Welcome to this week’s Wizzy News – our weekly roundup of news and events at Wisborough Green Cricket Club. If you missed last week’s edition of Wizzy News, please click here

Junior cricket training

Just a quick reminder that Junior cricket training has officially finished for the season but there will be training for the under 8 – under 14 age groups as usual for those who are still around.

The Hundred

The Hundred is back – the action packed new format of the game designed to bring in new cricketing audiences. Please click here for a video explanation of the match rules for The Hundred.

Tickets have been selling like hot cakes, so you may need to move quickly to book. Junior tickets from £5 . Please click here for more information

Honours Boards

Congratulations to all those who made it onto our Honours board this week

Match reports

First X1 vs Barns Green

Due to the green and its state-of-the-art drainage, Wisborough were at another new home venue – this time the lovely Warnham CC where we hosted top of the table Barns Green. The ground was set up and ready to go with the outfield looking very sun- kissed. But yet again not being at home something was missing, and this week it was the 30 yard discs, but cue saviour of the day Darren Hunter, who picked these up from the Pav (slight detour) and we had a game on our hands.

Finally fortunes changed as the Barns Green skipper called ‘heads’, and for the 8th game in a row the Queen, in her jubilee year, decided not to show her face, and Farmer paused in excitement – and chose to have a bat on a nice hot day!

It was Steve Calder Smith (SCS) and Alan Law, the two elder statesmen of the side, who were ready for action. They had to bat with great concentration as the two Barns Green opening bowlers were struggling with their line and lengths; the first few overs felt like an eternity, with the amount of wides bowled (a total of 28 between the opening bowlers!). But in between these, both Lawsy and SCS punished the bad balls and the score raced to 36, at which point sadly Steve was adjudged LBW.

Out strode Ash Clarke with his antibodies in full swing after his bout with C19 and he and Lawsy started to tuck in. After 10 overs of the ‘powerplay’, Wisborough had amassed 77. Lawsy looked to keep things ticking, and on 97 he could only chip one to mid off who took a good catch.

Rich Wilson was in and in the mood to score – he punished everything full and sent it to the boundary, also clipping the top of an oak tree for a huge 6. He hit 3 fours in a row, and went for his 4th but could only pick out the fielder. A fine 29, and he had moved the score to 149/3.

Will Dixon joined Ash at the crease and the two continued to tick the score along at a good rate, with both playing eloquent high elbow technically perfect drives (something that was not seen in the Barns Green innings). Ash had one life just after passing 50, when he was dropped at point and he kicked on to 71 before being bowled by Ott. (Another questionable bowling action some might say). 194/5 with 10 overs to go.

Brother Jack joined Will at the crease, and unfortunately for him, he hit his first ball into cover’s hands, who dropped it onto his knee, bounced back up into his chest and fell to the ground as if he was cuddling some sort of young livestock – quite unfortunate.

Captain Farmer went to the crease on the hat-trick ball, which was a fairly tame wide. With Dixon they pushed the field on the hot day, hitting the wayward balls to the boundary. The Barns Green spinner was getting some turn, and this wasn’t too easy, but Will, with some deft touches, continued to kick on before falling caught behind for another well-made 35.

Farmer decided with 5 overs to go to try and manipulate the angles and with few hits towards the leg side, the Barns Green wicket keeper and overseas were full of life. But this was not the pitch that they had thought it was, and the ball was not coming on that well, Farmer fell with a couple of overs to go and Wisborough were on an impressive 258/7. DJ, Hugo and Sizz ran hard and Wisborough ended on a fantastic 265. (44 Extras from Barns Green.)

Wisborough headed out to the field and knew they had to get off to a fast start, The Barns Green opener and overseas player was coming off 243 not out the previous week. Farmer’s plan of starting with Jack Sizzey Carter’s spin was the ploy, and the first ball was walloped up the hill to what sounded like a hundred fans screaming. Sizzey re- composed and tossed one outside off, only for a prodded drive to loop towards Hugo March who took it with such calm and safe hands – the roars were heard from Wisborough, and met with total silence from the Barns Green players and spectators. Jarod Van Berk was trudging off. He had a few things to say in the field, but couldn’t back up it up – oh how cricket can change in a week.

Hugo opened from the other end and started with good line and lengths, hitting great areas and the pitch was doing the rest. He then bowled what was a nice juicy fall toss, only for Basset to jump out of the way and the ball clattered into the top of off: 10/2 and Wisborough were up for battle.

