One would struggle to find a nicer place to watch or participate in a game of cricket than Bathampton Meadows playing field, the home of King Edwards school. With a wonderfully equipped pavilion, highlighting the catering facilities where you can prepare your cricket tea, a ground, partially surrounded by the Kennet & Avon Canal which carries holiday makers and day trippers, all in their barges of different sizes, that chug along at a walking pace in the direction of Bath or to Bradford on Avon. Also let us not forget the ‘George’ public house sat on the canal bank, as busy as it could be on a day swathed in sunshine. The back drop to all the aforementioned is the village of Bathford where St Swithens’ Church stands proud, and just to the right, Browne’s Folly that nestles into the infamous ‘Sally in the Woods.
The folly itself was commissioned in 1849 by Wade-Browne, a local quarry owner, supposedly to promote the quality of his building stone. At the time, the quarrying business was going through a downturn in its fortunes, and Wade-Browne saw the folly as a means of employing idle workers, as well as being an advert for his stone. The Bath stone quarries show good geological features and are a valuable insight into the area's industrial past.
‘Sally in the Woods’. Now many a tale has been spoken about ‘Sally’ who she was, and what had happened to her. A murdered child who’s ghost like figure haunts the woods at night. She is the cause of many car accidents on the road that run adjacent to the woods when her ghost like figure appears to cross the road. Well the truth can be found, written by local historian Crystal Payne from the Bathford Society, who tells us that Sally Gibson, (born and christened Sarah Webb) was the widow of John Gibson the local gamekeeper at nearby Warleigh Manor, and on his death, she moved into the gamekeepers shed in the woods where she lived for 41 years until her death at the ripe old age of 100.
The figure 100, is what every batsman wants to see alongside his name in the scorebook and was this an opportunity missed when Hospitals Captain Toby Patrick won the toss of the coin and allowed the Swindon United Churches batsman the opportunity to do so, on a wicket made for runs.
The reason for the decision was that the Hospital skipper wanted a target set to chase down, as the batting display from the Hospital batsman the previous week left a lot to be desired.
Stuart Webb-Martin and Matt Tomes-Smith, the Hospitals double barrelled attack, bowled with genuine pace, and it was Webb-Martin who found the edge of the Swindon skippers bat to be well caught at second slip by Div Puri in the 6th over with the score on 15. With 30 on the board Jon Fair was brought on and he clean bowled Gilcrest for 3. Just 8 more runs were added when Webb-Martin found the edge again and wicket keeper Andy Boyce diving at full stretch managed to flick the ball in the air to see first slip Toby Patrick brilliantly catch the rebound.
Liam Brook, batting at 5, was crucial to holding the Swindon innings together. With Dyer and Hooker now added to the Hospital bowling attack he had to build an innings and hope his teammates could stay with him. Jon Fair (9-4-17-2) struck again during another miserly spell, Swindon were 71 for 3. Jake Dyer trapped opener Shadwick LBW for a laboured 16 runs. Dyer (9-2-39-2) strikes again with a catch from Jon Hooker, Swindon are 79-5. Brook took the game to the Hospitals and passed his deserved 50 although he was dropped uncharacteristically by Jake Dyer at slip before reaching his score. The last five Swindon batsmen managed to score 100 runs between them as they fell victim to Webb-Martin (9-1-22-4) Tomes-Smith (9-0-43-1) Jon Hooker (8.3-0-49-1) finishing with a total score of 179 all out taking into account 5 dropped catches from the Hospital fielders.
A glorious tea intervened with Nick and Susan Tomes-Smith giving a culinary master class in cake and sandwich making, topped with show stopping smoked salmon blinis.
Andy Boyce opened the Hospital innings with Toby Patrick as Div Puri elected to bat at number 3. The Boyce, Puri combination gives an air of security to the Hospital players so what will be in store for this new combination of openers. The Swindon attack is equally as potent as the Hospitals, and it was not long before Div Puri was at the crease as Hospitals skipper played a poor shot to his standard and was caught having scored just 5 runs. With just 2 more runs added Andy Boyce was bowled for 13 and the Hospitals had a game on their hands.
Cometh the hour cometh the man, Jake Calgie joins Puri and the pair look to build a partnership. Calgie starts his account with a boundary with a ball flipped off his legs and heading for backward square leg. Puri was at his resilient beat, defending the good ball, waiting for the bad ball then caressing it to the boundary ropes. Calgie was at his best and when his cover drives were aimed at the gap in a well-fortified defensive field the ball raced also to the boundary. The partnership reached a commendable 64 until Div Puri driving at a ball that found the edge of his bat and he was caught behind for 27. Jon Fair missed a straight one and was adjudged out LBW for 1, bringing Jake Dyer to the crease. Dyer played the anchor role as Calgie cut loose and reaching his 50 to loud applause. Dyer would look for the gap take the quick single, punish the bad ball. A 32 partnership had accrued before Dyer gifted a catch and he went for 15. Andy Strange looked confident under intense pressure from the opposition and with the Hospitals score on 130 for 5 they required 50 to win with 21 overs remaining and 5 wickets in hand.
Calgie still going at 6 an over as he danced down the wicket to straight drive the returning opening bowlers. Another 30-run partnership before Andy Strange was ‘yorked’ for 7 bringing Jon Hooker in to see the Hospitals home. With 20 needed for victory, Calgie and Hooker reached the target with Jake Calgie ending 7 runs short of his hundred carrying his bat to 93 not out. His Mum will be pleased!!
Next week the Hospitals play Warminster away.