THE TOURING PARTY - MALTA 2009
Tourists were asked for their answers to the following questions: •
1. If you were able to represent your country in international
competition, what would it be ?
2. Who, with the exception of your partner obviously, would you most like to sit
next to on a long haul flight - or even on a
flight to Malta?
3. Aside from your partner of course, who do you most fancy?
4. Who/what is your favourite singer/band?
5. If your name wasn't what it is, what would you like it to be ?
The responses, are shown below - comment superfluous
MATT ADCOCK
Debut Ramblers tour for Matt who plays his cricket for Ongar CC where he IS this
year's Sunday XI Captain .. Matt has
accumulated over 1200 runs (with a highest score of 90) and nearly 60 wickets
(26 of them last summer) for his club over the
last four seasons He has apparently been heard to answer to 'Madcock' . Being
young and fit he will no doubt be happy to dash
around the outfield and show up his less mobile team mates.
1. England, rugby
2 Cheryl Cole
3 Cheryl Cole
4. The Game
5 Donny Dyer
GRAHAM BOXALL
Graham is now a veteran Ramblers tourist - this one being his 8th. He is a
genuine all-rounder playing for Haslemere CC, but
has previously turned out for Guildford and Surrey 2nd XI. He has scored
centuries on each of his last Malta tours, so
without tempting fate too much, It would be appropriate to record a hat-trick.
Not entirely unfamiliar with a wager, Graham
may well feature at the Dragonara Casino for a little light financial
flirtation; he supports West Ham - which is also a bit
of a gamble. Wife Terry will continue to keep a beady, but benevolent, eye on her
man.
1. Sledging (not the snow type)
2. Jon Ashworth
3. Guinness
4. Christy Moore/Status Quo
5. Jesus (I am a carpenter) or Figjam ($x & I'm good just ask me).
DAVID COLES
'Stick' tours again - for the 4'" time, having taken the plunge first in Oporto
in 2001. He also plays for Ongar CC where he
is the fixture secretary and has put together 1000 runs over the last four
summers including six 50s - all in
characteristically methodical style, and he also struck with a rare wicket last
summer. In the winter he has been spotted
occasionally at Portman Road; an aberration for the Tractor Boys being one he
shares with the tour manager. Partner Joanna IS
on the trail of Cheryl Cole (whoever she IS).
1. Womens beach volleyball
2. Cheryl Cole
3. Cheryl Cole
4. Cheryl Cole
5. Cheryl Cole
BRIAN DAVENPORT
With the captain, a veteran (or should it be victim) of all 16 tours to date,
starting with Berlin in 1990 , Brian is still
coming up for more punishment, usually shortly after announcing 'left arm
round.', and will be striving for the 3 wickets
which will take him to a Ramblers 100 He is the Secretary of Brook CC, where he
plays most of his cricket, but has close
brushes with the law (in the nicest possible way), by also turning out for Essex
Police Veterans. Supports Leicester City or
Ipswich Town (depending on how either are doing).
1. England, cricket
2. Mike Brearley
3. Brigitte Bordot at the age of 20 (and feeling faint at the thought)
4. Lonnie Donegan/Buddy Holly
5. Alessandro del Piero
ALAN FOSTER
Another first time Ramblers tourist, Alan comes to the party via the Captain as
he also teaches at Amesbury School, When not
being a distinguished pedagogue he plays football, and his cricket is with Fernhurst CC - where he majors in nifty inswing
at brisk pace and forceful abandon with the blade. No finable characteristics
have been detected pre-tour but early days ..
1. Cricket, football
2. Gilberto Gil, legend of Brazilian music and now Culture minister
3. Becky Mantin (fit weather girl on ITV)
4. James Brown and the JBs
5. Flex Harbor
JOHN HAMILTON
Club Captain and Secretary, John has been on all the Ramblers tours (16) since
the first to Berlin in 1990. He plays the
majority of his cricket for Brook Strollers - but also features for the Free
Foresters, the Cryptics, and the 40 Club. He
teaches at Amesbury School, where he has featured as an imparter of knowledge to
unwilling youth for over 20 years and when
free from educational duties has amassed vast quantities of runs for Brook (over
16000 at an average of 52), and a few
wickets. John fields at first slip with a deceptive lack of pace, and keeps
wicket when required, He remains in an advanced
and unreasonable state of euphoria following Ireland's recent Grand Slam .
