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Simon’s arrival in 2000, steered in our direction by Andy Lock, could not have been more fortuitous.

An opening bowler, of no great stature, with a skiddy action and a strong competitive streak, he quickly attracted the sobriquet ‘Merv’ born as a result of his habit of beating the bat, proclaiming an imagined injustice and fixing a frightful glare on the batsman from the end of his follow through.

It was not quite what we were used to and at times it was too much for some but Simon has mellowed with each season, adjusting to the Ipsden way, while reserving the right to the occasional outburst.

His recruitment helped fill the void left by the retiring Malcolm and we were to enjoy just one magical season of him partnering Ian Lock, which gave the attack some real bite, before Ian’s job took him to the USA and effectively finished his Ipsden career.

Simon has since gone from strength to strength as a bowler, passing 200 wickets during 2006, averaging over 30 victims per season and in 2002 took a magnificent 47 which was just two short of the club record. Bowling is only part of Simon’s game and although it took a couple of seasons for us to see his batting at its best, Simon has since proved himself to be a quality all-rounder and only Ipsden’s third player to pass the 2,000 runs and 200 wickets milestone.

An aggressive stroke maker, usually found at no.5, Simon has the ability to change a game. He tends to deal in boundaries with the slog sweep, ending up on one knee, a particular favourite, whilst he also posses a very deliberate defensive stroke. More than once he has rattled up a fifty in twenty-something balls and in 2004 joined that rare breed of Ipsden cricketer; the centurion. Running between the wickets has became an erratic feature during the last couple of seasons as Simon adjusts to deteriorating eyesight and it is to the teams benefit that he fields close to the wicket if you want him to do more than just guess if the ball is coming anywhere near him.

He takes a keen interest in the stats and averages, usually able to reel off his own figures and those of his nearest rivals, but as a result he has to put up with a fair amount of leg pulling alleging that at times he plays for his averages. This may be in part explained by the fact that he claims dales heritage and is a graduate of York University where he met his good friend Graham Greensit who has been responsible for our fixtures against the Gentlemen of Nidderdale.

Simon brings a range of different cultural experiences to the club, having lived for a number of years in France, where his daughter was born, and has until recently been employed teaching English as a foreign language to overseas students.

His main interest away from cricket is his music and he boasts a large collection of CDs, he seems to have seen or heard of a large number of bands that only Chris H will have a hope of recognising.

Simon had the captaincy thrust upon him in 2004 due to Ben’s injury but the extra responsibility didn’t stop him picking up a batsman and a bowler of the year trophy during his two season tenure and he seems set to be a key part of the side for years to come.

Full Career Record

Debuted in 2007 having moved into the Village the previous summer, Chris was introduced to us via the Bakers.

Appearances have been restricted by trips around the world necessitated by his work developing store loyalty cards and Charlie has started to call him Uri as at one stage he seemed to be on regular return flights to Russia.

A couple of knocks in the thirties have shown promise plus he certainly announced his credentials as an Ipsden cricketer by ‘earning’ the single biggest fine on the 2007 tour to Shrewsbury.

His playing style has been likened to the batsman in the table top game ‘Test Match’ with, at times, everything seemingly hinged at the waist.

Chris is a Norwich City fan which is in harmony with the club colours of green & gold but doesn’t sit too well with us once being confused with Ipswich Cricket Club.

Once described as the original product of the clubs youth development programme, Charlie resided in the village during his early years, where he was encouraged in his cricket by resident and former Ipsden player from the 40’s and 50’s, Bert Butcher. Making his debut as a thirteen year-old, Charlie has literally grown-up with the club; becoming the first player to notch up 300 appearances in 2006.

A hard hitting, counter attacking batsman, for many years Charlie inhabited the middle-order but in more recent seasons has made an opening berth his own, crowned by a record breaking 2004, when he set a new club record of 714 runs in a season, including a century and 6 fifties and he now stands second only to Phil Houseman in terms of career runs.

There’s a second string to his bow, by no stretch of the imagination a regular bowler, he’s found a niche as a partnership breaker and his unorthodox yet effective ‘dibleys’ have now deceived in excessive of seventy victims and more recently spawned a nickname; The Vicar.

