Welcome to Wizzy News for this week – our weekly roundup of news and events at Wisborough Green Cricket Club.

A weather affected week of cricket with a number of junior games called off because of overnight rain on Friday night . Our seniors however managed to get in their games on Saturday and Sunday as did our under 14’s on Sunday morning.

Friday evening training

As its half term only a few of our age groups will be training on Friday evening .

No training for the following groups :

• Under 7,6 and 5
• Under 8 & 9
• Under 11
• Under 11 girls
• Under 13/15 girls

There will however be training for the Under 10’s , under 12’s and under 14’s

Please note that there won’t be a BBQ on Friday evening

RunWisborough – next Sunday 8 June at 9:30

We are looking forward to welcoming runners from far and wide to our annual RunWisborough event on Sunday week – hope you have got your entry in !

Runners in previous years have always commented on how warm and welcoming the village is and we hope that everyone will get into the spirit of the event as in previous years.

Please be aware that there will be road closures on the day and the organisers have written to residents outlining the plans for the race. Please click here for a copy of the letter to residents . Thank you in advance for your patience.

Honours Boards

Congratulations to all those who have made it onto the Honours Board this week

Upcoming Fixtures

Hard copies of the Fixture Card are available in the Pavilion – please click here for an electronic version of the fixture card

All of our age group fixtures are available on the ECB’s Playcricket website – please click here

Another busy week on fixtures ahead :

• First X1 are away to West Chiltington at 1pm on Saturday
• Second X1 are at home to Crawley at 1pm on Saturday
• Ladies Softball team are at home to Fernhurst on Sunday morning at 10:30
• Twenty 20 X1 are away to Chiddingfold on Wednesday at 6pm
• Under 13 girls are at home to Horsham on Tuesday evening
• Under 11’s are away to Southwater on Tuesday evening
• Under 10’s are at home to West Chiltington on Saturday morning

Please come along and support our players if you can – they really do appreciate seeing familiar faces

Team selections

Team selections for this week:

Welcome home DJ and great to see First X1 debutants Nick Reed (age 16) and Josh Raper 💪

Date for your diaries

Presidents Day – Sunday 29 June

Plans are well under way for our Presidents Day on 29 June – please do make a note in your diary for our annual event which promises to another great afternoon on the Green.

The day starts with drinks at 12pm followed by lunch at 1pm and the much anticipated Presidents vs Chairman’s 30 over match which starts at 2pm.

There will be lots of prizes on offer during the afternoon so please do try and come along if you can

Match reports

First X1 vs West Wittering

After covering the pitch to keep the overnight rain off the Wizzy Road the toss was going to be crucial. Unfortunately for Wis the coin fell Caddy’s way and they put us in. Having lost Junior to illness on Saturday morning, Hunter was drafted in to the side!

• The returning Vickery in partnership with Will Crombie looked to carry on from where they left off from the ill fated 7th September 2024 evening….. and at first things were going well. Both began strongly finding the boundary regularly, though West Witt plugged the gaps and fielded brilliantly to limit the damage.
• ⁠Vickery was bowled by a good yorker and Crombie got over excited – having finally timed a back cut he ran and when sent back by Dixon was out to a direct hit
• ⁠Will Dixon took up the mantle and was smashing it to all parts, getting to 45 in around 35 balls
• ⁠the Green were going ok at 90 odd for 3 when Will was bowled trying to smash the leather off another
• Oscar got a good one to leave Hunter and Farmer to rebuild . Both got to double digits before getting bowled and caught respectively
• ⁠Joey Calder Smith came and went without any repeat of his birthday heroics
• ⁠Juan Vorster delivered a few lusty blows to show his new bat can deliver
• ⁠Matt Ritchie got triggered to one that looked a tad leg sided
• ⁠Dave Griffiths and Wolfie Finger , the last wicket pair, looked calm and settled building us slowly to another couple of batting points – ⁠that was until Dave sold Wolfie down the river, to leave the Bubble undefeated on 2 n.o.
• Tea was taken and with the oppo umpire clearly keen to get it done and dusted we had a rapid turnaround
• ⁠Oscar opened up down the hill and having not seen him bowl quick for a year or so both the batsmen and slip cordon were surprised by his pace
• ⁠Oscar and Dave bowled well but batsmen, whilst not looking comfortable, did a good job of keeping out the good ones and putting away anything slightly loose
• ⁠Dixon came on down the hill and again bowled well, whilst perhaps a little short, but we couldn’t find the breakthrough
• ⁠In came Wolfie to take pace off and he did for Caddy in his 3rd over – Harry Hunter with a smart catch
• ⁠Joey came on down the hill and again bowled well but with little reward
• ⁠Vickery brought himself on and with his first ball, a deadly, virtually unplayable wide long hop, picked up the wicket of the other opener – Dave Griffiths taking the catch cleanly 🧐
• ⁠Vickery got number 4, this time with quite a good ball – taking a caught and bowled
• ⁠Number 5 looked strong and proved he could hit it a long way to wrap things up

