Dear all,
Generic intro fluff…
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NEWS
SMCC 10th Birthday Party – Saturday 24th August
Streatham & Marlborough CC was formed on 1st February 2003 and this year we celebrate our 10th Birthday. As February isn’t a great month for celebrations, we will be holding our 10th birthday on Saturday 24th August after the games. Please invite friends and family up to the club to enjoy the evening festivities; and perhaps introduce them to the stump game!
Trust XI
Our young cricketers (and Sagar) comprehensively won their crunch game against the Spencer Academy to top Zone 3 of the Surrey Trust League and qualify for the latter stages. They will now face Old Rutlishians on 18 August at home from 1.30pm – your support will once again be welcome!
Surrey Championship Dinner
The 2013 Annual Awards Dinner is to take place on Friday 4 October 2013 at The Kia Oval. Please see attached e-mail for more information. If you would like to attend, please let me know asap.
Battersea Net Sessions
A reminder about the net sessions at Battersea Park. I hear some people are struggling to find the nets so… Nets are located in the western half of the park – between the two cricket pitches – and closest parking is on Prince of Wales Drive. These are ideal for any players who are based in central or SW London or simply unable to make Tuesday nets. Sessions start at 6.30pm. Unlike the Tuesday nets there will be a (very) small charge but the surfaces are a good quality and less than a couple of years old. For more information please contact Marcus Shukla: 07828 174296
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LAST WEEKEND’S RESULTS
Saturday
1st XI vs Staines & Laleham
Lost
Before the game, we talked about setting a platform for the middle order to our batters to attack. As Rostami fell for a well-constructed 37 at drinks, we stood at 99-1 and most definitely in the box seat. We proceeded to throw the advantage away. And quickly. 187 all out but we had the runs on the board and the ball was turning. We started with the old ball and soon Staines were 19-2 as a bizarre run out and an opener who looked like he had never seen a spinner before were removed. Having started well again, we were then comprehensively outplayed for the remainder of their innings, taking 3 more wickets as Staines cruised towards the target. What’s most worrying is that the team seems to have misplaced the fighting spirit which we had in abundance last season. We will need to rediscover this quickly to avoid a relegation battle in the final weeks. (D Ellis)
1st XI League position – 6th / 10
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2nd XI vs SinjunGrammarians
Won
Every once in a while you play a game of cricket that makes absolutely no sense at all. Everything you expect to happen doesn’t and you find yourself eating a bemused tea at five o’clock with the game done and dusted. We had turned up expecting to play in a bad tempered game that would last the course. Previous meetings between the two sides had been bad tempered and unpleasant, a course history of accusations and falling outs. Saturday was perfectly friendly though unfortunately not competitive. To keep a short story short we bowled them out for eighty six. Armani took a remarkable six for nine in eight overs, one batsman after another wafting his steady line and length to mid-on and mid-off with careless abandon. We trooped off and then trooped back on again. Martin and Langan opened up against lively spin and wayward seam, strong-arming and nurdling their way respectively to 25 and 19. Neil continued on where he left last week and Greg Hill thumped three of his four deliveries to the boundary. Game over. Perhaps there had been a full moon, or the thunderstorm the night before had effected the opposition. Who knows? A one off indeed, but thirteen valuable points that sets us up nicely for the remainder of the season. (J Blackburn)
2nd XI League position – 5th / 10
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3rd XI vs Guildford City
Won
The threes went to Guildford City on Saturday and played a new variant of our beloved game, crown green cricket. Set on the dome of a hill in the windiest part of Surrey, the ground sloped down on three sides, so alarmingly at one end that I couldn’t be sure fine leg could see the bowler release the ball. (I thought I might have to jump up in the air to let fine leg know). We won the toss (tails never fails) and elected to bowl. Possibly put off by the poo on his bowling crease, Patel (7-2-31-0) wasn’t at his best but Sadhwani (14.2-3-34-5, jug to come) got the wickets his bowling deserved in a great opening spell. We slightly struggled with the playing surface; the sloping outfield meant that most shots that beat the infield went for four and with Wadiwalla (29) and Jami (53) going at over four an over with wickets in hand, we were looking at a chase of around 220 plus. But who knows why Wadiwalla decided to reverse sweep Bartolo (8-1-26-1). He was hit plum in front and Wacko didn’t hesitate in raising the finger; after that, four wickets fell with no batsman getting double figures as we bowled them out for 174, Sadhwani and Thomas (5-0-15-2) producing excellent death spells and Sadhwani providing his grateful captain with two of the easiest catches he will ever take. Knapp (23) and Austin (15) looked pretty good for our first wicket, Knapp contributing to second most hilarious moment of the game as he was dropped off the world’s easiest caught and bowled. But both fell in quick sucession and it was up to Driscoll, J (40) and Sowton (33) to get us back on track. Again losing wickets in clumps, both fell quickly and when Bartolo was given, controversially, LBW soon after, it was looking a bit tight. Luckily for us, what poo there had been had gone and Patel (41 no) batted beautifully, ably supported by Thomas (9 no) and saw us home. In between, Sadhwani was promoted up the order as he had to leave early and take his Grandmother to dinner. He played a range of shots for his 0 then sprinted off, called a taxi and was away. I hope they enjoyed their dinner. So 13 more points and we overhauled Guildford, who not so long ago had been 30 points ahead. Sadly Sanderstead won so we’re still 22 points off second and promotion but if we win our remaining games, who knows? Next up is Thames Ditton away on Saturday and a 3rd XI debut for Matt Clark (you have to be called Matt to captain the 3s).
