Refreshers Norfolk Tour 2022

Unusually fine weather greeted the Refreshers as we rolled up at the glorious Holkham Hall on Saturday 21 May, but most did not immediately notice, attention being drawn powerfully by the installation of a new bar as an integral part of the clubhouse. What was more, it was open. What was even more, it appeared to have been considered a higher priority in the extensive programme of works to the pavilion than lavatories, which remained as yet uninstalled, requiring a long-ish jog to the public loos by the House.

Undeterred, the Refreshers won the toss and decided to bat. Sachin tore into the Holkham openers, and, upon the early loss of Paul Stewart, was joined by Sam Burrett, who set about compiling a magnificent 87, well supported by Sachin (41) and James Waddington, on his Refreshers debut, with 39. Other useful knocks around Sam meant we reached 276-7 after our 40 overs.

There followed a heart-warming scene: Mark Fletcher, aged 43 and a school mate of Cannon now farming nearby, opened the bowling from one end, and his son Callum from the other, bowling together in a match for the first time. Each ended with 2 wickets apiece. The bowling was all Norfolk: Cannon (raised in Aylsham) took over from one Fletcher; Tom Chamberlain, raised in Dereham, from the other; and Hugh Sutton, educated in this little corner of heaven some 50 years previously, bowled third-change but first-rate, as usual. We bowled Holkham out for 115, wrapping up a comprehensive win by 161 runs.

A very pleasant dinner was then enjoyed at the Carpenters Arms in Wighton, before early nights and cold compresses.

The next day brought the now-annual fixture against the Sugar Beet Gang, a collection of cricketers assembled by Sean Cannon, younger brother of the fixtures secretary and a one-time Refresher. The silver 1912 Cup was handsome on display, flanked by alarmingly strong bloody maries, mixed by said S Cannon. The strategy worked: Refreshers lost wickets at woundingly regular intervals despite ranks being boosted by local farming superheroes James Spinks and Patrick Wagg. J Cannon and P Wagg looked to be steadying the ship for an assault at the end when Cannon was lbw for 31 to the young leg-spinner; Wagg continued to battle valiantly, reaching a tantalising 49*, but the total was not enough. The Sugar Beet batters glided through the overs, and despite a flurry of wickets threatening, at one stage, to make the game a real contest, the arrival of their wicket-keeper/batsman, in sublime form and yet to get out this season, signalled the end of those hopes. The Gang knocked off the total with a few wickets – and overs – to spare, to take the 1912 Cup until next summer.

JC