Scorecard

Great Waltham Cricket Club 1st XI v Springfield 2nd XI on Sat 12 May 2018 at 1pm
Match was Abandoned

Match report I feel as though we might have got away with one on Saturday. I’d argue we’d had the worst of the weather conditions throughout the day but when it mattered the light and rain intervened to help us. Sometimes you need a bit of luck and I’m sure we’ve been in Springfield’s position many times throughout the years. The cricketing gods giveth and the cricketing gods taketh.

After last week’s victory the 1st XI looked to improve their record to 2-0 and take the 1st division by storm. After a toss delayed by rain, Waltham were inserted in what appeared to be bowling friendly conditions. The new opening partnership of Bloom jnr and Si opened without missing a clouty sized beat and raced to 30 without loss in 6 overs. Beautiful flicks through the leg side and cuts straight to fielder’s sore hands punctuated the opening spell. The fielding side struggled with a slippery ball and the big lad from the top end suffered with what can only be described as a slippery top surface at best. An hour’s delay ensured we could all enjoy our daily IPL action.

Springfield picked up the tempo when they came back out, restricting the run rate but it wasn’t until the introduction of Frost that they found the breakthrough clean bowling Dan, which came as a surprise to all that had been watching him bat. Soon after, Si nicked on, again off Frost and suddenly our good start was going to waste. I should probably mention that the game had been reduced to 32 overs a side. The middle order looked to emulate our IPL colleagues and up the run rate with severely limited success. Success is the wrong word. We fell from 65-0 to 88-6 in a period of play which Frost ripped through our middle order much like Crane last week. In the end we did well scrape 130, a well-judged and patient last partnership of 19 from Jenny and Lewis as well as a quick-fire 15 from batting extraordinaire Morne Morkel.

There was enough in the pitch and overhead conditions to suggest that chasing 130 wasn’t going to be the easiest task. Unfortunately my bowlers represented the walking wounded as all were apparently suffering differing forms of ailments. There are times, like the first ten overs on Saturday, where I think I have this captaincy lark down. The final 10 overs of the innings reminded me that I still don’t. Ollie was able to get the opener to spoon to a recently deployed deeper cover and Josh got Northfield to pop one up to a recently deployed short midwicket. The next 10 overs were considerably more fruitless for the bowling unit and my ‘inspiring’ captaincy. Powell was especially frustrating as his edges and guides constantly evaded the slips.

The bowlers switched to a more defensive mode as we waited for the weather to roll in and Springfield sprinted towards the target. After coming on and off for rain, the umpire finally decided to call it quits with Springfield just 15 short of their target. I’m sure this was incredibly infuriating for them. And just like this report, the game ended in a damp squib. We look forward to going to Rayleigh next week and hopefully put some of these wrongs right.

VIVO Perfect Catch of the Match – Ryan’s swirling catch at cover
TATA Nexon Super Striker of the Match – Josh Fitz. Just qualified for the award with 15 runs
FBB Stylish Player of the Match – A stylish 35 from Si got us off to a great start
The Lewis Tucker award for playing whilst injured – Ollie Fitz for struggling up the hill whilst clearly injured for 5 overs.

Addendum

“In affectionate remembrance of the Little Man Trophy which died at Great Waltham CC on 13th May 2018. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. RIP. NB. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken somewhere far away from any cricket field”

Josh Fitz scored the 1st hundred of the season and won the little man. Cricket fans around the world are rejoicing.

Great Waltham Cricket Club 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
23w 2lb 
for 8 wickets
25
130		        
Simon Richardson b Frost 35 52 4 67.31
Daniel Bloom b Frost 23 50 3 46.00
Samuel Harris ct ? b Frost 10 14 2 71.43 1
Ollie Fitzwater lbw Tyler 1 4 25.00
Gary Bloom ct ? b Pothen 10 14 2 71.43
Ryan Brown ct ? b Hunt 1 12 8.33 1
Luke Tanner b Pothen 0 6 0
Joshua Fitzwater b Pothen 15 13 1 1 115.38
Lewis Chapman Not Out  7 14 1
Joe Reed Not Out  3 10
James Taylor  

Springfield 2nd XI Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Northfield6.001800.003.00
Powell4.002700.006.75
Tyler7.0123123.003.29
Frost7.041535.002.14
Pothen5.002137.004.20
Hunt3.0023123.007.67

Springfield 2nd XI Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 6w 1b 2lb 
for 2 wickets
12
115 (20.0 overs)		     
Jasani ct R. Brown b O. Fitzwater 5
Powell Not Out  64
Northfield ct S. Harris b J. Fitzwater 9
Clark Not Out  27
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Great Waltham Cricket Club 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Joshua Fitzwater7.0037137.005.29
Ollie Fitzwater5.0029129.005.80
James Taylor5.003000.006.00
Joe Reed3.001700.005.67