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 A Chinese Match

We have somewhat anticipated events by running into 1901, for in ’99 the School played one of their surprising tricks on the S.C.C. disposing of the best eleven the Seniors could collect for 29. The same year saw what  probably was the first all Chinese cricket match in all history, the S.C.C. Coolies taking on “The Rest of China”, who proved too good for them – 74 to 43. Chinese boys had played cricket before under the auspices of the N.P.C. at Ningpo but they had foreigners playing for and against them.

A number of more modern names had come into prominence during those years for while the Moules remained, there were Smally, Sawyer, McClure, Dew, K.J. McEuen followed afterwards by a  brother  D.R equally good, the Veitches, H.D. Ollerdesson, Potter, Stanion, Turnbull and the others too numerous to mention the mere record of whose names will recall to the Shanghai cricketer the reminiscences of mighty hitting , excellent bowling, sensational catches and everything else that goes to make cricket the King of Games

No More Snipe

It was in 1894 that the Trustees of the Recreation Fund – to whom the whole of the interior of the course belongs – handed over its care to a Committee appointed by the Council. Till that date the lines of old bits Chinese furrows were easily traceable and in bits of swampy ground here and there snipe found vermiferous temptations which they simply could not resist though twelve bores persecuted them incessantly. With the advent – and the money – of the new Committee, improvements were soon made and cricket clubs began to multiply till it is now no uncommon thing to see four or five matches at one time on a Saturday afternoon. A Cricket League has thus become possible, not for the best players but those who are classed under the generic title of Second Eleven men. The result has been a most stimulating contest between the S.C.C, the S.R.C, The Police and the B.A.Ts etc., and in this way the number of men playing is altogether out of proportion to the few of earlier times.     

The Good Old Way  

The cricket of recent years needs little or no reference. It is well within the recollection of all that take an interest in the game. All that need be said is that the men of today are manfully upholding the good old traditions, and though occasionally grey beards wag in the Pavilion and recall some of the deeds we have so inadequately recorded, at the same time expressing fears of modern decadence, they brighten up again when they see a youngster take 8 Hong Kong wickets for 10 runs, or Barrett knock up his century against the same rivals. Jackson, one of the best bowlers we have ever seen here, smiles occasionally as some new man imitates one of his earlier performances, the old fielder sees just as many brilliant catches – and as often as ever, perhaps mutters, “Butterfingers!” all of which means the good old game is going on in the good old way, still the pleasure of pleasures to be initiated and the dullest of spectacles to the unfortunate world without.                       

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A G Harrison and Others

It was Carruthers who proved so deadly as a bowler to the visiting Hong Kong team on this occasion (note: the Bokhara year), taking in the innings no fewer than 13 wickets for 70 runs.  With his name we may add a few others who in the late eighties and early nineties were well known figures in the green award- P Anderson, A Stewart, P McGregor,  Grant, Tottie, Leach, Bruce Roberston,  Wickham, J Mann, H H Reed,  S.M. Wallace, H. T Wade,
Sr William Johnston, J T Scott,  Sawyer, Abbot, R McGregor etc. Many might follow were space of no importance for though Shanghai cricket has never been up to first-rate county from it has on many occasions risen to that of the very best private clubs.

Public School Triumphs

Unquestionably the most interesting event of the cricket world in the nineties was the advent of the Shanghai Public School boys. It was in 1894 that their Headmaster got permission for them to use a pitch on the Race Course, on a spot where as a rule, naval matches are now played. The ground was of the roughest. Ponies scampered at will across it and a hit of fifty yards usually resulted in the cry of “lost ball”. The School’s first public essay was against the SCC, 16 boys to the 11 of the Club, and the result was promising, for the youngsters won by 111 to 51!  There were bowlers at the School in those
days, Stewart and Goodfellow being particular good. Playing an “eleven” of the SCC on even terms the next year the boys again won easily. In 1896, on a sticky wicket, they compiled a score of 91 with such bowlers as Mann against them and then dismissed “the” SCC eleven including six Interport batsmen for 14 runs made in 14 overs!  G.F Lanning 7 wickets for 9 runs and N.E. Moller 2 for 0 were the bowlers. The SCC followed on and in the second innings made 59 runs, the boys winning by an innings and 19 runs.  In ’98 they repeated the performance, an equally strong team being sent back for 33 by the same two bowlers, G.F. Lanning 6 wickets for 8 and N.E Moller 3 for 24.  

