Paddy Walsh could have played for Chelsea or become the bantamweight champion of the world if things had panned out a little differently. Instead he ended up as the genial Irishman behind the bar at Claygate Cricket Club for nine years. That may sound like a jail sentence, but Paddy has loved every minute of it and is sorry it is all coming to an end.

Paddy, 73, says: "I wish I was five years younger. I am going to miss it all very badly. But it is good time to go after the first and second teams both became league champions."

Paddy was born in Cork in 1931 and came to England sixteen years later, working in a rubber factory in Chelsea as an apprentice engineer. Quickly making friends with some promising footballers, he was offered a place with the Chelsea junior team.
He was such a useful player that the former Arsenal and England captain Eddie Hapgood, then managing Watford, offered to sign him.

But, says Paddy: "I never turned up to sign those forms and joined the army in 1950. It was like a holiday. All I did was play football and box for my company." In fact, Paddy won nine out of ten bouts as a promising bantamweight and reached an army final. Just as well none of us picked an argument with him behind the bar.

1955 turned out to be a good year. He met Maureen and his beloved Chelsea won their only league championship. Two years later Paddy and Maureen married in the days when Harold Macmillan was Prime Minister and Elvis Presley was just exploding onto the scene. They now have three lovely daughters and eight delightful grandchildren.

The family moved to Claygate 12 years ago and Paddy says the best thing they ever did was get involved with the cricket club. "We have made so many friends with a lot of members and their families. We would like to thank them all, but all things come to an end. "It will be very strange to stand having a beer ("just a half") on the other side of the bar."

His favourite cricket match was the Cup Final in the mid-1990's when Gerard Didcock bludgeoned 23 runs off the final over to give Claygate an astonishing victory.

So what will Paddy do now that he does not have to trek from his home in Aston Road to the recreation ground to check bar supplies in the pavilion? Answers on a postcard.

Well, we hope to still see plenty of him and Maureen during the summer months.

And those of us who have suffered against him know he is still a very good golfer in the vivid red jersey of Wimbledon Common. He also likes a movie with Gary Cooper, John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart, his favourite film stars.

It has been a pleasure for all of us knowing Paddy. He has created a wonderful spirit with that effortless bonhomie and wisdom behind the bar - and it is no exaggeration to say he is regarded with great warmth by everyone in the club. In those nine years , Paddy has become a Claygate legend. As his hero Bogart once said: "Here's looking at you, kid."

A real thanks from everyone for the kindness, hard work and attention Paddy and Maureen have given us.

Ian Darke

Victorious 1^st XI captain, Dillon Woods was interviewed over a bottle of wine during the Champions trophy final in September…

Q: What made you decide to come to Claygate last summer? Highs/lows?

A: A mixture of reasons - my previous club was stagnating off the pitch, Claygate was the only club I never got runs against - Mark O’Connell kept bowling at my toes, Claygate was close to where I live, so when Mark suggested I join Claygate instead . . I enjoyed playing with a great bunch of guys in the 2nds last year, combined with an attacking approach to each match. It just got better when the players responded so well this year to the same approach. The lows: my cave-man batting this season.

Q: Could it get any better? OK first season, you made a few ducks and got dropped to the 2^nd XI. Then you score two big hundreds and help the team win the League. Next they put you in charge of the 1^st XI and you win the League.

A: The league title is always special, but the overall aim is for the club’s gradual improvement, so yes, it can get better. Graham’s initiative of a 3^rd XI could be immensely beneficial to the club. We need closely fought matches with a competitive, but healthy spirit, so the general improvement in standard in the Surrey Downs League combined with Claygate’s ambition for a new pavilion are just two great opportunities for improvement.

Q: I have looked at the last three Claygate captains to win leagues, they all had one thing in common, a ruthless determination for your team to win, is that the magic formula or is there something deeper than that?

A: I think having a clear vision of what it takes to win matches and backing your own judgement rather than pure ruthlessness, is essential. Other issues like adjusting one’s tactics as the game develops and balance are important too. Graham’s approach lent more to getting the players to perform to their potential in a positive manner. He calculated the risks and they proved correct.

Q: As captain, you have had your critics this year. Do you feel you have justified your approach now? What have you learned for next year?

A: Every approach will always have its critics. I feel the approach required for next year will need to be different because the situation will be different. We follow it up by how we play, our approach to the game, our teamwork and our behaviour on and off the pitch, as these are all just as important simply scoring runs, taking wickets and winning the league. We can improve in all these areas.

Q: Do you mind having been a bit of a Brearley this year, the mastermind of the team who has let the others take the limelight with their individual performances? Perhaps you could bolster your average next year with a few 3^rd XI games?

A: It is a great honour to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Brearley. Tactical thinking, not scoring a century in test cricket and wearing silly head-gear are just some of the things we have in common. After that, I’m afraid the similarity ends.

Q: My view is that you need a good (off or leg) spinner to compliment Vikram? Any candidates?

A: Claygate has an outstanding leg-spinner who was grossly underbowled and Vikram rarely needs spin support because Mark, Ben and Babur can steam through virtually any opposition. There are however a number of spin options in the club including Henry Vincent, Sunny Mahajan, Nick French and Chris Chance.

