Welcome to this weeks Wizzy News – our weekly round-up of news and events at Wisborough Green Cricket Club
Honours boards for the week
Congratulations to all the players who made it onto the honours board this week.
Matches this weekend
The firsts are taking on Barns Green away at 12:30 on Saturday and the seconds are taking on Arundel at home at 12:30 (note earlier start times)
Click here to see who has been selected to represent us this weekend
Results of matches played last weekend
Firsts vs St Andrews
- Great victory as Green come up trumps against St Andrews
- Green defend modest total after skittling oppo out for 101
- Benjamin Steyn puts in another top performance with the bat with 60
- Cameo performance by Jimmy Francis who weighs in with 25 not out.
- At Andrews set getable 140 runs to win
- Hugo March and Ben Thatcher finish off the top order
- Sizzling performance from Jack Sizzey Carter who polishes off the remaining wickets and finishes the day with highly respectable 5 for 10 off 6.2 overs
Celebrations in the changing room after the game
Seconds vs Pullborough
- Valiant performance by 9 man team against Pulborough First X1
- Newcommer Richard the Great(orex) leads the way with well played 75
- Capt Calder Smith and newcommer Charlie Maunder make valuable contributions with the bat
- Green post respectable 150
- Bowlers put Pulborough under pressure but unable to dislodge opener who ends on 69 no
- Tireless performance in the field as fielders cover large areas
- Pulborough reach target in 32 over
- Captain praises team for never say die attitude
Click here for the full scorecard
See match report below
Twenty 20 team vs Arundel
T20 team beaten by strong Arundel side
- Green bowlers share the spoils and restrict Arundel to 137
- Skipper Self top scores with 28
- Wickets tumble at regular intervals as batsmen struggle against tight bowling
- Green fall somewhat short and all out in 16th over
Click here for the full scorecard
See match report below
Emotional on field reunion between Mr President and son Dave
Wisborough supporters club at Arundel
Spot the ball competition – pics taken over the weekend
Happy birthday to the Ball boys – Jacob and dad Alan (pictured below) celebrating his ‘ginger nut’ birthday cake with everyone on Sunday at Arundel
Oops – Hoppo gets a rather straight one from the oppo bowler
DJ Dominique playing a rather interesting shot against Arundel
Farms stretching those limbs
That’s not what the bowler meant when he asked his skipper how many balls he had left ..
Got a better caption for the last pic ? please let us know . Answers to be published in Wizzy News next week. (Only respectable ones of course but delighted to receive all captions – can be anonymous)
Dates for your diary
Sat 2 Sept – Pimms and Prosecco on the Green – more details to follow
Sat 14 October – 70’s Disco night at the Village Green – a fundraiser for the new Pavilion project. Not to be missed . Tickets available from Hayley Ball via email : h.ball876@btinternet.com
Other non cricketing news
Here are a few more interesting sights . Please send in some of your pics to us – email wisboroughgreencc@gmail.com
What some do to try and help smokers kick the habit …
If there is anything we need to know, you know where to find us.
Have another great cricketing week.
#UpTheGreen
Cheers
Wizzy
Match reports
Firsts vs St Andrews
With plenty of rain around in recent weeks it was a great start to the weekend to see the Sun shining on the green! The weather was so bad James ‘The Walrus’ Sadler had gone into mid season hibernation. So Captain Farmer was left to keep the ship afloat. The first XI were asked to bat first against the St Andrews Burgess Hill.
The Wisborough pitch had played with plenty of bounce and consistency this year but after a few soggy weeks it was clear this was going to be a difficult day to bat. The usual pairing of Doddy and Benji opened up and again smashed quick fire 20, before Doddy flashed at one outside off and was caught by the wicket keeper. DJ in his new number 3 roll was set a task of just batting time with Benji, he did just that until a slower ball looked to juicy to miss out on but he didn’t connect and was caught one the score of 37-2.
A mini collapsed then occurred with Thatcher, Francis and Farmer all going cheaply unfortunately with the ball shooting along the floor. With the score on 45-5 Wisborough’s season was looking like coming crashing down.
Enter debutant Ball who with Steyny started to rebuild the innings with a patient 10 the score was on 91-7 before he fell. Benji then fell shortly after for a superb 60. This left Jimmy ‘2009 was my best season’ Francis at the crease, he was heard quoting this while walking to the crease, and my word did he roll back the years. His 25* was ably support by Chris Marshall and JSC and Wisborough were all out for 139, which on that pitch was a par score.
Another fantastic tea from Lena and JP gave the boys the energy to get amongst St Andrews and try and rescue the game.
Captain Farmer chose his two reliable bowlers in March and Thatcher and after a few frustrating overs of the unorthodox and very annoying Ansell, he was caught by hobbling Farmer off the bowling of March with
the scores on 11. This then opened the flood gates and Thatch and Hugo took regular wickets and the score was on 33-5 before St Andrews got to grip with the tricky wicket.
It was then time for the Sizzler, with his best bowling display of the season he took 5 wickets for just 10 runs off his overs and even though the St Andrews tail wagged as much as it could Wisborough bowled the visitors out for 101.
30 points in the bag and a great result. Jacob Ball was solid behind the stumps and the all round fielding and bowling was the best this season.
Onto next weekend when Wisborough are up against the in form Barns Green and will look to complete the double
T20 team vs Arundel – Quarter final A mix of youth and experience travelled to Arundel for the Quarter Final of the T20 Cup. Thankfully there was no sign of the rain that curtailed the first attempt at the fixture.
