Ravi Patel called up by England Lions

Only last week on tour with the OMTs did the subject of England's spinner come up.   Although I think Moeen Ali has done a fantastic job considering he's had missed chances by Prior and been rarely used by Cook, the fact remains that England would love a specialist world class spinner.   I suggested that you have to be a pretty special off-spinner not to get carted in world cricket given that there tends to be more right-handed than left-handed batsmen.   So we started thinking about who could be considered for the role of a spinner who turns it away from the right-hander and someone suggested Ravi Patel.   I think the suggestion came more from the fact that he is an OMT (Old Merchant Taylor) rather than really thinking he could get picked, but I definitely didn't rule it out.

It's definitely a big surprise that Ravi's been called up to the Lions today though.   It will be fascinating to see how he does if he plays.   It's 50 over cricket he's been selected for rather than a 4-day game, but it's still interesting that he's getting a look in given his inexperience.

Good luck fella.

Annual Brakspears intake over

Another year, another enjoyable Thames Tour. Here's a few selected photos....none of actual cricket of course! Tour record was played 6, won 3, tied 1, lost 2. I am to blame for the tie as I was captaining that game...a one run win was the ideal but I was a bit over-generous in the way I tossed the ball up in the final over! No matches lost to bad weather so all good....

Preparing for the Aldworth game at The Bell. Allan (front left) had clearly just swallowed a wasp.

John Walter holding court. Dave McCabe has clearly heard this anecdote before.

4 of the team relax at Aldworth having racked up the huge total of 92, preparing themselves to bowl Aldworth out.

Once again Mark Davis took the wicket of Tim Vines on Wednesday against Peppard. Tim forces a smile for the annual photo.

The team look on at Goring as Jon Vallerius and Guy Edwards knock off the winning runs.

Mark Davis wrapped in the OMT flag.

Duckworth-Lewis go up in my estimation

I know, I know, I'm a little behind. But hopefully I'll catch up over the next 48 hours. This piece in The Guardian about Duckworth-Lewis weekend before last completely changed my opinion of them - they insisted on meeting over a "pub lunch in semi-rural Oxfordshire"! I wonder if it's a pub known to Thames Tourists...

Considering criticism of the DL method, I'd have to say that criticism tends to come when the cricketing authorities try to use their calculations over too short-a-period. For example, can you shorten a Twenty20 match and get a fair result? Not really...why bother trying?

Anyway, DL are doing their best and anyone that runs meetings over lunch in semi-rural Oxfordshire goes up in my estimation. I trust they were drinking Brakspears....

[One final note - on going to the Brakspears site the rotating homepage image is of The Unicorn at Peppard and the King William at Hailey- pubs definitely known to Thames Tourists].

A sad end for an unmatchable club cricket venue

Aldworth CC were OMTCC's final opponents ever at Durrants (where Michelle and I got married) on Saturday and it was an occasion that was pretty sad, despite everyone's best attempts to put a brave face on it. How can there be any circumstances under which beautiful grounds like Durrants can be built over for housing? It's going to leave me with a dislike for Barratts for the rest of my life.

On the day OMTs batted first and scored 156-7 declared (Richard Winkle 46*) and my contribution was a quick 12 or so as we ended the innings. Aldworth were stunned by a Sohan Modi hatrick early in their innings but fought back well, with David Pollock (former OMTCC 1st XI skipper guesting for Aldworth) scoring 41, and ending up on 148-7. Honours even and we're looking forward to the rematch at Aldworth's ground next to The Bell next year on Thames Tour.

The final wicket at Durrants off the penultimate ball of the match was Aldworth's skipper, Julian Sankey, caught by me, bowled by Cricket Burbler Mark Davis. A nice personal symmetry given that Julian Sankey used to play at Durrants and gave me my first bowl in adult cricket at Durrants for the 3rd XI....not quite sure exactly when but he thinks it was 1986 which would have made me 8 years old. It could well have been the year after!

Although tinged with sadness, it was a great day and the players could almost not bear to leave with David Pollock taking the honour of the last round purchased at the player's bar, served - as ever - by Frank Coles.

Fond (and some occasionally drunken and not so fond!) memories...

How to bowl...from someone in their mid-60s

The various stages of Tony MacDonald-Barker's (of OMTs and Herts over 60s fame) action....

Many a younger bowler doesn't get their body into it like this!

OMTs v Goring from Friday

OMTs won the keenly contested last fixture of Thames Tour easily in the end against Goring. The scorecard is here and selected pics below....

Matt Winkle proving he's good enough to take wickets at Division 2 of the Thames Valley League.

OMTCC Chairman Chris White in relaxed mood as his side coast to victory.

Tim Vines getting in some research on behalf of Jason Lunnon who hopes his Thames Tour side will beat OMTs at Durrants on 15th August.

Note Mark Davis' "coiled spring" position at mid-off and Dave McCabe's keeping position....

Honourable draw at Aldworth

The key match from OMTCC's Thames Tour was of course Aldworth who were lead by former OMT 3rd XI skipper Julian Sankey. The game ended in an honourable draw, with some observers questioning whether Sankey had "shut up shop" too early, a few booing occassionally from the boundary edge! Aldworth ended 8 wickets down and 45 short with Cricket Burbler Mark Davis taking 6 for 56. View the Aldworth v OMTCC Thames XI scorecard here.


John Walter shows off his unique bowling action.

Charlie "Chuckie" Williams considers what might have been for OMTs.

John Walter and Aldworth skipper Julian Sankey.

Mark Davis gets through the batsman's defences.

Richard Boxall (on the ground) celebrates a catch....OMTs had a few go down!

What the crowd came to see....Davis bowling to Sankey.

Sankey hits out.

Honours even as the players leave the pitch.

OMT skipper for the day, Raf Shergold, seems happy enough with a draw.

Jawwad Rasheed is content with his 75 earlier in the day.

Look forward to next year.....