3rd XI League position – 4th / 16
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4th XI vs Worcester Park
Won – Opposition conceded
4th XI League Position – 2nd / 10
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5th XI vs
Won Another lovely day at Mayow with a track that played well all day. The usual sights and sounds of Lewisham parklife: happy children, unhappy children, gentlemen being arrested by cycle mounted police and the soft sussuration of the wind in the trees. The skipper drops himself again to allow our most balanced side of the season. Six specialist batters, genuine all-rounder, four bowlers (two spinners). Barrington loses the toss and off we go to bat. Newton Moss (21) and Justin Sbresni (28) get us off to another good start at a good clip in their different ways. Justin’s straight drive for four brought the crowd to life and Newton’s powerful lofted square drive over extra cover showed why you do not bowl short to him. Andrew ‘Arthur’ Henderson (32) played with authority and judgement to ensure we would get a competitive total with quality shots all around the ground. Tejus Dasandi (32) played with skill and power again and looked the class bat he is. Andrew Brook (20) played properly and patiently until he was run out by Barrington Wilks. Mark Davis (19) hit a couple of lusty blows before being undone by a slower ball. The talented all-rounder also contrived to fling his bat out of his grasp whilst trying to belt the cover off the ball. Midwicket was lucky to escape with his life. Jamie Davorn illustrated why he bats at 11 by swinging at his first ball and losing his leg stump. Slightly disappointing total of 177 after being 120 for 2 and giving Dartfordians two extra overs was criminal. Still competitive we felt. Jamie Davorn (5-1-22-2) redeemed himself by bowling the hugely talented Ali Barker with a great delivery pitching middle and removing off stump. The young seamer then repeated the trick two ball later for a double wicket maiden. Mark Davis (10-4-9-2) bowled a miserly and skilful spell to put Dartfordians under real pressure. Paul Henly and Vinay Patel both took one wicket to chip away and then Barrington Wilks (8-2-22-2) and Andrew Henderson (4-1-7-2) wrapped the innings up with proper seam up bowling. Poor Barrington had to suffer more dropped catches but Vinay clutched on to a good one. Adam Bailey kept well again and the fielding was not bad apart from the three we dropped. Dartfordians are a talented young side but we put them under pressure throughout the game. This result keeps us top of the division with three to play. I’m off on holiday now under protest and leave the side in Barrington’s capable hands. I hope to come back to a promoted side. (L Johnston)
5th XI League position – 1st / 10
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5As XI vs Valley End
Won
An away fixture in War of the Worlds country is always something to look forward to. In one of our better performances from 2012, our injury hit side’s resistance was undone in the penultimate over; this time however we were in confident mood on the back of beating Cobham and looking for consecutive wins for the first time this season. As usual the Valley End wicket was in splendid condition and winning the toss, we put our hosts in on a green pitch which would provide plenty of early opportunities for our seamers. Haynes had the batsmen on the back foot from the off and is showing that he’s returning to fitness following an unfortunate home improvement injury. At the other end, 14 year-old Guest was hit for consecutive fours from his first two deliveries but regained his composure to bowl exquisitely and claim two wickets from two in the fourth over. Valley End were three down for 24 when Haynes got in on the act – bowling Cooper for 17 – and Guest returned for his third wicket, that of Shelley for 6, caught behind by Curtis Knott to finish with excellent figures of 3-18. Hunsley bowled with the usual economy and determination; his two wickets included that of Chatfield (25) who was trying to inspire the home team’s fightback. Haynes concluded his spell with another wicket leaving him with 2-13 (safe to say that the Bajan’s shoulder seems to have healed nicely). Shukla produced a few pies from the oven before taking the wicket of Walker (27) thanks to a great catch at mid on by Guest. The innings was brought to a close when a calamitous run out was followed by an excellent stumping from Knott off the bowling of Syed-Hussain (1-1). Following what was generally agreed by the team as the best