Godalming match report - HWRCC 1st ix turn the corner?

Godlaming Vs Hampton Wick Royals

Hampton Wick won by 71 runs.

Hampton Wick - 195 all out (50.1 overs) Mackie 50* Agge 4/21

Godalming - 124 all out Iley 50 Raza 5/28

As the rest of the country endured conditions akin to the interior of an Otter's pocket, it looked as though many of the nations great weekend events would be severely threatened. Only one seemed safe by virtue of the fact that the 'World Quilt Making Championships' at Sandown Park was no doubt an indoor event.

What a pleasant suprise it was then to arrive at Godalming's hill top fortress to see the clouds circling without looking like they would threaten proceedings.

For anyone who might be unaware, we lost last week against Byfleet, and whilst we have not been playing our best cricket, the general concensus has been that those little moments of fortune required to win a game of cricket have just not quite gone our way. As Richie Benaud said about captaincy, 'it's 1% skill and 99% luck'. It was not a lucky victory as such, but it would be wrong not to recognise the fact that those game breaker moments finally started to go our way. You make your own luck as well in sport, and our determination to play the kind of cricket we know we are capable of started to twinkle.

As they say in cricketing vernacular, 'it was a good toss to lose'. Matty duly lost it and given the way we have chased in recent times there was atmostphere of optimism about it as Godalming asked the Wick to have a bat, on what looked a good track - Hard and fast to keep quickies and spinners interested alike, whilst offering plenty of runs for the stroke makers.

Matty opened up with Hibby as the Wick looked to get off to a flier. With the ball moving around though the run rate was stunted and Hibby was then caught smartly at mid-wicket. This brought Kamran to the wicket who added his assured presence to proceedings, and along with Matty they looked to set the platform for a healthy score. Whilst Kam accumulated, Matty was beligerant on the bad ball.

At 70-1 the boys in the lower order had felt comfortable enough for a game of boundary bowls. Hibby came back from recent defeats at the hand of Barrel, to win on one of the more tricky courses on the league circuit!

Suddenly wickets came like buses as Matty fell to a good catch from Hicks diving forward and AJ fell soon after as he popped one down mid-off's gregory. 76-3 and the rallying call of 'Mingers' was being trumpeted from the Godalming huddle.

When Kam fell LBW to Steel without a another run being added the Wick were nose-diving at 76-4. With both Mingers spinners on and the field tight, nurdling and a re-group were required. Who better for the task in hand than the phlegmatic Mark Mackie, and the experienced Ben Stephens.

Whilst Ben spread the field with what is best descrided as a 'wallop' down the ground off his second ball, Mackie was content to rotate the strike. When Ben fell for a cavalier 24, Barrel came in, but the rhythm Ben and Mackie had started continued in earnest.

All batsman have experienced a rough trot, and sometimes all you need to get you going again is a slice of luck. Barrel has been on a trot as muddy as the Hillsborough football ground recently, so when Godalming let him off twice, whilst on 0 and 3, another corner in our fortunes was turned. Mackie and Barrel decided it was time to add some gas and were particularly brutal on spinner Steel, launching him for three sixes over the leg side boundary.

Mackies parterships with Stephens and Barrel Bishop added 80 to the total, and by the time Barrel fell for 21 off 19 balls, the wick were in search of 200, a declaration and 50 for Mackie. Coley,Joey, Garf and Whinney just about saw Mackie through to a superbly paced 50, and although not making the 200 mark, all believed 194 was enough to bowl at given our bowlers and the pace of the track.

As we were fielding second I didn't eat much tea but will give it a 6/10, simply for the scones with Jam which gave it a traditional feel.

And so to the Godalming reply. Joey opened up and despite struggling with injury looked as though he would hurry most batsman for pace down the hill with the wind behind him. At the other end Shaun found immediate success having Milner the Godalming skipper caught at second slip by Barrel, with a peach of a ball, that forced the batsman to play, before finding extra bounce and away movement to kiss the outside edge and snuggle sweetly in Barrels welcoming bosom.

