The season commences. Brandonovski skippers us into 2019 with Dacha as his vice. The weather was fine, perhaps with a freshening breeze but a good omen for the weather gods, I hope. When we walked up to the ground we noticed the stumps were alarmingly close to the boundary, marked by the road. Indeed, the wicket was the closest on the square and barely another 22 yards at its shortest to the boundary. Definitely a home team advantage and one they will bring to bear. The toss was taken and we were into bat, which given the sunshine didn’t unduly disturb us. Sat beside Dacha, I was happily ticking over the runs on their plush, electronic scoreboard.
Hooperoff on his back foot
Meadvedev and Hopperoff opened and settled us into nearly eleven overs of solid batting. It felt delightful, pad pad pad, grunt, clock, gentle applause. Fours and singles until at 34, Meadvedev was run out. Malikovich stepping out to replace him. Hooperoff still looking splendid and dare I say, dashing in his demeanour?
Malikovich was out of the stalls fast and his fourth and fifth scoring hits were both sixes. That boundary benefits all it seems! But an aggressive opening from Malikovich was a delight to see even if raising the blood pressure 20%.
Nothing lasts forever and Malikovich was caught behind off H.Sussum for 53 – fair play, comrade. Replaced by Arjun, our new blood comrade. Chirpy and bright start. Hooperoff now caught behind (a theme) and him for 64 – Brava! These are proper cricketing scores, comrades, proper cricket. Reeet nice.
At this point we were at 174 for 3 – Yes. That’s right. Let’s nor forget this performance as we read on. Our memories are too short. What did come next? Well let’s look at the figures:
Meadvedev 34
Hooperoff 64
Malikovich 53
Arjan 41
Mullertov 27
Hodderoff 11
A young gentleman called Batt took the last two there before going onto to bowl Malkovich as well and by tea we (as planned) we were over and out for 241. This is a princely score for which we should all be very proud – hurrah comrades. And yes, Sewelski, you were standing not out at the end.
Tea is a lovely affair and I snuffled more mayo egg and victoria sponge than any decent GP would suggest and I felt none the guiltier or worse for it. We waddled out and started our session in the field, the sun now waned and the weather more fresh.
Open space – courtesy of Malkovich
The bowling attack was broadly devised in pairs with 4 overs each, returning if necessary. The first pair was Malikovich and myself, Yuri. Progression then brought in Medvedev and Dacha, Hodderoff and Hooperoff. It’s hard to summarise the internal dialogue a bowler has when the batting side are playing at home with a close boundary but it’s something along the lines of, “Oh shit, there it goes again. Fuck, where’s that one going? Oh for God’s sake!”. The ball sent clattering off for a six or a four from the slightest of knocks or a lucky edge. But they knew both their pitch and onions.
We were not shocking in the field and there was some lovely throwing visible from Hodderoff and Mullertov. Sewelski was very present in the game with some useful stops at the boundary and I was wearing my ten inch spikes which left me glued to the ground and unable to move when a ball sailed past me en-route to the boundary, sorry comrades. I find spikes a blessing and a curse…. A curessing?!!?
Bowling to note: Wickets from Malikovich and Hooperoff. Huzzahh!
Malikovich – 5.9 runs per over
Yuri – 6.6 runs per over
Medvedev – 7.4 runs per over
Hooperoff – 7.5 runs per over
Dacha – 10 runs per over
Hodder – 13 runs per over
I think the bowling figures are incorrect as I am sure that Hodderoff had more than 1 over?! Obvs, we weren’t entering them!
So we achieved a high score, we buckled down in the field, but the economy and their skill in finding the boundary with the available time mean, that although there were times we felt we could have it in our grasp, we lost it in the last half of the overs. But it was a great match and all players were magnificent – Huzzah!
Comment from Mallikovich: Malkovich run out to the middle like hes just popped a pill.
First ball comes in…….with a kick of his heels and a wisp of dust rising in the air, Malky preceeded (whilst mid air I might add) to perform as unelagant a version of the riverdance as youve ever seen.
Stumps strewn everywhere as though a culling had taken place.
His innings aborted at the first sign of life.
No one including Malky quite sure of what he had done or intended to do.
Still, we all had good laugh at his expense.
Once again I find myself putting finger to plastic to bring the minutes of our August AGM, held in January. The very peak of a British winter, made great by our simple gathering. In fact it was anything but – more a grandiose collection of inestimable comrades, rotung in girth, long in shaft and stiff in resolution. I will shut up.
MInutes of the AGM for the Soho Cricket Collective 24th January 2019 The Lord’s Tavern Lord’s London
YURI
Having decided a quorum was present, the register was:
Philip Richardson – YURI
Malcolm Hercus – MALKOVICH
Jonathan Savitt – JONTIN
Dan Woodhouse – DACHA
Malik Suleman – MALIKOVICH
Stephen Meade – TBC
John Hirst – YANKHEROFF
Dan March – SOLDYA
Pete Brandon – BRANDONOVSKI
No particular order placed.
Absent friends and comrades were toasted – yummy.
