Match Report - 2xi vs Cranleigh - by Joey B

"Unsworth missed fiverfor as skipper puts clown at slip" - Ed

More Swinging Than A Night @ Hedonism!!

Cranleigh 2xi - 113 Unsworth 4-29 Kilner 4-20 HWRCC 114-2 Mackie 48* Cole 40* HWRCC 2xi win by 8 wickets Cole, Fudge*, Jackson, Mackie, Kilner, High, Copewell+, Crowther, Unsworth, Breakwell, Lown

Scorecard

“ A quick game, is a good game” has always been one of my favourite cricketing clichés. Meaning what transpired in the 2s game on Saturday must have made it a good game, although Cranleigh may beg to differ.

Upon arrival at the Wick we could see the wicket was one which would offer some assistance to the bowlers, if only we could manage to get first use of it. Cue Cranleigh losing the toss and Fudgey asking them to strap on the “mums and dads” and see what they could accumulate.

Leggsy was thrown the new ball and from the very first delivery had the ball on a piece of string. His meticulous pitching middle, clipping off line paid dividends in only his 2nd over when he had Denton snaffled in the cordon by AJ courtesy of groin and chest. I would have said caught by AJ, but I don’t like to use those words too closely together as you will read again in a moment. Leggsy struck again in the same over when he removed Coldman, bowled by a corker.

Leggsy took his tally to 3 when he had Jones trapped LBW and Cranleigh were in all sorts of trouble at around 15-3 (Riley you need to put in the fall of wickets score on play cricket). They should have been 4 down shortly after when Preece drove a swinging delivery from Leggsy straight into the hands of AJ in the slips only to see the (can’t use the word catch) shelled.

Preece was to get another life when he edged a delivery from Lownsy, who had been quietly going about his work, just wide of Harry who nudged it past Coley at first slip.

Joey B replaced Leggsy and unlike the week before managed to locate the right areas to hit on the pitch, resulting in Lane being caught behind and Beecroft being caught in the Gully. The latter was a particularly enjoyable wicket to get as it's always a pleasure to see a batsmen have more tattoos than runs. Joey finished his 10 overs 2/17 and Cranleigh were around 70/5.

Matty Kilner was bowling nicely from the Kingsfield end and it did not take him long to get amongst the wickets, removing Preece and Payne cleaned up with the minimum of fuss, leaving Cranleigh at approximately 100/7. What followed was Leggsy and Matty mopping up the tail with ease to finish with 4/29 & 4/20 respectively and leave the Wick chasing 114 to win.

I don’t need to mention Tea too much other than to say the cream cheese and onion was another welcome addition to DBW’s squad and took this week’s mark up to 8.5/9

Right - down to the run chase.

Coley saw off the first over from a very lively Beecroft who in my opinion is easily the fastest bowler we will face this year. Fudgey was left to face the first over from the other end and from the first ball his intentions were clear as he slapped Preece nicely through the covers. 2 more boundaries were to come from the over and the Wick were off to the start they needed.

Beecroft continued to ramp up the gas resulting in him removing Fudgey's middle pole, courtesy of a flick via the pads. AJ came to the wicket and was soon back in the changing room via the crowd favourite “Yessssss, no, sorry" from Coley and a direct hit from Albert Steptoe at midwicket. The wick were 20/2 and needed a partnership.

That is exactly what they got as Coley and Mackie put on 80 odd quite superbly. Punishing the bad balls and keeping out the good ones. Mackie was particularly brutal on anything pitched up as he drove nicely through square cover on numerous occasions, whilst Coley continued to accumulate quietly from the other end. They finished up Mackie 48* and Coley 40* as the Wick chased down 114 in 22 overs.

A great team performance with everyone doing their job and setting the standard for the forthcoming game against Old Paulines.

MOM: Unsworth for a quite brilliant spell of swing bowling which set the tone for the day, and were it not for Gomes at 2nd slip would have had 5 wickets.

Match Report - Old Hamptonians vs 2xi - by Fudgey

"Police track down Old Hamptonians' covers" - Ed













CLOSE BUT NO MONTECRISTO

HWRCC 2xi 110 Charlie High 44 Old Hamptonians 111-7 Webster 5 for 19 Kidson 48* Old Hamptonians win by 2 wickets Scorecard

The 2s kicked off their league campaign on Saturday against Old Hamptonians. Having beaten Old Hamps three times in the last year we were confident that a fourth victory would be heading the Wicks way.

Old Hamps is a funny place to go as you would assume that being in the grounds of Hampton School the facilities would be out of the top drawer. Unfortunately for the second week running the wicket looked to have seen better days, we were informed that the local Pikeys had ripped the covers and rain had got through. It appeared more that the local pikeys had cut pieces out, maybe to decorate their caravans or wedding dresses.

We knew it was going to be a day where the toss may prove to be crucial, and in a way it proved to be so. Unfortunately the toss was lost and we were asked to make first use of the wet wicket.

The first few overs were navigated successfully but not without the odd problem due to the bowl leaping off a length or going along the ground from the same spot. Scowen was bowling well from the shallow end with his opening partner Blair doing the same from the deep end. The score had progressed nicely onto 10 when Coley straight drove one back at the bowler, who somehow managed to deflect it onto the stumps only to see Fudgey not quite make his ground and walk off despite the oppo umpire giving not out.

Coley & AJ moved the score onto 32 before Coley tried to work one to leg which straightened and he was caught via the leading edge. AJ followed next over after being cleaned up courtesy of an inside edge off Kidson. The Wick were struggling at 32-3. Worse was to follow shortly after as birthday boy Mackie contrived to glove one behind in an effort to leave it.

This brought Charlie High to the crease who along with Matt Kilner took the score on to 66 with an array of attacking yet controlled stroke play. Kilner was unlucky to get a near unplayable ball from Scowen which he did well to edge through to the keeper. The Wick were 66-5 and soon 66-6 when Zohaak was caught of the same bowler. What followed was Charlie hitting some lovely boundaries and everyone else struggling to keep him company, resulting in the Wick being dismissed for 110 in 28 overs and Charlie top scoring with a nice 44.

It was decided we would go straight back out as tea was not quite ready.

We knew quick wickets would be key and Webbo opened up the bowling like a man possessed getting the ball to go both ways and had both batsmen in trouble. His first over resulted in an edge behind which Harry diving one handed could not quite grasp. It did not take long of him to get in the wickets though as he produced a peach to remove Carson’s bails and another to bowl Stone. Old Hamps were 15-2, maybe, just maybe. Joey B was the next to break through as Mahadkar tried to drive on the up only to pick out the bucket hands of Fudge at cover (20-3). Webbo continued to produce the kind of balls that gave Mr Mcvitie an idea for the name for his orange and chocolate covered cakes and picked up another wicket to reduce Old Hamps to 24-4.

Tea was taken and the game was nicely in the balance.

Upon resumption Webbo (Riley) picked up his fourth and fifth wickets to reduce Old Hamps to 35-6 and we knew the game was there to be won. Then the moment which changed the game, Kidson who the previous week had chanced his arm and got away with it skied one off Webbo to Harry behind the sticks, unfortunately the ball met with the grass and Webbo had to be satisfied with a quite brilliant 5-19.

Despite Leggsy coming back on to pick up Blair and reduce Old Hamps to 65-7 The Wick never really looked like winning and courtesy of some lovely batting from Kidson 48* and some variable lines from the other bowlers Old Hamps chased down the target eight down.

A disappointing start to the season but one which may do more good than harm and hopefully allow us to kick on this weekend at home to Cranleigh.