The LCA

Halesowen Progress After Low-Scoring Victory

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:35:53 +0100

HalesowenCC are through to the next round of the ECB National Twenty20 Cup after a narrow 15-run victory over PennCCPenn won the toss and asked the visitors to bat on what looked to be a typical early season pitchThe damp conditions and big outfield made it difficult for Halesowen to keep the score ticking over at a fast rateThe visitors lost the top four for 38 with Hassan Quami 10 Mohammed Shauib 7 Ryan Beaumont 8 and Captain Wesley Griffiths 4 all back in the pavilion early onWith Halesowen looking in trouble at 68-5 telling contributions from Martin Harvey 32 in 35 balls and Phil Croft 24 in 14 balls pushed the score past the hundred markIt was left to Dan Jeavons and Andy Roberts to see out the remaining balls with Halesowen finishing on 111 for 7 in their 20 oversDale Quiney was the pick of the bowlers for Penn finishing with figures of 3-21Brothers Daniel and Matthew Jeavons both produced inspired opening spells to reduce the home side to 23-4 early onDespite Halesowen taking wickets at regular intervals former WombourneCC all-rounder Adam Quiney hit an unbeaten 38 in just 29 balls to take the match down to the wireBut Quiney ran out of partners fast with Roberts taking two late wickets to finish on figures of 3-23 to dismiss Penn for 96 and progress to round 2 of the competitionHalesowen will face either WellingtonCC or WombourneCC in the next round

Miles Century Steers Purley To Comfortable Victory

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:46:47 +0100

An outstanding century from opener Tim Miles steered PurleyCC to a comfortable 6-wicket victory over East MoleseyCC in Division One of the Ryman Surrey ChampionshipThe Australian smashed 106 off just 93 balls to chase down the target of 226 and give Purley their first league win of the seasonPurley skipper John Fry won the toss and elected to field to what looked to be a typical early season pitchEast Molesey made a cautious start to their innings but the hosts were looking in a good position when Neil Campbell 34 George Cairns 86 pushed their side past the hundred mark just one wicket downDespite many wickets still intact the hosts struggled to score at a fast rate largely down to the economical bowling of Miles 1-32 and Sam Somerford 1-26With East Molesey looking to push the score on spinner Andrew Mcdonald skilfully deflected a Gavin McMillan drive back onto the stumps at the non-striking end to dismiss danger-man Simon Barrett for 36Seamer Nav Chaudry 2-48 was rewarded for his excellent discipline at the death taking two wickets in quick succession to leave the home side on 225 for 6 off their 50 oversDespite losing Fry for 5 early on in the run-chase Miles and Fuaad Syed 35 calmed any Purley nervous ticking over the score at a quick rateSyed largely played the supporting role to Miles who hit the boundary on regular occasions for the visitors from the outsetAfter Syedrsquos departure Tauseef Mehdi proved the perfect foil for Miles as he immediately gave the opener the strike and allowed him the freedom to continue batting in the same veinMiles hit a magnificent six to reach his maiden century for the club to cap off an excellent innings that included 2 maximums and 9 foursDespite the Aussie being dismissed soon after Mehdi and Mahad Ikram 12 saw Purley to the target four wickets down for victoryPurley currently sit 7th in the league table at this early stage of the season and the club are hosting 8th place AshteadCC in their next match this Saturday 26th May

Heavy Defeat for Northwood Town

Sun, 20 May 2012 21:38:45 +0100

4-44 from AllenburysCC seamer Matt Miller condemned Northwood TownCC 2nd team to their first league defeat of the seasonWith five Northwood players delayed on route to the ground skipper Ravi Ramawat reluctantly chose to bat after winning the tossThe decision seemed to have backfired on the visitors as wickets fell regularly early on as Northwood stumbled to 60-4 at drinksOpener Bobby Graham 33 stood firm for Northwood and his partnership with Pradip Pandev 22 gave their side some much needed runs on the boardNorthwood eventually finished on a competitive 140 for 8 off their 53 oversDespite opener Carl Kerrrsquos run-out by Shameer Syed early on in the reply Brian Stephenson 52 and wicketkeeper Graham Mitchell 46 steered Allenbury to a comfortable eight-wicket victoryNorthwood captain Ramawat called for an improvement after the defeat There were a few positives particularly the fact that we saw out 53 overs but we need to start picking up more runs as we are going alongNorthwood Town 3rd team maintained their position at the top of the table after a narrow one-wicket victory over Old Camdenians 3rd teamBatting first wickets fell at regular intervals for Old Camdenians Meeth Katira 4-17 giving the hosts top order plenty to think aboutSachine Dave 2-10 and Bill Abbasi 2-4 made sure Old Camdenians could not gain any momentum in ticking the score overThe home side eventually finished 88 all out off 36 oversWith a required run-rate of under two per-over Northwood made a solid start to the run-chase John Bentvelzen 10 and Abdul Firfire 15 putting on 45 for the first wicketHowever Northwood suffered a major collapse after the first dismissal with four further wickets falling for just 11 runsRajul Patel 9 provided much needed stability but three further wickets fell to set up a tense finishWith the result in the balance an Old Camenians slip fielder missed what seemed to be a straight forward catch to allow Patel to scramble home for the winning run

Logie's take on Taylor's Knock - What would you have done?

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:03:37 +0100

Last weekrsquos newsletter reviewed the previous weekendrsquos matches and heavily featured the 330 not out scored by Totton Elings Dave Taylor The fact that Dave was mentioned or even congratulated for his achievement seemed to split peoples opinions all over the country Feedback suggested that he should not have been playing in the second team as he is clearly a first team regular and this is below his standard Irrelevant of the standard is someone getting 330 not an impressive effort Some of the comparisons that have been made are to people playing in their local U15 team and smashing 300 I actually think there are not many players in the country that could do that with the ease people have suggested My personal opinion is that as a coach it is good to play and help the other players in the team with tips and advice especially the younger players who can learn a lot from someone so experienced However in that situation if I were to reach a 100 then I think I would have subtly given my wicket away Some might say that is not giving the players in the opposing team the respect they deserve England international James Taylor would have been playing for Shrewsbury in the Birmingham League tomorrow if it was not for a late call up to the England party at Lords Would people expect him to get out once he had reached 3 figures or for an international bowler playing club cricket to stop bowling once he got 5 for Is it fair that they play at all I play cricket for a number of reasons I love the game I love the competition and I always want to challenge myself Sometimes it can be deemed as unfair competition but hopefully the players that played for Trojans against Dave a few weeks ago took the challenge head on and have learned from their experience that weekend I certainly know that if I turned up on a Saturday and Sachin Tendulkar was playing for the opposition I would relish the challengeLogan will feature in only his second league game for new club St Cross Symondians CC in the Southern Electric Premier League tomorrow against Lymington CCPlease place your thoughts below in the comment box - sign in here to get a FREE profile

Tagged Users
Richard Logan

James Taylor Pulls Out Of Shrewsbury Side

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:17:03 +0100

James Taylor has had to pull out of the Shrewsbury side to face Wolverhampton this weekend after being told to report to Lords to link up with the England Test teamThe England Lions batsman was due to make a rare appearance for the club after he had a gap in his commitments for NottinghamshireBut instead of playing for the Birmingham and District Premier League side the 22-year old will now join up with the England team who began their test series with the West Indies today 17th MayShrewsbury Captain Ed Foster is disappointed he wonrsquot be able to see the England hopeful in action ldquoWe knew this sort of thing might happen when we signed him at the start of the season itrsquos disappointing but of course we hope it goes well for himrdquoTaylor has many connections at Shrewsbury playing at London Road as a youngster and attending Shrewsbury SchoolFoster is confident the Nottinghamshire batsman will turn out for Shrewsbury sooner rather than later ldquoOf course we were aware James would not be available for the majority of the season but we are hopeful he will be able to play a handful of games this yearrdquoAfter finishing 4th last season Shrewsbury will be hoping Taylor can help them push for the title this yearThe club are at home to 2nd place Wolverhampton this Saturday 19th May

Hawkes Wins LCA Batsman of the Week Award

Thu, 17 May 2012 20:41:29 +0100

Nathan Hawkes hit 157 for BanburyCC at the weekend to become the LCA Batsman of the WeekThe 23-year old scored the runs in the clubrsquos 79-runs victory over Bishops StortfordCC in Division One of the Home Counties Premier LeagueThe former Northamptonshire and Leicestershire batsman took just 109 balls to reach the score which included 12 sixes and 9 foursHawkes unfortunately missed last season through injury and the right-hander was delighted to get the league campaign off to a great start ldquoThe track was typically slow for this stage in the season but I was careful in getting myself in before taking advantage of the short boundary on one siderdquoA partnership of just under 200 from Hawkes and John West 78 pushed Banbury to 302 for 6 declared batting firstBishops Stortford reached 223 all out in reply with James Phillips taking 5-69 for the visitorsThe victory was the clubrsquos first game of the season and Hawkes is confident the club can improve on a disappointing year in 2011 ldquoWe were unlucky with injuries last season and it showed in our league position But this year everyone is looking fit and we are hopeful of rising up the table this seasonrdquoBanbury finished just two places off relegation last year but the club are hopeful similar performances from Hawkes throughout the season can enable the club to move into the top half of the tableBanbury 1st team continue their league campaign at home to newly promoted BurnhamCC this Saturday 19th May

Hatchett Wins LCA Bowler of the Week Award

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:24:52 +0100

Lewis Hatchett finished with figures of 9-22 for East Grinstead at the weekend to become the LCA Bowler of the WeekThe left-arm seamer took the wickets in the clubrsquos narrow defeat to Brighton HoveCC in the Sussex Cricket Premier LeagueEast Grinstead Chairman Alan Evans was full of praise after Hatchettrsquos excellent performance ldquoIt was an overcast day which helped Lewis swing the ball a lot but it was a remarkable effort to take 9 wickets itrsquos just a shame we didnrsquot go on to win the matchrdquoThere were 6 maidens in the Sussex bowlerrsquos 13 over spell that saw only two Brighton Hove players reach double figures to collapse to 74 all-out batting firstIn reply opener Will Adkin top scored with just 11 as East Grinstead were dismissed for just 49 handing the victory to the visitors by 25 runsDespite the low scoring contest Evans felt the pitch wasnrsquot doing anything out of the ordinary ldquoThe feedback from the umpires was the pitch was playing well with no unusual bouncerdquoHatchett is highly regarded at Sussex and spent the winter break playing cricket in Adelaide in the hope of improving his game under testing conditionsEast Grinstead are still without their overseas player this season after Aussie Danny Irvine was refused entry into the country due to visa issuesDespite the setback the club are hopeful the opening batsman will arrive in the country in time for their away trip to Eastbourne this Saturday 19th MayEast Grinstead are also hosting a match against a Lashings World XI on the 10th of August if you would like more information on the event please e-mail alanevans4googlemailcom

Anderson Named England Cricketer of the Year

Wed, 16 May 2012 19:57:25 +0100

Bowler James Anderson has been named Englandrsquos cricketer of the year for the 2011-2012 season by the England and Wales Cricket BoardThe Lancashire bowler has had his best 12 months in an England shirt rising to fifth in the Test all-time wicket-takers for EnglandThe 29-year old currently sits at number three in the ICCrsquos Test Bowling rankings and this year saw Anderson take his 250th wicket for EnglandAnderson beat off competition from fellow nominees Stuart Broad and Alastair Cook to win the menrsquos award which was decided by votes from members of the cricket mediaCharlotte Edwards has was won the England Womenrsquos cricketer of the yearThe last 12 months has seen Edwards captain the team to whitewash series victories both on home soil and abroad whilst averaging over 50 with the bat herselfEdwards saw off competition from Laura Marsh Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway to take the awardBell-Drummond was named the winner of the inaugural England Development Programme Cricketer of the Year awardThe Kent batsman top scored with 80 in his debut year for his county last season and is now the highest run-scorer for England in one-day internationals at U19 levelFellow England Under-19 players Adam Ball Kent Ben Foakes Essex and Sam Wood Nottinghamshire were also nominatedThe Disability Cricketer of the Year award was won by Callum Rigby - a 19-year-old bowler from Telford Shropshire who has emerged from recreational cricket to become a key member of Englandrsquos Learning Disability squadRigby took eight wickets for the Learning Disability squad during their successful Tri-Series tournament in South Africa last year and was subsequently selected for a World XI which took on a Griqua Diamonds Select XI in the final match of the South African tour

Debut Victory For Nottinghamshire Visually Impaired.CC

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:31:08 +0100

The newly formed Nottinghamshire Visually Impaired Cricket Club NVICC have won their first competitive game in visually impaired cricket defeating Hampshire VICC by 9 wicketsPlayed at the weekend The Notts were impressive throughout and comfortably won the contest with 9 overs remaining in a 30-overs-a-side matchCaptain and son to the club chairman Darren Sullivan led from the front with 3 wickets followed by seeing his side home with an unbeaten innings of 48NVICC chairman Bernard Sullivan was proud of the players performance ldquoThis is a massive achievement for a very inexperienced side and they should all be very proud of the win so early after the formation of the siderdquoThe team only formed in 2010 has a squad of 19 players with varying degrees of visual impairment and they play a game very similar to traditional cricket but with a size 3 football instead of a regular cricket ballThe ball contains a small amount of lead shot so that those without any sight can hear the ball and react to its sound when batting bowling and fieldingChairman Sullivan is now looking ahead to the teamrsquos next match against reigning league champions Sussex Sharks ldquoThe win is still only just sinking in and facing Sussex will be another a massive challenge and one that we are relishing the aim is to become a league side next season and wins such as this can only help with our ambitionrdquoThe Nottinghamshire side train and play their home matches at Plumtree and Sullivan believes that has played an important part in the visually impaired cricketers development ldquoHaving a regular home base is important to any side and the facilities at Plumtree are excellent we are always looking to develop and add new players and having a good set-up is important Plumtree have been very welcoming and we are forming a very close partnership with them which we hope to develop in the coming yearsrdquo

Wiltshire Secure Quarter-Final Place

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:51:00 +0100

A double century partnership from openers Edward Kilbee and Jayden Levitt ensured Wiltshire secured a place in the Minor Counties Knockout Trophy quarter-finals with an 8-wicket victory over Lincolnshire77 in just 53 balls from opener Dan Birch and 68 from Jonathon Cheer helped push Lincolnshire to 280 for 7 off their 50 overs batting firstBut an unbeaten 109 from Kilbee and 132 from Levitt meant the home side posted 225 for the first wicketKilbee was supported by a quickfire 20 from captain Joe Breet to reach the target In the 42nd over two wickets downCornwall have also joined Wiltshire in the last eight after a narrow 3-wicket victory over Hertfordshire52 from Eddie Ballard and a late 36 off just 19 balls from Ben Frazer helped Hertfordshire post 243 for 4 off their 50 oversA century partnership from openers Matthew Robins and David Roberts gave the visitors the platform they wanted before captain Tom Sharprsquos 68 ensure Cornwall reached the target with one ball to spareSuffolk also took a place in the quarter-finals taking the victory by 2-wickets on the last ball of the match against Shropshire51 from captain Ed Foster helped Shropshire post 219 for 8 off their 50 overs with Matthew Hunn finishing with figures of 3-39In reply Simon Guy hit 52 off as many balls and wicketkeeper Simon Rees hit an unbeaten 33 to take the victoryCheshire marched to the top of Group 3 in the MCCA Knock-out Trophy with a convincing 116-run win over Cambridgeshire at Saffron WaldenKhalid Sawas and James Duffy both hit 69 to help Cheshire post 262 all-outJoe Barrs was the pick of the bowlers for the home side with figures of 4-6288 from David Clarke looked to have given Cambridgeshire hope but the opener regularly ran out of partners as the home side were dismissed for 146 with Scott Kirwin finishing with figures of 4-47Oxfordshirekept alive their hopes of making the final eight with a 102-run victory overBedfordshireRichard Kauffman hit 53 to help Oxfordshire post 261 for 8 off their 50 oversBut despite Captain Oliver Claysonrsquos 45 the hosts finished way off the target at 159 all outStaffordshire moved to the top of group 4 after defeating Wales Minor Counties by 6 wicketsGreg Willot took 4-27 to dismiss Wales Minor Counties for just 104 in 44 overs41 from Peter Wilshaw ensure the hosts reached the target comfortably92 from Aaron Williams helped Dorset to a comprehensive 53-run victory over BerkshireWilliams was well supported by Josh Lawrence 50 and Darren Cowley 49 to post 234 for 6 off their 50 overs3-44 from ex-county player Steffan Jones helped dismiss Berkshire for 181 to take the winHerefordshire registered thier first win of the 2012 season with a 4-wicket win against Northumberland at Brockhampton62 from Phillip Nicholson and well supported by wicketkeeper Lee Goddard 40 helped the visitors post 239 for 9 batting firstBut an unbeaten 105 from Charlie Walker in 104 balls helped Herefordshire reach the target with three balls remaining

Narrow Loss for Northwood Town

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:12:26 +0100

Northwood Town 1st team missed out on the opportunity to take back to back victories after a low-scoring defeat away against Hatfield Hyde 1st teamAfter winning the toss Northwood skipper David Bushnell elected to field on what looked to be a typical early season pitch favouring the bowlersEarly wickets from David Bushnell stopped the home side gaining any momentum at the start of their inningsBut it was Richard Doling who made the most impact with an impressive 6-23 off 12 overs to blow Hatfield away for just 85 off 38 oversOpener Carrrsquos 45 was the only notable contribution from the home sideNorthwood made a cautious start to the run-chase knowing the low target would not be walk in the parkCreeping up to 53-3 with plenty of overs in hand the dismissal of Phil Carter for 12 was the turning point in the matchA mid-order collapse left Northwood reeling at 58-8 with Hatfield sensing victory was in sightBushnell was the visitors only hope of reaching the target but was soon given out by a controversial umpiring decision to hand the victory to Hatfield finishing 65 all outBushnell was disappointed with the manner of defeat Chasing such a low total its really up to the top order to get us home but it was difficult out there and obviously there is some disappointment when four lbw decisions are given and other factors conspire against yourdquoWith all previous matches called off due to rain Northwood Town 3rd team got their league campaign under way with a positive draw against Berkhamsted 4th teamDespite the early wicket of Kunal Sanghi Sandip Thakrar 34 and John Bentvelzen 24 steadied the ship with a robust partnership of 64 runs off 19 oversAfter the partnership was broken wickets fell at regular intervals for Northwood before Sachin Daversquos quickfire 54 which included 5 sixes pushed the home side to 178 for 6 off their 47 oversConsistently tight bowling from the Northwood attack made it difficult for Berkhamsted to keep the score ticking over with ease throughout their inningsBut despite Mitesh Parma and Minesh Vadagama taking two wickets each the away side finished on 110 for 9 off their allocated overs to end the game a draw

Thurrock Top The Table

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:32:03 +0100

After the inclement weather of the last fortnight ThurrockCC finally got their campaign underway in the T Rippon Mid Essex League with victories for the 1st and 2nd teamsEntertaining Hatfield PeveralCC 2nd team Thurrock 1st XI batted first at Blackshots on what looked to be a typical early season pitchCaptain Mark OrsquoNeil made a useful 29 Nick Henry hit 26 and Abdul Stanikzai top scored for the hosts with 35 as Thurrock finished on a competitive 184 all-outThe pick of the bowlers for the visitors were McIntyre 10-1-32-4 and Donovan 12-5-34-3Thurrock regularly took wickets in Hatfieldrsquos reply the pace of Andrew Hills and Ryan Madder gave the away side problems throughout the inningsHatfield batsman Castledine provided the only real resistance hitting an unbeaten 45 as Hills in particular finished with impressive figures of 6-39 to dismiss the visitors for 129The result puts Thurrock 1st team top of Division Two after week two of matchesThurrock 2nd team lost the toss and were put into bat away at Navestock Ardleigh GreenCC in division SixChris Buckley topped scored with 24 as the visitors stumbled to 125 for 8 in bowling friendly conditionsK Mitchell 3-22 SSingh 2-28 and J Gildersleeve 2-6 were the picked of the bowlers for the hostsIn reply opening bowlers Tom Hills and Paul Gelder caused Navestock problems from the beginning and despite late stubborn batting from Singh 47 the hosts were dismissed for just 94Gelder and Hills returned with figures of 5-20 and 3-27 respectivelyThe result leaves Thurrock 2nd team top of division Six at this early stage of the seasonThe 3rd team fixture at Eastwood in Division 11 again fell foul to the weather

Lions Selection Headache For England Selectors

Mon, 14 May 2012 01:11:26 +0100

Many of the England Lions squad are pushing for Test selection after impressing during the teamrsquos comfortable 10-wicket victory over the West IndiesYorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow has already been called up to the England squad to face the West Indies this ThursdayThe 22-year old whose ability as a wicketkeeper is an added bonus to the England side is replacing the injured Ravi BoparaAll of the England Lions seam bowler attack threatened the West Indian batsman at various stages of the touristsrsquo first inningsSurreyrsquos Jade Dernbach and Northamptonshirersquos Jack Brookes impressed opening up and well supported by Stuart Meaker and Matt Coles the Lions dismissed the West Indies for just 147 in the first inningsBrooksrsquo 3-23 and Meakers 3-42 were the pick of the bowling figures for the LionsCaptain James Taylor staked his claim for a test place after hitting 118 in the England Lions replyA fluent 50 from Bairstow which included 6 fours would have also caught the selectors eye as the Lions finished on 341 all-out in their first inningsColes continued his fine early season for with Kent in the West Indian second innings finishing with figures of 4-76Brooks impressed again with figures of 3-46 as the Lions dismissed the tourists for 390 all out in their second inningsWith Andrew Straussrsquo test place under scrutiny opening bastmen Joe Root and Michael Carberry did their chances of taking a position in the test side no harm with a ruthless run-chase in the Lionsrsquo second inningsRoot hit an unbeaten 115 which included 16 fours and Carberry hit 72 to comprehensively chase down the target of 197 to take the victory

Coggan & Gleeson Win LCA Player of the Week Awards

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:11:15 +0100

Menai BridgeCC all-rounder Tim Coggan hit an unbeaten 136 at the weekend to become the LCA Batsman of the WeekThe 19-year old hit the runs in the clubrsquos comfortable 157 run victory over current holders Connahrsquos QuayCC in the North Wales Cricket Premier LeagueThe Australian hit 5 sixes and 7 fours on his way to the total that saw his side post 255 for 7 batting firstMenai Bridge captain Robbie Jones then took figures of 6-17 in partnership with Coggan who finished with figures of 4-22 to dismiss Connahrsquos Quay for just 98Coggan is highly regarded at his club back home in North Canberra and the all-rounder is making his debut season for the clubDefeating the current champions so convincingly will surely give the club confidence of making a push for the title this season after finishing in 4th place last yearMenai Bridge continue their league campaign with a home tie against 7th place St AsaphCC on SaturdayRichard Gleeson took 8-28 in BlackpoolCCrsquos 4 wicket victory over PrestonCC in the Northern Premier Cricket LeagueDivision One to become the LCA Bowler of the WeekThe 24-year old took the impressive figures to help his side dismiss Preston for just 61 in the first inningsOn what seemed to be a typical early season pitch Blackpool stuttered to the target six wickets down to take the victoryThe Cumberland Minor Counties bowler has made an impressive start to the season taking 20 wickets in five premier league games so farBlackpool who finished 5th in the league last season currently sit mid-table and face an away trip to ChorleyCC at the weekend in a bid to rise up the table

Totton And Eling Player Coach Hits Unbeaten 330

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:26:50 +0100

Totton ElingCC player coach David Taylor hit what is thought to be the highest individual score in adult cricket at the weekendAgainst TrojansCC the 37-year old hit 31 sixes and 19 fours on his way to an incredible 330 not out for the clubrsquos 2nd teamTaylor who joined the club from AltonCC during the winter was due to play for Totton Elingrsquos 1st team before their match was abandoned due to rainIt took the all-rounder just 160 balls to reach the total which steered the side to a joint league record innings score of 412-3 batting firstIn reply Trojans were at one stage 17-6 and finished 103 all-outTaylor believes luck in his favour on the day ldquoI hit my first scoring shot for six so that was obviously a great start but I was also dropped on 12 I have always scored quickly wherever I have played but I just got my eye in and didnrsquot look backrdquoUnder one-day contracts Taylor has made appearances for Derbyshire and Worcestershire in the pastTaylor is hoping to make a big impression on the coaching side at the club ldquoObviously I enjoy playing but Irsquom really looking forward to coaching the club this season and I feel Irsquove got a lot to giverdquoThe 37-year old is also skippering the clubrsquos 1st team in the Southern Electric Premier Cricket League Division One this season and has set tough targets for the team this term ldquoI feel this side should be in the top four it will be hard to reach that goal but Irsquom confident we can achieve itrdquoThe 1st team finished just two places off relegation last season and have further strengthened with four more additions to the squadTotton and Eling 1st team continue their league campaign this Saturday with a tough away tie against BashleyCCCLICK HERE to see the shot that bought up Daves 300

NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:03:50 +0100

Registrations for the 2012 NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser are now openThe NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser weekend encourages cricket clubs across England and Wales to raise funds for future NatWest CricketForce projectsThis yearrsquos NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser will take place over the Summer Bank Holiday weekend in August 25th-27thThe NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser initiative was introduced to help clubs raise the necessary funds to undertake projects to improve facilities or for short or long term needBy registering your club for the Fundraiser also enters you into the NatWest Locals v Legends competition which gives a club the opportunity to host and play against a team of cricketing legends captained by former England captain Michael VaughanLast yearrsquos fundraiser weekend saw 335 clubs participate in fundraising events raising over 320000 for reinvestment in the grassroots of the game2011 showcase event was held at CopleyCC where Tim Bresnan Katherine Brunt and Jenny Gun all joined in in raising 4000 from activities ranging from welly throwing and splat the rat to passing on tips to young players at Pro Bowling and Extreme CatchingSome of the long term funds raised in August will be put to use in MarchApril 2013 during NatWest CricketForce weekend when a lot of much needed work will be completed to get the buildings and facilities ready for the new seasonFor more information on the NatWest CricketForce Fundraiser please go to their website httpcricketnatwestcom

Bath.CC Pavilion Destroyed By Fire

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:52:37 +0100

Police are investigating a fire which has tragically burned down Bath Cricket Clubrsquos historic John Ruddock PavilionThe incident which police are regarding as suspected arson happened in the early hours of Monday morningAfter the news of the fire broke club members immediately attended the scene to find their most historic pavilion up in flamesThe fire is also devastating news for BathCC player and ex-captain Tom Stayt with the John Ruddock pavilion home to his fitness businessAll of Staytrsquos fitness equipment he used for the business was destroyed in the fireClub secretary Mandy Roe feels everyone at the club is hurt by the attack ldquoItrsquos very sad for everyone at Bath the pavilion is a part of the clubrsquos history and everyone is shocked to think someone could do this to our pavilionrdquoThe pavilion was regularly used by ground staff at the club with its facilities shared amongst the groundsmen at BathCCPolice are appealing for information to identify three people seen at Bath cricket club shortly before fire broke outAll were aged between 17 and 20 years old Two were male about 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins tall and of medium build Both had short dark hair and wore dark clothingThe other person was female about 5ft 6ins tall and of slim build She had noticeably blonde hair straight and shoulder-lengthAnyone with information about the three people or who saw anything suspicious at around the time of the fire is asked to contact Bath CID on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111The fire however will not affect BathCC on the field Bath 1st team face an away trip to BridgewaterCC in the next league match this Saturday 12th May

Cheshire Hold Nerve To Defeat Cumberland

Tue, 08 May 2012 22:33:10 +0100

An unbeaten 119 from debutant Khalid Sawas Helped Cheshire beat Cumberland by just one-run in a Minor Counties Knockout Trophy Group 3 clash at ChristletonWell supported by captain James Duffey who also hit a century in just 101 balls the MaccelsfieldCC batsman struck 11 fours and 7 sixes to guide the home side to a daunting 312 for 4 off their 50 oversIn reply Cumberland captain Gary Pratt became the third centurion of the match in just 93 balls strongly supported by Jonathon Miles 54 and Liam Livingston 62 as the visitors impressively kept up with the required rate but unfortunately fell just short of the target9-4 from Tom Sharp helped Cornwall comfortably defeat Bedfordshire in a low-scoring affair at TruroOnly four Bedfordshire batsman reached double figures as the visitors stumbled to just 114 all-out batting firstAn unbeaten 39 from opener Matthew Robins in reply helped Cornwall cruise to victory in just 30 overs84 not out from captain Eddie Ballard helped Hertfordshire to closely fought three-run victory over Oxfordshire at StandlakeBallard hit 7 fourrsquos to help guide the visitors to 216 for 6 off their 50 overs67 from Richard Kaufmann and 48 from Craig Haupt seemed to have put Oxfordshire in control before a mid-innings collapse largely due to 4-40 from Jamie Southgate left the hosts just three-runs short of the target5-31 from Daniel Roberts helped Wales Minor Counties secure a 69-run victory over BuckinghamshireAn unbeaten 51 from just 33 balls that included 5 sixes from No7 Andrew Salter helped set Buckinghamshire 224 for victoryDespite wicketkeeper David Cranfield-Thompson hitting 83 only two other players reached double figures as Buckinghamshire could only reach 154 all-out

Northwood Town.CC Begin Season with Two Victories

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:56:11 +0100

Northwood TownCC 2nd team got their league campaign off to a perfect start with a hard-fought victory over BovingtonCC in a low scoring affairThe side had not won their first game of the season since 2006 but 47 from captain Ravi Ramawat and 4-22 from Suvin Mekwan ensured Northwood Town 2nd team begun the season with 30 pointsThe home side won the toss and put Northwood into bat on what looked to be bowling-friendly conditionsBovington took advantage of the conditions a struck in quick succession early on to leave the away side struggling at 26 for 4It was a determined 7th wicket partnership between Ramawat and Pradip Pandey that pushed Northwood past the hundred mark before a steep collapse from the visitors lower orderAndy Woodward finished with 5-44 as Northwood could only post 119 all-out in 495 oversDespite missing out on a handful of early opportunities Northwood picked up wickets on regular intervals to put immediate pressure on the hostsJack Blackburn was the mainstay for Bovington and with wickets falling frequently the left-hander was running out of partnersMekwan and Ashkay Loomba in tandem dealt the biggest blow of the run-chase when the hosts needed just 18 runs for victoryMekwan took the key wicket of Blackburn who finished on 65 as Bovington could only 112 all-out just seven runs short handing the win to NorthwoodSachin Dave took impressive figures of 5-11 as Northwood Town 3rd team edged a tight encounter by 13 runs against Hillingdon ManorCCHillingdon Manor won the toss and elected to bowlTown unfortunately lost JBentvelzen off an excellent opening spell from HMCC SThakrar 18 1x4s and TKatira 16 1x4s steadied the ship to ensure Town notched up 39runs before SThakrar was caught off a wonderful driving shot closely followed by TKatira after 44 runs were on the boardTown suffered two further losses with RPatel and JSagoo with 47 runs on the board Enter MVadgama 51 1x6s 6x4s and UBhattacharya 23 5x4s collectively ensured Town reached a respectable 108 with a dazzling show of boundary hittingTown went on to set HMCC a target of 130 to chase HMCC were immediately under pressure losing their first wicket after scoring just 6 runsGSingh punished Town by scoring a very respectable 45 but whilst GSingh was steadily building his innings wickets were tumbling at the other end with SBashir TKatria MVadgama VBhattacharya and JSagoo all taking a wicket eachHMCCrsquos undoing was largely down to the bowling of Dave who finished with a spell of 8 overs 11 runs for 5 wickets PTailor provided some outstanding wicket keeping capabilities whist everyone for Northwood were outstanding on the fieldHMCC fell short of the Target by 13runs

Barrowford.CC's Future In Doubt After Dispute With Council

Tue, 08 May 2012 01:21:38 +0100

The future of Barrowford Cricket Club is in doubt after a row over their electricity supply with their local councilThe power at the clubrsquos Bullholme pavilion was disconnected by Pendle Council in January during work by the council to redevelop a changing pavilion on adjacent playing fields used by local football teamsPendle Council who lease the land have now issued the club with a 10000 bill to Barrowford to improve the cable at the pavilion so it complies with regulationsWith the clubrsquos only surplus funds of 44 last year the dispute is set to go to court with the future of 105-year old Barrowford at stake Pendle Council have stated power cannot be restored until the cable supplying the cricket pavilion is upgraded which is set to affect not only 200 cricketers at Barrowford but other local teams from other cricket leagues in the areaClub Chairman Nick Burton is hoping the matter can be resolved sooner rather than later This situation is both worrying and disappointing for our club we are a small community club with limited means but are a pivitol part of the village The current contingency plan is only a short term solution and we would hope to resolve this matter as soon as possible so that we can plan for the future and try and take the club forward

Netherlands Shock Gloucestershire With Narrow Victory

Mon, 07 May 2012 01:09:31 +0100

Stephan Myburgh smashed 77 off 72 balls as the Netherlands pulled off a shock one-run victory over Gloucestershire in BristolThe opener was largely the anchor of the innings for the away side hitting 11 fours to help push his side to 239 for 8 off their 40 oversDespite Benny Howellrsquos unbeaten 72 off just 51 balls in reply Pieter Seelar took 4-42 to ensure Gloucestershire fell agonisingly short of the targetAll-rounder Matt Coles continued his fine early season form taking 6-32 for Kent in their impressive four wicket victory over Yorkshire at HeadinglyOnce at 22-4 the away side stuttered to just 175 for 9 off their allocated overs59 from Matt Stevens which included 9 fours ensured Kentrsquos run chase was relatively comfortable reaching the target with four balls remaining69 from Jaques Rudolph helped Surrey to an 18-run victory over Scotland in a rain-affected tie at Grange Cricket ClubThe away side posted a timid 187 for 7 under cloudy conditions before the rain set inScotland reached 118-6 in reply when they were halted by the rain giving the victory to Surrey which is two wins out of two for the defending championsLeicestershire opener Josh Cobbrsquos 137 off just 99 balls couldnrsquot prevent Lancashire snatching a narrow victory at Old TraffordSteven Croft hit 82 and was well supported by Stephen Moore 74 and Ashwell Prince 79 as the home side posted a daunting 296 for 3 off their 40 oversDespite Cobbrsquos excellent innings which was well supported by Matthew Boyce chipping in with 64 the away side fell just short of the target with left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan taking 3-44West Durston and Martin Guptill both hit centuries as Derbyshire comfortable beat the ECB Unicorns by 129 runsDurston hit an unbeaten 120 whilst Guptill struck 125 off just 102 deliveries as the away side posted 287 for 3 off their 40 oversChesney Hughes took career best figures of 5-29 as the Unicorns lost wickets on regular intervals in their run-chaseFresh from an impressive bowling performance against Sussex last week Luis Reece finished the home sidersquos top scorer with his 36 off 40 balls as the Unicorns fell way short of the targetIan Bellrsquos unbeaten 82 inspired Warwickshire to victory by 6 wickets over Northamptonshire at EdgbastonAndrew Hall hit an unbeaten 52 as Northants stuttered to 209 for 7 off their oversBell was well supported by Rikki Clarke who hit an unbeaten 54 in reply as the home side cruised to victory with two overs to spare

Morecambe Overseas Wins LCA Batsman of the Week

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:16:12 +0100

Morecambe Cricket Clubrsquos Umar Amin hit an unbeaten 175 off just 165 balls at the weekend to become the LCA Batsman of the weekThe 22-year old hit the knock in Morecambersquos winning draw away at CarnforthCC last SaturdayThe clubrsquos Vice Chairman Tommy Clough believes everything was place for the former Pakistan international to hit a big score ldquoIt was a good innings but the ground we were playing at is probably one of the smallest in the league so he couldnrsquot believe his luckrdquoMorecambe 1st team have finished 6th in the Northern Premier Cricket League Division One for the past three seasons in a row and the club are hopeful of improving on that this yearDuring the winter the club were boosted by the news that former opening bowler Gareth Pedder was returning to Morecambe after three years playing for a different sidePedder was a key bowler for Morecambe before his departure taking 43 wickets at an average of 23 in his last year at the clubClough is confident the club can improve on 6th place this year ldquoThe last three seasons have been a bit frustrating finishing in the same position each year but hopefully with Gareth back and our overseas player looking good we can rise up the tablerdquoThere is a very strong youth section at Morecambe with around 140 youngsters already signed for the forthcoming season Influence from coaches in the community means this season sees two competitive womenrsquos teams playing at the club which is a first for MorecambeMorecambe 1st team continue their league campaign with a tough away trip to KendallCC on Saturday the 5th May

Loughborough University Staff.CC Aiming To Break World Record For Charity

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:45:50 +0100

Loughborough University Staff Cricket Club are attempting to break a world record in their latest attempt to raise money for a local charityThe cricket marathon world record currently stands at 105 hours of continuous cricket but from the 24th to 30th June the team are hoping to become new world record holders in aid of the Harley Staples Cancer TrustThe Harley Staples Cancer Trust was established in loving memory of Harley who died on the 1st November 2009 having suffered with a rare form of leukaemiaInitially providing art crafts to Ward 27 of the Leicester Royal Infirmary respite holidays to Norfolk the charity now aims to build a respite care holiday home for children teenagers with cancer and their families with over 200000 already raisedThere has already been significant interest in the world record attempt with Inspiral Carpets guitarist Graham Lambert expressing his desire to play along with Sky TV presenter Natalie Pinkham who has offered her services as a slip fielderCricketers Monty Panesar Wes Durston and Rob Taylor have all agreed to come along and support the attempt alongside former Leicester Tigers Scrum-Half Harry Ellis who will umpire for a section of the match Loughborough StaffCC Captain Chris Hughes who is skippering one of the sides believes the attempt is shaping up to be a huge success ldquoWe came across the Harley Staples Cancer Trust by chance and we all got instantly attached so the opportunity to raise some money for a great cause and break a world record in one go is something we are all looking forward tordquoThroughout the week there will be usual school and club cricket matches involving hundreds of children with BBQrsquos and cricket-fairrsquos aiming to entice as many people to come along as possibleWith the help of the Loughborough ECB Academy coaches players from Leicestershire Nottinghamshire Derbyshire players will be running cricket coaching sessions throughout the week for anyone who comes alongDespite the tough target of 105hrs Hughes is confident the players will be able to sustain the challenge ldquoThe week before the attempt is exam week for most of the students so hopefully they will be used to not sleeping for long periodsrdquoA group of the players will also be appearing on Sky Sports cricket show Cricket AM as their team of the week on the 14th JulyIn addition to the attempt the club have organised two fund raising dinners at the Loughborough College Futures Restaurant on the 23rd June 7th JulyEx-England bowler current Leicestershire CCCCaptainMatthew Hoggard former England Leicestershire wicket keeper Paul Nixon are both attending the dinnersFor more information and to donate to the cause please visit their website wwwcricketmarathoncouk or donate by text text HSCT08 amount to 70070

