Summer half 1918 continued

[Nicholas]

All material presented by kind permission of Mrs Laura Duguid and the Provost and Fellows of Eton College

Senior House Cricket was greatly confused by (Spanish) influenza, which laid so many in their beds.  It was chiefly owing to this disease that Wells, who were probably the strongest side, succumbed to Hills before the ante-final and gave us a far easier task.  We began, as usual, by all but accepting a disgraceful defeat from the hands of Ramsays, who were the worst side that ever got through a round.
The pitch was atrocious, and all of us very unsteady from that stupid affliction.  Had it not been for Jenkinson who made seventy seven and batted splendidly, we should have fallen.  To pass hurriedly on, we drew Rayner-Woods who were a fairly strong side with very little to choose between their first and last players.  Their captain, Akroyd, could not play; we had not Boden or Sheldon, and others were infirm.  In the first innings conditions were perfect, and we went in - and out again - for a total of 53.  In their innings we bowled them out fairly steadily but could not stop them reaching 70, which was too much for so uncertain a side to make light of.  Our second innings started as badly as ever, until Davies major and Gundry managed to stick at the wicket.  Between them they added about 102, nor did anyone make much more addition: side out for 125.  So we left them 108 to make.  We bowled steadily at them in wind and rain and did it with none too wide a margin.  It was very irritating to be compelled to make so many trudges to that accursed field, and we were tired at the end.
In this match there was no chance of bowling, which was possibly unwise.  The longer you leave it, the harder it is.  Cllutterbuck was often unplayable taking (can't remember).  Davies major had (haven't the least idea).  The conditions of the game after a bit were very foul.
We then drew Hills side, which boasted the captain of the XI, Gibson, a XXII and a Lower Club, followed by a shoal of sprats.  Gibson took to his bed before play began, for which I was personally sorry.  I would sooner play a good side with my tutors any day.  We put them in on an easy wicket and got them out for 24, which was not hopeless.  Clutterbuck bowled their best men and the sprats gave up their little lives to Davies ma.  We went in and began to get out as before;  Grundy and Davies major however seemed to have formulated some agreement as they managed 42 and 43 respectively.  The rest went down horribly fast for one.  Gibson played the next day in defiance of customary behaviour and was bowled first ball by Clutterbuck.  The bowlers, especially Davies , did not keep up their steadiness at the time and they nearly saved the innings defeat.
Sheldon bowled well.  I append the scores. [stuck in cutting from the ECC report of the match]

This brought us onto the middle of Agar's Plow, a situation in which we had been but twice before, under the captaincies of Harold Spiot in 1907 and George Davies in 1912.  On the former occasion we were beaten by Brokes, on the latter by Somervilles.  It was most satisfying meeting with de Montmorency's as we were almost indentically the same sides as had met before in 1916 in junior caricket when we were the victors.  We had Holland Martin in addition to our old side, and Sheldon.  They were naturally thirsting to wipe out old scores, a little alarmed of us tho' and we were not very frightened, even apathetic I am afraid.  At least we could not have chosen a better to captain our opponents than H. H. Low.
On winning the toss we put them in, intending to rely chiefly on our bowling, a policy which was justified by a narrow margin.  There was no change of bowling in the first innings.  They all got out pretty soon, Low being the only one of their stsrs who was obdurate, and he was caught off his thumb (bowled off his bat edge) by a moderate ball from Davies ma.  Their tail as usual made too many, amassing ( ) in all.  We in turn made miserably few, no one making any until the advent of Clutterbuck and Barber, in the rain, the first making an epic 37 not out, t'other a very polished 25.  It was like being gradually raised from the tomb to see Clutterbuck in his sweater hitting the ball over their heads and lolloping up the pitch, with Barber sliding past on his naillers shoes.  Owing to their efforts we made (  ).  Sheldon taking a wicket or two at the end of their doughty tail.  We then went in and began getting out awfully fast, considering the confidence that their small lead sh'd have given us.  Holland Martin however looked fairly safe, and was doing all right when Davies major ran him clean out.  That was a bad moment.  Davies now made a few to try and make up for his childishness, and Sheldon made the remaining few.  We passed their score with four wickets to go down, and I remember no match that was more agonising to watch, or with more capacity for thrilling the onlooker.
It will be obvious to anyone who has read this that Clutterbuck is the lion of the occasion.  His bowling was wonderful, and his batting the more so, because he has not, of late at any rate, been marked for that as a penchant.  There is no more to be said except that we had a sock supper and we'd done it at last.
[list of members of house cricket XI]
M Ll D played against Harrow

Michael Llewelyn Davies
1918

[Michael's performance in the Harrow match was disappointing.  He batted for one innings and was bowled out for only three runs.  His bowling was better: he bowled 13 overs with 7 maidens.  16 runs were scored for two wickets, giving him an average of 8 runs a wicket.]

[/list]