From Brigadier W

How I Joined the Sydenhurst Ramblers C.C.

After we had moved in 1969 to Haslemere, I went out early in 1970 to watch some cricket - I had been told that Brook was the best venue in the area.

Anne told me not to wear any club colours and not to "bang on" about my own cricket. So I was watching the play, leaning against the hedge behind the trees at the bottom of the ground, when a big six was hit over the trees. Without thinking, I put up my hands and the ball plopped in - without my moving at all.

A loud shout from the middle- "Christ! the old bugger's caught it!" (I learnt later that it was that great character Mike Bacon).

Soon the impressive figure of "Big Mike" Gauntlett appeared - and introduced himself. He then said "The old bugger must be a cricketer - would you like to join our club?"

So I had eight years of most enjoyable cricket before we moved to Guernsey in 1978.

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Mike White scored 2 separate hundreds on the same day (23 July 1949) for Aldershot Services v MCC at the Officers Club Ground. After bowling unchanged throughout the MCC's first innings and taking 4-85 in 41 overs, he had scored 1 run at the end of the first day's play. His innings of 112 (3 sixes and 24 fours) enabled the Services side to recover from 123-7 to 283 all out-a lead of one run. His second century of the day carried his side to a six wicket victory against the clock. After reaching three figures in 90 minutes, White took his score to 120*, and won the match with two successive boundaries.

Two years earlier he had marked his county debut for Northamptonshire by taking 3 wickets in 6 balls on 2 occasions, one in each Somerset innings.

The above picture is taken from "The Guinness Book of Cricket Facts & Feats" (1983) compiled by Bill Frindall. He is shown batting for Cambridge U. v. the Empire XI in 1941.

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An article that appeared in 'The Cricketer' Winter Annual 1969/70:

BRIGADIER MIKE WHITE - RETIRED UNHURT

THE annual contest between the Royal Corps of Transport and In- cogniti, which took place at Buller Barracks, Aldershot at the end of August was also the occasion of Brigadier W. M. E. (Mike) White's last game as a serving officer, after 33 years of cricket with the Corps. Brigadier Mike played with the British Empire XI in 1942, with such men as Trevor Bailey, Sir Learie Constantine, Alf Gover and the Bedsers, and represented Northamptonshire in three post-war seasons.

He was, and is now, a member of MCC, Free Foresters and Incogniti, and likewise of a lesser known-and now defunct-one, the Five Cs (Catch as Catch Can Cricket Club) of Egypt; one of the more bizarre rules of this club required the payment of a fine of 10 piastres for each catch adjudged to have been dropped by a committee of the match manager and one other player. This rule, which allowed a
fairly certain revenue to the club's entertainment funds, was referred to by Lieutenant-Colonel Tony Lerwill, also a Five C and Incog, in proposing the health of Mike White at a dinner in his honour coinciding with the game. Representatives of all the R.C.T. opponents and from many other cricketing bodies were present at the dinner. The Incogniti won the game with some ease this year and so regained the "Ashes," which were first prepared some years ago by a ceremonial burning of the R.A.S.C. (predecessors to the R.C.T.) and Incogniti ties.

Scores:
Incogniti 158 (A. Beecroft 52) and 197 for 5 dec. (A. Beecroft 52, S. Beecroft 30, J. C. Andrews 53*). RCT 95 and 104 (F. Fenner 50).