15/12/2019

12/12. Lab hit hard in the box. Con 365, Lab 203.

JC loses his stumps to the swinging yorker. Played with too straight a bat, unsure if and when to leave, and struggled to pick up the floater...

Overall the team failed to occupy the middle. They couldn't deal with the overhead conditions and the swing was more than expected. The team now face the corridors of uncertainty.

The selectors searching for a new skipper and a new era, in good time for the next fixture in 2024. We will be needing a better contest.

21/10/2019

n-n-nineteen not out

1984, England v The West Indies...

Captain Gower averages just n-n-nineteen..

















West Indies win the test series 5 nil.

"They fought the most disastrous series in Test history."

listen here to n-n-n-ninteen not out

The Commentators (Rory Bremner and Paul Hardcastle, 1985)

01/10/2019

2019 all over, roll on 2020

The sun has set on the Hounslow Leisure 2019 season. Played 15, won 9, tied 1, lost 5. We had 7 games called off (rain and oppo), but managed to rearrange a few of them. Its been another successful season, winning more than we lost, but its gone by all too quickly. Ian topped the wickets with 15 (pipping Chris in the last game), Wendel the runs with 251 (a little lower from the heady heights of 675 runs in 2006), Ian the catches with 7 (how did that happen?) and Steve keeping dismissals with 9, inc 6 stumpings (our only keeper...). Ian played all 15, and Steve and Paul 14 games. Looking forward to next season, its going to be a great year for 2020 cricket!

All time HLCC results (1992 to 2019): Played 413, won 215, lost 181, tied 13, and 4 no results. In May we played our 400th game, v Harrow, the team we've played most and for longest (45 times since 1992).

Magdalen CC, our Sunday team (i.e. most of the team are HLers), finished up this week. Played 22, won 12, drew 1, lost 9. The season started off very promising with a win v Esher way back in April, and finished up with a rain affected game in West Wycombe and a last game rain cancellation v Morden, the last week of September. Ian topped the bowling with 24 wickets. Runs, all very exciting; Wendel 553, Wasim 556, but new skipper Imran topping with 569. The tour to Southsea, and the 75th Anniversary weekend in August and Hookys garden party being highlights. Curry and Awards Night in November and the AGM in January. And nets next spring. Pop in here during the winter where there will be the occasional random piece and news of the 2020 fixtures will be posted in the spring.

"People ask me if I'm going to be still doing this next year. Tbh, don't have a clue, I don't have 2020 vision..."

15/09/2019

Hambledon 2019


14/9. V Hambledon @ Ridge Meadow. Last game of the HL season. 40 over match. The sun was shining and the temp 23 degrees, but a very similar result to last year in that Hambledon batted first, scored 220/7 and bowled us out for 161, with 6 overs remaining (last year; 219/8 and 163). Imran took 3 wickets, Jamie 2, and Ian the 1 needed to top the wicket takers for the year with 15. Wendel took a blinding catch at slip to dismiss a key batter, as did Paul at mid off. At tea time we felt reasonably confident, but needed 2 or 3 guys to get 50's. 28 from Paul opening gave us a decent enough start. Imran stroked it around for a fluent 67 until bowled and Wendel didn't quite get going, caught on the boundary for 16. At the 20 over mark we were there with the run rate. However, wickets fell regularly, the last 7 for 28 runs, including Alex stumped for a golden, having left the goose at home. Thanks to Hambledon for the game and the hospitality. For afters, beer and grub in the famous Bat and Ball pub.

Cick here for the HCC v HLCC 2019 score sheet.



31/08/2019

2019 Match Reports, (cont...)

5/9. V Richmond Yorkers. RY 109/6, HL 112/5. 2 wickets from Matt in the first over put RY on the back foot straight away. 2 more from Paul restricted RY to 109 from the 16 overs. In response 25's from Swainy and Kieran and 20 from James and 13 from Matt sealed victory with 14 balls to spare. A direct throw run out from Swainy and a catch and stumping for Steve.