ECB Increase Funding into Recreational Cricket

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:00:21 +0100

The ECB has announced that it will exceed the governments voluntary target for spending on grassroots developmentThe government proposes national governing bodies invest 30 of their broadcasting revenues on the recreational gameBut to the delight of the amateur game the ECB has committed to spending an extra 175 million on grassroots cricket over the current broadcasting agreement compared to the previous agreement which ended at the end of 2009ECBrsquos current broadcasting agreement runs from 2010 to 2013During the last year ECB invested 23million 5million more than the previous 12 months which was a welcome boost on top of the 6million that was given by the government in revenue fundingThe ECB has also announced a changed in the regulations that define qualification to play for EnglandThe qualification period for cricketers born away from the country to play for England has increased from four to seven yearsOnly male cricketers who move to England after their 18th will be subject to the new regulationPlayers who have already qualified to play for England will remain available to play for the country as long as they continue to meet the current regulationsAlthough the increase will not apply to those who arrive in England before their 18th birthday

Win The Opportunity To Follow In England's Footsteps

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Would you like to see a team from your youth section playing Kwik cricket during the interval of an England Test match this summerIn association with Asda the ECB is giving clubs the opportunity to win the chance to play ASDA Kwik Cricket during the lunch interval of a Test match this summerIf that wasnrsquot a good enough prize the lucky team will also watch the whole dayrsquos play at one of the following Test matchesEngland v West Indies - May 20th Lordrsquos England v West Indies - May 26th Trent Bridge England v West Indies - June 8th Edgbaston First of all you have to register at wwwasdacomkwikcricket and set up an online team in the community section To win the prize you must submit a 200-word piece one-minute video or photo collage about your team and what playing at an England Test match would mean to you and send to the following address Asda Kwik Cricket Havas Sports Entertainment 60 St Martinrsquos Lane London WC2N 4JS Asda Kwik Cricket is a fun and simple way for kids to learn to play cricket Last year nearly 140000 kids participated in ASDA Kwik Cricket across the country Asda has been the proud sponsor since 2006 and every year Asda stores hand out more than 25000 worth of healthy food and drinks at Kwik Cricket festivals across the UK The deadline for entry is 30 days before the start of each fixture

Kingfisher Beer Cup – Round One Preview

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:30:50 +0100

With the continued inclement weather clubs are hoping to avoid the rain for long enough to complete their first round matches in the Kingfisher Beer Cup this weekend The majority of matches are happening on Sunday 29th April and this is the first step that over 250 teams will make during their attempt to reach the 2012 Final at Derbyshire CCC in SeptemberLast years winners Shrewsbury CC begin their quest to retain the title with a relatively short trip to North Staffordshire South Cheshire League side Stafford CC in the first round while the 2011 runners up Cambridge Granta CC will host competition newcomers Peterborough Town CC from the Northamptonshire Premier League The 2010 champions South Northumberland CC find themselves hosting fellow North East Premier League side Stockton CC in round one while the 2010 runners up and current National Club t20 title holders Ealing CC will travel to Middlesex County League side Shepherds Bush CCWith clubs allowed to move their first round matches earlier in the season if they wish four matches have beaten the wet weather and have already taken place The first match of this yearrsquos competition took place in the North West on Sunday 8th April with Clifton CC of the Central Lancashire League producing an impressive performance against Carnforth CC from the Northern Premier League Clifton batted first and put on 214-4 from their 45 overs helped by Dean Morrisrsquo 71 and Adam Holt 61 Morris was a success with the ball as well with figures of 5-20 as Carnforth were bowled out for 103On Saturday 14th April Blackrod CC from Bolton District League put out Urmston CC of the Cheshire County Premier League thanks to Saif Bhojanirsquos 112 in Blackrodrsquos total of 226-2 Urmston reaching 173-3 in reply On the same day Little Lever CC from the Bolton League hosted Prestwich CC of the Lancashire County League in a closely fought contest Little Lever put Prestwich into bat and they scored 173-7 in their 45 overs Sam Holden top scoring with 53 the Little Lever reply fell just short being bowled out for 167The final match to be completed so far saw Audley CC of the North Staffordshire South Cheshire League travel to Wallasey CC from the Liverpool District League on Sunday 22nd April in what proved to be a quickly completed match Audley chose to bat first but were skittled out for just 57 in less than 24 overs thanks to opening bowler John Murphy with figures of 5-21 from eight overs In reply Wallasey reached their target with the loss of two wickets in 23 overs to reach round twoResults from this weekendrsquos matches can be found on the Play-Cricket website by clicking on the link below If matches are postponed they will be replayed by Monday 7th May and the second round will be played on Sunday 13th MayLink to Kingfisher Beer Cup results - httpecbplay-cricketcomscoreboardresultsasp

Emmerdale Cast To Face Whickham.CC For Charity

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:30:50 +0100

Whickham Cricket Club are playing a match against a team of soap stars this summer in a bid to raise money for the Help For Heroes charityOn the 3rd of June an Emmerdale cricket team led by Chris Chittell alias Eric Pollard will face Whickham in what will be an entertaining spectacle for a great cause2012 Dancing on Ice winner David Metcalfe Matthew Wolfenden Jay Sharma Chris BissonJoe Sugden Frazer HinesDeclan Macey Jason Merrells are just a few of the Emmerdale cast that will be turning out at the Whickham Glebe Sports club depending on work commitmentsThere will be the opportunity to meet the players at the game with refreshments BBQ raffle and a Help for Heroes merchandise stall for all supportersThe game will start at 1pm with entry only 2 for adults with children concessions getting in for just 1The game will be a Twenty20 match so expect to see all your favourite Emmerdale stars in an entertaining battle with Whickhamrsquos selected XIThe club and Help for Heroes would greatly appreciate any raffle prizes you wish to donate if you would like to donate please see the contact details belowYou can donate money direct to the event or the charity if you wish by locating the Help for Heroes website and selecting the fundraising drop down menu then donateFor more information please contact Andy Gibson on 07828138531 or andygibson27hotmailcom

Alec Swann Hits Century To Win LCA Player of the Week

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Alec Swann scored 101 for Northampton Saints CC against Wellingborough Town CC last weekend and has won the LCA Player of the WeekSwann is the first recipient of the award for this season and is now in the running for the LCArsquos Player of the Month and Player of the Year awardsOn what was a slow typical early season pitch Swann hit 7 fours and 6 sixes from his 101 that led his side to a winning draw in the first weekend of the Northamptonshire Premier leagueSwann is confident his great start to the year can help him achieve his own runs target for the season ldquo1000 runs is my target every year I achieved it a few years back and hopefully my good start to the season will help me push on and reach my goalrdquoUnsurprisingly affected by the rain the match saw Northampton Saints take 13 points and Swann believes his side can improve on last yearrsquos performance in the league ldquoIt was tough coming second last season by such a small amount but Irsquom confident we can go one better this yearrdquoThe LCA Player Awards are in the their third year we have focused our attention on the 25 ECB premier leagues where each week we usually select two players the highest scorer and the bowler with most wickets from each league as players of the week The LCA then selects a Player of the Month and ultimately Player of the YearThe end of the season will also see our first ever LCA Awards dinner celebrating the achievements of the League players in the country

Parley.CC Facing Old England XI For Charity

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

ParleyCC are playing a match this summer against an Old England XI to help raise money for their youth section and support a local charityThe club are hopeful of a good size crowd turning up with the Old England XI being made up of former International and County playersJohn Lever Martin Bicknell and Alan Wells are just a few of the names that will be taking to the field to face the ParleyCC select XI on the 6th MayThe Wessex Autistic Society who dedicate themselves to providing high standards of education care and advocacy services for people with autism associated learning and developmental difficulties is the charity which is the event is supportingOn the morning of the game the club will be officially opening their new nets that they have had constructed with the aid of ECB fundingThe club are also offering the opportunity to secure a table in the VIP Marquee for the day at a price of 500 which is being allocated to the clubrsquos sponsors and specially invited guestsThe package includes admission a programme Buffet Ploughmanrsquos lunchcomplimentary wine An Old England player to sit at your table and a question and answer session with the whole Old England sideEntry to the match is by programme only with 5 per person or 10 per family and all tickets Include free parkingParleyCC v Old England XI is on the 6th May with the match starting at 1pm

Thurrock Prepared For Life In New League

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Thurrock Cricket Club are preparing for their first match in the TRippon Mid Essex Cricket League this weekend after moving to the competition during the winterThurrock 1st team finished 3rd in the Essex County Cricket League Premier Division last season and the club made the decision to move leagues with the view to a new challengeAll three Thurrock adult teams have moved to the league with the 1st team beginning life in division two 2nd team in division six and the 3rd team starting the season in division 111st team captain Mark OrsquoNeill feels the time was right for the club to move on ldquoThe main aim from moving leagues for the club was the opportunity to play a better standard of cricket and play at nicer grounds throughout the season itrsquos something we are all looking forward tordquoAhead of the season Thurrock have been boosted by the return of Rob Neal who has returned to the clubNeal had previously been a key player for Thurrock before leaving the club a few years ago but the all-rounder has now returned to the fold and is likely to be an important player for the 1st team this seasonDespite stepping into the unknown OrsquoNeill is setting the aims high for the club this season ldquoObviously we are not 100 sure what the standard will be like in this league but Irsquom quietly confident all three teams can push for promotion this yearrdquoClub stalwart Paul Gelder is the new skipper of the 2nd team at the club as they look for a positive first year in division sixOff the field the club have managed to save some much needed cash by building two new scoreboards ahead of the 2012 seasonThurrock 1st team begin their 2012 league campaign with an away trip to newly promoted East Hanningfield Great BursteadCC this Saturday 5th MayThe 2nd and 3rd team are both home against WrittleCC 2XI and BentleyCC 4th XI respectively

Uncapped Coles Named in England Lions Squad

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Promising Kent all-rounder Matt Coles has been named in the England Lions squad to play the West Indies on the 10th MayThe 21-year old hit an unbeaten 103 in Kentrsquos first match of the season against Yorkshire and has since taken 23 wickets in the first four ties in the County ChampionshipSomerset batsman Nick Compton is another playing being rewarded with his early season form with his inclusion133 against Warwickshire and an unbeaten double hundred against Nottinghamshire a week later has led the England selectors to include the 28-year old in the 12 man squadEngland hopeful James Taylor will captain the side with Samit Patel fresh from facing Sri-Lanka in the recent test series also namedEngland One-day players Jade Dernbach and Yorkshirersquos Jonny Bairstow are also among the line-up hoping to prove their worth in both forms of the gameLancashire left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan is also a surprise inclusion to the squadThe 22-year old is highly regarded at his county and has featured in all of Lancashirersquos County Championship games this season taking nine wickets in the processMichael Carberry is the only Hampshire representative in the squad with Yorkshire opener Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes also among the 12Seamers Jack Brookes and Stuart Meaker make up the squad hoping to impress against an ever improving West Indian sideEngland Lions face West Indies in a four-day game at Northampton starting on Thursday 10 May

Stockport Stripped of 2XI Title

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

StockportCC have had their 2011 2nd XI Division Two championship annulled after it was learned that they had fielded an ineligible overseas player in four gamesIt came to light after the end of the season that Stockport had included unregistered and ineligible overseas player Junaid Samdani in four games against MalpasCC Bredbury St MarkrsquosCC TattenhallCC and PoyntonCC gaining 75 points going on to finish three points clear of runners-up Upton at the top of the table They were subsequently promoted to Division OneThese 75 points together with a further penalty of 40 points 10 per game as per rule have been deducted from Stockportrsquos Division One record during the current seasonMoreover Stockport have been stripped of the title and asked to return the trophy and plaque to the league Both will now be awarded to UptonCCMaking the judgement as 2nd XI Competition secretary Ian Sharrock noted that Stockport did not know that the player was ineligible at the timeStockport have been informed they are entitled to lodge an appealAfter the postponement of their opening Minor Counties Cup game against Northumberland Cheshire are hoping for better weather when they host Cumberland at Christleton this Sunday May 6thCheshire name a unchanged team James Duffy captain Danny Berry Scott Kirwin Chris Tipper Hyde Jonny Kettle wicket-keeper Nantwich Lee Dixon Mark Rowlands Chester Boughton Hall Khalid Sawas Macclesfield Adam Syddall Urmston Jonny Fawcett Didsbury Danny Woods York 12th man Calum Rowe Alderley EdgeCheshirersquos remaining games are against Cambridgeshire at Saffron Walden on Sunday May 13 and Herefordshire at Bramhall on Sunday May 20 The top two in the group will progress to the quarter-finalsCheshire Development XIrsquos first fixture of the season against Lancashire 2nd at St Annes on Friday was cancelled due to waterloggingThe sides next game is against Durham Academy at Consett on Wednesday and Thursday June 27 and 28 when Oxtonrsquos Ross Dixon will be the captain

The Launch of MyCricketDeal

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:19:59 +0100

Following extensive research carried out by the LCA via its members and contacts in the amateur cricket game MyCricketDeal has been created and is due to be launched next week to offer cricketers around the UK exclusive deals on products and services from within the cricketing industryMyCricketDeal will offer a number of deals throughout the year to benefit cricketers nationwide as well as having a variety of specific club and school dealsGraeme Swann spoke of the conceptAs a league cricketer at heart I truly believe the LCA is the best thing to happen to the recreational game Members can now access deals previously only extended to professionals which helps make it easier to turn out for your club side week in week outAffiliate banners have been created to be placed on club and league websites These banners will track any MyCricketDeals bought through the website and be a steady revenue stream throughout the year for that club or league With it being increasingly difficult to raise funds at clubs MyCricketDeal not only gives the club members a chance to save hundreds of pounds on their favourite cricket equipment but also raises much needed money for their clubMyCricketDeal gives businesses in the cricket industry an opportunity to gain huge exposure to the amateur cricket market The effectiveness of marketing with MyCricketDeal can be quantified by a number of new and loyal customers Businesses then have the ability to sell further products to those new customers in the futureNot only does a business get to market to their target audience but they dont pay anything for the huge level of marketing they receive unless they actually generate new customersMyCricketDeal is set to launch next week so keep checking outwwwmycricketdealcoukfor your latest cricket equipmentCOMING SOON- Aero P1 Stripper - 30 discount- Albion Helmet - 50 discount- Oakley Sunglasses - 40 discountand many more

Monmouth Positive Ahead of First Season Back in Welsh League

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Monmouth Cricket Club will be without wicketkeeper Dan Head and all-rounder Jordan Charles as they return to the Welsh competitive fold this weekend after a 20-year exileStalwart Head lives in Cheltenham and some of the trips down the M4 will be too far from his homeAnd Charles has moved to the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean Sea after landing his dream job as a diving instructorClub Vice-chairman Ian Morgan feels understands Heads decision ldquoDan Head has been a dedicated and loyal member of our club for more than 20 years and we will miss him for his enthusiasm drive and no-nonsense approachldquoI think everyone understand Dans decision because he lives in Cheltenham and every match would be like an away game for him We will definitely miss him for what he brings on and off the pitch Hes a very useful opening bat and a tidy wicketkeeper and we wish him well in his new role as 1st XI vice captain at ColwallrdquoMorgan had similar feelings about Jordanrsquos departure ldquoJordan will also be a tough act to replace because he is a smashing player helped with the juniors and organised a lot off the pitchrdquoPaul Swingwoods side will be praying for dry weather ahead of Saturdays May 5 debut at Dinas PowysCC in the Thomas Carroll Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League Division ThreePerhaps not surprisingly last Sundays scheduled friendly at Newbridge was washed out by heavy rainJosh Grey and Jon Despontin are likely to be vying for the first-team wicket- keepers gloves at Monmouth this summerMonmouth welcome back Dan Risk who has spent the past four months at a cricket academy in New Zealand and former Penallt batsman Steve MorganRisk was bowling against the likes of big-hitting Kiwi Test batsman Brendon McCullum during the winter and has been chosen as the new first-team vice-captain at MonmouthThe club also are excited by the prospect of young Kings Taunton cricket scholar Henry Breeze and former Monmouth School 1st XI all-rounder Mungo Matthews joining later in the seasonMonmouth Cricket Club who are sponsored by JD Wetherspoon and Jewel Balti have re-joined the Welsh set-up after competing in the Worcestershire County LeagueWith league matches against the likes of PonthirCC and Ebbw ValeCC this year the club have cut their mileage on away trips by 50 compared to last seasonMonmouth have however been handed a long away trip in the Gwalia Welsh Cup and must travel to Swansea-based Gorseinon in the second round on Sunday May 20Dave Wilding is skippering Monmouths 2nd team this summer and they host Dinas Powys 2nd XI in their opening game this SaturdayThe club are looking for new players and weather permitting will be holding training nights for seniors throughout the summer on Thursdays at Monmouth Sports Ground For details on senior training call Jonathan Roberts on 07773814277For details about the first team call skipper Paul Swingwood on 07526925396 or e-mail paulswingwoodgooglemailcom or for the the second team call Dave Wilding on 07970342303 or e-mail bomberwildinghotmailcom

Tuffers Hosting Beacon.CC Annual Dinner

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:58:22 +0100

Former England cricketer and TV personality Phil Tuffnell is hosting the third Beacon Cricket Club annual dinner in JuneAfter successful dinners the previous two years Tuffers has agreed to appear at the dinner which takes place at Copthorne Hotel in Dudley on Friday 22nd JuneLast yearrsquos dinner hosted by Ron Atkinson attracted over 200 people with similar popularity at the clubrsquos first event hosted by Neil lsquoRazorrsquo RuddockThis yearrsquos fundraiser has already sold out with around 320 people set to enjoy a great evening of entertainment including a comedian auction and a raffleWith the club already receiving a 1000 grant the aim is to use the money raised from the event to double the amount of net lane facilities at BeaconClub secretary Nick Elwell believes the evening will be a great spectacle ldquoNot only will the dinner raise needed funds for Beacon it will be an enjoyable evening for everyone involved and raise the profile of the clubrdquoOn the field the clubrsquos 1st team has future aspirations of reaching the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League which they are only one promotion away from Despite currently being top of the Staffordshire Cricket Club Championship Division One after two matches Elwell believes promotion is a tough ask of the players ldquoWersquove obviously had a positive start but there is a long way to go and there will be some tough matches along the wayrdquoThe club is renowned for obtaining good quality overseas players and Beacon have high hopes for this yearrsquos recruit Ryno AlbertsThe South-African all-rounder took 5-26 and pitched in with 46 with the bat in the clubrsquos victory over Old Wulfrunians TettenhallCC last weekendThe club has a very prominent youth section with many of the menrsquos teams at the club including a substantial amount of young playersBeacon 1st team continue their push for promotion with a tough away trip to BloxtonCC this Saturday 5th May

Fundraising Attempt For New Club Soundwell

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:23:32 +0100

Soundwell Cricket Club have organised a Kingfisher Beer Quiz Curry night in an attempt to raise funds for what will be their debut season as a clubSoundwell 1st team will be playing their trade in the Sunday Conference of the Globe Sports North Somerset League and there is hope the eveningrsquos events will raise some much needed cash for the newest club in the countyFollowing the quiz we are holding a sports memorabilia auction with lots including a signed Bristol City football signed Bristol Rovers shirt tickets to Chepstow races a signed Lewis Hamilton photo and a mini cricket bat signed by Graeme SwannThe ticket price includes a curry with profits being split between the cricket club and local charity The Darren Wright Foundation which raises money for disabled childrenThe night is being held in The Pied Horse pub in Bristol who also sponsor the Club on Tuesday 1st May with tickets priced at 6Kingfisher has recently signed a three-year contract with the ECB to sponsor the national knockout now known as the Kingfisher Beer Cup with a 5000 prize for the winnerIf your club would like their own Kingfisher Quiz Curry fundraiser night please visit their website httpwwwkingfisherbeercoukSoundwell 1st team begin their 2012 league campaign with newly promoted Bear FlatCC Sunday XI on Sunday 6th May

NatWest CricketForce Success For Whittington.CC

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:13:24 +0100

WhittingtonCC in Staffordshire are sure to reap the benefits of what was an extremely successful NatWest CricketForce weekendIn all 58 volunteers turned up over the weekend and they were joined on the by a number of Staffordshire Emerging Young Players and a large team from NatWestJohn Carter Local CEO for Natwest in Solihull and East Staffordshire led an 18 strong volunteer group to Whittington CC on the Sunday to play their part in the NatWest Cricket ForceOver the weekend The external woodwork of the pavilion was painted together with the internal walls of three rooms inside In addition installation of the kitchen was started and concrete slabs have been laid around the rear of the pavilion and in the bin store areaOver the last few years there has been a huge amount of work put into the club led by Richard Abel Everything from the pitch to the clubhouse has been built from the ground up and it is currently just months away from being fully operational John Carter Local CEO for Natwest commented it is fantastic to be able to contribute in helping to build a sporting venue for the local community with brushes in hand we have managed to paint a large slice of the perimeter fence the sun shone on us on the day and apart from getting more paint on ourselves we had a brilliant day Natwest Bank and Whittington CC are excited about working together in the future to continue using the 1000s of volunteer hours available to local projects each year

Chessington Setting Aims High For New Season

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:43:47 +0100

ChessingtonCC are confident of improving on narrowly avoiding relegation last season after appointing a new captain and securing the services of a new overseas player over the winter breakAll-rounder Daniel Yarnley takes over as 1st team skipper from opening batsman Paul Willis after a successful 5 years at the helmYarnley hit just over 450 runs for the club last season in the league and contributed with 35 wickets show his importance to the sideAustralian Ben Holt has agreed to join the club as their overseas player for the 2012 seasonThe fast-bowler is regarded as a bright prospect at his home club NotecoteCC who play in the Melbourne District competitionBut the club have not stopped there in their attempts to further boost their squad for the forthcoming seasonJon Ackhurst has joined Chessington from Walton-on-ThamesCC and Luke Bernard has made the move from SuttonCCTwo other sides at the club have joined suit and have appointed new captains ahead of the new seasonCraig Hastings is taking over as 2nd Xl skipper whilst Bob Cook has agreed to take on the 4th Xl roleOff the field Chessington last season purchased new lsquodomersquo style covers and this season the club have purchased brand new sight screens and looking into new hydraulic mowers for the outfieldDespite narrowly avoiding relegation last season spirits are high around the club and the target of promotion into Division 2 of the Ryman Championship has been set for the 1st team and with similar aspirations for the 2nd team expectations are high at Chessington this yearChessington has also entered the Club Cricket Conference Cup for the first time and have been drawn against Five HeroniansCC in EssexAfter the success of the clubrsquos NatWest CricketForce the hard work of Brian Whittle and helpers who volunteered the club and ground are now fully prepared for the new seasonThe league campaign will kick off with a tough trip to local rivals Epsom who got relegated from Division 2 last season

Lanhydrock Targeting Promotion After a Tough Few Years

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:41:42 +0100

Huge debt and all of the 1st team players departing to other clubs and a non-existent committee the future seemed bleak at LanhydrockCC four years agoBut for the Clubs Youth Co-ordinator Kev Beer the prospect of one of the oldest cricket clubs in Cornwall folding was never an optionBeer and the remaining members at the club formed a new committee with the view of keeping Lanhydrock aliveA new payment plan was agreed to pay of the clubrsquos debt at an affordable rate to keep Lanhydrock afloat the deal was largely down to new treasurer Sheila Trethewey who took a tight hold of the finances in difficult circumstancesAnother decision was made to primarily invest in the youth at the club which meant the average age of the 1st team was just seventeen and understandably the inexperienced side found it tough in Division Two of the Cornwall Cricket LeagueTwo successive relegations then followed for the 1st team winning only one match in the processIt was very much mixed feelings for Lanhydrock at the time as despite the 1st teamrsquos downfall the clubrsquos financial situation was gradually improvingNow with a couple of years experience behind them last season seemed to be a pivotal turning point for the team finishing a commendable 4th place in Division 4Whilst the 1st team team were finding their feet the second team held their own in Division 6 with the team made up of a few wily old campaigners and many of the under 15rsquos and under 13rsquosOff the field the club has now not only cleared its debt it has financed a new roof for the clubhouse and new mower for the squareThe continuing hard work from Club groundsmen John Trethewey and Brian Read has enabled the facilities to vastly improve over the years and the committee are working hard applying for grants and trying to attract funding for a new 2 bay all weather practice facility to continue to move forwardA big part of Cornish cricket is hosting the many touring sides that come to this part of the country As well as being a big revenue raiser the club thrives on welcoming the many different types of clubs both on the field and socially The club would like to take this opportunity to thank all the sides we have played over the years for their generosity but above all the spirit in which the games have been played and may they continue to soThe task is crystal clear for both senior teams this season promotionThe 1st team begin their 2012 league campaign hosting DuloeCC whilst the 2nd team are away to LiskeardCC 3rd team both on Saturday 28th April

Yorkshire Premier League Preview

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:07:12 +0100

Appleby Frodingham welcome Tony Manning a young higher-order batsman from Auckland as their overseas player for the 2012 season All-rounder Kieran Lindley a member of the Lincolnshire Under-19 squad has also joined the club Last seasonrsquos wicket-keeper Rob Powell has found employment in Manchester so the club has recruited student Mitchel Clarke from Hull University to take over the glovesBarnsley will be led by in its anniversary year by experienced campaigner Richard Wilkinson There has also been plenty of ins and outs over the winter for the club Luke Bullingham has moved to the Bradford League James Stuart has returned to Doncaster and both Daniel Rafiq and Jamie Green have moved to play in the South Yorkshire League The club also welcomes no more than 12 new players and a new coach Steve Oldham who has moved back to his roots John Trower has joined from Townville to strengthen the batting order and Ryan Hercules has signed from Guyana as overseas professional Ryan along with young prospects Graham Wiles from Knaresborough and Nathan Fearn from Methley will boost the seam attack led by Oliver Hannon-DalbyCastleford will enter the 2012 season with a few changes to the team that finished the season strongly last year Key bowler Chris Young has emigrated to Australia which is likely to be a big blow for the club New captain Dominic Sharp will have a young and talented side to select from with new additions James Logan a left arm spinner Kris Ward an opening batsman and Jaymesh Patel an opening bowler all impressing so farDoncaster Townhave appointed their youngest ever captain in 22 year old all-rounder Alex Gosney The club have signed Doncaster-born Alex Whiteman a leg-spinning all-rounder from Western Australia and all-rounder James Stuart who has returned to the club after playing at Barnsley for the latter half of last seasonDavid Brent continues as skipper at Driffield Town who welcome a new overseas player in Pakistan A batsman Aamer Sajjad Young players Ben Cadmore and Tom Chippendale will be available to the club for the full season Driffield will also start the season with new pitch coversHarrogatehave enjoyed a fantastic winter of recruitment New arrivals include overseas player David Orange an opening bat and fast bowler Alex Lilley from Yorkshire Academy Joe Ellis a left-arm spin bowler from Essex 2nd XI Andy Laws an off-spinner from Middlesex 2nd XI Grant McCarthy a middle-order batsman from Nottingham Greg Hollins a middle-order batsman from Leeds Met and Ollie Driver a middle-order batsman and fast bowler Off the field the members can enjoy the new pavilion which was finished over the winter breakMatthew Wilkinson takes over the captaincy at Hullfrom Dave Barrick who will remain with the team as a player The club welcome back former Hull player and current Yorkshire pro Steve Patterson who has agreed to return to play for the club when his county commitments allow Hull have also signed pace bowler Jack Harrison from Cleethorpes and have recruited several new players from the local area to strengthen their squad ahead of the new seasonScarboroughwill start their 2012 campaign under the leadership of the Leaguersquos leading run scorer in 2011 Andrew Simpson Andrew replaces Piet Rinke who has now returned to Zimbabwe Simon Tennent has moved on to Barnard Castle CC after six years with the club Two new arrivals will be quick bowler Danny Evans from Middlesex CCC and Samrat Sharma an overseas player from IndiaSheffield Collegiatehave lost the services of stalwart Ed Mckenna who has retired Bill Root who has transferred to Cuckney and Elliot Callis who has moved to the Yorkshire Academy New arrivals at the club are Sam Webber who will be the overseas player and will keep wicket and Sufyan Sayed an opening bowler from WhistonSheffield Unitedwill be looking to improve on last seasonrsquos league position Paul Cummins continues as skipper and there have been several additions to the playing squad including Mark Cummins from Cleckheaton James Martin from Whitley Hall and Hamza Younis from ShiregreenOver the winter it has been all change at Clifton Park the home of League Champions York CC Marcus Wood has stepped down as captain after eight successful seasons in charge and Club Chairman Nigel Durham has taken a step back from first team cricket after 24 years behind the stumpsSimon Lambert steps up from the 2nd XI following a successful winter with the Oxford UCCE set up and Jake Murphy returns after a winter of Grade cricket in Melbourne Daniel Woods will lead the side with Tom Pringle and himself looking to re-establish a bowling partnership which yielded over 150 League wickets in 2011After some well-publicised changes to the coaching staff over the winter months the Yorkshire Academywill be led in 2012 by former Barnsley player Azeem Rafiq Once again the Academy will have a young side of promising players that the coaching staff will be working with to help further their careers

The New Season With 2011 LCA Player Of The Year Alex Smeeth

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:22:29 +0100

With this weather you would not have thought the new league cricket season was upon us and ahead of the new season we caught up with the 2011 LCA Player of the Year Alex Smeeth who plays for WerringtonCC CornwallBeen keeping busy over the winter breakIrsquove been playing cricket in Australia on the Gold Coast for a club called Broadbeach Robina so there was no real cricket break for me this winterDid you enjoy the experience of playing in different conditionsYes definitely it was a great experience for me the club was really welcoming which helped and I feel Irsquove come back a better cricketer both mentally and physicallyHow was your own personal performanceI hit 500 odd runs and took 35 wickets which considering it was 1stGrade cricket and the amount of sledging I received because I was EnglishhellipI was really pleased with my performanceHow did the club get onCouldnrsquot have gone much better to be honest we won the league something which the club hasnrsquot done in 20 years so that was a real achievementWhat are your aims for this season for your clubOur aim is to win the league last season we had the title in our hands we let it slip and ended up finishing second so the lads this year are more determined than ever to go that one betterAny new additions to the sideWersquove recruited an Aussie seamer as our overseas player which will hopefully give us that extra push to hopefully achieving our goalsOn a personal level you had a successful season In 2011 how are you looking to improve for this yearObviously I hope my winter in Oz has improved my cricket and there is always room for improvement so Irsquom just hoping for another successful year both individually and as a clubWhat are aims with Cornwall in the Minor Counties leaguePersonally if I can have the same season with the ball but improve with the bat then I will be happy Also Cornwall are yet to win the Minor Counties league so that is also an ambition for the near futureWith season approaching the LCArsquos player of the month awards will soon be beginning with the award of the LCA player of the year up for grabs see our page of star performershttpstatsthelcacouk

North Staff & South Cheshire Results: Premier League & Division One

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:56:46 +0100

Wood LaneCC made a poor start to their defence of the premier league title losing to Leek by five wickets The reigning champions were dismissed for 83 Greg Willott claiming figures of 5-50 and Chris Beach taking 23-4 It took Leek 324 overs to reach the target Rob Hayden top scoring with 44In the derby of the newly promoted teams CheckleyCC came out victors beating CheadleCC by nine runs In a low scoring match Checkley set the Tean Road side 120 to win Gavin Carr and Richard Cooper both hitting 35 to guide them to the total James Sellers was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-32 Cheadle then collapsed from 63-1 to 108 all out AudleyCC picked up 25 points away from home when they beat KnypersleyCC by 33 runs The away side stumbled to 120 all out in 523 overs with openers D Freeman 41 and T Oakes 38 the only players to reach double figures while Nayyar Abbas took 6-21 In the second innings A Johnson took 6-20 to dismiss Knypersley for 83LongtonCCrsquos Richard Hollowayrsquos second innings knock of 70no took the game away from Little StokeCC Longton were chasing 119 to win when Holloway came to the crease at 0-1 and he was given support by David Fairbanks 36 as they won by 8 wicketsIn another low scoring affair Porthill ParkCC beat Hem HeathCC at home by four wickets Fahad Masood and Ben Cotton both taking four wickets each in the first innings as Hem Heath collapsed to 85 all out The home side reached the target in the 36th over Steve Pugh was the pick of the bowlers for Hem Heath with figures of 3-19The one game that did provide runs ended in a winning draw for StoneCC against BurslemCC The home side declared after 50 overs on 274-2 Richard Harvey finishing on 108no and James Dawson 95 In reply Burslem made 182-2 in 47 overs Michael Rowley 90 top scoringDivision OneNewly promoted MeakinCC got off to the best possible start to life in division one picking up 25 points at home against LeycettCC Meakin lost wickets at regular intervals but Peter Wilshaw 42 and Haydon Simcock 33 guided the home side to 203 from their 545 overs Tas Hussain and Gareth Abbotts both picking up four wickets Hussain 69 then put up the only real resistance against the Meakinrsquos bowling attack as they were all out for 169 in the 56th over Dave Edwards being the pick of the bowlers taking 4-36Sohail Raufrsquos knock of 81 wasnrsquot enough to prevent league newcomers SandyfordCC losing by seven wickets to NortonCC Rauf helped Sandyford post 157 with only two other batsmen making double figures Simon Davies and Alex Graham both took three wickets for Norton Norton then reached the target only losing three wickets Wimanga Perera making an unbeaten 74 and well supported by Ahsan Tariq 58BarlastonCC got off to the worst possible start against Meir HeathCC going down by five wickets Barlastonrsquos top three were all out without troubling the scorers but Michael Dyer 45 and Darren Hof 29 managed to rebuild the innings to some extent and they managed to set Meir Heath 124 to win In reply Adam Birch made 47 and was supported by Joe Woodward 36 and Jake Heath 23no as they reached the target in the 36th overElworthCC started their campaign in emphatic style when they rolled BetleyCC over for 52 Yasir Ali caused most of the destruction claiming figures of 8-18 David Toft then smashed 33 off 32 balls for Elworth as they won by eight wicketsModdershallCC travelled to BlytheCC and came away with 20 points after coming out victors by six wickets Blythersquos Tom Simmcock 67no was the only player to make more than 12 but was helped out by Moddershall bowling 20 no balls Nasir Malik was the main culprit for the extras but took figures of 4-40 David Housley 49no and Fraser Hawkins 44no guided Moddershall homeWhitmoreCC earned 25 points when they were able to defend 143 away from home against SilverdaleCC Imran Arif hit 51 to set the target he then took figures of 4-39 in the second innings as Lee Johnson 3-10 and Raza Hassan 3-49 also chipped in to dismiss the home side for 100

North Staff & South Cheshire Results: Division Two & Three

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:11:26 +0100

WooreCC made a disappointing start to life in division two when they lost by 15 runs at home against AshcombeCC The away side posted 141 Rizwan Haider top scoring with 43 Muhammad Arshad 5-39 being the best of the bowlers In the second innings Haider and Tom Wilshaw both claimed five wicket hauls as Woore were all out for 126The other promoted side EccleshallCC also lost losing by two wickets to Rode Park LawtonCC Eccleshall managed to scramble to 124 all out Jordan Wood top scoring with 33 In reply Rode Park were struggling at 53-5 but Luke Blanchard 30 and Adam Taylor 21 helped bring calm back to the innings as they reached the total eight wickets downRelegated OultonCCrsquos poor form continued as they were rolled over for 67 against AlsagerCC Gareth Rowe led from the front with the ball collecting figures of 5-15 Sean Price then smashed 52no of 48 balls as Alsager reached the target within 16 oversWestonCC also lost in their first season back in division two against CaverswallCC by 23 runs Jeandre Ludick 74 and Rob King 60 dominated the Weston bowling both going at more than a run a ball as Caverswall declared on 203-7 after 422 overs Tom East then took 4-50 as Weston were reduced to 183 all out Martin Dawson top scoring with 50 smashing five sixesNewcastle and HartshillCC picked up 20 points at home against Bignall EndCC Kim Barnett 70 helped the away side post 168 but they were unable to defend the total when Newcastle and Hartshillrsquos number eight James Hagan hit 53no to see his side home with two wickets to spareIn the tightest game of the day KidsgroveCC gained the winning draw against StaffordCC Kidsgrove batted first and posted 145-9 from their 55 overs Richie Jervis was the mainstay of the innings with 62 In reply Stafford finished two runs short of victory but with only one wicket left from their 55 oversDivision ThreeIn the battle between the promoted Church EatonCC and the relegated CreweCC it was the promoted side that came out on top Church Eaton batted first and posted 152 Shahid Mahboob taking 5-61 for Crewe Jack Storrow then tore through the Crewe batting line up figures of 6-40 as they were dismissed for 81Favourites BagnallCC got off to a winning start at ForsbrookCC beating them six wickets Steve Snow 5-23 ran through the Forsbrook line up as they could only reach 94 Bagnall reached the total in the 27 over Martin Mason top scoring with 39noHanfordCC picked up 20 points when they were able to chase down Stone SPCCrsquos total of 166 with two wickets to spare In the first innings Adrian Butters 74no was the mainstay of the Stone innings as Andrew Pickerill claimed 4-21 Roger Davis then top scored with 46 as Hanford successfully passed the targetNorton-In-HalesCC picked up maximum points beating EndonCC by 20 runs Norton-In-Hales set a moderate 128 for Endon to chase down but four wickets from Craig Ruscoe and three from Luke Claydon reduced them to 107ModdershallCC got the winning draw batting second against OakamoorCC Adam Keates 47no and Tom Sherratt 30 were the only batsmen to make more than 12 for Oakamoor reaching 134-8 from their 55 overs Moddershall stuttered to 125-8 from 43 over in reply David Stupples top scoring with 36Wedgewood StanfieldsCC also gained the winning draw as they were unable to find the final wicket to gain all 25 points against FentonCC Wedgewood posted 150 but even with Adrian Lellorsquos of 5-28 Fenton managed to hold and ended on 109-9 from 62 overs