MALKOVICH – treasurer commissar
There was something of a scare over finance and if we made a big loss – resolved when Chiswick House repaid the £300 they owed us for cancellation last season. However, it was by no means a high profit year.
Accounting systems need a good overhaul.
Comrade (Now comrade commissar adjutant) Stephen Meade volunteered to help Malkovich with preparation of an online Google spreadsheet for match fees and also membership subs.
Yankers wanted it also to encompass some non online payments as we need cash for teas – we all agreed.
Membership fees unchanged.
BRANDONOVSKI – Quartermaster commissar
10% of all sales though our cricket store come to us – have there been any and can we have it? Brando to investigate and report back.
Yankers mooted the idea of a club gazebo – rejected due to transport issues
Yuri mooted club flag – lethargic response, again due to transport of base.
All happy with company Serious Cricket – yes.
JONTIN – Captains’ commissar
Play fair – maintain the spirit of the game and and drink spirit, during the game. Spread the love.
A vice captain must play a role, learn from the captain or teach the captain if the seniority is reversed.
More must volunteer to captain.
Soldya volunteered forthwith to captain with greater frequency.
Jontin: “People like to win. Don’t lose a match to be nice.” to which we mostly all agreed except for Yuri who once again stated that he doesn’t want us to become “a lethal winning machine.” – never fails in leading to raucous laughter.
Stephen Mead [my notes are hard to read]:”Bet Ling to captain is to captain. Sorry, Stephen, I had drunk beer.
Yuri: [thought, not spoken] Why do I always write the bloody minutes?
YANKHEROFF – Fixtures commissar
Fixtures have now been advertised on FaceBook and need to go on blog – Yuri
Last year we scheduled 11 and got to play 5 – weather and one other issue
Small comms issue admitted to by Yankers in regards to Stoke Row – shit happens
Fixture with Top Knockers now replaces the above. They are another roaming team, we all look forward to seeing these Knockers running about the field.
Sandon weekender now forward one week.
No VCC – they don’t think we are fun. Somewhat of a shame but upon looking at the table, I saw not one tear.
All other changes to schedule heartily accepted.
Hole is still present on May 5th – offers for oppo?
DACHA – Training commissar
AN initial discussion on where the best place for the net sessions was and it seemed that we all still felt Paddington worked well, and that Lord’s for indoor nets was also good.
It is important that the SCC try to net together as much as we can and not just net independently. Keep the camaraderie strong.
SOLDYA is very keen for a net at Lord’s with a coach and there was a good degree of support for this.
Stephen Meade (TBC) introduced the idea of nets at George Abbot school and other private school possibilities. This requires travel to Guildford which put some off, but the idea of sourcing a London school with indoor nets is a good idea.
I have an added note saying that DACHA was to look into group training sessions. However, my writing is terrible.
Nets in the great outdoors to commence approx’ mid Feb – Brrraaahhh
A system of warm-ups before each game – needs to be made essential and is vital to prevent injury for this season.
YURI – comrade commissar premier
A new commissar is appointed, STEPHEN MEADE (nickname TBC) whose responsibility will be towards membership, the full details of which will be settled before the season starts.
No other changes to the commissariat other than that of Yuri which is detailed below.
YANKHEROFF was wondering about new members drinks and when and where?
The Lion is mentioned and its upstairs – where is this place?
Within first two weeks of March
YURI is going to step down as Premier at the end of the very last game in this coming 2019 season. It’s been great but it will also be Yuri’s 10th year.
Some debate about if the SCC needs a Premier at all. It seems to run itself, and all commissars know what they have to do.
Comrade commissar Stephen Meade made a point that it runs itself so well because of the existence of a Premier.
Premier Yuri to write up his list of duties.
Any other business
There should be a 10 year anniversary celebration. This could be several dates of course, it’s Yuri’s 10th year of premiering the SCC but the 10 year anniversary itself is 20th August 2010.
Twitter needs reactivating – Yuri to pass details to Brando.
SOLDYA requests Ben-Romer-Lee gets free membership for 2019 as he didn’t play once and yet paid in 2018 – agreed.
MALKOVICH – Can we hire umps and scorers on occasion where there are no village local – Yes, carried.
Stephen Meade said something about the “Young lad of Sandon” but I may have dreamt that.
YANKERS – Match reports by those who want to write them – if they were there. Also, “Scoring is not boring”.
CLOSE
These minutes are for adding and adjusting by those present at the AGM and should be done so by comments or emails to premier.
29th November 2018 – Awards night comes around so quickly. The season is barely in full swing before we’re stopped and reminiscing on our failings and our victories. Twas ever such.
The venue this year was the Lord’s Tavern which sits within a quick single of the Mecca of British cricket and we were warmly welcomed and had a fabulous night.
Dacha – the comrades’ comrade Cobramovich Trophy winner 2019
As you can see, the main event was the award of the Cobramovich trophy, the comrades’ comrade samovar, to comrade commissar Dacha, aka Daniel Woodhouse (LEFT). Such a sterling comrade and a clear and humble victor. Comrade, we salute you!
Other winners on the night were the recipients of the SCC certificates of merit for their season’s achievements. They were…
