Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce the winners for the #houseofcricket social media campaign. The campaign saw a range of different cricket videos, showcasing creativity and innovation at home while playing cricket.

For fantastic creativity, family involvement, and enjoyment while being confined to the space of their own home, the three winners are as follows:

Steve Edwards
Guy Townsend
Matt Rogan

Please note that these are the account names where the videos were posted

In order to receive your prize please contact Nick Pinhol – [email protected]

Mike Nurton made his debut for Oxfordshire in the 1963 Minor Counties Championship against Dorset. Nurton played Minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire from 1963 to 1990, which included 218 Minor Counties Championship matches. By the end of his Minor counties career with Oxfordshire, he had scored 12,713 runs in the Minor Counties Championship.

When and where did you start playing cricket?

I started playing cricket in the back garden with my father and brother. At eleven years of age I started at Abingdon School at the same time that Gerald Smithson (England, Yorks., Leicestershire) was appointed cricket coach and Tony Hillary (Cambridge Univ. and Berkshire) was my form master and master i/c cricket My father resurrected Boar’s Hill C.C. and I filled in when the team was short. Hence I was immersed in cricket from a young age.

What’s your earliest cricketing memory?

My earliest cricketing memory was being taken to Elmer Cotton in Turl Street in Oxford by my father to buy a new cricket bat. It was a Gradidge size 6 with Len Hutton’s autograph. My mother was cross that dad had spent £2.50 on the bat and lectured me how I should look after it! I still have a photograph of me in full cricket attire standing under the Walnut tree in our back garden.

Biggest influence on your career?

There were many influences on my career. As mentioned my father, Gerald Smithson, Tony Hillary and also Charlie Brooks. Charlie played for Berkshire (his dad had played as a wicket-keeper for Surrey and retired to run The Spread Eagle pub in Northcourt)) and Charlie played for the Berkshire Gents against the school each year. He convinced me to join Oxford City C.C. and insisted that I opened the batting at the age of sixteen. Oxford City C.C. had a very strong fixture list in those days.

Most memorable match you played in?

Many matches were memorable but the game at Poole Park against Dorset when Andrew Wingfield-Digby was timed out gained considerable coverage in the national press. It was chaos for a time because Phil Garner refused to continue the game until the issue was resolved. He seemed to be the only person to understand the law – the umpires certainly didn’t. Eventually the match was drawn but it was an exciting finish. Apparently Andrew Kennedy (ex Lancs.) who was the Dorset Captain refused to play for the county again.

Highlights of your playing days?

The highlights of my playing days were being selected for the minor counties representative side against Australia and New Zealand. I was later lucky enough to be invited to tour Kenya with the rep. side and later to captain the team on the tour to East Africa.

Best player you played against?

I have stated on numerous occasions that the best player I witnessed at first hand was Alvin Kallicharan. Viv Richards looked quite good when he first arrived at Somerset and played in a B & H game at Torquay! Of minor county players I would say Colin Lever (brother of Peter) who played for Bucks was an outstanding performer. He played for Chesham before moving north to play Lancashire League cricket in which he was hugely successful with both bat and ball. He topped averages in the league against many overseas international cricketers.

Favourite grounds where you have played?

There were many attractive grounds we played on but if I had to choose one it would be Torquay Cricket Club. We always toured the West Country in August and so a large crowd, often of holidaymakers, would assemble to watch a match. In those days Torquay was an attractive seaside resort with plenty of options for entertainment in the evenings. Barrie Matthews was captain of Devon for several years and owned a nightclub in the town. He was a very generous host and provided us with a meal and entertainment.

Team mate which made you laugh the most?

The most amusing team mate was Mike Smith who was the regular wicket-keeper when I started. He was an excellent ‘keeper but never took the game or life too seriously. Both on and off the field he was there to enjoy himself and encourage others to do the same. A happy go lucky character he loved gambling on fruit machines. He was also a bundle of energy from the time he arrived for a game until he went home – often late and after several beers.

What did you enjoy most about playing for Oxfordshire?

