Dear all,
The midweek SMS (Streatham & Marlborough Sweep) is back! For those new members, this is a weekly update of news, fixtures and results to keep you in the loop with what’s going on at Streatham & Marlborough Cricket Club. As I’m a day late, lets’ get straight on with the news and reports….
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Midweek Cricket
Our midweek friendly fixtures are due to commence next week with a great trip down to Hartley Country Club in Kent. It’s a 10.30am meet, but a great day and a great venue to play. If anyone is interested in this, or other midweek friendly games, please contact Chris Reardon on 07527 204 914 or 020 8699 6662.
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Last weekend’s results:
Saturday
Lost – The 1st XI returned to Division 3 after a two year absence, travelled to Epsom under cloudy skies, duly lost the toss and were put into bat. Ellis and Davenport started in circumspect fashion as the accuracy of the bowling and slow outfield restricted the rate of scoring. Despite the slow scoring rate, SMCC took drinks at 79-1 and with an opportunity to push on. 3 quick wickets left Little and Hassan to rebuild from 84-4. The young Hassan and experienced Little began to rotate the strike find the boundary to put SMCC in a position to launch an attack. Unfortunately, another cluster of wickets prevented any fireworks. Rostami (24*) played intelligently and was ably assisted by Blackburn to take the score up to 186-8 at the end of the 50.
Rain delays changed the equation to leave Epsom requiring 176 from 44 overs. With the slow outfield, SMCC felt that this score would be competitive but soon lost the initiative with some wayward opening bowling mixed with good running and some fine shots. Rostami made the breakthrough and SMCC regained some control though were unable to make another breakthrough until Epsom passed the 100 mark. With lots of time to chase the target, Epsom batted sensibly to methodically chase down the total.
A competitive game for large parts and perhaps a performance that would have led to a victory last season, but losing wickets in clusters and a poor start with the ball has cost victory in this instance. (D Ellis)
1st X1 League position – Joint 5th / 10
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Lost (with bonus point) – The 2nd XI started their league campaign with a home game v Old Whits. The prospect of rain was always looming so after losing the toss and being asked to bowl, SMCC set about trying to take 10 wickets. After a personal plea from the captain to improve fielding standards from last season, it was with regret that the skipper took Ben Walker off after 5 good overs and 3 dropped chances!! Deja vu. A cracking run out from Alan Knott (wicket keeping gloves on e-bay) seemed to have swung the advantage back to S&M but a somewhat lacklustre spell in the middle overs and OW were 185-5 from 28 overs-it didn’t look good. Plan G was introduced and the day’s best bowlers Sayif and Walker closed the innings off 214 all out. The season’s first get out of jail card was used. 215 looked about 60-70 short on the deck that Roger had produced – it was truly a belter.
The new look top 7 filled the captain with confidence – with ginger being the glue to keep the stroke makers together. The 4 and a bit run rate was never a problem but losing wickets at regular intervals was!! The bowling was pretty ordinary but to be fair a lot better than our shot selection. Only Dan Johnson (40) showed any real desire to win the game by getting stuck in-everyone else threw it away. An opportunity wasted to start the season with a victory. Hopefully the early season kick up the backside we needed?
