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