Five Questions with ... Richard Devine, Club Chairman

 

1. Why Brentham?  

My Dad took me as he was fed up with me breaking windows on the estate where we lived. My Mum worked with someone whose boy played there. It was a long way from Northolt and I think it was because who he called was very snooty that someone from there wanted to join. So off I went and that was April 1982.

 

2. First Game?  

U13's Game away to Wembley 3 days after going to nets on the Monday. Scored 31* and took 3/16 so not a bad start.

 

3. Proudest Brentham Moment?  

Probably too many but being Club Captain and then ultimately Chairman has to be right up there.

 

4. Cricketing highlight at Brentham CC  

Fortunately there are many but I'll mention a few. Away to Clifton Flax Bourton in the National Knockout. We only managed around 170 and they was cruising needing 27 runs only one down with 9 overs to go. The 2 coach loads of Brentham supporters including family and Brentham club members then saw a truly fantastic Brentham win off the last ball with Sarge taking a fantastic stumping off of Reidy to win by 2 runs. Reidy and myself took 8 wickets for 25 runs in 9 overs to cause a pitch invasion at the end of the game led by Salish Patel who was still running a book on us winning. They paid up and couldn't believe they had lost so the winnings bought every bottle of beer they had for the long coach trip home. It seemed to take 29 minutes as was the greatest sing song of all time followed by the then Main club chairman re-opening the bar back at Brentham long into the night. Still dont know who had the magic hat but guess you had to be there.  

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Bexley away in the last 8 of the Evening Standard Cup. Game was called off twice due to weather without us ever travelling to deepest darkest Kent. Another coach party but just the one this time. Again we managed only 170 from our 50 overs including another great innings from Daniel Rodgers (who really filled his boots in this competition) scoring 90 but more about him later. Clemo and Sarge also got 30's and i managed to hit the last ball for 4, not realising what that would mean till later. In reply some good bowling from Fay Ali and old dog Dattani got us in the game under heavy grey skies. The introduction of Matt Eninion started to swing it back our way. Surrey boy Clinton fancied his chances and hit it a long way briefly but again the brilliance of Sarge would see him stumped in a flash. A fine Rodgers spell 0/20 from his 10 overs and even Clemo got a run out. They needed 38 from the last 12 overs and had 5 wickets in hand. My first ball got smashed into the next county and, after having had a few bad weeks with the ball, I could sense my team mates thinking oh!!! But after a quick chat with Captain Sarge we had a plan and when the last over started they needed 3 to win. The first ball went for 2 and the oldest man in the county Dattani chased it down like a greyhound with the home side too busy celebrating to push for the 3rd. 4 dot balls followed and last ball needing 1 to win they tried to sneak a leg bye but Big Red had other plans and he was out by 4 yards and us winning on scores level but lost fewer wickets. Another pitch invasion happened this time led by Chairman Bash and umpire Cuppy. Bexley took it well and again we drunk a bar dry with the Japp paying the coach driver handsomely and picking up the ever growing beer tab. Dont think Daniel has ever got over his 90 and 10 overs for 20 and me 20 not out and 3/20 from 6 overs nicking the man of the match award.

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There's also Whichmore Hill at home in the Last 16 of the National. A team that thought they would turn us over easily and turned up with a team full of stars was to leave Meadvale Road empty handed. After a poor start we managed to score around 180 and in reply they were 50/1 in no time and thought the game was won. But Saggs had a much different outcome planned for them: his 9 overs produced 4/15 including some fantastic catching. It was left to Rodgers and Devine to knock over the tail and win convincingly.

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5. Best Ever XI.

 

1 Jason Pooley - Swords  

Great player who could change a game in an hour and a brilliant fielder anywhere.

 

2 Daniel Rodgers - Manoj

Without doubt one of the best players in the Premier Division that I've seen and a massively underated bowler.

 

3 Greg Pooley - Mr Tickle

Best bad wicket player I've played with who loved batting. Good keeper in his younger days but not a fan of fielding.

 

4 Keith Dutch - Dutchy

Has to go down as possibly the best all rounder Brentham has ever had: could do everything including being a great slip catcher even with the smallest hands you could ever imagine.

 

5 Brett Isli - Bruty

A proper Australian, scored 5 league hundreds in 2 years and played the game the right way, always first to buy a beer.

 

6 Adam Reid - Butcher

Good all rounder who was most dangerous with the bat: hit it as far and hard as anyone I've ever seen.