Charlie the player is only half the story and it’s not exaggerating to say he is the lifeblood of the club, involved in almost every organisational decision and action and this despite living between 2004 to 2008, some 30 miles away in Slough.

Three Clubman awards to go with two for Player of the Year, demonstrate that all-round commitment; he was Captain for five seasons from 1998 and has been on the committee for the last ten years and until recently held three different job titles simultaneously.

His desire to be constantly involved does have one drawback; he’s an uncomfortable spectator, indeed a vociferous fidget, hollering advice and encouragement that doesn’t aide the batsman’s concentration particularly in a tight run chase.

The best stories regarding Charlie seem to date from club tours before my time so you’ll have to ask him yourself about the occasion in the hotel bar when it was pointed out to him by a helpful (that should have sounded warning bells) Lenny Pearson, that he’d dropped his room key and it was under the chair. Gratefully picking it up, he thought nothing more about it until he went to bed, where on opening the door; he found the room stripped bare, no bed, wardrobe or removable fixing remained, it was only then that he realised that his key may have been absent from his person for rather a longer period than he’d appreciated.

The 1993 Nottingham Tour, a rather sad tale of billy-no-mates, having travelled, as a group, by taxi to a local club, Charlie was the only tourist refused admittance due to a lack of a collar. His ‘team’ mates all piled into the club suggesting to Charlie that he head back to the hotel and keep the bar open and they’d join him later. An expensive return taxi ride was further exasperated by finding that the hotel bar had already closed leaving a forlorn Charlie no option but an ‘early’ night.

That’s not the only time he’s had trouble with his attire on tour, as in 2001, we were all gathered in the bar ready to go out when one of the hotel staff took one look at Charlie’s creased shirt and came over all maternal. In a blink of an eye she’d convinced him to take it off and after five minutes of Charlie sitting topless on a bar stool it was returned to him freshly ironed.

Topless wasn’t enough in 2004 as a late night group stroll along Weymouth beach saw Charlie go skinny dipping. The predictable outcome was that the rest of the party nicked his clothes, leaving him run naked up the beach, though it was reported that Charlie didn’t seem to care.

Personally I miss the times we’d stop for a fry-up on the first morning of a tour and get out Charlie’s wallet, although not necessarily to pay. In those days he was an on the road salesman and his wallet literally bulged with petrol, loyalty, business and credit cards making it too big to fit comfortably in his pocket. He would therefore leave it in someone’s charge at the table while he visited the gents and every time, without fail, he’d come back to find members of the team, usually led by Ian Lock, enthusiastically using the contents for an impromptu game of snap.

Recent research has discovered that Charlie leads the way when it comes to Ducks; he’ll argue that he’s batted more than most but the stats still reveal an impressive count of 40 zeros (correct at end 2007).

Thankfully back to full fitness following two seasons out with what was eventually diagnosed as Gilmore’s Groin, Ben’s solid defence and patient yet powerful approach is once again available at the top of the order.

Right from the moment he became involved with the club, in late 1999, and all through his injury nightmare Ben’s commitment to Ipsden has been absolute, even to the extent where at one stage he became the village postman.

That commitment is backed by wife Marie-Claire who is a frequent and active supporter along with dogs; Sasha and Matthew Bramble, and now a new generation with young Master Albert.

We can credit Phil Houseman with Ben’s recruitment when he became aware that his mate was looking for a new challenge following years involved with the local football scene.

Ben had not played since school and it took him a season for him to find his feet but then for three golden seasons he could do no wrong.

Appointed Vice-Captain in 2001 and then Captain in 2003, those three years saw him score 1640 runs at an average of 42.1, break the clubs runs in a season record in 2002 and carry off a whole host of trophies in the process.

The injury came as a cruel blow but Ben has remained an integral member of the club, he’s never short of an opinion on most subjects and it is a brave soul who initiates a conversation about politics or Alec Stewart with Ben, especially after a few drinks on tour.

He shares Inzamam’s eye for a cricket tea and is undoubtedly our hairiest player from the eyebrows down. Yet to hit his maiden century but then he does like to take half the afternoon to play himself in.

Son of Phil, Dan first played for the club aged eight, making three appearances in 1999 as we struggled for a side but as a result of a lack of opportunity and perhaps interest he wasn’t to play again until 2003.