A strange period of cricket followed as the Wick bowlers struggled with their lines but weren't duly punished for it. Iley picked up boundaries using Joey's pace to force it through the point and gully regions, whilst Hicks looked to get to grips with the pace of the pitch. Both openers lost their radar however, giving Garf value for his patch fee behind the stumps.

Barrel replaced Shaun and mixed it up. Godalming saw their chance to attack, and looked to hit him through the V. Having not quite found his length Hicks decided Barrel had to go. He chose the wrong ball though as Barrel finally found the perfect spot and the ball swung through the inviting gate to clean bowl the Godlaming number 3.

The danger man Agge entered the fray and was not so kind. His first two deliveries whistled to the boundary. Then came one of those moments that you look back on at the end of a successful season and ear mark as the turning point in your fortunes. Agge thrashed it to mid-on where Shaun Whinney plucked it off the top of the grass blades to put Agge back in the hutch. 55/3 and the Wick were on top.

Iley and number 5 Brown then began to take the game to the Wick. With impressive timing and placement they started to force the field back, both taking full advantage of the over pitched ball.

I would like to say a little thank you at this point to whom ever phoned Kamran at 3:30 that morning. It reminded me of what happened at Frimley last year when someone mugged Webbo the night before a game. Kam was angry.... very angry...

With Godalming flying Kamran tore the guts out of the Godalming innings, with a lion hearted bowling performance. Getting rid of Iley who tickled one behind having got to his 50 got the ball rolling.

Cue the next decisive moment in the game. Drinks and a spot of rain, just to liven up the track. With both sides still eyeing a victory there was never any contemplation of coming off.

Coley and Ben Stephens conspired to remove keeper Clarke as the ball spat up off a shortish length and was superbly held by Ben diving forwards, like a prisoner diving for the soap to avoid bending over.

Brown realised that if they were going to get the total it was up to him and he looked to shepherd the tail and play his shots. He could only stand and stare though as Kam removed numbers 7 & 8 without adding to the total, then look on as Kam charged down the pitch roaring his delight.

Matty saw his opportunity for the kill and brought back Joey whose radar was back to normal. Number 9 feathered him behind without a fight, and Brown succumbed to a fantastic catch from Coley off Kam. Kam then finished the job and Godalming had been shot out for 124 despite looking favourites for the win shortly before the drinks break.

Catches win matches, and the Wick dropped nothing all day, and despite some fluent stroke play from the Godlaming top order stuck to their task, and when an opening appeared were ruthless. This is the kind of cricket we know we can play. Hopefully this will kick start our season.

MOM - shared between Kam and Mackie, and the guy who phoned Kam at 3:30. Turning point - Shaun's catch to remove Agge (the number 4). Champagne mament - Coley's catch!

Team News - Saturday 23 June

Well Gents (and Alison) what a weekend this is. The 1sts are off to Godalming. We have not played Godalming in the league. There is the chance that they might play at a ground of great beauty. They may serve a tea of mythic quality. Here is Barrel arriving at the pavillion for tea. The 1s will set out with stout heart but quivvering expectation.

The 2s - unbeaten - will attempt to defend fortress Wick. No league team has lost a league game at fortress Wick since last Summer when the 2s lost to Merrow. This Saturday we are visited by Merrow. There's a challenge boys.

The 3s - growing in confidence - are protecting a proud record of squeaking fantastic wins agains the mid-game odds. We're looking forward to more derring-do from Lloydy's mob.

Godalming vs HWRCC 1xi. Meet 11:30 Davies*, Hibberd, Ewen J, Raza, Whinney, Jones+, Mackie, Cole, Bishop, Jackson, Stephens

HWRCC 2xi vs Merrow. Meet 12:00 Clark*+, Sayce, Moore, Crane, High, Wright, Ewen D, Goodwin, Noor, Hill, Lown

HWRCC 3xi vs Old Tiffinians. Meet 12:30 Lloyd*, Risman, Doddy, Routledge, Nicholas, Taylorson, Cameron, Walters+, Unsworth, Iqbal, Laight

Good luck boys. This would be the PERFECT weekend for the first new ear Wickwash...