Sizz then removed the next danger man Cockly who decided to leave the ball only for it to come back and smack into his off stump, again the cheers were heard from Wisborough. But with the fast outfield and still capable batsmen at the crease, Wisborough knew there was still work to be done. Hugo then got a fine noise off the number 4s bat after he had hoicked a few fours – Farmer and DJ were adamant he got something on it – the umpire appeared to be signalling a wide, only for him to then put his finger up – a bizarre moment but one Wisborough enjoyed.

Alan Law then rolled back the years, as Hugo found the edge, a low left hand was stuck out and, in the ball went in. It was quite the catch, and one the team enjoyed.

Hugo into his last over was bowling at the Barns Green keeper who gave a lot of WG batsmen earache, and had a lot to prove. He however tried to stand on Peter Mattocks’ toes at square leg, and then gave catching practice to Lawsy, who after a great grab was not dropping that one. Sizzey and Hugo had bowled the first 16 overs and the score was 77/6. Wisborough were well and truly on top.

Farmer and Will Dixon were then brought into action, Will finding his lines from ball one, however Farmer couldn’t work out the ‘hill end’. The Barns Green batsmen obliged and the tucked into the freebies. Tom Ott hit 27, probably all off Farmer’s bowling, in no time – luckily one heave too many and Jack Dixon was under the ball, and his safe hands prevailed. Will Dixon bowled his 4 overs for only a few, but due to being a junior had to come off – some nonsense rule about only bowling a certain number of overs in a spell.

Jack and Darren Hunter were busy in the outfield, stopping 4s, looking for the balls in the hedges off Farmers bowling, and keeping the spirits up as the Barns Green number 9 came in. The score was on 191, and his hacking technique seemed to be paying off as he got a few lucky boundaries.

With Lawsy back on with Farmer, they did their best to break the partnership. Hugo, after his earlier efforts, had 10 minutes to forget after dropping the danger man. Just as Wisborough thought they were in complete control so the Barns Green batters kept chipping away at the total. It took a great low catch (194/9) from Will Dixon to remove the hacker, and with the number 11 in, Wisborough smelt blood. But he also had a few swipes, and it was a bit of luck that won the game: the ball was drilled back at Lawsy, he got a finger on the ball to dislodge the bails and run out the non- striker. Barns Green were 226 all out.

A great team performance from Wisborough, with several good batting partnerships and great fielding from Jack Dixon and Lawsy in particular.

MOM was a tight one – Ash for his 71, Hugo for his 4 wickets and catch of the danger man. But this week we go left field. Darren Hunter stepping in as 11th man, putting his body on the line, and being a true club man. (Sorry Hugo, this should have been yours – that mis-field cost you 😉 )

Jonny Farmer

Click here for the full scorecard

Second X1 vs Ifield

We arrived at Ifield on another clear blue scorcher which came with a crisp brown outfield and wicket.

Wisborough won the Toss and decided bat.

Out came the opening pair Dawson and Dawson. With a concrete outfield this was going to be a day for a high scoring game…..or was it ? Within the first half dozens balls it was obvious to see the wicket was not going to play fair to any straight bat player.

Ran Dawson was first to go on 4 with a ball that skipped over his shoe to hit the base of off stump. Bad luck!

In strode Juan Vorster who after some elegant shots decided to let loose and ran down the wicket to smash one over the club house but the ball evaded the bat and hit the top of off.

Wisborough battled on struggling to find much confidence in the wicket.

Harry Hunter was next in and with an early 4 played through mid wicket his time was then up with a straight one.

Tim Dodd looked calm as he wondered out but was caught at mid off for 0.

Frank Vickery came with new hope but after a couple of boundaries a well plucked catch by the bowler sent him back to the club house on 11.

Now Charlie Maunder fresh off his flight simulator straight from London Heathrow was finely tuned and ready for takeoff. With a couple of well timed on drives we were at 100.

Then Tom Dawson was bowled (36) dabbling at a ball that was intended as a touch past the slips.

Arthur Andrews came and sadly went (0). Zac Dawson who played 3 beautifully straight bat shots before being caught and bowled(0) and then Charlie was gone, stumped on 27 but not before George Andrews joined him at the crease not out (0).

Last man in Josh Dixon and like we hadn’t seen him before. With 2 cracking boundaries he was then caught at square for 8.

Wisborough all out for 132 after 33 overs.

In the field Wisborough opened the bowling with Ran Dawson and Frank Vickery both bowled some good line and length and made use of the interesting bounce the wicket provided. But with the remaining bowlers finding it difficult to keep their over all economy low not helped by some what lackluster fielding and a low target, the game was concluded in the 23 over for a loss of 5 wickets.

Tom Dawson

Click here for the full scorecard

Team selections

Our First X1 don’t have a game this week – please click here for our Second X1 team selection for Saturday’s game. Please watch this space for details of the venue of the game.