The Build-Up

There are fixtures, and then there is Rotherfield Peppard a stunning ground and pavilion near Henley. Ever since a DUPA-sponsored BBQ back in 2019 in which some brownies fell into the wrong hands and are still talked about around the Peppard changing rooms. We have a wonderful relationship forged and maintained over delicious BBQs, shot roulette and where Otto and Kamikaze got their nicknames.

The Woodpeckers arrived at the final game of the season needing a win to equal the club record of 14 victories in a summer. It was a struggle and we arrived with 9, thanks to great recruiting by Mama, Chick and Degsy. ..No pressure, then — just a soggy outfield, a green top left uncovered by a tardy groundsma.Pob, sensing blood (or possibly just moisture), took one look at the pitch and asked Peppard if they fancied batting first. They did not need asking twice.

Nine men to Peppard's twelve, in fact, which led to the generous loan of Dom 'Dingley Dell' Ellis as a decent young all-rounder for the afternoon.

And boy what a start for the 15-year-old, he immediately repaid the favour by bowling Mark Harper with the second ball of the match. Hospitality has its limits.

Pecker Debutantes Chris ‘Curtis’ Strange, Will ‘Boony’ Gallagher, Ben ‘Toboggan’ Hoggan, Henry ‘Danker’ Day and loanee Dom ‘Dingley Dell’ Ellis

Peppard recovered and made the most of the toss-winning misjudgment, with Daniel 'Slave' Bacon compiling a cultured 31 on a pitch that was doing significantly more than the Peckers' bowling figures would suggest.

Chuck found Hayward's edge with a lovely out-swinger and Mama took a great diving catch. The useful all-rounder Farzan joined Slave and they motored up to 94 for 2 off 15 overs, Farzan unbeaten on 45 — when the rain returned to finish what the groundsman had started. We lost an hour whilst it rained and a hasty renegotiation followed: 25 overs a side as Pob was worried about chasing 200 with his makeshift batting lineup

Deggsy watches the rain and enjoys a cheroot

After the restart, Ben 'Toboggan' Hoggan — sliding in downhill, appropriately enough — gently removed the dangerous Farzan's off bail with the very first ball he'd ever bowled for the Peckers. A debutant wicket to remember, and the first domino to fall. Toboggan a promising 23-year-old from Marlow was signed up at the Presidents Match

Deggsy sent up the hill to slow down his loopy tempters got in on the act, removing the Dangerous ‘Slave’ Bacon for 31 thanks to a filthy long-hop and another great catch from Mama down the leg side. To explain Daniel got his nickname from the Peppy Badger who also created the Otto nickname. As a 14-year-old wicket-keeper Bacon asked the wily old pro Badger to carry his helmet for him, and a Slave was Born. It was an incredible irony that Deggsy who played a Slave Master in Game of Thrones removed the Slave (with pure filth)

Deggsy as a Slave Master in Game of Thrones

We had removed the two set batsmen and now with less than ten overs left RP went for it..What followed was less a bowling spell and more a title fight: Toboggan vs Deggsy, wicket for wicket, 2-2, then suddenly it was 3-3 as wickets tumbled like skittles to the wonderful bowling of Deggsy and Toboggan. They shared the last two and TB finished with a jaw-dropping 2.4-0-6-4 — his best-ever figures on debut . Deggsy, canny as ever, signed off with 4 for 19.

From a healthy 94 for 1, Peppard folded to 112 all out — 18 runs added for the loss of 8 wickets.This was some collapse even by Peckers standards, and we walked off stunned by what had happened in half an hour, and also elated that we were in the game. A special mention for Will 'Boony' Gallagher who threw himself at everything in the field and collected mud at a truly heroic rate — a one-man argument for a laundry sponsor.

Set 113 to equal the record, the Peckers made it look easy for a while. Henry 'Danker' Day struck boundaries whilst veteran Curtis helped battle off a decent new-ball attack. Danker is the self-nicknamed brother of Private Day who did so well at Barnes common. They built up a 50 partnership and Danker sportingly retired for 54 off 44 balls before Chris 'Curtis' Strange, was tragically run out

Andrew 'Biscuits' Crawford chipped in with a solid 18 for, while Mike 'Mama' Cass backed up two excellent catches behind the stumps with a brisk 21 off 17.

At 101 for 2, this was as good as over. Woodpeckers looked home and hosed. Then, in the finest traditions of club cricket, they weren't.

It began with a spot of sledging. Cherry Twist (Peppard's chirpy keeper-captain James, freshly nicknamed by Pob) greeted Toboggan at the crease with the immortal line: 'it'd be really embarrassing if you got out to this pie chucker.' Toboggan, a man clearly allergic to being underestimated, charged down the track — and was stumped for a golden duck. Psychological warfare: 1, Toboggan: 0.

From there it unravelled fast — 5 wickets for 4 runs — and suddenly the Peckers were down to their last men, with frantic kit-changing happening in the shed as the required runs ticked down and the required nerves ticked up. Fortunately, Chuck and Deggsy kept their heads when everyone else was losing theirs, and brought the Peckers home.

We enjoyed several beers in the stunning clubhouse and basked in a brilliant game that saw all Pecker debutantes make fantastic contributions and equaled the all-time club record of 14 wins in a season — The latter part of the season has uncovered some wonderful new Woodpeckers to add to the family, and what a way to cement their arrival with this record.

A massive thank you to all the Woodpeckers and to the Peppy Badger and the rest of the Peppard team for playing in such a wonderful and fun spirit, you are truly Pecker brethren.

Winter Well x