Duck Tax Update

An excellent weekend for Duck Tax. Skipper Lloyd perished in the 3s for the dreaded 0 and both Fordy and Barrell contrived to do so in the 1s. An oversight by the committee meant there weren't enough ducks to go round. So that's £32.50 collected so far if you count Barrell's from last Sunday. A duck is a duck is a duck after all... well done Darth...

Sunday xi vs Teddington Town - by Goldy

Sunday XI vs Teddington Town XI - Bushy Parky League - 3rd June 2007.

Teddington Town 103 all out

HWRCC 104-2

HWRCC won by 8 Wickets

MOM - Sissen

Goulborn *, Mackie, Garf, Copeland H +, Iqbal, Cameron, Bishop, Vader, Austin, Hibberd, Sissen

Unfortunately for the batsmen in the team, the dream of amassing a huge total on Sunday was shattered when yours truly lost the toss and was asked to field. With a previous best team total of 346 off forty overs against Teddington Town, you can understand their greediness. That said, fielding first gave the youthful members in the team a good chance to showcase their talents and further prove the Wick has a bright future. Junaid Iqbal, a 13 year old fast/medium bowler made yet another senior appearance and bowled tight lines, rarely giving away easy runs. He was rewarded for his efforts bowling the opening batsmen who had carried his bat through 30 odd overs, middle stump.

The other opening bowler Tom Austin (still at school, but now almost a Sunday veteran) showed what the Wick has been missing this season with some genuinely quick, lively bowling. “Harmy” picked up two wickets for his troubles. Note to 2s Captain Fudge, as soon as his exams are over, Harmys in, FACT! The other wickets were shared around between Vader (3) who bowled some delicious off spin that was reminiscent of Del Boys spell in the emphatic twos win the day before, Myself (pies) and Jimmy C bowling tight and as usual, aggressive. Harry Copleland (who in the morning won the game for the Wick u13s with a fantastic 30 odd not out) kept well behind the stumps. The keeper, aged twelve showed exceptional talent and it wont be too long before the young lad starts featuring prominently it the adult set up. I asked Garf to give him some advice, and he told me he was too good for advice from him, now that is praise!

So Teddington Town set us a measly 103 to chase down. With a batting order that consisted of big hitters such as Mackie, Barrel, Hibby, Sisso and Copeland, this target was never really going to trouble us. With this in mind the order was shuffled around a bit and early on we did our best to make it difficult for ourselves. Barrel went second ball when Vader raised the finger for a ‘dubious’ LBW decision (don’t worry vader, we ve all made them!eh del!?) and Hibby went shortly after playing an equally dubious shot to their decent left armer, having played some decent shots off the leg spinner. Bobby and Garf settled things down and eventually saw us home. Bobby proved he still had what it takes when he hit a HUGE six into the club house – definitely the highlight of the innings. Garf set about his innings in a professional manner playing technically sound and very straight, hitting some lovely four down the ground.

Wick win. Job done.

MOM – Sisso

Dick of the day – Jimmy C for shouting at an oppo fielder when he was about to take a catch. Then when seeing we were all cringing on the sidelines asking “isn’t that what you do?” bloody Aussies!

WICK!

Here's a gratuitous picture of AJ with more hair.

1s Match Report from our drowned rat specialist, Gareth

Olinda Vandals Vs Hampton Wick.

Game abandoned as OV dissolve in the rain. 4 points to The Wick.

A lady in the autumn of her life went to visit her local GP and family friend, in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. She knew she was ill but what came next was a surprise. When she asked, 'So what chance have I got', she received one of the greatest understatements ever. 'It doesn't look too good I'm afraid', replied Dr. H. Shipman.

To say that Olinda Vandals CC weren’t interested in result cricket on Saturday would be a similar understatement. Their running for the bar at the merest hint of precipitation was supplemented by an argumentative streak which said much about team spirit. Let us move on. Half a game of cricket was played and readers of this blog will be keen to know how Wick players got on.

