Cricket Club Alumni

This section will be developed as cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / league tables etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter

Geoff Wyborn, 1956-59

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Pictured:

K.D. Williams, 1961
J. E. Ellis, 1958
D. P. Harrington ??
P. G. Farrell, 1958
F. H. T. Chambers, 1958
J. M. Ottaway, 1961
(G. R. Wyborn)
A. P. Bickley, 1960
G. L. Rice, 1960
D. E. Ryder, 1961
C. P. B. Sewter, 1959

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / league tables etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter

Alan Peacock, 1963-64

After graduation from Manchester in 1963, where I was VC of the UAU winning side, I came to Exeter to do a PGCE and played one summer for the first team. So I guess I may be one of the oldest in your group. Later as a member of staff from 1988, I played fairly often for cyclops, the staff team. 

As a postgraduate, I was part of the first cohort of students to occupy the hugely controversial mixed halls at Duryard, since rebuilt,  though the original Kay House is still there. Last season I watched the first team play Bristol on the ECC ground and was amazed at the athleticism of the players, especially the speed of the bowling.  A far cry from the leisurely games on the old Top Field. Still, the batting track up there was so poor it would have been dangerous to face the same guys on it!

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / league tables etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter

Steve Moors, 1971-74

Here we have an all conquering, or is it an all conquered, side from the 1973/4 era. It is of course pre St Luke’s. Cricket was pretty much all we could beat them at. Be interesting to see if the other team members see this. That’s me Steve Moors centre front. I recognise Mike Matthews extreme right as we look at it and Terry White fourth from left. I think we were playing a public school which is why we dressed super smart for the occasion.

The fixture highlight was the Met Police on tour who entertained us regally. The 1974 team contained eight serving policemen, the police pathologist, the chap who drew the chalk lines around dead bodies and a bent car dealer.

At the end of the Summer term we toured Sussex but sadly have no photos. We were supposed to go to Barbados but the Minister of Education at the time removed funding.

Martin Frost, 1972-75  

Cricket played a huge part in my three years. Having always played school cricket but never at club level EUCC introduced me not only to a higher level of the game but also to the social side!

The opportunity to play virtually everyday and, on days when there was no game, to 'guest' for Clubs across the county looking to get together a team to host the plethora of touring teams was heaven sent.

I started the '73 season in the 2nd XI but soon made the 1st team as the calls of finals took precedence for the more established players. From then on I was more or less a fixture until the final farewell tour around Dorset in the dying days of university life in June 1975. Those who recall me will remember somebody with a very limited aptitude with the willow but, I hope, a reasonably decent medium pace swing and seam bowler.

Reading Steve Moors recollections brought back memories. We played at the same time and his mention of the Met Police touring team games certainly brought to mind the post match 'sessions' in the Cornwall House bar!!

We played the game for fun but with an intensely competitive edge.  The key to the season was always the UAU competition.  In '73 we reached the semi-final but I missed out as a high quality fast bowler called Keith Hedger hurried from finals to Bristol to take my place but sadly in a losing cause.  The following year we went to Southampton, but were rolled for 95 or so as John Southern, who went on to a long 1st class career with Hampshire, spun us to defeat. The photo below is from 1974 the line up being:

Back row: John Smith; Julian Sharpe; John Masters; Martin Frost; Chris Edge; Nick Hardie; Mike Matthews

Front row: Nick Sharrock; Harold Handcock (w/k) ; Howard Masters (capt); Mike Sampson; Nigel Joyner

In 1975 a home draw against Aberystwyth seemed to provide the chance of another semi-final but once again it was a game too far.

I always enjoyed the away games around Devon and recall particularly fixtures at Instow, Torquay, Exmouth, and my favourite, Sidmouth, not only for the ground and its thatched pavilion but also the quality of teas! Equally hosting games on Top Field with touring sides such as Brighton Brunswick and Glamorgan Wanderers always provided for decent cricket and more than convivial evenings.

There were two tours in my time.  The aforementioned trip to Dorset in '75 and, 12 months prior, around Sussex. Based on Cromwell Rd in Hove opposite the Sussex HQ the highlights were games at Haywards Heath and Horsham and being chased off the County Ground by an irate groundsman, (accompanied by a fearsome dog), as we took advantage of the net facilities!

It's hard to believe that all this was nigh on half a century ago but I reflect more than fondly not only on those three years themselves and the friendships formed but also on the grounding it gave me to move on after graduation into the heated competition of the Central Lancashire League in the days of world class professionals. 

