Weekend Summary

Weekend Summary

2 Wins and a loss for the club on a scorching weekend.

The first team tasted defeat for the first time this season amongst trying circumstances and very hot conditions. Stand in Captain Karl Rummery unfortunately lost the toss which meant the boys had to field first in conditions not dissimilar to those of the Sahara. Bilal Omar was his usual tight and accurate self finishing with 1-28 from his 8 overs, a few stands developed but it looked like Meopham would be kept to a reasonable total until a late partnership between 9 and 11 added a vital 50 runs and set a challenging chase of 218. Gus Freeman managed to bad 4 wickets amongst the carnage, which included a dislocated shoulder and Angus deciding that he needed to leave due to his girlfriend going into labour, priorities!

A slow start to the Sissinghurst innings changed to a solid base when Fred Smith’s 30 ball vigil came to an end, bring together the Brother’s Freeman. Will played an excellent innings of 83 and was ably supported along the way by Gus 23, and Jack Greig back in the runs with 27. However time and balls were running out and stand in captain Karl (29*) managed some huge blows but couldn’t quite get us over the line. It was a good effort from the lads in very difficult circumstances and some great performances mixed in, Onwards!

The second team welcomed Bearstead to the King George Field with the home team looking to defend their unbeaten record. People were worried about the coin flip but captain Michael Winner simply said “calm down dear, it’s just a coin toss”. On winning it it was a simple decision to bat first on a road of a track and a lightning outfield. Bearstead tasted early success with the wicket of Richard Staines. However this merely brought on their impending doom! Joining the obdurate run machine Andrew Knowler at the crease was Tom Elliott and after threatening so much the week before it was the poor Bearstead bowlers who suffered his wrath! A huge partnership developed and was only broken when AK was dismissed for a fine 79 added to his runs from last week, being a grandparent seems to be working for him. This did not disturb the Elliott freight train as he continued on to a remarkable, epoch defining 117 not out. With cameos from Tom Dyas And the aforementioned skipper the innings closed on 243 for 3 after the 40 overs.

A total this size was always going to be hard to chase even on such a good track. Patience was the key for the Sissinghurst bowlers and they saw good batting from the first three batsmen seeing scores of 40, 35 and 57. However they stuck at their task and managed to reel them back in with wickets starting to fall on a regular basis with Henry Elliott removing both openers. This allowed the skipper to work through all his bowlers, using nine in total. Henry Parton impressed hugely with the ball having had to sit in his pads most of the afternoon and ripped out the middle order with 3/26. Some lusty blows from the number 9 got them up to 228 but a good team performance saw maximum points for the seconds who are now, whisper it, joint top of the league.

Sunday saw a hastily arranged local friendly, thanks to the powers of Facebook fixtures, against Staplehurst. Staplehurst brought a young side and on winning the toss Pete Smith invited them to bat first. An innings of 177 was underlined by Staplehurst 1st teamer George Perry with a heavyweight knock of 70. Wickets fell regularly at the other end with 3 for Nick Knowles, sorry I mean Tony Reader, and 2 for youngster Ed May. Eight bowlers were used in an excellent advert for Sunday cricket. The chase was guided by an excellent knock of 83 by Percy Christopherson against his old team. He was supported at first by Micky Winner who smashed 33 almost exclusively in boundaries. Wickets fell consistently but at the end the experience of Chairman and leader Pete Smith saw us over the line to win by 2 wickets, a fantastic day all round

Sissinghurst Under 13’s v Tunbridge Wells Under 13’s – Hot Hot Hot!!

Sissinghurst Under 13’s v Tunbridge Wells Under 13’s – Hot Hot Hot!!

Sissinghurst Under 13’s v Tunbridge Wells Under 13’s – Hot Hot Hot!!

 

The lack of League cricket this season created a great opportunity for the SCC Under 13’s to test themselves against the mighty Tunbridge Wells Under 13’s. With Tunbridge Wells being Ranked Number 1 in the Invicta League and the SCC Under 13’s having won 21 of their 22 fixtures since June 2017 the fixture promised to be a great contest, it did not disappoint.