Having learnt that tails does fail it was no surprise to find ourselves batting. In his last game for the Wick before he departs for Bangladesh Dan Lee battled out the new ball with Partner Sam MacCarther. Both were willing to wear balls and graft on a pitch that probably hadn't seen any light for a fortnight. Both showed their class when the balls were in the right areas though and saw off the new ball to give the platform for the middle order to push on. Bishop, Davies, Razzi, Hibberd, Marfleet and Cole then capitalised on their hard work to get us up to 197 of 47. Competitive on a sporting pitch with plenty of overs with which to bowl out the oppo.

Sadly OV showed no interest, on balance preferring to wait out the 4 points on offer for an abandonment where a few batting points and 2 for a winning draw to go with their bowling efforts might have been more useful at the end of the season.

When they eventually dragged themselves out to play they actually looked set for the winning draw. With the overs reduced to 35 they got themselves to 55 for 3 off 12 overs before calling it a day far too early. They had biffed, clouted and edged themselves far ahead of the run rate but showed no interest in staying out there. Eventually Matty was forced to concede the abandonment, and trudge miserably back to the Wick.

Finally from everyone at the club, good luck to Dan Lee in Bangladesh. He's only been with us a short time but we are hopeful that if/when he returns to Blighty he will come and show us a few more of those outrageous dance moves again.

Here's a picture of some rain. More than fell during the 1s game...

Hampton Wick 1st XI Vs Kempton

Davies*, MacArthur, Lee, Razzi, Bishop, Jackson, Cole, Forbes, Ewen, Jones, Webster.

Hampton Wick won the toss and elected to field.

Kempton 134 all out. Ewen 7-30 Razzi 3-21 Dows 48

HWRCC 136/4 Razzi 42 Bishop 30* Porter 2-33

HWRCC won by 6 wickets

Kempton were quite aggrieved as Bishop knocked off the last couple of runs to sink them to a 6 wicket loss. Kempton felt it had all come down to the toss of a coin, and that the Wick's sticky wicket favoured the side batting second. Granted the wicket was as lively as King Herod in an Early Learning Center, but the way they approached their innings defied belief.

Joe Ewen bowled well for his 7-30, but he will bowl better this season without such handsome rewards. From the very first ball when opener Watts flayed a ball which threatened little, to Dan Lee at point, you wondered whether Kempton had walked out to bat with their eyes closed, and not felt the puddles splash up their legs. When the Kempton skipper followed soon after in almost identical fashion, again to Lee at point Joeys began to taste blood and rather liked it.

Dows and Ricks then began to rebuild the Kempton innings and mixed aggression with a willingness to wear the snorter. They were brutal on anything shy of length and HWRCC bowled too short on a day crying out for a full length.

A thought must be spared for every bowler who bowled from the the Millenium Wood End, as the wind was strong enough to produce Acme style facial distortion, and made a measured run up a bag of liquorice allsorts. With the wind at his back though Joey finished his opening salvo following a rain break with the wicket of Ricks for 39.

Kamran replaced Joey and Barrell did likewise for Webster. Kamran got his reward for patient and disciplined bowling, removing the Kempton 5 and 6 before finally coaxing Dows (48) to give further catching practice to Dan at point. His fourth catch at point and to be honest I was beginning to wonder if I shouldn't give him the gloves and move to point myself just to see some action.

With Dows gone Davies showed no hesitation in bringing Joey back into the attack to finish proceedings. Joey duly obliged and did what all good fast bowlers should and mopped up the tail with a minimum of fuss. Matty D's insistence that every over would be his last obviously had the required affect and it was akin to watching a hunter taking out ducks with stinger missiles as they come in to land on a park pond. Kempton 134 all out and it was HWRCC who went into tea the happier XI.

You are all familiar with DBW's tea so I won't offer a mark. Although I think he should be docked half a point every time he produces a clone of the week before and a half added every time he makes our eyes bulge with surprise.

As alluded to earlier Kempton felt the Wick had the easier of the batting conditions, but the way the top three approached the chase showed more than an ounce of thought and skill. Sam MacArthur and Dan Lee prodded and left, determined not to throw away their wicket as the ball continued to skip, and dart around. Even when Dan timed a ball beautifully off his legs through mid-wicket and into the car park neither got carried away.