West Witt taught us a few things – 1) really tight fielding builds pressure and frustration leading to key wickets 2) Full and straight gets wickets. I’m not convinced there was such a big margin between the sides as the scorecard suggests – it was a very good toss to win.

On to top of the league next week – where if we all perform to our best there is no reason we can’t get a good result.

Please click here for the full scorecard

Dan Vickery – Captain

Thanks as always to Chris Marshall for some great pics

Second X1 vs Horley

What a come down from our victory against Horsham last week. This week, we were mercilessly put to the sword by a better team. But we made it easier for them by not really turning up, making some basic mistakes, poor captaincy and dropping a load of catches.

As always it was a great privilege to share the field on a Saturday afternoon with this team, but we could and should have done better. WGCC invited them to bat on what looked like a damp, ploughed field. Harry Maggs and Frank were miserly, Josh had an uncharacteristic off day. Monty Palmer bowled nicely to get three wickets all bowled (and a smart catch), and Callum’s fielding was exemplary after a night on the sauce. But the rest of the catching was poor (I think about 10 went down throughout the afternoon) and we let them accumulate runs steadily. Horley 231 after 40.

Despite overwhelming confidence that we had the batting line up to match, conditions worsened as the pitch dried. Their bowling was a lesson in line and length and no-one really ever felt “in”. WGCC wickets tumbled regularly and it become a race for bonus points. WGCC stumbled to 89 off 38 all out shortly after drinks and we headed home with tails between our legs to commiserate in the Pav with the 1s.

Bit humbling, bit frustrating, a lot motivating for next week. Back on the Green with record availability. Let’s go again.

Please click here for the full scorecard

Tim Palmer – Captain

Sunday Supplements vs Crawley Eagles

On Sunday May 25th, we entertained Crawley Eagles on The Green. Following a very successful fixture last year, they were so keen to return, that they cancelled a pre-arranged fixture with another club to play the mighty Wisborough Green Sunday Supplements. The picturesque village green is perhaps a far cry from some grounds on offer.

The Sunday side is rarely finalised much in advance. This week was no different and Wolfie Finger was a welcome last-minute call up. He opened the bowling with Harry Maggs and between them clipped the Eagles wings from the start. Wolfie took the top of off stump, Harry removed their other opener. A young chap batting at 3 was perhaps too eager to get off the mark and charged towards his very stationary, more experienced partner when a run was never an option. Nick Reed dutifully ran him out and ruined his day. At 15-3, we were the ones flying – not Crawley

Enter Muhammed Rizwan. Not the Pakistan ODI captain thankfully, but a useful enough namesake none the less. He brought the Eagles back on track with a fine 50. Oscar Warmington significantly upped the pace when he came on to bowl. Keeper Reed was standing well back but Oscar’s balls were still rising when they reached him. His 7 overs for 10 runs came for no reward, but he bowled beautifully. He did however get the umpire to raise his finger and give the batsman out once LBW. The young batman protested and shook his head all the way back to the pavilion. At which point Oscar himself confirmed the batsman had indeed middled it, and we rightly brought him all the way back. Josh Dixon also teased and tempted the batsmen. He came away empty handed despite a tidy spell. Monty Palmer eventually removed Rizwan (that’s worth a cheeky boast at school). Josh Braddock and Nick Reed combined for a fine stumping.

The general idea of Sunday cricket is to try and get everyone into the game. If people are going to give up their Sunday, I want them to at least feel they had the opportunity to contribute with either bat or ball. Buddy Edwardes had been busy in the field, but I had heard his off spin was developing. When I asked him if he fancied a bowl, he couldn’t have looked less keen. He reluctantly said he’d bowl an over but happily leave it there if things weren’t working for him.

