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

Congratulations to our Ladies team who won their final hard ball match of the season against Southwater on Thursday evening and in so doing finished top of the league. This is particularly noteworthy as it is their first season of playing hardball cricket. Well done Ladies 🎉👏👏👏

Friday evening training

All the age groups have finished training for the season except for the Under 10’s and the Under 11’s who will be training ahead of their final match of the season against each other on Saturday morning. The under 10’s will be training from 6pm – 7pm and the Under 11’s from 7pm – 8pm.

Congratulations

Congratulations to all those who have made it onto the club’s Honours Boards 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

Upcoming fixtures this week :

• First X1 are away to Arundel at 12:30 on Saturday (note earlier start)
• Second X1 are at home to Goring at 12:30 on Saturday (note earlier start)
• Under 11’s vs Under 10’s at home on Saturday morning at 9:15

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

Team selections

Team selections for this week:

Match reports

First X1 vs Aldwick

Another 30 escapes….

• We lost the toss but would have had a bowl anyway
• Good bowling, early inroads and taking catches mean Wisborough were on top with Aldwick were 95-7
• Frustratingly let them get to 160 – at least 40 more than they should have got but nevertheless gettable
• Wisborough start positively but the ump sees to that with his quick finger draw
• Tommy digs really deep with the green 18-3, him and Oscar start building to almost rescues the game
• Oscar commendably walks when no-one knew he gloved it, and Tommy when back on a variable deck meaning we were 100-7
• Could Junior and the tail get us home a la Chichester away
• With balls running out Junior pushed hard and was supported well by Callum and then Dave but we couldnt quite get over the line
• Losing by 22 runs – giving them 22 wides compared to the 6 they gave us the main difference

Please click here for the full scorecard

Dan Vickery – Captain

Second X1 vs Crawley Eagles

Such is the sophistication of the Wisborough Green set up that we now have a full-time analyst preparing detailed reports that build a high-performance culture within the club. His conclusions have left us all thinking about the game in very new ways, and hopefully we shall see the benefits of this resource in player performances over the coming weeks.

Otherwise known as Tarni Dixon, this week’s fascinating analysis came in the form of detailed research of dismissals in test matches from the dawn of time till the present day. This startling conclusion is that catches really do win matches. (This correspondent has seen hard evidence that other work on Tarni’s desk includes questioning the location of lavatorial habits of bears, and a detailed expose of the Pope’s religious affiliations.)

It was a pity that the seconds didn’t read Tarni’s report before their game against top-of-the-league Crawley Eagles on Saturday where they dropped 5 fairly easy catches and managed to lose (as they have for the last 4 games) a match they should have won. Its hard not to think about what might have been and we must all face questions about our ability to put teams away when we get them in difficulties.

There was not much to talk about from the game apart from seeing Wolfie register his maiden 50 for the club, a valiant effort in a battling run chase. Congratulations to Wolfie. Pride at stake for the last 2 games against bottom of the table opposition.

Can we end the season on a high? Be sure to buy your copy of Wizzy News next week to find out.

Please click here for the full scorecard

Tim Palmer – Captain

Thanks to Chris Marshall for some great pics

Vickery X1 vs Spiers X1

It always gets me going when asked to write few words about the memorial match – because for me this day is so much more than just a cricket match. Reflecting on the day there was only really one way to make it better – and that was if dad was there to enjoy it with us. It got me thinking about the last match I played with Kenny – it was a great game down at Stirlands in June 2019 (https://wisboroughgreen.play-cricket.com/website/results/3847854), Captain Franky in fact hit the winning runs that day with just two balls remaining. Youngsters Eddie Ragg and Will Dixon bowling, Joey Calder Smith hitting an amazing unbeaten 94 to bring us home with Frank. It was a game I remember well but with Covid impacting 2020 and then me playing 1s in 2021 it meant it was the last time I shared a pitch both my brother and my dad – I really wish I savoured the moment more. 

So with that in mind, lets make sure we savour every moment and every match we have together. We are very privileged to play at such a beautiful setting with so many friends around us. And when you have a day like we did on Sunday it is so special and really does remind me that the spirit of Kenny (along with Malc and other loved ones we have lost) lives on with us – in the way we play the game (always with a smile), in putting on a cracking tea (every week at Wisborough), in the way we celebrate (win or lose), in the quick witted banter we give each other on the pitch (very Malc), and in bringing people together – making cricket the beating heart of the community throughout the summer! 

Sunday really was another day to saviour and here were some very brief highlights and thank yous: 

• Perfect day on the green with a brilliant buzz – one which Kenny would have absolutely loved – so many families picnicing, kids playing cricket, spectators enjoying the cricket and old friends bantering
• Another great game of cricket with some brilliant performances from young and old
• Congratulations to the Spiers XI on the victory – 2-1 in the series and I am already looking forward to going again next year
• Thank you to everyone that helped make another amazing cricket tea – I am certain we would have a queue at the pav every week if we served teas like that week in week out (exactly how Kenny and Malc would have done it)
• Thanks also to Rob, Suzana and of course Peter and Darren for scoring and umpiring
• We raised a total of £2,212.50 for MacMillan Midhurst which is absolutely incredible from one game of cricket – thank you to all those that contributed, this money really does impact lives!

Please click here for the full scorecard

Dan Vickery – Club Captain

Thanks to Chris Marshall for the great pics

Under 16 vs Eastergate

Please click here for the full scorecard

Under 10 friendly vs Petworth

Match report by Asher Broadhead – Captain

This week we played Petworth, for the first time, at home on a beautiful sunny morning. With only 8 players we played a 20 over match and after winning the toss I opted to put our opponents in to bat first in the hope we could get a beatable run score.

Charlie took a fantastic early wicket against one of their strongest batsmen and Barnaby also took one to get us off to a strong start. Seth also took two wickets bowling them out impressively with George taking 4 wickets and Thomas, 3 lead us to reducing them to just 304 runs to beat.

Petworth had a couple of very strong bowlers with Jack taking 4 wickets in a row which we could do very little to stop. My brother, Isaac got 3 late boundaries and myself and Seth formed a great partnership as we chased down their total to win with 331 runs.

Charlie was deservedly player of the match with another great batting performance as we have come to expect. I enjoyed captaining our team to a good win and I look forward to seeing my brother take on the responsibility next Saturday vs the U11’s.

Asher Broadhead – Captain

And finally

As it’s back to school shortly ..

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