We look forward to travelling to our old friends at SinjunGrammarians next Saturday. I’m sure their groundsman will have put in the hard work to get their track up to standard. Good luck batters. (M Eldridge)
2nd X1 League position – Joint 4th / 10
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League season to commence on 25 May
3rd X1 League position – N/A
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A strong 4th XI took on Cheam at Cox’s Walk. The skipper lost the toss (one win in four now; must do better) and we were put in to bat; fantastic contributions from Chris Sowton (90), Charlie Greenwood (81no) and Mark Bartolo (50no) allowed us to declare on 282-4 after 40 overs. Having lost three early wickets, Cheam shut up shop and despite using 9 bowlers, we were unable to make the breakthroughs that would surely have seen us home, Cheam finishing on 95-5 after 50 overs. Bowling plaudits must go to Jamie Culley, whose figures of 19-10-36-2 don’t nearly do him justice. It was ultimately a frustrating day and showed the huge benefit of batting second in timed games. (M Begg)
4th X1 League Position – 5th / 10
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Another filthy day to play cricket – all day the wind will be unpleasant and rain will interrupt proceedings. Nevertheless we get the game in and come away from Mayow Park with a very narrow victory. No more tents as the bowls club have kindly lent us their facilities. This means we can have tea indoors which probably saved several cases of frostbite. The pitch earmarked for us is spotted to be an 18 yard junior pitch so we move to the strip next door. There isn’t much evidence of rolling and the stud marks in the pitch bear witness to football training. The odd delivery will get up off a good length and the odd one will shoot but apart from that…
We are astonished that Catford win the toss and elect to bat. We are even more astonished that they have 38 on the board without loss after four overs. For some of us this will be our only experience of the IPL. Shavawn Cunningham used excellent footwork and powerful hitting to upset Shiraz Sheikh (8-1-30-1) and Barrington Wilks (6-0-32-0) and it was the fifth over before any measure of control was regained. Poor Barrington had two more catches dropped before pulling his hamstring – that makes 6 for the season although it must be said that at least one of them was put down off a filthy ball. Shiraz got his revenge when he pinned Cunningham (43) LBW approximately 5 metres down the track to a very brave decision.
Now we reasserted ourselves with some excellent bowling from Mark Davis (8-1-21-5) and Roddie Bell (84-10-0). Mark bowled with skill and aggression off his short run, moving the ball and turning the game. How Roddie didn’t take wickets is beyond all of us. A fine spell from the erudite Scot using all his skill and guile. The captain dropped a catch off Paul Henly (5-1-8-0) leaving the classy off-spinner wicket-less but clung on to an ugly catch at Mid-On to help Mike Nicholas to 4-0-6-2). Seasoned pro Moss ran out one Catfordian and young Henly another. Ed Lawrence looked like he had always been behind the stumps and the innings was wrapped for 114 all out – maximum bowling points for us.
After tea in the palatial surroundings of the bowls club we began our reply. Cunningham (8-5-9-2)and Shinwari (8-2-14-2) bowled with skill and hostility and were backed up by a keen fielding display and loud appealing every time the ball beat the bat or struck a pad. We were soon in some trouble with Tejus Desandi (10) and Newton Moss (0) back in the hutch soon followed by Simon Stuart (1). We knew if we could see the openers off that life would get easier. Mike Nicholas (26) and Ed Lawrence (15) did exactly that. Batting with soft hands and great patience the two weathered the storm and put on 49 for the 4th wicket. This brought Paul Henly to the wicket who would play with skill and patience to see us home as partners perished all around him. There is something of Colin Cowdrey about Paul in his fierce cutting and pulling but also in his elegant driving. Paul reigned in his game and kept going. Roddie Bell and Mark Davis both departed with decisions they did not much like. Shiraz Sheikh (6) and Barrington Wilks (6) both hammered some lusty blows and perished – In Barrington’s case, not before doing even more damage to his hamstring by running like an 18 year old. This brought the captain to the crease much to his disgust. Thankfully he hung around long enough to allow Paul Henly to plunder the runs needed for a very tight victory. An hour later the rain came down in buckets. (L Johnston)
5th X1 League position – 1st / 10
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/results.asp
This weekend’s games:
Saturday
1st X1 home to Staines & Laleham
2nd X1 away to SinjunGrammarians
4th X1 away to Worcester Park
5th X1 away to Blue Star CC
Friendly X1 away to Old Wimbledonians
Sunday
1st X1 home to TBC
2nd X1 away to Beckenham
Ladies 1st X1 home to Rowledge
Wednesday
Friendly XI away to Hartley CC
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/fixtures.asp
Best of luck to all the sides.
Dan