Become a Nike Teamwear cricket club!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:01:44 +0100

SPORT REACH CRICKETSport Reach is run by an experienced team of cricket people who know the game inside out and know the problems clubs face in finding a reliable kit supplierBecome a Nike Teamwear Cricket Club and youll have all of our support in making your club more successfulCOMMITTED TO THE GAMEMore than just a teamwear provider we are committed to helping grow strong profitable cricket clubs throughout the UK We only sell Nike branded Cricket kit and are proud to be their strategic partnerFREE ONLINE SHOPWe will create a FREE Web shop for your club with an average of 25 profit for your club - you decide how much you make from each saleThis fantastic platform makes it easy for your members and supporters to buy top quality club branded kitNO MINIMUM ORDER VALUEWith Sport Reach there is no commitment to order any stock in your club and no minimum order value you can get the kit you want when you want it All stock is held centrally so we can delivery your orders in just 3 weeksHUGE CLEARANCE SALE NOW ONWe have started a huge clearance sale on Nike Training and Leisure wear with most items at a whopping 50 off RRPCall the sales team on 01666 840622 to find out more details Alternatively you can email at enquiriessportreachcouk and we will contact you shortly

Nottinghamshire Premier League Preview

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:11:49 +0100

The 2012 Premier League season kicks off this weekend with last yearrsquos winners CliftonCC aiming to secure their fourth successive championship a feat only bettered by the five titles won by the West Indian CavaliersCC between 2001 and 2005The champions lost Dan Birch to KimberleyCC over the winter and are hoping to recruit a current member of the Nottinghamshire squad as their second professional alongside Tom Lungley in time for the start of their title defence with an away trip to PaddelwickCCRichard Harris continues as captain for Clifton and will be meeting up with former Nottinghamshire batsmen Matt Dowman at the coin toss as he is now leading Papplewick Dowman is joined at Papplewick by Warren Nel signed from Lincolnshire side SleafordCCCaythorpeCC take on newly promoted WorskopCC at home with new signings Darren Bicknell and Gurpej Landa both joining from BelvoirCC Worksop have signed Gareth Pursehouse and Mark Smallwood but the club have lost Chad Keegan Vipanlal Minikoth and Akil Mizra from last yearrsquos successful promotion campaignThe other promoted side PlumtreeCC welcome last yearrsquos early-season pace-setters Welbeck for their opening fixture The club have been hit by the news that skipper Scott Bailey has had to step down due to a persistent hip injury and is replaced by Nigel Finney Plumtree have also retained Matt Wood as professional and coach and will also have Ben Phillips available when not required by NottinghamshireWelbeck welcome back David Hunt from CuckneyCC and have lost Matt Higgins and Luke Waterhouse from last season Young wicketkeeper Tiger Dalby is likely to figure prominentlyCuckneyCC host Mansfield Hosiery MillsCC with skipper Will Butler and Richard Stroh still expected to feature strongly through the season The club will be without Will Ullyott but have strengthened their squad with the addition of Will Root from Sheffield Collegiate Nick Langford from Kimberley and Kieron Garside from Saturdayrsquos opponentsTom New returns for the Millers from his spell in first class cricket at Leicestershire and Adam Dobb is back from his spell with the Notts Academy Matt New captains and Sudesh Fernando is retained as professionalThe Nottinghamshire Academy have a home fixture against WollatonCC at Lady Bay and the side are still under the captaincy of Andrew Parkin-Coates They have added Anuj Dal and Simon Webster to their squads and have lost Michael Robson and Dan CummingThere are a number of changes too at Wollaton who have a new skipper in Tim Young after Ed Savillrsquos move to Scotland and he has added Dominic Reed Ben Smith and Sam Johnson to the squadLast yearrsquos runners up West Indian Cavaliers take on a strengthened KimberleyCC at Birchover Park the Cavaliers have lost the services of their standout player from last term Saqlain Mushtaq who has moved to Australia But they welcome back olds boy Bilal Shafayat and Ricki Anderson and have retained Alex Tudor Kimberley have made ambitious moves in the close-season signing Dan Birch and Simon Roberts from Clifton and retaining Akhil Patel as professional alongside Birch

Sussex CCC & Guernsey Cricket Board Announce New Partnership

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:01:59 +0100

Sussex CCC have agreed to form a brand new partnership with the Guernsey Cricket BoardThe pair have signed a lsquodocument of understandingrsquo providing a commitment to working closely together across all aspects of cricket both on and off the fieldThe agreement covers a variety of different aspects and initiatives to help boost cricket in Guernsey and form a success partnership with Sussex CCCAreas from Coaching Training Camps and Talent Identification to Commercial and Marketing Opportunities are all covered in the partnershipThere are some key objectives that have been agreed in the dealTo support the development of cricket in Guernsey and SussexTo have a Guernsey player in the Sussex Pro Squad within 10 yearsTo ensure the profile of the partnership is raised and displayed at all opportunitiesTo maximise the commercial opportunities within the partnership for both parties and their charitable armsTo offer opportunities for exchange programs so that staff at all levels and in all facets of both organisations can benefit from progression and developmentAn example of the partnership in action was the joint GCBSCCC EPP Training Camp in Abu Dhabi over Easter Further evidence will be seen at the weekend when the Sussex CCC Academy side are in Guernsey to play a Guernsey XI on Saturday 14th April 1130am start and Sunday 15th April On Friday 18th May Guernsey will pop across to The PROBIZ County Ground in Hove and play a game against a Canada XI

MCC & Chance to Shine Launch Anti-Bullying Campaign

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:48:00 +0100

The MCC and Chance to Shine have joined together to produce a nationwide campaign to stop the rise in physical and mental bullying in sportOver the Easter break The MCC and Chance to Shine outlaid a survey to asses mental and physical bullying on the school playing field and the results are eye-openingThe research by Chance to Shine suggests children as young as eight years old are the victims of mental and physical bullying on the school playing field66 of parents of children aged eight to 16 polled said they had seen different forms of mental intimidation while watching their children play sport Teasing 43 swearing 40 taunts 34 and verbal threats 16 were all cited42 of parents said that their child lost confidence after being bullied on the playing field with half of that group showing reluctance to take further part as a resultThe Chance to Shine cricket education charity works with 4000 UK state schools to encourage fair play and good sportsmanship through cricketThe charity will now send coaches into the state sector to promote good sportsmanship for around half a million children to act on the results they have found from the researchA separate survey of 1250 schoolchildren suggested that parents were not being over-protective More than half reported verbal abuse during school matches and a quarter of children said they had seen a team-mate deliberately tripped kicked or pushed over

County Championship Division Two Round-Up

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:23:05 +0100

4-66 from Will Gidman on the final day ensured Hampshire finished 33 runs short of their target to give Gloucestershire their first win of the County Championship campaignDespite career-best figures of 8-71 from David Balcombe Gloucestershire still managed to reach 314 in their first innings largely due to opener Chris Dentrsquos 114Hampshire struggled in their reply Simon Katich standing out for the hosts hitting 74 as the home side stuttered to 199 all out W Gidman was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 5-48But Gloucestershire failed in hitting an out-of-reach score for Hampshire to chase Balcombe and Hamza Riazuddin both took three wickets each as the visitors could only reach 174 all outSet a tough 290 for victory wicketkeeper Michael Bates 87 and Chris Wood 56 pushed Hampshire close to the target but W Gidman supported by Ian Saxelby and David Payne condemned the home to a loss on their first game of the season finishing 256 all outAll-rounder Jonathon Clare finished the match with career-best figures of 11-57 as Derbyshire edged Glamorgan in a low scoring affair at the Swalec Stadium6-44 from Graham Wagg against his former club helped the home side skittle Derbyshire for just 130 in the first inningsBut Jonathon Clare fought back for the visitors taking an impressive 5-17 from his 8 overs as only four Glamorgan players reached double figures to finish on 95 all outA patient unbeaten 51 from David Wainwright helped push Derbyshirersquos lead past 200 and a handy 43 from Clare the home side were set 233 runs for the victoryOpeners Gareth Rees and Stewart Walters gave Glamorgan the start they needed nicely poised at 59-0But once they both departed to Clare no other batsmen reached double figures as they collapsed to just 102 all outClare finished with second innings figures of 6-40 as Derbyshire made it two wins out of two in the County ChampionshipAll-rounder Matt Coles finished with match figures of 9-83 as Kent cruised to a victory over Northamptonshire inside three daysThree wickets each from Coles Charlie Shreck and Matt Stevens ensured Northants stuttered to just 132 all out on the first dayAn unbeaten hundred from Michael Powell 128no put Kent firmly in the driving seat with a commanding leadSeamer Jack Brookes took 5-98 as Northants dismissed Kent for 368 236 runs aheadOnly three players reached double figures in Northantsrsquo reply Coles taking 6-51 as the home side finished 116 all out giving the victory to Kent by an innings and 120 runs

NatWest CricketForce Success For Alnwick.CC

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:32:01 +0100

There was a great turnout for AlnwickCCrsquos NatWest CricketForce day which took place on Saturday 14th AprilBefore the hard work started the team of AlnwickCC members and volunteers got the opportunity to meet the latest Alnwick recruit Michael Threlfall who arrived in the country on Friday from his native AustraliaHis positive attitude was clear for all to see and the club is looking forward to many runs being scored from the Victorian with big things expected of the talented youngster this seasonThe sea of NatWest CricketForce shirts began the work on the outfield in the pavilionas well asassembling the outdoor nets in the morningPerhaps the most significant recent development lies with the electronic scoreboard After months of discussion and debate work on the scoreboard is finally underway A structure sitting adjacent to the pavilion is under construcition with work expected to be completed in time for the scheduled league opener Outside the nets were fixed in place preparing for outdoor sessions in the coming weeks and the sight screens were also assembled and positioned in readiness for the opening league fixture this coming SaturdayIn the pavilion toliets and shower areas were painted and cleanedGroundsman Gav Turnbull continued his preparation to the square and grass nets his greatest pride coming with the ground awarded Northumberland and Tyenside Ground of the Year in 2010After a long period of hard work the team headed indoors for some well-deserved refreshments before playing preparations got in to full swing and the players finally got their chance to watch the new Aussie in the nets as well as blowing off a few cobwebs of their ownAlnwick 1st team begin their league campaign hosting ConsettCC 1st team whilst the 2nd team are playing Consett 2XI away from home

County Championship Division One Round-Up

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:26:35 +0100

County Champions Lancashire made the worst possible start to their title defence falling to a heavy home defeat to Sussex5-36 from seam bowler James Anyon two wickets each from debutant Steve Magoffin and Amjad Khan helped the visitors tear through the hosts for just 124 on the first dayA century from captain Michael Yardy 110 supported by a patient Ed Joyce 64 saw Sussex finish on 300 all out in replyBut Australian Magoffin capped off a fine first match for the visitors taking 7-34 in Lancashirersquos second innings finishing with match figures of 9-5558 from Ashwell Prince provided the only real resistance for the hosts as the stuttered to 178 all out with only a lead of four runsJoyce hit the winning runs for Sussex to bounce back from a first game defeat to Surrey last weekNeeding only 41 runs for victory with six wickets remaining Surrey threw away the chance of winning two games out of two in a thrilling final day against MiddlesexDawid Malan hit 88 as Middlesex posted 256 all out in their first innings with England seamer Jade Dernbach taking 3-48Steve Davis hit 62 for Surrey as the visitors only reached 222 all out in reply5-41 from Jon Lewis put Surrey back in control of the match dismissing the hosts for just 106 to leave the visitors only 140 for victorySeemingly in control at 95-4 overnight Tim Murtagh pitched in with three wickets as Surrey collapsed to 137 all out giving the victory to Middlesex by three runsNottinghamshire made it two wins out of two with an impressive 114 runs victory over DurhamAfter stumbling to just 161 all out in their first innings Nottinghamshire fought back dismissing the hosts for just 129 in their first inningsMichael Lumb hit 131 as Nottinghamshire vastly improved on the first innings performance eventually finishing on 335 all outNeeding 368 to win Phil Mustard 80 and no11 Mitch Claydon 55 provided stern resistance but eventually succumbed to 253 all out to give Nottinghamshire the winWarwickshire began their campaign with a victory in what was an evenly matched contest against SomersetChris Wright took 4-47 as the hosts tore through Somerset to finish on 147 all out in their first inningsVarun Chopra Keith Barker and Darren Maddy all hit forties as Warwickshire finished on 243 all out133 from Nick Compton and 93 from Jos Buttler ensured the hosts would have a tough run-chase eventually finishing on 354 all outNeeding 259 to win the hosts were struggling at 197 for 6 with all result options still possibleBut Jeetan Patel hit an unbeaten 43 to see the hosts home for victory by two wickets

New Funding Opportunity From The Mars Refuel Fund

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:52:38 +0100

The Mars Refuel Drink Fund which was set up to encourage people to try new sports and play their favourite sport for longer will open for entries from April 2 2012 The Mars Refuel Drink Fund has one gold 1000 two silver 500 and eight bronze 250 awards to donate to the most deserving applicants every month for the next six monthsApplications can be made online at wwwmarsrefuelcom offering support with anything from equipment and travel costs to improving training grounds and club houses The fund will be accepting applications from April 2 2012The fund is open to residents of and clubs and organisations based in the UK and Republic of Ireland only Applicants must be 12 years or over and only one application will be accepted per person club or organisationwhen you submit your entry if yoursquove got any pictures or videos of you or your club in action the fund will want to see themSince its launch in 2008 the MARS Refueltrade Drink Fund has helped over 20000 people to play longer and the fund wants to help even morePlease visit the Mars Refuel website wwwmarsrefuelcom to apply and view other entry winners from previous yearsBattisford and District Cricket Club are one of many clubrsquos to already apply for the fund visit their funding page here httpwwwmarsrefuelcomrefuel-fundbattisford-and-district-cricket-club

Plans to Expand The Swalec Premier League Shelved

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:16:06 +0100

Plans to expand the Swalec Premier League have been put on hold after an agreement couldnrsquot be agreed with the two proposed feeder leaguesThe deal would have seen the league to expand from 10 teams to 12 after the 2012 season and mean matches would now be played on bank holidays and will now finish in SeptemberIt was previously thought the plan was in the final stages of completion with a previous LCA article explaining the logistics of the new proposed leagueBut one of the two feeder leagues The South Wales Cricket Association league SWA and the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire league are thought to have opposed the plans meaning the plans have been shelved for another seasonThe decision means there will now be the normal relegationpromotion tofrom the Feeder Leagues in 2012Because of the circumstances the best the Swalec Premier League can hope for is to come to an agreement with the feeder leagues at the Leaguersquos AGM at the end of the season in December and begin the new system for the beginning on the 2014 seasonBut with one of the feeder leagues clearly opposing the deal the plans could well be a long way from becoming realityChampions CardiffCC begin their 2012 campaign at home to newly promoted USKCC on the 28th of April whilst last yearrsquos runners up Bridgend Town face an away trip to AmmanfordCCPort TalbotCC host PontarddulaisCC MumblesCC have an away trip to NewportCC and YnysygerwnCC entertain Sully CenturionsCC

Sport England Funding Opportunity For Clubs

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:10:27 +0100

Sport England have created a new fund scheme designed to making it easier for local community and volunteer groups along with local authorities and education establishments to improve or refurbish sports clubsThis Inspired Facilities fund forms part of the Sport England Strategy lsquoPlaces People Playrsquo and could benefit many cricket clubs up and down the country The fund will support the upgrade and conversion of buildings into venues suitable for community sport Examples include building modernisation such as floor tiling changing room upgrades and replacement showers Outdoor sports lighting outdoor sports surfaces and modular buildings for clubhouses or storage and sports equipment that will help you make the most of your new facility Applications will be accepted from fully constituted clubs organisations or trusts Community Amateur Sports Clubs Local Authorities Local Education Authorities education establishments town or parish councils Community Interest Companies Industrial Provident Society private companies or business where the profits of the project or ring fenced and not for private gain other public sector statutory bodies and National Governing Bodies This fund does not cover revenue projects such as coaching staffing or travel Applications for personal sports equipment routine maintenance and repairs such as painting and broken windows will not be accepted Retrospective funding applications are not eligible Those applying to the fund must own the project site or have a long term lease on the building You can apply without this but you must be able to show proof if the application is successful Community and voluntary organisations including Parish and Town councils can apply for grants between 20000 and 50000 and Local authorities statutory organisations and education establishments can apply for grants between 20000 and 150000 Only 30 of the total funding is available for local authorities statutory organisations and education establishments The Thomas Cook Childrenrsquos Charity have partnered up with Sport England to offer additional funding to those applying to the Inspired facilities fund The charity will fund projects that support disadvantaged people under the age of 18 Eligible activity includes funding to match your Inspired Facilities bid or revenue funding not covered through Inspired Facilities ie coaching By completing a number of questions on the Inspired Facilities application your details will be passed to the Thomas Cook Childrenrsquos Charity Trustees for assessmentThe next window for applicants is between 23 July to 17 September 2012For more information on the grant and to apply please visit httpinspiredfacilitiessportenglandorgabout

Heywood.CC Not Looking Back

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:15:09 +0100

HeywoodCC have come a long way since nearly folding 14 years agoDue to general lack of interest and financial difficulties the club nearly went under in the late nineties but fortunately the club members and supporters voted to keep the club going at the time and more and more volunteers have come to help out at HeywoodSince the difficult period the club enjoyed a fantastic run of success throughout the 2000rsquos which inevitably publicised the club a lot more in the area and more locals got involvedMore recently Heywood were awarded 35000 by Viridor Credits to renovate the front of the clubrsquos pavilion and this year the club was granted 50000 by the Sport England lsquoInspired Facilitiesrsquo scheme to construct a three lane artificial practice facilityThe club also recently applied and attained ECB ClubMark status and the majority of the senior players have become UKCC2 coaches in order to help the junior section to develop the future senior members at HeywoodHeywood also embraced the NatWest CricketForce weekend and the club were selected as one of three national showcase clubs and achieved a great deal of maintenance work on the ground over the three days30000 worth of materials was generously donated to the club which enabled the many volunteers to build a new patio area for supporters new ladies toilets new net facilityon the square itself a new garden area and to paint the whole of the club and the fence around the groundFormer England coach and batsman David Lloyd and former England captain Mike Gatting were among the volunteers at the ground alongside Lancashire opening batsman Stephen Moore supporting the 300 plus locals that gave their time to help at Heywood on the Saturday of the CricketForce weekendWith many clubs currently in the position that Heywood were in 1998 the club are a great example of how a club can change their fortunes with the support of people from the local areaOn the field the club operates three senior cricket teams 1st XI 2nd XI and 3rd XIas well as junior teams at under 9rsquos under-11s under-13s under-15s and under-18sHeywood 1st team finished 5th in the Central Lancashire Cricket League last season and begin their 2012 league campaign with a tough home match against RoytonCC on Saturday 5th May

Cheshire County League Preview

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:28:42 +0100

The Cheshire County Cricket Leaguersquos 38th season begins on Saturday April 21 with a full programme of 1st 2nd and 3rd XI fixtures followed 24 hours later by the first group of 3rd XI T20 Cup gamesAndy Newtonrsquos NantwichCC begin their bid to complete a hat-trick of ECB Premier League titles at DidsburyCC while promoted WidnesCC and MarpleCC are at home to NestonCC and at Alderley EdgeCC respectivelyWith four new clubs in the First Division relegated GrappenhallCC are at home to Bredbury St MarkrsquosCC who are celebrating their first promotion demoted Oulton ParkCC visit Heaton MerseyCC after lording it in the top division for so long and promoted BrooklandsCC pitch wickets at ChristletonCCLeague newcomers AlvanleyCC host south Cheshire rivals MalpasCC in Division Two while relegated duo PoyntonCC and CheadleCC host TimperleyCC and visit WarringtonCC respectivelyThe league has also announced a further list of overseas players in the league for the forthcoming seasonPremier League side Chester Boughton HallCC have signed a 23-year old Australian batsman as their overseas player for the new seasonKumar Sama captained Australia U19rsquos in the World Twenty20 Youth Cup in 200708 showing his undoubted experience in the gameDidsburyCC have secured the services of South African all-rounder Johan vaan SchalkwykThe 25-year old captains the Central University of Technology in the Bloemfontein Cricket Association Super League in his home countryMaccelsfieldCC have signed Australian premier grade batsman James Crosthwaite for the forthcoming season The Aussie has both playing and coaching experience at Seattle Los Angeles and Vancouver proving his experience in a variety of different cricketing environmentsStockportCC have secured the services of Australian all-rounder Jesse Greenwood for the new seasonGreenwood played for BinghamCC in the Nottinghamshire Premier League in 2011 impressively scoring 1536 runs at 8032 including six centuries and 43 wickets at an average of 12Premier League side ToftCC have recruited Australian batsman Jake Hancock for the forthcoming seasonHancock featured in the Victoria premier grade team of year in the 2011-12 season and has represented his country at U17 age groupECB Premier League Week 1 Fixtures 1230 pmALDERLEY EDGE v MARPLEDIDSBURY v NANTWICHMACCLESFIELD v HYDETOFT v OXTONURMSTON v CHESTER BOUGHTON HALLWIDNES v NESTON

NatWest CricketForce Success For Tiddington.CC

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:38:29 +0100

There was a great turn-out for Tiddington Cricket Club in Oxfordshire as they held their NatWest Cricket Force Dayon Good FridayA total of 25 members aged from 13 to 70 managed to get to the ground in Tiddington in what proved to be a productive day all-roundPossibly the most important room in the clubhouse the bar was given a good makeover something the older members of the club will surely appreciate over the next yearThe clubrsquoskitchen was completely blitzed including the short-straw job of cleaning the oven with all thechanging rooms cleared and all youth kits sorted outOutside of the pavilion the sightscreens were erected along with the old sightscreens being dismantled in readiness for delivery of the clubrsquos new UPVC screenOther outdoor work included the hedges being trimmed compost area built boarding edges painted netting put on nets and Covers on frames A loan of strimmer and hedge cutter enabled many areas to be tidied alongside the outfield being cut in preparation for the upcoming season Also a new coil was fitted in the roller which the club will hope it keep the roller going for another 50 yearsStill with plenty of energy after a hard dayrsquos graft a light-hearted 6 a side football match followed at the club using the NatWest CricketForce t-shirtsas team shirtsAfter finshing 4th in Division Two of the Cherwell Cricket League last season Tiddington 1st team begin their 2012 league campaign with an away trip to recently promoted TwyfordCC on 12th May

Falkland Moving Forward Both On & Off The Field Ahead of New Season

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:10:02 +0100

Having gained promotion into the Cricket Scotland League Eastern First Division in 2009 and since consolidating their position in the league Falkland are hoping the club can keep moving forward both on and off the fieldIn 2011 the club became one of only a handful of clubs in the area to be awarded an lsquoinvestment in club coachesrsquo grant by Cricket ScotlandThe grant was a real boost for Falkland for who like many clubs heavily rely on the youth section to develop into the senior sides at all levelsThe generous grant was used for a variety of things including a comprehensive programme of cricket coaching in local primary and secondary schools which included the introduction of girls cricket2011 also saw Falkland complete the installation of a new two bay artificial training facility at their home ground of Scroggie Park The project which cost over 20000 and has taken almost two and a half years to complete provides first class practice facilities something that would not have been possible without added support from the Cricket Scotland Development Trust The Lords Taverners and Fife CouncilThe clubs now runrsquos four teams in League cricket and often field five teams every weekend This is added to by junior teams operating at four age groupsThe Club has a promising youth section with teams at Under 11 13 15 and 17 levels Falkland CC also have a comprehensive coaching programme with local Primary and Secondary Schools where they coach in as many as 10 schools via the Fife Council Active Schools programmeFalklandCC 1st team begin their 2012 campaign at home to Fauldhouse VictoriaCC on the 12th MayNew members of any playing level are most welcome simply contact Paul Watson on 07776245147 or email pwatsogmailcom

A Guide To Falkland Cricket Club

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:11:35 +0100

Falkland Cricket Club was founded in 1860 and the club celebrated their 150 years in 2010 with among other things ldquoThe Festival of the Three Falklandsrdquo a tournament between Falkland Fife Falkland Berkshire and a team from the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic It was a remarkable occasion and plans are in place for the club to visit Falkland Berkshire sometime in the near futureSituated more or less in the middle of the Kingdom of Fife the club ground sits with a Palace for a neighbour on one side and on another the wonderfully imperious Falkland Hill the ground has to the north more hills with the sound of cows mooing and sheep bleatingThe ground has a distinctive dip on the south side and for the club it simply adds to the charm and uniqueness of the ground The Trees are contiguous almost encroaching on the boundary and balls tend to be lost if there is big hitting But the club has been known to employ a black Labrador called Logan to seek the leather that the fielders have been unable to findFalklandCC is founded on a few families The ground is on the Falkland Estate owned by the Crichton-Stuart family who have supported the club since its inception and will continue to do so On the playing side there are the Watson Nellies Hepburn and May families whose names will one hopes continue to feature in scorebooks for many years to come but this is not to say that Falkland does not welcome strangers Players and supporters come from Kirkcaldy Perth Dunfermline and even Freuchie the home of Falklands oldest and greatest but still friendly rivalsThe club has more aspirations than to be merely a village cricket club Since 1980 Falkland have played competitive cricket in the East of Scotland League and the national Scottish League in the Eastern section of the First Division Theyve had previous success winning the SCU Trophy in 2002 and the Second Division of the Scottish League in 2009The club is well organised boasts a strong committee and with its sound financial footing the club can hope to push on with their successes for many years to comeAn article on current events and activities at the club will appear over the weekend

Pateley Bridge Ladies Team On The Hunt For New Players

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:56:13 +0100

Pateley Bridge Ladies Cricket Team are on the look-out for new players in what is their 40th year as a sideThe team has a rich history in the Nidderdale Womens League and they were one of the original sides in the competition when it was first formedThe side have won the league on many occasions previously most recently winning 14 out of a possible 17 games to take the title in 2009Nicknamed the lsquobadgersrsquo Pateley Bridge have developed England and Yorkshire lady cricketers over the years some of whom are still playing for the club todayUnfortunately the side has not been able to live up to expectations the last couple of seasons and the side disappointingly finished bottom of the league last year winning only one game in the processSophie Cousins was Pateley Bridgersquos stand out player last season hitting over 200 runs at an average of 32 for the yearThe team can offer coaching an excellent pitch and facilities for players and non-players alike alongside one of the most picturesque and relaxing places to play cricket in the area Pateley Bridge Ladies Cricket Team begin their 2012 league campaign with a tough away trip to Glasshouses LadiesCC on Tuesday 8th MayYou can also follow the teams progress for the 2012 season on httpnlclplay-cricketcomscoreboardteamStatsasp The side welcomes all new players so if you are interested in getting involved with the team contact the captain of Pateley Bridge Ladies Cricket Team Gail Culshaw on gailculshawhotmailcouk or on 07752 331204

Woodsetts Pushing For ECB Clubmark Accreditation Ahead of New Season

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:34:49 +0100

Woodsetts Cricket Club are going extra lengths this year in their attempt to become ECB Clubmark AccreditedWith future ambitions of purchasing the ground they play on Woodsetts need ECB Clubmark status in order to strike any deal with the groundrsquos current ownersThe club began working towards the award two years ago in completing the documentation and establishing safe hands policy within the club making changes in the whole structure to accustom with Clubmark requirementsWith the majority of factors needed to become a Clubmark club achieved the clubrsquos main stumbling block is fielding two competitive junior sides throughout the seasonWith help from DinningtonCC the club are trying to enter an U11s hardball team and an U15rsquos side this season with the possibility of an U9rsquos side after recent interestThe club are also attempting to recruit juniors by getting into local schools and advertising along with word of mouth around the local areaIn previous years Woodsetts have been playing every weekend without any proper tea rooms or access to water at the ground but with overwhelming help from local volunteers and club members the club have been able to fit a kitchen over the winter and they are plans this year to lay a mains water pipeWith more and more local people getting involved with the club Woodsetts believe the purchase of the ground In Shireoaks will bring the local community together and attract more local young people to get involvedOn the field the club runrsquos 4 adult teams 3 Saturday teams who compete in the Bassetlaw league and a midweek side in the Rotherham midweek leagueAfter a great finish to last season the 1st team will be hoping to be promotion contenders and they begin their 2012 league campaign with a tough away trip to BawtryCC 1st team on 21st AprilWoodsetts are certainly an ambitious club with great desire and clear love for the game so If anyone is able to help out or would like to sponsor to aid the clubs development then please get in touch via the website - wwwwoodsettscc

ECB Small Grants Scheme 2012

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:04:29 +0100

The England and Wales Cricket Trust Small Grant Scheme aims to help cricket clubs make small incremental changes to improve the quality and sustainability of cricketThe scheme aims to directly impact the playing of the game of cricket and or reduce the operating costs of Cricket Clubs for the purchase of materialsAny Cricket Club with a Junior Section that has ECB Clubmark Accreditation or as a minimum is registered and actively working towards ECB Clubmark Accreditation is eligible for the grantRelevant products or materials that support the playing of the game of cricket or that reduce the operating costs of cricket clubs include Energy Water saving devices machinery sightscreens covers and flat sheets water hogs mobile net cage and outfield mowers and rollersThe minimum a club can apply for is 200 whilst the maximum per application is 4000A minimum of 50 partnership funding is required and in-kind contributors will not be considered for fundingThe partnership funding may be provided by way of a loan from the England and Wales Cricket Trust Interest Free Loan Scheme up to 100 of the total project cost Clubs only For more information go to wwwecbcoukfundingApplication forms are only available from your county cricket boards with part 1 of the application form must be completed in full by the Applicant The application form must then be submitted back to the relevant cricket boardOnce the cricket board competed part 2 of the application they will then send it off to the England and Wales Cricket Trust to be consideredThe EWCT will only accept completed applications from the relevant cricket boards and not directly from any ClubsThe Scheme will close to applications on 1 June 2012For more information on the scheme please contact your local cricket boards as details do vary within different county boards

Latest Domestic Cricket News

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:13:00 +0100

Durham have signed Australian seamer Mitchell Johnson as their second overseas player for their Twenty20 campaignThe 30-year old will join South-African batsman Herschelle Gibbs at the Riverside Cricket Ground for the Friends Life T20 competition which takes place over June and JulyJohnson is sure to bring a wealth of experience to the Dyanamorsquos side with over 100 one-day appearance for Australia under his beltWarwickshire have been hit by the news that all-rounder Chris Woakes is will miss the start of 2012 seasonThe 23-year old damaged ankle ligaments during the Barbados Twenty20 Cup final against Yorkshire and is set to face up to two months on the side-linesWoakes who could miss up to six of Warwickshirersquos matches this year signed a contract extension at the club during the winter keeping the all-rounder at Edgbaston until the end of the 2014 seasonSussex have signed Australian fast-bowler Steve Magoffin as their overseas player for the first half of their 2012 campaignThe 32-year old had a brief stint at Surrey in 2007 before joining Worcestershire a year later taking 32 wickets in the County Championship at an average of just over 30The seamer is awaiting work permit but is expected to be available for Sussexrsquo second Championship game of the season against champions LancashireEssex have teamed up with the University of East London to make a surprise application for the tenancy of the Olympic StadiumWith many of the details involved in the application still unknown it is not yet clear if the pair plan to have a cricket pitch inside an athletics track if successfulThe pair are the fourth party to launch a bid for the stadium with significant competition from West Ham Football ClubNorthamptonshire have signed Australian all-rounder Cameron White for this seasonrsquos Friends Life Twenty20 competitionThe one-day specialist has huge experience at T20 level featuring in the Big Bash competition in Australia and in the Indian Premier League for consecutive seasonsThe former Australia T20 captain will join Chaminda Vaas at the club as the Steelbackrsquos second overseas player for the competition

New Sponsor For Nidderdale Cricket League

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:40 +0100

Nidderdale Cricket League which was formed in 1894 and has more than 100 teams playing in seven divisions has secured a five year sponsorship deal with Masham-based brewery TR Theakston Ltd In addition to being the leaguersquos overall sponsor Theakstonrsquos will also present new annual awards to the playerrsquos player and also the club that provides the best hospitality for visiting teams Nidderdale Cricket League President Sir Thomas Ingilby said ldquoWe are delighted to have secured such a well-known and respected company as Theakstonrsquos to be our first ever main league sponsorrdquo ldquoThe Nidderdale Cricket League is going from strength to strength and is recognised as being one of the biggest village leagues in the countryrdquo ldquoWe are also the oldest village league in the world and one of the most forward looking Cricket is not the preserve of men we have several very good lady players playing in our league and several girlsrsquo teams and female players playing in the junior indoor leaguerdquo TR Theakston Ltd Executive Director Simon Theakston is proud of the new partnership ldquoWe are very pleased indeed to have our name associated with the Nidderdale League and to add our support to what is a brilliantly run and supported institutionrdquo ldquoWe already sponsor a number of local clubs and itrsquos wonderful that we will now have the chance to get to know other teams in the league We are very proud of our Yorkshire provenance and nothing is more Yorkshire than the Nidderdale Cricket League itrsquos a perfect matchrdquo ldquoThe Nidderdale Cricket League has been in existence nearly as long as we have and I hope both organisations will continue to flourish for many years to comerdquo The sponsorship deal will be officially announced at a ceremony at Pateley Bridge Cricket Club on Wednesday March 28 The venue was chosen because Pateley BridgeCC 1st XI was one of the original six clubs to play in the newly created league The league now extends over a wide geographical area from Middleham in the north of the county to the outskirts of Otley Leeds and York The opening matches of the 2012 Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League season begin at 2pm on Saturday April 21

New Captain For Southwell.CC

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:58:10 +0100

After finishing seventh in Division A of the Gun Moore South Nottinghamshire Cricket League Southwell Cricket Club 1st XI have appointed a new captain in a bid to push up the tableSouth-African James Johnston has agreed to take over the captaincy for the 2012 seasonThe 22-year old is considered to have a bright future in the game making his debut for Western Province in a warm up match in 2010 where Johnston impressively took 3-16 against a strong Hampshire CCC touring sideThe all-rounder clearly made an impact in his first year at the club last season taking 37 wickets at an average of 1870 and chipping in with 378 runsOpening batsman Tim Green has stepped down from the role to allow the South-African to take over the reinsGreen was an important player for Southwell 1st XI last season hitting over 500 runs in the league at an average of over 30There is one significant departure at the club with batsman Sam Johnson leaving the club to join Nottinghamshire Premier League side WollatonCC for the new seasonJohnson is surely going to be missed by Southwell after an impressive year in 2011 hitting over 277 runs in the league at an average of 30The club are confident of a couple of further signings before the start of the season and are hopeful Ali Haynes Grant McCarthy Matt Wookey Alex Rainbow and Freddie Sail will all be available this year when their studies finishSouthwell 2nd XI will be led by Mark Gratton who after last yearrsquos relegation will be looking to bounce straight back up with a good mix of some exciting young players and experienced campaignersThe club have also confirmed their Annual Sportsmanrsquos Dinner which takes place at Trent Bridge on April 20th where Dean Saunders is the Guest Speaker For more information on the event please visit wwwsouthwellcccouk Southwell 1st XI begin their 2012 campaign with a tough away trip to Notts Unity CasualsCC on Saturday 5th May

Tips & Advice For The NatWest CricketForce Weekend

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:37:43 +0100

With lots of clubs up and down the country doing their bit today and tomorrow for their club for the NatWest CricketForce weekend here are a few tips and to make sure you and your club get the most of out the weekendUtilising the volunteers Make sure that everyone has a job to do make use of all the volunteers as much as you can Beprepared for people unexpectedly turning up on the weekend know how to manage them and whowill be responsible for themA well planned event may mean your club members and members of the local community beinginvolved in the club for the first timeProject ManagerAppoint a Project Manager who will supervise those tasks that are to be undertaken and will assign those tasks to the willing and most appropriate volunteers The Project Manager should keep a record of who is assigned to a task and the experience of that personEnsure that first aid assistance is available and that medical and first aid kits are available and fully stockedPro-active Make use of the time you have itrsquos not often you will have so many volunteers at your disposalFind out where each of your club members work because they may have great contacts and may be able to get what the club needs or they may know someone else that doesSafetyThe club should undertake a basic risk assessment of each of the tasks The club should briefly analyse what hazards exist in a task who is at risk whether the participant has the necessary experience andor qualifications whether an accident is likely how serious the consequences of an accident could be what steps can be taken to reduce accidentsWhere higher risks tasks are attempted you should ensure that adequate extra safety precautions are taken Ensure that the premises are safe before any tasks are undertakenEnsures that no tasks are attempted by participants who are not appropriately qualified or who do not feel comfortable especially in relation to electrical work use of blades sharp tools use of heavy machinery working at height or on unsafe structures andworking alone or unsupervisedWhere best practice dictates or suggests that safety equipment is worn or used ensure that such equipment is provided is in good condition and is wornused at all timesEnjoyYes the weekendrsquos main objective is to improve your club facilities but by giving up an afternoon your club will benefit hugely and the weekend can also help improve team bonding and morale

