Brilliant game in the dark against the Dutch tourists! Congratulations to Ian Minky Moore for his MoM award and to Jonny Shepherdson for leading the team to victory.
Looking forward to a possible 2018 tour on their turf!
Following months of chat, speculation and the roping in of happily retired men using Springboks as bait, the newly formed Bidborough thirds got their season off to a flyer with a well deserved win over Cudham Wyse.
This team, of course, has been formed to give the youngsters from the excellent junior section a crack at men’s cricket, and their collective performance showed it to be a wise decision.
After 13 overs, and with only eight runs on the scoreboard, it appeared that we’d be in for a heavy defeat. Owen Blackhurst wrapped up the Worst Decision of the Season Award by leaving a straight ball that castled his off stump and Clint Hillhouse hung around for a classy 20 ball duck. Setting the tone for the day, though, was Zac Braithwaite.
The skipper had asked Blackhurst and Hillhouse to take the shine off the ball for the youngsters, but in reality Zac did it. Batting for 20 overs and scoring his runs with a ballsy late cut, he demonstrated excellent technique in a partnership with Paul Eames that gave the middle and lower order a platform to build on.
Rodger Poulsom, in his own words broken from the Rugby Dinner, upped the scoring rate coming in at five, and Shane O’ Donnell, newly promoted to U15s captain, batted with intelligence and aggression to score 23. With Jordan Masters and Josh Patterson having a late swing, we reached a 152, a total that appeared impossible 90 minutes earlier.
The bowling display was incredible. Josh and Laurence Mayne bowled with rare control in the opening 16 overs, and although neither of them got the wickets their accuracy deserved, they strangled the Cudham openers and racheted up the pressure.
Despite seeing double and confessing to mid-off that he was sweating pure jaeger, Rodger bowled nine overs on the bounce to take four for 11, Dylan Hillhouse got one, and two runouts broke the back of Cudham’s middle order. Then came the spinners.
Or spinner. Ben Gibson has come on leaps and bounds in the last 18 months, but his figures of three for three off two don’t tell the full story. His first ball in men’s cricket was a full toss that was hooked high in the air, landing in the skipper’s hands. His seventh was a beautifully flighted delivery that was again caught, and he won the match with another waist height bunger that did for their number 11.
The whole team fielded well, and O’Donnell kept beautifully on his senior debut. He also played his part in one of the most ridiculous things you’ll ever see on a cricket pitch. With the ball lobbed skywards and looking to drop near square leg, he set off with a loud cry of ‘Shane’s’. Everyone heard it. And by everyone I mean people three towns down. It was such a loud call that it scattered the pigeons congregating at third man. One person, though, didn’t hear it.
Dylan, racing in from midwicket and temporarily deaf, only had eyes for the ball until the last minute when his senses returned and he saw Shane. Launching into what can only be described as a straight red card offence, he clattered the keeper at shin height. Remarkably, despite a half pike and somersault, Shane held the catch.
“I was only focused on the ball,” he said in the car afterwards. If there was ever a quote that summed up the performance of the youngsters yesterday, that was it.
All in all, a great start and performance from a group of lads who will be the backbone of the club in years to come.
With the season now ended, all the Awards and Dinners complete we can all look back and reflect on another successful season. Thank you to all those who contributed to the website in the form of match reports, news and pictures which keeps the clubs communications fresh and engaging. Whilst we all rest out through the winter months stuffing ourselves with delicious turkey and christmas cheer may I encourage all club members to find a few moments to dig out any pictures or tales from the pitch that may be worthy of being featured. With the forthcoming Fixture Booklet already being prepared for next season new and fresh material is always welcome.
Tracy Poulsom
BCC Communications Editor
Having not only won the 2nd round of the National Village knockout v Wickhambreaux and Stodmarsh it appears Family Larkin provided the winning Yorkshire Tea. (more…)
Our U11s met on a warm, sunny evening at Cowdrey’s Longmead ground for their 3rd match in the Borders A League.
Batting first, our openers, Tom and Harry, got us off to a cracking start. Hitting the boundaries and taking the singles on offer, before we knew it Harry was retired having reached 25 in 8 overs. Now the problem with the A league is that good bowlers keep appearing and that, together with our inexperience, meant that we soon slowed down and wickets fell. Still I think that the coaches agree that it won’t be long before some of those batsmen are racking up the runs. We went on to score a respectable 82 after 20 overs, a score that was certainly defendable with our talented bowlers and fielders. (more…)