I enjoyed playing for Oxfordshire because I was given so much support and encouragement as a young man from the likes of Jo Banton, David Laitt, Keith Talboys, Mike Smith, Terry Strange and Tony Pickering. It was somewhat ironic that I was born at 21 St. Paul’s Crescent in Botley which was a stone’s throw from Oxford City’s ground on The Southern-by-Pass and was where Oxfordshire played most home games at that time. However the house I was born in was actually in the county of Berkshire as was the house I was brought up in Wootton. Later the boundaries were changed and both places were put in the county of Oxfordshire. Hence Oxfordshire had to use one of only two special registrations to allow me to play for the county. These were used sparingly and usually only used for talented cricketers moving into the area. It was a tricky decision to make because at the same time that I was asked to play for Oxfordshire I received an invitation to play the next three games for Berkshire. It was a decision I can honestly say I never regretted. The confusion also occurred later after boundary changes when Berkshire played a home game at Abingdon Cricket Club against Oxfordshire which was then in fact in the county of Oxfordshire.

Over the past week we have been hearing some fantastic and inspirational stories of how some individuals and clubs from the cricket community have been helping and supporting the community at large during COVID-19. Below are just some of the stories from this week.

BNOCC

• Using the exercise app Strava, which tracks movement and traces it on a map, to spell out the club’s name as they walk, run or cycle observing the social distancing guidelines.
• A fundraising page has been set up for sponsorship, which will be split 50/50. Half will go to helping the club cope with the loss of any cricket-related income. The rest will go to benefit local group Coronavirus Helpers & Supporters in Bicester.
• It supports vulnerable people suffering due to the lockdown by delivering food or other vital supplies.

Aston Rowant and the Ruth Strauss Foundation

• ARCC Virtual Fest’ taking place on Sunday 24th May in support of the Ruth Strauss Foundation. This is raising money for the Ruth Strauss Foundation and Aston Rowant Cricket Club, splitting ticket sales and all profits from the silent auction.
•  
• The main festival kicks off at 18:00 and includes; acoustic music, a live Q&A with Andrew Strauss, a piano bar with song requests and finishing with a DJ set by Jack Savidge from Friendly Fires. On top of this, there will be beer / gin / wine tasting masterclasses (led by Chadlington Brewery, Chalgrove Artisan Distillery, and The Wine Tipster/ The Oxford Wine Company) running throughout the afternoon from 15:00.
• Tickets can be purchased at https://arccvirtualfest.typeform.com/to/L8J8pS

If you have any stories of individuals from the cricket community helping and supporting the community at large during COVID-19, please email [email protected]

Following the initial announcement of our emergency support funding last month, ECB can now release details of a third funding scheme designed to support leagues.

Nick Pryde, ECB’s Director of Participation and Growth, said: “We’re pleased to be able to offer a new League Emergency Loan Scheme to help affiliated cricket leagues during the current shutdown of the sport.

“It has been great to see clubs receiving financial support through national and local government schemes, as well as through the ECB’s emergency support funding, which launched last month, and now we are in a position to help leagues across England and Wales with the costs they will incur in 2020, regardless of whether cricket is able to return this summer.

“Leagues will be able to apply for a loan of up to £50,000 to cover a number of unrecoverable costs incurred for the 2020 season, as well as assisting towards the cost of cricket balls purchased for the year.

“Everyone across the sport is hoping we will see recreational cricket played across England and Wales this summer and at the ECB we’re working closely with the Government to establish when and how it will be safe to resume play.”

League Emergency Loan Scheme
The ECB League Emergency Loan Scheme aims to support affiliated cricket leagues (open-age and junior leagues) during the COVID-19 crisis through the provision of interest-free loans.

Who can apply?

Open-age and junior leagues affiliated direct to ECB, or a partnership agreement via their County Cricket Board (CCB) or the National Asian Cricket Council (NACC), National Cricket Conference (NCC) or Afro-Caribbean Cricket Association (ACCA) in 2019 or 2020.

What will the scheme fund?
The cost of cricket balls, plus unrecoverable costs  above £2,000  in the 2020 season, which may include:

The cost of block booking/hire of grounds
The cost associated with the production of league handbooks
The cost of purchase of kit and/or equipment 
The cost of staging events
How much loan can a league apply for?
Up to £50,000. If a league requires a loan exceeding this limit, please contact the ECB facilities help desk by emailing [email protected].

How do I apply?

Leagues should  apply by clicking here.