By now playing youth cricket on Sunday mornings he was a late injury call up for his second debut, an aspiring slow bowler he was given the last over of the match and promptly picked up two wickets.

A genuine spinner of the ball he benefited from coaching at Didcot and has developed several variations, including an extremely quick ‘quicker’ ball, a product of the frustrated fast bowler that lurks within him.

He has been encouraged to stick with the spin though, not only because of ability but also because of variety as at our level not many batsmen will have faced a quality slow bowler.

He had taken 50 wickets by his 16th birthday and is closing in on the century, physically he has shot up, as well as filling out and those levers and increased strength have seen his batting explode during the last couple of seasons. He uses a Kookaburra Beast and seems to bat in the same style, at times falling to a rash, impetuous shot but as a string of half-centuries testify, once in he’s hard to contain. He’s not bad in the field either with a strong arm and a safe pair of hands.

Dan had a remarkable 2007, having hit his maiden fifty he averaged 40.4 and took 20 wickets cleaning up on trophy night with the Batsman, Bowler, Parkinson and Player of the Year trophies, an improvement on the Mallard the year before.

Emerging as a match winner with both bat and ball, he has already made his mark on the record books, becoming the third Ipsden player to take a hat-trick (2005) and just the fourth to score a fifty and take five wickets in the same match (2008).

A laid back and amiable character off the pitch, Dan is unique in having his own fan club at Ipsden, for several years it was mum Sally, but now it is usually his maternal grandparents. 2009 will see Dan old enough to tour so an update to this profile may be in order later in the year.

(MH 2009)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	84	Catches:	18
Runs Scored:	1,017	Wickets Taken:	112

Name: Phil Houseman (AKA: Housey, The Fly, "I'm a Victim", Earl Grey, Andy Caddick)

Where do you begin with a man who has been such a pillar of the club for some 25 years?

Legend has it that in the early days of the reformed club, if the side was short the Captain merely had to poke his head around the door of the Whitehouse and shout “Anyone fancy a game?” Phil answered one of those calls and hasn’t looked back since, the clubs all-time leading run scorer, record catcher and second highest wicket taker.

Mind you, his game has come a long way from the debut of a young off-spinner and middle order cowboy, his batting technique took time to develop but became one more than capable of opening the batting and he has been a dominant fixture in our top four for the past fifteen years, while in 1995, he decided to ditch his spin and has subsequently become an awkward to play, left arm seamer who makes full use of his height.

His contributions on the pitch are only part of the story as since taking over responsibility for the square in 1993, he has mowed, rolled, preened and caressed it for countless hours. Usually the first to the ground on match days, invariably suffering from some form of Bacardi poisoning, he’ll spend the morning out in the middle wearing his tight black mincing shorts that seem to have been around as long as he has (indeed they’ve survived more than one attempt by Sally to throw them out).

It’s difficult to know what’s more important to Phil, the look of the square or his own appearance, always sporting a deep golden tan, you know if he goes missing in the pavilion for any length of time that you’ll find him behind the door in the changing rooms either preening himself or just gazing lovingly upon his reflection in the mirror. It’s not so much that he’s vain; it’s more that he’s a perfectionist.

That sense of perfection has been more productively channelled down the years; Phil was a well respected captain from 1991 to 1994, a very popular Tour Secretary 1996 to 2001 and has been voted Clubman of the Year on three separate occasions. His organisation of the Quiz Nights always ensures a successful event as in equal measure does the help and support he receives from the wife.

Sally, seemingly an ever present at matches now that Dan has come of age, is responsible for a lot of the hard work that goes on at fund raisers and behind the scenes, quick to rise from her chair to help with teas, albeit with a forlorn look if the sun was shining particularly pleasantly on her chair, she is also subject to bouts of spontaneous cleaning and tidying of the kitchen. Always quick to voice ‘concerns’, there is definitely a strong desire amongst those around her to get things done when Sally is on deck.

For all his bravado and outward confidence, at times the pressure to be perfect does get to Phil, “I’m a victim, I’m a victim” is a typical response to team mates taking the rise, a phrase incidentally that by some unspoken arrangement he took over from Bob Mullins.