29/8. V Richmond Yorkers. Our local rivals sporting new kit for our first meet of 2019, the seasons opening game having been rained off. HL put into bat and a flourishing start from Paul and Swainy as both hit 30's reaching 75 at the half way mark. The 2nd half of the innings returned just 51 runs, just Matt scoring double figures with 18, as HL ended up on 126/6 from the 18 overs. Yorkers started well, but lost their dangerous opener early, bowled to a Bicky mystery ball. No 3 batted well but was shambolically run out, the start of the Yorkers collapse as they lost 9 wickets for 27 runs. Their skipper, and Stokes look alike, also called Ben, and last man Lewis, couldn't quite replicate the heroics of Headingley, their skipper last man bowled for HL to win by 34 runs. A good game, HL played well, finishing up just as the pizza was delivered. Swainy 3 wickets for 15, Wendel 2 for 2, Parky 3 for 3. and 2 catches for Parky. Just as we thought that was it for midweek, another game has been arranged for next week.

27/08/2019

Magdalen, Captains XI v Presidents XI

Mags@75. The dinner in Esher was most entertaining, and the game was a close finish between the Presidents XI and the Captains XI. A special weekend indeed, with past, present, and future players and partners coming together in the spirit of Magdalen! We played a 2 innings game, 20 and 15 overs, the teams were well matched, an absolute scorcher of an afternoon, with the Presidents XI winning by a small margin. And, on the same day that Ben Stokes took on the Aussies at Headingley, and won....

Captains XI v Presidents XI August 2019

19/08/2019

Magdalen CC @ 75

Big weekend for Magdalen CC coming up this Bank Holiday. The 75th Anniversary Dinner Saturday, and the Presidents XI game, made up of current and past players, on Sunday at Kempton.

Magdalen CC was formed in 1944, by the social club of St Mary Magdalen in Mortlake, Despite not having its own ground, the team has kept it going for 75 years, using various grounds around SW London as its home. Kempton CC being the current home pitch. We survived the Up Pompey! Tour this summer, playing the historic Hambledon CC on the Sunday. There are stats for over 1000 games, going back 47 years on the play cricket site. Les Thomlinson, in the pic below, took over 1500 wickets in a 40 year career for the club. Alex, still playing, has scored over 15000 runs for Magdalen CC in his 36 years.

The forecast is great for Sunday, and the bar will be open...


Magdalen CC, 2019

09/08/2019

2019 Match reports (cont)

22/8. Best laid plans end in defeat for HL. Third time we have met GSK this year, having been on the end of a drubbing the previous two times. HL batted first, 142 off our 18 overs, thanks to a Wendel 82, but not much from anyone else. We could have scored a few more in the final overs, but 142 felt a reasonably decent score at half time. Unfortunately that didn’t take into account their number 4, who scored a 100 as GSK completed the task with 16 balls remaining. We took two early wickets, and then that was more or less it, as said number 4 rode his luck and hit big. Another broken finger, this time on the oppo side, making it one from each game this season. 3 defeats from 3 games v GlaxoSmithkline, it’s a hard pill to swallow.

15/8. Superstars, cancelled. Train strikes and the rain beat us the first time in June, oppo player numbers this rescheduled game.

13/8. Its been 6 years since we last played Westminster Planners up at Wandsworth Common. However, they were happy to travel out to the wild west (Kempton) for a resumption of hostilities. Unfortunately, the trains had their say, several of the oppo were delayed and some improvisation was required to get the game started, which it finally did at 630pm.  HL batted first, posting 113/7 from the 18 overs. Swainy17, Chris18, Wendel23, and Paul30no. In response, 7 bowlers were used, and in the fading light Westminster needed 14 off the last over, eventually falling short by 12 runs, 7 down, at 845pm, far too late for a mid August game. 2 stumpings for Steve off 1 Wendel over, and a wicket a piece for Swainy, Chris and Paul. A good game, HL just on top throughout the Westminster innings. Great see Ian, Davinder and Ash spectating...

8/8. Hounslow v Brentford. aka Leisure v Griffin Park Supporters. Our first ever game ends in last ball win...  GPS openers got off to a flyer, 45 from the first 5. Fortunately for us, both had to retire on 25, but they came back at the end as the wickets tumbled, Ibby picking up 4 for 14, and Parky 2 for 22. 126 for the win was going to be tough going this evening. Chris played the steady openers role retiring on 25, Ibby a quick fire 20 (2*6, 2*4).  Paul, Jim, Steve chipped in with valuable runs. Needing 20 off the last 5 overs, GPS then bowled 2 maidens to put the pressure back onto HL. With 1 ball to go, the scores were level. Parky on strike kept his cool to hit the winning runs. A low scoring thriller, HL just edged it, but played with the right spirit and hopefully more games next season. GPS 125/8, HL 129/6.