1. Ireland at Rugby Union
2. Bill McBride and Brian O'Driscoll
3. Sharon Corr
4. Waist (Rolling Stones and Beatles a close second)
5. Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan
SAM KEIR
Sam's second tour after debut in Gibraltar last time, and when not Rambling
plays his cricket for Brook as an exuberant all-rounder, where last summer he had a particularly successful season with the bat,
but unfortunately suffered a shoulder injury
in mid-season which prevented him building on an early bag of wickets. Sam is a
Ramblers Committee member, so there is no
doubt that his standards of personal comportment on tour will be of the highest
calibre. He has been a student of English
literature at a number of universities, London bearing the burden currently.
1. Darts (as the pinnacle of my amateur career, before moving into the
professional game and winning the World Championships
at Ally Pally)
2. Paul Gascoigne or David Boon
3. Lily Alien
4. The Fall
5. Bishop Muzorewa
ALEX MANLEY
Back for more after getting through Gibraltar more or less in one piece,
'Manners' will be looking for an explosive beginning
to the 09 season, having missed all of last summer due to not being very well
for a while. Alex is an all-rounder - a forcing
batter with a modicum of bottom hand and a projector of the crimson rambler at
respectable pace. He will be a busy man at
Brook this summer where he will be captaining both the 2nd XI and the Sunday XI.
When not doing proper stuff like sport (and
supporting Arsenal) Alex is an engineering
student.
1. Cricket
2. Katy Perry
3. Katy Parry
4. Bon Jovi
5. Ekenedilichukwu Ogechukwukama
FRED PENNELL
Fred is also a new tourist, whose day job is to teach at King Edward's School ,Witley.
He describes himself as a 'Non bowler,
wicket keeper (has own gloves, box, pads etc), 'nurdling batsman. Further
supplied background 'material' : Previous clubs:
invited to leave a number of cricketing ones - also 'Bumbles' night spot in
Bournemouth in August last year. Achievements: called a 'useless ****ing pom' by own captain in New Zealand 2005. Attacked by
Cape muslim footballers during match in South
Africa 2001'. Ambitions: to overturn ban (see 'Bumbles' above; to laugh in the
face of cricketing adversity
1. Football, England, World Cup 1970 quarter final v W Germany. 2-0 up.
Goalkeeper. I'd never have let it slip unlike that
duffer from Chelsea
2. A small person
3. I've always admired Valerie Singleton from her 'Blue Peter' days
4. The Seekers
5. Ted/Ned/Jed/Ed
DAVID PRYNNE
Another new tourist, although he has been present on recent Brook Strollers
tours - a sort
of apprenticeship for the rather smarter Ramblers forays. David is a lawyer in
real life -
which probably accounts for his lengthy and turgid answers to simple questions
(see below),
He plays most of his cricket for the aforementioned Strollers, one of Brook's
two Sunday sides, In a probably vain attempt to
a). become an authority figure and b). have first shout
with the new ball, he is their Vice Captain this year.
1. Lazing around on a tropical beach, occasionally surfing or diving when I can
be bothered I'd do that for England. Already
raising sponsorship, so please give generously
2. No one. I'd take the extra leg-room over just about anyone. If the flight
were full, Shami Chakrabati (interesting and
small - ideal flatmate)
3. Her sister Kidding, she doesn't have one. But if she did
4. Arcade Fire, though much will depend on their difficult third album
5. 'Fabio' would be good. No surname required.
DAVID POWELL
David is the President of Ongar CC, and topped their 1" XI bowling averages last
season; clearly a man of depth and
diversity. The tour will be his first experience of the Ramblers (from which
recovery is not guaranteed) and his all-round
experience will be welcomed. There is a paucity of defamatory information
available for David; a shortcoming the tour will no
doubt remedy - the answer to Question 5 is already a source of concern to the
management ..
1. Welsh desert survival tactics
2. Phoebe from TV show 'Friends'
3 Callisa Flockhart aka Ally McBeal
4. The Eagles
5. Elvis Clooney
DAVID SIMCOCK
Second successive tour for David, having featured last time out in Gibraltar.
