Cricketers young, old and even older gathered at Lapstone Park on May 29 to celebrate the life of one of Fair Oak’s most well-known sporting all-rounders, Harry May.
Harry passed away in April last year at the age of 80 after a lifetime dedicated to football and cricket. He was a stalwart of the Fair Oak cricket team of the 1960s and 1970s, and later took up umpiring, while the turn of the century saw him as chairman of Fair Oak FC – a club he had served with distinction as centre-half as far back as 1958.
So, it seemed right that a friendly Twenty20 cricket match should be held in his honour, Fair Oak hosting some old friends from Colden Common, Otterbourne & Sporting Wessex CC. Players from today and yesteryear mingled in the sunshine and enjoyed a very good-natured game of cricket.
The event was organised by Fair Oak CC president Tony Oxley and featured a barbeque and liquid refreshments. Raffle prizes were presented by Harry’s niece Stella, with the takings going towards a memorial bench to be erected at Lapstone Park overlooking the cricket pitch.
Just for the record, Fair Oak overhauled their visitors’ total of 128. That was thanks in the main to an unbeaten fifty – peppered with boundaries – by Oaks 1st XI skipper Gregor Mackenzie, with an over and a half to spare. But that didn’t matter. It was all about enjoyment and cherished memories of a giant of local sport, and cricket was definitely the winner. Greg Boughton
Harry passed away in April last year at the age of 80 after a lifetime dedicated to football and cricket. He was a stalwart of the Fair Oak cricket team of the 1960s and 1970s, and later took up umpiring, while the turn of the century saw him as chairman of Fair Oak FC – a club he had served with distinction as centre-half as far back as 1958.
So, it seemed right that a friendly Twenty20 cricket match should be held in his honour, Fair Oak hosting some old friends from Colden Common, Otterbourne & Sporting Wessex CC. Players from today and yesteryear mingled in the sunshine and enjoyed a very good-natured game of cricket.
The event was organised by Fair Oak CC president Tony Oxley and featured a barbeque and liquid refreshments. Raffle prizes were presented by Harry’s niece Stella, with the takings going towards a memorial bench to be erected at Lapstone Park overlooking the cricket pitch.
Just for the record, Fair Oak overhauled their visitors’ total of 128. That was thanks in the main to an unbeaten fifty – peppered with boundaries – by Oaks 1st XI skipper Gregor Mackenzie, with an over and a half to spare. But that didn’t matter. It was all about enjoyment and cherished memories of a giant of local sport, and cricket was definitely the winner. Greg Boughton
