The Old Hardyeans, old boys of Hardye’s School, beat the Thomas Hardye School XI by 25 runs in the traditional annual fixture, thanks mainly to a superbly crafted innings of 78 by Ryan Chase.
On one of the best days of a rather short English Summer, the Old Hardyeans held the annual cricket match against the school at Dorchester’s Recreation Ground. The “Old Boys-” fielding a traditional mixture of youth and mature talent- chose to bat first in a 30 over game. Smarting from a rare defeat in last year’s fixture, they started cautiously with openers Nick Roe and Simon Mitcham scoring slowly off some fine School opening bowling by Will Channon and Matt Stephens.
Dorchester’s young off-spinner George Foot then joined the attack, taking two quick wickets. The highlight of the game for him occurred when he was able to dismiss his older brother Josh first ball! At 40-3 things looked shaky for the Old Hardyeans, but an excellently crafted 78 by Ryan Chase and a more than useful 45 by Dan Belt- whose superb form with the bat this year saw him top the run scorers in the Premier Dorset League- allowed the Old Hardyeans to post an impressive 192-7 in their 30 overs.
In reply, the School XI never really got going in the face of the experienced attack of Mark Derrien, Josh Foot and Peter Horne. Later, the wily spin of Neal Lawson and Ryan Chase pushed them well behind the required rate. However, a late flurry by Dan Morris and Ben Macklin moved them to a very creditable 167 all out in the last over.
Playing in his 40th old boys game since leaving the School in 1976, Old Hardyeans captain Tony Foot comments: “At least 15 of the cricketers on the pitch had played Dorset League
Cricket this year. I believe this is a fitting testament to the hard work put in by Thomas Hardye School’s Head of PE Gerraint Hughes.”
Peter Foster, Immediate Past President of the Hardyeans Club, presented the Colin Lucas Cup to Old Hardyeans’ captain Tony Foot, expressing his congratulations to both teams for such an entertaining game.
Founded 111 years in 1905 as the Old Grammarians, the Old Hardyeans- also known as the Hardyeans Club- is one of the most successful old school associations in the county, bringing together the old boys of Dorchester Grammar School and Hardye’s School, plus ex-students of the modern Thomas Hardye School.
In the times of Queen Elizabeth I, it was Thomas Hardye [with a final “e”] described as a Yeoman of Frampton, who endowed Dorchester Grammar School in 1569. Hardye’s [shopping] Arcade today stands on the site. The Grammar School moved to Culliford Road in 1928- renamed Hardye’s School from 1954.
The new Thomas Hardye School in Queens Avenue opened in 1992, encompassing the best traditions of the two previous schools- but admitting girls for the first time since 1569! Writer Thomas Hardy OM, who lived at nearby Max Gate, laid the foundation stone of Hardye’s School in 1927. He was no relation to Thomas Hardye, founder of the school, nor of Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy!
The Old Hardyeans [right] and the Thomas Hardye School [left] meet in the annual cricket fixture. Immediate Past President Peter Foster stands in the centre with the Colin Lucas Cup.
Thomas Hardye School: Dan Morris [captain,] Jonny Samways, Matt Stevens, Jack Kane, Ben Morris, Nathan McNab, David Gray, Will Channon, George Foot, Billy Browning, Brad Mullins, Ben Macklin.
Old Hardyeans: Tony Foot [captain,] Ryan Chase, Peter Horne, Simon Mitcham, Ollie Osborne, Dan Belt, Mark Derrien, Neal Lawson, Josh Foot, Nick Roe.
Umpires: Frank & Harry Dike.
Photograph by Michel Hooper-Immins
