroud 15 0 212 14.13 13
C Symes 15 3 161 13.42 20
B Harris 14 1 297 22.85 20
S Charlton 14 1 153 11.77 26
F Tucker 13 2 391 35.55 0
R Perkins 12 3 106 11.78 19
S Turbeville Smith 10 1 264 26.40 0
W Rogers 10 0 261 26.10 14
H Glatman 9 0 321 35.67 0
H Barton 9 0 200 22.22 1
R Barrow 9 3 88 14.67 9
W Barrow 9 0 57 6.33 6
E Prior 9 4 36 7.20 22
J Hopkins 9 2 73 10.43 7
T Regis 9
Fixtures and Events 2025 Match/Event Manager
Uppingham Weekend
Friday 23rd May v Uppingham School (The Upper)
Black Tie Dinner at The Falcon Hotel
Saturday 24th May Inter-Rovers Match(es) (The Upper)
Sunday 25th May v The Frogs CC (The Upper)
The Beechbrook Capital Cricketer Cup
Sunday 18th May Bye Round v Old Tonbridgians (Away)
Sunday 8th June 1st Round v Old Brightonians (Home)
Sam Charlton 07934 624266
Chris Timm 07718 628985
Sam Charlton 07934 624266
Ben Kennedy 07872 594911
Henry Hughes 07825160908
Sunday 29th June 2nd Round v Old Malvernians or Shrewsbury Saracens (Away)
Sunday 13th July 3rd (Away)
Sunday 27th July Semi Final (Away)
Sunday 10th August Final at Arundel
Other Fixtures
Sunday 1st June v Eton Ramblers – Cricketer Cup Over 50s (The Upper)
Saturday 28th June v The Guards CC at Burton Court
Sunday 6th July v Charterhouse Friars (Away)
Bill Beaumont 07881 828696
Chris Bennett-Baggs 07780 728736
Tom Kennedy 07515 705223
Sunday 31st August v Sudbury CC (Away) Matt Bird 07455 877747
Golf Events
Thursday 22nd May Social Pairs (venue to be confirmed)
