Brigands v Rioteers, 29 June 2025

A Centenary Border garden was created for the 100th anniversary of Hillier Nurseries in 1964 stocked with holly and yew trees, a variety of shrubs, and planted with a central grass pathway. Granite markers were laid every 22 yards in a nod to the length of a cricket pitch and the Hillier family’s passion for the game, and three Hilliers featured in the Rioteers team for their annual match against the Brigands on a hot day well suited to agave and cactus plants.

Hillier’s is not the only plant nursery with a famous association with cricket. In 1887, the MCC bought the three-and-a-half-acre site of Henderson's Nursery, colloquially known as “Pine Apples” where the best tulips and pineapples in England were grown.

Rioteers batted first with Brigands' Guy Ladenburg getting turn-and-bounce up the hill and Liam Shrehorn bowling fast-and-straight down it. Ladenburg's first 4 overs went for just 10 runs, and Shrehorn picked up a couple of wickets LBW from balls that wobbled as the batters shuffled across the stumps.

As the bowlers wilted in 30-degree heat, Extras became top scorer with 14 byes and 14 wides down the leg side, so a back-stop was allocated (as was commonplace in the eighteenth-century matches played at Broadhalfpenny Down).

The “perrenials” were in support; the Harris and Bates family on deckchairs in the shade by The Monument, and the Turners on their picnic blankets and with the young girls playing with water sprays and wearing matching dresses in the sunshine by the Bat & Ball.

Neil Wood came on to bowl but looked below his usual best. Good Captains, like good horse racing trainers, know how to get the best out of the thoroughbred and with a change of line and better protection on the offside, Wood picked up three wickets in his next 12 balls as Rioteers moved to 104-5 at drinks.

Some big hits from Bertie and Martin Hillier at the end of the innings got the score up to a respectable 182 from 36 overs at the tea break.

In reply for the Brigands, Shrehorn was bowled first ball, soon followed by Jim Morris to leave Brigands at 17-2.

In the gardening world, a flower that blooms unexpectedly is called a “volunteer” and what a surprise it was to see Ruper Preece attack the bowling with sweeps to mid wicket and drives through the covers. With Dave Henderson (60) in a supporting role and rotating the strike, Preece hit ten boundaries on his way to a splendid fifty in the fifteenth over.

A brilliant run-out throw from Bertie Hillier saw Preece run out on 63, then Dave Turner (15) was LBW, then Northwood (19) and Ladenburg (0) were both clean bowled.

Turner is out and on his way back to the pavilion

Northwood is out, but Ladenburg is coming to the rescue

3 wickets in hand, 4 overs left, and 5 runs to win.

Debutant John Brehaut was at the crease, a left-hander who bowls and bats a bit like Jack Leach, with Steve Blackburn, a cavalier batter who had earlier in the day mowed the outfield and taken a wicket.

Nine dot balls in a row added to the tension, then a single, and then 3 leg byes (it is village cricket after all). Brehaut hit the next ball to point and, after a "no, wait, yes" call, scampered a quick single to take the historical win count to 18 for Brigands and 14 for their old friends, the blooming marvellous Rioteers.

Brehaut, on debut, about to hit the winning run

Rioteers 182-8 declared, lost to Brigands 183-7 by 3 wickets