Headley Makes Winning Return to RGS

3 November 2005

When the Old Boys’ team, put together by Oli Pilgrim, walked out onto the sun bathed Flagge Meadow sporting pristine new shirts and caps bearing the name RGS Pilgrims (supplied by a well known, local sponsor!!), it was clear they meant business! Yes, Sunday 19th June saw one of the best Old Boys’ days there has been.

Putting out a side that included 3 ex-captains, 4 batsmen who had scored more that 700 runs in season at least twice and an ex-England fast bowler would normally put the fear of God into any normal team. But this year’s 1st XI is made of stern stuff and they made a magnificent effort to reach the 237 set by the Old Boys’, only to be 1 run short in a thrilling finish.

The Old Boys’ batted first and in John Phillips and Glen Burrow they had a partnership that had scored over 4000 runs for the 1st XI! Burrow could only increase this by 2 before being trapped lbw by the accurate Jon Dovey. Andy Dix came and went and it was Dean Headley who joined Phillips to put on 72 for the 3rd wicket. Phillips was showing the form that made him the highest run scorer in a season for the 1st XI, 1082 in 1992, and the highest overall scorer, 2952 in 3 seasons. Headley made 15 before giving a catch to the ‘keeper, Guy Broadfield and Mat Walker was stranded 20 yards out of his ground when he (born and bred Worcester) and Phillips (very Welsh) failed to understand each other! Simeon Chapman, fresh from doing the RGS Triathlon in the morning, showed amazing fitness in running many ones and twos in his knock of 28 before he hit a very tired shot back to the bowler Miles Illingworth. Meanwhile Phillips was batting fluently, driving powerfully on both sides of the wicket. Dom Smith played some meaty blows in scoring 36 off 27 balls and when Paul ‘kit man’ Fearnley struck a mighty six he had scored 28 off only 34 balls. Nigel Haddock, Oli Pilgrim and late call up Damien Wilkes came and went to set a daunting total of 238 to win off 50 overs. Jon Dovey’s perseverance brought the excellent figures of 4 for 17 from 7 overs.

Nathan Newport and Tom Brain were looking forward to their contest with Headley and they acquitted themselves well until Brain played round a straight ball from skipper Pilgrim. Liam O’Driscoll and Neil Pinner could not stay long but Illingworth (30), Poole (28) and Harris (22) all provided back-up to the excellent Newport. The 16 year old left hander played the pace of Headley well but runs off the ex-England bowler were hard to come by. The gentler pace of Wilkes, Haddock, Walker and Chapman provided the 1st XI with the opportunity to score and with 5 overs to go and 6 runs an over required, the odds were definitely in the School’s favour especially with the Old Boys beginning to wilt in the heat. The exception to this was the youthful Andy Dix who scurried around the outfield as if he were still 18!

Unfortunately Pilgrim had 2 overs from Headley left, but despite losing Alistair Wilkinson for a rapid 18, the School needed 7 off the last over bowled by the captain himself Olly Pilgrim. The experience was with the Old Boys and a very tight field restricted the 1st XI to just 5. Having scored 79 from 110 balls, Nathan Newport was presented with the man of the match trophy by the wife of the President of the Old Elizabethans, Peter Bleakman.

Mike Wilkinson, Master i/c Cricket

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