Memorable
Matches
If you have any recollections of memorable
matches, please let us know (Contact us)
The Sunday First Match ever! Farnham Royal vs Fiddlers - 21st May 1951
Fiddlers (135) - Knotty Green (35) - 6th August 1956
Fiddlers batted
first and by tea time were 151 off 35 overs. Knotty Green went into bat
and lost the first 6 wickets for 3 runs after 6 overs. Knotty Green where
eventually all out in the 15th over for 38 runs. (Success) It was noted
that Gerry Kirby was run out for 61 but who did the deed was not recorded.
Ray Knock for the Fiddlers (The man who took the double of Gold Finger
in the James Bond film when driving off on the old 17th tee at Stoke Pokes
- Check this out next time you watch the film) took 6 wickets for 11 at
an average of 1.8.
Intertype (22) - Fiddler's (23) - 29th September 1957
Intertype batted
first and where all out for 22 (five ducks). It was agreed before the
Fiddlers batted that when they achieved the total they would carry on
the innings and then put Intertype in again to make a match of it. Little
did the Fiddlers realise that with 9 runs for the lost of two wickets
after 4 overs would the remaining 14 run target be so hard to achieve.
The fifth 5 over brought a Hat Trick by a Mr R Elderfield (Bob) later
to be a playing member of Farnham Royal C.C. The Fiddlers achieved the
target of 23 for the lost of 9 wickets and the follow-on put on a massive
0 (Zero runs) as Gilbert Armitage was run out the following ball. The
score book reveals that the Fiddlers had 6 ducks making a grand total
of 11 ducks by both sides.
Great Kingshill 28.04.1958 "Six Ducks, Two 1's"
The first of two famous matches against Great Kingshill. 8 of the Fiddler's batsmen out for 6 ducks and 2 ones!
Great Kingshill scored 149 for 9 by tea time. Fiddlers went in after tea and were 19 for 1 which quickly descended into 8 for 24 and all out for 30. Peter Steadman batting for the Fiddlers scored 17 out of the 30 runs. There were no extra's and the innings included 6 ducks.
Great Missenden 75 - Fiddlers 56 - 10th August 1958
Bernard Hamilton described this as the Fiddlers Dunkirk and was the first of two matches played that August which was known in Fiddlers circles as "Black August".
Great Missenden batted first and where all out for 75. Fiddlers went in and where shortly 0 for 4. The first 4 batsmen where all out for nought (0) White and Paddy Lanagan scored 33 and 10. There was a total of 7 ducks in this innings.
Richings Park 112 - 6 Fiddlers 23 - 17th August 1958
The following week Fiddlers went to Richings Park thinking that things could not get any worse. This time the Fiddlers where all out for 23 equalling the feat of the previous week of 7 Ducks. The score book revealed third top scorer was Paddy Lanagan with 2.
Iver Heath 56 - Fiddlers 12 Opening game of the season. Sunday 19th April 1959
Tom Lawford scored 50% of the runs (6) and again 7 ducks.
Great Kingshill 25th July 1959 "Seven Ducks"
Remarkable match where the first 7 batsmen were out for a duck! It was reputed that the first run scored was a bye. Fiddlers lost by 81 runs.
Great Kingshill
had lost the will to live by 1960, but somehow the Fiddlers managed to
get the fixture back in 1961, and batted a more respectable 76, but still
lost against Gread Kingshill's 170.
Knotty Green 05.08.1962 'The Great Tie'
The Match started at 2.00 and Fiddlers batted first and were all out for 144. Knotty green started their innings after tea at 5.15. Knotty green levelled the scores at 144 for 7. Clive Essex Bowls a maiden over. Dennis Ashby who had gone for 4 runs the previous over did the Hat Trick with the first 3 balls of his next over.
Great Missenden 208 - 2 - Fiddlers 52 - 31st August 1965
In these days, Sunday games started at 2.30. Great Missenden scored their total of 208 for 2 between 2.30 and 4.15 at which time Great Missenden declared. At tea time the Fiddlers where 14 for 6. John Hunt (19) and Mike Brown (11) moved the score to 45 for 7 which again quickly went to 52 all out. Fiddlers only had 10 players this day. Bernard put in the in score book. This is how we lost the fixture with Great Missenden.
Winchmore Hill 99 - Fiddlers 24 - 4th July 1965
As normal the fiddlers batted second and quickly achieved the score of 11 runs for 6 which then turned into 24 all out. Dick Jessup, father of Steve who very occasionally played and who was put into bat at number 11 made the second highest score with 3. (What a lovely tale).
The Greatest Match - Fiddlers 40 all out Pinkney's Green 39 all out - 19th Sept 1966
During Bernard
Hamilton's twelve year captaincy, he described the match against Pinkney's
Green on 19th Sept 1966 as surely the greatest match of his captaincy.
Fiddlers were put into bat first and were all out for 40 runs in the 29th
over, including 3 leg byes, with John Hamilton (8 runs) and Bernard Hamilton
(7 runs) being the highest scorers.
Pinkney's Green were not at all impressed with the Fiddler's total and
(thinking the game was already over) went into bat, with Clive Essex opening
the bowling and John Hamilton from the other end. After 6 overs, Pinkney's
Green were 6 for 1 and the game was very tight. Wickets fell regularly
and runs were slow to come, with John and Clive bowling many maiden overs.
At 37 for 9, Pinkneys Green battles for another 9 overs and 1 ball and
could only get 2 runs! John bowled 4 consecutive maidens and took the
10th wicket.
Clive statistics were 16 overs, 7 maidens for 20 runs, and 6 wickets.
John's statistics were 15 overs and 1 ball, 6 maidens for 17 runs, and
4 wickets. There was 1 leg bye and 1 no ball.
Bernard's comments at the end of his notes was that Pinkney's Green did not renew the fixture next season!
'Put the Tea Urn On' - August 1981 Great Missenden
In the August
1981 the Fiddlers went to Great Missenden with quite a strong side which
included Gerry Kirby, Jimmy Platt, Steve Jessup, Peter Hamilton and John
Stone.
The Fiddlers
struggled and by 3.50 (Start was 2.30) where 70 for 9 with John Stone
coming to the crease as 11th Man and Steve Jessup struggling on 15 runs.
The opposing captain thinking that this would be quickly over (Looking
at John walking to the wicket) shouted loudly across the field towards
the pavilion “Put The Tea Urn On”. John, Steve and the rest of the Fiddlers
thought this was a bit cheeky!.
John and Steve decided that whatever happened they would not lose their
wickets. Steve got inspiration and started to attack the bowling. The
more Great Missenden tried the more runs Steve and John put on. Eventually
Steve scored 87 and John Stone 10 both not out. During his innings Steve
hit one of the biggest sixes seen on the ground by hitting their opening
bowler right out of the ground with a massive six. The ball hit an Oak
tree half way up in a field on the opposite side of the road.
Steve and John Stone put on 110 without loss and the innings ended at
5.00 (Normal Tea Time). The Great Missenden Captain was furious and they
came out after tea determined to beat the Fiddlers. However, they lost
quick wickets and ended up defending to create a draw.
This was the highest 10th Wicket stand in the Fiddlers history and the story is still told with great delight by the players who were there that famous Sunday.