Eventually Sam (14) was undone by a ball that reared off a length but Matty came in a continued with fervent application. Dan (16) followed soon after to bring in Kam, who played what he described as one of his most determined innings, despite his best efforts to run Matty out, who eventually fell for 14. The hard work had been done though as the ball was now soft, the wicket slightly drier, and the openers seen off.

Barrell joined Kam and their partnership of 58 was a lesson in application and patience from these normally free scoring batsman. Kam certainly rode his luck on more than one occasion, but the their gamble to go over the top against the older ball, allowed them to then pick the singles as the field spread. With plenty of overs to spare, all his team mates were dissapointed to see Kam fall short of his 50, but AJ came in and finished the job with Barrell with a minimum of fuss.

A couple TFC's, but this was because of a very good performance of Joey and the top order doing their job. Still a slightly rusty performance in the field but the team spirit was as evident as ever and everyone will have to opportunity to stick their hands up and make telling performances as the season moves on.

Also from everyone in the squad a huge congratulations to the 2's for not only getting their game on but winning it so well. You can't ask for any more than a Wick Wash.

An Auspicious start

Long Ditton XI vs Hampton Wick XI Saturday 14th April

Hampton Wick XI. M. Goulborn, P.Hibberd, D. Fudge*, A. Jackson, N. Doddy, K. Razza, S. Bishop, G. Jones+, S. Whinney, D. Lowns, K. Laight

Hampton Wick XI won the toss and decided to bat 247/5 from 40 overs P. Hibberd 100 (retired) Goulborn 41 Doddy 31

Long Ditton XI 153/8 from 40 overs S. Whinney 3/20

Hampton Wick won by 94 runs

Cricketers by their very nature are superstitious creatures. Some will put one sock on before another, others just blame their own inadequacies and failings on lady lucks cruel hand. There is however no substitute for hard work and application.

The players of The Wick have worked hard over the winter at nets. Attendance has been good and the cameraderie as palpable as ever. The fact that The Wick were at the ground warming up an hour before the home team, had two younger members of the squad with them who had volunteered for scoring duties, and a band of jocund supporters spoke volumes for the appetite within the club.

To jilt fortune's kindly eyes is unwise though, and if luck is earned then skipper Fudge winning the toss was a favourable glance in the Wick XI's direction. Long Ditton were inserted and it was time to find out how far we had progressed since January.

Goldy and Hibby opened up and set the tone early. Whilst Hibby was brutal with anything off line or length, Goldy played in the rock-like manner anyone who has watched him over the last few years will have become accustomed to. This partnership could prove to be a fruitful one in the coming months as they seem to complement each other's style. Goldy's watchful rotation of the strike provides a harmonious equilibrium to Hibby's punchy stroke making. A hundred up for the first wicket partnership in the first game was just the boost everyone's confidence needed in April.

The pitch was superb given the time of year, with a generally true bounce. It was a little slow at times but certainly quicker than expected. This showed as the openers mistimed a few, and had the fielding been sharper then the scorecard might have read 90/3 or 4 at the 20 over drinks interval, rather than 100+/0. Hard work often manifests itself as good fortune on the field.

After the break both players pushed on in search of a big total knowing there was plenty of batting to come. Watching Goldy hit two fours and a six, straight down the ground, in the 21st over, was like witnessing DBW charm: Unforseen.

As the second and third change bowlers came and went the scoreboard ticked along until Goldy holed-out to long-on. Fudgey came to the middle and looked industrious and aware of the need to play himself in to the game and the season. All the while Hibby continued to blaze away and reached his ton and retired to give others a chance. It was an innings of blood-thirsty stroke making, and although he was dropped 3 or 4 times he made the most of it, and a comment made to Goldy may mark a change in Paul's run making fortunes for 2007:

'You know Goldy, if I hit it on the floor I make bigger scores'

Beware the Fullers League!

If Hibby was in peril of using up his helping of luck too early in the year, there was no such chance of AJ doing the same as he departed second ball. Next up was the first of two successful Wick debutants. Doddy's 31 was watched with delight by all his new teams mates. His impressively straight bat was like a proclamation of determination and desire to do well which was very well received.