Needless to say there were other occasions when the feats were not so propitious. The youths that gave the early promise of cricket skills were those already mentioned, A.E Stewart, H.S. Goodfellow, N.E. Moller, the four Lannings and others. Some have turned to other lines of sport and but all have held their own with bat, ball, racquet or gun.   

The First Team to Japan

It was in’95 that our first team went to Japan, where at Yokohama, A.E. Lanning was the top scorer, the result owing to rain being a draw. On the way back stopping at Kobe, our men got a hammering making 65 and 89 against Kobe’s 207.

It was thus that Kobe avenged her own innings defeat in’94, when, thanks to a contribution of 111 by Mr Farbridge, she lost by the tune of 309 to 100 and 60. Such see-saw play is common in Interport Cricket. The most successful team ever sent from Shanghai was in 1901, to Hong Kong. It swept the board – cricket, tennis, swimming, everything. The cricket was triangular – Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore all playing. The end of the Shanghai Singapore match was by far the most sensational ever known in Interport series. Shanghai’s last pair, Weippert and V H Lanning were in. Neither had made a run and yet one run was needed to win. Not a few spectators had actually to leave the ground, unable to stand the strain of the excitement! Eventually after the wiles and fire of the Singapore attack had failed the match was won by a leg bye.  

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Hot Weather Recess

In 1888 Mr W.H. Moule – who may all the Cricketing Deities long preserve – made his debut. With him was found a most worthy partner, Orman, who with Old Moule (A.J.H) complied one of our local records, 305 for 2: Orman making 117 and Moule 102. That same year saw the first match with the Recreation Club, and the season’s record includes a score of 139 by Mr D W Crawford. Only once is it that the heat stopped a game actually begun: that was in ’89. But after a May-June season, it was custom for some years not to play any more matches till September.

It was in ’89, too, that Hong Kong came up once more to renew the old Interport games. There had been none for 23 years, yet at the dinner there were three men who had played in the first match, Hearn, Starkey and Price. The second of these made 99 for Hong Kong in ’66. The weather was wet for the renewal, but Shanghai won. Orman was in form that year and had two or three centuries to his credit. Crawford too, on one occasion, complied 115 not out, and “R Crusoe” likewise won centurion honours. One bowling feat should certainly be recorded here, although the incident occurred in Interport cricket in Hong Kong, when Mr C Barff captured 7 Singapore wickets for 5 runs. That is an even better average of V.H Lanning’s 8 for 10 of later date, against Hong Kong on our own ground.

                The Bokhara Year

When we come to the nineties it would seem almost as though we were talking of yesterday, for amongst the early great performances of those days we find an innings of 101 played by Mr T Wallace, and discover that in the same year the Recs beat the Senior Club. St Croix comes into notice with a century and was even better appreciated for his bowling. In ’92 Hong Kong beat us badly, 439 to 163 and 139 but we won on the return match in the autumn of the same year, when Capt Dunn, notwithstanding the supposed excellence of the team he had brought, said they were outplayed in batting, bowling and fielding. That was the terrible “Bokhara” year. Major Turner who came up as Umpire with the visiting team had been instrumental in getting the up the first match in 1866. The Hong Kong team was of course given the usual enthusiastic “send-off” and the report in our columns closed thus. The vessel “dipped her flag again and again , Dr Lowson tooted his horn, and the Shanghai Cricket Week was over”. When the Bokhara catastrophe occured on her way to Hong Kong, but two of the team were saved, Dr Lowson and Lt Markham. The vessel was a total loss, only 23 lives were saved. Our Cathedral contains a stained glass window of the many good lives that were lost.                           

