To celebrate the career of retiring cricket coach Andy ‘Wags’ Wagner, last Sunday saw a hog roast and commemorative game pitting two Old Radleian teams.
Report by Rupert Henson (1975, A), President of the Radley Rangers Cricket Club
30 Rangers (a record, and only 1 drop-out, also a record) and three times as many spectators were greeted by warm weather and a warmer welcome from Team RadSoc, led by the soon-to-be sorely-missed Caroline Monaghan (Radleian Society Associate Director).
The decision to deploy 15-man squads was calculated to tempt the Galacticos out of retirement with the promise that they would not have to field for the full 35 overs. And so it was that Andrew Strauss (1990, B) and Ben Hutton (1990, B) opened the batting together for the first time in nine years. The top half of the magical batting order of those all-conquering 1994-95 sides continued with Malcolm Borwick (1990, A), Robin Martin-Jenkins (1989, B) and Jamie Dalrymple (1994, H), stiffened further by Wags’ replacement Billy Godelman (staff – Cricket Professional). Their keeper Luke Dearden (1990, G) elected to spectate, and a couple of that vintage’s bowlers also performed cameos later on – Mike O’Connor (1988, E) and Charlie Goldsmith (1990, E).
Rustiness slowed the start of the total-setting, but soon Hutton and RMJ were into their stride, both scoring 50s, the latter impressively at a run a ball. JD biffed an unbeaten 31 off only 18 balls to set a target of 178. The pick of Wags’ XI’s bowlers was Johnny Wright (2007, C), whose 4 for 15 off 6 overs played him back into the next round of the Cricketer Cup. And lovers of curios would appreciate that the attack also included 2 wicket keepers having a twirl, Rory A-G and OMH.
Between the innings there were speeches by the President, SHD and – very elegantly, despite his prior protestations – by Wags himself, who was showered with RRCC regalia, a book of memories and a painting of the pavilion.
Doubts that this was a sufficient total were soon dispelled by Rory Betley’s (2013, E) 50 off 38 balls that drew serious praise from the pros. It was ended by a catch in the deep by the President who, like everybody else, also had money on the ball as they waited for it to descend. OMH provided the coup de grace, unfurling a selection of ramps and reverse sweeps that would have had Bert Robinson turning in his grave. Despite a steady loss of wickets, the total was surpassed with 4 wickets and 6 overs in hand.
Some stats: 8 former Radley captains from 1994 to 2025 played, and 5 more were there to spectate; 5 former professionals took the field, boasting 3 County and 1 England captains; and there were 4 international caps on display, albeit that one was for polo and another for Chile. Full scorecard can be found here.
It was a fittingly memorable send-off for a great and much-loved man after 40 years at Radley. We wish him the very best for the future, and hope he won’t be a stranger to Bigside, scene of so many successes.
|
President’s XI |
Wags’ XI |
|
|
Some photos from the day:
For more information about Old Radleian sports, visit the Clubs & Societies page.
