CRICKET & RUGBY
Boxing Day Rugby
OP CRICKET
The OPs were able to put out two teams (just – with
a couple of last minute drop outs) to take on the
school winning both matches easily. In the 1st XI
match OPs finished 236 – 9 of 45 overs built largely
around a belligerent 99 from Jack Bolam (96-05)
and 51 from AJ Clarke (01-09). One bright aspect
for the school boys was the fine spell of off-spin from
Jimmy Wraith who ended with 2 – 25 off his 8 overs.
In reply the school boys never really got into the
game losing early wickets and could only muster 72
runs resulting in a win for the OPs by 164 runs.
David Byas, the school’s Director of Sport stressed
that this performance was in no way a true
reflection of the quality within the senior school
boys’ team this season. He said “The boys have been
undefeated in the annual school’s cricket festival this
week and have gone on to win back the shield for
the third time in the last four years.”
In the 2nds match, the school boys fielded first
and found themselves having to bowl tight lines
to limit the OPs. Captain Stephenson led from the
front by taking 2-44, he also got his father out, Tim
Stephenson (70-79), called in as a last minute
replacement for the OPs. Due to a slightly later than
usual start to the match in the morning, the school
boys still had 9 overs to bowl after lunch, luckily two
fresh faced 5th formers turned up to help the cause
but undaunted the OPs finished with 219-6.
The school boys started slowly and were already
3 wickets down within 5 overs. Again skipper
Stephenson dropped anchor getting 20 off 18 overs.
By then it was a lost cause and the school boys
ended up with 112 all out resulting in another win
for the OPs by 107 runs.
Thanks go to the umpires: David Byas, Cameron
Mitchell, Malcolm Milne (55-62 and former staff
71-03), Neil Readman (74-76) and David Nuttall
(former staff 63-02).
BOXING DAY RUGBY 2015
OPS AT POCK 7S
Pocklington regained the Bottomley Trophy with a
late try to win 15-12 against Old Pocklingtonians on
Boxing Day.
Another bumper John Smith’s Pock 7s broke all
records and was watched on TV around the world.
The 58th John Smith’s Pock 7s was the biggest yet
as the warmest day of the 2016 Easter weekend
encouraged a crowd of over 3,000 to watch an
afternoon of magnificent sevens that ended with
a top quality final and some success for the Old
Pocklingtonians team who this year reached the
quarter finals of the main competition.
Although floods hit the centre of Pocklington on
Boxing Day morning, just up the road the annual
Pocklington v Old Pocklingtonians game went ahead
a couple of hours later than planned on the back
pitch at Percy Road.
There was another big Boxing Day crowd in
attendance, including Bath and England hooker, Rob
Webber (94-04), and they were treated to a keenly
contested game which swung one way and then the
other in the mud.
Pocklington scored first with centre Billy Hardy
following up a kick to touchdown midway through
the first half. But the OPs were soon level thanks to
fullback Henry Mitchell (91-02) sliding over.
Lock Stewart Rowley crossed from close range to
put Pocklington back in front just before the break,
but centre Pete Massie (00-10) weaved through
to the side of the posts early in the second half and
Billy Higgins’ (00-07) conversion gave the old boys
the lead for the first time.
It was end to end stuff in the final quarter. A blindside
break saw Aussie wing Charlie Wilson just make it to
the line to give Pocklington a three-point lead with
ten minutes to go. Pocklington held out at the death
as the OPs almost snatched it with a last gasp rally.
(Report by Phil Gilbank 67-74)
The Fowler Trophy eventually went back to Norfolk
for a third year in succession, but not before Oxfam
Crusaders, formed and run by father and son
partnership, Frank and Will Affleck, were pushed all
the way by tournament newcomers Leeds Beckett
University. The advantage swung one way, then the
other and Leeds hauled themselves back to 26-28
before Oxfam Crusaders broke away for their fifth
try at the death to clinch it 35-26 and be presented
with the cup by Heineken UK regional sales director,
Duncan Barlow.
In the Plate Final, the Old Peterites who went out
to Old Pocklingtonians in the first round of the
main competition, beat Hull Ionians Academy 36-12,
pulling away after the Ionians had a man sent to the
sin bin. (Report continued over the page).
Pictured L to R: Ryan Duncan (99-07), Joe Holbrough
(97-04), George Wagstaff (06-12), Sami Eggleston
(99-07), Joshua Papa (96-03), Lewis Papa (96-03),
Andrew Wilson (89-99), Tom Hardy (01-09), Jack
Medforth (Sixth Form), Josh Wagstaff (06-14), Josh
Parkinson (08-15), Jim Watkins (98-09) and Will Burns
(Sixth Form)
1st XI (pictured, L to R, back row): Tom Benthall
(08-13), Ben Byas (04-15), Andrew Wraith (80-85),
Matt Stacey (89-96), Guy Brumfield (01-08), Malcolm
Milne (55-62, Umpire), (pictured, L to R, front row):
Isaac Green (09-11), Will Stephenson (05-15), Tom
Sowersby (05-12), Charlie Lambert (01-08), AJ Clarke
(01-09), Jack Bolam (96-05).
2nds: Dan Peel (83-93), Shreyas Gopal (05-14),
Will Thomson (12-14), Sean Perryman (10-14), Billy
Risso-Gill (05-14), Tim Stephenson (70-79), Peter
Massie (00-10)
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