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It would not be precisely exact if we were to say that this year marks the Jubilee of Shanghai Cricket, for the first match played here found a pitch somewhere in Hongkew in 1858, when HMS Highflyer – forerunner of her namesake which played another sort of “ball game” recently – was mercilessly beaten by the landsmen.

But it is correct to say that as far as the play on the present SCC ground is concerned, 1914 is the Jubilee Year, for the first recorded match there was fought out in 1864 between Shanghai and its Brokers, while the second had the Garrison v the Community as sides being the days of the Taiping. Underhand and round arm bowling were then in fashion, the first International game producing 22 of them.

In ’66 occurred the first Interport game, and Hong Kong beat us to the tune of an innings and runs only to have the tables turned on them in like fashion in Shanghai the following year. The first England – Scotland match in ’68 was won by the Scots. A few of the names of the players before the seventies will be well remembered by some present residents. Manson, “Jock” of that ilk, in ’69 took all ten wickets in one match; Margary, whose memorial now graces our Public Garden, was a good bat and R.H. Percival of Reiss’s once captured four wickets in one over.

                The First Century

It was necessary at times to widen the field of selection in order to avoid monotony, and thus it came to pass that Ireland beat America on one occasion; that a good team using broomsticks “took on” another with bats, and won. But it is evident that the pitch is not what it is now, or else “shooters” born of underhand and round arm were too deadly, for it was not until 1879 that the first century was recorded. That was a not out innings by a Mr R.C. Hodder. In the early eighties Mr Lester gave a bat to every batsman who scored a fifty or over, and in ’83 a dozen of them had already been won. About that time “names familiar in our mouths as household words” began to appear. Arthur Anderson makes a century, W Dunman makes another and in the celebrated ’86 England – Scotland match won by Scotland,  Bell-Irving piled up 110 and A Ross his playing partner, 93. Arthur Moule appears in ’87. He was the first man in our record to hit a ball out of the ground over the old Pavilion, W.J Tyack was the other, but that was later and to our knowledge the feat has never been repeated.

The two teams in the photo are my company Swire (Taikoo) and HSBC (Wayfoong). For just over 60 years they played an annual fixture in Shanghai until 1949 which to this day probably still makes it one of the longest running local cricket fixtures.  Also the first annual rugby match between these two “Hongs”  was played in 1912. So guess what….. as next year is 2012 it is time to mark the centenary of their first rugby game with both a rugby and cricket match between the latest generation of Taikoo and Wayfoong including what will need to be a few ringers (any Marco Polo Club members out there?).

I have also been given a lengthy press article from 1914 which gives a detailed history of the first 50 years of Shanghai cricket. When I get the time I’ll transcribe it and post it. I could not help noticing that a certain Major Turner was also a prominent figure in the early years of cricket in Shanghai, another Turner between the Wars and a Turner after the 2nd World War so clearly there has been a Shrek  or two before Basher #1

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It seems that the first all Chinese cricket match took place in 1901 between the Rest of China and the politically incorrectly named SCC “Coolies” ……although unforunately the article does not provide clarity as to whether the SCC Coolies were the forerunners of the Hot Dogs.  One suspects they might have been.

We havent forgotten the 136 of you proud to call yourself Bashers and we know the day you have all dreamed about has come , the Bashers in the Div 1 Final ( league for those older guys !)

Let the team know you are behind them , impart a little Bashers wisdom or story.

Ex Obscurum  Cometes Lux Lucis

Out of the darkness cometh the light

The day has come !! Basher Basher Basher !

Congrats on leading the team to the final.A momentus occasion in itself and just one step to glory.

As a founding father and number 1 I have a duty to send a message to the boys so please send the message on.Of course I played in the very first game this season!

Bashers

You have achieved what no Bashers team in its long chequered history has achieved by reaching the final and now you stand ready to devour the crown.  And devour it you shall.

