PRs take the Honours in IBP Cricket Match

After four years of domination by Ben Roskrow and his journos, the annual IBP PRs versus journos cricket match resulted in an impressive win by the PRs at the Thames Ditton Cricket Club near Hampton Court Palace.

Led for the first time by the ebullient Andy Walker, the PRs overcame the early losses of Chris Helsen and Richard Watkins with a blazing 33 from Damien Grieff – including a remarkable over when every other ball seemed to have been smashed for a boundary. This gave the PRs the powerful momentum they needed and after Grieff retired, Walker and Andrew Geldard drove the innings along with a valuable stand marked by their widely contrasting styles – Walker vocal and aggressive, Geldard deft and stylish.

When Walker was bowled by Roskrow, going for a huge hit, Geldard and the tail took the score along to an impressive 147 which was always going to be a daunting task for the weakened journos side. Fortified by the Thames Ditton club’s excellent lunch, the journos set off at a good rate against some genuinely sharp pace bowling from Helsen. Then, just as Chris Hart was getting going he glanced a rising ball from Helsen and Adrian Marsh clung onto a flying chance behind the stumps.

Since he seemed to be largely unsighted behind Hart’s turning body this was a truly brilliant catch – and it was probably a match winner. Indeed the journos never managed to get back into the hunt and a serious of disastrous runouts – Gatty (18), Roskrow (16) and Akram (15) when they were all going well – undermined the innings. The journos ended up with 112 – well short of their target and so concluded an exciting and keenly fought match with a win for the PRs which has helped to restore some degree of balance between the two sides. Next year’s fixture should be well worth watching!

Sincere thanks are once again due to the Thames Ditton Cricket Club for their hospitality and facilties, even during their re-building process! David Helsen, it goes without saying, was a charming and very hard working host and glasses were raised in grateful thanks to John Theakston, who as Chief Executive of the former Swan Hill company, had sponsored the fixture since its inception. One last tribute to all concerned – the match finished in nice time for the Euro 2004 football match featuring England in the evening!

Team PRs
Richard Watkins (Ogilvie Primary); Chris Helsen (Helsen Communications); Damien Grieff (Berrymans Lacer Mawer); Edward Dewar (TTA Public Relations); Andy Walker (Association of Consulting Engineers) Captain; Andrew Geldard (Wilmott Dixon); Andrew Sommer (TTA Public Relations); Adrian Marsh (Adrian Marsh Associates); Mark Bailey (Lewis Live Group); Andy Cassie (CIB) and Barry Smith (SAMS).

Team Journalists
Chris Hart (Housebuilder Publications); Aaron Morby (Construction News); Howard Elson (SAMS); Glenn Gatty (HBP); Jack Russell (SAMS); Ben Roskrow (HBP) Captain; Peter Docherty (TTA PR) Brian Green, Andrew Gaved (Construction News); Iqbal Akram (Helsen Communications); Alan Dawson (HBP).