Last week our junior cricket season came to an end, with the
Junior Presentation Evening taking place in The Park. Many thanks to all those
who turned out, on one of the few drizzly evenings we've had recently!!
Absolutely typical - but as many people pointed out, we've had a really good
season, with very few games affected by the weather (compared to last 'summer'),
so we can't complain too much!
Our teams had a record-breaking year, with the following team trophies
being scooped up this season:
Under-9s - NDCA League Champions
Under-11 Outlaws - NDCA League Champions
Under-13 Blues - NDCA League Champions & Dorset Under-13
Champions
Under-13 Reds - NDCA League Runners-Up
Under-15s - NDCA knockout Cup Runners-Up
So, not a bad year!
On the evening, individual awards were presented to the following
players:
Under-15 batting - Max Nettley
Under-15 bowling - Ben Chandler
Under-15 all-rounder - Ollie Dowding
Under-15 most improved - Will Trevis
Under-13 batting (2 teams) - Max Nettley & Todd
Whichello
Under-13 bowling - Jamie Anderson-Deas & Olli
Legg
Under-13 all-rounder - Tom Perkins & Thomas
Cairns
Under-13 most improved - Jasper Hodgson & Ollie
Chant
Under-11 batting (2 teams) - Luke McLaughlin &
Matt Williams
Under-11 bowling - Will Coleman & James
Stockley
Under-11 all-rounder - Matt Longley & Joe
Gartell
Under-11 most improved - Josh Nancarrow & Will
Guppy
Under-9 batting - George Perkins
Under-9 bowling - Billy Daniels
Under-9 all-rounder - Harrison-James Sweatland
Under-9 most
improved - Max Townsend
Under-7 batting - Charlie Sclater
Under-7 bowling - Dominic Coleman
Under-7 all-rounder - Nelson Burles
Under-7 most improved
- Finlay Stockley
Very well done to all of these players for an excellent season and to all
those involved with the whole Junior Section, whether players, coaches, managers
or parents!
After a run of good results recently, the 1st XI unfortunately returned to
losing ways with a disappointing performance against bogey-team Broadstone. With
the visitors batting first, the bowlers did a decent job in getting them all out
for 208, albeit that at one stage a lower total looked possible. Simon Sweatman
made an excellent return from injury to take 3 wickets, with Steve Forshaw and
Theo Grainzevelles also taking 2 apiece. In reply, however, the batting order
never got established, with all of the top three out for 14 each. only Alex
Sullivan made a score into the 20s, and the team fell to a frustrating 118 all
out in just 31 overs.
The 2nd XI posted a fine win away at Portland - not a place where
many teams win. Stalbridge batted fist and got off to good start with Fred Chant
hitting 47, before a quick fire 52 from Iain Lomas-Walker and a crucial last
wicket stand of 24 between Neil Ford (24) and Rich Brown (4*) steered the side
to 203 all out. The Portland innings got off to a shaky start with Robert Knight
(6-34) taking 4 early wickets to leave them at 64-4. They then battled back and
eventually fell 4 runs short with Julius Guthrie taking a great catch on the
boundary to end the game with a Stalbridge victory.
It was a case of deja vu for the 3rd XI (I'm practicing for my
holiday in France!). Once again they came up against a strong player that they
could not get out - this time he scored 155 not out in a total of 298-3!!
It was difficult for our very young side, having 8 players aged
under 16, though these young players deserve considerable credit
for remaining positive and bouyant despite being subject to a lot of leather
chasing in recent weeks! They can focus on the massive positives in
their own personal performances, which with the experience they are gaining,
will make them stronger players in the coming seasons. This week
U-13 Max Nettley top-scored with a very good looking 23 and senior debutant U-14
Sam Giles bowled really well in face of the onslaught, with 9 overs 1 for
42......the first 7 overs only costing 19 runs. They lost, but will be back
again and in a few years time will be turning the table on some of these
teams!
Finally, to the Sunday XI. In a low scoring game, on a
variable paced pitch, where both sides bowled better than they batted, one stand
out innings was likely to prove the difference between the sides. Chris Hedges'
solid 54 off 30 overs was therefore vital as the Sunday team lost 6 wickets in
squeezing past the target of 101 set by the Blandford Nomads. The next highest
score was 8!! Earlier, Captain Knighters had returned an astonishing 5 wickets
for 12 (to make a total of 11 wickets for him over the weekend) as Blandford
Nomads reached just 100 all out.
Have a good week!