 

In the searing heat of Thursday evening, Tunbridge Wells won the toss and decided to bat. With Kent County players occupying the top three batting positions Tunbridge Wells got off to a blistering start. Anything short or wide was put away and despite Daniel Hammond forcing Webb to play on, both the Paice brothers retired on 33 and 31 respectively. In the heat and under the pump a lesser side may well have wilted but SCC Under 13’s are made of stronger stuff. The skipper, Henry Elliot, rotated his bowlers sensibly in the heat and persistent line and length began to pay dividends. Wickets for Arthur Elliot (a last minute replacement for a no show), Will Bligh and Daniel Hammond kept Tunbridge Wells pegged down. A late change saw Wilby Wood remove the dangerous Boorgula for 29 before two sharp pieces of fielding by Daniel Hammond and Matthew Rickford (playing his first game for the U13’s and keeping wicket admirably) reduced the visitors to 146-9. The brought the dangerous Paice back to the wicket however some great bowling by Henry Elliot trapped him LBW without further score. The SCC bowlers had worked well as a unit with Daniel Hammond the pick of the crop with figures of 4-0-3-16. The target of 147 to win had been set.

 

SCC began their innings with Tom Dyas and Aston Burford getting us off to a solid start putting on 45 for the first wicket. Tom Dyas looking set to retire at 30 was bowled by Wickes to a ball that kept low. With Henry Parton then flicking a ball to square leg without scoring and Aston Burford holing out shortly thereafter SCC had slipped to 49-3 at the end of the 11th over. Not for the first time the Elliot brothers steadied the ship. Both looked in great touch with Arthur making a belligerent 32 (retired) and Henry a smooth 13. With Daniel Hammond adding a further 9, SCC had moved to 110-5 at the end of the 20th over. With 37 still required, off the final five overs, the target seemed a rather tall order for SCC – enter one Will Bligh. Having recently made the Kent squad no challenge currently seems to big. He went at the Tunbridge Wells attack with great gusto and with able support from Messrs Littlestone and May moved to score to 141 at the end of the 24 over. One over to go and 6 runs required, it could not have been closer. A single from the second ball gave Will back the strike who proceeded to find the boundary with the third ball thereby levelling the scores at 146. It is also brought about his retirement for an unbeaten and match defining 30. However, it wasn’t over yet. With Wilby Wood finding himself stranded half way down the wicket, the one run was still required off two balls. Ed May with a simple push and run saw Matthew Rickford make his ground and the game was won with a ball to spare.

 

Tunbridge Wells arrived with a big reputation and according to their coach, the strongest side they could have put on the field. SCC Under 13’s can therefore take great pride in producing a performance of maturity under huge pressure. The group has an adage that no one is bigger than the team so we don’t give out man of the match awards. The collective effort created the opportunity to win against top quality opposition and many lessons will have been learnt. We just need to carry these through to the remaining three League fixtures and see if we can, once again, complete an unbeaten season. As a Coach I could ask no more of a great bunch of boys.

Simon Latham

Player Profiles

Player Profiles

Name: Karl Rummery

Role: Opening quick and late middle order biffer

Best Figures: 4/19 v Bearsted

Highest Score: 112 v Tenterden

Best Player Played With: George Campbell

Best Player Played Against: George Campbell, “has so much time to play the ball”

Best On Field Moment: “Every week watching Fred Smith dive over one when Goose is bowling and seeing how angry Goose gets”

Best Sissinghurst XI: Luke Sheridan, Will Freeman, Ty Wunderberg, Duncan Bristow, Brough Cooper, Jon Agar, Gus Freeman, Karl Rummery, Nick Chambers, Angus Knowler, Bilal Omar

Name: Fred Smith

Role: Left Handed batsman, alleged social sec and general irritant

Highest Score: 116 (Friendly), 62 (League 2nd XI) 38, (League 1st XI)

Best Player Played With: Luke Sheridan

Best Player Played Against: George Willis (Shipbourne CC)

Best On Field Moment: Jonny smashing 140 of 60 v Outwood after one of their players called him a pikey

Best Off Field Moment: Neal asking the bouncer to not let him in to the club so he could go home

Best Sissinghurst XI: Luke Sheridan, Scott Davison, Ty Wunderberg, Brough Cooper, Duncan Bristow, Matt Simpson, Pete Wayne, Jonny Agar, Reuben Collingwood, Bilal Omar, Karl Rummery

Quotes: “Ooh that’s a nibble”, “Boring” and “Fancy a Julian?”