Stand in skipper Self won the toss and didn’t hesitate in fielding as Wisborough looked to restrict the top order and build early pressure.
Great bowling early on from both Ben Steyn and Hugo March kept the Arundel openers in check, and this was built upon by Saturday’s hero Sizzey-Carter and the returning James Rainford.
Wisborough continued to chip away with regular wickets with a Self and Hopkins keeping the last few overs tight and Arundel were kept to just 137 from their 20 overs.
A great effort from everyone in the field, with a special note for the pairing of Dave and John Pleasants who threw themselves about to save every run.
Wisborough went out knowing that a solid foundation was key for the run chase, however after Steyn fell for 0 playing an uncharacteristic slog in the 2nd over, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.
Unfortunately Wisborough were never able to mount a serious challenge, being bowled out for just 77 inside 16 overs.
A shame that we weren’t able to back up a great effort in the field, but credit to Arundel for bowling tight lines and putting us under great pressure.
Thanks to everyone who travelled down to support us on Sunday, it was a great afternoon, even if we weren’t able to provide Alan Ball with a performance fitting of his big day!
Seconds vs Pulbrough
Magnificent 9 beaten but unbowed at Pulborough
SCS returned from holiday arriving at 2am Wednesday morning with freckles afire from the Greek sun. His first task was to assemble a strong team for the week end fixture against Pulborough. He reviewed the availability list and got to work contacting his team. He knew it would be tough with the football season apparently having started (when did anyone think it was a good idea to start playing football at local level before the end of the cricket season?!), and holiday season in full flow. The firsts were without some of their stalwarts and so had already the squad so it was with a little trepidation that the quest for 11 good men and true took place.
By Thursday night, and with over 40 people being unavailable, and the net having been cast far and wide a squad of 10 and a half had been assembled. The half was Alan Ball, who might be able to make it pending a kite surfing session on the morning of the birthday. Disaster then struck as Jimmy Francis was called into the 1s and if you look at their score card you will see that his was quite possibly the match winning performance. Meetings were had, calls were made, brains were racked and arms were twisted as a team was sought. Mrs SCS offered to divorce her husband if he didn’t stop fretting and get off the phone.
There was a good spine but we needed another bowler and definitely to field 11 men. Peter Klein was asked to throw off his umpiring jacket and play but still an 11 obstinately refused to reveal itself. On the morning of the game we definitely had 9 players and Alan Ball might be able to make it, the dad of the vice-captain of the firsts offered to step in if needed at the last minute and we took young Connor along to play however the skipper was aware he might not be eligible.
The magnificent 9 arrived at the ground with the skipper more interested in the wind conditions on the south coast and the communication from birthday boy ball. If he could win the toss and bat, it was both the most likely way of getting points and also that a team would appear. The first task was duly done and Corporal Rainford and Richard the Great were asked to open the batting whilst the captain was seen in the communications room plotting the arrival of the remaining team members.
Alan Ball signalled in he wouldn’t make it and so Mr Francis senior was called upon, sadly a local incident had meant he had got distracted and wouldn’t be able to make the rendezvous.
The opening salvo was meted with stout defence until Rainford snicked to slip and a worldy diving catch saw for his downfall. Mariner then marched to the wicket looking to deliver shock and awe but was caught at square leg whilst looking comfortable. The skipper the joined Richard and slowly accumulated runs, the strategy was to stay there and build an innings and accumulate enough points to keep them in the hunt for promotion. At 20 overs things were looking promising as the score had ticked past 80 whilst drinks were served.
Sadly, after the third and fourth batting points were accumulated the skipper fell. Tommy the cadet soon followed playing a nice drive but in the air to mid-off, so gunner Maunder joined Richard at the crease. He batted with fluency making a well-constructed 26, but in the meantime Richard the Great fell for a well-made 70 with Peter Wright deserving of his wicket. SAFA Klein and George Andrews then bustled the score along and the team were desperate to get to 150 to secure the 7th and 8th batting point. With the fielders alert Peter instigated decoy plan B, deliberately missing the ball, bamboozling the keeper and scampering for 2 byes and reaching 150 off the last ball of the innings.
A conversation with the opposition captain at tea concluded with Connor not being allowed to field so we headed out with 9 men. It was going to be a tough ask and Tommy the cadet and the corporal opened the bowling. Tommy bowled a little short and with 9 men it was impossible to defend. So Mariner joined the corporal and both bowled tidily building pressure. The breakthrough came when there skipper was caught by Mariner off the corporal, and a few overs later when Mariner secured a double breakthrough in an over Wizzy hearts began to dream.
The hard hitting Dunger was in and Mr Wright was still batting well. Early in his innings Dunger edged a ball to Gunner who dived like a seal, took the ball one handed and took a great catch until his elbow hit the ground and the ball agonisingly slipped from his grasp. Dunger chanced his arm from a rapid 30 before being dismissed by Tommy now finding his line.
The skipper was running out of bowling options and the denouement of the match arrived in the when Pulborough got to their target. Credit must be given to all in the field particularly Sergeant Dan Webber who covered more ground than Mo Farah does on a training run. Credit must also be given to Peter Wright who got critical wickets at critical times and carried his bat for Pulborough.
Ultimately we lost the battle but it was a brave rear-guard action and we accumulated 10 points, 20 points more than if we had surrendered before the game started. Well done all. We still have chance of promotion if we beat our two closest rivals on the last 2 games of the season .
