OV debuts, visits, graduations & a cricket tour to remember!

OV Guernsey Cricket Tour- Year of 2004

The cricket tour was a great success with 9 OVs from the Year of 2004 getting involved including Mike Wilesmith (S 93-04), Tom Lea (K 95-04), Will Smith (Br 93-04), Huw Dimond (S 93-04), Sam Cullen (W 93-04), Pete Winstanley (Cr 99-04), Tom Weston (Cr 99-04), Charlie Loveday (Cl 93-04) and Tom Carr (W 00-04). We have had the following report courtsey of Tom Lea…

The OV’s descended on Guernsey from various locations around England on Friday 3rd August. A feeling of inevitable annihilation of this small island was in the air, partly fuelled by several Red Stripes en route. Despite only 8 making it across to join the skipper, Mike Wilesmith, King's School’s 2004 alumni couldn’t wait for tour. Lads, Lads, Lads and all that.

We quickly slipped into our old roles; Tom Weston as a quarrelsome toddler, Pete Winstanley as Countryside Living’s best dressed, Sam Cullen as master of the fabricated story and Mike Wilesmith as militant organiser/excitable drunk.

Excitable 30 somethings get drunk easily these days and soberness was a distant memory at circa 10pm. A cracking first night. Tom Lea, in an obvious show of support to the on trail Ben Stokes, brazenly refused to take off his cap in the club. He was politely asked to leave and did so. Lea redeemed himself with a stellar Oasis/Tom Petty playlist on arrival home. 2am. Will Smith annoying the neighbours by loudly playing on the trampoline. Bed time.

An early start Saturday. 8 full English breakfasts please sir. Followed by 2 coffees and, with both fizzy and still Lucozades, we were good to go. We arrived at the ground, confident, Wilesmith even suggesting that the opposition bat first.

Smith opened. Line and length has never left the man and there it was, poetry. Second ball, knicks off, Dimond drops. A bewildered Smith was not to have the best of days ‘ahhh Will’. Lea opened from the other end with a run up that brought back memories of most of the team’s efforts in approaching girls at Will Woodhouse’s 13th birthday disco at Grimley town hall. Stuttery, sweaty and red faced, the first delivery was so short it nearly bounced back onto his forehead.

Winstanley came on and unfortunately brought about the first wicket. The start of an annoyingly stellar performance. Fortunes turned the way of the OVs and Weston’s dibbly dobblers bought about a wicket and Sam Cullen came to the fore as well.

The unusual action of Mike Wilesmith, often dubbed a poor man’s Paul Adams, brought about the most hilarious moment of the innings. The OV’s had a Guernsey fielder in the ranks to make up the numbers and Wilesmith looked to have his man as the ball went straight in said fielders direction. However, it was no surprise to see the ball shelled by a fielder who had used the technique of an arcade machine claw to stop the ball on previous occasions. ‘Oh No!’ yelled Wilesmith. He would get his man eventually.

Lea returned to steal a wicket off a knick down the leg side. Smith returned to no avail. He could barely conceal his rage. 231 was the target, largely thanks to some fine batting from the often topless old boy and their overseas player.

To say the reply started terribly would be an understatement. Smith was bowled for 0. A welcome end to his tortuous day. Weston was bowled for 0 and on arrival back to the pavillion declared ‘I simply didn’t see where I was going to get a run.’ Carr, promoted to 4, lasted a solid 3 balls.

10-3. Certain defeat. But then the Dimond class began to shine through. Sweetly timing the ball through the covers and turning the strike over with Winstanley. The recovery was on. But wait, the enigma was in. Indespicably trying to sweep a dross delivery when it could easily have sailed back over the bowlers head, led to the wicket of Dimond.

Loveday strode to the wicket, a man with purpose. The man we needed, despite the run rate pushing over 8, we saw more blocks from that innings then you would at a day at Legoland. Winstanley, however, was on a mission. With brutal force and a wagon wheel that suggested the opposition had bowled on his pads all day, they hadn’t, Pete smashed a brilliant quick fire 50. Retired. But sure to return.

Lea offered some resistance whilst Loveday used up all his annual leave at the other end. A sharp 21, including some deft late cuts and a delicious straight drive over mid off, was somehow caught millimetres from the boundary. Meanwhile, Loveday, to be fair, had accumulated runs and they were needed. Despite a strained hamstring which required a runner for some time, he battled to a very impressive 41.

Winstanley was to return. He did and then some. On 50 not out, he marched to the crease, no doubt inspired by his brother-in-law’s cricketing involvement with the great Darren Maddy. With balls big enough to swing a referendum, the chase was on. For his 100 that is. Some say he had no idea we were in the match. He ended on 91, century avoidance, down that drink please sir.

We came up 18 runs short. A great game of cricket at a simply beautiful setting. Beach side beers were had. Fines were plentiful. Tom Carr’s footwear was reminiscent of many a KSW IT teacher. Those brown slip ons just requiring a light denim bootcut jean to complete the whole look. Our host impressively consumed a Lady Boy (Alan Patridge reference). It’s a drink!

The aptly named Barbados was the club of choice and, after some S Club 7 nonsense, Wonderwall came on and we ended the night with the token collective singalong in a large swaying, drunken huddle.

Safe to say, plans are in place for next year. Always, always great to be back with the King’s lot.

Beautiful Choral music from Matthew Kelley

Many congratulations to Matthew Kelley (S 10-17) whose new composition, Morning Thoughts had its world premier on Wednesday 29th August as the Introit to Choral evensong at Salisbury Cathedral performed by the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir live on BBC Radio 3. It is a beautiful piece so please do have a listen to it here.

 

 

 

Family Visit

It was lovely to have OV Ewen Purcell (Cr 90-93) return to King's this week and have a tour of school with Head of Alumni Relations Sophie Borrillo-McLellan. Ewen, who enjoyed rowing when he was a pupil, especially liked the Michael Baker Boathouse and he had fond memories of English lessons at the top of Edgar Tower and House Singing in College Hall. Ewen visited with his wife and two sons and it was great to be able to show his children where he had been at school.

 

 

Another fantastic OV graduation story

Congratulations to OV Corah Lewis (Ch 07-14) who has just graduated. Here she is pictured with her brother and OV Hayden Lewis (Ch 10-17).

"I graduated on the 18th July from the University of Manchester, with a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology (BSc) with Placement Year, which I completed as a Research Assistant at the Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital. I was delighted to present my dissertation looking into the mental health of children with Cystic Fibrosis at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research in April.

I am in the process of applying for Assistant Psychologist jobs in a range of hospitals across England, and look forward to seeing where I end up!"

CLIMBING FOR A CAUSE

Following last week's OV news of Jacob Ham (Cl 09-16)'s fantastic completion of the 3 Peaks Challenge to raise money for The Wooden Spoon charity, we have been sent these great photos of Jacob and his team at the top of the peaks. Well done Jacob!