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Week 4 - First wins over Cuckfield & Lindfield!

(May 10, 2010)

OneClub News

The weekend started and finished well - the bits in the middle were largely forgettable except for a great performance by the 12s against Horsham. Read on...

Saturday 9th May

Ben Hasler Matt Goring

The U14s WON away at Lindfield in their IDL Northern Division morning game playing their Under 13s. LIND 13s 85-4 (Glover 2-9), WC&T 88-7 (Smith 23*, Hasler 18, Harman 14*). Scorecard here. The 14s lie sixth in their Under 14s North Divsion

The 14s kept us on the edge of our seats as usual as they won their first game of the season with a wonderfully exhilerating all round display. Fielding first, they restricted a useful Lindfield batting line up to just over four an over. Everyone bowled well and although the fielding lacked energy, we knew 85 would be "getable". Special mention for Brandon Smith who took a wicket on debut and our reliable off spinner Tobias Glover who generally bowled a good line. The uneven bounce off the pitch and intermittant cold drizzle made the match interesting throughout...

Lindfield 13s had lost last time out at Horsham Trinity and were keen to get off the mark in this strong league. They batted and fielded well - holding three catches and running out Toby. They generally bowled well too (although our bowling overall was tighter) so will have been disappointed not to win having seen us seven down with still plenty to do.

When we started chasing, the reply started disasterously. Glover (0) was sent back, by opening partner Tavares, in the first over and was smartly run out. Tavares (1) was caught on the first ball of the second over and so the two players who normally start our batting so strongly with both back in the hutch with just one run on the board. With plenty of time, our two captains playing today started re-building the innings - Hasler (U14s) and Tom Good (U12s) put on 14 before Good (1) was caught. Curtis and Hasler kept the scoreboard ticking over also making 14 before Curtis was then bowled (6). When the captain perished for 18 caught well at long off, we looked like the run chase would become insurmountable. However the lower order got us out of a hole batting extremely sensibly. Firstly Garrett (12) and Harman (14*) put on 23 and then Smith (23*) & Harman saw us home with an unbeaten partnership of 32. Smith signed over the winter from Preston Nomads looks a useful acquisition for the 14s. We think this is our first win over Lindfield in any form of cricket so well done lads!

So only Hector Crouch didn't bat or bowl but he fielded well like he usually does and we'll need plenty of that this season. Fielding is always the discipline this side has struggled with. New coach Matt Goring said: "Wonderful. Great start. Let's keep it going and go on a run". Next weekend's game will be the first big test of the season - away at third place East Grinstead.

Coach Goring & his victorious 14s

***

The 1st XI (8pts) home game against Barns Green (8pts) was abandoned in similar fashion to last year as persistent rain made a result impossible. (The visitors were 60 for two in the 14th over at the time. A wicket apiece for Armstrong & Ashley).

2nd XI 123 a/o (R Llewellyn 45, C Reeves 22*) LOST to Horsham Trinity 2nd XI 127-2. Scorecard. WC&T 3pts, HT 30 pts.

Report from Wardy in the rain: The 2nds had an even more miserable afternoon, in miserable weather, at Horsham Trinity as they suffered their second successive league defeat (and third straight defeat in a row). Put into bat, we struggled in the drizzle and overhead conditions - as well as the long wet grass! - to score much past a rate of 1 run/over for the for the first 20 overs - as Mark Aylward and Bob Llewellyn held their ground against some useful young bowlers who had earlier got Bruce Fryer for 3.

The loss of Aylward (12) brought something of a collapse with Wyatt, Reeves Snr and Ward offering only brief resistence. Matt Gue was solid for a while on his senior debut, but soon perished - and it was Charlie Reeves (22no) who came in and showed refreshing confidence with some attacking strokeplay which on another pitch would have yielded a flurry of 4s.

It was however the introduction of the slowest bowler in the league that finished off Chilt, as Tony Lewis (no, not that one) chucked some air balls that removed Bob eventually for 45, and then skipper Martin Glover and John Tolson also perished to his satellite balls. Chilt were all out for 123, Tony Lewis ended with 3-5 from 3 overs!

We were hopeful of having the bowling to protect this score, and when Alan Reeves trapped their Wyatt for 3 - the chances looked good. John Tolson bowled an outstanding spell at the other end, for which his 0-27 figures did not do justice - with a pivotal moment being Ward shelling a sharp low chance at point off his bowling. The batsman who escaped, Bartlett, proceeded to show us that aggressive batting was indeed possible on this pitch, particularly using the short straight boundaries - albeit in clearer conditions. He subsequently trounced our bowlers for 4's and 6's galore as he smacked 88no. Josh Reeves picked up a wicket, but Trinity sailed to a comprehensive victory with 25 overs to spare.

Overall we suffered for getting bogged down early on, and maybe didn't have the options in bowling to seriously trouble the impressive Bartlett - however the early finish meant we all got home to watch the England T20 game - which was certainly more enjoyable!!

