Although the new hockey and rugby seasons are only a few weeks old, both senior sides have made good starts.
The OCRFC lie in fourth place in London 3 South West with four wins in five matches, their only loss at leaders Old Emanuel 27-31 after leading by 21 points at the break. Including in the four wins was a 93-0 drubbing of Basingstoke.
The OCHC 1st XI have won both their league matches to sit top of South 1, with the 5-1 defeat of last season’s form side Bromley and Beckenham an indication that this young side is likely to enjoy a strong campaign. The OCHC has also fielded a third and fourth ladies side for the first time and now turns out ten sides every Saturday.
The OCCC finished a frustrating summer at Hampshire Hogs with a match curtailed by rain, an apt conclusion after the second half of the summer which washed out most games.
Individually, it was a very successful summer for OC cricketers, none more so than Ollie Pope who was named Surrey’s KIA Young Player of the Year as well as the Supporters Club Young Player of the Year. An ever-present in the country’s T20 side, he also scored his maiden first-class hundred in August and was named as one of the ECB’s Overseas Placement selections, spending much of the winter in Sydney.
Michael Burgess was drafted into the Sussex side as injury cover in May and impressed with his keeping and batting, so much so that he was awarded a one-year contract. He polished off the season with a career-best 146 in the Championship match against Hampshire.
Jolyon Palmer’s two –year stint in Formula One came to an end at Suzuka when he stepped aside early to allow his replacement Renault, Carlos Saintz, to take over. Palmer underlined his ability with a career-best sixth place in the Singapore GP. His younger brother, Will, has enjoyed a very successful campaign in the 2017 Formula Renault Eurocup, heading into the final round in Spain at the end of the month with a chance of the title. He has won at Monaco, Silverstone and Monza.
Cranleigh’s continuing success in rugby is reflected by the number of OCs now playing professionally, with Dino Lamb Cona the latest addition to the list after making his Harlequins debut last month.
OCs also feature in men’s and ladies’ hockey at the highest level. In September Will Calnan finished the EuroHockey Junior Championship 2017 as joint top scorer, while his younger sister Charlotte was part of the GB Under-21 side which won bronze in the Europeans.