He doesn’t help himself of course, a favourite story is one from a few years ago when on the heavy roller, putting it into reverse to go back up the pitch; he glanced back over his shoulder to see an offensive black mark on the pitch. Hopping down, he rushed to the spot fearing an oil leak, only to find his crushed and quite flat mobile phone; it had slipped out of his pocket and under the wheels of several tonnes of slow moving machinery. He was inconsolable.

There is not the room to tell all the stories however Phil would not be Phil without: his Franz Klammer dancing style, the season when his catching was worse than Wayne’s, the year he became known as ‘The Fly’ due to his blue reflective sunglasses, the occasion when he was refused admittance to a pub due to inappropriate dress, half climbing out of the passenger door of the tour mini-bus, in flying helmet and goggles, at 40mph in the dark, crying; “I’m a victim, I’m going to jump”, going over 60 consecutive innings without scoring a duck then promptly winning the Mallard Trophy, sat on the toilet on tour in the early 90’s, the door suddenly opened, something was chucked in followed by the door being slammed shut and then a loud bang, as the discharge from the confetti bomb settled, Phil reflected that he couldn’t have been seated in a more convenient place to deal with his immediate reaction.

Younger brother of Mark, Chris appeared in a couple of games during ’97 and ’98 when we were short but didn’t start playing regularly until 2002.

Primarily batting in the lower order and used as an occasional seamer, he was catapulted into an opening berth under Simon’s captaincy in 2004. A batsman in the Malcolm Pitts mould, he certainly wasn’t there as a pinch hitter, being seen more as the foil to opening partner Charlie’s blade.

It was a tactic that had mixed success, the highlights being two big partnerships, 90 and 121, against the Durham University XI, the second of which included Chris’ highest score of 39. The experiment though came to an end with the emergence of Alister as an opener during 2005.

Back down the order, Chris was left to concentrate on his bowling, coming off a short run he still generates reasonable pace and can deliver a very effective swinging Yorker. There remains room for improvement, especially directional control, but that didn’t stop him picking up the bowlers trophy in 2006 and he will be looking for his fiftieth wicket during 2009.

Off the field Chris is one of the mainstays of the club, always involved on the morning of a match, he specialises with the rough-cut mower and is an ever present at work parties and fund raisers.

His biggest impact though, has been the single handed development of this website which he began in 2003 and now maintains with his brother. He has also written a fact rich short history of the club inspired by his interest in genealogy.

(MH 2009)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	104	Catches:	15
Runs Scored:	234	Wickets Taken:	61

When Charlie announced that he had persuaded a Kiwi to turn out for us I can’t have been alone in having visions of a poor man’s Martin Crowe or even a Richard Hadlee.

Initial impressions were positive, well he had the right accent, but having turned up with a raging hangover, Dave had one of those days in the field were the ball follows you around mercilessly, keen to embarrass you at every turn.

He did though manage to bowl four tidy overs and due to our top orders dominance, wasn’t required to bat. Dave played in a further 8 fixtures that season and it’s fair to say we all had to downgrade our hopes of Hadlee, he did however pick up 5 wickets and the fielding improved immeasurably including a fantastic performance at Moulsford that included a fine run out.

The batting though is another story, considering his debut was in the second fixture of the 2005 season, we had to wait until August 2008 for his first runs (1,190 days to be precise), and the cheer he received, when he finally got off the mark, rivalled that given to Simon who had completed a spectacular century earlier in the innings.

Those stats though do have to be put into context; he had managed only 13 appearances during the period and it was only his sixth innings as subsequent to his debut Dave had relocated to London and then became a first time father plus you can’t knock a players commitment who commutes via the train and a bike to turn up for a Sunday friendly.

Dave, normally a relaxed laid back character, earned legendary status on the washed out 2007 tour to Shrewsbury, he got himself a club nickname, Mooks, due to his preferred taste for that antipodean clothing label and he seemed to feature prominently in photos from the weekend, mind you anyone who’s watched an All Blacks game with him will testify that the ‘other’ Dave is only a couple of pints below the surface!

Dave came to the club in 2004, having been ‘tapped up’ after appearing a couple of times for the King William XI in fun matches during previous seasons.

