Annual dinner & AGM report
This year’s annual dinner was a rumbustious occasion at The Jugged Hare.
Hon. Match Secretary Jonny Bridcut delivered a verbal report of the 2019 season. We were scheduled to play 21 matches, with nine wins, six losses, no draws and six cancellations. Almost all the reports are available here on the website.
Hon. Secretary John Murphy revealed that one page printed fixture cards will be produced for the 2020 season and will be posted to Members.
John was re-elected as Hon. Secretary, Jonny as Hon. Match Secretary and Chris Smith as Hon. Treasurer. The existing Committee (DJ Chak, Ollie Doward, Sahil Kher, Louis Harris, Noah Hillyard, Simon Rawson, and Andrew Short) was re-elected.
There was some exciting news announced for the 2020 season. Thanks to Simon Rawson, who has expressed a desire to organise the annual tour again after a year off, we will resume fixtures against the Bryanston Butterflies and the Canford Cygnets with Portsmouth added to the schedule. Watch this space for further details.
In other club news, it was also announced that there will be a Jesters pre-season social for the first time this year. The date is Thursday 2nd April. Sahil Kehr is organising and a venue will be revealed in due course.
There was a reminder that the 100th Anniversary Fund to contribute to a celebratory event in 2028 was launched in August 2019 and many Members have recently started to contribute. More contributions are always welcome. Find out how you can do that here.
And thanks to Louis Harris for falling for the fake menu prank in such spectacular fashion. Fetal duck and fermented shark anyone?
The traditional awards were dished out as follows…
The Arnold Woods Cup for performance of the season was won by Andrew Short for the second time. Andrew secured the trophy for his five wicket haul (7-0-42-5) to win the game against Kew. He also scored an excellent 42.
Aside from Andrew, the following nominations were received...
Andy Mortimer for his incredible catch to dismiss Amersham’s best player whowas in form (three recent centuries).
Nick Mumby for his bowling spell at Amersham. In the words of Louis Harris “a remarkable spell of control which caused some seriously good batsmen some real problems”.
Chris Smith for his maiden Jesters century at Kew (112 off 93 balls). And for his bowling against Hurlingham (figures of 15-3-60-5 on a fast scoring ground). He also scored 49 in the game.
Sachin Rawson for his maiden Jesters century (105*) against Bishop’s Stortford.
Sumaer Sandhu for his debut 156 against Eastcote, including nine sixes, putting on 236 for the second wicket with DJ Chak.
DJ Chak for carrying his bat and making 143* in the defeat against Chobham.
The Michael Meyer Award for big hitting was won by John Murphy for the third time. John’s latest mighty blow was a first ball six at Eversholt which rocketed through the pavilion door into the bar!
The other nominees were…
Ollie Doward for hitting a six against Jesus College, Cambridge into the River Cam.
Sumaer Sandhu for his nine sixes against Eastcote.
Rob Dancey for hitting his second ball against Newdigate for a massive six over long on.
And the Roger Greenslade Award for the most Jester-like antics was won by DJ Chak for his hilarious attempt to put up a deckchair at Huirlingham.
The other nominations were…
Jake Smyth for getting his first ball hit for a six into the sight screen at Chingford.
Adnan Mohammed versus the Flashmen. Having been cleaned up first ball, his stumps splattered all over the square, Adnan had the temerity to claim that the opposing keeper had sought him out to tell him he had “the best back-lift of everyone in your team”.
Adnan and DJ for their comic run-out at Northwood, with both players were stranded at the same end, an incident which was recorded on video and played on loop in the pavilion afterwards.