Burbage & East Royal Awarded Focus Club Accreditation

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:54:29 +0100

Burbage and Easton Royal Cricket Club have become one of only 19 cricket clubs in Wiltshire to be awarded with the prestigious Focus Club accreditationFocus Club status is only awarded to clubs that have shown the greatest commitment to club development and have the resources to support cricket in the county in the delivery of its key strategiesThe recognition comes two years after the club was awarded with Clubmark accreditation by the ECB in recognition of its work in providing a safe effective and child friendly environment for the development of junior cricketIn the view of continuing to improve playing facilities for the youth players the club are set to introduce disability cricket specifically for youngsters with learning disabilitiesThe positive news at the club comes on the back of the 1st team achieving promotion into the West of England Wiltshire Division last season16 wins out of 18 unbeaten in the league all season the clubrsquos 1XI successes has enabled the 2nd team to attain promotion into the equivalent Wiltshire 2XI Division for this yearThe past few years have been vital in Burbage and Easton Royalrsquos recent development and last season saw the club establish a ladies side along with organising the countyrsquos first ladies tournamentUpwards of 85 juniors regularly turned by at Burbage for coaching last season As a result the club fielded competitive age group sides from under 9 to under 15 with six of its youngsters representing the countyThe indoor cricket season has also gone extremely well the clubs B side won both the local indoor cricket league and local cup to round off a excellent winter for the clubThe club are also seeking to establish a second pitch in the village as part of its development plan for expansion To do that the club needs to raise significant funds find new sponsors and attract even more volunteers If anyone feels they can help the club on any of those levels or would like to play or enrol their kids for coaching please visit wwwbercccom for contact details Burbage and Easton Royal 1st team begin their 2012 league campaign hosting MalmesburyCC on Saturday 5th May

Leading run scorers and wicket takers across the country in 2011

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:36:25 +0100

ECB Premier LeagueLeading Run ScorerTotal of runsLeading Wicket takerTotal of wicketsBirminghamAlex Phillips922Johannes Bothma46CheshireGlen Batticciotto1263Jimmy Warrington69CornwallAlex Smeeth815Kyle van Rooyen48DerbyshirePaul Borring ton1463John Jordison62DevonDavid Lye791Glan Querl60East AngliaCarl Rogers1028Jason ColemanGeorge Walker55EssexImran Qadir880Bilal Butt41Home CountiesJamie Hewitt806Luke Ryan41KentThomas Harvey856Steve Rowe31LeicestershireLewis Hill920Karl Smith46LincolnshireVikram Atri937Fahood Masood86LiverpoolJames Cole814Ashraf Nawab61MiddlesexWill Prowse669Chris Peploe55NorthantsAlec Swann939Paul McMahon54North eastShaun Birbeck726Ryan Pringle50NSSCDaniel Brierley958Asad Ali93North WalesSteve Smith1115Glen Chambers Ashley Wood50Northern PremierPieter Malan1051Dinuk Hettierachchi78NottinghamDarren Bicknall993Saqlain Mushtaq68South WalesCameron Herring688

Disley Climbing For Their Club

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:26:51 +0100

Members of DisleyCC are going extra lengths to raise money for their club in preparation for the new season30 members of the club are climbing to the top point of Kilamanjaro without even stepping a foot out of the countryThe club are using a local climbing wall at Ropersquos Race in Marple on 22nd April to climb the mammoth 19341ftThe players will be separated into teams and climbing what is the highest point of Kilamanjaro in shiftsAs well as raising much needed funds to improve the equipment and playing facilities at the club a percentage of the money raised is going towards the Lordrsquos Taverners Charity which aims to give young people particularly those with special needs a sporting chance by encouraging participation in youth cricketThis is a new and ambitions idea from a remarkably young committee at the club which have already attempted to raise funds for much needed equipment over the past couple of yearsThrough ECB and inside funding the club have managed to raise money for a heavy roller and brand new covers but the club feel this event is something that can make a real difference to playing conditions at DisleyCCThe event has received excellent responses from renowned cricketing names in the countryLCA ambassador Paul Nixon has helped sponsor a climber whilst former Lancashire player Luke Sutton has donated a signed James Anderson shirt which will be presented to the participant who raises the most moneyPrimary organiser and climber Stewart Reynolds is looking forward to the climb ldquoEveryone is looking forward to it I havenrsquot done too much training so I might be feeling a bit sore the next day Hopefully we will raise lots of money for our club and a great charity at the same timerdquo DisleyCC are always looking for a new members to join the club if interested please visit wwwdisleycccoukFor more information or to donate to the cause please visit Stewart Reynoldsrsquo Just Giving page httpwwwjustgivingcomStewart-Reynolds0

Werrington Hoping To Push For Title

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:14:59 +0100

After finishing second in the Premier Division of the Cornwall Cricket League last season Werrington Cricket Club have signed a new overseas player in the hope to go one better this yearAustralian right-arm seamer Michael Humphries has agreed to join the club for the 2012 seasonThe 24-year old is on the verge of 50 senior matches for West Torrens District Cricket Club in the South Australian Cricket Association LeagueAfter impressing for his home club as a junior including a long line of solid performances in B and C grade cricket Humphries has since been on the fringes of A Grade making his debut in the 200809 seasonThe ambitious Australian has continued to improve as his cricketing career has gone on and Werrington will be hoping he can make a big impact for the club this seasonThe club are also pleased to welcome back key player Alex Smeeth who has been playing his cricket in Brisbane over the summerThe Cornwall left-hander hit over 1000 runs for the club in the league last season at an average of 40 highlighting his importance to the sideSmeeth opened the batting with his brother and captain of the 1st team Ben and the pair formed a successful partnership at the top of the order last year and the club will be hoping they can both re-kindle the form that helped the side do so well in the Premier Division last seasonIn the view to improving facilities off the field the club have worked hard over the winter to secure grants to enable re-developments of their pavilionGrants totalling 45000 from SITA and The East Cornwall Action Group have enabled work to commence on the pavilion and extension work on the machinery shedThis comes after previous work last season from a mixture of grant funding fund raising and an ecb loan helped the club secure a three lane net facilityWerrington are one of the few clubs in the country that play amongst such picturesque surroundingsSights of the Cornwall countryside with views in the hinterland of Dartmoor surround the clubrsquos main pitchesThe club are also setting up their own junior committee this year for three of their junior elevens and the girls under thirteen teams along with being involved with the ECB C2S programmeWerrington 1st team begin their push for the Premier League title with a tough away trip to CallingtonCC on 28th April

England Require Record Breaking Run-Chase For Victory

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:13:35 +0100

England have finished day three requiring their highest run-chase in Test history to become victorious in the first test against Sri-LankaAfter resuming 84-5 an unbeaten 61 from Prasana Jayawardene pushed the hosts to 214 all out leaving England 340 to winRangana Herath dismissed both openers halting Englandrsquos progress but Jonathon Trott and Kevin Pietersen moved the tourists to 111-2 at the end of the dayrsquos play a further 229 runs needed for victoryDinesh Chandimal made a positive start to the day well supported by night-watchman Suraj Randiv and the pair pushed Sri-lanka past the hundred markBut soon enough it was one big shot too many for Chandimal a comfortably catch at mid-off for Pietersen to give Monty Panesar his first wicket of the matchAnd it only took three further overs to dismiss Randiv Swann this time the bowler securing his 12th test five-wicket haul of his careerSwann had his tail up and it didnrsquot take long for his 6th wicket of the innings clean bowling Herath after an ugly swipe across the line to leave the tourists 127-8Jayawardene was Sri-Lankarsquos only hope of posting a daunting total for the tourists to chase and Chanaka Welegedara provided stubborn support to the wicketkeeper pushing the hosts past 150 and closing in on a 300 leadWelegedararsquos resistance was finally broken by Panesar comfortably caught by Andrew Strauss at GullyWith only one wicket left Jayawardene joined by Suranga Lakmal continued to frustrate the tourists with the Sri-Lanka keeper deservedly reaching his fifty as they lead pushed past 300And it took a misjudged run for two to end the innings Pietersenrsquos throw from the boundary was too quick for Lakmal to leave Sri-Lanka all out for 214 leaving England 340 to winEngland knew it was important to not lose wickets early on and Strauss and Alistair Cook began positiveDespite both looking far more comfortable against spinner Herath this innings both openers became victims of the left-armerCook edging to Dilshan at slip and Strauss being caught a cover looking to hit over the top to leave England 48-2But Piertersen and Trott provided much needed stability to the England second innings both playing fluentlyTrott finished 40 not out and Piertersen 29 unbeaten to leave the tourists 111-2 at the end of day three 229 runs left for victory

Swann Keeps England's Hopes Alive

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:08:12 +0100

17 wickets fell on the second day of the first test between England and Sri-Lanka leaving the home side 209 runs aheadLeft-arm spinner Rangana Herath took 6-74 as Englandrsquos batsmen once again failed to live up to expectations on foreign soil finishing 193 all out in their first inningsJames Anderson had previously taken the prize wicket of Jayawardene for 180 with Sri-Lanka finishing on 318 all outGraeme Swann made sure England finished the day with a glimmer of hope of still winning the match taking 4 of Sri-Lankarsquos 5 wickets to fall in the second innings to finish the day on 84-5Despite four boundaries from Chanaka Welegedara in the first over of the day it did not take long for England to finish of the first inningsAnderson became Englands fifth highest wicket-taker as he bowled Welegedara 19 with a slower ball and then Jayawardene edged to Matt Prior soon after to leave Sri-Lanka all out for 318 the England seamer finishing on 5-72The largely reliable Alistair Cook was caught LBW by Suranga Lakmal in the second over of Englandrsquos replyAnd despite looking in good nick Jonathon Trott 12 missed a full toss from Herath and was easily stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene before colliding in comical fashion with the celebrating wicketkeeper and collapsing on his back in the middle of the pitchCaptain Andrew Strauss 26 became Herathrsquos second victim soon after misjudging a sweep to leave England 43-3Kevin Pietersen 3 was next to go for England inside edging his first ball after lunch to the bowling of WelegedaraWith Bell looking to anchor his side to a respectable score Prior 7 and Samit Patel 2 both became victims of Herath in quick succession to leave the tourists at 92-6Entertaining knocks from Stuart Broad 28 and Swann 24 pushed England past 150 but a long way off their target total for sureWith Bell running out of partners he was soon on the wrong end of Herathrsquos best ball of the day dismissing the Warwickshire batsman for 52Anderson 23no and Monty Panesar gave a brief last-wicket resistance before Panesar became the 6th England player to be caught LBW Suraj Randiv this time taking the wicket to leave the tourists 193 all outWith Sri-Lanka 125 runs ahead England need early wickets if they stood any chance of salvaging something from the matchAnd the tourists certainly got what they wanted Broad clean bowling Tillakaratne Dilshan second ballWicket-less in the first innings Swann quickly made amends clean bowling Lahiru Thirimanne 6 and then taking the key wicket of Jayawardene 5 who edged to slip leaving the home side 14-3Kumar Sangakarra 14 and Thilan Samaraweer 36 provided patient resistance before becoming Swannrsquos 3 and 4th dismissals of the matchDinesh Chandimal and night-watchman Randiv kept Swann and co at bay for the rest of the day to finish on 84-5 209 runs ahead for what is going to be a pivotal day tomorrow

Jayawardene Outshines England's Positive Start

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:13:27 +0100

England have finished day one only slightly with the upper hand after an excellent individual performance from Sri-Lanka batsman Mahela JayawardeneAn unbeaten 163 from the Sri-Lanka captain halted Englandrsquos progress with the tourists taking regular wickets throughout the dayDespite England missing a handful of opportunities to dismiss Jayawardene Monty Pansesar in particular dropping two seemingly straightforward catches the Sri-Lanka captain stole the show with his beautifully crafted inningsWith the pitch likely to deteriorate as the match goes on the toss was touted as key before the contest beganIt was Jayawardene who won the toss for Sri-Lanka and unsurprisingly choosing to bat on a scorching morning in GalleOn a ground that they have never won England got off to an explosive startJames Anderson looked dangerous with the new ball from the outset and got his rewards when Lahiru Thirimanne edged to Swann at second slip for Englandrsquos first wicket of the matchAnd it got even better for the Lancashire seamer with dangerman Kumar Sangakkarra edging to wicketkeeper Matt Prior first ball to leave the hosts 11-2Stuart Broad then got in on the act the very next over with opener Tillakarate Dilshan edging to Andrew Strauss for 11 to leave Sri-Lanka reeling at 15-3Consolidation was key for new batsmen Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera and the pair certainly halted Englandrsquos strong start surviving the rest of the morning session relatively unscathedThe mid-session break seemed to help the England bowlers re-cooperate with England breaking the partnership two overs after lunchSamaraweera will feel hard done-by by the manner of his dismissal after being caught out of his crease at the non-strikers end from a Jayawardene straight drive which Anderson got a faint touch on toWith the ball softening Jayawardene began to look more comfortable at the crease finding the boundary more regularlyAnd despite the occasional ball spinning both Panesar and Swann never looked like troubling the Sri-Lanka batsmenWith the England front-line spinners in-affective Patel was given the opportunity to turn his arm over on debutThe aggressive Dinesh Chandimal looked to attack Patel from the off but it was the England all-rounder who came out on top with the 22-year old slicing to cover looking for another boundary to leave Sri-Lanka 128-5

ECB Recommendations For Water Restrictions

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:26:59 +0100

The ECB are strongly urging cricket clubs to begin dialogue with their local water company ahead of the new seasonWith seven water companies from up and down the country currently proposing hosepipe bans to begin from 5th April the ECB are encouraging clubs to arrange agreements with their local water companiesThe legislation which governs water restrictions has changed recently and there is now no statutory exemption for cricket clubs or sports facilities other than those who stage national and international fixturesWith most of the companies in their final stages of releasing plans of water restrictions the ECB have come up some factors that they recommend a club should take into considerationThe number of members the club has the fixtures to be played and the role the club plays as part of the local community offering sporting and social inclusion to all including young peopleThat the request is for limited watering of the square only which will take place in the early morning or late evening when watering is most efficientThat the club is conscious of the need to save water and will work to address this in partnership with the ECB which recently commissioned a report from Cranfield University on this policy measure That watering the pitch is important for both the safety of participants in the sport and the long term sustainability of the square

Latest County Cricket News

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:45:00 +0100

Glamorgan have secured the services of Australian fast-bowler Michael Hogan on a three-year dealThe 30-year old holds a British passport so will not count as an overseas player for his time playing for the Welsh countyHogan was a latecomer to first-class cricket in Australia making his debut for Western Australia in 2009After being linked with a move to Somerset former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has quashed rumours he is on his way to the county this seasonThe Tasmanian had a brief spell with Somerset in 2004 and has frequently been linked with a return to the county sinceBut the 37-year old has announced he will not be playing county cricket in the near futureKent are thought to be on the verge of signing a new fast-bowler as they look to continue to bolster their squad in preparation for the new seasonDurham seamer Mark Davies impressed at a trial with the county during the Kentrsquos tour of Antigua last weekThroughout his time at Durham the 31-year old has had a frustrating spell of injuries and his most recent appearance for the northern county was a second XI game against Worcestershire last JulyLV have agreed a new sponsorship deal with the County Championship for the next three yearsThe company first began sponsoring the competition in 2002 and as part of the new deal LV will receive extensive branding rights and tickets for various matchesWith aggregate attendances on the rise in the County Championship the new agreement will see LV sponsor the competition until 2015

Clifton.CC Targeting Promotion

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:02:27 +0000

CliftonCC have signed a new overseas player in a bid to build on a positive year last season and push for promotion into the ECB Derbyshire Premier LeagueThe club finished just one place of promotion last season with a largely youthful side and Clifton have recruited well in winterPakistan all-rounder Rizwan Ahmed has agreed to join the Derbyshire club for the 2012 seasonThe 33-year old will provide some much sought after experience at the club with over 12 years of playing first-class cricket in his home countryAhmed has also represented Pakistan at Under-19 level and played a single ODI for the national side against Zimbabwe in February 2008The all-rounder also has experience playing club cricket in England with his most successful season in last year for Kent side Hanging HeatonCCHitting 939 runs with an average of 6707 topping the run-scoring charts for the league and pitching in with 39 wickets making him the clubrsquos key player last seasonClifton have also recruited two further new players for the new seasonAggressive batsman Tom Hilton has joined the club from CalverCC and Gary Dunmore has joined Clifton after moving into the area from MarlboroughCCCampbell Ogilvie remains 1st team captain at the club with all-rounder Faisal Khan hoping for another successful season His 600 runs and many useful wickets were a major contribution to their 3rd place position last yearCliftonrsquos womenrsquos side also had a successful year last season achieved promotion to the Midlands Premier league which is likely to be a tough test for team this termBut under the leadership of Lynn Spooner and Sue Whittam the side will be confident they can consolidate their position in the top flightThe club are interested in recruiting player of any age or standard to play in our 3 senior menrsquos teams ladies teams and the five junior teamsClifton 1st team begin their push for promotion with a home tie against MatlockCC on Saturday 21st April

England Secure Unlikely Victory

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:22:01 +0000

England made it two wins out of two on their tour of Sri-Lanka after impressively chasing 359 in their final innings to beat the Sri-Lanka development XI by four wicketsThe win though was largely dampened by the injury of batsman Ravi Bopara who injured his side whilst batting in Englandrsquos second inningsAfter winning the toss the home side begun the match on the front foot hitting 431 for 6 declared in their first inningsThe imposing total was largely due to 32-year old Chamara Silvarsquos fluent knock of 163 which included 25 fours and 1 sixStuart Broad was the pick of the bowlers for the tourists finishing with figures of 3-69Openers Andrew Strauss and Jonathon Trott both hit centuries in reply gaining valuable time at the creaseWith both openers retiring once reaching the hundred mark Kevin Pietersen 26 and Ian Bell 14 both chipped in to push England further past the 200 markBopara 12no and Samit Patel 12no both had some time at the crease with England finishing on 272 for 4 declaredWith the matchrsquos main intention to give both sides some playing time Sri-Lankarsquos development XIrsquos second innings only lasted 34 overs with a score of 199 for 4 declaredAngelo Perera was the pick of the batsman making a claim for a place in the Sri-Lanka test side with a quick-fire 90 of just 70 ballsBroad Tim Bresnan Graeme Swann and Steve Finn all chipped in with a wicket eachWith the tourists chasing an unlikely 359 to win with just 64 overs remaining Pietersen made an explosive start opening with Ian Bell hitting 52 of as many balls66 from Bopara and 84 of just 60 balls from Matt Prior gave England hope of securing a morale boosting victoryWith the news of Bopararsquos injury becoming public during the run-chase Patel 72 continued to find the boundary to keep the chance of victory aliveTharanga Lakshitha holted Englandrsquos progress dismissing Patel and Bresnan soon afterBut Swannrsquos explosive 31 not out of 12 balls which was well supported by Broad saw the tourists home for the winDespite only being a warm-up match the manner in which England won the match will give Andy Flowerrsquos side confidence ahead of the 1st test which begins on Monday 26th March

World Record Attempt For Isle Of Wight Cricket Board

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:41:09 +0000

The Isle Of Wight Cricket Board County age group players are attempting to set a new world record to raise money for Sport Relief and youth cricketOn the 24th and 25th of March players of all ages within the county groups will be attempting to hit as many cricket balls as they can in 24 hoursFacing balls from a bowling machine the players will be aiming to beat the world record which currently stands at 3600 hitsThe players will be extra motivated by the news that Barclays Bank through their Community Programme will match all the money raised for youth cricket on the islandAs a life-long cricket fan and Island based Barclays Regional Business Manager for the South East of the UK Graham Cooper is supporting the fund raising rdquoI am really looking forward to taking part in this attempt at the world record We are hoping to raise over 3000rdquo There will also be a raffle running throughout the event and a competition to win a Fat Bat Cricket Bat for the individual who guesses closest to the actual number of hits achieved in the 24hrs To enter into the competition please e-mail batathoniwcborguk with your predictionThe Islands Cricket Development Manager Stuart Chatfield believes the event will also help their preparation for the new season stating ldquoThe event is a great way to develop some team spirit before the season begins as well as raising money for Sports Relief and Youth CricketrdquoMembers of the public are welcome to come along to the Isle Of Wight Cricket Centre in Ventor to support the players with the event beginning at 9am Saturday morning on the 24thYou can also follow the action on Twitter IWCBBataThonIf you wish to find out more or donate to the bat-a-thon please e-mail batathoniwcborguk

All Change in Cheshire

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 21:42:04 +0000

Itrsquos all change at Chester Boughton HallCC with a new chairman and players coming in and out at the clubGraham Vernon succeeds Jim Law as the club chairman after a successful three-year spellCheshire batsman Lee Dixon all-rounder Mark Rowland and wicket-keeper Matthew Griffiths all move to the club from OxtonCC while UptonCCrsquos former skipper and opening bowler Ian Linwood is another notable arrivalTrinidad all-rounder Daren Cruikshank is one of two players leaving the club along with Jordan Clark who has signed a professional contract with Lancashire and joins ReadCC who play in the Northern LeagueThere is also a new skipper for the 1st team Steve Ogilby takes over the 1st XI captaincy from Jim Gillson who has emigrated with his family to New ZealandCongletonCC will be boosted by the news that all-rounder Kevin Waterhouse has returned from Australia for a second spell at the clubWaterhouse also played for Bollington Toft and Winnington Park throughout his time in the country before emigrating to Queensland in 2008Batsman Danny Berry is taking over as 1st XI captain at HydeCC from James Duffy who is to skipper the Cheshire county teamThe club are also buoyed by the return of former Cheshire batsman Chris TipperLancashire 2XI batsman Louis Bentley has joined NantwitchCC from Oulton ParkCC boosting the clubrsquos chances of a third successive Premier League titleThe club have also had good news off the field the club have had a 30000 grant from the ECB to install an extensive new outfield draining systemIn a clear reaction to being relegated PoyntonCC have signed four players in their bid for promotionDamien Stringer and Matt Heathcote re-join the club Tylet Eislet has been recruited from High Lane and Australian all-rounder Jake Turner joins the club as their overseas player for the 2012 seasonTattenhallCC have appointed Kiwi all-rounder Tom Hyslop as 1st XI captain succeeding Roy Sandford Hyslop made a real impression at the club in his first season scoring 822 runs and taking 26 wicketsTimperleyCC have recruited two new players and appointed a new captain ahead of the new seasonWicket-keeper Steve Bramhall has reversed his retirement to take over the 1st XI captaincy from Mark Maddocks and brothers Craig and Ian Grindley have joined the club from UrmstonCCUrmstonCC are clearly looking to build for the future with three youth player signings over the winter breakHighly rated pair Matthew and Callum Parkinson both 15 years of age have joined from Bolton League club HeatonCC and batsman Nick Fawcet who has played for Lancashire U19rsquos joins the club from Darcy LeverCC

Cheshire Clubs Prepare For The New Season

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:27:14 +0000

The Cheshire County Cricket League have announced the first group of overseas players that they have approved for the 2012 seasonSri-Lankan Gayan Fernando is returning to OxtonCC for the new season after a successful 2011 with the clubThe all-rounder took 41 wickets for the club last year and will be hoping his winter playing in Australia will enable him to help Oxton improve on a fourth placed finish last season in the Premier LeagueOxton have also secured the services of Worcestershire fast-bowler Gareth Andrew for the new seasonThe 28-year olds availability for the club will of course depend on his selection with WorcestershireAfter gaining promotion into the Premier League WidnesCC have signed an Australian off-spinner with the view of consolidating their position in the top flightMichael Naksnyik plays for Melbourne University back home and is an Australian Level one coach so the club will be hoping the Aussie can make an impact both on and off the fieldAfter suffering relegation into division one GrappenhallCC have signed Australian all-rounder Jason Smith in bid to bounce straight back upBramhallCC finished mid-table of division one last season and the club will be hoping a new Australian all-rounder can help them push up the tableTravis Dean has previously played for Australia U19rsquos and currently plays A-grade cricket for Victoria club Footscray Edgewater back homeThere have also been other personnel changes within Bramhall for the forthcoming seasonFormer Dorset fast-bowler Rupert Kitzinger and Luke Smith have joined the club whilst Andy Hayes and Andy Robertson have both left BramhallIn other Cheshire clubs news Alderley EdgeCC 1st team will be led by a new skipper this seasonOpening batsman Alan Day replaces Jason Whittaker who steps down from the roleBollingtonCC 1st team are going to be led by new signing Toby Ward for the 2012 seasonWard who moved to the club this year from the Yorkshire Cricket league will replace Matt Dawson who held the position as captain for the last two seasonsAustralian batsman Michael Rixon is expected to be Bollingtonrsquos overseas player this yearCheadle have recruited no less than seven players following the clubs relegation into division twoAll-rounder Paul Sperring and batsman Greg Dixon return to the club from DidsburyCC Ricky Gandy and Mark Farrell arrive from AshleyCC Chris Brady returns from Cheadle HumeCC and Simon Hall ends his self-imposed retirement to re-join the club

Whitstable.CC Triumph At The Home Of Cricket

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:43:42 +0000

WhistableCC won the ECB Indoor National Championship in their first appearance at Finals day at the weekendThe Kent side beat finals day regulars BlaydonCC from Durham in the deciding match to take the titleThe eagerly anticipated finals day began with Blaydon facing Warwickshire outfit WalmleyCC in the first semi-finalBlaydon captain Allan Worthy seemed just justify his decision to bat first with a strong first wicket partnership between himself and Peter HowellsDespite opposite captain Paul Cannon drawing the first blood dismissing Howells for 19 Worthy continued to keep the score kicking over with Graeme Bridge providing brief support The retirement of Worthy after reaching 25 sparked the dismissal of Bridge who was caught LBW for Christian Burgessrsquos first wicket of the dayNew pair Christopher Varley and Gary Stewart then took Blaydon into double figures with a strong first innings score still a possibilityBut a flurry of late wickets which included Worthy first ball after returning to bat left the side 125 for 5 of their 12 overs largely down to Varleyrsquos 34 not outWith 126 to win Walmleyrsquos run-chase couldnrsquot have got off to a worse start with openers Burgess and Adam Breakspear departing earlyNo3 Chris Booth was the stand out batsman for Walmley but the wicketkeeper regularly ran out of partnersLewis Harrison and Paul Griffiths both reached double figures before departing and the run-out of Cannon left Walmley all out for 89 securing the victory for BlaydonIt was 2010 runners up Poole TownCC who made the strong start in the second semi-finalThe Dorset side put on 39 for the first wicket before a flurry of wickets saw the innings in the balance at 68-3But two Max Campbell run-outs saw Poole Town all out for 106 Mike Porter the stand out player hitting 38 unbeatenWhitstable made light work of the run-chase with Tom Richardson the only wicket to fall for the Warwickshire sideByron Gould Campbell and Liam Tegg all retired not out for a comfortable victoryWith both sides not breaking tradition in the final Blaydon batted first with Whitstable fieldingAnd despite a strong start from Blaydon Peter Howells and Graeme Bridge were dismissed in quick succession to give Whitstable the edgeAllan Worthy again led by example for his side but continued to lose partners on regular occasionsAn excellent piece of fielding from Whitstable dismissed Christopher Varley two runs short of his retirement to leave the match nicely poised at 68-3But Blaydon lost three wickets in an eventful final over from Max Campbell that saw Whitstable take the advantage at the half-way stage with the Durham side all out for 91Whitstable made an explosive start to the run-chase with opening pair Bryan Gould and Tom Richardson scoring 46 in the first three oversRichardson was then run-out for 20 and Gould retired in quick succession to leave two new batsmen at the creaseDespite Liam Tegg departing for a duck Campbell hit 24 and well supported by James Loader the Kent side reached the target in 9 overs to take the title for the first time

West Indies Level Series With Memorable Victory

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:31:58 +0000

West Indies recorded their first One-day international victory over Australia since October 2006 as they levelled the series with an impressive five-wicket win in St VincentWith the tie affected by rain the match was reduced to 40 overs a side and the home side chased the revised target of 158 to win with 10 balls to spareAfter winning the tossWest Indies chose to field in what was overcast conditions in St VincentKemar Roach certainly made use of the bowling-friendly conditions early on dismissing David Warner for 13 then Peter Forrest four balls later for a duck to leave Australia 19-2Opener Shane Watson provide brief resistance for the tourists before departing to captain Darren Sammy for 25 smartly caught by sub-fielder Devendra BishooJust as it looked like brothers Michael David Hussey were forming a useful partnership at the crease off-spinner Sunil Narine dismissed the elder of the two for his first wicket of the matchGeorge Bailey then became the next Australian guilty of throwing his wicket away after doing the hard work early on departing for 21 to leave the tourists 105-9All-rounder Daniel Christian and wicketkeeper Matt Wade were then soon dismissed in quick succession to leave the Aussies reeling at 136-7The ever resistant Hussey then became Narinersquos third wicket of the match and new batsman Clint McKay quickly followed becoming Narinersquos fourth victim to leave the tourists in danger of not fulfilling their allocated oversA brief spell of crowd-pleasing big hits from veteran Brett Lee ended Australiarsquos innings on a high for what seemed to be a below par score of 154ndash9 from their 40 oversBut the home side got off to the worst possible start to the run-chase when Kieran Powell was dismissed in the first ball of the innings caught LBW by LeeIn response to the early dismissal 23-year old Johnson Charles showed a calmhead on inexperienced shoulders diminishing any early innings nerves creating a solid partnership with new batsman Marvin SamuelsSimilar to the Aussie batsmen the hosts found it difficult to maintain long partnerships with Samuels going for 20 then Charles departing five overs later for 26 to leave the West Indies 67-3And when Darren Bravo became Xavier Dohertyrsquos first wicket of the match the tide seemed to be turning into the tourists favour at 74-4Dwayne Bravo and Kieran Pollard then put on a vital 64 for the fourth wicket to bring the run-chase back on courseDespite a run-out ending Bravorsquos innings at 30 Pollard stood firm and late support from Carlton Baugh saw the West Indies past the line with ten balls to spare to earn a vital victory

Clifton.CC On Their Bike For Club & Charity

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:18:26 +0000

Members and players of CliftonCC in Derbyshire are going that one step further in their attempts to fund the re-build of the facilities at the clubA group from Clifton are cycling from the Lords Cricket Ground north London to their home ground in Ashbourne Derbyshire in a bid to raise money for the much needed re-developments at the clubThe cycle ride which covers 170 miles is also in aid of the cardiac unit at The Royal Derbyshire Hospital with 25 of UK tax payerrsquos donations going to the causeThe club is in dire need of new facilities with Cliftonrsquos performances on the pitch not reflecting the sub-standard pavilion at the groundClifton have been looking to re-develop the facilities at the club for many years but have always been halted by the hefty price tag of creating a new pavilion from scratchAfter working for more than three years to develop a design for the pavilion the club are now in position to undergo the work once the funds are in place The group are planning to cycle over the weekend of NatWest Cricket Force and are leaving on Friday 30th March to arrive at CliftonCC on Sunday 1st April at around 12amEvery rider that completes the approximately 170 mile ride and raises 500 for the development will receive a free brick in the pavilion wall of donatorsIf you would like to donate to the cause there are two ways of doing so By either visiting their donation website wwwjustgivingcomlords-cliftoncc or by using the text donation service Text CCCR12 10 to 70700 with 25 of the donation going to the Cardiac Unit at the Royal Derbyshire Hospital

England Cruise To Comfortable Victory

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:34:28 +0000

England cruised to an innings and 15 runs victory against Sri-Lanka Board Presidentrsquos XI in the first match of what is shaping up to be a vital tour in the Asian countryWith test series against West Indies and South-Africa coming in the summer Andy Flowers side will be feeling the pressure to bounce back from the disappointing test series defeat to PakistanWith the Sri-Lankan Board XI winning the toss and electing to bat all eyes were on the England bowlers to see how they would adjust to the difficult conditionsAnd if the tourists were finding it hard to adjust seamer James Anderson was hiding it extremely wellThe Lancashire fast-bowler took the first four wickets of the match early on to give England the perfect start to the tieDespite brief resistance from Ashen Silva Monty Panesar continued where Anderson left off showing how important the spin bowlers are going to be the upcoming series taking the last 5 Sri-Lanka Board wicketsWith the Sri-Lanka Board XI all out for 169 in the first innings it was certainly an impressive start to the warm-up match for England without really stepping into a higher gearAlistair Cook continued to show why he is one of the best players in all formats at the moment looking at ease at the crease on day twoCaptain Andrew Strauss 40 and Kevin Pietersen 39 both provided support to the Essex batsman who eventually finished on 163 not out in Englandrsquos first innings total of 303 for 8 declared134 runs behind the tourists first innings total Anderson yet again struck early dismissing Silva on the third ball of the inningsAny hopes for the Sri-Lanka Board XI to salvage to draw from the match were soon diminished with wickets falling at regular intervals on the last dayOnly opener Dimuth Karunaratne 31 and Malinga Bandara28 not out provided any real resistance for the hosts which saw Anderson Finn and Swan take three wickets each to dismiss the Sri-Lanka Board XI for 119 a comfortable an innings and 15 runs victory inside three daysThis was certainly a good run-out for the England players with a comfortable victory to go along with itAny Flowers side will be hoping for a similar outcome in their next warm-up match against a Sri-Lanka Development XI which begins on Tuesday 20th MarchThe tourists will be eager to get some more playing time with the hot conditions sure to take some getting used to with the first test against Sri-Lanka starting on the 26th March

Latest County Cricket Round-Up

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:24:45 +0000

Gloucestershire have made fresh plans to redevelop their ground after a new plan was put forward to the Bristol City CouncilThe club had previously had plans rejected by the City Council but Gloucestershire have insisted the new application has taken feedback into account from the rejected plansGloucestershire have also secured the services of director of cricket John Bracewell for the next three yearsThe New-Zealander has made a big impact at the club since taking the role at the Nevil Road in 2009Bracewell has set his sights on promotion into division one of the County Championship for this seasonKent have signed a West Indian batsman as their overseas player for the 2012 seasonVeteran Brendan Nash has played 21 tests and nine one-day internationals for the West Indies and is set to be reunited with fellow Jamaican Jimmy AdamsThe 34-year-old will be available for Kentrsquos first County Championship tie against Yorkshire on 5th AprilKent have continued to boost their batting line-up with the signing of Scott NewmanThe former Surrey and Nottinghamshire opener has joined the club on an initial two-month loan dealThe 32 year-old is set to fill the void of Daniel Bell-Drummond who will miss the start of the season because of England Under-19 dutyCounty Championship champions Lancashire have boosted their bowling attack with the signing of the former Warwickshire bowler Naqaash TahirThe 28-year-old played over 50 first-class matches for Warwickshire taking 139 wickets during his time at EdgbastonThe seamer had an injury-hit spell at Warwickshire though prompting Lancashire to sign Tahir on a one-year contractThe Scottish Saltires have announced their overseas player this seasonrsquos Clydesdale Bank 40 competitionBatsman Jean Symes is a former South-African Under-19 international and currently plays for Highveld Lions in his home countrySymes will also turn out for WatsonianCC who play in the Eastern Premier league during his spell in Scotland

Steyning.CC Have Promotion In Their Sights

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:07:38 +0000

With a good mix of old heads and talented youngsters SteyningCC 1st team are quietly confident they can be one of the main contenders to get promoted into division two of the Sussex Cricket LeagueBeing one of the oldest clubs in Sussex Steyning have previously played in the top leagues in the county but have since slid into the division 3 west after being relegated at the end of the 2008 seasonDespite not returning into division two since the club have consistently hit above mid-table each season and Steyning are hoping the side can go one further this yearWith promotion in mind the club have secured the services of a talented overseas player for the new seasonSri-Lankan bowler Matheesha Ranasinghe plays first-class cricket for Saracens Sports Club in his home country and is sure to make an impact for Steyning this yearWith 68 wickets in 27 first-class matches at an average of just 27 the 28 year-oldrsquos talent is there be seenThe right-arm seamer has also had a spell with Liverpool and District League club St Helens and impressed throughout his time there taking 68 wickets at an average of just 11Steyning thrive on a strong youth section and 16-year old Hywel Jones is an example the clubrsquos talented youngstersThe opening batsman scored 1010 runs for the 1st XI last season and topped the leading run-scorers in the division 1st team captain Ed Lamb believes the 16-year old will go from strength to strength Hes a talented player but its important we let him carry on playing his own game and hopefully he can emulate his fantastic season last year15-year old Sam Grant along with David Croshaw and Lawrence Green both 14 years of age all featured for the 1st team last season and are highly regarded at the clubSteyning run four other menrsquos teams and a womenrsquos team allowing players of all abilities to enjoy what the club has to offerThe club is also busy throughout the season providing players and members with various social events with the golf day a particular highlightNew members are always welcomed at the club whether itrsquos for cricket or just as a social memberSteyning begin their push for promotion with a tough away trip to recently relegated StirlandsCC on Saturday 5th May

Hale Barns.CC Aiming High

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:52:04 +0000

With over four times more juniors than adults at Hale BarnsCC to say the club relies heavily on its youth membership would be an understatementBut for such a small club Hale Barns first XI continue to aim high and are hoping to push for promotion come the new seasonDespite finishing two places of relegation from division one of the Meller Braggins Cheshire League last season the club are confident they can improve on last year and compete for promotion into division two of the Cheshire County LeagueAnd with the Hale Barns junior section improving and growing all the time their ambition may just become a reality 3rd XI Player and coach at the club Richard Fretwell believes the 1st team have what it takes to get promoted ldquoDespite our small squad we have plenty of talented players both at senior level and juniors coming through the ranks We feel the first team belong in the county league and they are determined to get thererdquoLike many clubs up and down the country senior membership is on the decline meaning Hale Barns struggle to find members to help out with jobs and general running of the South Manchester sideLuckily the clubs enthusiastic senior members have been able to take coaching courses enabling better coaching and support for the junior sectionThe focus on the junior section at the club is displayed on the county stage with no fewer than 20 youth players having represented Hale Barns at various county age groupsUnfortunately the club lost two major sponsors three years ago and have not been able to fill the gap since which has had a big impact on finances at Hale BarnsDespite their financial state the club continues to work hard on improving facilities with dedicated members at Hale Barns helping out whenever possible Since January the club have been netting at Old Trafford every Sunday evening and have welcomed six potential new members who will all be hoping to make an impact on the senior teams The club is always on the look-out for new members especially as many senior players have left of late for various reasonsSuccess at the club would be testament to Hale Barnsrsquo hard working attitude and clear love for the game proving clubs can be successful without the luxury of a rich statureHale Barns 1st team begin their push for promotion with a tough away trip to recently relegated MobberlyCC on the 28th April

