May 2024

One Perfect Rose

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A single flow’r he sent me, since we met.

All tenderly his messenger he chose;

Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet –

One perfect rose.

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I know the language of the floweret

‘My fragile leaves,’ it said, ‘his heart enclose.’

Love long has taken for his amulet

One perfect rose.

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Why is it no one ever sent me yet

One perfect limousine, do you suppose?

Ah no, it’s always just my luck yo get

One perfect rose.

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Dorothy Parker (1893 – 1967)

Cricket (@ Oundle School)

Wednesday 1st May 2024

Yorkshire u14 128 all out (31.2 overs)

lost to

Northamptonshire u14 130 for 6 (29.4 overs)

by 4 wickets

Umpires: Colin Samuels & Eddie McGeown

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Cricket (@ Oundle School)

Thursday 2nd May 2024

Oundle School 1st XI 144 for 8 (25 overs)

tied with

Yorkshire CCC Academy 144 for 7 (25 overs)

Umpires: Danny Crowson & Eddie McGeown

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Despite the heavy and unrelenting precipitation, this was a fine match at a surprisingly good standard. Both these teams were a credit to their league, but Westend had the greater fire power in an entertaining encounter!

Saturday 4th May 2024

Peterborough & District League Premier Division

Tydd 1

Stanground Sports 8

Referee: Phil Hayes.                                                       Attendance: 34

Admission: F.O.C.                                                          Programme: NONE

A small changing rooms and kitchen and a field surrounded by a rope, were the facilities available at Tydd St Mary’s Playing Field (there was an excellent village shop at the end of the road supplying very reasonably priced victuals!). This was the hosts final game and perched perilously, just above the relegation drop zone, they now have to rely on favourable results from elsewhere to help them to avoid the drop. High flying Stanground Sports were in total command throughout, scoring four goals in each half, including a hat-trick for Taylor Duthie. Good to see Paul Jeffrey from Ely in attendance on a sunny afternoon.

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Sunday 5th May 2024 (@Thrapston)

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1 

Blyth Women 72 all out (25.5 overs)

lost to

Thrapston Women  75 for 5  (20.5 overs)

by 5 wickets

Umpires: Keith Simpson & Eddie McGeown

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Monday 6th May 2024

Cricket @ Kettering Town CC

Huntingdonshire u14 157 for 9 (40 overs)

defeated

Kettering & Corby u15 143 all out (33.3 overs)

by 14 runs

Umpires: Colin Megennis & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 7th May 2024

Cambridgeshire County League Division 1B

Exning United 3

Alex Prigg 64, 69, 71,

Needingworth United 3

John Gifford 10, Ben Carter 33, Charlie Whitehead 35,

Referee: Carlton Joseph.                                                         Attendance: 18

Admission: F.O.C.                                                                    Programme: NONE

Hansel & Gretel country, the little house in the woods where the players get changed and a football pitch surrounded by trees. The population of Exning is less than 2,000 but they have a football club competing well in the Cambridgeshire League even though the village is situated in Suffolk! The visitors, playing their last game of the season, drew their playing position out of a hat, which meant that their top striker was in goal and central defender in attack! It all worked well in the first half as they powered to a three goal advantage, but the hosts had the better of the second period and the match deservedly ended all square.

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Wednesday 8th May 2024 (@Geddington CC)

Northants Women’s Cricket League

Overstone Park Women (won toss) 103 for 3 (20 overs)

lost to

Geddington Women 106 for 0 (11 overs)

by ten wickets.

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

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Thursday 9th May 2024

Central Midlands Alliance Premier Division South

AFC Normanton 1

Josh Manifold 38,

Linby Colliery Welfare 2

Ashton Bernard 1, Ashley Mellor (og) 76,

Referee: Richard Thompson.                                             Attendance: 49

Admission: £2.00.                                                               Programme: £2.00

Not much to see at Boundary Meadows. There was a railed pitch and a building with changing rooms and a window for refreshments and drinks. This was the host’s third game in six days and a very end of season affair. The visitors opened the scoring within the very first minute. The hosts replied before half-time. A draw would have been a fair result, but, with fifteen minutes remaining, the home centre-half walloped a clearance against the head of his own custodian and the ball ricocheted into the net to give the visitors victory. Good to see Jack Warner in attendance!

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AFC Normanton

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Linby Colliery Welfare 

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Matchday programme

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Friday 10th May 2024 

Cricket @ Stamford School

U13 National Cup

King Edward School Birmingham (won toss) 191 for 6 (30 overs)

defeated

Stamford School 43 all out (18 overs)

by 148 runs

Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown

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Saturday 11th May 2024

Cricket @ Oundle School

Oundle School U15A (won toss) 172 for 9 (35 overs)

lost to
Rugby School 173 for 4 (22.4 overs)

by 6 wickets

Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown

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Sunday 12th May 2024

Cricket @ Kettering Town CC

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1

Kirkby Portland Women (Won toss) 157 for 4 (40 overs)

defeated

Kettering Ladies 140 for 6 (40 overs)

by 17 runs

Umpires: Keith Timpson & Eddie McGeown

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Monday 13th May 2024

Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior County league

Premier Division

Houghton Main 0

Jubilee Sports 1

Jay Evison 39 (pen),

Referee: Andrew Price.                                                       Attendance: 60

Admission:- F.O.C.                                                             Programme: NONE

Quite an attractive ground, railed on three sides with the fourth side open to the cricket pitch and, behind it, the cricket pavilion which serves both football and cricket. There was a quite substantial 120 seater stand on the far side of the pitch, but no hard standing. The match wasn’t a classic. The hosts are in relegation trouble whilst the visitors sit comfortably in third place. The only goal came from the penalty spot around five minutes before the half-time whistle.

