Concordia Magazine 2025

Graham Prodger

(1950–1954)

Graham’s work took him to Scotland in 1968, a year after he had married Gill, and he played for Greenock for several years. He also played for Kilmacolm, his home village. He became Club President of Greenock in 1987 and 1988 and recently was elected an Honorary Vice-President. He retired to Mousehole in 1990 and later moved to Newlyn; he played cricket for Paul, a local village, for about ten years. OMTs toured regularly and Graham organised the Kent tour for several years. He also played for The Frogs and Jaipur Wanderers, both touring sides. There is a saying that ‘what goes on tour stays on tour’ and I don’t intend to ignore it save for the following. In 1965 Graham organised a cricket tour by Jaipur Wanderers to Corfu. The pitch in Corfu Town was a matting strip laid on concrete and the outfield was a stony car park. When we fielded we were always a man short. Graham would disappear into one of the bars surrounding the playing area, fully aware that the ball would not reach him quickly because of the nature of the outfield. If the ball did come in his direction, he left his drink, fielded the ball, threw it to the wicketkeeper and, to the approval of the locals, went back to his drink. During another match, one of the batsmen hit a good shot. At that moment King Constantine of Greece drove by and the sizeable crowd all stood and started to cheer. The batsman looked up and was about to acknowledge the applause, only to realise that it was not for him. In Cornwall Gill played golf and tennis but Graham decided not to, preferring to spend time gardening, a great passion in his later years. Graham had a catchphrase: ‘mine’s a pint!’ — a good way to toast the memory of a dear, genuine friend. David Cameron (1957–1963)

I first met Graham in 1960 when I was playing cricket and fives for Merchant Taylors’ School against the Old Merchant Taylors, for which he was playing. Graham left School a few years before I arrived, having played for the first teams at cricket and fives. He was friendly, gracious and enthusiastic and inspired me and others to enjoy playing sport and, importantly, to socialise with our opposition afterwards. Graham was ambidextrous, an advantage in fives as you need to use both hands, in padded gloves, to hit a hard ball. He was an unconventional player with a variety of shots in his locker. His reactions were quick, so he stood a little nearer the front wall than most players, enabling him to cut short rallies with his drop shots and volleys. His regular doubles partner, Paul Coker, was cautious and dependable and would often give Graham an admonishing look when the latter lost concentration and attempted an outrageous shot that failed to come off. Graham would ignore him. Nevertheless, in 1963, he and Paul reached the semi-finals of the national doubles championship. As a cricketer, Graham was among the best fielders I have seen. Patrolling the covers, he resembled a panther stalking its prey. He could throw equally well with either hand from the boundary and had an extraordinary ability to look at one set of stumps and throw accurately to the other end. David Smee, our wicketkeeper, was known to Graham as morose. But David would always smile when a batsman, thinking Graham was left-handed, placed a ball to his right-hand side, assumed there was an easy run, saw him pick it up in his right hand and in the same motion return the ball like a bullet into David’s gloves. Out by a mile — and a puzzled look on the batsman’s face! As a batsman, he pre-empted the Bazballers of today. He often tried to hit his first ball for six and when it came off he could change games in minutes.

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