Wednesday 24 May 2017

THE CRICKETER CUP 50TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER - 27TH APRIL 2017

A nearly 40 strong contingent of OMTs, ranging from our 1st captain David Smee 48 years ago to our current one James Corbett, amongst a gathering of approaching 700 descended on the Old Whitbread Brewery in the City of London to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premier Old Boys cricket tournament - The Cricketer Cup.  36 Public Schools were represented with players from the original 1967 sides in attendance right up to current ones.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Tony Monteuuis, Old Tonbridgeian, the current Cricketer Cup Chairman, and grace was said by The Rev Andrew Wingfield- Digby, Sherborne Pilgrims, who has played against OMT in The Cricketer Cup and also represented Dorset in the Minor Counties competition. He was the one time spiritual adviser and chaplain to the England cricket team under Ray Illingworth in the early 1970s.

John Barclay, Eton Ramblers, Past President of MCC, and captain of Sussex, who has also played against OMT in The Cricketer Cup, and now does a great deal of charitable work for cricket, proposed the toast to The Cricketer Cup.   He noted that in the 50 years of the competition only 15 public schools out of 36 have ever won with the OMTs’ best being three semi finals.  John’s remarks emphasised the unique specialness and prestige of the competition, and how much every School cherished being part of it.

With what may be a good sign for this year’s competition. which starts in early June, two OMTs won the first two of the 3 raffle prizes on offer – Messrs Ed Lamb and Chris Coker – who by chance were also sitting on the same table.  Odds of over 1000- 1 for OMTs sitting on the same table winning the first two prizes were offered, but not taken, for the gamblers!! OMTs’ very own Uri Geller and magician Jawwad Rasheed, a member of The Magic Circle, was also on the table, and there were rumours of undue influence being exercised by him!

The whole evening was a great success and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet up with teammates from yesteryear  many of whom had travelled great distances, and to make reacquaintances with opponents from the past and indeed present (for the current generation). The wonderful attendance was a real testament to the pulling power of the competition even in this modern era with many distractions competing for people's time.


This year Hurstpierpoint join the competition for the first time and OMT have drawn them in a bye round (just before the first round proper). News of OMTs 2017 campaign will no doubt accompany this report.