4 wickets later, both Buddy and I were glad he took that risk. He bowled with great skill and control to wrap up the Eagles innings with a few overs to spare.

Tea was a Cricks affair. A fine smattering of sausage sandwiches, tuna mayo, egg, gluten and dairy free options, pesto pasta, spicey rice. Scones provided by the Maggs family were a delight.

Opening up for the Green, we had Oscar Warmington and Phil Maggs. Crawley Eagles are a chirpy lot. Plenty of banter in the field – none of which we could understand. I presume they were complimenting the batsmen. The ball was nipping around from the start. First ball of the second over, an inswinging yorker trapped Phil Maggs on his big toe right in front of middle stump. A stalwart of Sunday cricket, it was a shame for Phil that he got that ball so early on. Later that over Oscar also received and absolute pearler nipping back to hit his off stump behind his bat/pad combo. His bewildered faced was much like Mike Gatting’s when Warne had bamboozled him at Edgbaston.

Harry Hunter however, was getting the better of the bowlers. He plays the ball so late and his timing is spot on. The ball was effortlessly pinging to the boundary and he quickly moved to 24 from 24. Sadly he mistimed a short one and paddled the ball straight back to the bowler’s hands. Nick Reed looked comfortable, waiting for the bad ball and then punishing it, until he nicked one to the keeper. Wolfie Finger made a solid 10 before mistiming a pull and top edging to midwicket. Monty Palmer played some cracking shots, with the ball pinging off his lovely Newbury blade. He made a fine 23. There was a time when Palmer Junior and Maggs Junior were batting, while Palmer Senior and Maggs Senior were umpiring. William Hill stopped taking bets on LBW during that period.

When Maggs Junior departed (not LBW), it brought Sunday Captain Chris Marshall to the crease. Having not even faced a ball in the nets this season, the team’s expectations were as low as his. We still had plenty of time left in the game if only we could stop losing wickets. Marshall’s batting generally makes Boycott look flamboyant. The plan was that his forward defensive would come in handy while the young chaps scored runs at the other end. It didn’t quite work out like that. Marshall opted for 4th gear from the start and hit 26 from 21 balls. Unheard of since 2005. When he departed to a one handed catch at cover, it was left to Josh Braddock and Buddy Edwardes. Josh bats very correctly. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with in a few years. He notched up 8 before being caught.

Enter Wisborough Legend – Josh Dixon. Nobody strides to the crease with greater intent than Joshy. His steely eyes focused, he knew his job was to bring home the bacon. First ball, front foot forward and CRASH – immaculate straight drive to the pavilion. A few of the crowd weren’t expecting that, so – second ball CRASH – Josh repeated the shot with the same result. The crowd went wild. There is nothing more joyous on a cricket field than when Josh Dixon starts hitting boundaries. The only person who didn’t look surprised was Josh himself – who assumes he will take 5 wickets and score 50 every game.

The cameo didn’t last sadly, and when Josh missed a straight one, it was Game Over. 118 chasing 147 was no disgrace. Everyone (except the unfortunate Phil Maggs) came away feeling they had got something out of the game. The opposition were a delight, the tea was marvellous and a great day of Sunday Cricket was had by all.

Please click here for the full scorecard

Chris Marshall – Captain

Thanks as always to Chris Marshall and Chris Bryant for some great pics

Under 14 vs Roffey

Match report by Will Spiers (age 13)

On an overcast windy day captain for the day William (me) lost the toss and Wisborough were put into bat.
With the ball swinging and bouncing off the wicket batting was tricky. Harry Maggs retired on 31 with other contributions coming from me, Buddy, Bella and Henry Foden to get us to a score of 131 for 7.

In return Roffey were bowled out for 89 with wickets shared between Harry M, Henry B, Henry G, Jack and Ahaan.

Will Spiers – Captain

Please click here for the full scorecard

…and finally – spotted out and about …

When your team is having a bad day spare a thought for Richmond 4th X1 … (thanks to all those who sent this in)

That’s it for this week.

If there is anything we need to know you know where to find us

Have a great cricketing week 🏏😊

Cheers

Wizzy