Brigands v Oundle Ramblers, 15 June 2025

Their touring card from 1998 sums up the Oundler Ramblers best: "Village cricket played in the finest and noblest tradition, with indomitable spirit, wild exuberance, a bit of ability and a lot of fun."

Now in their 35th year—and 20 of those coming up to Broadhalfpenny Down, which they say is the pinnacle of their season—the cricket was indeed fun and played in great spirits on both sides.

It started with on-field captain for the day, Lee Gray, swapping from a 50p for the toss to a £2 coin kindly donated by Brigands umpire Pete, which then fell the wrong way for the Brigands. On a very nicely put-together pitch by Dennis and the new grounds team Oundle Ramblers called heads, Brigands lost the toss and were asked to bowl. Pete kindly asked for his £2 back so he could put it towards a pint later at the Bat and Ball.

The £2 Toss

Oundle Ramblers are quite a young team, made up of relatively spritely and active young men from the school. Brigands boasted an average age of around 40, with debutant Brigand Liam Shrehorn, at 19, bringing that average down considerably.

Captain Lee asked fast bowler Sam Sargant to open, and within his first over of pure pace, bowled the Oundle Ramblers opener on the last ball. Next, from the pavilion end, South African Michael Van Schalkwyk—buoyed from the World Test Championship win for the Proteas at Lord’s against the Australians—bowled their number 3.

Oundle Ramblers fought back for a while, with the score ticking along nicely and some lovely cover drives, pulls, and cuts into the newly designated overflow car park of the pub—our boundary edge.

Debutant Liam bowled quickly and was able to claim his first wicket after ducking to save his life from a rocket sent back past him, only to find the bucket hands of Gray at mid-off. A bruise is definitely inbound from that one.

Notoriously, spin and slow bowlers seem to burgle wickets at the Down. It was no different here. Jake Peach and Lee Gray decided that slow off-spin bowling would work. Gray sneaked one through the gate and into leg stump from outside off as an Oundle Rambler decided to charge down the wicket after already smashing him for a big six into Hambledon itself—it’s possibly still travelling.

Next, Jake—with the trademark Broadhalfpenny ‘bounce’ and dip—caused the Oundle Ramblers batsmen all kinds of trouble. One left a straight one, the other chopped on. The cries of “It’s a low-ey!” reverberated around the ground from his brother, wicketkeeper Charlie Peach.

Peach bowled beautifully, and so did Richie Hay, whose line-and-length bowling round the wicket to the right-handers kept Gray at mid-on appealing for nearly every ball that hit the pads—to the laughter of everyone else.

Jake then managed to get the Ramblers’ other opener out with a slower spin ball that the batter decided to try and slog. To Gray, it looked like it was going into the trees; to everyone else, it looked like Gray didn’t see it—no movement whatsoever until, at the very last moment, a 100-yard sprint and a leaping dive saw Gray cling onto the catch. The pub spectators, now clapping, thought they had a preview of the new DC Superman, coming out in cinemas soon.

Gray bowled another wicket and then, with a glint in his eye, Brigands’ number one left-arm quick started giving Captain Gray arm-rolling gestures and finger hints for a go at left-arm spin. Gray agreed, but it was still as quick as his fastest pace ball—still slow.

Nelly, with his subtle turn and flight, deceived the batters beautifully, snaring the last two wickets. The scoreboard read 130-19, which Nelly wanted to maintain his lead in the bowling leaderboard, but after a recount, it was Oundle Ramblers – 132 all out; J. Peach 3–22, Wood 2–22, Gray 2–27, Liam Shrehorn, Sam Sargant, and Michael Van Schalkwyk – 1 wicket each. Nicely shared and an all-round performance.

Oundle all out and time for tea, by Kris Newton

The team was taken at 3:50 p.m. Gray asked the umpires if Brigands could bat until 4:30 p.m., but to his delight, Pete decided everyone could take a longer tea. And it was needed, with match manager Steve Blackburn putting on a delightful, plentiful, and filling tea—a joy to the Brigands batting second.

Brigands’ openers Northwood and Whittle—two left-handers—were sent in. Gerry started with a hook shot for four, then a drive for another. It looked like Brigands would get the target inside 10 overs the way he was batting. Unfortunately for Whittle, he succumbed to an LBW for a duck.

Jim Morris, up the order this week at number three, blocked his way for a few balls and snuck some singles before being bowled off a full toss. The Brigands were sitting nervously at 14–2.

Charlie Peach then created a nice partnership with Gerry, both driving, cutting, and making sure the younger Oundle side did some running. A cricket-ball tour of the ground was on show from the partnership at the wicket. Charlie was unfortunately run out after a dropped catch, for a gallant 44. It was left to debutant Liam Shrehorn—who, moments before the run-out, was wearing Lightning McQueen Crocs and had intended to bat in them too, run out to the wicket like a young Joe Root and immediately get off the mark with a single then four from the other end.

Gerry retired not out for a beautiful 51, and Nelly—the swashbuckling willow wafter—was sent in to see us home. Three fours later, he did.

Brigands were treated to a lovely presentation of an autographed mini cricket bat signed by the entire Oundle Ramblers team, followed by a customary speech from the Ramblers’ chairman thanking Brigands for yet another fantastic game.

Gerry returned the compliments and also reminded the Ramblers—sitting all around Nina and Harry, who had come up to visit for the afternoon—that the Brigands have a lovely 20-minute film about Harry, The Final Cut, available to watch on YouTube. He also mentioned the Brigands’ CrowdFunder, so that many more generations can enjoy this beautiful ground.

Brigands won by 7 wickets., match report by Lee Gray. Painting by Kris Newton.