Until another Woodpecker tour is orgnaised (possibly a mini tour at the end of the 2017 season) this page dedicated to the Rossi Tour of 2015 will remain in place for attendees of the tour and fans of Chris Rossi - to reminisce a wonderful tour and the all time legendary Clubman.
Friday 18th September - Sunday 20th September 2015
A Woodpecker Tour to Malmsbury Cricket Club
In Loving Memory of a Woodpecker hero
CHRISTOPHER ROSSI
'THE OLD SEA DOG'
1938 - 2014
This tour to Rossi's other Cricket Club, Malmesbury CC, marked the 1st Anniversary of his death, which happened to coincide with the end of the 2014 season. The members of both clubs, and friends and family who attended Rossi's funeral, decided it would be a fitting memorial to play a weekend of cricket in memory of a true legend of the game.
Friday
8.30am – Cars and Pecker Packer will depart London for Malmesbury. Peckers in Packer meet Clapham Junction at 830
10.30am - Arrive at Malmesbury CC, set up camp, drop bags at hotels etc.
11am - Welcome Guinness's followed by sandwiches at the Old Bell Hotel.
12.30 pm arrive at ground for 1pm start - Chris Rossi XI vs Woodpecker XI - with some Malmesbury CC, plus Rossi family guest appearance..
8pm - Rugby World Cup, England vs Fiji, projected onto the big screen.
Saturday 19th September - Chris Rossi Memorial Tournament
10.30am for an 11am Start The Chris Memorial tournament will commence at 11am. Please arrive at the ground by 1030 for all including those driving down from London. You should leave at 8.30 latest to allow plenty of time . It gets dark at 7pm, so we need to start at 11 to get afull round robin in
4 teams will play in an 10 a side tournament combining 20 peckers and Malmesburyplayers. Teams will be drawn on wednesday
. There will be other special rules –nine over matches –one over per bowler, retire at 24, third ball of each over will be played left handed and last ball each over one handed. We will split matches so you are in the action at all times, and batting teams are ready to go immediately.
So team 1 bats v team 2 –then team 3 bats v team 4 –team 2 bats v team 1 –team 4 bats v team 3 – team 1 bats ve team 4 etc etc
The 11th man on each side will be a life size cardboard cut-out of Rossi, that each captain has to hide in his field in the classic Rossi positions (on the 45, square leg etc). Any batsman that hits it has to chin a pint of guinness immediately. Hitting it on the full is out, and also a half yard of ale. We will remember Rossi in Cricket, Guinness, Games, Stories , Feast and Song! Another thing to be aware of is the ARSE of each team... Explained here by Treas:
"Rossi appears from his room in a delightful canary yellow jumper over a purple and red striped shirt, matched fetchingly with powder blue summer chinos – all set off beautifully by the luminous orange of the Armband of Shame* (ARSE). It was flat as a pancake on one side so I assumed he had slept with it on. “Just off for a couple of bangers….wont be long” he wheezes.."
*Some explanation needed. The ARSE – a childs flotation aid – was awarded each day to the person who had made the biggest arse of themselves. They had to wear it all day/evening. Rossi won it the previous evening for clearing Malmesbury town centre with the most horrendous trouser cough. People were still gagging hours later.
Sunday 20th September:
Recovery.., Pub Lunch back at the Old Bell at 12/ 12.30 and depart back to London.