County Boards Preparing For NatWest CricketForce Weekend

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:43:08 +0000

Many county cricket boards from up and down the country are preparing to help their clubs for the upcoming NatWest CricketForce weekendOn the Saturday of the event SussexCCC professionals will head up and down the county to give their helping hand for the dayWest WitteringCC RoffeyCC BarcombeCC MadehurstCC Three BridgesCC will all receive visits from players on the SaturdaySt James MontefioreCC will be the showcase project over the weekend and will use the event to open their newly extended pavilion The club have received a substantial grant from the ECB towards their pavilion developmentThere will be a second showcase event over the weekend of March 31st where a Sussex party will visit ChippingdaleCC and will mark the opening of their new outdoor net facility UxbridgeCC have been selected to be Middlesexrsquos showcase club for the weekendThe amount of clubs participating in the NatWest CricketForce has increased every year in Gloucestershire and that trend is set to continue49 clubs took part In Gloucestershire last year and the county is set to go beyond the half-century markBrian Hudson is once again leading the operation in the county after previously leading the project for the last three seasonsLast year 1914 clubs took part in the project and this year is set to be the biggest yetNatWest CricketForce 2012 will take place on the weekend of 30th March ndash 1st April

Lords Set For £2million Refurbishment

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:58:46 +0000

The home of cricket is to have a major refurbishment this year it has been announcedThe MCC will spend 2 million on infrastructure and maintenance at Lords starting with the external refurbishment of the JP Morgan Media CentreA comprehensive wash corrosion repairs a two coat re-paint and a full window clean are all going to part of the media centrersquos first full refurbishment since opening in 1999With the work due to take just over 2 months to complete the project is on schedule to be finished in time for Middlesexrsquos opening County Championship Division One match against Surrey beginning on the 12th AprilThe work done is not just going to benefit the media within the ground the players and spectators are also going to benefit from the re-developmentSpectators in the Grandstand Compton and Edrich stands will be able to enjoy a new MCC bar in the food village whilst the PA systems in the stands are to be vastly improvedThe players will also benefit from the replacement of sightscreens at both the Nursery and Pavilion Ends of the groundThis is the second renovation of late at the home of cricket with the MCC Academy undergoing a full renovation during the winter that included new playing surface and replacement of netting and lightingIn other Lords news the home of cricket is set to host a test match against New Zealand in a swap deal with Glamorgan resulting in Cardiff now hosting the Champions Trophy in 2013It is believed that the MCC made the bid for ICC event next year in the belief that it would be the proposed Test ChampionshipsPartly due to members at Lords preferring the longer form of the game the MCC relaxed their interest in event after the ICC announced its plan to drop the Test Championship idea

Easter Bowling Master Class with Englands Chris Tremlett

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:14:31 +0100

Following the success of our bowling master class at Christmas with England star Chris Tremlett we are delighted to announce 2 more master classes with one of the worlds most devistating quick bowlersChris will be teaming up with LCA Cricket Coaching to deliver 3 hour master class sessions on April 2nd at St Johns Leatherhead school as well as at Eversley Indoor Cricket Centre located close to the Hampshire Berkshire BorderTo view details on these or any of our other coaching master classes coming up this Easter in Hampshire Sussex Dorset Surrey or now on The Isle of Wight visit httpwwwthelcacoukcricket_coaching_masterclasses or contact us via coachingthelcacouk

Alnwick.CC Prepared For Another Tough Season

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:20:07 +0000

AlnwickCC have been dealt a major blow with the news that 1st team captain Steve OrsquoHara will not be returning for the 2012 seasonOrsquoHara had been based in the country for his job In the RAF but the left-arm seamer will now return to Australia for the near futureThe bowler was the clubs leading wicket taker last season taking 30 wickets with an average of just 21Top order batsman Rob Woods is the clubrsquos man to replace OrsquoHara for the 2012 season and itrsquos going to be the 25-year oldrsquos first attempt at skippering the sideWoods was a consistent figure in the first XI for Alnwick last season and he will be hoping his side will improve on their 8th place finish last yearThe 1st teamrsquos mid-table position last year was largely influenced by the weather with no fewer than 12 games interrupted by rain throughout the seasonAfter going the past few years without an overseas player Alnwick are breaking tradition for the upcoming season and the club are on the verge on completing a deal for an 18-year old AustralianVersatile Michael Threfall has been turning heads with his performances for his home club in Victoria and is predicted to have a bright future in the gameThough primarily a wicketkeeper-batsman Threfall can also bowl medium-fast and fixture secretary Chris Woods believes his versatility can only help the side ldquoMichael comes highly recommended to us and we are looking forward to having him at the club We are already strong in the wicketkeeper department as a squad so we may use him as bowler the fact he can do both is an added bonus for usrdquo Alnwickrsquos recruitment for the new season has not ended there The club have also signed top order batsman Duncan AyreThe local joins the club looking for a new challenge and Alnwick will be hoping he can make an instant impact with the batOff the field the club will once again be holding many social events throughout the year with the lsquolads v Dadsrsquo match and the golf day likely to be popular as alwaysThe club have also been successful in obtaining three new sponsors and Alnwick will be able to introduce their new kit for the 2012 seasonThe money coming in from the trio of local companies has also allowed the club to set-up an online shop for their new kit to go in conjunction with Alnwickrsquos brand new website for their members and spectatorsWith a largely youth side Alnwick 1st team will once again be looking to consolidate their position in Division A2 of the Northumberland Tyneside Cricket League in what is likely to be another tough season

ECB & Sky In New Wi-Fi Offer For Cricket Clubs

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:19:22 +0000

The ECB have teamed up Sky to offer a brand new discounted rate on Wi-Fi for your cricket clubThe more clubs to register their interest in the deal the cheaper the offer is for everybodyIf over 500 clubs register interest there will standard set up charge saving each club a minimum of 300 If the club already has a Sky TV subscription there is no additional monthly feeIn addition to the offer all clubs that register will be entered in a draw to win an LG 47rdquo 3D TV and one of five 3D camerasThe Wi-Fi will be provided by BskyB company The Cloud The Cloud provides the public with over 8000 hotspots throughout the UK Having Wi-Fi in your club is becoming more and more necessary with people now expecting free Wi-Fi to be available when theyrsquore out and about Wi-Fi gives you a fantastic opportunity to increase bar revenue by keeping members and guests in your clubhouse for longerAnd for spectators it provides them with a chance to check live sports scores keep up to date with social networking sites and view video content during match-days The offer ends 30th April so if interested make sure to apply before thenVisit httpbusinessskycomecb to apply and for more information

Rahul Dravid - One Of The Best Batsmen Of All Time

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:38:42 +0000

International cricket lost one of its most dedicated professional talented players of all time this week when Rahul Dravid announced his retirementSince making his Test debut on the tour of England in 1996 the 39-year old has been an influential member of an Indian side that has been one of if not the best international side of recent timesIn his prime Dravid was part of the lsquofab fourrsquo that consisted of himself Sachin Tendulkar VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly a quite formidable batting line-upLargely thought to be playing in the shadow of Tendulkar throughout his career Dravid enjoyed staying out of the limelight and was a model professional both on and off the fieldWith 13288 runs in 164 tests for India and 36 centuries to his name lsquoThe Wallrsquo holds many test cricket records that will take some beatingDravid is only man to score a test century in all 10 test-playing nations and seemingly enjoyed playing against England averaging over 60 in 21 testsRegularly placed in the slips Dravid has taken 210 catches the most for any outfield player in test cricket Whilst partnered with good friend Tendulkar they have accumulated a world record 19 test century partnerships togetherLargely known for his wristy style and excellent concentration and technical ability his top score was 270 against Pakistan in 2004 an innings that was constructed for over 12 hoursOnce Dravid announced his retirement cricket personalities from England and from around the world gave their best wishes through TwitterLCA Ambassador Paul Nixon ldquoHuge Respect to a great of the game a great man calling an end to his Cricket CareerrdquoLCA Ambassador Kevin Pietersen ldquoRahul Dravid -LEGEND Plain simple congratulations on an incredible career India will miss the wallrdquoFormer Australian spinner Shane Warne ldquoI wish my friend Rahul Dravid and his family all the best in his retirement I have total respect for himrdquoWest Indian Batsman Chris Gayle ldquoCongrats on a Fantastic Superb International Career The Great Legend Rahul Dravid the wall will be missedrdquoHe retired from one-day cricket last September having scored 10889 runs in 344 internationalsAfter announcing the news this week to retire from lsquodomestic and first class cricketrsquo Dravid also reiterated his intentions to play for the Rajasthan Royals in this yearrsquos Indian Premier LeagueIndia now have the tough task of finding a replacement and whoever that may be sure has big boots to fill

County Cricket Round-Up.

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:56:19 +0000

Surrey have been handed a huge boost ahead of the new season with three of their key players signing new contracts at the clubCaptain Rory Hamilton-Brown and bowling duo Stuart Meaker and Jade Dernbach have all signed new deals keeping them at the Kia Oval for at least another two yearsHamilton-Brown led Surrey to County Championship promotion last season as well as winning the Clydesdale Bank 40 crown and the new contract given to the former Sussex player reiterates his importance to the sideYorkshire opener Phil Jaques has applied for domestic registration after recently announcing his retirement from Australian domestic cricketThe 32-year old has dual nationality from his British parents and if successful it will pave the way for Yorkshire to sign another overseas playerAfter previous spells at Worcestershire and Northamptonshire the left-hander joined the club four months ago after it was announced fellow Australian Jason Gillespie would be taking a coaching role for the White RosesAfter it was previously thought no England players would be taking part in this yearrsquos Indian Premier league Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright is the Englishman to announce his participation in the competitionThe 27-year old is set to miss the start of the season for Sussex after agreeing a deal with Pune WarriorsBatsman Owais Shah was the first Englishman to announce his deal to join the IPL with the Essex man signing for the Rajastan Royals last weekAustralian all-rounder Moises Henrique has joined Glamorgan to cover fellow Aussie Marcus North for the start of the 2012 seasonNorth will not join up with the Welsh county until a few weeks into the season because of the birth of his second childHenriques has made three one-day international appearances for Australia and is likely to play up to a third of Glamorganrsquos County Championship matchesWorcestershire have also joined Glamorgan in signing an Australian to cover their overseas player for the opening weeks of the seasonBatsman Michael Klinger will stand in for compatriot Phil Hughes after the left-hander was called up into the Australia international squad training campKlinger is the captain of South Australia and has an excellent average of over 50 in 72 innings throughout this time playing for the state

NatWest's Biggest Little Cricket Club

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:27:59 +0000

Does your club need help for the NatWest CricketForce weekend coming up soon How about Michael Vaughan and a team of cricket specialistshellipNatWest wants to find which local club is their biggest little cricket club in England and Wales and have set up a competition with many prizes to be wonAny club that is registered to the NatWest CricketForce can take part in the competition If your club is not registered itrsquos not too late to register and get involvedBy visiting the Natwest Cricket web page you can apply your club for the competition to and be in with a chance to win some excellent prizesOnce applied you have to vote for your club to win The five clubs with the most points will be then asked to submit up to 200 words explaining why their club deserves to win the prize These will then be reviewed by a judging panel who will then decide the winnerThe club who wins 1st prize will receive a visit from former England captain Michael Vaughan ECB Pitch Consultant Chris Wood professional tradesman and Natwest cricket staff on the Sunday of the weekend to help out and assist the club in their efforts on the dayThe four remaining clubs will all receive a piece of cricketing merchandise signed by a member of the England cricket teamSound good There is more than just one way to vote for your clubYour club will receive one point for each vote they receive Your club will receive 10 additional points if the person who votes becomes a member of the NatWest Cricket Club or is already a member and has a current NatWest current account If you do all of the above but donrsquot have a current NatWest account your club will receive an additional 5 points instead of 10FiltwitchCC and BlundhamCC in Bedfordshire currently sit 1st and 2nd respectively in the leaderboard YarmCC are 3rd CorleyCC from Warwickshire currently in 4th whilst Kimbolton CatworthCC are currently taking the 5th positionVotes close at 9am on Friday 23rd of JunePlease visit httpcricketnatwestcomBiggest-Little-Clubaspx to find out more information and to vote for your club

New Player-Coach For Bradninch.CC

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:28:25 +0000

BradninchCC have signed a new player-coach in a bid to push up the table for the forthcoming seasonWicketkeeper Paul Tweddle has agreed to join the Devon side for this year and will be hoping to make an impact both with his coaching and on the fieldThe 23-year old is the final year of the course to become an ECB level 4 coach and has previously represented Dorset in the minor counties leagueTweddle played for Irish side MalahideCC last season who play in the second tier of the Leinster Cricket League Bradninch have also boosted their squad with two further signingsFast bowler Dan Milligan who has previously played for Lancaster in the Northern Premier league and Burslem in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Premier League last season is well known for his quick and aggressive action and he is likely to take the new ball for Bradninch next yearBatsman Matthew Golding is Bradninchrsquos second addition of the winter breakGolding averaged over 50 for Somerset side North Curry last season but really stood out in his performances for Devon U17rsquosThe batsman hit 171 against Worcestershire at Exmouth which is the third highest in the history of the teamWith the club looking to improve the youth section Bradninch have brought in Scott Chappell to be Youth CoachChappell has set up a coaching programme for young players of all ages in preparation for a full set of fixtures at Under 10 U11 U13 and U15All the youth sides have entered the East Devon Youth League in the hope to practice the skills they have learnt in a competitive environment to aid their developmentBradninch begin their 2012 league campaign with a tough away trip to ExmouthCC on Saturday 5th May

Caistor Town.CC Have Promotion In Their Sights

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:40:03 +0000

Caistor TownCC are looking to bounce back this season after finishing a disappointing 6th place in the Lincolnshire Premier Division last yearDespite the mid-table position Caistor 1st XI finished only 50 points of champions HaxeyCC and will be positive of their chances of returning to the Lincolnshire ECB Premier League for the 2013 season Since being relegated into the Premier Division in 2009 Caistor have developed a young squad with a local philosophy and the side have enjoyed cup success over recent yearsCaistor Town are also welcoming back Sri-Lankan Sahan Wijeratne for his four year at the clubThe all-rounder has been a key figure in the 1st XI throughout his time at Caistor with 2010 a clear highlight finishing the season with a batting average of 104 and taking 67 wicketsWijeratne who scored an incredible 1600 runs in that 2010 season and contributed with just under 1000 runs last year will need to continue his impressive form with both the bat and the ball if the club are to gain promotion into the top flightCaistor are also to be led by all-rounder Liam Wood for the 2012 seasonWood has been a sold presence in the 1st XI for many years and the 23-year old will be hoping his leadership can steer the club towards promotionCaistor has a strong youth section with many competitive teams including an academy which supplies weekly extensive coaching to over 300 children during the season The clubrsquos Brigg Road complex underwent a major transformation last winter with an extended pavilion and a new multi-purpose astroturf surfaceCaistor also host many social events throughout the season including their annual Sportsman DinnerThis yearrsquos Sportsman Dinner is being hosted by former England cricketer Jonathon Agnew The event takes place at Forest Pines Lincolnshire on Friday 13th April with tickets costing 36 each or 335 for a table of 10 The price includes a three-course meal and there is a formal dress code for the event If anyone would like more information or to purchase tickets please contact Reg Percival on 01652 678 839Caistor 1st XI begin their 2012 campaign with a tough home fixture against Alford DistrictCC on Saturday 21st April

Ossett.CC Looking To Bounce Straight Back Into The Premier Division.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:27:06 +0000

OssettCC are looking to bounce straight back into the Premier Division of the Central Yorkshire Cricket League after being relegated for the first time in 40 years last seasonWith Ossett eager to freshen things up the club have acquired a new chairman who had previously played for Yorkshire side for many yearsBob Schofield has taken the role of Chairman which has already had a positive effect on events at the club including many new sponsors at the club in which the new chairman was instrumental in obtaining the partnershipsCaptain Mike Edwards is to stay in the role hoping to push his side back into the top flight of the Central Yorkshire Leagues and with promotion in mind Ossett started pre-season training in January led by former Yorkshire batsman John Sadler who is a coach at the clubSeven new players have joined the club this season in an aim to improve on last yearrsquos disappointment Shoab Latif from AltoftsCC and Rob Wade from the South Yorkshire League are the stand out additions to the squadAs with many clubs Ossett heavily rely on young talent coming from the youth system and wicketkeeper Joe Hitch is highly regarded as one for the futureThe 17-year old won the Yorkshire Council Junior Wicket keeping award last year and is sure to have a bright future with Ossett19-year old batsman Ryan Wilby is another highly regarded youngster and after having a year away from Ossett due to work commitments Wilby is likely to play a major role this seasonThe club are also hoping to improve the social side and with this in mind Ossett are hosting a lsquoSports DinnerrsquoThe event is for all people of all ages with an Asian style buffet dinner and a chance to quiz sporting celebrities from the worlds of cricket football and rugby league in a question and answer session Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Dave Callaghan a well-known sporting broadcaster from BBC Radio Leeds Tickets for the event will be 25 per head and there will be discounts for group bookingsClub captain Edwards believes the event will kick start a fresh approach to social events at Ossett ldquoWe are all really looking forward to the dinner we are confident we will sell lots of tickets and it will be a success One of the main priorities for us this year was to boost the social events at the club and hopefully this is just the start of many more to comerdquoThe event is going to be held at the Cinnamon Lounge 97 Bridge Road Horbury Bridge on Monday the 12th of March 2012

Two Nottinghamshire Clubs Join Forces

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:53:06 +0000

Winthorpe Cricket Club and Coddington Cricket Club are looking forward to a new era with the two clubs agreeing to form together after extensive talksWinthorpe the older club of the two had been playing regular competitive cricket but lacked a strong youth system which in turn affected their financial situationMeanwhile Coddington who were only formed in 2005 heavily relied on the numbers of young players at the club whilst retaining a social menrsquos side on a weekendSo for both clubs it only seemed logical to form into one clubSince forming Coddington had been playing their cricket at Winthorpersquos ground which helped form a friendship between the two clubsAfter deliberation it was decided that the club would have Winthorpersquos club badge with Coddingtonrsquos club coloursThe club will be running three competitive senior teams a Sunday team a mid-week team playing in the NewarkEvening League and a Saturday friendly team for occasional fixtures across the summerBecause Coddington Winthorpe are technically starting again the club will begin the 2012 season in the lowest division possible division 7 But Club development officer Lee Parsons is confident the club will do well in the league they have been put into ldquoWe totally understand that we have to start in the lowest division possible but we have some good players at the club and we are hopeful of doing well this season and gaining promotionrdquoCoddington Winthorpe are also in the process of applying for the ECB Club Mark accreditation showing their ambition as a clubThe club begin the 2012 campaign with a Sunday away fixture against FiskertonCC on the 22nd AprilCoddington Winthorpe are always on the look-out for new players if interested please visit the club website httpcoddingtonandwinthorpecccom

South Shields.CC Prepared For Another Tough Season In The Premier League

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:45:02 +0000

Despite finishing second bottom last season and narrowly avoiding relegation South ShieldsCClsquos 1st XI will continue to be largely formed from home-grown players for the 2012 seasonBut the club have recruited a new overseas player for this year in a hope to push up the tableIslamabad U23 all-rounder Usman Ashraf has agreed to join the North East Premier League club for this season subject to visa clearanceThe Pakistani is accustomed to batting top three for Islamabad and club secretary Chris May is positive about what Ashraf can bring to South Shields ldquoHe comes highly recommended from a player at another club in our league The fact that he can bat top three is a bonus but we are hoping he can contribute with the ball as wellrdquoThe club will also have the services of 1st team captain Matthew Muchallrsquos brother Gordon Muchall The Durham batsman is unlikely to make regular appearances for South Shields as he will only play when not selected for his countyThe club are also hoping to bring opening batsman James Hill back to the club after a successful 2011 seasonWhilst studying at Durham University Hill scored just under 400 runs last year and the club are hopeful the opener will obtain a job in the area to keep him at South ShieldsFour youth teams and a Sunday academy side shows how important developing the young players is for a club like South Shields with of the 1st team having come through the ranks as youngstersThe club also have plans to move away from their current home which is used as a multi-sport facilitySecretary May feels the time is right for a move to a separate ground ldquoWe have plans over the next 2 or 3 years to move to a new home this is high on the agenda for us as a club and a move would benefit everyone at the clubSouth Shields begin their pre-season matches with a cup tie against BlaydonCC on the 29th April

New Captain For Clacton-On-Sea.CC

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:51:48 +0000

Clacton-On-SeaCC will be led by a new captain as they look improve on a 10th place position last season in the East Anglian Premier LeagueBatsman Ben France will skipper the side replacing fellow batsman Martyn Cull who has moved to Copdock Old IpswichianCC who have been promoted into the East Anglian Premier LeagueFrance has played 11 matches for Derbyshire previously and is currently a regular for minor counties side SuffolkThe 29-year old has undoubted experience at a high level and will be looking to make his own stamp on the side as they look for a more stable season in the top flightSouth-African Stefanus Gericke will return to the club for 2012 season after a hugely successful spell at the club last yearThe left-arm spinner took 53 wickets with an average of just 168 in his debut season for Clacton-On-SeaThe 24-year old also made an Impact with the bat hitting just under 700 runs at an average of 42 and club secretary John Stock was delighted with the South-African first season at the club ldquoWhen he first came to us we were under the impression he was mainly a spin bowler but he contributed brilliantly with the bat as well he was a key player for us last seasonrdquoThe club will be hoping the South-African will have a similar season this year and the left-armer will need to be instrumental if Clacton are to push towards mid-table this seasonClacton-On-Sea are also hopeful bowler Michael Comber will be available for the club for the majority of the seasonThe bowler has a contract with Essex and will be available to play for the club when not selected by his county Comber played 10 games for the club last season averaging over 40 and is clearly a key player for the side when availableComber is a success story of the clubrsquos youth system as the 22-year old developed through the age groups at Clacton-On-Sea as a youngsterClacton-On-Sea begin their 2012 campaign with a tough home tie against SwardestonCC on Saturday 21st April

Broad Reaches Double Century Milestone

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:17:52 +0000

Chris Broad the father England all-rounder Stuart has become only the second match referee to complete a double century of one-day internationalsOnly Ranjan Madugalle has officiated more than 200 or more ODIrsquos and the 54-year old reached the milestone in the Commonwealth Bank Series Final between Australia and Sri Lanka at BrisbaneBroadrsquos milestone match was an exciting one a nail biting 15-run victory for the hostsThe former England opening batsman made his match referee debut in January 2004 in an ODI between New Zealand and PakistanBroad has been match referee in 51 Tests which puts him third on that list behind Madugalle and Clive Lloyd and 41 in Twenty20 internationals which places him in second behind Madulgalle againThe 54-year old was the match referee for the second test of the Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test Series and was in a convoy of vehicles that was attacked by terrorists but lucky was unhurt in the incidentAs an opener for England Gloucestershire and Nottinghamshire Broad played in 340 first-class matches including 25 Tests scoring 50 centuries In 34 ODIs he scored 1361 at an average of 40

New Cash Boost For NatWest CricketForce Clubs

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 12:43:58 +0000

Clubs who participate in the Natwest CricketForce scheme are set for a potential cash boost under a new ECB initiativeThe ECB have agreed a 400000 initiative with Build Centre with the aim of benefiting clubs that take part in the NatWest CricketForceInitially open to the 900 clubs who apply first the project requires the club to make a one-off payment of 100 to activate a privilege account Once activated a further 400 will be added to the account at no further charge to the clubThe club is then able to spend the 500 at any Build Centre store in the country with preferential rates on materials and products required for NatWest CricketForce eventsA total of 1914 clubs and 85000 volunteers took part in last yearrsquos award winning NatWest CricketForce eventThe Build Centre supplies a variety of product and services that includes Bricks and blocks Insulation and plasterboard cements timber and joinery tools drainage and roofingIf you are not aware of the NatWest CricketForce the project encourages cricket supporters their friends and families to give back to their local cricket club by volunteering to undertake renovation work in clubhouses and grounds over a designated weekend at the start of each seasonIf your club would like to use this offer in time for the NatWest CricketForce week at the end of March make sure you apply no later than the 9th MarchFor more information to apply for the scheme please visit httpwwwecbcoukdevelopmentfacilities-fundingapplication-for-build-center-privilege-account2608BPhtml

County Cricket Round-Up

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:05:02 +0000

Worcestershire have been granted permission for a 10million redevelopment of their groundThe plans include building a 120 bedroom hotel and restaurant at New Ground which will create 45 new jobs in the townWhitbread Premier Innrsquos parent company is investing 75million into the project whilst Worcestershire are investing 25million in new facilities at the ground Gloucestershire club captain Will Gidman has signed a two-year contract extension at the clubThe all-rounder had an excellent first year at the club last season hitting over 1000 runs and taking over 50 wicketsHis previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2012 season but the new agreement ties him to the club until the end of the 2014 campaignFormer Yorkshire player and coach Craig White has joined the Hampshire coaching staff for the 2012 seasonThe former England all-rounder was previously expected to take an umpiring role after leaving Headingly in the AutumnWhite scored more than 20000 runs and took more than 700 wickets in domestic cricket and he will take the role of Assistant Coach under team manager Giles WhiteSussex all-rounder Luke Wright has signed a new contract at the club that will see him playing his cricket at Hove until the end of the 2015 seasonHaving been at the club since he was 19 the England international has been a key player for the club for many years playing in 70 first-class matchesKnown for his big hitting Wright recently hit the fastest century in Australiarsquos Big Bash Twenty20 competition this year smashing a century off just 44 balls for the Melbourne StarsSouth-African batsman Ashwell Prince has agreed to re-join Lancashire for the 2012 seasonThe left-hander has scored 11 centuries in 65 test appearances but is not included in South-Africarsquos squad for their forthcoming Tests in New Zealand The 34-year old is set for this third spell at the County Champions and will join up with the squad in early AprilHampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson has signed a new two-year deal at the clubDespite the clubs relegation into division two of the County Championship last season the 22-year old averaged 36 scoring just over 900 runsThe spin bowler is likely to play a key role for the south coast side in their bid to get promoted back to the top flight of the County Championship

Copdock & Old Ipswichian.CC Ready For Step Up To Top Flight

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:27:46 +0000

For the first time in their history Copdock Old IpswichianCC 1st XI have achieved premier league status and you canrsquot say they havenrsquot deserved itAn 18 match winning streak in the league and two play-off victories ensured the club will be competing in the East Anglian Premier League for the 2012 seasonIn response to promotion to the highest division possible the club have signed a new overseas for this seasonNamibian international Christi Viljoen has signed for the club in the hope the all-rounder can play a key role with both the ball and the batThe 24-year old hit 98 against England in a friendly for the ICC Combined XI in Dubai last month proving his undoubted experience at the top levelViljoenrsquos deal to the club is subject to his visa clearing and the all-rounder will be coaching cricket at a local school throughout his time in the areaIn the search for a more experienced batting line-up the club have brought Martyn Cull back to the club from Clacton-On-SeaCCCull captained his former side in the East Anglian Premier League last season hitting over 400 runs and the club are hoping the Suffolk minor counties player will provide lots of runs in the hope to avoid relegation back to the Two Counties Championship Another player returning to the club is Ethan Wright The promising 17-year old is joining from Bury St EdmondsCC and is another signing with premier league experienceThe club are also hosting SuffolkCCC v LincolnshireCCC in a minor counties cup match this year which is a testament to the hard work of groundsmen David Shorten and Martin TaylorCorporate packages will be available on match day with a variety of entertainment happening throughout the dayWith two or three Copdock Old Ipswichian players likely to take the field for Suffolk the locals are likely to come out in numbers to support their county in what will be a momentous day for the clubThe east Suffolk club turned down the chance to join the East Anglian Premier League in 2010 with the view that their younger players were not ready so 2012 is certainly a big year for the clubCopdock Old Ipswichian start their 2012 campaign with tough away trip to Bury St Edmonds on Saturday 21st April

Blaydon.CC Reach Lords Finals For Fifth Consecutive Time

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:58:21 +0000

Blaydon have reached the ECB Indoor Championship Finals for the fifth year in a row after triumphing at the North Regional Finals day last SundayThe North East Premier League club defeated SeftonCC of Lancashire in the county play-off to set up the trip to DerbyBlaydon faced On-QCC of Lancashire in the semi-final After batting first and finishing on 97 from their allocated overs Gary Stewartrsquos man of the match performance ensured the Denefield club dismissed their opponents for 70 in ten overs to reach the regional finalUp against SandyfordCC in the final Blaydon batted first once again and posted 103 in their 12 oversChris Varneyrsquos outstanding bowling performance helped Blaydon on their way to dismissing the Staffordshire side for just 55 to seal their spot at LordsBlaydon now take their place at the National Finals day for the fifth time in six yearsHaving previously won the competition in 2007 and been runner up twice the North East Premier club will fancy their chances at the home of cricketBlaydon face Birmingham District division one club WalmleyCC in the first semi-final whilst Poole TownCC are up against Kent league division one side WhitstableCC for a place in the National Final Th National finals day is at Lords Indoor School on Sunday March 18th

New Faces For 2012 Season At Tynemouth.CC

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:06:50 +0000

TynemouthCC look set to bring in many new faces to the 1st XI in a bid to improve on finishing 9th in the North East Premier League NEPL last yearThe club have recruited South African all-rounder Patrick Botha as their overseas for this seasonBotha plays first class cricket for Free State in his home country and exactly a week ago today the left-hander hit 103 for the side his second first class century of his careerChairman Russell Perry believes Botha is a shrewd signing for the club ldquoHe comes highly recommended the fact he can contribute with both the bat and the ball was an important factor for us We are confident he can help us push up the table this season Tynemouth are also in talks with the NEPL over the possibility of recruiting Durham fast bowler Ruel BraithwaiteA change in the rules from the NEPL has resulted in Braithwaite being viewed as an overseas player by the league despite playing for Durham last year without the particular titleThe discussions with the league over the potential signing of the Barbados seamer are on-going but a decision on the transfer is expected over the next few weeksIf the signing does go through it will surely be seen as a real coup for the club The fiery fast bowler has 20 first class matches under his belt 56 wickets including 3 five-wicket haulsWith over 70 first team appearances batsman Ben Debnam is going to skipper the side this yearHaving come through the ranks as a junior Debnam has been a first team regular since 2009 and is going to replace Barry Stewart who has moved to another club21-year old David Hymers is set to be another key player for the side in their 2012 campaignThe fast bowler finished in the top five of the bowling averages in the league last season and having come through the ranks at the club as a youngster Hymers success at first team level is a testament to Tynemouthrsquos strong youth structure in placeDevelopment Manager Rebecca Ayton is a key figure for the club in its development of the youth players and coaches at 23 other schools in the areaThis new look 1st XI will be hoping to push above mid-table in the league this year and these changes will surely give them the best chance possible in what is a tough premier league

Burwell.CC Set For New Look Side This Season

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:13:52 +0000

BurwellCC are set to include many new faces in the 1st XI this season after finishing below mid-table in their 2011 campaignWith the club looking to rise up the table a handful of senior players in the first team are likely to step down to the 2nd XI paving the way for some of Burwellrsquos rising young players to get the opportunity to compete at the clubrsquos highest levelWith a largely youthful side the 2nd team finished champions of the Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire division 3 last season showing their undoubted talentThe new look 1st team will also include a new captain for this seasonWicketkeeper Paul Summerskill will lead the team this year and at the age of just 19 Summerskill will become one of the youngest Premier League captainrsquos in the countryDespite his age the keeper is not short of experience with over 70 1st XI appearances to his nameThe 19-year old who also plays for Cambridgeshire in the Minor Counties league will be looking to bring a fresh approach to the captaincy in a bid to push his side into the top half of the tableThe club are also closing in on an Australian overseas player with club secretary Merrick Fuller stating ldquoThe deal is nearly done we are just waiting on a few formalities to go throughrdquo If the formalities are completed Burwell will be hoping the Aussie will spearhead the bowling attack and be a key figure for the club this seasonOff the field the club are looking to expand the pavilion and playing facilities with hope of funding from the ECB and local donations Burwell also has a new sponsor In Mr Cricket a local cricketing supplies shop which has many associations with the clubBurwell begin their 2012 league campaign at home to HorsfordCC on Saturday 21st Aprilhoppo112

Aylesbury Town.CC - A Club On The Up

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:20:25 +0000

Aylesbury townCC have come a remarkably long way since nearly folding six years agoLack of players and financial pressures left Aylesbury with an uncertain future before the club was reformed in 2007Since then the club has achieved a great deal on and off the pitch gaining two promotions and a transformation of the groundAylesbury have also earned the Focus Club status which was awarded for the hard work the club and its volunteers have put into developing cricket for people of all ages and abilitiesAlong with the clubrsquos Clubmark status the prestigious titles have enabled funding from the ECB which along with the work of Kevin Dale of behalf on the club has developed a brand new pavilion 2 outdoor nets and an artificial match pitchAylesbury are also working closely with schools local councils and local communities in the Chance to Shine program the clubrsquos coaches are going into organisations to teach local children and teachers alikeThe club now has two Saturday Sunday league teams and four youth teams as they look to continue the development of players young and oldThe Old England XI made the trip to face Aylesbury 1st XI last season with renowned names John Emburey Martin Bicknell in their line-up and 1st team captain Paul Cherry believes this is testament to how far the club has come over the years ldquoFor any club the opportunity to face former England players is a special moment but its remarkable for Aylesbury considering the dire situation we were in years ago it was a great day for everyone involvedrdquo Having narrowly avoided relegation into division 3 last season Aylesbury 1st team will be hoping for a more comfortable season in the second flight of the Four Counties leagues this year Aylesbury 1st team start their 2012 campaign with a tough away trip to recently relegated StudhamCC on the 28th AprilAylesbury are also looking for a club sponsor for the forthcoming season for further information please visit httpaylesburytowncccouk or email infoaylesburytowncccoukhoppo112

Hampshire Announce New Ground Sponsor

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:49:10 +0000

HampshireCCC have announced Ageas as its new ground sponsor signing a six year deal that will see The Rose Bowl be rebranded lsquoThe Ageas BowlrsquoBased in Eastleigh Ageas provide a range of insurance products and the company will surely see the deal as a long term investmentLast year The Rose Bowl hosted its first ever Test Match as England took on Sri LankaIn 2003 the south coast ground hosted its first ever one-day international when South Africa faced Zimbabwe in the 2003 Natwest SeriesDespite missing out on hosting the lucrative Ashes test next summer The Ageas bowl will host two England one-day internationals this summer against the West Indies and South AfricaThe re-branding of the stadium is to commence immediately and the partnership will also see Hampshire cricket and Ageas benefit from a wide range of community events and projectsThe news will be welcomed by Hampshire fans following the recent reports of the clubrsquos uneasy financial positionEarlier this month Eastleigh Borough Council voted in favour of buying the venue and then renting it back to the clubThe council also have plans to build a hotel on site which had been unsuccessfully challenged by a local consortiumhoppo112

Swalec Premier League To Expand

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:15:46 +0000

The South Wales Premier League is to expand from 10 teams to 12 after the 2012 seasonThe change in format means there will be no relegation from the top tier of the South Wales Cricket LeagueThe increase in fixtures means matches will now be played on bank holidays and will now finish in SeptemberThe top placed side in both the South Wales Cricket Association league SWA and the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire league this year will take their place in the top flight of the Swalec Premier League for the 2013 seasonThere is a fear that both the SWA and the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire leagues will suffer from the change losing two of their strongest sidesWith four current divisions in the SWA leagues and three in the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire leagues both will surely be weakened by the decisionIn contrast the decision could create more competiveness with the opportunity to play in the Swalec Premier League a potential goalChampions CardiffCC begin their 2012 campaign at home to newly promoted USKCC on the 28th of April whilst last yearrsquos runners up Bridgend Town face an away trip to AmmanfordCCPort TalbotCC host PontarddulaisCC MumblesCC have an away trip to NewportCC and YnysygerwnCC entertain Sully CenturionsCChoppo112

Downend.CC Awarded Club Focus Status

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:06:34 +0000

Only 30 cricket clubs in Gloucestershire have Focus Club status and Downend are the latest club to be awarded the prestigious titleDownend have earned the title through the hard work the club and its volunteers have put into developing cricket for people of all ages and abilitiesThere is also the potential of funding from the Gloucestershire cricket board who fund various projects and schemes to support Focus Clubs with other clubs in the county previously been funded for ground redevelopment and new practice facilitiesDownend will also be boosted by the news that the Lashings world XI are returning for another fixture against the club after a hugely successful tie last yearIn a closely fought contest the visitors that included world renowned stars like Saqlain Mushtaq and Courtney Walsh won the match by 49 runs1st team Captain Matt Jackson is looking forward to the prospect of facing Lashings for the second season in a row The team are also excited to be facing the Lashings superstars again on the 12th July It will be great to see the support of the Downend community at this game and throughout the seasonEntry will once again be free to the match giving members of the public the opportunity see their international cricketing heroes up close at their local clubHospitality and sponsorship packages will also be available allowing local businesses the opportunity to get their brand seen in front of spectators media coverage and business networksDownend currently sit in the top flight of the West of England Premier league and finished a respectable 5th place in what is an extremely competitive league including many county players from GloucestershireCCCaptain Jackson is optimistic of his sidersquos chances this year Im really excited about the prospects of what the new season holds for us We finished in a strong position at the end of last season which means well have a promising start to this yearrdquoJackson averaged over 50 last year and if Downend are to rise up the table this season the club will need to their captain to emulate his 2011 statsDowend begin their 2012 campaign away to newly promoted IlminsterCC on the 5th MayThe pictures are accredited to Danco MarqueesRT Photographyhoppo112

Ilminster.CC Prepared For Tough Season In The Top Flight

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:37:31 +0000

ldquoIt will be a difficult task for us next season there are plenty of big clubs in the Premier League our main priority is to stay up and we will give it our best shotrdquo The positive words of IlminsterCC secretary Mark English following the clubs promotion to the West of England Premier LeagueWith many county players playing regularly in the Premier League this is certainly going to be a tough task for Ilminster who heavily rely on players and support from the local and surrounding areaOverseas player Louis Kraucamp returning for the 2012 season is definitely a big boost for the club and will be hoping to emulate an excellent debut season for IlminsterThe South African hit an average of just under 50 last season including a high score of 134 Kraucamp also pitched in with a handful of wickets last year and will need to play consistently well again this season if Ilminster are to avoid relegation back into division oneThe 2XI who sit in division one of the 2XI West of England League provide an excellent platform to support a strong youth set up at the club playing a high standard of cricketThe 3XI and 4XI play in a more local league allowing players of all abilities to enjoy regular cricket whilst allowing younger players the opportunity to experience adult cricket at a less intense levelBacked by generous vice presidents at the club Ilminster are looking to improve the facilities at the club with a plans to build a new score-box in motionThe success of the 1XI is a big achievement for a club like Ilminster who thrive on a strong social side with regular social events occurring throughout the season including various local bands that playThe players at the club are looking forward to challenge of competing in the top division in their area and there is no doubt what the local call lsquoCaribbean cornerrsquo will be full of valiant support from members and surrounding publicIlminster XI start their 2012 league campaign at home to Downend Cricket Club on the 5th of MayTwitter hoppo112

