Dear all,
Well the main news is that all five Saturday league sides won for the first time in the SMCC’s existence, which puts all teams in the top half of their table. As Roddie Bell put it “Viva SMCC!!”
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Food available after the game on Saturday
Karen Goodchild will be cooking some delicious food after the game for a small charge. On the menu this week: · Beef/Veggie Burgers and Chips · Chicken & broccoli bake with rice and salad
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Last weekend’s results:
Saturday
The 1s travelled to Churt and decided to bowl first on a soft pitch. Patel soon made the breakthrough and took the important wicket of Churt’s overseas (and last week’s centurion) as he got one to nip back. Little did we know at the time, but that wicket largely eradicated Churt’s chances in the game. An early introduction of spin paid immediate dividends, with Mortimore (3-13) finding conditions to his liking. At the other end, Rostami was settling in to a fine spell and end up taking 4-18. Churt ended up 117 all out after some late hitting and a couple of beamers from McGill at an OAP and a kid – no age discrimination here… After tea, it soon became apparent that Churt were understrength, especially in the bowling department. It transpired that all 5 bowlers used the preceding week were unavailable. Thomas and Shah were the only wickets to fall as the hit a long hop and a full toss (respectively) to fielders. Ellis completed his 50 soon before the end as SMCC cantered home after 17.3 overs. More testing games await… (D Ellis)
1st XI League position – 4th / 10
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Two tosses won on a row and I decided to bat to give the batters some much needed practise after last Saturdays comfortable win. All looked good after Martin “Giggsy” Thompson smashed the attack around for about 10 overs after Langan kindly gave away his wicket to up the run rate. 100-1 off 14 and Sayif had a new hero in the (natural blonde) Martin. Some of us had seen this kind of thing all before!! A good first league 50 from Chris Austin and a very useful 33 no from Knotty got us up to 216-8 before hunger struck in the umpires gut and 2 very dubious LBWs closed us on 216.
Only 4 an over seemed a long way off for TD as they found themselves 14-4 after 4 overs. A special over really won us the game very early on. Eldridge at deep mid off took a steepler at deep mid wicket (ok wide mid on ) then a pitched middle hit the top of off got rid of the opener and then 5th ball their skipper went back to a good length dead in front and the now full umpire had no choice but a give a real one. Top bowling by James Blackburn. We then had to work a bit harder for the other 6 but they came as the bowlers enjoyed their day on a helpful track. Another good spell by the young off spinner Januam 2-42 off 10. A good tight spell by Sayif and an unlucky spell by Sh@g backed up the openers Walker and Blackburn showed the strength in depth of the bowlers at SMCC. A much better day in the field by the boys catches held and a couple of good run outs executed-things are looking ok. We look forward to playing early pace setters Oxted at home next week. (M Eldridge)
2nd XI League position – 3rd / 10
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The 3s were looking to get their league campaign back on track away to Ashford, who finished third in the league last season. We got off to a bad start when we lost the toss (I know) but were surprisingly asked to bowl. Sadhwani (2-33) and Haynes (5-74) made quick inroads into Ashford’s batting, leaving them 6 down at drinks. A partnership of 46 briefly stalled us but Culley (2-19) and Willmott (1-15) got us back on track before Haynes finished the innings off for 151. The bowlers were backed by a strong fielding display with everyone working hard to support the excellent bowling and cut off runs, really building the pressure on the Ashford batsmen.
It soon became obvious why Ashford batted first as they opened with spin using the old ball. After an initially good start, Dasandi (7) and Sowton (8) fell in quick succession, making 152 look considerably more challenging. Another wicket would have seriously dented us but number 3 Goodwin (20) put on a match-turning partnership of 64 with Hayward (88 no), who batted superbly. Goodwin’s wicket was soon followed by Bartolo’s (0) but Hobbs (13) and Willmott (4 no) saw us home with ten overs and 5 wickets to spare, the winning runs coming as penalties as a throw from the boundary clattered into the keeper’s discarded helmet. This was a great win and a fantastic effort by the whole team. We’ll be looking to keep up the good work against Staines and Laleham at home on Saturday. (M Begg)
3rd XI League position – Joint 5th / 16
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On a beautiful summers day, the fourth eleven faced Malden Wanderers on what looked like an absolute road. Still, after losing the toss we were put into bat and the day had started badly. Wickets fell regularly with only the captain getting in against the youthful bowling attack. Then came an innings of class, timing and ruthlessness. Dropped on 0, Kasheef Hassan took the bowling apart, looking better with every ball he faced and plundering the bowling to all parts, bringing up his 150* with one of 8 sixes (he also hit 17 fours) and when we declared on 215 for 8; the opposition said “thank you”. At tea, where hotdogs where the order of the day, there was a strange mood in the room. Most in shock at the innings they had just witnessed, some depressed there bowling had just been carted and Henderson questioning whether 53 overs was too much time for MW to get the total.