04/08/2019

18/07/2019

Barney Bubbles

Barney Bubbles, graphic designer, the originator of many an amazing iconic record cover; Hawkwind, Ian Dury/ The Blockheads, The Damned, Elvis Costello,.. Designed the NME music paper header. The list goes on. Hounslow born, (ok, Whitton). Died far too young. And he designed a cricket poster, which gets him a mention here...Barney Bubbles (wiki)

09/05/2019

2019 Match Reports and News

31/7. LBH Annual Mayors Match. Players from Leisure and Navigators, with Councillors making up the mixed teams, Wycombe House Cricket Club. High scoring 20 over match. The Mayors charities the winners.

30/7. Old Californians. Cancelled. Rain.

24/7. A very hot late July evening in Spelthorne found HL hosting local rivals Staefa, the return fixture. HL batted first and runs from Ibby, Steve and Kieron got us off to a good start. Later runs from Wendel (29no) and Parky (20) had HL finishing up on a decent 152/7. Jim was run out with a direct throw having not faced a ball and Doc went for a golden.  In response, HL took a wicket with our first ball, a repeat of the our previous meet. Staefa found it hard to score runs against tight bowling, finishing up all out for 109. 3 wickets for Chris, 2 for Ian and 2 run outs.

16/7. Winning the toss and being 38/5 in the 6th over wasn't quite the plan. However, Paul (42) and Kieron (37) steadied the ship, HL finishing up on a credible 137, all out, in the 20th over. Phoenix were already 3 down for 27 by the 4th over. HL bowled and fielded well and at 10 over mark Phoenix were on just 62. A couple of expensive overs and 2 well set chaps who got 50's took it to the last over where Phoenix needed just 3 runs. Defeat for HL was sealed with 2 balls remaining. An exciting close game, very hot, and defeat was disappointing after all our efforts.

14/7. Warm, but slightly cloudy day in NW London, with a few supporters out to watch. Oppo won toss and batted first, one opener got a 50 and a few other chaps chipped in, including their keeper who got a few at the end, finishing up 241/8. A below par score, but the team bowled well and 3 wickets each for Chris and Liam. In response, not the best of starts, 86/4 at one stage. One of their chaps taking a blinding catch to dismiss skipper Eoin at deep point. However, Ben (84no) and Jos (59) built a partnership, but the run rate continued to increase, leaving 15 needed off the last over. Frantic hitting and running, 2 needed off the last ball, but Mark was run out going for the 2nd, for the game to be tied. Super over required, Ben and Jos out there again, hitting a six, and a deflected off the bat bonus 4 to post 15. New kid Jofra tasked to bowl; a wide and a 6 meant oppo needed 2 off the last ball. A great throw in from Jason meant a run out and the super over was also tied. However, by virtue of scoring more boundaries, the team were declared the winners.

What a game, it ebbed and flowed throughout the day, with many pivotal moments. Perhaps the best limited overs game ever? A World Cup final, in England, at Lords, and England World Cup Winners! A fantastic tournament, and some amazing fielding, batting, bowling displays by some seriously top players. Well played NZ. Apart from a little wobble in the group stage, England were the best all round team at the tournament and deserved winners....(NZ 241/8, 50 overs, ENG 241ao, 50 overs. Tie. Super over; 15 a piece, Tie.)


11/7. The scorecard doesn't make happy reading. GSK 200/5, HL 70/8. Stand in skipper Swainy carted off to A&E with a broken hand before he had a chance to bowl allowed GSK to add 80 in the last 5 overs. With 2 top batters, including Wendel, missing in action, and morale down, HL lost by 130 runs. Jim got 2 wickets, and only Alex and Jim made double figures batting, just.   

