Old foe falls to CC Old Boys at The Valley of Peace
15 Apr 2026
On Sunday 1 February 2026, a bunch of Christ’s College (CC) Old Boys arrived at The Valley of Peace Cricket Club ground to face one of its old foes, St Andrew’s College (StAC) Old Collegians. While several were buoyed by nostalgia, all were full of optimism.
Winning the toss, Christ’s College invited StAC to bat on a green but drying pitch. Charlie Porter and Rupert Davison quickly put StAC under pressure, removing the openers and making inroads as the innings progressed. At one stage, StAC was five down for not many runs.
However, the opposition dug in, consolidating to frustrate College. CC remained disciplined and energetic in the field, despite the resurgence. Several sharp catches proved that hands aged more gracefully than hamstrings. The bowling honours were claimed by Porter (3–26) and Hugo Davison (4–16), who exploited the conditions superbly. Meanwhile, James Thomson produced an impressive spell, claiming the only maiden over of the match. StAC was bowled out in the 35th and final over for a competitive 138.
After lunch, College launched the run chase. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, and at six for 80-odd, victory was drifting out of reach. Enter Caleb Manson, the youngest member of the side, who batted with composure well beyond his years to score an unbeaten 45. He was ably supported by Porter, who capped off an outstanding all-round performance with a brisk 32. Together, they steered CC to a win with several overs to spare.
Of note, the team featured alumni from 1995–2021 – a testament to the enduring connection of the Christ’s College cricket community.
Fittingly, the Man of the Match was awarded to standout batsman Caleb Manson.
Ben Walker (11512)
Christ's College Old Boy
Front row: Jim Blakely, Monty Rookes, Caleb Manson, James Thomson, Adam Neylon, Ben Walker
Back row: Harry Peeters, (Davison Junior), Rupert Davison, Charlie Porter, Hugo Davison (Davison Junior), Henry Holderness