Great memories indeed!

Stuart Everall, 1978-82

I joined, ostensibly then St. Luke’s, in 1978 and had 4 wonderful years in Exeter. The rugby 1st XV team was mainly St Luke’s players but the cricket 1st XI was far more mixed but by merging Exeter had become a force in the UAU, as it was known then. 1978 was the first year of the merger. So in the first summer in 1979 I was not a regular as we had a first class cricketer in Paul Downton, later to play for England! I was a wicket keeper so in direct competition with Paul. That year the 1st team lost in the quarter final to Durham, at the time the team to beat as they had a team full of players, who were already contracted to counties, and the second team won their UAU event.

For the following season, 1980, I was made team captain. As a result I was guaranteed a place! We still had the services of Paul Downton, Richard Ellison – another player to go to play for England – joined and an Australian came over for a year, Brad Green, who later played for his state. These 3 plus a group of exceptional players approached the season with optimism. We won our 4 group games, Bristol, Bath, Reading and Southampton. Then we played Leeds and won, which meant we faced Durham in the quarter final.

While we played really well, we possibly were lucky to win the toss and they had to bat on arguably the more difficult conditions. They only made 101, we made 104 for 3, so won quite easily, much to their annoyance! The Semi-final at Sheffield was not without controversy. We started and Loughborough batted first and were soon rattling along only for the rain to descend. Desperate to get the match finished, by the time we came back the next day we had to start again on a new wicket and this time we played much better and won. The final was scheduled for Trent Bridge, Nottingham but it rained relentlessly. The rescheduled final meant I was unavailable due to a hospital operation so didn’t play, but we beat Liverpool convincingly.

In 1981 we lost to Manchester in the quarter-final. In the following year, Mark Richardson had become captain and he took the team to the final, I didn’t play in the early rounds because of my finals, but we beat Loughborough in the final.

Throughout my time, cricket was a great activity, the 1st team played at Top Field and the second and third teams played at Gras Lawn. Then off to the students union to socialise! We played in the universities competition, played good local sides on the Sunday and towards the latter half of the term we would play lots of Tourist sides who had travelled to Devon.

Some images from Stuart: 

The winning 1982 side

The four St Luke’s lads in their last year: Jeremy Hall, Nick Marment, Keith Young and sitting myself (Steve Everall).

Winning 1980 side: Back row, Umpire, Simon Hogg(12th man), Paul Downton, Richard Ellison, Brad Green, Nick Marment, Geoff Meek, Umpire, Front row: Keith Young, Jeremy Hall, Stuart Everall, Tim Beisiegal, Chris Barton, Mark Richardson.  

Exeter University v Loughborough University - University Athletics Union Championship 1982 Final‌

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / results etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / results etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / results etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

Arul Suppiah, 2001-05

What Exeter University Cricket meant to me

"I specifically chose Exeter University over other universities due to its high standards and reputation. Even though Exeter University was not part of the MCC Universities, we consistently performed well in the BUSA Competition. The cricket team felt like a family and we created a special bond amongst each other. We weren’t necessarily superstars on paper, but we played as a team and always fought hard till the last ball. It would be fair to say we exceeded our expectations. Being a cricket scholar at the University of Exeter gave me an immense sense of pride. I wanted to make a difference and put Exeter University on the cricket map." 

Most memorable moments

"We consistently performed well in my three years at Exeter University. If not mistaken, our worst position was third in the league table over the three years I was there. It was a shame we couldn’t bring the trophy back in the finals; however, we did bring the trophy back in the indoor cricket competition. We travelled to Lord’s by train for the big day and we played very well throughout the day and in the finals. Our journey back to Exeter on the train was very memorable and enjoyable." 

Life post Exeter

"After finishing at Exeter University, I was a professional cricketer for Somerset County Cricket Club. I retired in 2013 due to injury. I then took up a post as Director of Cricket and Teacher of Business and Accounting at Queen’s College in Taunton. I completed my PGCE in Secondary Education and gained my qualified teacher status. I was at Queen’s College, Taunton for five years and currently, I work for Shaw Trust, a charity organisation."

This section will be developed as Cricket alumni provide information. Please send any relevant memories you have as well as any photos or documents (programmes / annual dinner documents / results etc) / that you want to share here to sportsalumni@exeter.ac.uk.

• What Exeter University Cricket meant to me
• Most memorable moments
• Life post Exeter