4/7. GSK have done an Old Trafford and turned the wicket 90 degrees. Almost works, but a short boundary behind the bowler into the tennis courts, which GSK made good use of. The first few overs went well for HL, 3 wickets for 30. Then 2 guys let rip, 100 run partnership and both retiring once they got to 50. We did take 9 wickets, but went for 170 in the process. In response we were 90 from 9 overs, above the rrr, but already 5 down. The last 10 overs yielded just 44 runs as we lost by 36 runs. Wickets from Chris (3), Ian and Swainy (2), Kieran the only one with runs with his 53no. First defeat of the season, and back there again next week for more pills, thrills and broken fingers…

3/7. Harrow, cancelled by oppo.

27/6. The Water pressure was low in Spelthorne this evening as Thames Water CC dripped to 105/6 from their 20 overs. HL made heavy weather of the chase, leaving it to the last over for Phil to hit the winning runs. 2 wickets from Chris and runs from , Neil30no, Alex25no, Swainy21no, Phil14no. Arguably an evening where a much better game would have been had had we won the toss and batted first.

19/6 v Superstars. Rain and train strikes. Cancelled. Click here for the Superstars CC website

11/6 v Old Californians. Heavy rains the previous 24 hours couldn't dampen the excitement of the first clash of the season between HL and OC's. The groundsman had done well to ensure the game went ahead with both teams undefeated in 2019. HL batted first, lost Paul in the first over, but Steve (17) and Swainy (37) battled on with a 59 run partnership. Wendel entered the scene in the 11th over, hitting a solid 56no, with 22 coming from one over, including 3 big 6’s for HL to finish up a respectable 140/5 from  the 20 overs. We counted at least 7 dropped catches, including Wendel twice. By now it had become quite murky, and with some light drizzle, but tight bowling from Ian (2/21) and Chris (2/14) had OCs at 69/4 from 13. A direct throw by Swainy from mid off left their skipper stranded yards out, effectively the end as OC's fell short by a whopping 30 runs, HL's bowling and fielding, and that one over from Wendel, the difference this evening.

6/6 v Staefa. Our local oppo were on the back foot from the word go, losing a wicket first ball of the evening. With 4 wickets for 1 run from Adrian and 3 from Ian, it wasn't looking so good for the home side at 57/7 from 10 overs. An opportunity to use 9 bowlers had Staefa posting a mildly competitive 122/9 from the 20. HL knocked the total off with 15 balls remaining, 5 down, with Adrian 36 and Jim 28no the run scorers. A very similar score line to the week before. Phil somehow managed to go to the wrong ground, 15 miles away, but somehow got to the game having just missed 3 overs.

30/5 v Harrow. New location and mostly a new team. Harrow batted first. 50 from 10 became 129/7 from the 20overs. HL bowled well, Bicky on a hattrick with his 2 wickets. Apart from one batter who scored 51, Harrow didn't seem to totally endorse the 2020 concept, failing to take quick singles and rotating the strike. With our line up, the target seemed below par and this was fortunately the case as runs flowed from Swainy28, Immy30, Alex25no and Jim20, winning with 14 balls to spare. West Harrow Rec seems very similar to Roxbourne Park, fantastic to see HL veteran Phil back after 8 years away and to see Immy and Parky making guest appearances. The Kingsfield Arms the chosen establishment to celebrate the win and, as it happens, our 400th game. 45 times we have now played Harrow, since 1992. We currently top the leader board 23/20.

And on the same day as England beat SA, opening game of the ICC Cricket World Cup in England. 10 teams all play each other, semis and then final on Sunday 14th July. An ODI every day for the next 5 weeks...

22/5 v Chelmbridge. Cancelled.

16/5 v Phoenix. HL 99 all out, Phoenix 99 all out. Incredible scenes, reminiscent of SA and AUS in the ‘99 World Cup semi as the game finished as a tie! HL chose to bat, confident with our very strong top 6 of Waz, Keiron, Swainy, Wendel, Neil and Adrian. However, from 86/3 at the 10 over stage we slipped to 99 all out in the 17th over, losing our last 7 wickets for just 3 runs as Sanjeev, their spin bowler and 50th birthday boy, took 5 wickets for 1 run. (Only Kieron30, Waseem26, Wendel18 with runs)


In response, Phoenix got off to a positive start, but with tight bowling from Ian, Adrian and Paul, the runs dried up as wickets regularly fell, with only 47 on the board at the half way stage. Scroll on a few overs and with 18 balls left, 3 runs needed, and with 3 wickets remaining, and with very little hope, on came Kieron to bowl. 15 balls later including a bowled, a caught and to finish a Jontyesque run out from Paul, the match was tied with 3 balls remaining…. The start of my 25th season with HL, this great game never ceases to amaze me, cricket was the winner this evening.

