Happy Birthday Nomads

Incredibly, it is 20 years today since Clapham Nomads played our first match.  After a busy though unsuccessful first season, we went through quite a shambolic period where it seemed doubtful at times that we would last beyond the end of the evening, let alone 20 years.  Since 1999 though, we have become a solid, reliable club with an above average playing record and in the last few years (I hope) a pleasant team to play for and against.
Thanks to all the players who have turned out for us in that time - it must be between 100 and 150.
The first game was an Away match at Joseph Hood Rec Ground in Raynes Park, a ground we still use, against Tulse Hill.  The scores;

30/4/94 (Time match)
Tulse Hill -  98 all out

Forthwick  b Todorow  9
Draper b John Chance  27
Hill  c Smith b Joe Chance 2
Proctor  b Joe Chance  0
Richardson  c Jenkins b Smith  7
Studert  c Saberton  b Jenkins  6
Wilkins  c Contractor  b Jenkins  13
D. Davis  c Lefebve b John Chance  4
Nye  not out  16
Swan  b John Chance  0
Forey  c Crossland b Jenkins

Nomads Bowling;

Joe Chance  8-0-21-2
Todorow  9-3-23-1
Smith  3-0-18-1
John Chance  9-1-15-3
Jenkins  8.3-0-20-3

Clapham Nomads - 63 for 7 from 35 overs

Sai To  c   b Davis  1
Peter Saberton  b Draper  13
Des Smith  c    b Forthwick  5
Simon Sparssis  c     b Forthwick  7
John Chance  not out 19
Nick Lefebve  b Draper 2
Neville Contractor  c     b Davis  5
Joe Chance  b Draper  3
Emil Todorow  not out 0
Did not bat;  Ian Jenkins, John Crossland (capt / wkt)

F.O.W. - 2, 13, 26, 34, 48, 57, 62

Match Drawn.

Chasing a low total on a very slow pitch, Captain John Crossland called off the run chase when the 4th wicket fell at 34. "We are not going to lose our first game", he decreed, It was pretty turgid stuff but we held on quite comfortably for the draw, scoring at the paint-drying rate of 1.8 per over.  Still, it somehow didn't put us off.  Emil Todorow took the first Nomads wicket, Sai To scored our first run and Des Smith took the first catch.  Brief biographical notes of our 11 to follow, which will probably be about as exciting as this fixture.