Rainhill.CC Hoping For Third Time Lucky In Push For Promotion

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:48:23 +0000

After finishing in the top four of Division One for the last two seasons Rainhill Cricket Club are hoping for third time lucky this year in their push for promotionTaking over 80 wickets in the league last season overseas all-rounder Mohammed Quareshi returns to Rainhill for a second spellWith impressive figures consistently last year including a career best in this country of 8-50 Rainhill will be hoping he can emulate his debut season at the clubWith the view to providing bowling support for Quareshi Rainhill have recruited promising all-rounder Max HowesHowes has joined the club with aspirations of one day playing county cricket seeing Rainhill as a perfect club to develop his game to the next levelRainhill have also recruited on the batting side Dave Atkinson has joined the club from Prescott OdysseyAtkinson played a key role for Prescott Odyseey last season and is looking for a new challenge playing at a higher standard of cricketIf the club does succeed in gaining promotion to the Premier League of the Liverpool District leagues club captain Mike Rotheram feels the club would more than hold their own in the top division ldquoThere are a lot of big clubs in the Premier League but the standard of cricket is similar to the standard that we can produce week in week outrdquoAs like most if not all the cricket clubs up and down the country Rainhill like to have just as much fun off the field as they do on with regular social events taking place throughout the season including an annual club golf event happening at the end of MarchRotherham also believes the social side of Rainhill is a vital part of the club ldquoItrsquos important that the players have a few beers together after a match itrsquos a relaxed atmosphere here and everyone gets on really wellrdquoRainhillCC start their 2012 campaign at home to Sutton Cricket Club on Sunday the 15th of April hoppo112

Harlow.CC And Colchester & East Essex.CC To Play For Charity

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:55:44 +0000

Harlow Cricket Club and Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club are playing a charity match this April in aid of raising money and awareness for the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research SocietyWith young members from both clubs currently tackling the disease this is certainly a cause that both clubs have a personal connection withWith Harlow in the division one of the Shepeards Neame Essex Leagues for this season and Colchester and East Essex in Premier League this is sure to be a highly entertaining match with a comepetitive edge whilst maintaining the paramount of the cause in mindWith Harlow newly promoted into division one this will certainly be a tough test against a side who came 5th in the top flight of the Shepeards Neame Essex Leagues but no doubt they will see it as a good experience what to expect in division oneHarlow 1st Team Captain Luke Heskett is confident his side will give their opponents a tough match ldquoThey are a big club but we are high of confidence at the moment hopefully it will be an entertaining match for a great causerdquoThere has already been support from the Ian Botham Foundation who have donated a signed bat to aid the fundraisingFundraising throughout the day includes a donation of match fees BBQ Auction and bucket collectionsHarlow 1st team captain Luke Heskett is confident the day will be success for all involvedFor both clubs this is certainly a charity close to our hearts and we are hoping for a big turnoutrdquoThe match is taking place on Saturday 21st of April at Marigolds Cricket Club Harlow and all support and donations will be hugely appreciatedhoppo112

Oulton Park.CC Looking To Bounce Straight Back Into The Premier League

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:16:01 +0000

A mix of old and new faces are joining Oulton Park Cricket Club for next season in an attempt to push the 1XI back into the Cheshire County Premier LeagueWith seven county Premier League titles under his belt Guy Emmet has returned to the club and the former Cheshire left-arm bowler is likely to have a key role in both the 1st team and in passing his valuable experience on to the younger players at the club Emmet left Oulton to captain his home town side GrappenhallCC last seasonWith clear aspirations to bounce straight back into the top league of the Cheshire County League the club have also recruited wicket-keeper Pat Roberts from Premier League side Toft Cricket Club Robertrsquos moving down a league to join Oulton Park will be a big boost for the club and provide the club with some experience at the top level of the County leaguesAfter being brief involved at the club last year overseas Rhys Burke is joining for the 2012 season Having played in Division One for the last two seasons Burke will know exactly what it takes to win matches at this level The Australian will also have a key role in coaching the junior squads at the clubAfter previously being highly rated as a youngster at the club Luke Heritage has returned to Oulton Park after time away from the club After previously playing for Cheshire as a junior Oulton are hoping Heritage can play a big part in the clubrsquos push for promotion Having left the club to pursue football and career interests new team-mate Danny Leech is delighted with the middle-order batsman returning ldquoDespite Heritagersquos limited experience playing at senior level he is a natural cricketer and possess great qualities with the bat and in the fieldrdquoOulton Park start their 2012 campaign with an away trip to Heaton MerseyCC on the 21st of AprilTwitter hoppo112

Heyside aiming high for next season with new signing

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:28:09 +0000

If experience was what Heyside Cricket Club were looking for in their overseas player for the forthcoming season then they have certainly hit the nail on the headNamibian international all-rounder Gerrie Snyman has agreed to join the Lancashire club for next year and Heyside are certainly hoping Snyman can deliver to help them push on to challenge for the title come next AugustHaving represented his country in over 50 first-class matches Snyman played a big part in Namibiarsquos 2003 ICC world cup campaign and has the dismissals of Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood to his nameHeyside will be hoping Snyman can recapture the form that saw him hit 230 in just 201 balls in an Intercontinental cup match against Kenya The 31-year old also hit 11 sixes in the innings that stands as his highest score to dateDespite Snymanrsquos undoubted talent the Namibian sure has a tough act to follow with previous club professional Roelof Hugo a huge success for many years at Heyside Last season was an impressive way to finish at the club for the South African hitting over 800 runs at an average of 51Hugo not returning to the club for personal reasons has paved the way for Snyman to join Heyside and fellow player Stuart Moore is clearly happy with the signing ldquoAfter thoroughly searching for a replacement for Hugo we were delighted when Gerrie became available to us His record speaks for itself and he comes highly recommendedrdquoWith years of English club cricket experience under his belt Snyman is well known for his explosive batting and once hit 17 sixes on his way to 196 in a one-day tie against the UAE showing his aggressive styleWith Heyside approaching their 125th anniversary season they will sure to be quietly confident that Snyman will be a big hit with both the bat and the ball next seasonFollow me hoppo112

Brockhampton Cricket Club Prepare For The Big Time

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:30:15 +0000

Brockhampton CC will be looking to upset the odds as they prepare for their debut season in the Birmingham District Premier LeagueThe club which is set in a small rural village in Herefordshire have gained four promotions in the last five years going from the depths of local league cricket to the dizzy heights of the Premier LeagueSurviving on a shoestring budget Brockhampton have sprung up from nowhere and taken many clubs by surprise with their rise to the topSo how have they got thereldquoItrsquos been achieved with cricketers who have been ever present for Brockhampton throughout the promotions and a large section who came through the youth teamsrdquo said 1st team vice captain Jonathan WalkerldquoWe are not in a position to compete financially with other clubs but we do have a loyal bunch who have played together for years which seems to have counted for a lot over the past few seasonsrdquoMoving up to the Premier League is a huge step for such a small club but Walker says the club has already begun to put plans in place to ensure their longevity among the counties eliteldquoThe worrying thing is we have got there the Premier League so quick we are well aware that we can slip back at the same rate So the clubrsquos aim is really just to hold our own and see if we can establish ourselves at this levelldquoWe have brought in a few new faces to strengthen the squad which was a must as we are not having the service of an overseas player like last season and having also lost a frontline Bowler who has been ever present for the last 12 yearsldquoWe have also stipulated that senior players will assist at youth training sessionsldquoMany of the current crop have progressed through the ranks so it is important for the youngsters to see the progression and realise exactly what they can achieve We have a policy that the club is only as successful as its youth teams and in our case it has been rightrdquoThe club have also appointed a marketing team in order to find a main club sponsor in time for the beginning of the season which will help to bring in some much needed revenue for the clubIt has been a fairy-tale journey over the past five years for the lads from Brockhampton and even if the campaign ends in relegation one thing that is certain they wonrsquot go down without a fightWords by Martin Key

Portchester Cricket Club Return To Historic Roots

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:54:51 +0000

Portchester Cricket Club have been given the go ahead to return to the grounds of Portchester Castle after an absence of 16 yearsWith former club Chairman Charles Jordan being the driving forcethe club finally signed a lease deal with the English Heritage after many years of negotiationWork is still on-going at the ground with many members putting in extra shifts to ensure the square is back to its former gloriesThe ground will host the clubrsquos 3rd team in Regional South East Division 4 of the Hampshire League after passing the leaguersquos ground inspection back in OctoberThe 1st and 2nd team will continue to play at Cams SchoolPortchester CC also runs two colt teams and with the move now in full flow the club is continually looking to improve facilities for young people in the areaThe club will use the changing facilities owned by the 3rd Portchester Sea Scouts and with the help of Natwest Cricketforce funding and local cricket club volunteers aim to improve the facilities for both partiesThere has also been plenty of encouragement and support from the local people about the move with Reverend Charlie Allen allowing the club to utilise the tearooms at the churchThe clubs intention to return to the castle will be complete when the team take to the field to begin their 2012 campaign at the beginning of MayWords by Martin Key

The Only Way Is Up For Mayfield C.C.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:59:57 +0000

Mayfield Cricket Club from East Sussex are a team on the up after an unbelievable twelve monthsThe club which lies ten miles south of Tunbridge Wells won all of their respective divisions in the East Sussex Cricket League last seasonTheir 1st team led by former Derbyshire and Kent player Rajesh Sharma were crowned champions of Division 4 at the first time of askingThe side won 11 matches on the way to the crown and secured their second consecutive promotion as winners of their leagueThere were also huge successes for both of the other senior sides at the clubThe 2nd team were crowned champions of Division 10 under the supervision of Neil McDonald and Andrew Watson captained the 3rd team to the Division 13 title in their first ever campaignIt hasnrsquot been all smooth running for the club thoughBack in September 2010 a fire at the ground completely destroyed the pavilion and tearoomThe facilities were targeted twice by arsenes in the space of two weeksBut after the initial despair the club rallied together and through some hard work and serious fundraising a completely new structure was built in time to host the new seasonMayfield CC 1st team kick off their 2012 Division 3 campaign against Lewes St Michaels 1st on 5th MayWord by Martin Key

Great Totham C.C. To Take On 300 Mile Challenge

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:15:25 +0000

Five members of Great Totham Cricket Club are undertaking the mammoth challenge of cycling 300 miles in just 3 days around Essex cricket clubs in order to raise as much money as possible for much needed improvements to the facilities at the groundKevin Mays Howard Hardy-King Barry Mays Charlie Powell Drew Whiting will cycle to all 57 cricket grounds in the T-Rippon Mid Essex Cricket League across the three days of the Easter weekendWith an ever-expanding colts section the club are looking to buy new practice nets and coaching equipment to give the youngsters the highest quality facilitiesMore importantly there are a number of serious repairs needed after a burst water tank caused the clubrsquos pavilion to flood during last seasonThe club are aiming to raise a huge sum of 10000 of which they will share half with St Helenarsquos Hospice who give care and support to people with a life limiting illness in North East and Mid EssexThe club will be releasing constant updates and pictures of the grouprsquos progress on their Twitter account GreatTothamCC as well as posting information and photos about their training in the run up to the eventIf anybody would like to help out both the club and St Helenarsquos Hospice by giving a donation then visit httpwwwjustgivingcomgttothamcccycleOn behalf of the LCA we wish all involved the best of luck and we look forward to hearing about your successful challengeWords by Martin Key

Gooch Confirmed As 2012 President Of The Nottinghamshire Cricket Board Premier League

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:41:44 +0000

Geoff Gooch has been elected president of the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board Premier League for the upcoming 2012 seasonGooch who replaces Ray Elvidge is a familiar figure in recreational cricket within the county having undertaken a variety of roles including player umpire and administratorGooch started his career at Bulwell but is more widely known for his association with Attenborough Cricket Club that now stretches over 50 yearsAnd it was his enthusiasm and true love for the game that led to him taking up roles as an umpire and league administrator whilst still serving as President of AttenboroughThe all-rounder was chairman of the Nottinghamshire Cricket Association the forerunner of the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board and he played a leading role in the development of the boardGooch also had active involvement in the formation of the Premier League back in 1999 in addition to serving on the Nottinghamshire CCC committee for eleven years being an advocate for the amateur game within the county clubOf Goochrsquos appointment League Chairman Peter Johnson saidldquoGeoff is a very well-known and popular figure in the recreational game within Nottinghamshire and we are delighted that he has agreed to act as the Leaguersquos president for the next yearldquoFollowing Ray Elvidge could be a daunting prospect but no one is more qualified than Geoff to take on this prestigious role I know that he will receive a very warm welcome as he travels to member clubs during his term of officerdquoSpeaking of his new role Gooch said he was ldquohonouredrdquo and ldquoproudrdquo to have been electedldquoI am honoured and very proud to have been asked by Peter and his management committee to be the League president for 2012 I have taken great delight at seeing how the league has fared since it was started in 1999 into what is now recognised to be one of the strongest leagues in the country and I look forward to acting as its PresidentrdquoThe 14th season of the league begins on 21st April with Clifton looking to clinch the title for a fourth consecutive season the league will also be returning to Trent Bridge on 9th July as they play host to the finals day of the leaguersquos Twenty20 competitionWords by Martin Key

Sawbridgeworth C.C. Celebrate 150th Year

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:36:59 +0000

Sawbridgeworth CC will be celebrating their 150th successful year this upcoming seasonThe club founded in 1862 is situated four miles south of Bishoprsquos Stortford on the East Hertfordshire borderThe club has five Saturday teams with 1st team plying their trade in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League Division 2As a town of around 10000 people putting out five teams can be quite a challenge and with finances low the club are looking to make sure the presence of the club is sustainedTheir home ground Town Fields one of the most picturesque grounds in Hertfordshire has recently undergone extensive construction with major reconstruction to the clubhouse and brand new net facilities opened at the local lsquoLeventhorpersquo school all which were necessary for the survival of the clubAlthough the club has been around for a century and a half this could be one of the most important years in their existence so your continual support is essential for it to remain an integral part of the local community for many more years to comePlans and final details for the clubrsquos anniversary will be finalised at the annual AGM on 10th February To find out more information about what will be taking place throughout this special campaign check out the Sawbridgeworth CC websitehttpsawbridgeworthcchitscricketcomdefaultaspxWords by Martin Key

Challow & Childrey Cricketer To Cycle The Length Of Britain To Raise Awareness

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:00:46 +0000

Challow Childrey CC player Phil Cox is attempting the brave challenge of cycling from Lands End in Cornwall to John OrsquoGroats in ScotlandCox will begin the journey from the Cornish landmark on May 11th with the 925 mile route planned to take 12 gruelling daysThe ride is to raise money for the Cri Du Chat Syndrome Support Group who provide support and information for parents and families of those living with Cri Du Chat and try to raise awareness of the disorderCri Du Chat Syndrome is a chromosomaldisorder also known as 5p- as the condition is caused by a deletion on the 5th chromosome which causes severe disability Children born with Cri Du Chat experience developmental delay in early childhood and have lifelong learning physical speech and language difficultiesHaving fallen across the syndrome by chance Cox used a life-long ambition to help show his supportldquoOur daughter was born and went into special care straight away and we were with a family who had their boy Matias diagnosed with the syndrome while we were thereldquoI caught up with the little fellarsquos dad a couple of years ago who had been on the local news about carers respitesldquoIrsquod always harboured riding from Lands End to John OrsquoGroats so I thought that this would be a nice connectionldquoI just want to raise as much for them as possiblerdquoCox will be joined for some of the legs by Matiasrsquo father Damian as well as a number of friends from the charity who will be taking a short break from their magnificent work to show their supportIf anybody would like to support Phil with any type of donation eitherText PCOX99 xx to 70070 amounts of 1 2 3 4 5 or 10 ndash please take a moment to complete the Gift Aid form tooOrVisit the Just Giving page httpwwwjustgivingcomphilslejog2012From everybody at the LCA we wish Phil the best of luck with his challengeWords by Martin Key

Ealing C.C. Star Gets County Call-Up

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:39:26 +0000

Ealing CC all-rounder Oliver Wilkin has been called into the Middlesex CCC set-up after a fantastic campaign last season in the ECB Middlesex Premier LeaguePromoted to the unfamiliar position of opening the batting Wilkin scored heavily during the season including a couple of hundreds as well as opening the bowling for his hometown clubThis led to a call from Ex-England bowler and Managing Director of Cricket at Middlesex CCC Angus Fraser inviting him to join the ranks at the countyWilkin will be part of the 2nd team set up who play and train in midweek and will continue to turn out for Ealing CC at weekendsAnd the youngster who was introduced to the game at 8-years-old by his father says playing league cricket has helped to get him to the standard hersquos at nowldquoPlaying in the 1st team has been a big step up from being in the 2ndsldquoBeing able to bowl at the best batsmen in the league and facing the best bowlers has definitely helped me to progressrdquoSpeaking about what the future might hold for him Wilkin was very cautious over his chances of breaking into the countyrsquos first teamldquoI would like to think my chances were high but I really donrsquot knowldquoIrsquoll just have to see how it goes over this season and see how I get onldquoBut for my personal wants Irsquod like to think sordquoWords by Martin Key

High Lane Take To The Road In The Name Of Charity

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:51:22 +0000

High Lane CC from the Derbyshire and Cheshire league were missing the cricket season so much the club decided to walk the 60 mile route around all of the leaguersquos grounds in just two daysThe idea was thought up in order to raise club funds for some new net facilities at the ground after last seasonrsquos successful promotion campaign for the 2ndsSo after deciding to split the money with Chrisitiersquos Cancer Centre the 25 man strong party set about their gruelling challengeWith the help of the clubrsquos lsquowagsrsquo who visited the guys for some lunch and moral support the party managed half of the grounds in the first dayAfter an evening of recuperation at the clubhouse involving pasta and football on the TV the club set out for the final leg of their walkThrough the wind and rain the guys ploughed through to reach their target and raised 4000 for the club to share with ChristiersquosThe trek did come at a cost for a number of the walkers with many ending the walk with blisters the size of dinner plates This is no exaggeration I do unfortunately have the evidenceBut the biggest cost came to 1st team whorsquos skipper Steve Pigeon discovered he had walked the last 15 miles with torn knee cartilage and will miss the beginning of the seasonBut overall the fundraiser was a huge success and has helped the club move a step closer towards their targetWell done to all of the clubrsquos members that were involved for not only completing the challenge but raising a lot of money for a great cause well doneWords by Martin Key

North East Premier League Expansion Takes Major Forward Step

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:56:17 +0000

Plans by the ECB North East Premier League NEPL to introduce a new second division are taking further shape with a presentation evening confirmed for Tuesday evening at Chester-le-Street Cricket ClubThe presentation led by key members of the NEPL management committee will be conducted in the attendance of the fifteen clubs who have expressed an interest in competing in the new division scheduled to commence in April 2013NEPL chairman Keith Robson who will take a lead role in the presentation said ldquoI am delighted to have my confidence confirmed that there are more than sufficient clubs in the north east region with the confidence and ambition to participate in this exciting developmentrdquoThe current England Wales Cricket Board ECB strategy is to establish a pathway from the school playing field to the Test arena The NEPL as the regional pinnacle for recreational cricket is a key component of the pathwayThe evening will also allow clubs to ask questions and gain clarity about the NEPLrsquos proposals prior to making a formal application for league placesThe proposal by the NEPL to form a Second Division emerged as a result of the demise of the previous pyramid system which didnrsquot allow for effective promotion and relegationAnd with the plans for the composition of the new division now in full flow NEPL chairman Robson is confident everything will be in place for next seasonIt is envisaged that there will be another meeting of clubs at the end of January where further discussions can take place before formal application forms will be issuedldquoAnd we remain confident that the North East Premier Leagues Second Division will begin in April 2013Article by Martin Key

Gateshead Fell C.C. sign Pakistan batting starlet

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:21:10 +0000

Gateshead Fell Cricket Club have signed Pakistan A batsman Shoaib Khan as their overseas professional for the upcoming 2012 seasonKhan has been in outstanding form in the Pakistan domestic campaign this winter scoring 603 runs at an average of 67The 33-year-old said ldquoI am very thankful to the clubrsquos committee in having faith in my abilitiesldquoI have heard about the strength of the league and am looking forward to the challenge aheadrdquoGateshead Fell treasurer Mark Lockey said he was ldquodelighted to sign such a high quality playerrdquo and believes Khan will benefit the club in more ways than just runsldquoWe are sure that Shoaib will prove to be a tremendous acquisition to the club both on and off the fieldldquoHe Shoaib comes with a vast amount of experience and we hope he can pass on some of his knowledge to our younger cricketersrdquoKhan who has had previous successful stints in the Irish Bradford and Huddersfield leagues is ready to settle into life in the North East and is looking forward to the start of a sibling rivalry with brother Zohaib who plays at Benwell Hill CCldquoI am looking forward to making new friends developing the players raising our profile and playing cricket hard but fair especially against Benwell HillrdquoArticle by Martin Key

Cumnor C.C Secure Grant For New Net Facilities

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:24:48 +0000

Cumnor Cricket Club have been awarded a 31769 grant from Sport England towards building a new three lane net facilityThe club with the help of Oxfordshire Cricket Boardrsquos cricket development officer Ashley Rump secured the funding which was pivotal to reaching their target of 50000Club chairman Roger Mitty said ldquoItrsquos just extraordinary When we got the grant we were absolutely bowled overldquoBefore there were genuine concerns about safety in the nets and the facilities were totally inadequateldquoItrsquoll now mean we will feel much safer and the consistency will allow us to coach youngsters more efficientlyrdquoAlongside gaining the grant the club managed to raise 15000 themselves through a number of fundraising events including fantasy cricket and even running little tuck shopsAnd Mitty revealed that everyone involved with Cumnor CC had a part to play in their successldquoDuring last season the whole of the club from the youth teams through to mums and dads got involved and everybody pitched inldquoWe even managed to persuade some local businesses to donate us some moneyldquoIt was really hard work but the end result is amazingrdquoBuilding work on the nets begin at the end of February with the beginning of the season the target for the opening of the facilityArticle by Martin Key

Kevin Pietersen Batting Master Class

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:04:58 +0000

I was delighted to receive the Kevin Pietersen batting master class as an amazing present for my birthday When I arrived I felt really excited at the thought of meeting the international legend for the first time After the warm up KP gave an introductory talk about the session He then stuck his pads on and got straight into the nets He showed us some extraordinary shots He showed us the powerful and very effective switch hit as well as the more traditional drives We got the chance to see vicious ninety mile per hour bowling not nice for the batsmen We were also given the chance to face the bowling machine and practice the same shots as KP My favourite shot we practiced was the switch hit KP gave me a pat on the head for my efforts and I havenrsquot washed my hair since KP was interactive and friendly to all the children and I enjoyed myself incredibly At the end we were all able to get a photo and an autograph with the great man I would like to thank the LCA for this awesome experience and hope that they can organise more Jovan Dhariwal aged 11

Bearsted CC face potential closure!

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:58:45 +0000

For those of you that are not aware Bearsted Cricket Club is under threat of potential closure The club has a fine history dating back to 1749 and I donrsquot mean 11 minutes to six and does nothing more harmful than play cricket and invite anyone who wishes to come along to watch and even play We have approximately seventy young players including an lsquounder Ninersquo team that Irsquom sure will forgive when I say that they couldnrsquot hit a house yet if they triedThe club has played in harmony with the rest of the community as grateful participants and viewers over the years until the biggest house on the Green was bought by the CHIAPINNI family about five years ago for over a million pounds It is a place where most of us would dream to live They soon began to instruct solicitors to write to the club voicing their concerns over balls entering their property and potentially causing injury This was despite the fact that no damage had ever been caused to their property and no injury has been caused to anyone The club has adequate insurance to pay out for any damage caused Letrsquos get one thing straight from the start damage very rarely occurs and when it does it is minimal and is sorted at no cost to the householder Letrsquos get another thing straight we do not want to hurt anyone or damage anything There is however a risk as with most things in life You are still I respectfully suggest more at risk from a car driving through the village than you are a cricket ballThere was an exchange of letters between solicitors and I think it is fair to say that the club at that stage felt intimidated and purchased some netting to erect on the Green near to the CHIAPPNIrsquos house It cost the club several thousands of pounds to reach this lsquogentlemanrsquos agreementrsquo and for the next three years this netting had to be erected and then removed every game This obviously did not take into account the numerous other properties that surround the playing area The netting was ineffective and balls continued to enter their property over the netting Frankly it was a farce from the outset but we continued because of our fear of being closed down We have never had a ball returned by the family concerned eitherI became Captain this year and with this position came a place on the cricket club committee I caused a review of the netting to take place and as a club we decided it was pointless in its present format The situation is still being reviewed and a company has been instructed to see if we can achieve worthwhile netting It remains my view that the only way any netting will be effective on the Green is if it is placed on the householderrsquos property but they have flatly refused to entertain this There is the added complication that if the club were ordered to put up netting to protect all houses surrounding the Green then frankly it would end cricket overnight The time taken to put up and remove this netting would make it totally impracticable to have the time to play the game itself The area is beautiful and quite rightly permanent netting is not permitted by the Parish Council after all who wants to live in a cage This would also spoilt the view of those householderrsquos who do not object to cricket which remains in my opinion the majorityAs a result of removing the netting there was a very unseemly incident this August involving one of the householderrsquos who ran on the pitch in the middle of our annual charity match swearing and abusing cricketers and then refusing to leave the pitch It necessitated in the person being arrested and since that day the campaign by a few has gathered pace to effectively lsquoput the cricket club in their placersquo Despite an initial claim to fight this the fine was paid for a Public Order OffenceA smear campaign that has tried to label the village as living in fear of being hit by a cricket balls has been instigated and the Parish Council appear to have frankly lsquofallen for itrsquo One of the few protesting has claimed that two balls per game end up in their garden I have never seen one go in that particular garden in fourteen years It is just a lie One of the other campaigners has also to my knowledge never even had a ball enter their property let alone cause damage or injuryIt is as a result of a request from a Councillor to stop playing cricket every third weekend this summer that I have created a Facebook Group called ldquoSave Bearsted Cricket Clubrdquo I know the name is not too flash I have done this because I have now lost all faith in a lsquofair processrsquo as things stand I also think that it will take this to make the Parish Council realise just how much support the cricket club has I have been staggered by the support the group is receiving Over eight hundred people have signed up in less than four daysYou can find this Group via this linkhttpwwwfacebookcomgroups211391872268331Thank you for your timeAndrew Dampier 1st XI Captain

Ever wondered where the sweet spot is?

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:46:40 +0000

In August 2011 the England cricket team whitewashed India to become the number one ranked test team in the world At the end of the series the list of the worlds top ten batsmen featured four Englishmen more than any other nation To succeed Bell Cook Trott and Pietersen have practised for years What they will have no doubt learnt is that there is an optimum place on the bat to strike the ball the sweet spotIf youve ever played a sport with a bat or racket youve probably experienced this too Whether it is cricket tennis baseball softball or rounders hit the ball too close to the toe of the bat and it jars in your hand Hit it too close to the handle and it doesnt go very far Hitting it about two-thirds of the way from the handle tends to do the trick But you dont need to be a professional sportsperson to work out where the sweet spot is located ndash you can do it with mathsImagine this scenarioA bat of height H has its centre of mass located half way along it - a distance x from the handle such that 2x is equal to H A ball strikes the bottom half of the bat from the left at some angle theta to the vertical This causes the bottom of the bat to move to the right with a velocity v and the bat to rotate anti-clockwise about its centre of mass with an angular velocity omegaThis can be visualised more easily with the following diagramLets look at the angular momentum L to locate the distance r of the sweet spot from the centre of mass The sweet spot will be where you exactly cancel the backwards motion of the bat due to its rotation with the forward motion of you hitting the ball Technically this removes all of the balls momentum and so is essentially a defensive strokeNeverthelesswhere represents the cross product and p is the linear momentumAssuming the ball hits the bat at 90 degrees thenHowever where m is the mass of the bat and soWe also know thatwhere I is the moment of inertiaEquating the two expressions for angular momentum givesWhich can be re-arranged to giveIf we idealise our bat to be an infinitely thin rigid wire with a constant density and with the axis of rotation going through the centre of mass then the moment of inertia is given byNowso we can also writePlugging equation 2 back into equation 1 givesThe angular velocity is given byassuming once again the ball strikes at 90 degrees theta 90Plugging this in to equation 3 givesSo the sweet spot is a third of the way between the centre of mass and the toe of the bat It is easy to see that this is two thirds of the way down from the handle of the bat by adding the distance between the centre of mass and the handle xAnd asHowever real bats are not infinitely thin rods with a constant density Two-thirds is a good rule of thumb but have a think about the qualitative effect the distribution of mass on a real bat might have on the location of the sweet spot Perhaps even experiment when you next pick up a bat

What's the difference?

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:10:46 +0000

Allow me to set the scene As league cricketers wersquove all been there watching a standard of cricket thatrsquos slightly higher than our own wondering ldquowhatrsquos the difference between me and that playerrdquo ldquoWhyrsquove they progressed yet I havenrsquotrdquo ldquoHow can I get to the next levelrdquo Well perhaps the answer lies within psychologyWithin cricket there is a need to highlight psychological traits that distinguish performers at the height of the sport from those at the subsequent levels Having considered that physical capabilities become more even at higher levels1 sport psychology strives to predict performance based on personality and psychological attributes2 Evidence suggests that such attributes significantly contribute to sports performance345 with it becoming widely acknowledged that at least 40 to 90 of success within contemporary sport is as a result of mental factors6It has been proposed that psychological traits are important predictors of success7 with the winner invariably being the athlete who is the strongest mentally on a given day7 Considering this the English and Wales Cricket Board ECB now integrate mental skills training into their practical sessions in hope of building a winning environment8 And we can all see how effective that has beenTop-level sport is characterised by lsquoa demand to excel at optimal levels while performing under conditions that are considered extremely demandingrsquo9 suggesting that elite cricketers possess numerous psychological traits that stand them apart from you and I10 But which traits are theseThrough comparing elite sub-elite and non-elite English cricketers levels of mental toughness coping strategies and motivation I hoped to highlight a profile of elite cricket performance thus allowing members of the LCA to become aware of what was required to progress in the game In addition I hoped to educate elite performers of their strengths and weaknesses and the need to developmaintain these if they wish to remain at the top level for a prolonged periodIn doing so I identified a psychological trait that may be associated with superiorinferior cricket performance constancy The construct encompasses a cricketerrsquos capacity to concentrate and ability to show grit and determination2 The concept reflects an association between successful players tendency to keep a task oriented focus whilst avoiding a preoccupation with negative outcomes This suggests that non-elite cricketers may be more likely than elite and sub-elite players to become preoccupied with negative outcomes Considering that preoccupations have been linked to decreased effort levels andor quitting6 this implies that non-elite cricketers may have not progressed due to them not applying as much effort as their superior counterparts Considering this non-elite players and their coaches should be encouraged to highlight the positive outcomes that accompany performances as well as using a task oriented focusAthletersquos scoring high in constancy have been found to maintain their focus when faced with provocation or lsquosledgingrsquo as you and I know it Having considered my findings it appears that cricketers at higher levels may be better able to deal with lsquosledgingrsquo than non-elite players suggesting that cricketers must be willing to engage in the lsquohigh intensity confrontation between batter and bowlerrsquo if they are to reach elite levels2 Furthermore it suggests that cricketers may require lsquochronicrsquo mental toughness if they are to reach the top level and remain there11In regards to motivation I discovered a trend in reference to external regulation Sub-elite cricketers scored higher than elite and non-elite players on this measure suggesting that sub-elite cricketers are perhaps more motivated to participate by rewards andor to satisfy an external demand eg a coach As a result it may be assumed that although cricketers did not differ significantly on measures of internal motivation elite cricketers may have higher levels of self-determined motivation that accounts for their increased successReasons for such differences may be that elite athletes spend a greater period of time performing their sport meaning that they are likely to experience more periods of distress from slumps in form for example It is unlikely that athletes could remain highly motivated throughout the course of a career and such hardships without high levels of intrinsic motivation612 Having considered the heavy workload placed on professional cricketers within the modern game it seems likely that the inherent pleasure gained from participating is an important criterion in distinguishing between cricketers This supports suggestions that intrinsic motivators are necessary for developing expertise13The current findings are in contrast to past work that suggests successful athletes use increased levels of introjected and external regulation14 This may not have been the case within this study considering cricketrsquos format and salary for example The sport demands excessive amounts of time and effort suggesting that elite players may have progressed due to the inherent pleasure they gain from participating ie they practice for pleasure and in doing so improve morequicker than other cricketers This is in line with past research that proposes performers with high levels of self determined motivation are more successful15 In contrast sub-elite cricketers may perceive the external rewards that accompany participation as not great enough for what they put in resulting in them falling behind elite cricketers due them being less motivated to practice etc The implications of this are that sub-elite cricketers may need to be made aware of the external rewards that await them should they progress to an elite level eg sponsorships increased salaryWithin my study no significant differences were found between performance levels and the coping strategies that cricketers employed This suggests that the level a player reaches may not vary as a function of coping strategies As to why no differences were found however it may be that rather than elite sub-elite and non-elite cricketers not differing at all they did not vary in terms of the scenario used within the present study which was a slump in formSo what does all this mean for you Well it is hoped that through highlighting the importance of constancy in particular you will become aware of how important the attribute may be if you wish to progress Furthermore the suggestions highlighted may be particularly useful for coaches hoping to develop the next batch of young cricket hopefuls Perhaps with a little bit of extra work in these particular areas 2012 can be the season where your performances go from strength to strengthFor further information or a copy of the full paper contact Adam Wilson at willow1988hotmailcouk1 Cleary M 2005 The stakes are high Rugby World 543 46-472 Sheard M 2010 Mental toughness The mindset behind sporting achievement Hove Routledge3 Cohn P J 1991 An exploratory study on peak performance in golf Sport Psychologist 5 1 1-144 Orlick P Partington J 1991 An analysis of Olympic sport psychology consultants best-ever consulting experiences Sport Psychologist 5 2 11-1835 Smith R E Christensen D S 1995 Psychological skills as predictors of performance and survival in professional baseball Journal of Sport Exercise Psychology 17 4 399-4156 Williams J M 2010 Applied sport psychology Personal growth to peak performance 6th ed Virginia McGrath-Hill7 Gucciardi D F Gordon S 2009 Development and preliminary validation of the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory CMTI Journal of Sports Sciences 27 12 1293-13108 ECB 2011a The ECB performance psychology team Retrieved February 32011 from httpwwwecbcoukecbnational-cricket-performance-centre-loughboroughthe-ecb-performance-psychology-team2110BPhtml9 Jones G Hanton S Connaughton D 2007 A framework of mental toughness in the worldrsquos best performers The Sport Psychologist 21 243-26410 Starkes J L Ericsson K A 2003 Expert performance in sports Advances in research on sport expertise Leeds Human Kinetics11 Bull S J Shambrook C J James W Brooks J E 2005 Towards an understanding of mental toughness in elite English cricketers Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 17 209-22712 Hardy L Jones J J Gould D 1996 Understanding psychological preparation for sport Theory and practice of elite performers New Jersey John Wiley Sons 13 Weissensteiner J Abernethy B Farrow D 2009 Towards the development of a conceptual model of expertise in cricket batting A Grounded Theory approach Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 21 276-29214 Chantal Y Guay F Dobreva-Martinova T Vallerand R J 1996 Motivation and elite performance An exploratory investigation with Bulgarian athletes International Journal of Sport Psychology 27 2 173-18215 Amiot C E Gaudreau P Blanchard C M 2004 Self determination coping and goal attainment in sport Journal of Sport Exercise Psychology 26 396-411

Burghley Park secure grant!

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:18:50 +0000

Burghley Park Cricket Club in Stamford Lincolnshire has seen a big transformation over the past couple of years From one Saturday 1st XI which was struggling to field a side in the 2009 season the Club can now boast a Huntingdonshire Division 2 winning 1st XI a Sunday Friendly XI and three junior teams at U9 U15 and U17 age groupsOff the back of the junior success the Burghley Park have been awarded ClubMark accreditation at the recent Huntingdonshire Cricket Board meeting a great accolade for the hard work and commitment that has gone into the Club in the last 2 years At the recent NatWest OSCAs they picked up the Huntingdonshire OSCA for their Club Force day with ex Enlgand fast bowler Dean Headley coming along to lend a hand earlier in the season it was a fantastic day preparing the ground for what proved to be a fantastic seasonBurghley Park Cricket Club have also just received a 6275 grant as part of this years NatWest Community Force scheme which will go towards building a new grounds mans shed Club Captain Chris Meadows would like to thank everyone that voted for them to win They even appeared on TV earlier this month as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver came to the ground to prepare the 1st XI their cricket teas The season culminated in an end of season awards dinner where the main speaker ex England Hampshire and Middlesex of-spinner Shaun Udal entertained the guests before presenting the prizes to this years winnersBurghley Park Cricket Club are already looking forward to next season with plans to introduce womens and girls cricket at the Club For more information visit their website wwwBurghleyParkcom

Help Save Lymington!!