9/5 v Richmond. Cancelled RAIN!

20/04/2019

2019 HLCC FIXTURES, and RESULTS

V @
Thurs 9-May H Richmond CANCELLED
Thurs 16-May H TIE Phoenix Spelthorne
Wed 22-May A Chelmbridge CANCELLED
Thurs 30-May A WON Harrow Harrow
Thurs 6-Jun A WON Staefa Laleham
Tues 11-Jun A WON Old Cals Ewell
Wed 19-Jun A Superstars CANCELLED
Thurs 27-Jun H WON TWater Spelthorne
Wed 3-Jul A Harrow CANCELLED
Thurs 4-Jul A LOST GSK Northfields
Thurs 11-Jul A LOST GSK Northfields
Tues 16-Jul H LOST Phoenix Spelthorne
Wed 24-Jul H WON Staefa Spelthorne
Tues 30-Jul A Old Cals CANCELLED
Thur 08-Aug  H WON Brentford Spelthorne
Tues 13-Aug A WON Westminster Kempton
Thurs 15-Aug A Superstars CANCELLED
Thurs 22-Aug A LOST GSK Northfields
Thurs 29-Aug H WON Richmond Spelthorne
Thurs 5-Sep H WON Richmond Spelthorne
Sat 7-Sep A Hatfield Hth CANCELLED
Sat 14-Sep A LOST Hambledon Hambledon

23/02/2019

Hounslow Leisure Cricket Club have scorecards dating from 1992. We did play games before then, but nobody remembers and any scorecards have long disappeared. Scorecards from 92 to 97 are a bit random, we have 41 but maybe 50 games missing. From 98, we have almost a complete record. Scorecards for 398 games in total. So perhaps we have played near on 500 games? 2019 therefore marks our 28th season and mid May will see us play our 400th recorded game (last season we recorded our 200th win). First ever recorded game was v Harrow, at Boston Manor 2/6/92. (KWS was at number 1 in the hit parade that week, with Please Don't Go). We lost, but took it well and will be playing Harrow for the 45th time in 2019.

100 NOT OUT! Turns out that HL played our 100th game at Spelthorne Sports Club last season. First game was v PS93 back in 2003. We've now played 101 games there, having won 60, plus 5 tied games. At a conservative guess that's at least 3000 pints behind the bar, but in total 27,508 runs and 1,182 wickets. There's been 6 tons, 3 hatricks and just 1 smashed windscreen. 2019 sees a new artificial wicket at the ground and, as it happens, 10 years of this Blog.

296 Staines Road West, TW15 1RY

14/02/2019

First winter net going well....

05/02/2019

Winter 2019 Updates....

25/1/19 MAGDALEN CC AGM, Champagne Charlies, Charing Cross. Waseem resigns, Imran Khan voted the new MAGS skipper for 2019! Steve and Swainy Vice Skippers. 75th Anniversary celebrations; a slap up meal and Presidents XI game B/H August. No Lords nets this year, somewhere else, tbc, for a change....


The UP POMPEY! Tour 2019; Selsey, Ferring and Hambledon, July 2019. See Tour Manager Knobby for more info. Other Sunday fixtures coming together, as are the HOUNSLOW LEISURE fixtures with most mid weeks now confirmed. Looks like Chelmbridge will be our 400th game. Will post when more is confirmed, but first game Thurs 9/5 v Richmond Yorkers confirmed. And last game, v Hambledon CC, Sat 15/9/19...


Help find Magdalen CC opening batter from '71 to '74, Hugh Grant (not that one), who held the record for most runs in a season from 1971 for 43 years (876), until Wendel surpassed it with his season of 3 double hundreds in 2014. Still holds the record for highest opening partnership, 242 v Motley, 1971. A fine bat by all accounts..., but who was he, and where is he now..?

08/01/2019


Cricket on VHS..anyone have a video player?