Before applying, it is highly recommended leagues read the League Emergency Loan Scheme guidance notes.

Where do I go for help?

If leagues have any questions about the League Emergency Loan Scheme please read the frequently asked questions  or contact the ECB facilities help desk by emailing  [email protected].

Over the past week, we have been hearing some fantastic and inspirational stories of how some individuals from the cricket community have been helping and supporting the community at large during COVID-19. Below are just some of the stories from this week.

Dave Freeman

Like all clubs we were monitoring the Covid 19 situation closely and when the lockdown came we were faced with the harsh reality of having no income to keep our club going over the summer. I usually run a quiz night on the last Friday of every month at the club anyway just to keep us social in the winter months. So I just thought about how I could maybe connect with club members sat at home.

Now I’m not the best with technology but Facebook live seemed the way to go. I decided to invite donations as I know for some people times are tough so it’s always been a voluntary contribution and always will be. So I put it out to my Facebook friends and did a quiz on the Friday evening. It went ok with a few technical hitches but as we were at the start of lockdown I think people seemed to latch onto it and after that I received an offer to sponsor the next evening and the thing just sort of took off.

I know people are zooming each other and face timing so I estimate that I have about 200-300 people every Friday night watching.I decided to try to dress according to my sponsors which has got a little out of hand! I suspect that it may get a mention when I’m playing or Umpiring knowing some of the characters involved.

Then my wife and I were out on walk and came across the food bank and I decided that I would dedicate the next quiz to try to raise enough to buy 100 Easter eggs to give to the food bank and people’s generosity was amazing and I raised enough for 100 Easter eggs and another £150 worth of food. I’m not going to lie it felt good passing on these gifts on behalf of the club and the people who kindly donated. I then thought about what else could I do and came up with aiming high to raise enough for a defibrillator to be located at the ground because it’s one of those things that you hope you never need but good to have if you do as we are very rural.

I have received some really positive comments about how people look forward to Fridays and as a family they sit down for an hour of ‘ the internets most amateur quiz’. I have an exit plan for when we are allowed to venture out, but I’m keeping that under my hat, I’ve also started a sports quiz on a Monday so Bradley Walsh look out I’m coming for you!

Alex Mackay

From Tiddington CC, with sons in the Oxfordshire Cricket Talent Development Pathway
Has been Cooking meals every friday for NHS workers, carers and district nurses
He recently cooked 71 portions of braised chicken with Spanish style grains and rice, chorizo, sunblush peppers, onions and Swiss chard on Friday for staff at The Wheatley Triangle Care Home, Wheatley district nurses and some other wonderful people around the village.
If you are in Wheatley and work for the NHS or know of someone who might need a meal once a week. Alex has limited numbers and his priority will be to the staff at the care homes, and the District nurses.

Shay Reading

Shay has been part of a team from his workplace (a London advertising agency) who together have been running the equivalent of the distance from London to New York,
To raise money for NHS Charities Together, with every pound raised being matched by his company
Shay personally ran 55km in less than a week ; then when they “reached” New York, they decided to continue to San Francisco and are running there this week
They have raised £7,882 so far to fight Covid-19 for NHS Charities Together
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/adamandeveDDBtoNYC

Rob Johnson

Rob not only plays for TTCC but also works for the ECB at Lord’s
He should have been running the London Marathon in aid of the Ruth Strauss Foundation- https://ruthstraussfoundation.com/
Instead he has organised 2 great quizzes on YouTube, the 2nd one was on April 22nd– if you google “Rob’s Big Quiz” you can find it
The 3rd quiz will be this Thursday evening at 8.15. His fundraising page is – uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobertJohnson49
So far he has raised £1,126.20

If you have any stories of individuals from the cricket community helping and supporting the community at large during COVID-19, please email [email protected]

Oxfordshire Cricketers
World War 2 Roll of Honour

Major J Barmby

James (Jim) Barmby was born at Radley College on 20 May 1906, the only son of Francis James Barmby, Sub-Warden of Radley College. He was to be educated at Radley before going up to Corpus Christi College at Oxford University in 1924 where he studied Classics. He was captain of both the college’s football and cricket teams.

