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T
here’s something quintessentially English
about the game of cricket.
A 22-yard strip of grass with strategically
placed fielding positions, including, third
man, deep backward point, silly mid off and,
sometimes, cow corner – the space between
deep midwicket and long on, and so-called
because few ‘legitimate’ shots are aimed to
this part of the field, which means fielders are
rarely placed there. This leads to the concept
that cows could happily graze in that area.
And there’s nothing quite like the sound of
leather on willow as bat strikes ball on a
summer’s afternoon.
During the 1980s and 90s, I played for the
Camp Hopson cricket team, competing against
a variety of business teams including Darvell
Removals, Plenty’s, James & Cowper, Charles
Lucas & Marshall and Vodafone.
Games were always played in good spirit and
often concluded with a ‘match tea’ at a local
pub.
Playing at Yattendon’s pretty village cricket
pitch – arguably one of the most picturesque
cricketing locations in the Newbury area –
usually resulted in victors and vanquished
visiting the highly-renowned Pot Kiln pub in
nearby Frilsham.
Despite now being closer to 60 than 50, I still
play at least one game of cricket a year, as a
Hopson XI – somewhat optimistically known
as Hopson’s Hotshots – taking on Hewens’
Heroes in an annual cricket match.
Nick Hewens has been a friend for more than
25 years. We’ve skied, played squash and
tennis together and his three children, (triplets
– two boys and a girl), have grown up with our
two.
In the early 90s, when Nick was living and
working in Yorkshire, he arranged a
Southerners v Northerners cricket match in
Hull.
By way of a re-match, it was agreed Nick
and I would captain separate cricket teams in
a game played in the
south of England.
This inaugural match
between Hopson’s
Hotshots and Hewens’ He-
roes took place in 1993 and
was so successful it’s been
staged every year since.
It has been played at a
variety of venues in the
Newbury area, including
Donnington Cricket Club,
Horris Hill school and St
Andrew’s, Pangbourne.
For the last few years, the
fixture has been played at
Wilcot cricket ground near
Pewsey.
Fortuitously, and in common with many cricket
grounds, there happens to be a pub nearby,
the excellent Golden Swan.
Over the years, some of the original bachelor
players from the 1990s have produced children
and there are now a number of father and son
combinations in both teams.
The tally of wins currently stands at 11 to the
Heroes, 10 to the Hotshots with two matches
tied and one rained off.
So there’s everything to play for in this year’s
25th anniversary event which is scheduled to
be played at the end of this month.
5
...
knows his silly mid-off
from his square leg
Jonathan Hopson
Hopson’s Hotshots
claim the trophy
from Hewens’
Heroes in 2016
The Golden Swan,
Wilcot, hosts the
post-match
celebrations