Brigands v Old Seagullians, 12 July 2026

On Sunday evening, Robbie Savage opened his radio phone-in with a question for the nation: which square on the Monopoly board best describes each of the four World Cup semi-finalists? The first caller offered England as Coventry Street. At Broadhalfpenny Down this weekend, the Brigands were Pall Mall and the Old Seagullians were Park Lane.

The Old Seagullians are alumni of St Andrews University. In the Eighteenth Century, when the Hambledon Club was shaping the laws of cricket on this very hill, the Society of St Andrews Golfers was codifying the rules of golf on the links of Fife.

Three Brigands were suffering in the aftermath of World Cup football and its accompanying spirits. Turner had been navigating the peaty depths of Laphroaig, Henderson was still reckoning with Bruichladdich, and Peach was recovering from a mixture that he couldn't quite remember.

Guy Ladenburg and Rob Manson opened the bowling. The Seagullians crept to 4 runs from the first four overs as they sized up the ground. 29 for one off nine. Chances fell between fielders. Run-out appeals went unheeded. LBW shouts were waved aside.

As the heat rose and the Brigands tired, the Seagullians found their rhythm. Fiennes reached a composed fifty with nine boundaries and James added a classy fifty with six boundaries, including a reverse sweep. The 100 arrived in the twentieth over and they were on 177 off thirty. Three balls were lost in the farmer's field before the declaration came at 218 for five off thirty-eight overs. A good total on any ground; a very good total on this one.

Rob Manson took two for 35 from eight overs, bowling at both ends with stamina and discipline. Alex Macadam's leg spin took two for 39 from seven and he was unlucky not to get more wickets. The others carried the load less lightly: Beardall conceding 42 from four, Wood 44 from six, Lovett Turner 21 from three.

This year's crop will include (at least) 3 cricket balls

The view from the copse, in the shade

Lovett Turner's home baking restored something to the afternoon that the fielding had allowed to slip away. Then, mid-brownie, the news arrived: Brendon McCullum had been sacked as England Test coach. The Bazball era was over, and the Brigands resolved to bat in his honour.

Ladenburg opened the reply with a four off the first ball. Preece pulled his way to 21. Then the full, straight, relentlessly disciplined pace bowling found edges and stumps with a consistency the Brigands had been unable to match.

Forty-five for two became seventy-seven for five. At eighty-one for six, Lovett Turner, one of the Brigands' most assured batters, playing with real composure, was given out LBW at the start of the last hour. It was the turning point the Seagullians needed. Bidie took three for eleven; Agarwal three for fifteen.

An unusual north-easterly wind kept the 30-degree heat in check, though it blew the sight screen over twice and rustled the trees shading the assembled crowd: Nigel Lovett Turner sitting in his car like a getaway driver, Pete Tomkins looking splendid in his matching hat and beard, and Harry and Nina Bates settled on the bench. Nina, experiencing some difficulty with her vision, said at one point that she could see twenty-seven players on the pitch!

Brigands found it impossible to apply themselves for more than a few deliveries at a stretch; a fitting, if unintentional, metaphor for the Bazball era. Peach top-scored with 44, adding to his six-hit tally for the season. Someone remarked that the two visiting photographers, Simon Arnold and Paul Paxford, had each taken more photographs than Brigands had scored runs.

Brigands 145 all out off thirty-one overs. Seagullians won by seventy-three runs.

Which brings us back to the board. In 2002, a special St Andrews edition of Monopoly was issued, featuring local landmarks, famous golf courses, and businesses across its squares. The designer, someone with a sense of humour, placed St Andrews University on the Jail square.

On Sunday at Broadhalfpenny Down, the Seagullians passed Jail without stopping and moved directly to their hotel on Park Lane. The Brigands, languishing somewhere near the Pall Mall, will be hoping to roll a double and pick up a favourable Chance card next week. As will England in their semi-final against Argentina later tonight.

Old Seagullians 218-5 declared beat Brigands 145 all out by 73 runs.

Temperature 30C, Lost balls 3, Extras 31, Photographs 90 - enjoy.

Boundary rope adjusted, stumps in, sightscreen made upright

Old Seagullians win the toss and choose to Bat First

Pre-match warm-ups were subdued given the 30 degree heat

Old Seagullians openers on their way out to the middle

Ladenburg and Manson open the bowling, Macadam first change, but the runs start flowing

Blue skies, sunburnt grass, looking West towards Hambledon and Old Winchester Hill

Seagullians had all the shots, from reverse sweeps to late cuts

The Match Manager was taking no chances; he pulled a hamstring in last season's fixture

More runs for the Seagullians

Neil Wood and Rob Manson were athletic in the field

Hydration breaks were also invented at Broadhalfpenny Down

Neil Wood, back from holiday, always needs a couple of games to get match ready

Max James on his way to a fine half century

22-year-old Alex Macadam, in his second game, bowled tidy leg spin

A wicket for the Brigands

Peach takes a spectacular catch on the boundary

Ladenburg patrolling the Western boundary

DT, six seven

Seagullians targeted Mike Beardall realising he was bowling into the wind for a change

Seagullians were big hitters and eclectic shirt wearers

Brigands tired quickly in the heat

Brigands hero Jake Peach ran, dived, caught well, took wickets, and scored runs

The three amigos looking for a ball in the farmers field

Tea in the marquee, picnics in the shade

The scorched outfield behind The Monument to the Glory of Cricket, July 2026

Graham and John, the Umpires, earned their tea and ran the game beautifully

Old Seagullians doing a bit of team bonding before they go out to field

Ladenburg and Preece open for the Brigands with a plan to attack

Brigands bit hitters, Ladenburg and Henderson, both clean bowled too soon

Preece, Morris, and Turner also fell cheaply to great Seagullians bowling & fielding

Preece in reflective mood on his way back to the pavilion

Seagullians turn for a hydration break

Pete Tomkins wouldn't have been impressed with the Brigands' batting

Temptation was present all afternoon

The wonderful, well-dressed scorers

Six hitting Peach on his way, top scoring for the Brigands

Beardall bowled and Brigands all out; a spot the ball challenge set by photographer Simon Arnold

Old Seagullians, the victors, again

At 7.15pm it was time for a pint at the Bat & Ball

The Bat & Ball called, and the players came

St Andrews University is the Jail in this 2002 Monopoly Edition

Photo credits Simon Arnold, Paul Paxford, Dave Henderson