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:25:57 +0000

LYMINGTON SPORTS GROUND - LYMINGTON CC STATEMENTLymington Cricket Club was founded in 1807 and has been based at its current location at the Sports Ground off Southampton Road for 175 years where we are tenants of Lymington Pennington Town Council The ground was originally used solely by the cricket clubThe club plays in the ecb Southern Electric Premier League has four adult teams six junior teams and its coaches participate in the Chance to Shine charity scheme to promote the game in local schools within our communityThe Sports Ground is shared seasonally by the Cricket Club and Lymington Town Football Club For decades the council has maintained the Sports Ground with their work being supported by volunteers and members of both clubs to achieve one of the finest sports ground and cricket wickets in southern EnglandOn Wednesday 30th November 2011 councillors from Lymington Pennington Town Council will be voting to move Lymington Cricket Club from the Sports Ground to Woodside Park The stated reason for the move is a Health Safety issue caused by the potential injury risk from cricket balls entering the adjoining Lymington Tennis Club We estimate that a handful of balls have landed on the tennis courts in the last three years while tennis players are using the courts In common with virtually every other cricket club in the country we acknowledge there might be a risk of injury if the boundary adjoins other public space facilities In 175 years there is no record of anybody being hurt by flying cricket balls Lymington Pennington Town Council has proposed that a new facility consisting of two new pitches and a new pavilion will be built solely for Lymington Cricket Club at Woodside ParkThe Committee of Lymington Cricket Club are resisting the move for the following reasonsbullThe risk of injury can be minimised by erecting netting between the cricket pitch and tennis courts during the cricket seasonbullWoodside Park is also a public space The potential risk of injury to the public is likely to be the same as at the Sports GroundbullThe Woodside Park proposal is in its infancy there are no detailed plans or costings and no consultation has been held between either Woodside Park users or Lymington Cricket ClubbullFrom first hand knowledge Lymington Cricket Club know the cost of developing a new facility is likely to be in excess of 1 million How will this be fundedbullNew cricket grounds take a long time to mature and we believe that it will take many years to bring the Woodside pitch up to the same standard as that at the Sports Ground If we are prevented from playing at the Sports Ground Lymington Cricket Club will not have a venue for First XI cricket in the Southern Premier League or Second XI cricket in Hampshire County Division 1 and so will be relegated from both leaguesSports and public facilities adjoin each other all over the country Lymington Cricket Club is not an exception and should not be treated as one Ceasing to use the Sports Ground will do our club irreparable damage and yet the simple remedy of erecting netting in the area adjoining the two clubs is being met with oppositionPlease support our opposition to the councilrsquos proposal online bywriting to Lymington Pennington Town Council Town Council Offices Town Hall Avenue Road Lymington Hampshire SO41 9ZG

Yorkshire Ring the Changes Following Relegation to Division Two

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:46:31 +0000

Yorkshire CCrsquos director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon has decided to have a major shake up of coaching personnel following the clubrsquos shock relegation from Division One of the County ChampionshipYorkshire legends Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan had been called in behind the scenes to assist with the drawn out interview process which seems to be a clear knee-jerk reaction to relegation from the clubFormer Australian fast bowler and former player at Headingley Jason Gillespie leads the influx of new coaches Gillespie arrives at the club on the back of a two-year coaching stint in Zimbabwe with club Midwest RhinosKentrsquos former director of cricket Paul Farbrace joins Gillespie as another new arrival at Headingley taking up the role of Second X1 head coach The 44-year old who has had no previous links with Yorkshire will also assist with the wicket keeping coaching at the clubYorkshire were surprised by Farbracersquos application for only the 2X1 job but the former Kent coach had stressed his desire to return to coaching young players Moxon was clearly impressed with Farbrace who has worked with many of Yorkshirersquos players at England U17 U19 levelWith a clear intention to be promoted straight back to the top tier of the County Championship next season Yorkshire have relieved bowling coach Steve Oldham and batting coach Kevin Sharp of their dutiesOldham is probably the biggest shock of the departures leaving the club after over 25 years of coaching at Headingley tutoring international stars like Darren Gough and Ryan Sidebottom and Matthew Hoggard throughout his time at YorkshireSharp had also been serving as batting coach at the club for a number of years and had previously played for the White Roses for over 10 seasonsFormer Yorkshire player Craig White who had been serving as first team coach also leaves the club in pursuit of a new ambition to become an international umpireIan Dews who had previously held the role of Director of Operatives moves to a new role of Director of Cricket development meanwhile Richard Damms has been appointed the clubrsquos new development managerThe new-look coaching staff paves the way for potential squad changes this winter Whilst player changes are not likely to be as drastic there is likely to a couple of signings and departures before the start of next seasonYorkshire have already signed their overseas player for the 2012 season Australian batsman Phil Jaques has joined the club on a two-year contract The former Nottinghamshire player scored just under 2500 runs for the club in his first spell at Headingley in 2004 averaging 6192Jamie HopkinsFollow me on twitter hoppo112

Pressure’s On England Batsmen to Deliver as India look to Wrap up Series win

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:06:13 +0100

With England totally out played in the previous two one day internationals with India Alistair Cook and his men know only a win is enough to see the visitors stay in contention for a series victoryThe main area of concern for Andy Flower is undoubtedly the batsmanrsquos lack of runs scored so far with only 174 and 237 put on the board in Englandrsquos two opening fixtures Cookrsquos 60 in the first match has been Englandrsquos highest individual score on the tour so far triggering pressure the rest of the touristsrsquo batting line-up Bopara Bairstow and Kieswetter are all struggling for runs and seem to showing their inexperience on Indian soilWith Ian Bell waiting in the wings the trio will all be looking over their shoulders knowing there place in the side is at threat Bell has been touted to regain his place for the third match of the series in Mohali with many people thinking Bell should have kept his place from the start of the series But Cook and Flower have been tightly lipped on the matter and it remains to be seen whether the Warwickshire batsman will regain his place in the sideIn contrast this Indian side looked much improved from the team that were outplayed in England this summer Home comforts seem to be a big factor for Dhonirsquos side with excellent performances with Raina Gambhir and Kohli all three impressing with the bat so far this seriesNot only will the result of the previous two games worry Cook and Flower but the margin of defeat in both games was so vast it is vital for the visitors to vastly improve their performances along with the result to gain some credibility from their tour of IndiaPromising young seamer Chris Woakes will miss the rest of the tour after injuring himself during training last Sunday The Warwickshire fast-bowler will now fly back to England to begin rehabilitation on the thigh strain Durham pace bowler Graham Onions has flown out to replace Woakes but is not expected to take a starting place on ThursdayJamie HopkinsAdd me on Twitter hoppo112

BULLS SKIPPER SAVOURS "MOST SATISFYING" TITLE SUCCESS

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:24:26 +0100

After a dramatic final day of action South Northumberland were crowned champions of the Dukes North East Premier League their seventh title success in nine seasonsWinning captain John Graham had time to reflect on the triumph and has spoken to neplcricket to give his reactionGraham said It was one of the most dramatic finishes to a season I can rememberThe wicket we took to win the game would have been the final delivery of the game due to the rainOut of the seven League titles this has to be the most satisfying as we clawed back such a big deficitIn the middle of June South North had suffered three successive League defeats and were fifth in the standings some 70 points behind Chester le Street at the top of the tableHowever a run of eleven wins from the last sixteen games - the others were abandoned due to the rain - saw the Gosforth based outfit gradually close the gap on the leaders before the final day dramaIt was very much a team effort said Graham Everyone made vital contributions at crucial times and played their part in the winDespite being written off in some quarters we never considered that we were out of the title race at any timeThe bad news for the North East Premier League is that Graham and his team have no interest on resting on their laurelsWe aim to kick on next season and build on our success with a strong squad capable of winning at a local and national levelSouth Northumberland will be presented with their Dukes NEPL trophy at the Leagues annual dinner next monthThe wonderful surroundings of Ramside Hall Hotel will once again play host to the Annual Dinner for the North East Premier LeaguePlayers officials and sponsors will gather to celebrate the successes of the League which sits at the top of the cricket pyramid in the North EastAll League Cup and Junior trophies will be presented to the respective winning clubs while there are also individual awards for the best players in each division and the best umpire in the LeagueThe NEPL are delighted to confirm that Chris West President of the North Yorkshire South Durham League will be giving the Toast to the NEPL this year Chris is also the driving force behind the cricket results and media service which appears in the local press each week during the seasonOur Comedian this year is Mike Farrell Mike comes highly recommended and is a traditional Yorkshire stand up comedian who can work to either all male or mixed audiences No props no gimmicks just strong material and the professionalism to put it across He is amongst the best comedians on the current after dinner circuitThe NEPL have several sponsorship opportunities available for any individuals or companies interested Individual awards can be sponsored right up to sponsorship of the entire event Advertising space is also available in the Dinner programmemenuAny interested parties should contact Craig Simpson craignepremierleaguecouk to discuss sponsorship or advertising opportunitiesTickets for the three course dinner are priced at 30 and available from NEPL clubs before November 11

Madcap English play game at sea

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:46:30 +0100

With military precision a flotilla of eccentric Englishmen took to the waves Wednesday to contest one of the worlds craziest sporting fixtures a cricket match played in the seaTo the certain bemusement of passengers on ocean liners sailing past cricketers dressed in traditional whites jumped out of their boats and did what madcap Brits do in the middle of busy shipping lanes -- play cricketThe annual match takes place on Bramble Bank a tiny patch of sand that emerges for 30 minutes at the years lowest tide in The Solent the strait separating the south coast of mainland England from the Isle of WightEvery September the Royal Southern Yacht Club from Hamble on the mainland takes on The Island Sailing Club from Cowes meeting half way on a few square metres of soggy sandWith dry land -- and anyone with any common sense -- several nautical miles away in either direction yachts drop anchor at the still-invisible pitch an hour before the Moon and Sun combine to reveal the BramblesWe wait for the covers to be removed said umpire Philip Gage eagerly watching the sonar depth reading on board his yachtThe fact is this is total nonsense and total nonsense is extremely enjoyable he said with a smileThe vanguard jumps overboard to test the water plunging in waist deepWhen it finally reaches the ankles dozens leap out from their rib boats scramble towards the largest dry patch and quickly set up the stumpsThe wicket is damp to say the least with puddles and channels between the two endsWith barely 30 minutes to play around with and seven overs per side to cram in the teams get straight down to actionThe action is comical with fielders diving into the water for catches and easy run-outs as batsmen stumble over in the puddlesSome impressive sixes have brave fielders wading out towards Southampton to retrieve the ball while a young schoolboy standing in the square leg position was in up to his knees as he prepared to catch anything heading Portsmouth wayA Labrador dog roamed around the pitch as did a man on an old-fashioned penny-farthing bicycleIn beautiful autumn evening sunshine more than 100 spectators crammed around the exposed sand standing within metres of the batsmen and many got a good soaking as they dodged shotsThis is extreme cricket said onlooker Tony Scarth 54 an engineer from Warsash on the mainlandIts also pretty English Where else do they play cricket in the seaBatting at number four for the Royal Southern was Sir Robin Knox-JohnstonThe first man to circumnavigate the globe non-stop single-handed scored nought but trudged back into the shallows insisting I maintained my averageAnything landing in the sea should score six but in truth the scoreboard is farcical and each club takes it in turns to win and host the post-match supperAt the change of innings the players rushed down a gin and tonic with Royal Southern having scored an improbable 284The key to the bowling is to pitch it just at the edge of a puddle said Knox-JohnstonThat way the batsman gets a face full of water and the ball might still reach him the 72-year-old told AFPOne Island batsman was clean bowled knocking over not only his off-stump but several drinks tooIndependence of the Seas a giant 15-deck cruise ship heading to Spain honked its horn as it passed the bizarre spectacleWith the rising tide slowly flooding the wicket umpire Gage called time sparking a scramble to get back on the boats as within minutes the entire pitch had vanishedThe annual match has been played for nearly 30 years though cricket on the bank dates back to at least the 1960sEveryone can go out on boats mysteriously this bit of sand appears and everyone can go and play on it Thats the magic of it said former Royal Southern commodore Tom Richardson who founded the contestThis year was a gentle match In the past an element of rugby has crept inThe trophy ceremony back at the Royal Southern clubhouse was held up as Island forgot to bring the shield with them and had to return to the Isle of Wight to fetch itIn his jovial victory speech Royal Southern cricket captain Mark Tomson summed up the fun and gamesThere are few days every year that one really looks forward to your birthday wedding anniversary if you can remember it the day your wife agrees to have sex and the Brambles cricket match

Save the Burghley Bear!

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:48:59 +0100

Huntingdonshire Division 2 winners this year Burghley Park Cricket Club are appealing for your helpIn order to raise money to build a new groundsmans shed they have applied for a grant from NatWest Community Force Part of the process is to come up with a video to promote awareness of their campaign The three projects with the most votes in each area will win a grant of up to 6000 The remit of the video was that it was different and appealing this is something they feel they have achieved by adapting the childrens story of The Three Little Pigs into their own Due to only finding out about the possibility of the grant at late notice the video from concept to completion took only 48 hours to make A testament to those at the club keen to see it prosper The current shed is in a state of disrepair and is unlikely to survive another winter such as last year In order to continue to provide cricket to our 100 members we need a new shed All equipment kept in the shed has been moved out for the winter just in case To watch the video and find out more about the club and the shed please visit the club website wwwBurghleyParkcom or vote direct on the NatWest Community Force website httpcommunityforcenatwestcomproject3268

Lancashire triumph on thrilling final day of the County Championship

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:38:06 +0100

After finishing second eight times since last winning the County Championship title in 1934 the long agonizing wait to lift the trophy is over for Lancashire after defeating Somerset at TauntonAt the start of the day Warwickshire were in pole position to take the crown knowing a victory over already relegated Hampshire at the Rose Bowl would see Ashley Gilesrsquo side become champions regardless of the result at TauntonWith Hampshire 3 down overnight and still 126 runs behind the away sidersquos mammoth 1st innings total of 493 the onus was on the Warwickshire bowlers to skittle through the home sidersquos middle order as quickly as possibleFor a side who had just been relegated the day before Hampshirersquos batsman dug their heels in with a huge amount of grit and determination to frustrate the current league leaders In the morning session With the familiar partnership of Michael Carberry and Neil Mackenzie taking the home side past the hundred mark closing the gap on Warwickshirersquos lead without losing a wicketWhilst the Hampshire batsman stood their ground in Southampton the Somerset batting line-up were falling like flies in Taunton with nightwatchman Steve Kirby departing early on then quickly followed by Craig Meschede for single figures both victims of the veteran seamer Glenn ChappleCarberry and Mackenzie continued to bat fluently for Hampshire in what looked to be a typical last day of the season pitch offering very little for the bowlers to get excited about Having said that Carberry fully deserved his century which came up with the home side 196-3 and a lead of 27With the title beginning to swing towards Peter Mooresrsquo side the home sidersquos 9th wicket partnership slowed Lancashire progress with Peter Trego bringing up a timely ton supported by Murali Kartik at the other endBetter late than never Warwickshire finally took the first wicket of the day all-rounder Chris Woakes catching Carberry LBW for 111 leaving Hampshire with a lead of 41 at 210-4 The away side knew if they were going to take the crown from this position that wicket needed to spark a collapseThe stubborn resistance of Trego at Taunton inevitably finished with the all-rounder finishing on 120 leaving the away side with one more wicket to take before beginning the run-chaseWith Carberry dismissed Mackenzie took over the anchor role of the Hampshire innings and with support from James Vince and Sean Ervine the South-African brought up his century moving the home side past the 300 mark and a healthy lead of 133Gemaal Hussain was soon dismissed after Trego departing leaving Lancashire a target of 211 to get in a session and a quarter A steep run rate of over 6 an over was required for the away side to take the victory and potentially the titleMackenzie continued to frustrate the title chasing Warwickshire and time was running out for visitors to even get the chance to bat again let alone chase Hampshirersquos targetLancashire made a strong start to the run chase with Paul Horton and Stephen Moore putting on 131 for the first wicketWarwickshire spinner Chris Metters took two wickets in two balls towards the end of the day but it was too little too late for the visitors who knew victory was definitely out of reachDespite both openers departing in quick succession Steven Croft and Karl Brown saw Lancashire home to take the victory and the Championship which certainly increases Peter Moores growing reputation as excellent county coachHampshire finished the day on 327-7 and despite a brave effort from Warwickshire the title slipped away on the last day with head coach Ashley Giles certainly having something to build on for next termJamie HopkinsFollow me on Twitter hoppo112

Something in the water in Northamptonshire!

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:28:12 +0100

Even with a lot of the leagues already decided there are still some great battles going on The bolwing performance of the season was achieved this week in the Northants league by Burton Latimers Waqar Chugtai He took a breathtaking 9-15 Obviously Northants was the place to be this weekend as Andy Reynoldson top scored with 132 for Northants SaintsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 10th Sept areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamAlex PhillipsLeamington106CheshireKhalid SawasMacclesfield106CornwallTim MarrionTruro110DerbyshireSteve StubbingsAlvaston Boulton72DevonEast AngliaHarry BushNorwich125EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireAnish PatelLoughborough Town106LincolnshireNathan PoundallHartsholme110LiverpoolShaun VoslooHightown69MiddlesexNorthantsAndy ReynoldsonNorthants Saints132North eastBen RaineDurham Academy83NSSCMike LongmoreLongton71North WalesNadeem RehmanPwlheli130Northern PremierLuis ReeceLeyland73NottinghamJosh MierkalnsCaythorpe90South WalesSouthern PremierSurreySussexWest of EnglandYorkshireGerhard RudolphRotherham Town127The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 10th Sept areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamMohammed KhalidLeamington4-30CheshireRoss DixonOxton6-30CornwallAlex TaylorTruro6-41DerbyshireMatt DowmanQuarndon6-41DevonEast AngliaTom HugginsBury St Edmunds7-26EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireStephen FranklinStoughton Thurnby4-27LincolnshireGeorge LindeGrimsby Town7-43LiverpoolAndrew PickavanceRainford6-49MiddlesexNorthantsWaqar ChugtaiBurton Latimer9-15North eastMark LockeyGateshead Fell7-38NSSCAndy BarnettSandyford7-22North WalesJohn CraneMold5-31Northern PremierAndrew FurnissBlackpool4-38NottinghamSaqulain MushtaqWest Indian Cavaliers7-34South WalesSouthern PremierSurreySussexWest of EnglandYorkshireAdam ThorpeSheffield United7-28

Hyde and Chichester dominate in their respective leagues!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:35:27 +0100

Another week of great performances however two clubs dominated their respective leagues this weekend Both teams produced the batsman and bowler of the week Chichester won their final league game in convincing fashion with Matt Gregory the leagues leading run scorer finishing the job with a magnificent 162 not out following a devastating spell from LCA vice-chairman Richard Browning of 7-34Hyde did a similar job in Cheshire with Scott Kirwin taking 6-23 and Dan Berry smashing 77 not outThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 3rd September areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamBilal ShafayatWellington140CheshireDan BerryHyde77CornwallChris HunkinGrampound Road66DerbyshireJake NeedhamOckbrook Borrowash111DevonRichard BaggsExmouth113North EastGary ScottHetton Lyons101East AnglianPeter LambertSwardeston124LeicestershireGethin KingSileby Town101NorthernNorthantsMohammed HussainRushden Town117Home CountiesRicky DamianoHarpenden108LiverpoolMiddlesexHugo ShepherdRichmond111NSSCDan HancockPorthill Park91North WalesBen RobertsBrymbo77NottsAkhil PatelKimberley Institute122LincolnshireNuwan ShiromanLouth144EssexAaron WestBrentwood115KentGeoff PaulsenTunbridge Wells153YorkshireBill KirbyCleethorpes144Southern PremierSurreyStewart CameronAshtead97SussexMatt GregoryChichester Priory Park162South WalesWest of EnglandThe Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 3rd September areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamMoeen AliWolverhampton5-69CheshireScott KirwinHyde6-23CornwallKyle van RooyenTruro6-54DerbyshireMartin ClewleyDunstall5-18DevonGlen QuerlNorth Devon4-19North EastRyan PringleHetton Lyons6-52East AnglianKandage FernandoSudbury5-19LeicestershireLawrence PerryMarket Harborough4-28NorthernNorthantsPaul McMahonPeterborough Town7-25Home CountiesGeorge HarperTring Park9-71LiverpoolMichael BaerLeigh6-27MiddlesexJamie ThorpeWinchmore Hill6-33NSSCImran ArifBurslem8-46North WalesJack RimmingtonLlandudno4-33NottsPaul ClarkKiveton Park Colliery6-92LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne7-43EssexMohammed KhanWanstead4-21KentJames CrampHartley Country Club5-24YorkshireMatt DixonSheffield Collegiate5-35Southern PremierSurreyMark BurnsCheam4-18SussexRichard BrowningChichester Priory Park7-34South WalesWest of England

As the weather improved, so did the performances

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:21:24 +0100

The bowlers really showed their worth this week with a stack full of wickets being taken The highlights being 3 bowlers taken 8 wicket hauls but topping them all with a stunning 9 for 32 for Lymington in the Southern Premier was Matthew MixerThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 23rd July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamWasim JafferHimley102CheshireGlen BatticcittoNantwich138CornwallTaylor WilliamsSt Austell98DerbyshirePaul BorringtonTicknall107DevonRob GearNorht Devon75East AngliaJustin BishopBury St Edmunds126EssexUsman JanLoughton155Home CountiesMatthew EylesHigh Wycombe154KentAbijit KaleBickley Park101LeicestershireRahul AvatarBarrow Town134LincolnshireCharlie HopkinsBourne87LiverpoolPravin TambeRainford140MiddlesexClint McCabeTwickenham90NorthantsMohammed HussainRushden Town117North eastMatt MiltonGateshead Fell107NSSCChris RobertsBurlsem99North WalesNadeem RehmanPwllheli116Northern PremierAtiq-uz-ZamanSt Annes107NottinghamWill ButlerCuckney107South WalesLloyd SmithSully Centurions111Southern PremierJames OrsquoGormanAndover108SurreyAndrew HollinsworthGuildford112SussexMatt MachanHasting St Leonards129West of EnglandWilliam TavareBristol81YorkshireDuncan HeathAppleby Froddingham136The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 23rd July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamNeil ColeyKnowle Dorridge6-55CheshireAlex KeggChester Broughton Hall6-78CornwallAlex TaylorTruro5-27DerbyshirePaul DawsonLullington Park6-53DevonRob GearNorth Devon5-27East AngliaJason ColemanCambridge Granta5-14EssexAbir ChippaIlford7-69Home CountiesCarl CroweHenley6-16KentEvert BekkerTunbridge Wells6-38LeicestershireKunal JogiaLutterworth4-20LincolnshireHenry RushHartsholme6-29LiverpoolSimon KerriganOrmskirk6-30MiddlesexJosh LalorTeddington8-46NorthantsChris GoodeFinedon Dolben6-31North eastMatthew JensonSouth Shields8-28NSSCIan ButlerPorthill Park8-27North WalesMarcel FrenzelPontyblyddyn7-37Northern PremierGareth PedderCarnforth6-24NottinghamSaqulain MushtaqWest Indian Cavaliers5-15South WalesMike O SheaSully Centurions4-29Southern PremierMatthew MixerLymington9-32SurreyGreg BetzSutton6-52SussexMichael GlazierHasting St Leonards6-34West of EnglandSam BirchFrocester5-53YorkshireDavid WainwrightCastleford5-23

The wet end to the week meant that the wicket takers took the plaudits this weekend!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:23:49 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 27th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRyan BishopShrewsbury76CheshireStephen OgilbyChester Broughton Hall99CornwallGary BoneSt Austell80DerbyshireOliver BaumSpondon100DevonRoss ActonBradninch89North EastEast AnglianLeicestershireNorthernLuis ReeceLeyland82NorthantsAsim ButtPeterborough Town173Home CountiesFraser CrawfordRadlett86LiverpoolPaul KeenanLeigh96MiddlesexDavid HoltEaling73NSSCStefan RduchLongton100North WalesNottsAlex LloydPapplewick119LincolnshirePrabodha De Silva SenevirathneSleaford121EssexKishan VelaniWanstead100KentYorkshireGerhard RudolphRotherham Town100Southern PremierJacob GeorgeHants Academy141SurreyNeal ParlaneReigate Priory111SussexSouth WalesWest of EnglandJon HuddTaunton Deane94The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 27th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamPaul BryneWalsall4-19CheshireJonny FawcettDidsbury5-42CornwallRichard SpallNewquay4-40DerbyshireLuke HarveyTicknall6-72DevonPaul NottBradninch7-61North EastEast AnglianPaul WisemanNorwich7-31LeicestershireRaja HayatSyston Town5-17NorthernRichard GleesonBlackpool6-53NorthantsWaqas ChugtaiBurton Latimer5-37Home CountiesKabir ToorRadlett5-51LiverpoolMartyn FarrellOrmskirk7-52MiddlesexChris PeploeEaling5-46NSSCDaniel MilliganBurslem6-53North WalesNadeem RehmanPwllheli4-15NottsKieron GarsideMansfield Hosiery Mills8-27LincolnshireSteve BradfordSleaford6-20EssexModassor IbrahimIlford5-15KentYorkshireJoe RootSheffield Collegiate8-42Southern PremierSimon BeethamLymington4-36SurreyMathew CawoodSutton4-20SussexMichael MundayHorsham4-19South WalesWest of EnglandMark HardingesFrocester5-36

Five England Players named in ICC Test Team of the year

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:56:07 +0100

The international Cricket Council announced its Test Team of year on Friday and Englandrsquos current dominance of the longer format of the game is evident with batsman Alistair Cook and Jonathan Trott joined by bowling trio Stuart Broad James Anderson and Graeme Swann in the line-up South Africarsquos strong performances in the past year have also been rewarded with Hashim Amla AB de Villiers Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn all named in the side Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian representative whilst Sri-Lankan Kumar Sangakkarra takes the Wicketkeeper spot in the XI that is picked by an ICC panel lead by former West Indies captain Clive LloydAveraging 76 over the past year itrsquos safe to say Alistair Cook deserves his place in the test team of the year Being an integral member of the Ashes winning side in Australia throughout the winter enabled Cook to make his mark at the top of the England batting order The left-hander is also shortlisted for Cricketer and Test Cricketer of the year and whilst making 6 centuries and 4 half centuries yoursquod be a brave man to bet against the opener taking either or both awardsHashim Amla has been South Africarsquos Mr consistent throughout the past 12 months and continually impressed for his country in all forms of the game Amla clearly impressed his team mates along with the watching public after being awarded South Africarsquos playerrsquos player of the year recently Along with Cook Amla is also one of four players shortlisted for Cricketer of the yearWarwickshire batsman Jonathan Trott takes the no3 position in the side and the 30-year old has scored consistent milestones since cementing his place in Andy Flowerrsquos team Averaging 65 including four centuries this year Trott is also nominated for the cricketer and test cricketer of the year awardsIndiarsquos lsquoLittle masterrsquo makes his third consecutive appearance in the side and despite being kept under wraps in the recent test series against England the 38-year old has still managed to accumulate 973 runs at an average of 64 this year Tendulkar is also the fourth player shortlisted for the cricketer of the year accoladeDespite not currently leading his country in test matches Kumar Sangakkarra takes the role of captain in the side The wicketkeeper has been Sri-lankarsquos most consistent player for longer than I can remember and is also nominated for ODI player of yearSouth Africarsquos One Day player of the year AB de Villiers makes the side to continue a quite formidable batting line-up De Villiers has recently taken up the role of both One day and Twenty20 captaincy for his country and is a vital member of South Africarsquos international setup2005rsquos ICC joint cricketer of the year Jacques Kallis makes the team to cap off a quite brilliant year for the all-rounder South Africarsquos player of the year this term has continued to score big runs for his country and the 35-year old has also been nominated for Test Player of the yearEnglandrsquos man of the series in their recent whitewash victory against India Stuart Broad has continued to impress with both the bat and ball Despite missing a chunk of the Ashes victory in Australia through injury Broad has become a vital member of the worldrsquos number one test side and fully deserves his place in the Test Team of the yearEnglandrsquos Graeme Swann takes his place in the side as the only front-line spinner The Nottinghamshire bowler has been a revelation for his country in all forms of the game since breaking into Andy Flowerrsquos team The 32-year old sits 3rd in the ICC Test bowler rankings and has without a doubt cemented his place in the side for a long time to comeJames Anderson has picked up 50 wickets in the past year averaging just over 25 in 11 tests The fast bowler has lead the Englandrsquos formidable bowling attack in the past 12 months and fully deserves his place in the Test Team of the year Anderson is also nominated for Test Player of the yearICCrsquos No1 Test bowler Dale Steyn makes up the XI that sees the South African picked for the side for an impressive fourth year in a row Steyn has consistently been leading the South African bowling attack and has proved himself to be one of if not the best fast bowler in international cricket at this moment in timeJamie Hopkins

Both the batters and bowlers shone this week! 2 150's and 3 8 wicket hauls!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:18:36 +0100

With both batsman and bowlers putting in some great performances this week it begs the question Is it easier to get 5 wickets or ahundred runsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 20th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamDavid HempKnowle Dorride149CheshireMartin EastOulton Park161CornwallDan DavisCallington162DerbyshireJames ChapmanSandiacre Town104DevonNorth EastRameez ShazadTynemouth107East AnglianHarry BushNorwich116LeicestershireMartyn GidleyLoughborough Town70NorthernHenry ThompsonLeyland123NorthantsDan HarrisNorthants Saints122Home CountiesNick FerrabyOxford125LiverpoolMichael SwartBootle112MiddlesexOliver WilkinEaling113NSSCAlex MellorLeek84North WalesAdam CampionMochdre142NottsSam KelsallNoots Cricket Board114LincolnshireWarren NelHartsholme169EssexJoe AustinColchester East Essex115KentDaniel Bell-DrummondBlackheath132YorkshireNick LindleyHarrogate110Southern PremierJacob GeorgeHants Cricket Academy58SurreyAugustus KennedyWimbledon58SussexRichard LoganChichester Priory Park101South WalesDavid LLoydPontarddulais55West of EnglandMerv HallaranBridgwater115The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 20th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamGareth WilliamsKidderminster5-53CheshireScott KirwinHyde5-60CornwallAlex SmeethWerrington8-36DerbyshireGeorge ChapmanLullington Park6-50DevonDaniel ChildsBovey Tracey5-39North EastRameez ShazadTynemouth6-56East AnglianImran ShahCambridge Granta5-40LeicestershireCraig WilsonLutterworth5-14NorthernDaryl WearingBarrow5-25NorthantsDavid WigleyOld Northamptonians8-36Home CountiesJohn WestBanbury4-37LiverpoolJosh HineBootle7-84MiddlesexJosh LalorTeddington6-24NSSCAsad AliWood Lane8-46North WalesGraham BoaseLlandudno4-26NottsGuruge FernandoMansfield Hosiery Mills5-47LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne6-52EssexKentYorkshireHarry ClewettCleethorpes7-32Southern PremierRichard HindleyHavant6-27SurreyWill LeithWimbledon4-27SussexJosh PoydenHasting St Leonards6-37South WalesGary ArrowsmithPontarddulais4-22West of EnglandMichael ParsonsTaunton St Andrew4-20

Chris Young returns figures of 9-27 for Castleford

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:00:28 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 13th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamNathan NewportBarnt Green76CheshireJon SteeleAlderley Edge118CornwallNeil CurnowSt Just119DerbyshireLuke HarveyTicknall131DevonCallum WhittakerPlymouth76North EastKevin WardStockton64East AnglianTim McintoshNorwich115LeicestershireRob TaylorMarket Harborough117NorthernChris WilliamsMorecombe92NorthantsTom WebbOld Northamptonians98Home CountiesJamie HewittWelwyn Garden City150LiverpoolNick DeathHightown100MiddlesexAdam RossingtonEastcote79NSSCNayyer AbbasKnypersley142North WalesPhil DaviesPontyblyddyn113NottsPaldip SidhuKimberley Institute99LincolnshireSam EvisonWoodhall Spa132EssexRishabh ShahWoodford Wells135KentTom HarveyThe Mote150YorkshireNick BenekeSheffield United124Southern PremierScott MyersAlton97SurreyRory BurnsBanstead102SussexMatt GregoryChichester Priory Park123South WalesAlex McCormackYnysygerwn87West of EnglandLloyd DaviesBath115The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 13th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamTom LewisLeamington6-50CheshireJimmy WarringtonNantwich7-46CornwallSam HockinWerrington5-31DerbyshireSimon LaceyChesterfield7-58DevonMatthew KiddBovey Tracey5-17North EastRichard WaiteChester le street6-25East AnglianStefan GerickeClacton on sea5-12LeicestershireShiv ThakerLeicester Ivanhoe5-36NorthernChris MillerKendal7-23NorthantsDan BendonFinedon Dolben6-42Home CountiesBjorn MordtHenley6-18LiverpoolSteve ParryBootle6-29MiddlesexHassan KhanFinchley7-92NSSCCraig BarkerAudley8-45North WalesGordon KerrLlandudno7-25NottsAlex KingWollaton7-29LincolnshireGeorge LindeGrimsby Town6-29EssexAndrew RichardsonWoodford Wells5-30KentMatt ColesThe Mote5-31YorkshireChris YoungCastleford9-27Southern PremierLawrence PrittipaulSt Cross5-27SurreyJustin GrangerSunbury5-32SussexLuke BarnardRoffey6-40South WalesAlun ThomasCardiff5-55West of EnglandSean StringerWeston Super Mare5-30

Barnards Green extend their lead at the top of the table!

