My first Cup final with Rainham

The Gillette Cup Final at Lords - a big event in 1970. But what about the Evening Post Knockout League Final at Borstal?

In July 1970 the cup final for me as a 19-year-old with Rainham was a big event. From the moment we had defeated Medway Electricity in the semi finals by 15 runs, a victory in the final against Medway's premier side Frindsbury was a dream waiting to happen.

Rainham had finished top of the Gillingham group with maximum points before defeating Medway Electricity. We had had a successful season and were beginning to look a force to be reckoned with in the area. Such was the level of confidence that Terry Glazier, then captain, told the Evening Post newspaper:

"Big sides are there to be beaten."

As the big day approached the different scenarios of victory turned over in my head, defeat appeared to be an impossibility in my mind. After all, our main bowler Roy Smith had devastated several sides that season with his seam bowling and Terry Glazier was having a particularly successful season with his off breaks. George Phillips and Ian Crabtree were scoring plenty of runs and the rest of the team were performing well. There was good reason to believe that we could upset the men from Frindsbury who were, at that time, competing in the South Thames League and seriously looking for Kent League status.

At selection a good team was chosen, although big hitter Ted Whiffen and leading scorer George Phillips were unavailable which was a blow as these batsmen could be devastating in limited overs cricket.

The game was due to be played on a Tuesday evening at Borstal Cricket Ground, one of the better Medway cricket grounds at that time.

The evening arrived and we turned up at Borstal a little apprehensive but with a quiet confidence that victory was a possibility. The climate was cool, the wicket was damp and it had rained hard the previous day causing the wicket to be quite soft and favourable to the seam bowlers.

Terry Glazier and Colin Martin, the two respective captains went out and after tossing the coin Colin Martin, winning the first round, decided to bat. I immediately put on my pads and wicket keeper gloves and within a few minutes I was out in the middle warming up with some catching practice with my teammates, ready to take my place behind the stumps.

The sight of openers Adrian Moorey and John Dudgeon, was a little awe inspiring, particularly as the latter had a reputation as the best batsman in Medway. He had also played for Kent Second XI, but as everyone got into position and Roy Smith ran in to bowl concentration overpowered all fears. As Roy Smith almost reached the bowling crease a massive explosion erupted from square leg and as I glanced quickly in that direction a crouching and smiling Phil Austin shouted in my direction, "That'll thicken up the atmosphere a bit."

We had a good start as John Dudgeon was dismissed fairly early in the innings and the Frindsbury batsmen were made to fight for their runs against some good, accurate bowling, particularly from Roy Smith. Colin Martin and Peter Wood soon followed Dudgeon, only Adrian Moorey stood firm with 30 and at 94-4 with one over remaining Frindsbury looked to be in trouble. Only one good over from Bill Booth was needed to complete the 20 overs and to give Rainham a great chance of victory. Bill took a wicket with his first delivery of the over then it all went wrong. Frindsbury bowler 'Butch' Clark was sent in early because of his ability to hit. He then proceeded to smash 15 off the remaining five deliveries as the unfortunate Booth bowled a succession of half volleys and short deliveries, most of which were dispatched to the boundary and Frindsbury finished on 109-5.

As we left the playing area, a little sad that we had given so much away at the last moment after a creditable performance in the field we prepared to bat. I remember putting on my pads beside Ian Crabtree who was trembling with nerves as he prepared to open the innings. During this time I got involved in conversation with somebody and took my mind off the proceedings. Suddenly someone shouted over to me that it was my turn to bat as the number five batsman.

"How can it be?" I replied, "the openers have only just gone out to bat."

The problem was that we had lost our first three wickets for no runs off the first three deliveries of the innings to Frindsbury bowler Brian Hill. I couldn't believe it. I walked quickly to the wicket and took my guard, ready to face Sri Lankan left arm slow seamer Nimmel Tamita. The first delivery pitched on a good length and rapped me on the pads. "Howzat?" he screamed at the top of his voice with a strong look of anticipation but the umpire turned down his appeal. I blocked the next delivery but then the third swung like a boomerang down the leg side. I moved across to cover it then suddenly heard a chink and both bails were lying on the ground and the Frindsbury players were congratulating Tamita. As I walked back to the pavilion, with the score at 10-4, I couldn't comprehend how I could possibly have been bowled with a delivery that had appeared to go so far down the leg side.

As the score moved on to 12-6 my dreams of victory had diminished to wishful thinking. It was now just a question of the remaining batsmen contributing sufficient runs to prevent a complete slaughter and embarrassment. Thankfully, Barry Fullager with 17 runs and Phil Austin with 16 did a good job and brought back a little respectability but when they were dismissed the rest of the batting collapsed and Rainham finished on 45 all out.

My feeling was to escape from the ground as quickly as possible after the disastrous result. Frindsbury had clearly displayed their superiority although Rainham could be happy about their performance in the field.

As I reached the bar area I remember seeing George Phillips and Denis Chambers carrying Vaughan Jenkins by his arms and legs from the bar where he had fallen into a drunken stupor then had collapsed on the floor. However, I drank with the opposition, was congratulated by Colin Martin for my performance behind the stumps, which made me feel a little better, but I found defeat very difficult to accept and found the Rainham batting performance difficult to understand. Obviously there was a big gap between the two sides and on a helpful wicket the Frindsbury seamers were almost impossible to deal with.

At the end of the day it was an event to look back on and a nice feeling to have reached the final. We had a repeat of the same final the following year and this time lost by 10 wickets after scoring 115-4, causing me to realize that the gap between Rainham and Frindsbury was greater than I had imagined. It wasn't until 1991 that I finally got a winners medal in a cup final when Rainham defeated Holborough Valley in the G&D League Cup Final.

David Wood 2005