Honours Boards for this week

Congratulations to all the players who feature on the Honours Board this week.

Match reports

First X1 vs Barns Green

So it was that time of the year again – the final league match of the season. With nothing to play for and both teams holding their place in the division, Barns Green won the toss and elected to bat.

A fast start from the home team saw the ball being dispatched around BG. The score was on around 40 when they took on Willbo’s arm and a great bit of glovework from DV saw one of the openers fall. Farmer then brought himself on and removed the other, with a good catch from Hugo.

It was BGs oversees who then began to assert his authority, turning up to the game on a horse and his cricket helmet – he was in the mood to hoof it around the park. With the scores on around 102-2 at the half way stage, a huge score was on the cards for the home side.

Nick Klein the all-rounder came on and pitched a ball on the wicket to dangerman who marched down and smashed it out to the boundary, where a young Harry Hunter (on first team debut) took a great catch. It was great to see a young lad keen to work on his game and go to nets each week and improve to take what turned out to be a match winning catch. Kleiny then with his back up ripped through BGs middle order, ending with figures of 27 for 4 in his 8 overs. He even ran someone out from the boundary attempting a 3.

From 102-2 at the half way point , Wisborough had the whole team back in the pavilion for 167.

The now normal pair of Janion and SCS strode into the middle and made a steady start before James cut one to backward point. SCS continued his fine season, while Dan Vickery showed promise with an aggressive mantra before skying one to the spinners first ball… Watts also fell soon after being bowled through the gate. That left Farmer and SCS at the crease – the two form men with the bat for the season. With the score on around 50/4 they had some work to do with the two main Barns Green bowlers determined to not set up the tail to wag. Farmer did the hard part and then smashed the BG overseas straight down mid offs throat. But where we looked like throwing away a match winning position, enter MOM Nick (I’m a batting-bowler) Klein. First ball 6, and that set the tone for a clean striking innings. 58 fine runs with around 50 of those dealt in boundaries. This put BG on the back foot and even with a slight wobble, the calm Will Dixon and Ollie Stott saw us over the line, with 6 overs spare.

Another great league campaign for the green – the first without a batting overseas in a while. 6th place finish in the end too, which was a nice bonus. Farmer out….

Click here for the full scorecard

Second X1 vs West Wittering

The final 2nd team game of the season turned out to be a make or break relegation battle. As the Green was out of action, our “home” ground was Broadbridge Heath. We were very grateful for the picturesque set up there. The sun was out and although we were a man down at the start (Tim Dodd heroically stepping in at the last minute), we knew a decent cricket match was on the cards.

West Wittering won the toss and elected to bat. Oscar Warmington and Eddie Ragg provided our youthful opening bowling partnership. Both bowled extremely tightly in their first spell. The breakthrough came however, from the arm of Richard Wilson, who released a missile from midwicket that sent the stumps cartwheeling with his direct hit.

Juan Vorster took his time to find his line, but there were enough good balls to suggest he was finding his rhythm. A few overs into his spell he started to bowl beautifully, moving the ball in the air and off the seam. He has been an excellent signing this season, not just for his bowling but his late order batting and solid fielding too.

Chris Marshall and Josh Dixon provided some tight overs of spin, while Jack Dixon and George Nicholls turned their arms over for a few overs each.

West Wittering kept the score ticking along but nothing for Wisborough to worry about. Then out walked a most unusual looking cricketer. With long bleached blond surfer hair spilling out of his helmet – he looked like a combination of Worzel Gummage and Jamie Self. Unfortunately his batting was anything but scruffy, and he quickly took our bowling apart. His clean hitting was something to behold. At one point we had 4 men on the long on / long off boundary. He kept either clearing them or piercing the field. His 90 not out brought West Wittering’s total to 204-6.

This still seemed an achievable target, and with a new opening partnership, Chris Marshall and Oscar Warmington set off at quite a pace. One popped on Oscar and he ballooned it to mid wicket. Marshall’s speed between the wickets was over estimated by Richard Wilson, although the theatrical pantomime dive was a sight to behold. (See the same from him at Dorking Halls this Christmas).

Wilson and Jack Dixon batted beautifully – the ball flying off the middle to rival “Bondi Bill” from Wittering. While Richard was at the crease, all things seemed possible. His 67 was a class act. Sadly caught on the boundary, once he was gone, the runs dried up. Ken Vickery and Tim Dodd looked ever youthful, but between them and a flash cameo from Josh Dixon – it wasn’t quite enough.

All out for 180. With result elsewhere going against us – the mighty 2’s will drop a division for next season. Let’s see this as an opportunity to gain some confidence and bounce back.

Many thanks to Chris Marshall for the great pics.

Click here for the full scorecard

Under 12 Hundred vs against Steyning

The U12s finished the season with a friendly Hundred game away against Steyning.

Coaches and parents were as excited as the players to try this novel format and it did not disappoint. Played under blue skies and the beautiful back drop of the South Downs we set a short boundary, an inner ring for the power play and even made white cards for the umpires to signal when the second 5 balls of a set would be bowled by the same bowler!

It was certainly challenging for the umpires to work the slightly different rules but kids being kids they lapped it up and provided a real spectacle for the supporting crowds. Wisborough got early wickets leading many to think this may be a whitewash but Steyning’s middle order dug in and set us as a respectable 98 to chase.

When we started quite slowly there were murmurs from the stands that this wouldn’t be easy. But our openers Xander Boyce and George Redgrove went up the gears and put on an incredible partnership of 69 before both leaving the wicket in the same over. From then on it was plain sailing with Wisborough winning by 8 wickets.

Our players of the day were Zander and George for their partnership and Joe Aspdin for taking 3 great wickets in the last 10 balls of the game! Well done U12s on a wonderful win to cap an excellent season.

Click here for the full scorecard