News

We were sad to learn of the death of Panto Berendt last month. Panto was a long-time member of the OACC and former Hon. Secretary to the Club. Many OAs will remember his warm and witty season reports in The Journal, including this one below.

OACC Report 1989

You will not be startled to learn that the sun shone brightly on the OACC this summer. Water shortages meant wickets were not always of the highest quality, maintaining a balance between bat and ball, but outfields were lightning quick. Performances against Hampstead, Guards, Bluemantles, Gentlemen of Staffordshire and Eton Ramblers were particularly disappointing. Such performances do not reflect the talent available to the Club, which is greater than at any time in my memory. The Club has been strengthened not only by the addition of new members playing for the first time, but also by the maturing of the younger members; more than compensating for the maturing of the older members. It is appropriate to single out a few: Nick Derbyshire, who adds a formidable edge to our Cricketer Cup opening attack; Piers Lucas, whose maiden century will be the first of many; Ben SimondsGooding and Giles Cummings who added flight and guile; and(a late developer) Mark Butler, who is a fearsome sight in full flight with the new ball. The Cricketer Cup, the most important event in our cricketing calendar, provided the greatest disappointment,but nonetheless much hope for the future. Had we met Malvern in the final, not the first round, we would have been well satisfied with the performance on the day. With the addition of one more batsman of quality, we should have a side with sufficient depth to win the Cup in the near future. The commitment is already there, for which much credit must go to Pip Fitzherbert. We were unlucky to lose both Pip and Julian Barrett early on to good deliveries. David O'Kelly, who maintained his extraordinarily consistent record with 78, and Dominic Harrison (54) put on 98 for the third wicket. The stand ended sadly with a run out which heralded a middle order collapse redeemed only by Chris Ainscough (26n.o.) who steered us to 208. Nick Derbyshire then bowled a marvellous opening spell, taking 3 for 12 in 4 overs and having Tunnicliffe dropped before he set off on the way to a match winning century. As the ball softened so our hopes faded, but the margin was not so great as the 5 wicket victory might suggest. Next year we meet Downside in what I hope will be their vespers and our matins. The Ampleforth weekend is the occasion when the Club meets together as a family, rejoining its parents at the family seat, worshipping in the family church, eating at the family table and playing cricket in the nursery. Bathed in sunshine with a warm breeze wafting down the valley, it was incomparable. The warmth of the welcome we received was likewise; it needs no greenhouse effect. Fr Dominic, Fr Felix, Fr Charles and Geoff Thurman reflected the radiance of the weather and the patience of Job. To them and the whole community our sincere thanks is due for taking us back into the bosom of the family for another year. The tour is the family on holiday without its parents. I cannot claim that it sees the Club on its best behaviour; the hair comes down ever so slightly under the avuncular gaze of Miles (Wright) and Adrian (and Caroline Brennan). The value of their sponsorship of the Club is inestimable. The results perhaps betrayed the quality of the entertainment, but they were nonetheless adequate. The tour was ably managed by Paul Ainscough (or was it his new spouse Alex, nee Dick). Many others contributed to a summer on which we can look back with appropriate nostalgia. Willoughby and Caris Wynne hosted the AGM; my parents put food in stomachs on numerous occasions; Francis and Katy Stafford and Morag, Lady Stafford entertained us royally in their county; The Count and the Countess Krasinski provided the most lavish spread seen on a cricket field outside of Warsaw; and Caroline Hadcock never failed to get Pip and Rambo to matches on time.

The family know that a number of OA’s would have liked to attend Panto’s funeral in January and are holding a Memorial Service on the 27th May, details below.

Julia, Susan, Hermione, Ottilie and Titus invite you to participate in a celebration of Anthony (Panto) Berendt’s life as you are able and see fit on Friday 27th May:

2pm Memorial Service and Reception at Sandon Hall Stafford www.sandonhall.co.uk  by kind permission of his Cousins Conroy and Caroline, the Earl and Countess of Harrowby.

By car: Sandon Village is on the junction of the A51 and the B5066, about 10 minutes from M6 junction 14, marked Stafford North and Stone. Access to Sandon Hall is on the East side of the A51, opposite the War Memorial, SATNAV postcode ST18 0DL.

By train: Stafford Station on the West Coast line from Euston is around 15 minutes from Sandon.