 

7 Neil Sargeant - Sarge

Comfortably the best keeper I've ever played with or against. Better batter than he gets credit for as sure he invented the sweep shot. Great captain that made everyone want to be part of the team.

 

8 Simon Cook - Greenhouse

Good all rounder who had many injury problems but when fit changed games. Good club man who even when injured was still around the club.

 

9 Ricky Fay - Big Red

Simply the best bowler I ever played with. A monster of a man and useful batter, just a shame there were 2 sides of the pitch. His thirst for wickets wasn't the only one he had.

 

10 Brian Reid - Pops

Only played with him towards the end of his career. Even at 56 when he played his last game away to Old Hill in the National he was still possibly the best bowler on the pitch. A truly fantastic man who I feel honoured to have played with.

 

11 Tony Williams - Willy

Without a shadow of a doubt the best left arm spinner I've ever seen in any form of Cricket. A great character and I enjoyed every minute I spent playing with him.

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Five Questions with ... Terry Daly

 

 1. Why Brentham?

It was an August Sunday morning, 10:00 approx ,1965 I think. My Dad woke me from a deep alcholic coma with the

words I’ll never forget "There’s a gentleman at the front door from Brentham CC who wants a word with you." My first contact with the club was Mick Annand, a gentleman, who asked me if I would like to play for the 3rd XI. Two weeks earlier I had told Ealing CC what they could do with their club, as I had been promised selection to their 3rd XI but a month after, nothing had happened. I now made one of the best decisions of my life. “Yes I’d love to play for the 3rd XI”. The match was at Sunbury CC, the result is beyond my memory but I do know I had just played under the captaincy of the best 3rd XI captain of any club at any time, Des Parker. After that, it could only be Brentham CC for me, for ever.  

 

2. Proudest Brentham CC moment?

Scoring a hundred for the 1st XI against Acton. Making it the full house of hundreds for all XI’s.

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3. Cricketing highlight at Brentham CC?

Reaching the final of the National Club Knockout Cup at Lords.

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4. Toughest opponent?

Alan Price  Ealing CC - Always thinking of ways of getting batsmen out, with every ball he bowled. Never letting you settle.

 

5. All time best Brentham XI?

1 David Bloomfield capt.

2 Roger Kingdon

3 Neil Sargent wktkeeper

4 Graham Barlow

5 Nick Vincent 

6 Daniel Rodgers

7 John Swann

8 Keith Dutch

9 Alan Holley

10 Brian Reid

11 Tony Williams

Ivor Chaplin scorer

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Five Questions with ... Harris Lambi

  

1. Why Brentham?

Having played at school with some success I wanted to play senior cricket and was advised to join Brentham by the school coach. I joined with a friend thinking I was a fast bowler, I soon found out I wasn't fast.  
50 years on where else would anyone want to play club cricket?

 

2. Proudest Brentham moment?
Any time any one of the colts I helped to coach fulfils their talent

3. Cricketing highlight at Brentham CC?
Helping to win the regional final of the National against Met Police 1973

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4. What Brentham means to me?
It has been a huge part of my life both socially and in sport since 1966. The friends and teammates are still that to the extent that Terry Daly and Alan Wilmore, who were teammates at school and also joined Brentham, are still friends.

 

5. All time Brentham XI?
1 Graham Barlow

2 Joe Misso
3 Roger Kingdon
4 David Bloomfield
5 David Vincent
6 John Swan
7 Jaraj Thakar

8 Terry Daly
9 Alan Holley
10 Tony Williams
11 Brian Reid

 

 

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Five Questions with ... Jon Mays

  

1. Why Brentham? 

I moved down to London in 1999, but my family has a long history of Brentham membership. My Grandad was more a hockey player than a cricketer but he and my Grandma were social members (he donated his collection of beer mats to the bar when he moved further away from the club!) My dad played football in the same team as Brian Reid, so when I came down it was an obvious choice. JDV showed me the ground which was clearly a very good one so I signed up.

 

2. First Brentham game? 

May not have been the very first one, but the one I remember was a pre-season friendly against Wimbledon. I scored a cautious 30-odd batting at 6, but the thing that stays in my mind the most was running Bash out by their off-spinner dropping a caught and bowled chance from me on to the stumps leaving Bash out of his ground backing up!

