Dear all,
This week I particularly enjoyed Sagar Mehta referring to himself as “the captain” in this week’s 3rd XI report… But first… let me take a Ahem, on to the news…
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News & Events
Golf Day – Tomorrow
Message from Jack Thomas: The cricket club are holding a golf day on Thursday 21st August at the Surrey National Golf Club. The cost for the day is £25 and includes a bacon butty on arrival, 18 holes and a meal. Tee times have been booked for 10:08 with a meet time at the club set for 9am. There are still 4-6 spots available so please contact Jack Thomas on Facebook / 07540 943 151 ASAP to avoid disappointment! The day requires each player to have their own golf clubs and adherence to proper golf etiquette – regarding clothing, shoes, behaviour etc.
Club night out – This Saturday
Message from Armani Sharif: A few of us have decided to arrange a club night out on the 23rd of August. The plan, as it stands, is to have some food and a few drinks at the club and head down to the Clapham Grand (http://www.claphamgrand.com) once we’re sufficiently fuelled. It’ll be £5 for anyone on the guest list so if you want me to put you down, please comment on the Facebook post with names. Looking forward to a good (messy) night.
Martin Thompson Party – 30 August
Kiwi club stalwart, Martin Thompson, is having a birthday party at the club on 30th August. There will be food and live music as another club member (Justin Sbresni) will be performing with his band. All are welcome to attend and celebrate with him. Pretty sure he still needs to do his leaving yard of ale…
Pool Competition
There are only a few left in the competition so can you please arrange those games this weekend so we can set a date for the finals.
Surrey Championship Dinner – 3rd October
Normally a very enjoyable evening. The club have already purchased four tickets, but it would be great to get a table together, especially considering the number of teams pushing for promotion and could be in with a shout of receiving an award!
Dates for the diary
21st August – Golf Day
23rd August – Club Night Out
3rd October – Surrey Championship Dinner
18th October – End of season Dinner & Dance
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Last weekend’s results:
Seniors – Saturday
1st XI
Lost by 4 wickets
SMCC 192ao (48.5) / 193-6 (45.3)
1st XI League position – 4th / 10
2nd XI
Usual service was resumed this week with a toss lost, and we were then asked to field first on a surprisingly dry and inviting track. A tight opening bowling spell from Sharif and Corns prevented the Pyrford top order from creating any real momentum, however the opposition managed to take advantage of any loose deliveries to take them to 89-3. The introduction of JC, with the assistance of golden-armed (and still drunk) Fuller, meant wickets were taken at regular intervals from then on. Despite one batsman managing to strike a brisk 65, the chase was set at a sub-par yet solid 184ao. JC the pick of the bowling with 4-22 off 10 overs.
The chase was memorable for 2 differing reasons. One was the excellent unbeaten stand of 134 between Tom Clarke (90*) and Bartolo (36*) which took the team to 10 points with ease. The other was markedly less auspicious, with an opposition player sent off the field by his own captain after a torrent of expletive-laden abuse to umpires and batsmen. He didn’t even stay to give his team mates a lift! What a guy. A good chase after 2 weeks of disappointment leaves the team well placed to attain a strong finish to the season. (P Corns)
2nd XI League position – 4th / 10
3rd XI
On paper our hardest of the 4 games left this season. 2 points ahead of 2nd place, no margin for error, and after the first game between the sides plenty of spice. Following the captains pre match talk of focussing on our cricket and not letting them get to us that is exactly what we did when we were inserted by the oppo skipper. At 112 for no loss and everything going to plan until a tight run out of our leading run scorer led to a collapse of 3rd XI teams of old. Hendo soon followed after and Sharad was the only other batsman to make a score of any note. 206 all out on a dodgy wicket against a team who swing from ball one…I had a feeling it would be enough.
After we ran out their opener in the first over, we were feeling confident that we could run through the side with the attack we had at our disposal. I was wrong as their opening bowler and batsman A Khan started going after the bowling as we knew they would and he smashed it to all parts and quickly raced to 46 and our total looked inadequate if he carried on. The captain came on and with his second ball cleaned him up middle stump. Luke Harris then got their number 3 who chopped on and we had control back in the game. Run rate wasn’t a problem but the pitch and quality of bowling was. Their most talented batsman smashed one down the ground and it looked 6 all the way before the wind, tree branches and the best catch of the season from Adi sparked wild celebrations. A plethora of LBWs turned down and frustration grew as Sinjuns seemed to try and win in extras and inside edges. The captain then got 2 wickets in his last few overs to get them down to 6 wickets. Hendo bowled with threat and got 2 wickets, one cleaned up and the other a smart catch at first slip. Sharad came back and got their dangerous number 10 when it cannoned onto his stumps. One wicket to go no bonus point available and they only needed 25 runs to win. A few extras and sensible batting saw them bat out until Sharad and Hendo finished their spells. After Sowton’s first over we would be forgiven to think this game was over and they would get the runs with 8 overs still to go, but with his second ball he clean bowled their number 11 and we went wild! Sowton got a cut nose, Hendo fly-kicked by Curtis and everyone screaming at the top of their voices. Great team spirit, we won after needing to take around 15 wickets after believe it or not no LBWs were given in the game! Top of the league, and need to win the 2 out of the next 3 with bonus points to get promoted. 2nd place won again so as with every week there is no margin for error! (S Mehta)
3rd XI League position – 1st / 10
4th XI
Yet again no game for the 4s as an already truncated season sees yet another team, this time the lovely guys from Epsom, deciding not to travel into areas of the UK they feel discomforted. Never mind, let’s assume we would have smashed them anyway. Current state of play is that with another fallow week this week, the away game in 2 weeks against the might of the Surrey Colts masquerading as Oxted and Limpsfield needs only a single point for the 4s to claim the league and gain promotion to the Premiership, which will hopefully feature teams that can be bothered to turn up and regulations that make some kind of sense. Expect more whingeing next week. (D Gladstone)
4th XI League position – 1st / 8
5th XI
A devastating loss of a game we should have won. Our inability to chase down 148 against a very ordinary attack was depressing. We worked hard in the field and bowled reasonably well. Shiraz Sheikh (10-3-19-1) was excellent and a fine late spell from Brijesh Patel (5-0-15-2) were the pick of the bowlers. The ground fielding was good again particularly Paul Henly, Stan and Vinay. But we seem to have lost our ability to dismiss sides. Only Jim Hughes and Paul Henly briefly threatened to get us going with 15 apiece. Mark Davis tried manfully to get us over the line but once he was gone for a wonderful 45 that was that. 123 all out and a loss by 25 runs. Miserable. (L Johnston)
5th XI League position – 10th / 10
6th XI
Won by 4 wickets
OD Cuaco 151-4 (40) / SMCC 152-6 (37)
6th XI League position – 4th / 9
7th XI
Lost by 134 runs
Cudham Wyse 181-4d (34) / SMCC 47ao (35.1)
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Ladies
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Trust
Lost by 122 runs
East Molesey 204-7 (40) / SMCC 82ao (21)
Trust League position – 3rd / 7
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/subsite/web_pages/130967
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Colts
A full season report will appear soon.
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Upcoming games:
Saturday 23rd August
1st XI home to Bank of England
2nd XI away to Maori Oxshott
3rd XI home to Thames Ditton
4th XI no fixture
5th XI away to Hayes
6th XI home to Catford & Cyphers
Sunday 24th August
Ladies 1st XI home to Guildford
Friendly XI home to TBC
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/subsite/web_pages/130966
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Best of luck to all the sides.
Dan
Streatham & Marlborough Club Captain
