Welcome to this week’s Wizzy News.

Lots to report on as usual including a very special innings by one of our 16 year old players and plenty of great pics from our Women’s game against Chiddingfold.

There is often a point in time during the season when it feels appropriate to play one of our Wizzy News team’s favourite songs. We think its time (we’ll find any excuse to play the song anyway) …

Please click on the video link below . You have our permission to play the song on full volume ….

……Mr Blue Sky please tell us why you had to hide away for so long……

Honours Boards

There was a fantastic batting performance by 16 year old Will Dixon on Saturday in a thrilling 2nd X1 match against Petworth Park. Not only did Will’s performance make the Sussex League’s batting Honours board for all matches played in the County (approx 100 teams competing every week), but his score is the third highest score in the history of the club (according to the Playcricket records) – behind Benjamin Steyn’s 146 and club President Steve Calder Smith’s 162 not out. Congratulations Will – an innings that will be spoken about for many years to come.

Congratulations to all who made it onto our Honours Board this week

Match reports

First X1 falter at Chippingdale

After a non existent warm up and a couple of stranglers arriving late, Wisborough Green won the toss and elected to bat.

A slow start after testing bowling and slow outfield followed by a steady flow of wickets with the opposition captain bowling well, hitting the right length and then the stumps.

Nick Klein top scored with 10 after a 4 and 6 but Green all out for a measly target of 65.

In return Chippingdale also struggled to score and a couple of early wickets were taken.
The oppo skipper showed how to bat as well as bowl on tricky wicket, scoring an unbeaten 27.

Overall bowlers bowled well taking 4 wickets but ultimately had too little runs to defend as Chippingdale slowly crept over the line

On to Broadwater at home

James (Junior) Rainford

Please click here for the full scorecard

Second X1 vs Petworth Park

Rarely can the hallowed turf of Wisborough Green have seen such a game as that played by the Second XI against Petworth Park on Saturday.

In an 80-over match, nearly 500 runs were scored, all 20 wickets fell and the match went to the very last over resulting a famous win for the Wisi.

It would be easy to look at the scorebook and call this the Dixon Juniors Show and indeed those gentlemen did light up the game with Will scoring a giant 145 and with both Josh (3) and Will (2) leading the wicket takers. However that would only tell part of the story.

Wisi lost the toss and were put into bat by Petworth. Will and Matt Watts smeared a 100-run opening stand before Matt was deemed LBW shortly after reaching 50. There were no complaints though as that decision got him back to his newborn and his beer, both of whom were waiting for him patiently on the boundary.

Will cracked on amassing 24 boundaries and falling just short of his 150. His mammoth innings perhaps resulted in over-confidence among the other men of the Wisi who came in swinging and went without much hitting.

Setting Petworth Park 246 to win, Wisi were confident they had enough. That confidence grew in the first half of the Petworth innings as the visitors made a solid start but one that lacked Wisi’s fireworks. At drinks and with half their overs gone, Petworth still needed eight an over and wickets were falling at regular intervals. However capable batsmen kept coming and those kept the run rate just about within touching distance.

The game was getting more tense by the over and a large crowd formed at the pavilion swelled by the gents of the First XI who has returned to the womb a little earlier than they hoped.

It took an inspired spell from Josh Dixon (9 overs, 35 runs, 3 wickets) and some feisty bowling from brother Will (9 overs, 34 runs, 2 wickets) to ensure Wisi kept their noses in front. Another family also chipped in with a priceless wicket – father Dave McCullagh catching a worldy off his son Jackson’s bowling. This event all-the-more notable for the fact that both men were on debut. However, to their greatest credit, Petworth would simply not give in to Wisi’s families and the match went to the final over.

With only one wicket to spare, Petworth needed 12 to win off six balls. Captain Tarni entrusted Juan Vorster with getting Wisi over the line. What ensued was pure mayhem as the batters couldn’t knock Juan to the fence so tried to run their way to victory. In a last ditched attempt to reach their target, they went for a third run-2 off the over and Juan whipped off the bails sparking wild celebrations among the Wisi players while exhausted batsmen lay strewn across the wicket.

As the sun fell behind the trees lining the Green, the teams joined together for beer to celebrate a truly amazing game and one that was filled with feats that will no doubt get more grand as the years roll by.

Alen Lang

Please click here for the full scorecard

Women’s team vs Chiddingfold

This Sunday, the Wisborough Green Women (aka The L’Ashes) were back in action, against Chiddingfold.  Having casually mentioned they were fielding no less than three Women’s teams that day, selected from a squad of 50 (!), WG knew they were up against tough opposition.

Losing the toss, WG were put into bat.  After a hesitant start, opening pair Jen and Sam set us on our way against skilful bowlers and sharp fielding.  The oppo secured a few wickets, testing the net run rate. Second pair Sarah and Tessa continued, building attack throughout their four overs with Tessa strategically securing singles to put Sarah on strike.  It paid off and Sarah finished with a glorious boundary. Next in were Jo and Jill.  Focussed on the task, Jo made a decent 14 runs and Jill 6.  Bex and Fluff brought the innings to a close adding another 20 runs to the pile.