 

3. Proudest Brentham moment? 

Not just captaining the promotion winning 2’s team into the top division, but keeping us up there the following season – a real team effort

 

4. Cricketing highlight at Brentham CC? 

There have been a lot. Bolg will always talk about our all run 5 at Finchley, followed by my refusal of a quick single….biblical-style parting of rain clouds at Uxbridge….147’s slip catch also at Uxbridge, beating Eastcote 2’s off the last ball of the match to win the league, falling just short in our run chase at Winchmore Hill with the 1’s to get relegated….also at Winchmore Hill Bolg playing & missing 5 balls of the last over and then hitting a 6 to win…getting promotion with the 2’s beating Wembley and me scoring a hundred to do it….watching Danny Rodgers score his club record score….too many Brentham collapses to mention…..Beavo’s “Have a slice of cheddar” send-off at Stanmore….beating Teddington by 10 wickets….

 

5. All time Brentham XI?

1 Danny Rodgers

2 Matt Ennion

3 Maj Ali

4 Damon Rowan

5 Keith Dutch

6 Neil Sargeant

7 Simon Cook

8 Gary Dattani

9 Mumtaz Habib

10 Ricky Fay

11 Naz Ali

 

 

 

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Five Questions with ... Graham Wells

  

Why Brentham?

Graham Barlow told me it was a nicer club than Ealing with a better social life, 30 years later Brian Eden is still buying me beer!!!

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Brentham debut?

For I think the 3rd team, oddly against my previous club Barclays Bank CC at their ground by then unfortunately the soul less Ealing as their delightful Norbury ground had already fallen foul of the accountants.

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Proudest Brentham Moment?

The 1st XI win whilst I was Club Captain versus Shepherds Bush in a league game when we only had 6 players including Jason and Greg Pooley's Dad due to disciplinary issues with a end of cricket week marquee incident!!! Oh how the poacher has now turned gamekeeper lol No names R*****d D****e etc etc !!!! I got permission from the league to play with 6 players and not reduce the second and third team numbers which wouldn’t have been fair considering who the miscreants were responsible for the redecoration of the marquee which was to be used for a wedding reception. I won the toss, stuck them in hoping others might arrive to swell our ranks, but Messrs Dutch and Hamilton spun them out for nothing (I think 80 ish)) and  we knocked them off for the loss of only one wicket, Greg Pooley crashing it to all parts. I remind Tim Howard every time I see him!!! 

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Brentham Cricketing Highlight?

With 6 needed off the last ball hitting it into the gardens to win the game for the 1st X1 Middx League game against North Middx. Or maybe being kissed by David Frewer after a sensational victory against Clifton in the National, chasing 145 they were 120 ish for 1 with plenty of time left and cruising, but a fantastic run out of Matt Windows (cough cough) started a panic and needing 4 off Brian Reids last over they fell short causing the Chairman’s pitch invasion!!

 

Best Brentham XI?

1 Jason Pooley, elegant and always with a helpful word or suggestion, never critical of those with less ability.

2 Jim Hamilton, papa smurf and in case I crash my car into a wall on Castlebar Hill. Again! Jug of iced Tea anyone?

3 Greg Pooley, every team needs someone to annoy the opposition and Greg could do that asleep, fine bat often underrated

4 Danny Rogers, I retired before he reach his peak at Brentham but his record says it all.

5 Roger Bradley, class, batted then opened the bowling strong as an Ox.

6 Keith Dutch, have to have 6 positional field changes an over. Please get Willy to stay in the right place Wellsey!!!!

7 Neil Sargeant, Matt Prior lookalike with a helmet on or am I the only one to notice that, top gloveman just ask Brian Reid

8 Adam Reid every team needs a butcher

9 Richard Devine provided he bowls the side of the wicket to the field I have set for him !!!!

10 Tony Williams, his head never dropped, but will have to keep him and Keith Dutch at opposite ends of the ground as usual!! And fits through home team dressing room windows apparently according to Brian Eden lol

11 Brian Reid past his best but the opposition attitude changed whenever he was brought on to bowl, Middx league legend, so end of.

 

 

12th Man, me, I could field, but bugger all else and knock umpires over! (anyone remember my run out of Alistair Fraser?) so I will captain my team from the balcony like all others seem to do these days.

 

Umpire, has to be Harry Rose. Question from Brian Reid “ Harry, are you ever going to give me a bloody LBW?” Answer “when Nelson gets his eye back Brian!!” Priceless.

 

Scorer, the inimitable Ivor Chaplin, (blue hat please) who gave me three years notice of giving up in I think 1994, but please someone else collect him from Greenford roundabout.