His father had played a couple of Minor County matches for Berkshire but it was for Oxfordshire that Barmby made his debut in 1926, scoring 41 and 23* against Monmouthshire. He played 5 matches that season and 4 the following before he joined the Nigerian Administration Service, Colonial Office. It was later recorded that “He learnt to love the Service and the life, whilst enriching it with his sense of right, his sense of humour, and his good judgement in great and small things.” In subsequent years he was often posted abroad and would miss the English cricket season. When in Africa he played both cricket and tennis for Nigeria. However in those years that he was back in the country he would be a regular in the Oxfordshire County XI.

His next appearances for the county were in 1931 but it was in 1933 that he recorded his first fifties with two scores of 69. After missing 1934, he returned the following summer and was appointed captain for the first 3 matches when the County Captain, SCB Lee, was absent
through illness. He finished the season top of the county batting averages with 554 runs at an average of 39.57. He was abroad again in 1936 and unable to play in 1937 due to what was described as “a serious breakdown in health”. The county’s annual report for that year recorded that “His absence was regretted by all his comrades in the team, for apart from his skill as a cricketer, he possessed that gift of inspiring others with his own enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game.”

Returning in 1938 he again headed the batting averages with 419 runs at an average of 46.55. During the season he made his one and only championship century, 165 against Cornwall at Christ Church. He played just 2 matches for Oxfordshire the following summer, finishing his
county career with 1588 runs at an average of 28.36 in 39 matches. His obituary in Wisden describes him as “A tall man, he made the most of his reach in forward play and off-side strokes. One of the most dependable bats on the side, he was also a very reliable slip fieldsman and occasionally broke up a partnership with a fastish ball.”

Jim Barmby joined the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry at the start of World War 2 and after initially being based in England, he was posted to North Africa in 1943. He had attained the rank of Major by this time and his regiment was sent to join the Allied advance in Italy where he was killed in action at Salerno on 19 January 1944, aged 37. He is buried at the Minturno War Cemetery.

Gunner NH Bowell

Norman Bowell was born on 2 February 1904 in Oxford. His father Alec was a first-class cricketer for Hampshire from 1902-27, one of a number of Oxford born cricketers to play for the county.

Norman Bowell played a total of three first-class matches, 2 for Hampshire and 1 for Northamptonshire but didn’t do enough to secure a contract with either county. He also played three Minor County Championship matches for Oxfordshire, 2 in 1927 and 1 in 1931, making a top score of 20. In World War 2 Bowell enlisted as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery. Serving in the Far East he was captured by the Japanese during the fall of Singapore. At the end of 1942, along with over 500 other POWs, he was shipped to a camp on Ballalae Island in the Solomons. They were treated extremely badly by their captors and Bowell succumbed to this ill treatment on 5 March 1943, aged 39. Not a single one of these POWs survived the war. His name is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.

Major JHL Brownrigg

John Brownrigg was born on 6 February 1909 in Headington, Oxford. His father was Charles Brownrigg, headmaster at Magdalen College
School for many years and a former Oxfordshire County Cricket Captain. Brownrigg was educated at Winchester before going up to Corpus
Christi College at Oxford University in 1927. He was captain of both the college’s football and cricket teams. After university he worked
for the Burma Oil Company until the start of the war.

It was in 1939 that he made his debut for Oxfordshire against Dorset on the New College ground. He was to play 2 further matches attaining a top score of 32 not out against Devon. John Brownrigg gained a commission in the Devonshire Regiment, was promoted to Captain in 1941 with further promotion to Major in 1943.  He was serving with the 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment when killed in action on 18 February 1944 in the Battle of Anzio in Italy, aged 35, and is buried at the Anzio War Cemetery.

Pilot Officer DSM Burrell

Dennis Burrell was born on 6 September 1914 in Northleach, Gloucestershire. His family later moved to Oxford and he initially attended Cowley St. John School before attaining a scholarship to Magdalen College School. He then went up to Jesus College, Oxford University. Although he scored 63 not out in the University Freshman’s match in 1934, he did not represent the University. Later that summer he did play for Oxfordshire against the University ‘A’ team, scoring 42. He subsequently played in 3 Minor Counties Championship matches but failed to make any impression.