Team Sheets 8th/9th August

Team Sheets 8th/9th August

Saturday

1st XI @ Meopham @ Holingbourne 1:30pm start 2nd XI Home 1:30pm
1 Karl Rummery 1 Micky Winner
2 Jack Greig 2 Kieran Martin
3 Angus Knowler 3 Nathan Staines
4 Fred Smith 4 Tom Dyas
5 Gus Freeman 5 Richard Staines
6 Will Freeman 6 Nick Hinves
7 Ollie Hastie 7 Henry Parton
8 Jamie Rix 8 Tom Elliott
9 Bilal Omar 9 Arthur Elliott
10 Trevor Wright 10 Henry Elliott
11 Neal Metcalf 11 Andrew Knowler

Sunday

Sunday home to Staplehurst 1:30pm start
1 Pete Smith
2 Kieran Martin
3 Micky Winner
4 James Steele
5 Ed May
6 Richard Staines
7 Mike Burgess
8 Nathan Staines
9 Roger Burgess
10 Percy Christopherson
11 Chirag Patel
40 Point Saturday!

40 Point Saturday!

A great day for the club saw both league elevens score victories in their respective “Corona” League matches.

Despite beautiful weather the First XI captain won the toss and chose to field, making himself even more unpopular with his team mates (if that is possible). After a relatively solid start by the Linton openers they were both undone by the limping assassin Bilal Omar (9-0-23-3) as he clean bowled one with a beauty and frustrated the other into a skied drive which Jack Greig expertly took, steadying himself at mid on. The Freeman brothers then took over with the ball with Will (6-1-10-3) particularly impressing while Gus was unlucky to finish with only one wicket. Linton couldn’t really develop any significant partnerships and with his Uncle and Cousin at the crease Angus “Vesuvius” Knowler (2-34) returned to nick off his Uncle and then clean up number 11 to close the Linton innings at 147. the team will have to tighten up their lines though as 51 of those runs were contributed by a Mr E.X.Tra.

The chase got off to an inauspicious start as Fred Smith and Jack Greig were dismissed before the score had reached 10 and there was a spring in the step of the Linton fielders. This brought the Freeman brothers together in an important partnership which first blunted the attack and then started to take control before Gus (20) was adjudged LBW. The skipper then ambled to the crease and managed to combine a little bit of early fumbling fortune with some more assured, lusty, blows as he settled in, taking the score to 120 before the excellent Freeman was trapped LBW for a match winning 58. There was still time for the skipper to also fail to finish the job “edging” the returning opener to the keeper. Another wicket was lost and a few finger nails began to be chewed. Luckily the returning Metcalf and the fired up Angus Knowler saw us home with overs to spare, Angus smiting the winning four to keep bragging rights in the Knowler wars.

The second team travelled to Judd school to take on Bidborough’s wily 4th eleven on a sporting track with a bumpy outfield. Despite winning the toss and batting first Bidborough struggled early on with Nathan Staines (7-2-26-3) ripping out the top order ably assisted by young Arthur Eliott keeping it tight (6-2-13-0). Mingard had survived the early onslaught and was building nicely on 22 when Jamie Rix (making his second debut for the club) induced a false shot and he was held at gully. The innings continued to lack momentum as the Sissinghurst bowlers, young and old, managed to keep the scoring rate down and Bidborough were thankful for all the patience and experience of Paul Eames (32*) that guided them through to their final total of 130/7 from their 36 overs. Wickets were shared around by the attack With 3 for Staines, 2 for Rix and one each for H.Elliott and Martin.

In these small run chases a good start can be essential in order to win so captain Micky Winner strode out to open the batting and give that good start… and was bowled for a duck. This brought in probably the best number 3 in the “Corona League Tier 4 Division B” Mr T.Elliot. He combined his swashbuckling style with the slightly more prosaic charms of Knowler senior to steady the ship and it came as a great surprise to all when he was dismissed by a sharp caught and bowled chance with his score on 20. This summoned young Anik Moore to the crease and he combined well with his senior partner to chip away at the total with a very decent 24 before he was part of a double strike from the aforementioned Eames. Steve “slugger” Brown entered the fray and he biffed a few boundaries to get us over the line after the end of the path finding and match defining innings of Knowler finally dismissed (potentially for the second time in his innings) LBW for 62 pivotal runs. A fine 0* from  James Bligh (on debut) will live long in the memories of all involved.

Sunday report to follow…