We are Shanghai’s most famous club, the fairest of clubs, the hardest working club and we have had members flocking through the doors of the Bamboo for years looking for men of their equal in spirit and desire.Without doubt we are Shanghai’s proudest club.No other club has as many of its original members still playing, still watching, still supporting the teams and the club as the mighty Bashers.All members then and since have been welcomed with open arms, supported, derided, punched at, fallen down drunk with, watched in horror as team mates have fallen downstairs, broken wrists, broken hearts, been tossed in some of Shanghai’s finest establishments, and true our spirits they will continue to support the Bashers as players and supporters til the hole in the ground swallows them whole with Bashers colours.Perhaps I am getting a little excited but who with a heart and blood would not be!!

The club has fought long and hard for 6 years against willful enemies and the current team is its best crop.This is the light coming out of the darkness.

K2? Fuck them.They are wannabes and we are heart and soul.

Fight hard and fight strong and be drunken fools on Sunday night!

To seek, to strive and never to yield.

Devour!!

Number 1

Dear All

Further to Stat’s note below, can ALL supporters interested in attending the final on Sunday please drop a comment below. I would put a rally call out there to ALL Bashers to get along and get behind the Business team this Sunday.

As Stat’s also duly noted, we are considered Shanghai’s premier club off the field, thus I would hope all able and free Bashers can lend themesleves to supporting the Biz Boy’s bringing home the silverware.

TIMETABLE:

07:00 – players & supporters bus

08:15 – breakfast starts @ Boo

09:00 – girls/supporters bus [25RMB per head surchage]

14:30  – ‘VICTORY’ bus returns

16:00 – afternoon tea & Celebrations, Bashers Style @ The Big Bamboo

BREAKFAST FROM 8:15 @ Big Bamboo = 50 RMB. Included Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, and juice.

POST GAME CELEBRATION BUFFET FROM 4:00 PM @ Big Bamboo = 70 RMB

• Steaks in Red Wine Sauce, Fried Rice (Vege), Fettuccini Alfredo (Vege), Assorted Pizzas, Cesar Salad, Chicken Breasts in Mushroom Sauce, Sauteed Vege, Fruit Plate

Crazy VICTORY drink specials post game at Big Bamboo, never ever seen before! Get involved!

As we need to confirm numbers for transportation, please drop a message below ASAP. There will be the usual array of drinks etc on the bus/es out to the ground, and hopefully some after-match antics back at the Big Bamboo when we are crowned VICTORS! All in good time children…

Spread the word, one and all. Lets get behind our guys and have a big turn out for Sunday’s final! I’m EXCITED!

NOTE: For all Bashers with BLAZERS, please note that these are compulsory on the day.

Stay Loose

LXXXVII

With the finals only a week away and the End-of-Season Function and Hong Kong Sixes not long after that, it is time to give some thought to next year’s committee.

The Bashers Committee is an integral part of the Bashers, in charge of arranging sponsorships, procuring buses, organizing functions, purchasing kit, etc.

For 2010, the following positions are open for voting:

Committee Positions

President: Responsible for sponsorships and overall club leadership; main contact for the SCC and Cricket Shanghai (candidate must already have been a club member for at least three years at the beginning of next year)

Secretary: Responsible for maintaining club records; supports the president and treasurer

Treasurer: Maintains club finances and membership dues; supports the president and secretary

Club Captain: Responsible for all playing sides; organizes practice schedule, works with both Business and Pleasure captains to field teams, works with the president to arrange tours

Social Director: Responsible for club social functions; arranges dinners, quiz nights and traditional Bashers functions including Bashers Day, Family Day and the End-of-Season function

Non-Committee Positions

Business Captain: Responsible for on-the-field captaincy of the side, works with the Club Captain to choose the side

Pleasure Captain: Responsible for on-the-field captaincy of the side, works with the Club Captain to choose the side

Equipment Manager: In charge of the kit, maintaining and buying new equipment

Registration Procedure

Those wanting to run for the above mentioned positions should comment below or send an email to secretary@basherscc.org. Registration for positions ends on Friday, Nov. 13 at 5 pm. Voting to be held at the beginning of the End-of-Season function.