At the start of the season, the senior pros in the team all shared a hunch that our survival in this league would go right to the wire with victory needed from our last game of the season at home to Ampfield. And so it was!
Barring a couple of big Southern League clubs, we have the highest placed third team in the Hampshire League. When we got this far two years ago, we were relegated at the end of the first season. As Ian Clark so sagely observed, this is where recreational cricket ends, and serious cricket begins. Staying in this league in the 2008 season was always going to be a challenge, and we looked doomed after losing the first four games. It is a credit to the players that we came back from this to go on a tremendous run in middle part of the season.
At the start of the season, the senior pros in the team all shared a hunch that our survival in this league would go right to the wire with victory needed from our last game of the season at home to Ampfield. And so it was!
Barring a couple of big Southern League clubs, we have the highest placed third team in the Hampshire League. When we got this far two years ago, we were relegated at the end of the first season. As Ian Clark so sagely observed, this is where recreational cricket ends, and serious cricket begins. Staying in this league in the 2008 season was always going to be a challenge, and we looked doomed after losing the first four games. It is a credit to the players that we came back from this to go on a tremendous run in middle part of the season.
Once again, it was the bowlers in the team who did us proud. Ian Clark is a fantastic option for any skipper to be able to turn to, and on many occasions he broke the back of the opposition's middle-order batting. Steve Roberts held back the years and bowled with great economy and not a lot of luck. It was good to see the in-swinging yorker returning for the fist time since the 80s! Danny O'Connell captured a number of valuable wickets with his off-spin. It surprises me that he doesn't get in the 2s! Towards the end of the season, it was good to see Jake bowling better and Fraser putting in a couple of good spells at this level. Landers deserves a mention for his great comeback spell at Cowplain.
Catching also played an important part in our victories. In a sometimes ageing side which 'doesn't do' ground-fielding, we clung on to some excellent catches at crucial times. Special mention to Jake for his athleticism and quite outstanding fielding in that vital last game of the season.
So now, last and definitely least, the batting. For large parts of the season we were just not good enough in this department. Olli Snr., for the second season running, held us together on a regular basis and can feel satisfied with his performance. There were other sporadic good contributions, and it is particularly pleasing to see that two of the younger batsmen, Graham and Matt, have now progressed to the 2's. Best shot of the season goes to Olli Challis for that massive six over the road! However, the bottom line is that we did not score enough runs, and it is not acceptable that we continually rely on our bowlers to make up for the batting ineptitude. We will not survive a second season in this league batting so poorly.
On a final note, my thanks to: Dan Scott for his scoring and match reports; those who umpired any games for us (Terry, Ian, Gooders, Dave M. and Brian); Gooders for leading a more professional selection committee.
And, finally, well done to Fred and the Ist II for their promotion. I have waited thirty years to see this day. It is a pleasure and honour to play for a club who can achieve such greatness, but still go back to the basics of beer and curry.