tea of the season so far, we were given the task of chasing a modest 130. It looked as though this would not be as straightforward as it initially seemed as Rai was LBW for one but this was a minor delay as Knott and Chowdury started to find their rhythm and exploit the loose deliveries. Chowdury departed after an aggressive 30 but Knott played a terrific array of strokes around the ground, including five boundaries in a row, for a fully deserved half century. He was ably supported by Tom ‘Hulk’ Haagensen who played with power to hit an undefeated 28 and the total was reached in only 22 overs; Knott hit the winning runs to finish with 54. A second straight win for the first time this season and a third consecutive match in which we have bowled out the opposition. This was a very good all round performance; the challenge is to keep the momentum going until the end of the season, starting on Saturday at Otterden. (M Shukla)
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Ladies XI vs Blackheath
Won
Another Sunday, another friendly for the Ladies XI, this time in Woolwich against the newly reformed Blackheath Ladies XI. We, ourselves, were fielding a fairly inexperienced team, but did not allow this to phase us, even after one of the opposing players had told us with a bright smile that they were looking to skip the development league and go straight into the Southern prem next year. Blackheath won the toss and elected to bat first, so after our vigorous warm up which involved press ups on broken glass and cigarette butts (got to love Woolwich) we took to the field. D Selwyn Kuzcera (5.2-1-12-1) and R Selby (5-2-9-1) both bowled accurately and dangerously, meaning that the Blackheath opening pair found it hard to connect bat with ball. Selby got the first wicket with a ball that pitched just outside off and swung back in enough to deceive the batsman. A change of bowling saw E Johnston (3-1-9-2) and M Little (4-1-17-3) pick up 5 wickets between them. Impressive bowling, especially from Little, meant that Blackheath were losing wickets quickly for not too many runs. Skipper Rabz (4-1-6-2) also picked up 2 wickets to help bring the Blackheath innings to a close, with D Selwyn Kuczera finishing it off when she came back on to bowl. F Banton pulled off some stunning stops behind the stumps once again, with I Van Gruting providing a secure safety net when the rare one did evade the keeper. Blackheath 78 all out off 26.2 overs. Sick! This was the second time in two weeks that we had restricted the opposition to a low total, but with a much changed batting line up from the previous Sunday, we knew we all still had work to do. S Keith (9) and C Pierre Packer (6) got us off to a solid start, stealing runs from the odd bad ball. Blackheath bowled well to restrict our run rate in the opening overs, but we did not panic. With 30 overs to get 79 runs, we knew we could take our time. When the opening pair lost their wickets our middle order did their best to keep the ball rolling, adding to the score steadily throughout the overs. M Little (6) hit all her runs from 5 balls and then got caught behind on the last ball of the over, whilst A Carroll (2) was caught trying to hit off the square. F Banton (1) got the best ball of the innings and consequently had her stumps knocked over, and I Van Gruting (0) was unlucky not to score. There is still much to come from all of these batsmen. Skipper Rabz (10) was brought to the crease and shortly joined by E Johnston (16*). The captain and vice-captain batted well together for several overs to secure the game, with nice strokes off both good and bad bowling. When Rabz missed a straight one in a rare lapse of focus, D Selwyn Kuzcera (0*) came in to leave a wide one and watch the extras get us over the line. Another very pleasant friendly against a nice bunch of girls. Special mention must go to F Banton for being awarded player of the match for her work behind the stumps. We have shown that we can perform in friendlies, we now must do it when the pressure is on in the league games. Come on girls! (E Johnston)
Ladies 1st XI League Position – joint 3rd / 8
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Trust XI
