Dear all,
Another wet week – let’s hope for some cricket.
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News
Sunday Captain / 6th X1 Captain
We are currently without skippers to lead the Saturday 6th X1 and Sunday 1st X1 (in friendly games). This is becoming an onerous task for our Chair of Cricket, Mark Bartolo, who is having to pick both sides as well as finding fixtures for the 6th X1. If anyone is interested in taking over one of the positions, or assisting with the logistics, then please contact Mark as soon as possible.
Nets
Kasheef Hassan (1st XI player and qualified coach) will be conducting free 1:1 training sessions in the nets using the club bowling machine. If you would like to take this opportunity to develop your batting skills, please sign up using the following link: http://tinyurl.com/7ydmrg8. The first time you use this service you will need to create an account (which is free and takes less than a minute).
Outdoor furniture
We have started to receive some outdoor furniture (thanks Marta!) but need more. If anyone has any benches at home, or are aware of anywhere we can get a job lot of plastic garden chairs, please contact me asap!
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Last weekend’s results:
Saturday
Rained off. 1st X1 League position – 3rd / 9
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A toss lost on an overcast day saw the 2’s bat first against fierce local rivals Sinjuns. What could of been a tough opening spell for the batsman was very well negotiated, chiefly by a 65 run partnership between Langan (54) and Rhys Hayward (36). This solid platform was not effectively utilised, with the middle and lower order not show the necessary patience in order to post a big total. However the 2’s finished on a competitive 176-ao from 49.3 overs. It was clear that a tight fielding and bowling display would be required in order to put the visitors under pressure. the openers rode their luck and it took an excellent run out from Ben Bradley to topple the first wicket. The game then changed with the introduction of Sharif who picked off the Sinjuns middle order, finishing with figures of 8-3-21-4. the modest total was always vulnerable and two lower order Sinjuns players increased the tension as they took the oppo within striking distance. The tension increased and a couple of chances went begging, until Sayif and Blob stepped up to share the last 4 wickets between them and leave the oppo 21 runs short. A much improved fielding display was the difference between the sides, and if the passion and desire shown by the team can be harnessed for the rest of the season we will be more than a match for any team in the league. (P Corns)
2nd X1 League position – 5th / 10
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A stunning win for the 3s, which came after the maximum possible 605 balls, ensured that our campaign continues to gather momentum. A decent bowling performance against a good Esher side was lead once again by the ever-improving Thomas and Safi. Bell, Sowton and Bartolo burgled some useful tight overs (17 at an economy rate less than 3) with each picking up a wicket. The real star of the bowling show, however, was Richard “Craig McMillan” Henderson, who served up some nagging dibbly-dobblers which yielded 3 wickets. The fielding was generally solid (particularly new recruit Imran Hassan, with 2 wickets and a direct hit run out). Catching is still an area to work on, with the skipper being most at fault in this innings with two drops. The responses did not begin well, with Imran, demonstrating the usual level of Afghan Boycottian restraint, going early, soon followed by Thompson. When Bartolo and Jack Hughes (“Emile”) followed relatively soon afterwards, S&M were staring down the barrel at 25-4, chasing 158. Hobbs and Sowton then came together to put on a healthy partnership, each scoring 40-odd, and getting us close. Although the rate never skyrocketed, the constant erosion of wickets and some excellent bowling by Faruk and Isshard meant that the match came down to the last over. 6 needed, and after a few scary moments, some timely extras and some scrambled singles, Matt “Beggsy” Beggs was left on strike needing 2 off the final delivery. A low full toss on leg stump perfectly bisected midwicket and mid-on, and the 3s won a truly magnificent victory. A really good effort where every player contributed and we fought till the very end. Enjoyable as it was, let’s try and secure a more direct victory against Kempton next week. Keep focused, we’re right in the mix. (C Sowton)
3rd X1 League position – 4th / 18
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Rained off. 4th X1 League Position – 9th / 10
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All the rain meant this Mayow Park pitch was under-prepared with some variable bounce, particularly in the Dulwich innings. Mercifully the rain held off to allow to throw the game away from a winning position. Dulwich are a good batting side and put on 50 for the first wicket. Shiraz Sheikh (10-2-20-2) bowled beautifully up the hill, moving the ball both ways and troubling everyone. A vicious delivery from Sheikh was fended off by Pat Rice on to his stumps but the bails stayed on. Tommy Booth-Cole (6-0-30-1) and Jamie Davorn (5-1-20-0) from the top end again showed promise but gave too many loose deliveries to good batsmen. Proving the old saw about rubbish balls taking wickets, Tommy slapped a filthy half tracker down for Bickmore to smash straight in to Davorn’s hands at square leg. The second best celebration of the day saw the shameless Davorn arms and legs akimbo for all the world like a malnourished Flintoff. Shiraz got his just reward with P. Rice bowled and then the dangerous A. Edwards caught well at point by Paul Henley. Paul Henley (5-1-16-2) bowled well again as did Mark Davis (9-2-29-1) and Barrington Wilks (5-0-26-2). Barrington provided the best celebration of the day having dropped one skier there was no way he was going to let another one go. Even if it meant running around in circles and finally diving full length goalkeeper style and clinging on. Barrington roared a roar and danced a ‘boneless man dancing’ (Mike Nicholas) dance that he then tried to claim was a muscle spasm. Dulwich got too many runs but we had bowled and fielded well. Our batting got off to a good start with Tejus Desandi (48) batting with grace and power and Adam Bailey (7) started well. When they had gone and Curtis Knott, Mike Nicholas and Paul Henley followed them a familiar path was being followed. We went from 78-3 to 102 all out with only Shiraz Sheikh (13 not out) offering much resistance. We can play, we are a good side but we need to learn how to bat sensibly and how to close games out efficiently. After 5 overs of our innings with 40 on the board Dulwich were worried. After 35 overs, their worries were over. (L Johnston)
5th X1 League position – 9th / 10
Sunday
More rain…
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/results.asp
This weekend’s games:
Saturday 1st X1 home to Chipstead Coulsdon & Walcountians
2nd X1 away to Thames Ditton
3rd X1 away to Kempton
4th X1 home to Wimbledon
5th X1 away to Blackheath Select
6th X1 TBC
Sunday 1st X1 TBC
2nd X1 TBC
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/fixtures.asp
Best of luck to all the sides.
Dan