Fudgey was next to go as he looked to build an insurmountable total which brought to the wicket another of the club's exciting new recruits. Kamram has impressed in the nets and really took to the task of building a big score. The most pleasing aspect of the final 8 overs from the two debutants was the awareness of the situation and team ethic. We know how technically good Kamram is, but his primary concern was to score quickly for the common cause. Likewise as Doddy found himself on strike for the final delivery he harboured no thoughts of a red-inker, but perished as he looked to push the score beyond the psychological marker of 250.

It remained on 247 though, and Fudgey was the more relaxed of the two captains watching the Grand National. It was to be Lownsy's day though as he backed the winner and took to field like a prancing pony.

Simon Bishop and Shaun Whinney opened up for The Wick, and whilst Bish struggled with a niggling quad injury, Shaun was right on the money, bowling with a fierce determination. Shaun has worked as hard as anyone over the winter and was duly rewarded with three wickets in as many overs. His first was a parried effort by keeper Jones to Bishop at first slip. His second was a sharp catch by Goldy at backward point to remove their very dangerous looking opener and skipper, and by the time he clean bowled the number 4, Long Ditton were were licking their wounds at 35 for 3.

As Ditton looked to consolidate wickets were harder to come by, but so were runs for the home side as the Wick fielding was nothing short of outstanding for the start of the season. You know a side is focused when bowlers throw themselves around to safe guard their colleagues figures and turn the screw on a side in trouble.

Kamram and Kirk joined the attack respectively and whilst Kirk found rewards immediately Kamram was made to work harder. Kirks first delivery was the only ball that really mis-behaved all day and the Long Ditton number 3 could only shovel the ball as it spat off the surface to Lown at square leg. Kirks grin was large as that of a man who has just got under the habit of a nun by telling her it was a cure for diarrhoea. He has reduced his pace but his big in-dippers when pushed to a full length are no easy task.

At the other end Kamram bowled superbly without reward. His battle with the Long Ditton number six was one of the highlights of the game. The Long Ditton batsman had the best of the opening exchanges but then Kam tied him down with 4 consecutive maidens. Your correspondent lost count of the amount of times the outside edge was beaten. To finish with 0/16 illustrates how well he bowled without fortune.

Eventually it took Dom Lown to come on and clean him up with a simple chance to the keeper. From there the Long Ditton innings fizzled out to 153/8 as Hibby also got in on the act, to cap a fine day for him, and Bish returned to collect the final wicket. A fine 94 run victory to start the season capped by some fine performances and a effervescent team effort.

Man of the Match: Paul Hibberd for his hundred and wicket. A special mention to Shaun Whinney for his demolition job on the Long Ditton top order.

Men of the Day: Tom and Alex for scoring and their support.

A special mention to Joey, Leggsy, Clarky, Matty D, Ian, Charlie High and Georgie, and Hibby's family for their much appreciated support.

TFC honours: No TFC this week - great effort from all. Although a miraculous last gasp escape worth noting as AJ took a catch off the final ball saved his bacon.

Vive le Wick

Nets - Quality

Wickman is back from nets at Tiffin School. They're at 7pm every Sunday night. They are the highlight of Wickman's week. Wickman's Monday morning work induced depression, only levened by thinking of Mick Lewis's quivering top lip in South Africa, is made worse by knowing that there are six days to wait until Wickman can net again. Tonight the standard is excellent. Last year's 1s new ball pairing, Joey and Barrell, are hairing in. It's that little bit too dark for comfort. A new guy, Kamran, turns up. He's very quick too. He pings one into Wickman's inner thigh off an inside edge. The edge is the only thing that stops it cannoning into Wickman's old boys. And off a couple of paces. And then there's Tid. Tid is Wick. And Shaun. And Dom. And Billy. Billy's back. It's challenging. Lively. The nets at Tiffin are quick at the best of times. Tonight they are lightening quick. Wickman is pleased to retire to the Kingston Tup without further injury. Here are some nice bright nets, outdoors. They are probably quick too.