Hope hundred seals season ending win at Kew

Kew 193-8

Jesters CC 196-3 (Hope 107*)

Won by 7 wickets

In a scene that by the end was reminiscent of the battle of the Somme, a valiant Jesters XI sailed through to crown the 2026 season with victory at Kew.

Losing the toss and being asked to bowl first, an ageing Jesters team took to the field in soggy and overcast conditions. Special mention to Matt Berry, in his first Jesters game since 2019, for opening up with the evergreen Jonny Bridcut.  Had the skipper of the day been able to catch, he would have had a wicket in his first 3 balls.

With pre existing injuries holding back some of the front line bowlers, up stepped a man who always shines in a crisis. Shorbo Nag produced a sterling spell of 8 overs, 2 for 37 in tough conditions to help peg back the Kew middle order, aided by spin twins Nick Mumby (1-46 from 8) and Dheeraj (1-38 from 8), restricting Kew to 193 from their 40 overs.

The chase opened in somewhat nervy fashion, with the top order wobbling after the early departures of both Shorbo and Haider Cheema. Enter Jack Hope, who delivered a magnificent, match-winning 107 not out. Supported by solid middle-order contributions from Ross Legg and James Williams, Hope anchored the innings and calmly chaperoned the team across the finish line alongside James Richards (13 not out).

It was a glorious, fitting end to the summer, and remarkably well-timed given the immediate medical aftermath: no fewer than five Jesters finished the afternoon nursing injuries ranging from standard middle-aged stiffness to a severely battered hand sustained while attempting a caught-and-bowled.