A local farmer Dave’s availability is limited especially at harvest time but he’s an enthusiastic and whole hearted player. By no means a natural batsman, he has his moments when the sweep clicks and he can certainly scamper between the stumps.

In the field he can resemble a startled rabbit if a catch comes his way and early on in his Ipsden career he learnt the hard way that it’s better to take a catch cleanly rather than trap it on your chest.

Dave as a player is only part of his value to the club as he was subsequently joined by his brother-in-law Alister, and they in turn have introduced Neil Tustian and Dave Wood to our ranks.

Farming responsibilities have so far prevented Dave from touring so stories are limited; there was a blonde moment when arriving at an away fixture at Cuxham, he realised his kit was still sitting on his front doorstep at home and in another episode of forgetfulness, Charlie gave a drunk Dave a lift home who then realised he didn’t have any house keys so persuaded Charlie to help him kick the back door in (it needed replacing anyway was his justification).

(MH 2009)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	40	Catches:	4
Runs Scored:	339	Wickets Taken:	0

Full Career Record

Jimmy first became involved with the club in 1998, both he and younger brother John around whenever their dad played, they enthusiastically took any opportunity to play even if it meant turning out for the opposition.

Whilst John has developed into an all-rounder, Jimmy was always a batsman first; indeed he has an awkward bowling action although that didn’t stop him picking up a few wickets in 2005.

His fielding has always been an asset, winning the trophy as early as 1999, and he’s also had a go at keeping, not unsuccessfully, with a couple of stumpings to his name.

With an energetic and happy go lucky character, he always showed the biggest potential as a batsman, but James has never been able to fully control the desire to spank every ball out of the ground and often his innings finished disappointingly early.

Frustrated with inability to make the breakthrough and with weekend work commitments, Jimmy has drifted away from the club in recent seasons although he did tour with us in both 2006 and 2008.

(MH 2009)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	79	Catches:	15
Runs Scored:	371	Wickets Taken:	7

Already the veteran of eleven seasons with the club and fast approaching his 100th appearance, it’s a sobering thought to be reminded that John is still only a teenager.

Having made his debut in 1998 as an 8-year-old, John has grown up with the club, initially brought along whenever his father played, both John and older brother James showed enthusiasm for the sport, desperate to play if we were short and more than willing to turn out for the opposition if it meant getting a game.

Both brothers were also regulars at nets and keen rivals, James the batsman and John a budding fast bowler and it was as a bowler that he began to make his mark in the Ipsden side, claiming his first wicket in 2002 and taking ten just two seasons later.

His abilities didn’t go un-noticed outside the club, scouted playing youth cricket, for a couple of seasons we had to vie for his availability with the Oxfordshire U-16 side.

Back playing regularly in 2006 he bagged 19 wickets, his batting was also beginning to develop as his strength matured and he had a breakthrough year in 2008, showing good judgement in mixing power with patience, he was rewarded with back to back half centuries and a seasons average of 47.2.

Blessed with a strong arm, athleticism in the field and a well balanced temperament John is developing into a fine all-round cricketer and has taken on the vice-captaincy for the 2009 season.

His ‘development’ was also in evidence during the 2008 tour as he displayed an ease in cultivating the friendship of the local female population and we brace ourselves for 2009 with potentially the entire youth division of John, Jono, Jimmy and Dan all touring.

(MH 2009)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	104	Catches:	22
Runs Scored:	870	Wickets Taken:	87

A big powerful figure and the most unlikely looking of accountants, Neil was introduced to the club in 2006 via Dave Passmore and Alister Veitch.

Neil quickly endeared himself to his team mates, not only with his warm and friendly nature but also on the back of a string of excellent fielding performances, quickly earning himself the nickname ‘Stretch’ for his ability to reach balls he seemingly had no right to get anywhere near.

He also proved a very effective bowler, picking up wickets every time he was called upon and it was only the lack of appearances / overs that prevented him from being in contention for the Bowling Trophy.

Unfortunately opportunities have also been limited in subsequent seasons; both by a bad back and family responsibilities, but he still managed to pick up 11 wickets in just three appearances during 2007.

This included an inspired performance at Moulsford where he started off with an exceptional flying catch in covers that left the batsman staring in disbelief, and followed up with a match winning 6-20 (the second best figures for an Ipsden bowler in an away fixture).

