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2024 President : Ed Phillips

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Horspath legend Max Eason dies aged 76

Max Eason, an SOA member, but better known as the leading figure at Horspath Cricket Club, died suddenly on Saturday March 2nd aged 76 while on a walk near the village of Brill where he lived.

A big man in stature and heart, he was a colossus at Horspath. In an association spanning nearly 60 years, he was a player, 1st & 2nd XI captain, chairman, secretary, fixture secretary, welfare officer, groundsman, youth cricket manager and bar manager. Above that he was a welcoming figure to anybody who appeared on the ground.

An opening batsman, whose trademark shot was a flashing square cut, Max played for the SOA in the 1970s and 1980s and managed a number of games.

He was a great advocate of young players being integrated into senior club cricket. Among those youngsters were his three sons, Alex, Robbie and Will, the latter two playing for Oxfordshire and the SOA.

Last September, his work for Horspath was recognised by the Oxfordshire Cricket Board with a life time achievement award.

Educated at Lord Williams Thame, he was also a noted second row forward for Chinnor Rugby Club, and was proud to have been named in their all-time best XV.

2024 Western Tour

“Nothing, perhaps, distinguishes the SOA more strikingly from most other clubs than the Western Tour… Some of the most memorable experiences of the season are often from the tour…. Only a small handful of wandering clubs have kept their tour, and whether it will exist for SOA members in its present form in 2033 is anyone’s guess”   A P Lurcock 2008

Pleasingly, thanks to an ever enthusiastic and wonderfully diverse collection of players, officials and families, the tour continues to thrive and goes from strength to strength – we still retain many of the long-standing fixtures and marvellous venues to play cricket that have been mainstays of the tour fixture list for an age – long may it continue as we head towards that centenary year milestone.

Details of this year's tour are available here

To apply, please click here

SOA Wanderers

In case it may amuse perusers of the SOA website here’s a picture to remind everyone that the players of yesteryear are still out and about on regular walks, this time in February sunshine among the hills near Stonor. L to R Tony Lurcock, Andrew Moss and Michael Knox.

Sam Shrouder

Members will be sorry to learn that Sam Shrouder, a fine cricketer and excellent companion died in November.

Sam made a number of appearances for SOA when his commitments with the Apollo Group allowed. He was Chief Executive of the group, leading the management of 26 venues including the New Theatre in Oxford. 

Remembered by Richard Allan as an extremely useful player and by Andrew Moss as the most genial of companions with a laugh that could rattle the rafters of any pavilion, Sam invariably made an impact on the game. In his obituary in The Stage magazine it was said that he would have preferred to be a professional cricketer than a theatre manager. 

His sporting interests ranged beyond cricket and he was Life President of Southport Football Club, where a stand is named after him. One of their directors said on his death: “Sam was the most wonderful person anybody could wish to meet.”


Annual Dinner 2023

After a four-year absence, the Club Dinner returned thanks to the energy and drive of our President. Nearly 50 members, including 18 former Presidents, and guests attended the Cotswold Lodge Hotel in Oxford for a most enjoyable evening.

Nick Bishop reviewed the year in an amusing speech before handing over the SOA presidential blazer to his successor Ed Phillips. Another 'Marvellous' night!

Fixture List

2018 Fixtures — List page from Classic Sites

Match Results

Results — List page from Classic Sites