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Sunday Side 2009 Review (November 04, 2009)

W8 D5 L6 (2008: W2 D2 L12). If the 2nd XI were the most improved side, the Sunday mob were the most transformed. We turned from the general whipping boys of West Sussex into a stronger team of many parts (and err two Australians and Welshman). Mick and captain Horatio were the main ingredients here but new boys like Ed Rydon and Ollie Budgen were welcome additions; Fordy made a ton and also bowled well.. So many teams beaten for the first time as a merged club and a far better record than previous years when we have struggled to be competitive due to lack of numbers and of course quality.

In 2009, we initially experimented with rotational captains after James Hussey semi-retired as captain & player for this season to nurse his wife through pregnancy and the eventual birth of daughter, Olivia. The original idea was to switch it between Horatio, Big Bird and Sherpa but in the event after Horatio did the first five & Big Bird the second, Sherpa declined the offer & it reverted to Horatio for the rest of the season.

Big Bird’s tenure as captain contained our first ever win over Ansty and a remarkable tie at Ashurst where our colt Mark Fischel so nearly won the game for the opposition before being bowled by Bob. However there were three defeats - at Wisborough Green again, where Kolpak was accosted by some drunken locals on a stag weekend; Matt Goring's career best 95 was the highlight for the visitors but with Mick and Dave in the side, we badly wanted to beat them for the first time. Against the Strollers, we so nearly won back the newly shortened Marshall Cup thanks to Mick’s heroic batting, and at Fittleworth where our batting again misfired on their usual pudding of a pitch without our two Aussie boys who’d been given the day off.

Horatio managed most of the rest and generally we did well. When we did lose, he was trying to give everyone a go - against Ebernoe - or against Storrington where the visitors fielded several 1st XI players in the most competitive game many Sunday players has been involved in for many years. The Swans retained the John Davenport Cup but it was close and we'll come back stronger at their place next year.

Of the two Aussies, Mick tended to play every week and Sleepy played when he needed too. Against Midhurst, Dave won us the game with a typical belligerent unbeaten 170 to ensure we finally beat the hosts at the Ruins. Mick got in on the act too beating Beeding & Bramber & Warnham virtually single handedly. Fordy got the only one by an Englishman against new opponents, West Sussex Wanderers. Mick also picked up a “michelle” at Ashurst and against Warnham plus four against Arundel 3rd XI. He remarkably actually had the last two games to get a hundred wickets to go with his thousand runs but after going wicketless at Tillington, he needed all ten against Warnham. The visitors hadn’t read the script and only came with ten men! Mick promptly took the first five to get us all excited but Bob cleaned up three more ending his hopes. The Aussie was responsible for many wickets on a Sunday but Horatio was careful to give others a go too.

All in all a very good year for our "friendly" team who have found a cutting edge and we look forward to 2010 with interest. As the Baron and Big Bird prove on many occasions, there’s still room on Sundays for everyone who loves the game no matter what your ability.