2010 Remnants annual dinner

The Remnants annual dinner was held at The Punter, on Pound Hill, on the evening of Friday, November 26, 2010. For the second year in a row, twenty-odd Remnants came along and took over the "barn" (a nice room overlooking the courtyard out the back of the pub), albeit with another smaller but rowdier group in the rear chamber.

The gathered throng.

After feasting on, primarily, a delicious collection of rare meat, it was time for the formalities which, as ever, were handled by Geoff Hales (once again in his club blazer).

Geoff in his "pulling coat".

First up was the Champagne Moment Award. Contenders included: Catherine Owen, for her yelp of triumph as the completed the winning run in the President's XI game; Chris McNeill, for hitting the winning runs against ??? after he started the game by getting carted; and Phil Hastings for the most glorious straight drive in living memory. But in the end Geoff couldn't go past John Richer, for his running, diving catch against ??? which was mentioned in dispatches by two separate report-writers.

Phil Hastings and John Richer find out that even just getting on the short-list for the Champagne moment gets female attention - and even though John was the eventual winner the smart money was on Phil (given that Maggie is his wife).

John Richer grabs hold of his Champagne - "he doesn't drop those!"

Next came the almost obligatory supply of picked eggs to Les Collings . . .

Les Collings holds up his booty while Sarah Pelham and John Moore look on in relief (that they didn't get one themself).

. . . and a thank you to Daniel Mortlock for taking over the running of the club.

A career in game-show modelling beckons for Daniel Mortlock.

The last presentation was of the hideous Phil Watson Discretionary Trophy, won last year by Dave Williams and hence his to award this year. He considered giving to Chris McNeill on the grounds that he'd take it with him to Australia and we'd never see it again . . . but in the he awarded it to Dave Green "for not looking like Phil Watson, and for being a fantastic member of the team - it has been a pleasure playing cricket with him".

Dave Williams threatens to give someone the Phil Watson Discretionary Trophy as Tom Serby and Rob Harvey react with almost physical revulsion.

Dave Green gets saddled with the Phil Watson Discretionary Trophy while Jane Richer looks on, happy in the knowledge that the prize her husband won can at least be drunk.

After that, it was time for Geoff Remnants quiz about the 2010 season (which must have seemed thoroughly confusing to the large number of partners present). This year Joe White was the winner, although it must be noted that he was sitting between quiz-setter Geoff and Daniel (on whose reports and stats many of the questions were based).

Dave Norman, Andy Owen and Daniel Mortlock (partly obscured) discuss the season while Joe listens in carefully.

Joe White and the ears that won him the quiz . . .

Remnants quiz 2010

(To see the answers simply highlight the region below the questions with your mouse by dragging the cursor across the screen with the left button held down.)

    For the record

  1. Who took the most wickets in the season?

    Tom Jordan - and there was a bonus point on offer if you knew that's his haul for the season was 25.

  2. Who scored the most runs?

    That man John Richer again - this time there was a bonus point if you were within 10 of his tally of 415.

  3. What was the highest individual score?

    Nick Clarke's 78 against ???.

  4. Who took the most catches?

    Rather predictably, it was John Richer again (with 7).

  5. Who took 11 wickets at 1.36 over four consecutive spells?

    Even if you didn't remember the purple patch that saw him take 11/15, you should have guessed it was George Speller from the phrasing of the question.

  6. Which two batsmen put on 117 for the second wicket?

    John Richer and Richard Rex (against ???).

    The treatment table ...

  7. Who had trouble with his Eustachian tubes?

    John Young.

  8. Who retired exhausted on 44?

    Naveen Chouksey.

  9. Whose cold hands bled?

    Dave Green.

  10. Who displayed the imprint of the ball on his forehead?

    Nick Clarke (having been caught behind by Rob Harvey off a top-edge in the FAS game).

  11. Who did his Achilles heel but got 28 with a runner?

    Keith Turner (with the help of Tom Serby) against ???.

    And off ... (two points each)

  12. Who claimed to have "pleased the nurse with his size"?

    Richard Rex (who'd been for a physical and of course doesn't have an ounce of fat on him).

  13. Who played his only game of the season in his "brown maths teacher's uniform"?

    John Gull.

  14. Who bought a jug because he "didn't usually get the chance to"?

    Matt Hughes.

  15. Who agreed his moustache was a mistake?

    Julius Rix.

    Chris McNeill follows his countryman into hand-modelling while the late-arriving Julius Rix (who'd got the wrong night) gets to work on his second dinner for the night.

  16. Who ran out three partners and said "they should have run faster"?

    Mike Jones (which gave the Geoff the chance to wheel out his criminally under-used Brummie accent).

  17. Who was denied a catch by the batsman's back?

    Daniel Mortlock, who was all set to complete an easy "caught and bowled" when the batsman "paniced" and started to go for a run, only to block Daniel's path and, eventually, the ball's, which landed on his back before bobbling harmlessly away.

    Daniel Mortlock blesses the union of Sarah Pelhamn and Les Collings.

    Quick singles

  18. Which match began under one Prime Minister and ended under another?

    Appropriately enough, the Churchill game.

  19. Who beat us for the first time in 16 attempts?

    The Technology Partnership.

  20. Whose stumping left only one stump standing?

    Rob Harvey.

  21. Who beat Clint to the draw?

    Chris McNeill in the ??? match.

  22. Who was Dave Norman's partner when he got the winning runs for the President's XI?

    Catherine Owen.

  23. Who were 27/9 but finished on 93/9?

    The Philanderers (although we still won comfortably).

    Senior moments

  24. Who judged a first-bouncer beautifully and then stepped over the line with the ball?

    Les Collings.

  25. Who was out first ball, LBW to one that bounced twice?

    Sean Dennis.

  26. Who got a sore shin backing up?

    Geoff Hales (who was trying to collect Andy Owen's wayward throw).

  27. Who missed a catch while chatting on the pavilion steps?

    Paul Jordan.

  28. Who of the original team retired but then played twice?

    Mike Sneyd.

  29. Who got bowled by a team-mate's daughter?

    Dave Williams?

    Kate Williams and Tom Serby find out what it feels like to have been bowled by a teenage girl.

    Youth policy

  30. Name ten of the offspring of past Remnants played for the club this season (but with a limit of two Rexes).

    Daniel Brown
    John Gull
    Ferdi Rex
    Olly Rex
    Tom Jordan
    Joe Harvey
    Sam Serby
    Jack Anderson
    Olly Clarke
    Catherine Owen
    Sophie Norman

No paddle.