However, overall, the number of wickets we conceded cost us and we set the oppo a beatable target of 40 to win.  With considerable enthusiasm, WG set about the job of fielding.  Opening bowler Jo put in a consistent over.  Bex, Jen, Sam, Jill, Sarah, Fluff and Tessa all stepped up, and following some near chances, WG finally broke through with a wicket! Jen’s pin-point throw from mid-on hit the stumps for a run-out. Fielding at deep square on the shortest boundary, Fluff did not disappoint.  Demonstrating the signature ‘Fluff dive’, almost certain fours were stopped.  Jilly pounced on anything swept to fine leg and Sarah yet again showed ‘safe’ hands keeping wicket.

Inevitably though, the oppo reached the target and romped home to victory.  Chiddingfold have been in the league for six years and their experience showed against a fledgling WG Women’s team in its first year.  That said, it was a respectable performance and spirits remain high. The oppo were also very appreciative of our hospitality leaving no doubt as to who ‘tops’ the league for match teas!

Thanks again to Peter for umpiring, and Kirsty for scoring (was that your 4^th cricket match that day Kirsty?).  Special mention of the Barmy Army who ‘showed up’ to cheer us on.  We appreciate you all 😊

Bex Samuelson

Many thanks to Chris Marshall for some great pics of the Ladies game

Under 14 vs Southwater

The U14s fixture against Southwater provided a wonderful opportunity for some younger players to get some experience against a strong Southwater side composed of all U14s and 4 Sussex players! Harry Maggs, Buddy Edwards, Henry Foden and Hector Dawson all playing up!

We lost the toss and were put in the field. Our bowling attack was not at all shabby. After Jackson McCullagh got the breakthrough Harry Maggs went on to claim 3 wickets for 23 runs in 5 overs, a truly stunning achievement for an U12 at this level.

Our fielding was overall not as strong as last week but there were some good spells, with Seb Scrase consistently putting his body on the line and saving a great many runs. In the end their batters put on a well deserved 176. Our openers dug in until Joe Aspidin took a fast ball to the wrist and retired hurt, with George Redgrove removed shortly after by a decent catch at short cover after posting our second highest total of 9.

Jackson McCullagh was our standout batter, looking in fine fettle for his 21 before being run out attempting a slightly over ambitious second run!

Lots to learn from and after a half term break we will take on Roffey, an away fixture.

Jon Finn

Please click here for the full scorecard

Under 12 vs Southwater

Wisborough welcomed a strong Southwater team to the hallowed ground.

Skipper for the day Olivia Boyce won the toss and elected to field.

Wisborough opened the bowling with speedsters Hector Dawson and Bella Boyce who did a great job containing the Southwater openers who looked in good form. Despite being hit for a six Bella bounced back with some tight bowling with only singles coming off her final over.

Harry Maggs aka Courtney Walsh bowling with great rythum from the Ken Vickery end, claimed the first scalp of the day with a great catch by Hector Dawson.

Skipper Olivia Boyce then dismissed dangerman Southwater skipper Henry Jones who looked as if he was on his way to retiring. She finished on a fine spell of 1 for 13.

The fielding was good but there were a couple of lapses in concentration where the ball went through fielder’s legs and over the boundary rope giving away some unncessary runs – there were also a couple of overthrows without proper backing up that also cost us. It’s these sorts of things that are often the difference between winning and losing a game and the areas we need to work on. A real highlight however was seeing Sam Maguire taking a very difficult catch in his stride – worthy of a place on the Honours Board.

Despite some good bowling from Josh, Henry, Neve, Lucas and Sam the Southwater batters found the boundary at regular intervals amassing 134 for 3 in their alloted 20 overs – a tall order for the Wisborough batters.

After a quick drink and too many biscuits and sausage rolls kindly prepared by the mums, it was back to business on the field.

Harry and Josh opened but were sadly out early as the Southwater bowlers started finding the right areas to bowl.

Henry Foden strode to the crease and looked in fine form hitting the ball to every part of the field. He looked very much the part out in the middle – it’s hard to believe that this was the first time he had to retire after a well played 28.

Buddy and Hector fell cheaply to some good bowling and it was left to Olivia with a well played 20 to give some respectibility to the Wisborough response.

It was a really good close game played in the right spirit by both sides – much enjoyed by both sets of supporters. Well done to all the players – and a special mention to Olivia Boyce who led from the front with a good batting and bowling display and who captained the team very well with very little input from the coaches.

Thanks to Kirsty ,Bobby and Tom for scoring and umpiring , and all the parents who came along to support the team – the players really do feed off the encouragement you give them.

There is such a good positive team spirit and its clear that the players are really enjoying their cricket and improving week on week. So good to see – long may that continue.

Please click here for the full scorecard

Upcoming Fixtures this week

All of our age group fixtures are available on the ECB’s Placycricket website – please click here for list of all of our fixtures. A hard copy of the fixture card is available at the Pavilion – please do grab a copy. Please click here for an electronic copy

A busy weekof cricket ahead :

• Our First X1 are home against Broadwater at 12:30 on Saturday and our Second X1 are away to Worthing. Please click here for the team selections
• U15 girls vs under 12 boys on the Green on Saturday morning at 9am
• Womens team vs Under 15 girls on Tuesday eve at 6:30 pm
• Women’s team vs Billingshurst on Thursday evening at 6pm

A date for your diary – RunWisborough – 11 June 2023

RunWisborough is only a few weeks away. Please click on the following link for all the details – https://runwisborough.co.uk/

If you able to help in any way on the day please email the team at info@runwisborough.co.uk

And finally – Spotted out and about

That’s it for this week.

Have a great cricketing week 🏏😊

Cheers

Wizzy