In 1939 he joined the RAF and was assigned to 269 Squadron. Sadly, he became an early war casualty when on 19 September he was Pilot Officer of a plane attacked by a German flying boat and was killed somewhere 140 nautical miles from Wick in the direction of Norway. He
was 25 years old. Burrell is buried in Montrose (Sleepyhollow) Cemetery in Scotland.

Wing Commander JG Halliday

John Gordon (Jack) Halliday was born on 4 July 1915 in Cockermouth, Cumberland. Later his family moved to Oxford and he was educated at the City of Oxford High School where he became captain of the cricket XI. While still at school, he was selected for Oxfordshire against
Bedfordshire at St John’s College having just turned 17. He played 7 matches in both this and the following season, being awarded his cap in 1933 following his maiden 50 against Buckinghamshire at the Merton College ground. Going up to Merton College in 1934, he made 25 first class appearances for Oxford University over the next 4 seasons, winning his Blue in 1935. He also played for the Minor Counties Representative team against Oxford University in 1934 scoring 49 and 33 not out and also taking 3-69. Halliday was second in the county batting averages in 1934 with 514 runs at an average of 42.83, which included his first century for the county. After a poor season in 1935, the 1936 annual report noted that he had “recovered his all-round form, his fielding particularly being a joy to watch”. It was also noted that he was “a player of excellent strokes and a very quick scorer. The many worries of a team secretary sat lightly on his shoulders. He always
remained the cheerful optimist.”

In 1937 he missed the last 3 matches due to a septic arm which required an operation. The following year he took up a teaching appointment at St Paul’s School in London. However this did not preclude him being elected the youngest ever Oxfordshire County Captain that
season and it was recorded that “his charm of manner and consideration for his team were a tremendous asset.”

Again captain in 1939, he headed the county batting averages with 490 runs at an average of 49.00. In his final innings he made his top score of 129 against Bedfordshire on the New College ground. He finished his career with 2448 runs at an average of 25.50 in 63 matches. He also opened the bowling on many occasions and his medium quick inswingers saw him pick up 50 wickets at an average of 35.04 with best figures of 5-44 against Buckinghamshire at High Wycombe in 1936. Jack Halliday joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 59 Squadron in World War 2 and at the time of his death had attained the rank of Wing Commander. Having survived active service, he was tragically killed on 3 December 1945, aged 30, when travelling back to England from Ceylon after a period of leave. The plane he was in was hit by lightning in
severe turbulence. A wing broke off and the aircraft crashed at Trizay, near Echillais (Charente-Maritime) with the loss of all 28 people on board. He is buried in the Rochefort- Sur-Mer Naval Cemetery in France.

A particularly poignant story was told by Jack’s good friend and North Oxford cricketing colleague David Money. David recalled “His loss was tragic, in that after 4 years in the Far East he and I met on our way back at Lydda airport in Palestine, changing planes for home. A day later I phoned his father to say we’d met and had Jack got back? I found out his plane had crashed over France and after all his war service he’d been killed. He was a splendid captain and would have made a great difference to Oxon after the war had he survived.”

Major HG Webb

Herbert George Webb was born in Headington, Oxford on 1 July 1913. He attended the City of Oxford High School before going up to St John’s College at Oxford University. He was selected as wicket-keeper for Oxfordshire in the matches against Oxford University ‘A’ in 1933, 34, and 35 before making his Minor Counties Championship debut the latter year against Bedfordshire at Bedford School. In a good start for the county, he scored 30 and 85 in his two innings. He finished the season with 388 runs at an average of 29.84.

He played a couple of first-class matches for Oxford University in 1935 without securing his place in the team. In 1936 he played for the Minor Counties representative side against the University. Although he scored few runs for Oxfordshire that summer, 1937 saw much improvement and in the final match of the season, against Berkshire at Christ Church, Webb carried his bat in making 121 not out. This turned out to be his final match for the county as he moved away from the area. In total he played 22 Minor County Championship matches, scoring 855 runs at an average of 24.43. He had generally been selected as a batsman, only keeping wicket when Will Inge was unavailable.

George Webb died on 7 August 1947 in hospital at Hill End, St Albans and is buried in Golders Green Crematorium. During the Second World War he had reached the rank of Major in the Royal Army Service Corps. His presence on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website indicates that his death was war related although I have not yet managed
to establish the cause.