Sachin Rawson wins Arnold Woods Cup for first time
A hugely successful dinner at new venue Vinoteca City topped off the season in style. At the annual AGM, both Andrew Short and Sahil Kher stepped down from the Committee and will be replaced by James Whittock and Sachin Rawson. Thanks go to both Andrew - the end of an era! - and Sahil for their service.
After the traditional picture quiz, which was themed around disastrous run outs and splattered stumps, the prize-giving ceremony was the usual mix of celebration and farce. The nominations were as follows...
The Arnold Woods Cup for best performance of the season...
Sachin Rawson for his terrific 147* off 123 balls, including 25 fours and a six, at Hurlingham. Sachin shared a stand of 193 with DJ Chak to lead the Jesters to a phenomenal victory from 85-5.
Sachin Rawson for his 122 against Hampstead, steering us to a last over win.
Ollie Doward for his 99 against The Woozlers at Girton College, Cambridge. Unfortunately, OD ran himself out going for three figures. More on this shortly!
Ollie Doward for managing to find 11 non-Jesters to turn out for the Club in the week we played against the Highgate Irregulars.
Adnan Mohammed's 5 wicket haul in a losing effort against Bishop’s Stortford. It was the only five-fer of the entire season.
Honourable mentions to DJ Chak his 82 at Barnes and 61* in that partnership with Sachin at Hurlingham; Achal Varma’s 63 in the first game of the season v Eastcote and Sam Butler’s 4-37 on debut against the Bedouin.
The winner was Sachin Rawson for his 147* at Hurlingham, a sensational knock, mixing patience and some thrilling strokeplay as we chased down 277.
The Michael Meyer Award for biggest hit of the season...
Ollie Doward for a two big 6s over midwicket and square leg at Girton College, both off former Jesters Sam Grimshaw
Sachin Rawson for a ferocious flat six at Hurlingham which sent the Hon Fixture Secretary's family flying on the midwicket boundary. More on that shortly!
Skipper James Whittock’s beautifully timed stylish straight six at Maidenhead & Bray which slapped satisfyingly into the fence by the sight screen.
Debutant Tee Bizayi for a monster hit that destroyed the roof of the pavilion at Chobham (displacing tiles and upsetting the President and former President who were having a quiet drink underneath!)
The winner was James Whittock
The Roger Greenslade Trophy for most Jester-like antics...
Alex Smith for some extraordinary antics involving a Brazilian on the Cambridge tour. History records that the lady in question did not qualify for the "half your age plus 7" standard as set out in the Club Rules. Some serious effort was put in nonetheless … in the end he only emerged with her Instagram handle.
Ollie Doward, sitting on a bench with his family at midwicket watching the Hurlingham game with his daughter on his lap, contrived to throw her on the floor in an instinctive attempt to catch Sachin’s flat 6, before realising that he had put his family in danger and scrabbling around on the floor trying to ensure that everyone (including his son and mother) were safe from the fast moving cricket ball.
Also at Hurlingham, DJ Chak for smothering a chocolate brownie in what he thought was cream but which turned out to be, in true Notting Hill style, mayonnaise.
Ollie Doward, again, for running himself out on 99 against The Woozlers. Stroking the ball wide of extra cover, Ollie noted that the fielder was wearing black trainers, which their worst fielder had been sporting all afternoon. However, he had not spotted that DJ has entered the arena as a sub fielder wearing… black trainers. As he turned blind for a second run, Ollie was sent back by his BBC colleague Oliver Thompson when halfway down the wicket and DJ’s pinpoint throw left him just short of his ground. Tragic and hilarious in equal measure, Simon Rawson’s explosion of laughter could be heard at all corners of the ground. Earlier in Ollie's innings, Umpire Rawson had awarded two leg byes when Ollie glanced the ball off the face of the bat down to fine leg.
And DJ Chak again for running Ollie out on 99!
The winner was Ollie Doward for his Cambridge catastrophe.