After beating Addiscombe we had 2 weeks to wait for this top of the table crunch game. At the start of the season not many people would have seen us as contenders. Throughout this league winning season the only blip came against Sunbury. After winning the toss and adopting the bat first and protect the run strategy worked again as it did against Addiscombe. This time there was no fast outfield and we were facing second placed Spencer, who turned up ready to play. The openers got us off to a solid start putting on 36 before their opener got one to breach Danny’s defence. Rajeev soon followed after hitting a full toss straight to cover soon after. Shareef and Kash then got the score up to 131, by running quick and putting bad balls away on a tough batting track, before Shareef also hit a full toss to cover. Like the openers Kash soon followed when he was caught at mid-wicket playing an aggressive shot. A total of 250 looked on the cards before JT was run out for 6, we were 150 for 5. Sayif hit quick runs in his usual manner and also got out giving the keeper high catching practice. The theme seemed to be losing wickets in pairs as Birthday boy Gunz also got out soon after. Sharad then followed causing a mini collapse and the innings losing momentum at 196 for 8. Krish and Sagz batted well and upped the run rate with a 22 run partnership, before Big Bird got one that stayed low and bowled him. Sagz and Tom “cobra” Barnard took it to the last over before Sagz tried another trademark pull shot and got a bottom edge onto the stumps. We finished on 229, probably 20-30 runs short after the start we got. Extras top scored with 54, but it doesn’t take away from how well we batted. After numerous birthday cakes at tea as one of their players also celebrating his 18th the same day as guns, the skipper made the inspired move to open with Sagz due to the nature of the track. The first 4 overs went well for spencer as they plundered 23 with most of it coming from the pace of sayif. In the 5th over the first breakthrough came as the line and length bowling paid off when Sagz got one to nip back and re-arrange the furniture. Then Spencer’s best batsman of the day was run out when it dropped by his pads, a suicidal call and both batsman at one end, and their top run scorer was run out. After another tight over and a mis-field kept their vociferous keeper on strike, after giving plenty of chat during our innings sayif cleaned up him after he tried a pull a ball hitting the top of middle. The next ball their key batsman the captain came in and sayif rapped him on the pads, during the appeal Kash collected the ball and threw at the stumps and he was run out first ball! It was a fantastic bit of fielding. So cue the team hattrick, their number 6 came in and played one to sharad and called through for a single, sharad picked it up and threw down the stumps, this was followed by pumped up celebrations. The next over went for a maiden, before sayif who earned another over came in and cleaned up 2 of their batsman, which included a first baller for their birthday boy, which sayif then told us was his present to him. The game was pretty much done but the captain ensured we finished the job in style and did not let up. Sagz built up pressure with tight bowling and their number 6 tried to go over the top only to find the skipper waiting at mid-on. Krish then came on to bowl a good first over with turn and bounce. In Sagz’s last over he got another one to nip back and clean up their number 10, to finish up with 8 overs 3 for 11. Krish then got the last wicket by bowling the batsman around his legs. Game set and the league Streatham & Marlborough. A new team photo to put up in the club house. The team spirit was the best it has ever been, the team played brilliantly and now we have won the league we have a semi-final playoff against Old Ruts or Guildford. Thanks for all the support on Sunday and to Eddie and Tina for umpiring and scoring. First of many league titles for the club! (S Hassan)
Trust XI League Position – 1st / 8
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/results.asp
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UPCOMING FIXTURES
Saturday
1st XI home to Woking & Horsell
2nd XI away to Oxted & Limpsfield
3rd XI away to Thames Ditton
4th XI home to Old Wimbledonians
5th XI away to Old Wilsonians
5A XI away to Otterden
Sunday
Friendly XI
http://stmcc.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/fixtures.asp
Best of luck to all the sides.
Dan
ps. Keep up to date with news from the club on Twitter feed (@SMCricketClub) or via our Facebook page (Streatham & Marlborough Cricket Club)
pps. Our local restaurant sponsors (Dulwich Tandoori & Mirash Tandoori) are very important to us and provide valuable financial assistance. Please make an effort to visit them and, if you do, mention that you are a member of SMCC and are grateful to them for their support!