How much we’ll see of him in coming seasons remains to be seen but he’ll always be very welcome.

Name: Alister Veitch

Cricket: RH Opening Bat; Wicket Keeper

Debut: 2004

Made his debut for Ipsden in 2004 having followed his brother-in-law, Dave Passmore, to the club.

It wasn’t his first time at Ipsden though, the most recent having been the previous season when he had been recruited by the Gentlemen of Nidderdale who were down from Yorkshire but it won’t be a game Alister will wish to remember as he bagged a pair.

Having played a couple of games in that first season, Alister played regularly in 2005 and had a memorable season, soon establishing himself as an opener, he averaged 53.9, scoring four half-centuries including a match winning 90 not out that set up our first victory against Moulsford for 19 years.

Indeed Alister wasn’t to taste defeat in his first 16 appearances for the club which encompassed a period of just over two years, picking up the Player of the Year award in 2005 for his performances.

Half-way through his first full season, Alister enquired; you do know I’m a wicket-keeper? Well we didn’t and he’s worn the gloves with distinction ever since.

Seen as one of the more cultured members of the side, due to his apparent appreciation of classical music and distinctive old school playing cap, he’s also Vice Chairperson of Wallingford Hockey Cub and his background as a hockey player is evident in the way he turns the ball off his legs. He uses a relatively light bat, his playing style relying on timing rather than power and he really showed his class with an undefeated century against Hailey in 2006.

Recently appointed a director of a waste management company, the similarities with the Sopranos end there, unless you count his performance as the tour judge on the 2007 trip to Shrewsbury.

Jonathon James Watts is one of those current rarities, an Ipsden cricketer who actually lives in the village.

He first came to our notice when he played in the 2003 pre-season Members match but we had to wait until the July for his debut with educational studies taking priority.

He was seen as a bowler in his first few seasons, indeed he won the bowling trophy in 2004, not always in complete control and often delivering from way behind the popping crease he never the less had the knack of swinging the ball. Jono took two four wicket hauls during that second season and earned the nickname ‘Golden arm’ for his repeated trick of taking a wicket with the first ball of a new spell.

The pattern of not seeing much of him early season continued as having completed his A-levels it was off to Warwick University, but come the holidays and he was back amongst our ranks. It was during those university years that the bowling became more erratic and less called upon by the captain but Jono the batsman emerged to compensate.

His Ipsden batting career had started inauspiciously with three successive ducks but Jono has since developed into a durable middle-order anchor and partnership builder, he has the ability to rotate the strike and manufacture singles, whilst being one of the quickest between the stumps (it also helps being one of the youngest).

Jono toured for the first time in 2006, quickly showing an appreciative eye for the female form but also that other well known student attribute of being able to sleep anytime anywhere.

Over the years he has ‘suffered’ so much leg pulling about being privileged that he now seems to look forward to it, acting the part and fabricating a butler into his imagined lifestyle.

Had a 2008 tour to remember, aided by the fact that good mate John Ramsay had now come of age but will have to improve on the boxing skills if he’s going to take the judge on again in 2009.

Leigh is something of an enigma, most of the time you’re left with the impression that he’s a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic basket yet he’ll go out of his way to make time for people and is capable of a surprisingly intelligent and subtle level of conversation.

When he’s on form you get to see a full range of facial expressions that accompany his stories and he’ll happily degrade himself in the pursuit of a laugh, perhaps best illustrated by the occasion, on the 2001 tour, when he paraded around the changing rooms at Timberscombe with a pair of soiled underpants on his head.

Whilst fun to be around, you don’t necessarily want to field anywhere near him as he’ll likely strike up a conversation during play and you can guarantee it’ll be you that will end up being distracted and bawled at by the Captain for not paying attention to field placings.

Leigh arrived at the club at the back end of the 1999 season, already firm friends with Phil H and Ben through local football where he was also notorious with the league disciplinary panel. Confident and driven when things are going well he can quickly become frustrated and antagonised when the reverse is true.

