“Friends of Datchet Cricket Club”
The ‘Friends’ of the club are an informal group of
people who want to do what they can financially to ensure that
cricket is played at Datchet for the foreseeable future.
It was clear, as a single sport club, two or three years ago,
that the club would do well to survive financially in the near
future. With this in mind the club and its members had to do
something to provide financial support - The ‘Friends’
of Datchet Cricket Club was born.
‘Friends’ contributions, at the rate of about ½ pint of
bitter a week (£50 per annum), go towards expenses on the club,
both in and outside the pavilion, that the club might not be
able to afford in the normal course of events.
For more information and how to join
the ‘Friends’ contact
Nick Gibbs
left.
“Oliver Battcock”
On Sunday 31st July many ‘Friends’ and members of
Incogniti were present, when the two clubs played, for the
unveiling of a cabinet, funded by the ‘Incogs’, to the memory of
Oliver Battcock – Pictured here.
As a member of both clubs he probably had as much influence
over both clubs as anyone who has gone before him or since his
death in 1970.
To those who knew Oliver his skills both on and off the field
are legendary – a most remarkable bowler, well into his sixties
and a splendid pantomime ‘dame’ at both Windsor and Salisbury
Theatres.
Both the ‘Friends’ and Oliver’s memory are worthy
of Support – to do so contact Nick Gibbs on 01753 644303.
Click here for more
pictures of Oliver Battcock. I think mostly from a Malta tour.
“The Datchet Connection”
“Village sweeps to tidy Victory,” a heading in the
Windsor and Eton Express in August 1983 could well refer
to Datchet C.C of 1941-1969 when Oliver Battcock reigned supreme.
However, the newspaper’s comment referred to it’s selection of the
tidiest village in Berkshire. A Celtic Thameside village in ancient
times Datchet is situated opposite Windsor’s Royal Castle, was in
Buckinghamshire for a long time but is now part of Slough, in the
county of Berkshire. Men of the fame of Sir William Herschel and
Sir Thomas Sopwith have lived in Datchet, as did Sir Pelham Warner,
well known in the cricket world. For many years it has had a tidy
side and cricketers of repute from near and far have played on its
ground. The clubs centenary was celebrated in 1969 and this was the
year that Oliver Battcock played his last game for them.
The club’s present president, Wally Gage, (Wally remained
president until he died in 1986. The club was renamed the Wally
Gage memorial ground in his honour. Ed.) Oliver’s bowling partner
for many years describes him as Greatest cricketer and certainly
the best he has ever played with. In addition to Wally Gage, Oliver
had ideal support from Aubrey Bass and Stan Allaway. The latter
was still playing in 1989 at over 60 years of age. It is estimated
that Battcock took over 2000 wickets for Datchet and in 1970 it
was written that for the first time in many years his name was
missing from the averages and that it would be a long time before
his devotion to the game in general and Datchet Cricket Club
in particular would be repaid.
Alas, he died in September 1970 after a long illness and several
operations. The memory of this enthusiastic cricketer of such
natural ability will long linger in the minds of those that knew
him and his performances in the Home Counties. It was as a bowler
that he will best be remembered but he did, nevertheless,
make many good scores with the bat. He had the ability to swing the
ball both ways and his speciality was a very late awayswinger.
For variation he bowled fast off-cutters using the width of the
crease to the best advantage. Some of his outstanding performances
are as follows:-
1941 9-13 V Windsor and Eton (including 4 wickets in 4 balls;
5-10 V Thames Valley Ramblers
1942 7-15 V Windsor and Eton
1943 8-10 V Laleham; 7-17 V Southall; 2-27 V Berkshire Ramblers
1944 10-44 V Gerrards Cross
1945 9-24 V Windsor Victoria; 7-53 V The Vagabonds; 7-62 V An XI
1946 11-30 V Victoria Palace (all eleven wickets in a twelve a-side match)
1949 8-94 V Repton Pilgrims; 7-10 V Hampstead; 7-38 V Beaconsfield
1950 9-7 V Burnham; 7-15 V Chalfont St Peter (who included Bill Barnett Australia in there side and whom he bowled for 9. Of Battcock’s 24 overs six were maidens.
1951 9-2 V Richmond; 7-44 V a Stage Eleven.
1952 8-22 V Ashford; 7-7 V The Fencibles; 7-8 V Gerrards Cross; 7-22 V Bracknell.
1953 7-10 V Chertsey; 7-26 V Old Paulines; 7-26 V Maidenhead and Bray
1954 7-13 V Harrow; 7-31 V Hampton Wick
1955 7-35 V Old Paulines
1957 7-33 V Harrow; 7-36 V West Drayton
1966 7-25 V Amersham
1969 1-6 V Old Paulines. This was his last match for Datchet
and he bowled 7 overs which included 5 maidens, taking his final
wicket for the club.
Although not known with the bat in 1941 Oliver scored 115
not out V Vulcan Products, 69 V Egham and 72 not out V Royal
Household.
In 1945 he became the first ever Datchet player to perform
the double. 1021 runs at an average of 51.05 and 134 wickets
at 8.9 runs each.
“The Sutcliffe Matches”
Started in 1929 and played almost annually until 1950 the Sutcliffe
Match was a feature of Datchet club cricket and some of Battcock’s
performances are of interest. In 1945 he scored 45 not out and
took the wickets of Ratcliffe, Cook, Percy Fender and Herbert
Sutcliffe (4-78.) The following year Fender led the visitors and
Battcock took the wickets of Barber and Leyland in addition to
Fender. 1947 is memorable in that Datchet won by 190-164 and
Battcock’s six wickets included P.G.M Fender, Halliday, A. Bedser
and Brennan. His 8-39 in 1949 was described as a great triumph
when he took the wickets of Sutcliffe, who led the side, Surridge,
Tony Lock and 5 others. The final Sutcliff match in 1950
(see photo) was memorable because of a 3000 crowd. P.G.H Fender
was skipper and in the side were L.N. Constantine, R.G.V. Robins,
J. Simms, D.V. Brennan, S.M. Brown, A.J. McIntyre, Alec Bedser &
Bill Surridge. Sutcliffe’s XI won by 226 to 140. see
scorecard.
Thanks to THE JOURNAL OF THE CRICKET
SOCIETY - Spring 1983 - by W.J.D Hunt.
“EXTRACT FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH,”
Wednesday October 7, 1970.
It happens that another Bucks character and prolific wicket-taker
died the other day: Oliver Battcock, who must have been just about
the keenest cricketer ever. He bowled for Incogniti, for the MCC,
for Datchet and for a myriad of other sides from his youth until
he was 67, and though it could never be proved it is believed he
took more wickets over the last 50 years than any cricketer
anywhere.
Battcock’s 6000
For Incogniti alone, between 1927 and 1969 he took 2,204 wickets
at 12.9, nearly 1000 of these, incredible to say, between the ages
of 50 and 60. His bag for Datchet was over 2,000, and when all
his cricket for Bucks, MCC, Thespids, Butterflies, Harrow Wanderers,
Slough and other sides is taken in, the figure must be around
6000. I know of no modern aggregate to match this.
Battcock’s pace was brisk medium, and his art lay in the
combination of a full length and a remarkably late out-swing.
When Lancashire II challenged Bucks for the Minor County title in
1938 they lost by an innings, Battcock taking 12-65.
As Oliver Gordon he was a highly respected producer-manager of
the Repertory theatres at Windsor and Salisbury- but he never
let his work interfere with his cricket.
left.