But he didn’t need to worry. Hughes and Hardy bowled tightly and the wickets started to fall. Young Virun (“hesbetterthanhisbrother” it’s a long nickname and needs some work) Patel, fresh off a year away from cricket, bowled superbly, taking 3 wickets and hitting all three stumps. With 28 overs to go and the opposition deciding that blocking out for a draw was the way forward, spin took over, Osman and Gladstone cleaning up the tail with varying levels of full toss that the batsman just couldn’t leave alone. All out for 83 and a huge win for the first time this season. Still much work to be done on the batting front but it’s a start. (A Henderson)
4th XI League Position – 5th / 10
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Our journey to Avery Hill is uneventful and my concession of the toss inevitable. The track looks soft and green and will prove tricky to bat on all day. A much changed V’s open up with Newton Moss (18) and Ben Church (0). Young Ben contrived a new way to get out this week, slapping a highish full toss (head high beamer according to the young tyro) back to the grateful bowler. The umpire decided it was not a no-ball and that was that. Newton was merciless on anything short and hit three boundaries before perishing to a smart catch off a full blooded square drive. Justin Sbresni (20) settled in for a long stay with a beautifully judged late cut and along with Matt Clark (16) took the score in to the 60’s before both departed quickly. Matt aimed a big shot and was bowled and Justin was trapped in front by the impressive J. Kennor (8-4-14-2). Paul Henly (20) and Mike Nicholas (14) now fashioned one of their familiar partnerships to rebuild our innings. Both put the short or full ball away clinically and both defended stoutly. Just as were getting in to a position where I was contemplating another 100 or so runs they both got out with the score on 95. Paul caught sharply at cover and Mike to a great over the head catch that would not be caught 9 times out of 10 in this league. Christoff Van Aswegen (0) provided the 4th catch of the innings – another good one. That brought Mark Davis to the crease. What happened next was breathtaking. The crowd leaned forward expectantly on their chairs and the great entertainer did not disappoint. After declining an easy single to the first ball of young A. Barker’s over the next four deliveries all sailed over the ropes for 6. All of them in a 20 yard arc around long-on. All great clean shots. All off decent balls from the talented young bowler. There were attempts by Dartfordians youngsters to claim he only had one shot but it’s not a bad shot is it? Of course it couldn’t last and after adding another almighty six the all action all-rounder holed out to another good catch. This left young Vinay Patel and the skipper to bat out the overs, pick up a few singles and provide a contrast to what had gone before. 134 for 9 off 40 overs.
We opened up with Mark Davis (1–1-40-2) and Roddie Bell (7-1-31-2). It is probably fair to say that both have bowled better, although both took vital wickets and Roddie contrived an excellent run out at the non-strikers end off his own bowling by deflecting the driven back ball on to the stumps. Nevertheless by drinks the game was well under Dartfordian control with more than half the total required on the board and only four wickets down. We knew though that we still had a chance if we could rattle them as they are young and strange things can happen. We turned to the spin and guile of Paul Henly (10-5-15-3) and Vinay Patel (7.4-1-20-2) and they turned (literally) the game for us. The scoring rate dropped as they both found bounce and turn. Dartfordians pounced on the odd bad ball and the score crept up inexorably. We were to take four good catches of our own, the pick of them Paul Henly’s at point to remove the dangerous A. Barker for 43. Not far behind it was the nonchalant pouching of a lofted drive by Ben Church at deepish mid-on to remove the skipper. That was a huge blow for Dartfordians and visibly lifted us. Vinay Patel’s bowling was a revelation, a foot taller than when he played for the colts and the V’s in 2011, the lad was accurate, rapid and unfortunate not to take more wickets. Trapping numbers 10 and 11 in front off successive balls to win the game and leave himself on a hat-trick ball next time he bowls was good reward for the youngster. A tough, tough game. To win against very good opposition was very gratifying. We could easily have capitulated but we didn’t. With some key players to come back in to the fold we can face Old Wilsonian’s at Mayow next week with confidence. Back at the club talk of chess, the sun shining and drinks on the lawn and permeating it all a feeling of disbelief. (L Johnston)
5th XI League position – 1st / 10
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Ladies 1st XI League Position – joint 2nd / 8
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/results.asp
This weekend’s games:
Saturday
1st XI away to Woking & Horsell
2nd XI home to Oxted & Limpsfield
3rd XI home to Staines & Laleham
4th XI away to Old Wimbledonians
5th XI home to Old Wilsonians
Sunday
Ladies 1st XI home to Reigate Priory
Trust XI away to East Grinstead
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/fixtures.asp
Best of luck to all the sides.
Dan
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