He recently responded from Hawaii to a tour
manager's email , which gives him a clear lead in the (admittedly closely
contested) Ramblers posers poll. He plays most of
his cricket for Brook, mostly in the league, and last summer powered his way
(eventually) to a career 1000 for the Club. In
real life David is a doctor in London and does bad impressions of Tony Cozier.
1. Surfing
2. Rory Bremner
3. Marisa Tomei
4. The Smiths
5. Eric Everhard
IN SUPPORT
STEVE ANDOW
The 'Big belly Man' features for his 14th Ramblers outing, this time in a
dignified nonplaying capacity. Steve has played
much cricket over the years, listing amongst his clubs Stort, the Badgers. and
the Hampshire Maniacs - and his medium pace
bowling has made many batters wish they had made better decisions when playing
him. There is no doubt that all this
experience will be brought to bear in the guise of his tactical advice and
talented
personal abuse from the pavilion.
1. Archery
2. Ian Botham
3. Sophia Loren
4. Queen
5. George Best
THE LADIES
TERRY BOXALL
By popular demand and personal choice Terry is appointed tour judge of the
quality of gin and tonic produced; there are
standards expected that must be met. By now, nearly a tour veteran, she knows
what to expect on Ramblers tours and is seldom
disappointed. being buoyed by enormous good humour and great tolerance of the
follies being exercised around her. For her day
job. Terry runs Barclays Bank, who are surviving very nicely - so she must be
doing something right.
1. Irish dancing
2. Anyone in first class
3. Mr Incredible
4. Louis Armstrong/Eurythmics
5. An Taoisrach
JOANNA COUGHLAN
Stick's partner, and on her second tour - she proved herself to be a leading WAG
in Gibraltar, Impressing as an exponent of
the deft quip expressed with great joie de vivre. whilst appearing not to be
freezing cold. Joanna is a keen student of
cricket apparently _ so what she's doing with this lot is hard to fathom See
below: what about Steve Andow dressed as a cheerleader - now that would be funny
1. A cheerleader, so I can cheer on THE ONE AND ONLY Sydenhurst Ramblers In
Malta
2 Steve Andow; because he's funny and will make the Journey less boring
3 Wentworth Miller (Michael Scofleld), actor from Prison Break
4. Reo Speedwagon
5. Angelino Jolie
JANE GILLETT
Fred Pennell's partner, who describes her thus: 'Right hand bat, right arm
medium quick bowler, fine catcher. Does not 'throw
like a girl'. Owns dog of outstanding fielding capability. Previous cricket
clubs include Roedean School under 14s. First
overseas tour, although played beach cricket in New Zealand in 2008. Enjoys
village cricket especially on warm days with
close proximity to nice rivers, scenic grounds, ice cream vans etc, Favourite
player:
Fred or Monty ,
1 90 metre ski jump, GB, Winter Olympics 1988, Alberta
2. Boris Johnson (personal fan)
3. Boris Johnson (see above). Its his warmth, charm and high level of
personal grooming
4. The New Seekers (younger than Fred, hence more contemporary in her choice)
5. Margaret (in honour of her other favourite politician)
MAGGIE HAMILTON
Wife of John, and therefore senior WAG, Maggie's first Ramblers tour was to
Trinidad & Tobago in 2002" and she has dutifully
supported in the subsequent adventures in odd places. Her day Job is Special
Needs at Amesbury School, which as has been
observed before, equips her especially well to relate to the touring party. As a
devourer of books and a denizen of the
crossword she will be easily (and sensibly) distracted from the lads putting
themselves about on the green sward in an
unfortunate manner.
1 Scotland, at haggis tossing
2. Isabel Allende
3. Snowy the dog (Woof ! Woof!)
4. Contra ..... and Joan Baez
5. Tonto Macpherson ,
GILL MORTENSEN
Keeping an eye on Steve Andow, Gill is yet another, but very welcome, newcomer
to the trials and tribulations of a Ramblers
wander into strange parts, The advantage of paving no previous means defamatory
information is hard to come by. Suffice to
say she will undoubtedly enhance the tour with her personal charm, intelligence
and, vivacity - but will still, of course,
get fined at every opportunity,
.
1. Badminton
2. Will Young
3. Sean Connery
4, Take That
5. Whicher
..