Leigh comes from a background as a British junior 400m athlete; he’s competed at the AAA Championships and has also had a go at bobsleigh. A powerful, shot playing, middle order batsman, Leigh quickly attracted comparisons with Luke Skywalker as in leaving the ball or in follow through, he waves his bat aloft as though it were a light sabre, sometimes with unintentional sound effects.

In the last couple of seasons he’s started to make more impression with his scoring, achieving a maiden fifty in 2004, but his appearances are limited by a young family and a busy career.

His work sees him pedalling artificial joints and body parts to the medical industry and it’s not unknown for him to sit in on an operation to give technical advice to the surgeon, I can’t think of a worse recurring nightmare than one where you’d become conscious despite anaesthetic and find Leigh directing matters.

His contacts could come in useful as some of the senior players begin to seize up but it’s back on tour where we want to see Leigh as his contributions to the fines pot are legendary.

(MH 2006)

Career Summary (up to end of 2009 season):
Matches Played:	71	Catches:	18
Runs Scored:	685	Wickets Taken:	6

For all the talk of a modern class less society, English village life still enjoys its social levels and Vaughan is the one member of the club who is able to move freely amongst them all.

A resident of Hailey, warden of Ipsden church and a batsman in the classical style, Vaughan made his debut in 1983, however a period living in Australia interrupted his ICC career and he wasn’t to play again until 1989.

Since that time Vaughan has never managed more than five games in a season for the club mainly due to career in precious metals and stones that regularly took him to some of the remoter diamond mines of the world.

Now with business interests in coal mining, he seems to spend his time socialising, organising Real Tennis tournaments and playing the gentleman farmer, but found time in 2008 to finally record his 50th appearance.

Vaughan served as Vice Chairman (1991-2007) and was elevated to President in 2008, a fitting tribute for someone who has been so generous to the club down the years.

As previously mentioned his batting shows glimpses of a timeless grace but this is in stark contrast to his conduct as a bowler. A slow right armer, he has picked up over sixty wickets down the years no doubt aided by his hair-drier approach to appealing that frankly would make many a football manager blush let alone the receiving umpire.

Vaughan has never toured so they are no embarrassing stories that I can reveal and I’m not sure I would anyway for fear of jeopardising the availability of Lord’s test match tickets from our only MCC member.

Full Career Record

Dave’s recruitment in 2007 was yet another fortuitous knock on effect of Dave Passmore joining the club, not to mention swelling the ranks of players named Dave that seem to proliferate on our roster at the present time.

A brief cameo appearance with the bat on debut didn’t properly prepare his team mates for his second appearance as Dave smashed 96 not out to lead us home at a canter at Aldworth. Dave admitably rode his luck but those that witnessed his clean hitting were awe struck.

However with the rest of the season disrupted by the weather and work commitments, a sequence of low scores left us wondering whether the innings was a one off, that was until Dave rediscovered some form, with 42, in the final fixture of the season.

Those work commitments see Dave employed as a co-pilot with BA, flying Airbuses on European routes and although his shift patterns rule him out for about half of a season he does make every effort to play.

More than once he has flown a round trip to Germany and having landed back in London, jumped straight in the car and arrived at the ground still wearing his pilot’s uniform just in time for the start of the match.

Following on from the promise of 2007 Dave settled into the top three and had a memorable 2008, playing eleven times he struck seven half-centuries together with a further three scores in the 30s to register 555 runs at an average of 61.7, winning both the Batsman and Player of the Year trophies to cap a memorable season.

Although tall, Dave doesn’t strike you as being particularly powerful but his hand-eye co-ordination produces remarkable timing and at times our ground didn’t seem big enough to contain him. Equally comfortable off the front or back foot, the majority of his scoring shots went in the classical ‘V’ as he equalled the club record of 20 sixes in a season.

All this natural ability comes without an ego and Dave has very quickly settled into the team getting involved with pitch maintenance and work parties so vital in running a small club.

Sam Bennett

Simon Brown

Chris Catchpole

Charlie Cox

Ben Davies

Will Foley

Dan Houseman

Phil Houseman

Rob Houseman

Chris Hughesdon

Dave Lile

Dave Passmore

James Ramsay

John Ramsay

Neil Tustian

Alister Veitch

Jono Watts

Leigh Weaver

Vaughan Williams

Dave Wood

Full Career Record

Full Career Record

Full Career Record