Recollections of an Old (but young at heart) Oswestrian, circa 1952 - EPISODE 24, TALES FROM THE PAVILION - TEA ON THE HEADMASTER'S LAWN

Mrs Williamson's afternoon tea parties were the stuff of legend amongst schools visiting us to do battle with leather on willow on the Maes-y-Llan during the summer of 1958.

Tea Break (Summer 1958)

A charming, elegant woman, Mrs Williamson quietly oversaw proceedings on the lawn beneath the magnificent fir trees during cricket match tea breaks, and with a cigarette permanently drooping from her lips, smoke curling up into her half closed eyes, she had the self confident poise of a lady in complete control of the occasion. Part of my duty as newly appointed Captain was to look after my opposite number and his team, and Mrs Williamson was very helpful to me as a rookie during this early period, supportively clucking around me like a protective mother hen.

1st XI 1958
(Back L-R) M Higgins, M McDonald, M Charles, B Whitmore, D Berry, K Mottershead, Hayden Morris
(Front L-R) R Foster, J B Greves, D Pickup, B Pickup, Trevor Ashworth

Broadly speaking, the photograph above was the basis of our team in 1958, with just 4 of us remaining from the previous year's squad. Inevitably, youth and inexperience would have a considerable bearing on our performances over the summer, and we did struggle to produce good results despite the valiant efforts of the team as a whole. 

D Pickup - ready for the fray

Haden Morris ('Bumble' to us all), and assistant housemaster at Holbache House, guested for us on several occasions in an effort to introduce more experience to the team.

Sadly, my input during this period fell short of what it should have been, and I accumulated more ducks than you could find in a shooting gallery on Blackpool Pleasure Beach!

In fact it is quite possible that I fell foul (not fowl) of more quacks in my first season than the great Don Bradman suffered in the whole of his long career playing for Australia, although he also had his share of bad luck.

He was undoubtedly one of the best batsman the world has ever seen, and it was such a shame to see him dismissed for a second ball duck in his final test innings at The Oval in 1948 needing just 4 runs for a career average of 100 runs.

Bradman's dismissal in 1948

There are a couple of interesting connections between the two team photographs - you will notice Peter Ashworth in the one below, and his younger brother Trevor. who played in our 1958 team and onwards until leaving school, is in the other. Their older brother, Brian, had also donned his whites for the school in earlier times and they were all excellent batsmen. Peter and Trevor went on to play for Rawtenstall in Lancashire League cricket, coming up against notable West Indian bowlers such as Wes Hall and Malcolm Marshall.

1st XI 1957
(Back L-R) B Pickup, M Charles, Lester, M B A Fawden, W Higgenbottam, J M Robbie, J Woodburn
(Front L-R) D Pickup, Peter Ashworth, P Manford (Capt), R Foster, J C Parslew

I can only ever recall two centuries being scored on the Maes-y-Llan, and the boys who did it are pictured here together in this photograph, although I am somewhat puzzled by the apparent absence of a cricket bat. Trevor Ashworth, on the right, scored 100 not out in a 1st X1 game against Welshpool High School, and my brother carried his bat for 103 in a house match against Burnaby in 1960. Both fine performances deserve a special mention, not least because of their rarity, and I am pleased to say I was able to play a tiny part in Bernard's effort by keeping him company at the other end of the pitch for most of his innings before finally getting myself run out for 25, going for a single that was never really on.

B Pickup (left) and Trevor Ashworth (right)

Scorecard, Oswald vs Burnaby

 

Bernard and myself acquired a certain notoriety amongst visiting teams for stealing quick singles, and Edward Goff's father, who annually brought his team to play against us was acutely aware of this. His usual strategy was to cluster his players close to the bat in an effort to thwart us and tempt us to hit out a bit. Edward, on the right, and Jack Greves in particular, are looking rather pleased as they head towards the pavilion at the end of the game, having helped us to beat Ed's dad. Sadly ,Edward passed away only recently after a long illness. He, and his sense of fun will be missed by us all.

Jack and Edward

King Edward (sporting a snazzy wig) and the palace guards!

Needless to say there are literally countless other cricket related memories stored within the grey matter, and I have no doubt I will revisit this subject at some time in the future.