DURRANTS RELOCATION

Report to Members

I am pleased to report that War Memorial Trustees' application to the High Court was formally submitted on 18 July.

The application is in the form of a claim for orders from the Court giving approval to to the compromise agreement between the School, the Company and the Society for the sale of Durrants and the allocation of the proceeds.

Attached to the claim is a Witness Statement by Bob Hurran on behalf of the WMTs and two “exhibit bundles”. These bundles contain copies of documents, letters, minutes, legal advice, planning applications, articles in the “Taylorian” (starting in 1917) and numerous other papers providing information on the complex question of the beneficial ownership of Durrants. Also included are the documents directly relating to the compromise settlement itself, including the latest versions of the Heads of Agreement and the 125-year Licence under which the Society and the OMT sports clubs will use the facilities of the Relocated War Memorial Sports Ground at Sandy Lodge. In total, the documents submitted run to well over six hundred A4 pages.

We now await the Court's response and in particular its advice as to when the hearing can take place. As members are aware, the satisfactory completion of the legal process is one of the conditions which dictate the timing of the release by Barratts of funds to finance the work on the RWMSG. This in turn has a direct bearing on when relocation can actually take place. The previous target date of Autumn 2009 now looks highly optimistic, but we will be much better placed to assess this, and inform members accordingly, after we hear from the Court.

In view of recent press coverage about house building companies and specific enquiries received from members, I can confirm that the WMTs are in regular contact with Barratts, who remain keen to proceed with the project as soon as possible.

Members will be advised in due course about arrangements for a Society EGM at which approval will be sought for the compromise agreement.

TONY WRIGHT 26 July 2008

Chairman

                                               "News Sheet"
 
   The Hon.Editor wishes to remind members that the deadline for contributions to the next, Autumn 2008, issue is Friday 15 August after which date no copy can be accepted.

   Deadlines for future issues are:- 5 December for Winter 2008/2009 and 17 April for Spring 2009

 

 

 

Cricketers Cup Report

The OMT side began the 2008 Cricketer Cup campaign with renewed heart this year, following the efforts of Philip Newfield and Phil Wise to get the best side on the pitch.   However, it gradually became clear that despite the preparation, 2008 was not to be OMTs’ year.   The 1st round opposition were Haileybury Hermits away – a side featuring many good players but one in particular in Nick Walker who had already played for both Derbyshire and Leicestershire at the age of 23.

 
OMTs batted first and started badly with Booth going in the 2nd over.   Brand soon followed, going caught and bowled, and when Ashish Mehta also went to a diving catch at square leg, Taylors’ found themselves in deep trouble.   Andy Sharland tried to restore some parity but was soon on his way too, and the score stood worryingly at 45-4.
 
Wise has always been one for a crisis – his last innings in the Cricketer Cup was 97 not out at Clifton – an innings in which he carried his bat while watching 10 wickets fall at the other end.   This time he teamed up with Jawwad Rasheed and the two Eastcote men slowly nudged and nurdled their way forward, despite some tight bowling and fielding.   However, just as they pressed the accelerator, disaster struck as Rasheed hit a short ball straight to square-leg.
 
From there, OMTs were forced to set their sites at a score well below 200, and 180 would have been considered a great result, but in the event a score of 157 all out off 49.5 overs was the final total.   Simon Noach was caught on the boundary at cover, Noach walking despite some some doubt over whether the fielder had caught the ball within the field of play, and Wise soon followed for 48.   Lamb and O’Sullivan both fell in the final over after a couple of lusty blows, but 157 was always going to be difficult to defend.
 
In reply the Haileybury skipper Walker approached the task as if it was a Twenty20 match.   After a couple of shots which weren’t quite middled, he found his rhythm and the ball found the middle of his bat…repeatedly.   Despite good bowling by O’Sullivan initially, Walker started to flay the OMT bowling to all parts, and reached his 50 off just 25 balls.   This proved to be just the start as he progressed from 50 to 100 in just 11 balls for a chanceless 36 ball century which included 12 fours and 8 sixes.   When he was stumped by Ashish Mehta off the bowling of Jawwad Rasheed next ball for 101, with the score on 128 for 1 in the 11th over, the game had long since finished as a contest.
 
Haileybury went on to win by 8 wickets in the 17th over and good luck to them in the subsequent rounds.   The key for OMTs is to move on and focus on next year without letting this one freak individual performance change the way we approach next year.   Despite the result, this year has seen a significant step forward in that the squad included all the strongest OMT players, no matter where they now play their cricket.   Next year will see some strong current MTS school boys join the squad and strengthen things further for another tilt at this prestigious competition, and if we prepare in a similar fashion to this year, we’ll be giving ourselves the best possible chance of success.

 

 Deaths


The Society has learned with regret of the death of the following:

Alan Francis (1944-48) in August 2008.

Rev. Norman Gee (1925-29)

John Anderson MBE (1947-53) on 1 June 2008

Hugh Smith (1931-36) in June 2008

Ronald Hosier (1947-53) on 14 July 2008.