Q: 1^st XI notoriously poor at doing things at the club – how can we change that?

A: We have already changed that. Firstly we won the league. We then put on a great end of season BBQ and “alternative awards” which reflected the atmosphere and flavour of the first XI. Perhaps we’ll do it again next season. I want to organise a pre-season event next year as well.

Q: Part of your family history is portrayed in the film “Cry Freedom”? Did you nearly forget your cricket bat? What do you remember from your childhood in South Africa? How do you feel now about South Africa and its recent development?

A: - When we left South Africa we couldn’t take anything with us as we had to pretend we were going up the coast for our usual summer holiday and had to quietly pack winter clothes as the security police had placed electronic bugs in our phones and lights.

- I remember childhood being combination of a sport-obsessed, outdoors, beach-centred upbringing in a privileged but highly-abnormal society where we were shielded by law from cruel poverty and most of the brutal excesses of the security police.

- The country is saddled with deep-rooted problems which stem from 400 years of underdevelopment, but there have been extensive gains with huge progress in recent years that outweigh many of the negative aspects of a country that has been deeply scarred.

A: I’m taking notes from those players with more experience, and from mid-December, from those fathers with more experience, as there is a young leg-spinner on the way.

Q: How are you going to spend your free Saturdays over the winter?

A: Watching the artists of the beautiful game (Thierry, Dennis, Patrick, Kolo, Robert, Jose Antonio et al) overcome the dark forces of the £190m also-rans of Trafford Park and the dour 0-0 nouveau-riche-ski wannabes!

With the Saturday 1’s and 2’s vying to ‘do a Kelly’, with double gold in their sights, it was great to see Claygate still has the strength-in-depth to sustain two Sunday sides throughout the summer. Our athletic model was Dean Macey - sparkling at times, poor at others, great fun to be around… but overall just a little off-the-pace!

Neither the weather nor the results reached last year’s heights, but it was a season which has seen the balance of the side continue to move healthily to the youngsters.

With Matt Wells taking up the challenge of skippering the Sunday 2nds, the ‘Wells option’ which had supplied up to three players with one phone call disappeared, and Scott’s unavailability due to his love life (or was it his telephone bill?) meant a number of changes in the structure of the side.

The new regulars Jamie Henderson, Nick French and Tom McKinley are all in their mid-teens, and with Chris Howe and Henry Vincent at 19 - the age profile of the side has changed dramatically.

And what excellent seasons they’ve had. At 17, Jamie has become a real batting talent, and Nick and Tom are very capable with both bat and ball - their different styles complementing the side overall. Chris has also developed into the powerful bat that we always knew he would be and has also been a fine stand-in skipper.

Having praised the youth, the old men are still a vital part of the side with Dick Murphy, Phil Lewis, Ian Darke and myself having all contributed well to the team’s balance and still delivering some excellent individual performances.

Add Rufus, David Price, Russ Guyatt and several more … and we still have the basis of a very competitive side, capable of winning at least half our fixtures in a season. I can’t mention everyone in this short space, but thanks to all who turned out for the side this summer.

As far as team performances were concerned, the highlights were the excellent victory against local rivals Long Ditton, the two successive mid-season victories against Oxshott (Damian Ross guesting with a powerful 99) and Horley and the big victory against Clapham Old Xavierians towards the end.

Low points were ‘the game that never was’ in the drizzle at Stoke, and having bowled so well against Dorking in the damp, the miserable batting performance… which proved to be the lowest score of the season as well as a pathetic batting effort against Surrey Cryptics where Rufus had the distinction of carrying his bat as well as frustrating the opposition into putting all nine fielders on the leg side and still sweeping the ball for four.

Individual highs with the bat - Rufus’s 120 not out against Old Martyrs, Richard Waller’s 60 against Long Ditton, Ian Darke's 87 against Old Paulines (his overall average for the season at just under 40!), Jamie Henderson’s 70 in the some game and 81 the following week, Nick French’s rapid 69 not out at Cove, Peter Andrews’ 70 at Sunbury and Chris Howe’s series of hard hitting half centuries.

Bowling success was harder to find with Tom McKinley, Dick Murphy, Chris Howe and Nick French all picking up good wickets, Vikram Prabhakar coming in for a month in July and considerably strengthening the bowling over that time, and the skipper’s 6 for 33 not only proving to be the side’s best performance with the ball this year, but also a Claygate career-best which is nice to do at this age!

On the fielding side, the youngsters add youth and energy with Tom McKinley’s unbelievable effort at Dorking the champagne catch-of-the-season, ‘Tiger’ Henderson prowled at cover point when he can stay on his feet, Ian Darke and Rufus Legg continued to catch the difficult ones and Phil Lewis remains evergreen behind the stumps and proving his worth with seven stumpings including several off the medium pacers including our Aussie fast bowler (that’s a compliment Justin) at Worcester Park.

It’s of course a huge thanks to Paddy and Maureen who has served us so well behind the bar, and to everyone who has helped it be yet another enjoyable season - thank you!

