Brigands v Chertsey, 6 September 2026
Updated: 5 days ago
England have just beaten Pakistan 3-0, a Test series settled with the efficiency of an operation that travels with more support staff than players: analysts, a spin coach, a nutritionist, somebody employed to deliver throwdowns. The modern professional just has to turn up and play.
At Broadhalfpenny Down this week, it was different; most of the players had other jobs to do.
The occasion was the 250th anniversary of the third stump. In 1775 Chertsey's Edward "Lumpy" Stevens beat John Small three times through the two stumps then in use without disturbing the bail. Not out, said the law. Small batted on and won the match. The men who ran the game met across the road at the Bat and Ball Inn and put a stump in the middle and it's been there ever since.
Chertsey came back for the rematch by coach, into a crowd of more than a hundred, past a car park being marshalled, a cake stall, a merchandise stall and a bottle raffle being run by players. A commemorative middle stump had been designed and made for each end by a player too.
Brigands batted first. Gerry Northwood, who holds the highest individual score on this ground, made a brisk 19 before James Barnes, six foot seven and in a late-season purple patch, found the gate and hit the leg stump.
Alex Macadam and Rupert Preece then put on 80, scoring all round the ground and especially through the covers. Preece, who opens and keeps in the manner of Alec Stewart, was bowled round his legs by Oscar Toogood, the "wizard", and the afternoon turned inside out. Next over Macadam skied to mid-off and then Guy Ladenburg was bowled by an unplayable ball that pitched outside leg and hit off.
Brigands man of the season Jake Peach was caught and bowled for a duck and Lee Gray, whose cover drive is as elegant as Ian Bell's, was given LBW to a flipper that went straight on.
Rob Manson and Neil Wood provided support for Dave Henderson as Brigands added 80 in the last 7 overs before an apt declaration came at 223-8 (one for the numerologists); Dave Henderson 74 not out, Toogood 6-49.
Tea was a highlight of the day: sausage rolls, sandwiches, sponge, Malteser cake, Oreo cake, beer, and the raffle drawn in front of the pavilion. The Chertsey president spoke. Northwood said a few words; bats and caps were exchanged. Macadam was awarded his Brigands cap.
Chertsey began at 30 without loss in five overs, Hugh Aish-Lyons and Sanj Sachdeva helping themselves to anything short or wide.
Sachdeva then shouldered arms to a ball that pitched middle and would have hit middle. Eric Osner won something on the raffle at tea but lost his middle stump to Rob Manson half an hour later.
Toogood, having earned the right to enjoy himself with the bat after his bowling performance, chased a wide one from Mike Beardall, edged behind, and Preece took a stunning catch, one-handed.
Jack Lloyd, a Chertsey player since he was a Colt and their fixture secretary besides, was bowled by Gray. James Harrison was lbw to Beardall. Amongst the eight bowlers used, Macadam was the most impressive with two wickets in his first two overs.
That left 135-7, eleven overs left, 88 wanted, and Aish-Lyons still there. He made 111 of Chertsey's 188, the largest share of a visiting side's runs here this year.
But when it was time to accelerate, Manson decided to use the commemorative middle stump as a target practice and Aish-Lyons hit eight consecutive deliveries from Manson straight to the Brigands captain at midwicket. All eight were dots.
Five overs left, 50 runs wanted. The boundary had been brought in to make room for the extra spectators, and Dave Turner was brought on to bowl "floaters"; but even this couldn't tempt the batters. Curiously, there were only two sixes in the entire match.
Beardall picked up one more wicket, LBW, his 26th wicket of the season, but Chertsey held firm to play out the last over for a draw.
Thanks to Nick Harris and Banjo, who umpired superbly, and to Peter Danks and Matt Barnes who scored the book, one of whom had to fit Mukund Vichantangal Pritivatibayangram into a name column. Katie Butler, who played her first game of cricket on this ground, was back on it. And to everyone who parked cars, sold raffle tickets and baked.
By early evening the covers were on, sightscreens tied down, tables were folded, the raffle table cleared and the barbecue going strong. The middle stumps that took 250 years to arrive were locked away within the hour. Cricket keeps its laws in a book overseen by the Committee at Lord's, but everything else is locked in the pavilion or in the grounds hut, and looked after by volunteers who love cricket.
Brigands 223-8 declared drew with Chertsey 188-8
Content credits Dave Henderson & Claire Wright, Communications Manager, Chertsey CC. Photo credits Simon Arnold
Almost felt I was watching the game ….great
As eloquent on paper as ever - BZ Hendo … and well batted! 👏