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The only goal came from the penalty spot  ………….

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…………….. around 5 minutes before half-time

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Houghton Main

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Jubilee Sports

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Wednesday 15th May 2024

Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division

Adderbury Park 5

Jimmy Hunt 11,  Joe Thornton 15, 21, Durrell Lives 73, Jack Welch 77,

Launton Sports 4

Charlie Bateman 40, 76, 86, Mike Dann 71,

Referee: Adam Morris.                                                          Attendance: 22

Admission: F.O.C.                                                                  Programme: NONE

Tucked away in the far reaches of the village on the edge of the Northamptonshire/Oxfordshire border, in the shadow of the 13th Century parish church of St Mary The Virgin, The Adders ply their trade on a field with a changing and refreshment facility. They raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening half-hour, but were pegged back by the interval. In the second period, Launton came back strongly, never actually reaching parity, but giving a good account of themselves. With son, Jim, and grandsons, Sonny & Kingsley.

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Saturday 18th May 2024

Northants Cricket League Division 1 (@Peterborough Town CC)

Burton Latimer   (won toss) 219 for 7 (50 overs)

lost to

Peterborough Town II   223 for 5 949.1 overs)

by five wickets

Umpires: David Brackenbury & Eddie McGeown

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Sunday 19th May 2024

East Midlands Cricket League Division 1  (@ Thrapston CC)

Kettering Ladies 190 for 5 (40 overs)

defeated

Thrapston Women (won toss) 118 all out (38 overs)

by 72 runs

Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 21st May 2024

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

Chipperfield Athletic 6

Charle Danks 16, Dan Griggs 17, 48, Adrian Abramian 56, 72, Louie Griffiths 76, 

Cuffley Seniors 1

Dan Jones 61,

Referee: Ben Soll.                                                                 Attendance: 34

Admission: F.O.C.                                                               Programme: NONE

Heavy, unremitting precipitation, overcast and gloomy, but, a pitch in surprisingly excellent condition, despite the rainfall. There was a wooden clubhouse with a veranda which provided some protection from the elements (and a cup of coffee), and a railed pitch with dugouts, but no hard standing. The visitors started the match with eight players, but it was only after they had increased their numbers to ten, that they began to leak goals. 0-3 down at the interval, they conceded three more in the second half, but did manage a consolation. With John Main, Paul Proctor and Phil Evans.

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Thursday 23rd May 2024

Peterborough & District Sunday League Division 1

Thorpe Wood Rangers 1

Edmunds Grunstein 88,

Orton Wanderers 6

Jamal Nyang 27, 57, 85, 90+2, Spencer Hawkins 30, Louis Freeman 83,

Referee: Jonathan Clayton.                                                     Attendance: 17

Admission: F.O.C.                                                                     Programme: NONE

I once dropped a slip catch off my eldest son’s bowling at The Pearl Assurance ground in Castor. The majestic building is still there, but looking very decrepit. The short, stubby tower of St Kyneburgha’s parish church peaks over the treetops as this evening’s visitors enjoyed a well deserved, heavy victory, going 3-0 up shortly after the interval, but then four more goals were packed into the final seven minutes! With John Main.

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Saturday 25th May 2024

Northants Cricket League Division 1 (@Weekley & Warkton CC)

Weekly & Warkton(won toss) 206 for 6 (50 overs)

tied with

Thrapston 206 all out (49.2 overs)

Umpires: Richard Nuttall & Eddie McGeown

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Sunday 26th May 2024

Rutland League Division 1 (@ Uppingham CC)

Newborough (won toss) 132′ all out (39 overs)

drew with

Uppingham 27 for 3 (7.2 overs) RSP

Match abandoned

Umpires: Andy Watson & Eddie McGeown

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Monday 27th May 2024

Cricket @ Nassington CC

Notts U11 Girls (won toss) 108 for 3 (20 overs

defeated

Northants U11 Girls 47 all out in 18 overs

by 61 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown

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Northants U11 Girls (won toss) 110 for 1 (20 overs)

defeated

Notts U11 Girls 76 all out (18 overs)

by 34 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 28th May 2024

Cricket @ Raunds CC

Northants Over 60s 98 for 8 (20 overs0

defeated

Berkshire Over 60s(won toss) 48 for 9 (20 overs)

by 40 runs

Umpires: Paul Bartlett & Eddie McGeown

This was a rain affected game which started off as a fifty overs aside contest, due to begin at 1.00pm. It was reduced to 30 overs aside from 3.00pm and when the rain continued, and it was further reduced to the minimum of twenty overs aside from 5.00pm.

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Wednesday 29th May 2024

Cricket @ Finedon Dolben CC

Horton House Women (won toss) 92 for 5 (20 overs)

defeated

Finedon Dolben Women 89 for 5 (20 overs)

by 3 runs

Umpires: Eddie McGeown

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