Nigel Abbott

The season got off to an auspicious start with the team travelling east to escape early season rain to play the Punjabi Lions – of Gravesend! Inspired by an opening spell of 4 for 2 by Justin Hannaford and 3 for 19 from Keith Ellis, the raucous Indian outfit was dismissed for 101. As the rain swept in from the east the normally gritty Claygate tail self-destructed and we were dismissed for 81 including 4 suicidal run outs.

Things could only get better and duly did in a drawn match against Old Woking. Chasing 258 Steve McKinley notched an impressive 31 and Luke (aka ‘the sight screen’) Cridland, a Gower-like 38 as Claygate reached a serene 173 for 8.

This was a bit of a false dawn as Claygate’s worst performance of the season against Hook and Southbrough occurred the following weekend. Only a doughty 41 run partnership between Justin and Ben Seabrook for the last wicket brought the Claygate score past 100. The batting and fielding display was so poor that Claygate Captain (me) left the field halfway through the Southbrough reply and was rumoured to spend the following week in hiding on a remote Scottish moor.

This week in hiding did the skipper some good as he was able to cheerfully declare with an unbeaten 99 the next week setting Earlsfield a tempting 185 to win. A devastating spell of 3 for 20 from Justin and a wily spell from Wells senior (3 for 37) skittled the daunted Earlsfield outfit for 114 – a win at last.

Claygate made it two in a row when they beat a surly Old Pauline side off the last ball of the match. Wells Junior and Senior contributed over a 100 to the Claygate score of 185 all out. Seabrook and Joel Watkins got 3 wickets a piece.

Injury to Wells Junior then gave Peter Hartnell his chance to display his controversial tactics from his re-written textbook. Despite a magnificent 104 from Jamie Henderson Claygate posted a slightly below par 167 and Hersham just sneaked in with 2 wickets in hand with Joel, Justin and Ben each taking 2 wickets.

The cheeky upstart skipper was back in charge the following week and his inexperience told in a crushing defeat to 10-man Concorde. The only highlight was a diving catch from Dave Williams – unfortunately it was to dismiss Claygate’s top scorer Rory O’Malley - Dave had drawn the short straw and was playing for the opposition.

The rain ruined any chance of a result against Westfield when we were 102 for 2 chasing their total of 270. Jake Dear hit a lusty 41 with Mark Brand ending his run drought with a sparkling 50.

After this display a new Brand turned up to play and scored a scintillating 105 the following week against Leatherhead and new recruit Gareth Dutton made a studious 35 on his debut. Unfortunately the opposition held on for a draw despite 3 wickets for Joel and 2 for Scott Labacik guesting for us from the Saturday 1^st XI.

A close game against Parkhead followed with Claygate going down by 13 runs and the next weekend brought a comprehensive defeat against a strong Caterham side on another dodgy Claygate wicket. The only performance of note was a season’s best 31 for Keith.

After this demoralising defeat Claygate went to Burgh Heath against who we’d been 25 all out the previous season with an understandable sense of foreboding, but a sharp opening burst by Tom McKinley restricted the opposition to 157. A tedious 51 from the skipper (later compared to Boycott on Prozac) got Claygate within touching distance of Burgh Hill’s total. Another draw.

August was a golden month for the Seconds, with a winning draw against Ockham (Tom Law 33, Matt Wells 52, Hanniford 3 for 45). There was another Hartnell captaining master class in a victory against Kew (Mark Brand 125 and guest star Ben Vincent 35). There was a last gasp victory against close rivals Chadwick (Wells Junior 57 not out, Tom Law 58 not out) with an opening attack of Wells Senior and Hanniford taking 7 for 67. This was followed by a third consecutive win, against Whitley Village, with man of match Joel taking 3 wickets and top scoring with 29.

The sheen was slightly taken off a sparkling August by a three wicket defeat at the hands of Old Woking. The third Wells (Dan) partially made up for his record breaking 5 dropped catches (in one innings) with a hard-hitting 43, Justin taking 3 for 25, with Des Cecil’s explosive hand grenades blasting out two late wickets.

This was my last game in charge as I went up north to practice my ‘tossing’ and the old student Hartnell took over the reins for the final few games and the end-of-season celebrations…

The return game against Hersham ended in a close draw with debutant Chris White scoring 46 and Jake 40 not out before Joel took another 3 wickets and Luke a season’s best 2-10. The final game at Old Paulines ended in a 39 run defeat with Dave Williams top scoring with 39.

Thanks to everyone.

Matt Wells

On a drizzly Sunday in late August, Claygate won the annual six-a-side, five overs per innings competition at West End Esher.

Eight local teams were involved and Claygate were invited to take part this year as part of West End Esher’s centenary celebrations. Under the astute captaincy of Mark O’Connell they won through the first group with victories against West End, Weybridge and Surrey Lions.

In the final, against West End Esher, Claygate were set 62 and won with an over to spare with Tom McKinley outstanding and Chris Howe hitting the winning runs. The other members of the victorious squad were: Ben Lane, Danny Ranger, Scott Labacik and Joris Nathanson.