Cricketer Cup Over 50s Quarter-Finals
The quarter finals of the increasingly popular and competitive Over 50s Cricketer Cup were completed yesterday and saw some high-scoring matches., and two centuries. At Tonbridge, the home side batted first, negotiating successfully a miserly opening spell of seven overs for 18 runs from Old Cheltonian and former Gloucester seamer, Mike Cawdron. A run fest then followed with Chris Walsh making 128 and Jamie Ford 81 to take Tonbridge to 270-3 in their 35 overs. Cheltenham were never really in the hunt, although Gloucester batsman Dominic Hewson made 64, and they could only reach 197-6. Ali Owen-Browne took 3-35 and Mike Nolan also only conceded 18 off his 7 overs.
Old Tonbridgians now play Old Wellingtonians, who beat Sherborne Pilgrims at Wellington, despite a swarm of bees interrupting play. Sherborne made 206-6, with 83 not out from Chris Colby, but Wellington won by 7 wickets with two and a half overs to spare, having flown in, at great expense, Tim Hodgson from Sydney who made 82 not out. Who said these games are not taken seriously? For player spotters in the OW photo below, Chris Potter was finally felt to be too old to play!
In the bottom half of the draw, Bradfield Waifs made a massive 291-3 thanks to 144 from Stuart Seymour and 89 not out from James Kendall. Oundle Rovers could only reach 225-9 in their 35 overs, R. Harris top-scoring with 59 and Tim Dellor taking 3-40. For the losers Rory Marr made a 600 mile round trip from Newcastle to play, not as far as Sydney but still a great effort! Oundle have now played and lost three times in a row at Bradfield and would like a different draw in 2027.
The Waifs now have to travel to Harrow, where the Wanderers defeated Uppingham Rovers. Uppingham made 188-9, James Beaumont top-scoring with 78, and Harrow chased this down with 5 wickets and 9 balls to spare, thanks to 86 from Caspar Hill.
The semi-finals will be on Sunday 28 June - Tonbridge v Wellington, Harrow v Bradfield.
In the Over 50s Plate competition, Old Cholmelians will play Old Wykehamists in the semi-final, while Eton Ramblers play Old Georgians. Winchester beat Bryanston by 9 wickets and Eton beat Dulwich by 5 wickets.
Harrow Wanderers v Uppingham Rovers
Caspar Hill 86 for Harrow
Old Wellingtonians Over 50s
Sherborne Pilgrims at Wellington
Old Tonbridgians
Old Cheltonians (with apologies to Mike Cawdron who is only half in the photo!)
Chris Walsh 128 for Tonbridge
