Memory Lane 13

14th April 2023, Greg Powell remembers:

The Old Boys Cricket Team

Entirely the brainchild of the indefatigable Peter Fitzgibbon who brought a team into existence , organising all the Saturday and Sunday fixtures , recruited players and kept it on the road although I am not sure for how many seasons  We had no home ground so played  all away matches .

Peter organised a meeting , I guess in about 1967 ,  which took place in the old Geography room at the school which had also been the form room of lower VI and Middle VI Econ  in one of those modernising reorganisations of the forms that took place in about 1964/6.  (In the 5th form for GCSE we had been reorganised into 5 Modern , 5 Science and 5 general) .The meeting was the catalyst to get the teams formed and for one season I was  captain of the Sunday team without any clue about how to go about the task .

We were very average but Peter kept it going for a few years. Players I recall were, Martin Miller, Doug Root , “Biff “ Bailey, Malcolm Newing - our best quick bowler, Tony O’Sullivan, Dave Pullen and Peter himself, Derek Warby, David Chapman?, Mark Haddon? and John Sawyer and one special guest appearance by Tony Douglas , a fast bowler of great stamina. I am not sure how the team wound up and hope others might be able to flesh out the history.

18th April 2023, Malcolm Newing replies:

Hi Greg the old boys cricket team actually soldiered on for many years. I played from about colts age with the old boys so I guess about 1967. I recognise all those names you mentioned although it was Millier not Miller, who I think was captain when I started. Dave Pullen was lead joker in the early days and he also played at Ickenham and Harefield. I played at Ickenham from about 1974 to 1978 but went back to the old boys for another 3 years. The team went on for many years after that but not sure when they finally stopped. Others on the website will be able to answer that question? I ‘ve got a picture of the team at Fulmer circa 1973 which I’ll send to Dave for the website. It has many of the names you mentioned in it. Malcolm Newing