Annual Report of the Honorary Secretary to the members 2004

A train pulled into a station. The sign read Muine Beag. The cricketer on board, who had set out for the match two days earlier from Barcelona, had a problem........ the platform was too short!! He rang us from Kilkenny "I'll be on the first train back!". Luckily the Leps were batting so Stephen Kenealy's late arrival did not affect the match. It melted quickly into the merriment that was the 2004 S.E. tour, which brought down the curtain on the busiest Leps season since the golden jubilee year of 1998.

As usual proceedings commenced in the North with Campbell winning closely by 2 wkts. Leps 128/8 S. Dyer 44 , CCB 129/8 D. Johnston 3/31 , N. Hutchinson 3/13.

We then drew with Bangor Grammar, Leps 142/4 J. Hewitt 60, M. Hutchinson 44, BGS 108/8 R. West 3/25, T.Territt 2/2.

The match at Dungannon produced a Leps win, 138/7 D. Mullan 39*, A. Rennie 38, RSD 85 all out, while the Ulster Schools match was a closely fought draw Leps 172/8, A. Cyster 40; U.S. 163/8 G. McKee 3/27, N. Black 3/33.

In Dublin a weak Leps got a lesson from the Leinster Schools Devl. XI. who used a succession of more than useful bowlers to limit us to 110/8 .The boys chased with ease . Pick of the bowlers for Leps was another Richard Forrest who followed 11* with 2/12. Highlight was having one Conor Geraghty (Rush 1st XI) stumped by his father.

Three weeks later we exacted some revenge on Walter Hosford by defeating the Southern Schools by 20 runs. Leps 187/7, N. Hinkle 49, Paul Cron 38, W. McDarby 10.1.3.43. S.S. 167:- F McAllister 43, C. Gegaghty 36, J. Harte 2/17. Thanks to Rob Henson for captaining this side.

We hosted Durham Pilgrims at College Park (through the good offices of Philip Boylan). They posted 228/7 in 40 overs. We replied with 162/8, Conor Darcy 82. John Teeling, who flew in from S.A. for the game kindly presented all present with Cooley Whiskey miniatures to mark the occasion. An unlikely receipient of same was one Everton Weekes, who just happened to arrive in the Pav. as the match concluded. D. P. reaction to Dublin hospitality? IMPRESSED! Thanks to Woody O' Neill & Pete Prendergast for this match.

The following Sat. we drew with Halverstown (3 matches in a week for the Leps - has the world gone mad?). Leps 155/6, Paul Cron 48, G. Browne 3/20. Halvo. 139/8, Cron 3/24.

A bank holiday trip to Mt. Juliet to play White City fell through so our next outing was Vs. B.B.C. Radio News at Rathmines. B.B.C.'s Dublin correspondent arrived for the match through the back gate (Mt. Pleasant Ave) on his bicycle !! (Cutbacks?). B.B.C. 242/7 James Helm 85, D. Watson 72, Allen Smith 12.1.4.62. Leps 233/9, K Taylor 81, S McDonald 45. Our thanks to Leinster for the ground & Mrs Colleran for the tea. Delegation not being the hon. sec.'s long suit, yours truly spent most of the Leps innings in the scorebox. On asking B.B.C.'s scorer her name (for record purposes of course ) she replied "Jessica Ume Asato" .Something had told me she wasn't from Castlepollard. Japanese scholars will all know that "asato" means little plum & "ume" sweet! When I think of all the hoary old chestnuts I've shared scoreboxes with. How sweet? I batted No. 11!

And so Sept. & the South East. At the behest of one Ravi Kumar a fixture in Wexford was added on the Fri. (This on a "sell in May & go away basis "). Leps 163/2, W.O'Neill 84 Andy Yeomans 42. Wexford 123/4, Micky McTiernan 9.0.2.41. Niall "Jockey" Murphy home on hols. from Silicon Valley made a guest appearance for Wexford. This was a nice quiet fixture until the arrival of Brian Cross (ex Phoenix & R. U.) He hasn't changed! We are indebted to Herbie Honahan for the welcome & all his hard work.

A well hungover band left for Bagenalstown on Sat. morning. Left or right in Kiltealy? That was the question. Charles won the toss & Leps batted (& batted). We mustered 108/9 R. Forrest 34, R. Duffin 17.7.5.20, a superp spell. Bagenalstown at 62/3 looked set fair but finished 86/8 ..... a draw. Hospitality as usual was top class. Our thanks to all in Bagenalstown.

The touring party tasted the nightlife of Kilkenny en route to Mt. Juliet. Picture the scene in Tynans Bridge House Bar as a more senior member of the party chats up not one but two golfing widows........ he was like a fielder with both batsmen stranded in mid-wicket not knowing which end to throw the ball!! Charlie Malzard must have thought "Pioneers C.C." were visiting when we pulled into Stoneyford Sun. morning. The round was 6 minerals & 5 coffees! Batting first on Mt. Juliet's new mat Leps made 125, Yeomans 50, O'Neill 28, Gardiner (pere et fils) took 5 wickets. Mount Juliet replied with 69, W. Edwards 20, P. Black 7.3.1.6., A. Cox 6.0.3.15. Charles Lysaght's few very well chosen words , during a lovely tea , to mark Bernard Burke's presidential swansong will long be remembered. After a quiet beer ("rigour pintis" was setting in ) with Chris Pim & his troops , including a guest appearance from Titch Kavanagh, we went our separate ways.

Dick Forrest Honorary Secretary.