***

Horsham 121-5 (Monaghan 2-30), WC&T 61-8 (Monaghan 20). Scorecard. After three games, the 13s lie fifth in their Under 14s South Division

Earlier James Monaghan was our man of the match as the Under 13s were also comprehensively defeated in their LOSS at Horsham against their 13s. A report from Sherpa who was acting coach in the absence of Jefferies and Jefferies.

Will Jefferies (acting captain the absence of RCP) won the toss and opted for a bowl in the cold damp conditions overhead & underfoot. The wicket had been covered and looked dry and firm.

Gabes opened down the hill and was rewarded with an early wicket at the end of his first over. Wes had the job of coming up the hill. Chilt struggled to come to terms with a wet ball and slick outfield. Extras accumulated well with Mr Wides and Mr Byes contributing well and many ones turned into twos as the ball was not effectively stopped first time or wayward throws not well backed up. Horsham also have some accomplished bats who scored well to reach 121. Pick of the bowling was from James Monaghan who picked up a couple of wickets & Ed Miller who gave little away in his four overs through the virtues of bowling straight and full. However 30 odd extras is way too many to be giving way over 20 overs and this together with a few dropped chances (albeit some of them hard) in the conditions cost Chilt dear.

After mid-innings refreshments - (Chilt certainly out score Horsham in this department) we set off in reply. Without going wild, Chilt were on the pace for 6 or 7 overs as firstly Gabes and then a very stylish James Monaghan punished the the bad balls. At the other end Wes played solidly but had difficulty beating the field, repeatedly striking good looking shots at the men rather than the gaps. When frustration got the better of Wes, caught in the ring, he was replaced by Will who played in similar style - looking good but unable to accumulate quickly. Once James went, a clatter of wickets followed as Chilt bats found different ways of being bowled - again showing the merits of straight bowling. Ed Miller had a brief cameo at the end but it was all up for Chilt who finished on 61 for 8.

Horsham worked well as a unit in the field. Straight bowling (by all 10 outfield players) and good keeping meant only 9 extras were given to Chilt. So to be competitive, Chilt need to learn to cut down on the xtras they give away and develop the art of hitting the gaps when batting to accumulate runs from 'defensive' shots.

***

Sunday 9th May

On Sunday some more of the same before the result of the day later... In the morning, the 12s put in a brave display but LOST to Horsham in their IDL game. HOR 116-2 (Lee 1-3, Crouch 1-10) WC&T 93-1 (W.Scott 25*, Good 24*, Miller 19*) Scorecard

The 12s won the toss and elected to field. Although Horsham scored at nearly six an over, we generally bowled and fielded well. George Lee and Bailey Crouch grabbed a wicket apiece - George bowled three overs, one wicket for three runs. In reply, we were never quite up with the run rate although we only lost one wicket. The 12s table is here - we're tenth out of twelve after one game.

In the afternoon, the 16s travelled to Billingshurst for their first game of the season and LOST by 36 runs. BILL 104-5 (A.Miller 2-18), WC&T 68 a/o. Scorecard

Captain Charie Reeves won the toss and chose to field. A strong bowling unit soon had the home side in trouble at 40 odd for five - Alex Miller grabbing two wickets. However one retiree and lower-order swinging - aided by one expensive over from our leg spinner and a couple of dropped catches - meant Billy got to 104-5 off their 25 overs.

In reply, we never got going with only two (lower order) batsmen getting double figures. Our paltry total of 68 could have been even worse too without the 13 wides that Billy served up. Opening bowlers Tom Shambrook and Chilt old boy Danny Kirkland grabbing five wickets in their nine overs. The 16s table is here - we're seventh out of ten teams.

Jonathan Denton

The final game of the day saw the Sunday side WIN at home to Cuckfield and in complete contrast to the 1sts and 2nds, they remain unbeaten. WC&T 209-7 (Kersley 53), Cuck 178-9 (Attfield 3-24, Tolson 2-36). Scorecard.

Cuckfield beaten at last in a 40 over winner-takes-all game at the Rec. Occasional player Tim Kersley now has an average after his second innings, like his first, ended in a half century. Unlike last time, however, he was dismissed - run out. Plenty of double figure scores but no one going on to get a big one - Denton, Llewellyn, Fryer and Armstrong (not out) all getting into the twenties. The wonderfully named Marcus Campopiano taking two wickets for the Cuckoos.

After tea, teenagers Tolson and Goring, opened up and took three wickets for a lot of runs between them. Mick took a wicket first change but Farmer Phil Attfield made the difference today taking three top order wickets including perennial thorn, Hussey lookalike and Cuckfield captain, Jeremy Crampton. The aforementioned Campopiano looked like he'd take the game away from us before Craig Pulling bagged him. Despite a lusty six from Cuckfield vet and President, Geoffrey Longfield, the visitors finished 30 odd runs short. Denton also bagged a wicket with only Stuey Miller going wicketless. Well done chaps - we've beaten Cuckfield at last.

WC&T

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