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:33:32 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Brewood CC - 1st XIBarnards Green hosted closest rivals Brewood in a top of the table clash which saw the North End Lane outfit extend their lead at the top of the table to 27 points approaching the home straight of the seasonAfter being inserted by visiting skipper Pearce Dovey and Hooper made a steady start taking the score to 35 before Adam Dovey was dismissed to one of the only pitched up balls of the opening spell for 14 Hooper was then dismissed caught behind for 26 and it was left to Harris and Ford to start to build a platform for the home sideThe introduction of spin in the form of Marsh and Pearce allowed the home side to nicely rotate the strike as Ford 36 and Harris put together a useful partnership of 93 Ford perished to Marsh and was quickly followed by Hennessy and Binks and it was left to McEwan to partner Harris leading into the vital last 20 overs Luckily for the home side McEwan managed to kick on from his usual whirlwind start as both He and Harris managed to find the boundary with increasing regularityHarris was dismissed for a near run a ball 94 including 5 sixes as McEwan kicked on to a seasonrsquos best 56 off just 28 deliveries with five 4rsquos and five 6rsquosThe tail added some vital runs as the home side closed on a respectable 292 Guest the top wicket taker with 4-67After the resumption the home side knew they needed early wickets against the most feared batting line up in the league and were not disappointed as McEwanrsquos reliability with the ball continued dismissing the first 3 batsman with the score at only 40 runsThe introduction of Ford pegged the visitors to 69-4 and at this stage Fox65 and Wedge26 built a steady partnership that laid the foundation for an attack on the losing draw total of 231Despite their endeavours their respective demises both to McEwan thwarted any attempt by the visitors to reach this total and despite Harris picking up the wicket of Redrup late on the Brewood side batted out the remaining overs finishing on 206-7 with McEwan picking up 5-56This week the First XI face Coleshill at North End Lane with wickets pitched at 1pm and admission free to allWednesbury CC - 1st XI vs Barnards Green CC - 1st XINorth End Lane outfit Barnards Green made the long trip North on the M6 to take on their newly promoted Staffordshire rivals Wednesbury in this weekrsquos BDPCL clashLosing the toss the visitors batted and newly restored top the top of the order Dovey44 and Hooper set about their task with aplomb putting together a superb 85 run opening partnership With Doveyrsquos demise however the innings spluttered with regular wickets pegging back the score and with no one in the middle order contributing more than Fordrsquos 19 runsHooper however remained steadfast and shepherded the visitors to a creditable total of 253 bringing up a superb 106 containing 19 fours He was well supported by Hennessy at the end who scored a run a ball 26 Jayamuni the pick of the bowlers with 3-74After the break McEwan and Harris as so often this season combined to leave the home side reeling at 50-4 and then 100-6 with only Pindy of the top 5 reaching 20Frustratingly rain took the players from the field with 5 overs being lost as the covers sat on the ground Upon the resumption the visitors endured more frustration as Jayamuni and Matharu built a superb 112 run partnership with Matharu scoring 45 and Jayamuni registering the second three figure score of the dayDespite both players perishing in the final overs King and Nazir held on for the home side to register a losing draw with Barnards Green taking home the lionrsquos share of 16 points McEwan again picking up 5 wickets and Harris 2-71Next week the Green return to home action with second placed Brewood visiting North End Lane with admission free to allBarnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Handsworth CC Warks - 1st XIHandsworth CC made the trip down the M5 for their Birmingham League encounter with Barnards Green with an eventful and low scoring game ensuring a great atmosphere as the home side ran our narrow 24 point winnersLosing the toss stand in skipper Adam Binks was asked to bat first and this looked a great decision with both Hooper and Golder back in the shed with only 17 runs on the boardIn an innings that never really got going Harris14 Ford24 Paddock24 and Hennessy all perished after getting starts and it was left to some sensible batting from Adam Dovey 30 from 76 to guide the home side to a below par 172 with Ramsey 2-4217 and Folkes 4-3817 showing their experience with the ballWith early wickets again the key both McEwan and Harris picked up the early scalps of the dangerous Dawkins7 and enigmatic Hooper14 respectivelyTrying to ration the in form McEwanrsquos overs Binks brought Poole into the attack and was rewarded immediately with the wicket of Johnson with Ford also getting in on the act picking up Patel for a duckBuchanan33 and Smith18 then built a useful partnership however the pendulum swung back the home side with their wickets until visiting skipper and former Jamaican all-rounder Folkes set about a patient and boundary ridden innings of 33 brought the visitors within 20 runs of the home sidersquos totalA suicidal run out of Ahmed and Ford capturing the wicket of Ramsey who had batted valuable overs in the seasonrsquos earlier fixture yet again changed the complexion of the game and it was left to the former Alfrick spinner to administer the final nail in coffin trapping Greenwood LBW for 7 leaving the visitors just 16 short with 15 overs remainingThe Green picking up a maximum 24 points with big games to come with the next home fixture the visit of second placed Brewood to North End Lane

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Kadeer showed his class for West Bromwich Dartmouth!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:48:31 +0100

Ex Gloucestershire batsman Kadeer Ali showed his class this weekend in the Birmingham league He cruised his way to 175 for West Bromwich Dartmouth It was also great to see Josh Mierkalns back in action and in the runs he helped himself to an unbeaten 159 for Caythorpe in the Notts PremThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 6th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamKadeer AliWest Bromwich Dartmouth175CheshireAndy MurphyNeston137CornwallBen SmeethWerrington75DerbyshireMatt LinekarOckbrook Borrowash118DevonCraig OvertonNorth Devon142East AngliaGlenn GoosenBurwell116EssexNick BrowneSouth Woodford106Home CountiesRicky DamianoHarpenden136KentJames ThompsonHartley Country Club115LeicestershireLewis HillLutterworth153LincolnshireLuke RobinsonLindum117LiverpoolChristopher ChambersNewton Le Willows88MiddlesexVinay ShahEastcote82NorthantsAndy CrookBrixworth143North eastNSSCSohail RaufSandyford129North WalesSteve SmithLlandudno117Northern PremierAdam CoatesLeyland74NottinghamJosh MierkalnsCaythorpe159South WalesDavid BrownMumbles119Southern PremierDave TaylorAlton97SurreyMuhammed JafferBanstead144SussexAlan WellsEastbourne94West of EnglandTom BowlerCorsham95YorkshireJoe RootSheffield Collegiate105The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 6th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamNick HarrisonHimley5-11CheshireJimmy LomasToft6-70CornwallNicholas GeorgeSt Just7-33DerbyshireDan WheeldonSandiacre Town5-33DevonGlen QuerlNorth Devon6-38East AngliaStefan GerickeClacton on Sea6-75EssexAbir ChippaIlford5-60Home CountiesChris SketchleyHigh Wycombe6-41KentFabien CowdreySevenoaks Vine5-37LeicestershireDominic ReedKegworth Town5-21LincolnshireStuart TurnerLindum7-38LiverpoolStephen ParryBootle7-95MiddlesexJamie ThorpeWinchmore Hill7-35NorthantsJames CowellWollaston6-18North eastNSSCAsad AliWood Lane8-55North WalesDavid NorthSt Asaph5-19Northern PremierGeorge WorkerSt Annes6-38NottinghamLuke WaterhouseWelbeck Colliery6-47South WalesTomos EvisonSully Centurions5-46Southern PremierJimmy TaylorTotton Eling5-42SurreyHenry TurnerWeybridge6-27SussexDuncan ShoebridgeEast Grinstead5-18West of EnglandWayne KylanderThornbury6-56YorkshirePete RinkeScarborough8-20

Paul Nixon’s professional career to come to an end this Saturday

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:48:09 +0100

Wicketkeeper batsman LCA Ambassador Paul Nixon will be play his last first class match this weekend ending a 24-year professional career The 40-year old has amassed over 14000 runs in his first class career and over the years has become a true legend at the county where he spent most of his time Leicestershire Nixonrsquos enthusiasm and energetic manner behind the stumps enabled him to enjoy 21 successful years at Grace RoadSince making his debut for the county in 1989 Nikon hit over 12000 runs including 19 centuries 176 not out is the wicketkeeperrsquos highest score which came against former side Kent at Canterbury Nixon is regularly known for his constant chat behind the stumps but his excellent keeping ability has been exceptional over his career and the left hander has 772 dismissals to his nameThe wicketkeeper embraced the twenty-20 form of the game when it was introduced to the first class calendar in 2003 and has played in every Foxes twenty20 match since the format began The Cumbrian born left-hander is also the Foxes leading runs scorer in twenty20 matches hitting 1369 runs Nixon also captained the side to the twenty20 cup title twice first in 2004 defeating the Surrey Lions in the final at Edgbaston and then overcoming Nottinghamshire in the 2006 final at Trent BridgeAged 36 Nixon was unexpectedly called up to the England squad for the triangular one day tournament in 2007 and subsequently kept his place in the squad for the 2007 world cup and was an important member of the team that reached the Super Eight stages of the competition Nixon defied the critics that he was too old for international cricket and finished the tournament with an average of 38 the third highest in the England sideThere is no doubt Nixon will want to send off in style and help Leicestershire defeat Kent on Saturday to reach twenty20 finals day and that would be a fitting end to a quite magnificent career

Runs a plenty this week! Double up!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:20:13 +0100

A week for runs as there are big hundreds scored all over the country Top scorer though goes to Dominic Sibley at Ashtead who smashed his way to a magnificent double centuryThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 30th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamAdaam DinMoseley122CheshireJames DuffyHyde125CornwallAlex SmeethWerrington118DerbyshireLuke HarveyTicknall152DevonBradley CachopaBradninch132East AngliaCarl AmosVauxhall Mallards132EssexBilal ButtLoughton132Home CountiesLloyd SabinBanbury126KentCharlie HemphreyHartley Country Club151LeicestershireLewis HillLutterworth132LincolnshireJonathon CheerBoston128LiverpoolSion MorrisColwyn Bay97MiddlesexOliver WilkinEaling122NorthantsAlistair BirkbyNorthants Academy89North eastGary ScottHetton Lyons106NSSCMichael RowleyBurlsem120North WalesTom DuckerHawarden Park168Northern PremierPieter MalanBarrow126NottinghamAnthony KeelyWollaton117South WalesDarren ThomasMumbles131Southern PremierEdward AbelSouth Wilts127SurreyDominic SibleyAshtead200SussexJoe GattingPreston Nomads106West of EnglandAlex BarrowBath127YorkshireAndy SimpsonScarborough122The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 30th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamImran KhanWest Bromwich Dartmouth6-43CheshireRon JonesToft7-88CornwallTom SharpTruro4-31DerbyshireKevin DeanOckbrook Borrowash4-24DevonAli PashaPlympton4-19East AngliaAshley WatsonNorwich5-43EssexRob HaytoChelmsford6-33Home CountiesDaniel FosterRadlett7-23KentLorne BurnsSevenoaks Vine4-25LeicestershireRajiv PurohitLeicester Ivanhoe5-50LincolnshireAntonio SantiniSkegness5-12LiverpoolSimon KerriganOrmskirk6-31MiddlesexOliver WilkinEaling5-48NorthantsTom WorthingtonBrixworth7-50North eastRyan PringleHetton Lyons6-42NSSCZafar IqbalHem Heath6-67North WalesAlec LewisDenbigh5-33Northern PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes7-37NottinghamRobert TownsendMansfield Hosiery Mills6-13South WalesWill OwenAmmanford5-76Southern PremierJeremy OrdHavant6-21SurreyNeil TurkWimbledon5-26SussexCraig FowleEast Grinstead4-27West of EnglandAndy FearWeston Super Mare4-16YorkshirePeter RinkeScarborough7-35

Keegan claims all 10 wickets!

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:08:22 +0100

Outside of the ECB Premier Leagues there have been some astonishing performances this weekendIn the Bassetlaw District Cricket League Chad Keegan of Worksop CC claimed outstanding figures of 94 overs 4 maidens 10 wickets for 36 runs as opposition Blidworth Colliery Welfare CC were skittled for 96 Keegan formerly of Middlesex CCC and Sussex CCC knotched up his wickets with 5 of them being bowled 2 LBW and 3 caught Worksop then knocked off the runs in just 14 overs losing 3 wickets Chris Taylor finishing with an unbeaten 45Elsewhere in Division 4 of the Surrey Championship another former county pro Rob Ferley picked up 9-43 120 as Cranleigh beat Alleyn and Honor Oak CC Cranleigh helped themselves to 274-3 dec from 45 overs and turned Alleyn and Honor Oak over for 169 from 425If anyone else has any outstanding performance updates like this please send them into us infothelcacouk

Yorkshire Premier League Round Up 30/7/11

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:13:58 +0100

ECB Yorkshire Premier League Review 308-318Barnsley and Castleford played out a thrilling tie after both teams racked up 249 from their 55 oversIt was Barnsley who made first use of the pitch and had Matt Wilson 70 Jason Booth 64 and Steve Nuttall 55 to thank as they posted a very competitive score Chris Young was the pick of the Castleford bowlers as he returned figures of 5-122Andrew Chadwick was the main stay of the reply as he made 66 whilst Jamie Pickering 38 and Scott Hopkinson 31 both chipped in as the leaguersquos sixth place side equalled the score of their opponents despite Oliver Hannon-Dalby taking 4-60Leaders York extended their lead at the top as they posted two victories over the weekend On Saturday they crushed Appleby Frodingham by 179 runs The champions again set a score of over 300 with Nick Kay 72 Andrew Tute 64 and Oliver Hairs 63 all making half-centuriesAppleby never got close to reaching their target of 321 as Tom Pringle 4-33 Kay 3-23 and Ryan McKendry 3-32 shared all ten wicketsThe following day the leaguersquos top side again posted a large score as they made 322-9 with Liam McKendry hitting 141 Nick Taylor was the pick of Harrogatersquos bowlers as he took 5-72York again tasted victory as they restricted their opponents to 232-7 although their failure to take all ten wickets meant that they only took six points from the match Ross Sedgleyrsquos unbeaten 86 secured a point for his team despite Dan Woods returning figures of 4-90Rotherham remain in second place after a five-wicket victory over Harrogate Excellent bowling from Nathan Smith 5-37 and Gurman Randhawa 3-48 restricted the North Yorkshire side to 197 Smith then made 58 in support of Jordan Lowe 84 as Rotherham reached their target in less than 49 oversCleethorpes now sit in third place after a brace of victories It was the Osmondrsquos who starred on Saturday as first Alex took 6-19 as Doncaster were bowled out for 107 before Rory struck an unbeaten 62 to see his side home by seven wicketsOn Sunday it was Sheffield Collegiate who fell to defeat as it was again the same family who did the damage Collegiate made 235-9 from their 55 overs as Alex and James Osmond shared six wicketsIt was then left to Rory to again provide the runs as he made 112 despite Will Street taking five wicketsElsewhere there were victories for Yorkshire Academy Scarborough and Sheffield Collegiate over Driffield Town Sheffield United and Hull respectivelyFollow Tom maston91

Round Up from Barnards Green!

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:54:21 +0100

Studley CC Warks - 1st XI vs Barnards Green CC - 1st XIBarnards Green made the shortest away journey of their season to kick off the second half of their first campaign in the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League returning to North End Lane with another emphatic victoryMcEwan struck two early blows dismissing Rose and veteran Miller to leave the home side 32-2 with Lewis looking fluent despite the lack of support After a close appeal and a catch that fell just short of slip Lewis became flustered and was well caught by McEwan off Dovey for 26 Tom Poole5-16 entered the attack to join his former Ramblers team mate and had an immediate and devastating effect as he ripped the heart out of the Studley batting line up in a hostile and accurate display of quick bowling capturing two wickets LBW and three caught behind by Ash Brewer who also combined with McEwan who took the final wicket of Rhodes11 one of only two men to reach double figuresStudley closed on 78 all out and the players returned to the field for a 45 minute session before the scheduled tea break The visitors lost makeshift opener Binks for zero as Hooper and Harris scratched to 25 runs at the breakThe dismissal of Harris to former IPL seamer Singh prompted a slight wobble as both Hennessy and Hooper also perished to accurate seam bowling for 3 and 16 respectivelyLiam Paddock provided solid support to McEwan at this point with the latter racing to 40 from 34 balls and propelling his side to victory inside 22 overs Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Oswestry CC - 1st XIBarnards Green welcomed Shropshire outfit Oswestry to North End Lane for a top of the table clash In a reversal of fortunes from the return fixture it was the Shropshire side who had the better of the contest returning home with a solid winning drawDespite the early wicket of Carrasco for McEwan Fynn and young keeper Clarke steadied the ship with a solid partnership of 85 with Clarke eventually perishing to the reliable Jon Dovey for 32Fynn found another ally in Huxley as Oswestry continued to build a platform for a final overs assault on the home attack Skipper Williams entry into the attack paid immediate dividends as he combined twice with keeper Binks to dismiss Huxley40 and Robinson2 and the run out of Miles to give the home side the chance to restrict the totalThe return of McEwan to the attack gave immediate reward with Suter captured for a duck capping another anonymous game for the former keeper as the impressive Clarke took the gloves for the Oswestry fielding inningsUnfortunately for the home side Fynn took this as his cue to launch a vicious attack ably supported by Phillips14no the South African first brought up his hundred in style with a boundary off Williams and then accelerated to finish with a quite brilliant 156no with his final 60 runs coming up in just 14 balls Williams figures took a dent finising with 2-688 McEwan 2-7517 and Jon Dovey the pick of the bowlers 1-3214 The visitors posting a solid total of 263The home reply suffered a major setback with Adam Dovey falling first ball to Davies Hooper and Harris then worked hard to battle through the new ball Hooper fell for 15 to Miles and the impressive Harris was then joined by Ford to put together a highly fluent partnership which took the home side to 123 before Harris fell for 61 Hennessy quickly departed for 1 which left Ford to bat with the returning Liam Paddock Ford was dismissed by Davies for an excellent 71 and despite a brisk contribution of 16 from McEwan the chances of chasing down 264 became remote with the rate at nearly 12 an overPaddock launched a respectable counter attack to try and reach the total however when he was dismissed for a well compiled 33 it was left to Binks16 who struck 3 crisp boundaries to reach the losing draw target 211and then Poole to secure the draw for the home sideThe Green will be disappointed to suffer their first losing draw of the campaign but will also be happy that they did not allow Oswestry to massively close the gap at the top of the table Closest rivals Brewood won joining the Malvern outfit on 232 points at the top of the tableThis week the First Eleven have another home fixture hosting Handsworth at North End Lane Admission is free wickets are pitched at 12pm and the bar is open all day Barnards Green made the shortest away journey of their season to kick off the second half of their first campaign in the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League returning to North End Lane with another emphatic victoryMcEwan struck two early blows dismissing Rose and veteran Miller to leave the home side 32-2 with Lewis looking fluent despite the lack of support After a close appeal and a catch that fell just short of slip Lewis became flustered and was well caught by McEwan off Dovey for 26 Tom Poole5-16 entered the attack to join his former Ramblers team mate and had an immediate and devastating effect as he ripped the heart out of the Studley batting line up in a hostile and accurate display of quick bowling capturing two wickets LBW and three caught behind by Ash Brewer who also combined with McEwan who took the final wicket of Rhodes11 one of only two men to reach double figuresStudley closed on 78 all out and the players returned to the field for a 45 minute session before the scheduled tea break The visitors lost makeshift opener Binks for zero as Hooper and Harris scratched to 25 runs at the breakThe dismissal of Harris to former IPL seamer Singh prompted a slight wobble as both Hennessy and Hooper also perished to accurate seam bowling for 3 and 16 respectivelyLiam Paddock provided solid support to McEwan at this point with the latter racing to 40 from 34 balls and propelling his side to victory inside 22 overs Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Oswestry CC - 1st XIBarnards Green welcomed Shropshire outfit Oswestry to North End Lane for a top of the table clash In a reversal of fortunes from the return fixture it was the Shropshire side who had the better of the contest returning home with a solid winning drawDespite the early wicket of Carrasco for McEwan Fynn and young keeper Clarke steadied the ship with a solid partnership of 85 with Clarke eventually perishing to the reliable Jon Dovey for 32Fynn found another ally in Huxley as Oswestry continued to build a platform for a final overs assault on the home attack Skipper Williams entry into the attack paid immediate dividends as he combined twice with keeper Binks to dismiss Huxley40 and Robinson2 and the run out of Miles to give the home side the chance to restrict the totalThe return of McEwan to the attack gave immediate reward with Suter captured for a duck capping another anonymous game for the former keeper as the impressive Clarke took the gloves for the Oswestry fielding inningsUnfortunately for the home side Fynn took this as his cue to launch a vicious attack ably supported by Phillips14no the South African first brought up his hundred in style with a boundary off Williams and then accelerated to finish with a quite brilliant 156no with his final 60 runs coming up in just 14 balls Williams figures took a dent finising with 2-688 McEwan 2-7517 and Jon Dovey the pick of the bowlers 1-3214 The visitors posting a solid total of 263The home reply suffered a major setback with Adam Dovey falling first ball to Davies Hooper and Harris then worked hard to battle through the new ball Hooper fell for 15 to Miles and the impressive Harris was then joined by Ford to put together a highly fluent partnership which took the home side to 123 before Harris fell for 61 Hennessy quickly departed for 1 which left Ford to bat with the returning Liam Paddock Ford was dismissed by Davies for an excellent 71 and despite a brisk contribution of 16 from McEwan the chances of chasing down 264 became remote with the rate at nearly 12 an overPaddock launched a respectable counter attack to try and reach the total however when he was dismissed for a well compiled 33 it was left to Binks16 who struck 3 crisp boundaries to reach the losing draw target 211and then Poole to secure the draw for the home sideThe Green will be disappointed to suffer their first losing draw of the campaign but will also be happy that they did not allow Oswestry to massively close the gap at the top of the table Closest rivals Brewood won joining the Malvern outfit on 232 points at the top of the tableThis week the First Eleven have another home fixture hosting Handsworth at North End Lane Admission is free wickets are pitched at 12pm and the bar is open all day

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Rain puts pay to many of the games across the country!

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:51:07 +0100

On a very wet weekend there were still some shining stars Louis Bentley shone in the Cheshire league with a blistering 168 not out and Steven Norcup who bagged 8 for 25 for Wood Lane obviously used the conditions very wellThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 16th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamKadeer AliWest Bromwich Dartmouth107CheshireLouis BentleyOulton Park168CornwallGary ThomasSt Just100DerbyshireMohammed WaseemRolls Royce129DevonGary ChappellBradninch125East AngliaEssexHome CountiesKentMin PatelBexley74LeicestershireMitchell BuckLoughborough Town83LincolnshireLiverpoolMichael SwartBootle110MiddlesexNorthantsGreg HofbauerFinedon Dolben106North eastNSSCBen McGuireHem Heath104North WalesSteve SmithLlandudno119Northern PremierPieter MalanBarrow107NottinghamNicholas LangfordKimberley Institute102South WalesChris CookePort Talbot135Southern PremierChris StoneHants Academy51SurreySussexWest of EnglandMichael ColesBridgwater130YorkshireOliver HairsYork103The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 16th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamMohammed KhalidLeamington5-38CheshireAndrew BirleyOxton6-21CornwallJustin StephensPaul6-41DerbyshireJohn JordisonSandiacre Town5-9DevonMiles DaltonSidmouth5-17East AngliaEssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireJordan KingSileby Town4-32LincolnshireLiverpoolMichael BaerLeigh6-62MiddlesexNorthantsAndy OramHorton House5-13North eastNSSCSteven NorcupWood Lane8-25North WalesGareth DaviesMochdre5-22Northern PremierNottinghamSouth WalesSouthern PremierDavid TaylorAlton4-28SurreySussexWest of EnglandMichael ParsonsTaunton St Andrews5-28YorkshireTom PringleYork6-42

ECB Yorkshire Premier League 16/7/11

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:47:34 +0100

ECB Yorkshire Premier League Round-Up 16711Oliver Hairs was the star of the show as York stretched their lead at the top of the league with a 131-run victory over Barnsley at Shaw LaneHairs struck 103 from 72 balls to set his side up for a total of 269-9 from their 47 overs He gained support from Alex Collins who made his fifth half-century of the season and opener Duncan Snell 45 For the Tykes Yorkshire seamer Oliver Hannon-Dalby took 6-81 from his 17 oversBarnsley made their way to 71 without losing a wicket but were then bowled out for 138 with James Stuart top scoring with 37 Leg-spinner Tom Pringle claimed figures of 6-42 as his team went eleven points clear at the summitSecond-placed Rotherham had to settle for three points from their rain-affected match at Sheffield CollegiateRotherham chose to bat after winning the toss and made 174-8 with Gerhardus Rudolph and Stuart Gray making half-centuries In reply Collegiate made 130-9 from 28 overs as Ed McKenna made 58 whilst Ollie Jackson took 3-23 for the visitorsIn the weekendrsquos only other match Scarborough beat Doncaster Town by 45 runs in 30-over gameScarborough who are unbeaten since May made 171-6 as Darren Harland made 70 from 63 balls For bottom side Doncaster 16-year old Curtis Free took 3-39 from seven oversIn reply the South Yorkshire side were restricted to 126-8 despite Alex Gosneyrsquos patient 41The four other matches were all washed out without a ball being bowledFollow Tom maston91

Borrington and Billings show there class!

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:20:57 +0100

Paul Borrington continues his great form this season with another hundred and Sam Billings shows his class down south with a whopping 208The Leading Run scorers in each league for 9th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamChris JonkerWalsall169CheshireJack SmithNeston109CornwallAlex SmeethWerrington89DerbyshirePaul BorringtonTicknall111DevonRob GearNorth Devon76East AngliaKandage FernandoSudbury139EssexArfran AkramWanstead116Home CountiesLouis ChapmanWelwyn Garden City157KentSam BillingsHartley Country Club208LeicestershireOliver PickeringLutterworth108LincolnshireVikram AtriBracebridge Heath100LiverpoolKarl BrownLeigh103MiddlesexImraan MohammedHampstead84NorthantsKieran PierceRushton117North eastAndrew SmithChester Le Street137NSSCNayyer AbbasKnypersley89North WalesJohn RowlandsDenbigh70Northern PremierMichael StevensLancaster94NottinghamGuruge FernandoMansfield Hosiery Mills124South WalesKyle TudgeNewport111Southern PremierAli HooperAndover119SurreyAkbar AnsariWeybridge113SussexRohit JagotaPulborough110West of EnglandSam MountCorsham92YorkshireMatt MorlandApplby Froddingham62The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 9th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamJohannes BothmaWolverhampton5-44CheshireAlex KeggChester Broughton Hall7-58CornwallAlex TaylorTruro5-31DerbyshireShazada KhanRoll Royce4-30DevonMatt WestawayNorth Devon5-42East AngliaTanwir AfzalBurwell5-35EssexHarry ShirtSouth Woodford5-41Home CountiesBen FrazerHarpenden6-57KentBarry HooperBickley Park5-39LeicestershireTom DriverKibworth5-33LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne7-31LiverpoolPravin TambeRainford6-37MiddlesexAjay SanghaBrondesbury6-54NorthantsJamie SmithPeterborough Town7-36North eastRyan PringleHetton Lyons5-39NSSCCalum PriceStone7-21North WalesGordon KerrLlandudno7-44Northern PremierBen SimmLancaster6-56NottinghamSam CliffBelvoir5-62South WalesWill OwenAmmanford5-32Southern PremierJordon FinneySt Cross6-60SurreyJustin GrangerSunbury6-46SussexLuke BarnardRoffey7-54West of EnglandTom BowlerCorsham5-23YorkshireAlex OsmondCleethorpes6-67

Jamie Thorpe steals the limelight with 9-17 for Winchmore Hill in Middlesex

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:25:52 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 2nd July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamKadeer AliWest Bromwich Dartmouth132CheshireWarren GoodwinChester Broughton Hall149CornwallDave RobertsSt Just124DerbyshirePaul BorringtonTicknall137DevonDan BowserNorth Devon84East AngliaAlex FullartonCambridge Granta130EssexRishbah ShahWoodford Wells148Home CountiesShane BurgerRadlett140KentCharlie HemphreyHartley Country Club134LeicestershireRishi PatelBarrow Town114LincolnshirePaul ButlerSkegness119LiverpoolDavid SnellgroveBootle110MiddlesexWilliam VandersparBrondesbury139NorthantsTom WebbOld Northamptonians123North eastAndrew SmithChester Le Street113NSSCMohammed HussainHem Heath86North WalesMatt FawcettHawarden Park130Northern PremierLukman VahaluwalaPreston166NottinghamDarren BicknallBelvoir174South WalesMatt MaynardCardiff107Southern PremierJacob GeorgeHants Academy154SurreyAdam LondonSunbury172SussexWill AdkinEast Grinstead83West of EnglandJuvauine GayleThornbury102YorkshireAnthony McGrathYorkshire Academy107The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 2nd July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamBilal ShafayatWellington4-23CheshireMark WarnesAlderley Edge7-45CornwallGary ThomasSt Just5-28DerbyshireKevin DeanOckbrook Borrowash7-10DevonDavid BurkePlymouth5-23East AngliaJason ColemanCambridge Granta7-38EssexJoe ButtlemanBrentwood6-54Home CountiesEuan BrockHenley7-72KentKevin MastersLordswood5-38LeicestershireMatt EllisSileby Town4-20LincolnshireGeorge LindeGrimbsy Town5-31LiverpoolAshraf NawabNew Brighton7-79MiddlesexJamie ThorpeWinchmore Hill9-17NorthantsRichard StempNorthants Saints4-36North eastChris HookerSunderland5-76NSSCDaniel ColcloughLittle Stoke8-58North WalesIwan RobertsBangor6-47Northern PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes8-56NottinghamSteve RandallCaythorpe5-25South WalesSouthern PremierRob FranklinSouth Wilts5-13SurreySeb Franke-MattheckaWimbledon8-43SussexMax BarsonPulborough7-47West of EnglandMichael ColesBridgwater4-8YorkshireAlex OsmondCleethorpes6-64

Tagged Users
Warren Goodwin

Barnards Green go back to the top after close fought victory!

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:14:05 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs St Georges CC Shropshire - 1st XIMissing skipper Tim Williams and all-rounder Tom Poole stand in skipper Adam Binks had no hesitation in inserting eleventh place St Georgersquos for their trip to North End LaneWith a pitch that offered pace and carry to McEwan in particular this looked to be a good decision however despite the early wicket of Mathur bowled by the big Kiwi the visitors looked comfortable as OrsquoKeefe and Zaheer saw off the new ball with relative easeThe vital wicket of OrsquoKeefe was captured by Ford well caught by Clarke at mid off for 26 Zaheer was the next to go to returning spinner Chris Smedley for 40 giving the home side a vital breakthrough before the drinks breakThe Green were then forced to toil as Chandla and skipper Miller put together a sensible partnership with Chandla the aggressor making 50 from 49 balls and Miller 54 from 73Relatively regular wickets in the second half of the innings stemmed the flow of runs and made it difficult for the visitors to accelerate with McEwan returning to pick up figures of 4-52 and Harris bowling an economical final spell St Georgersquos posting a score of 237 from their 55 oversAdam Dovey and Kev Golder started well in reply with both players comfortable until a change in bowling led to Davies capturing the wicket of Golder bowled for 34 Harris joined the elder Dovey at the crease and looked supremely comfortable cruising to 30 The distraction of persistent rain perhaps led to his demise as he fell for 31 again to Davies The rain subsequently took the players from the field with a delay of an hour accounting for 10 overs lost Upon the resumption Ford 55 joined forces with the increasingly fluent Dovey84 in a brilliant hundred partnership which took the Green to the brink of victoryByram returned to the attack to first break and then destroy the FordDovey partnership and with overs running out and rain falling it was left to McEwan who scored a quick fire 21 from 9 balls and Wheeler to see the Green home with just 3 balls of their 45 overs to spareThis week sees the First Eleven travel to Studley to tackle the first game of the second half of a season which sees them enter the run in 17 points clear of Brewood in second place

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Twitter Cricket Slang Winner - Tom Davies

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:34:40 +0100

Today saw the launch of cricketslang on Twitter The competition was to in the opinion of LCA Chairman Richard Logan get the best Cricketing Slang Words of all time After many attempts it was Tom Davies tommyballack92 who won over the Chairman with this tweetIts swinging like a 60s disco - referring to the movement of a ball on an overcast day sloggingI can vouch for the fact that this had Logan in stitches Its the simple things in life ayCongratulations to Tom who gets pride of place with this article on the LCA Home Page and also a mention on our Twitter and Facebook Pages

Ford stars with 8 for 11!

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:22:36 +0100

Sutton Coldfield v Barnards Green First ElevenWith Sutton hosting Birmingham League Presidentrsquos Day Barnards Green made the journey North to try and spoil the party atmosphere and take enough points to put pressure on new league leaders BrewoodUpon winning the toss Tim Williams took the option to bat first on a dry wicket that looked like it would take spin later in the dayDespite the early loss of Golder for 4 Phil Harris initially looked to justify this decision with a sublime display of stroke play He appeared to make a mockery of the theory of a slow and placid pitch bringing up a boundary littered 50 in just 42 ballsUnfortunately Harris could not add to his half century falling to Murtuza who eventually finished with 6-56 This sparked a clatter of wickets as from the relative comfort of 77-2 the Green found themselves 100-6 Hennessy unluckily run our backing up for 10 and McEwan 11 barely reaching double figuresJez Clarke and Adam Binks temporarily stopped the rot before Clarke 13 dragged a pull shot onto the stumps via bat pad and boot Poole fell in similar fashion to the returning Murtuza and Dovey was a fifth victim for the Sutton overseas player before skipper Williams13joined Binks to add a vital 25 runs for the final wicket with Binks unbeaten on 28 and the visitors posting a disappointing 164 having elected to exert pressure by batting firstKnowing another strong bowling performance was required the visitors took the field in a positive mood not helped by a strong start from Heron McEwan nipped out Smith for 13 but with Harris economical but lacking zip on a slow wicket skipper Williams quickly introduced the spin of Ford and was almost immediately rewarded as he combined with Binks to dismiss both Heron17 and Brotherton8From here on in the Sutton batsmen appeared like rabbits caught in Fordrsquos spin headlights as the former Alfrick spinner returned the astounding figures of 16 overs 11 maidens and 8 wickets for just 11 runsSutton skipper Guest showed some application in reaching the innings top score of 19 from 87 balls but summed up Suttonrsquos day as he was last out caught behind off Poole to a ball he could have left and leaving the home innings closed at 79 all outThis clinical bowling performance by the visitors propelling them back to the top of the table albeit by only 3 pointsThis week Barnards Green entertain Shropshire outfit St Georges with wickets pitched at 12pm and the bar open all day Furthermore Wednesday evening July 13 sees the North End Lane club entertain Birmingham League Premier Division club Wolverhampton in the Quarter Final of the Twenty20 Cup with a BBQ on throughout the game

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

West of England Premier League Weekend Round-Up

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:25:32 +0100

Bridgwater CC reached the mid-point of the WEPL Premier 1 season with a comprehensive victory against unexpected strugglers Taunton St Andrews having bowled their opposition out for 58 thanks mainly to Ian Bishop and Michael Coles who took 4 wickets apiece and then knocking off the required runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the 9thoverThis victory took Bridgwater into joint 2ndplace with 2010 winners Bath 50s from Mike Smyth and Lloyd Davies safely saw them to victory against Downend and kept them within touching distance of league leaders Frocester who had a battle on their hands away to ThornburyJuvaunie Gayle 102 and Richard Trotman 52 helped Thornbury to 290 and Frocester successfully chased it down due to Nick Trainor and Kieron Smith both posted half centuries as Frocester snuck over the line with 5 balls to spare having needed 130 off the last 10Weston fell 10 runs short against Taunton Deane but secured themselves comfortably in the middle of the table while at the bottom of the table Bristol made light work of beating fellow strugglers CorshamhttpstatsthelcacoukEventsTablesWest_of_England_Premier_League_2011htmlWritten by Nicola Cannon

Barnards Green get full points at Lichfield!

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:39:19 +0100

Lichfield v Barnards Green CC First ElevensA lower order tail wag and a disciplined and well executed bowling performance spared Barnards Green blushes as they took maximum points from the Cathedral City of Lichfield in this weekrsquos BDPCL clashAfter losing the toss the visitors found themselves in big trouble at 25-5 losing Dovey Golder Ford Smedley and McEwan without the scorers using much ink Disciplined and watchful batting from Hooper who grafted hard for 29 and to a lesser extent Binks who batted an hour for 12 allowed first Wheeler to face the Lichfield change bowling and express himself scoring a brisk 32Skipper Williams and Jon Dovey then combined in what turned out to be a match changing partnership as they dispatched all loose offerings Even the return of the opening attack could not stunt their partnership until it was ended in the final over having added 66 vital runs Williams top scoring with 35 and Dovey 33 Liddiard the pick of the bowlers with 4-44 and Wilkinson 3-48 and the visitors posting 185With Phil Harris unavailable due to MCCU commitments Jon Dovey immediately filled the new ball breach dismissing Price for 1 to give the Green a perfect start however Lichfieldrsquos Kiwi import Bassett combined well with Sargison to build a partnership Unfortunately for the home side this was the highlight of their innings with Sargsion falling to McEwan for 12 a procession of Lichfield batsmen fell at regular intervals with all of the Green bowlers getting in on the actA McEwan slower ball accounted for Bassett caught Willaims for a fantastic 81 He received little support from the rest of the middle order with only Seager who was hit in the chin by a Williams bumper contributing 11 reaching double figuresMcEwan picked up his third wicket to a smart catch by keeper Binks and it was then left to Ford to wrap up the tail with the impressive figures of 14 overs 3 wickets no runs to bowl the home side out for 116 his 3 wickets including an impressive catch at short leg from GolderThis weekend the Green First Eleven travel to Sutton Coldfield with the second team entertaining Barnt Green at North End Lane

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

St. Annes win again!

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:00:40 +0100

St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi celebrates his hat-trickSt Annes increased their lead at the top of Division One to 23 points after a 12 point victory over Preston in round 13 of the Furness Building Society Northern Premier League 2011 season Second placed Leyland could only manage 4 points from a rain affected draw in the local derby against Chorley at Fox Lane Morecambe continued their recent good form to move up to third after a tense victory over BlackpoolAt Vernon Road Preston made a respectable 186 all out in 493 overs after being inserted Opening batsman Sajid Patel made a patient 54 from 99 balls with two fours and one six before Preston professional Saeed Bariwala made his second fifty of the season with a powerful innings of 60 from 62 balls 6 x fours 3 x sixes Prestons progress was restricted by yet another masterful spell of slow left arm bowling from St Annes professional Dinuk Hettiarachchi who took his sixth haul of five or more wickets this season to finish with figures of 7 for 49 from 243 uninterrupted overs Hettiarachchi brought the Preston innings to a close in sensational style claiming a hat-trick to dismiss Bariwala and then Preston wicktekeeper Charlie Williams and newcomer Afsar Nagolia for golden ducks Duncan Whalley also excelled for St Annes with six dismissals behind the stumps to extend his lead in the wicketkeeping category of the TWP Financial Planning Amateur AwardsPreston captain Lukman Vahaluwala made the league leaders fight hard for their victory with a testing spell of 4 for 48 from 152 overs but solid batting from former Pakistan international Atiq Uz-Zaman 55 from 77 balls 7 x fours 2 x sixes and youngster Nathan Armstrong 53 from 81 balls 8 x fours 1 x six led St Annes to a 4 wicket win with 44 overs remainingAt The Stanning Memorial Ground Chorley had the better of the rain affected local derby against Leyland Steady rain prevented any play until 415pm when a 25 overs per side contest got under way Chorley were asked to bat first by Leyland professional Brett Pelser who captained the side after a late team change saw Luis Reece come into the home side for David Makinson Chorley posted 129 all out off the last ball of their 25 overs thanks in the main to a wonderful innings of 64 from 52 balls with 4 fours and 5 sixes from Will Moulton James Rounding continued his recent good form with the ball to take 4 for 20 for Leyland The Leyland innings failed to ignite in the face of some disciplined Chorley bowling Professional Gaurav Dhar excelled with 3 for 12 from 6 overs and helped restrict the defending champions to 1008 from their 25 oversMorecambe climbed the table thanks to a 15 points victory over Blackpool In bowler friendly conditions Morecambe struggled to 143 for 8 from their 50 overs Skipper Mark Woodhead anchored the innings with a steady 43 before he became one of Blackpool professional Con De Langes five wickets De Lange bowled his left arm spin with superb control to pick up his first five wicket haul in the Northern Premier League taking 5 for 51 from 22 overs Despite always being ahead of the run rate Blackpool were dismissed for 122 inside 39 overs to give Morecambe a 21 run victory Anwar Ali proved to be the match winner for the home side with 5 for 39 and he was ably supported by the rejuvenated Jono Gates with 4 for 53 De Lange made 37 before he was run out and Richard Gleeson made a Division One career best of 42 not out as only three Blackpool batsmen reached double figuresNew Zealand international player Jamie How followed up his hundred in the Readers Cup on Sunday with a magnificent innings of 158 not out that broke the Kendal first team individual batting record in his sides 132 run victory over Fleetwood at Broadwater How beat the previous best of current Morecambe and Cumberland batsman Ikram Ullah who made 151 against Carnforth in 2006 His innings came off 151 balls and included some breath-taking strokes 30 year old How a veteran of 19 Tests and 41 ODIs hit 7 fours and a remarkable 13 sixes Fleetwood professional Ryan Smith conceded 69 from 12 overs picking up 3 wickets in the process Such was Hows domination of the Kendal innings that the next highest score was 18 from all-rounder Jack White A shell shocked Fleetwood side were dismissed for 105 in 393 overs with Kendal captain Chris Miller taking 4 for 38 and Stuart Parkin 3 for 44 Adam Sharrocks top scored for the home team with 30Barrow professional Pieter Malan passedone thousandruns in all matches for his club this season as he led his side to an 8 wicket victory over Lancaster at the Ernest Pass Memorial Ground Malan who now has 757 runs in Division 1 at an average of 9460 made 81 not out as Barrow chased down their target of 165 in 334 overs At the halfway point in the season the South African has the Barrow club record of 930 runs held by popular Sri Lankan professional Pasan Wanasinghe well within his sights and may even be targeting the overall league record of 1381 set by Netherfields Callum Ferguson in 2008 Malan shared partnerships of 52 for the first wicket with Guy Heffernan and 96 for the second wicket with Robin Adams as Lancaster captain Michael Stevens tried eight bowlers in an attempt to make significant breakthroughs Earlier Lancaster had posted 164 for 8 from their 50 overs with the evergreen Tim Barry making 52 his second league fifty of the season and captain Michael Stevens 41 For Barrow spinners Liam Livingstone and Gary Collins each took three wicketsThe match at Birch Hall between Darwen and Carnforth was abandoned without a ball being bowledSt Annes 140 points from 13 games now lead defending champions Leyland 117 points 13 games by 23 points Morecambe are in third on 115 points with Chorley close behind on 113 points both teams having a game in hand on the top two Netherfield who were not in action today are in fifth with 100 points from 13 gamesPreston opener Sajid Patel hit 54Full an overview of the scorecards from the Northern Premier League please click hereWritten by Mike Latham

Bowlers take charge in friendly conditions!

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:02:34 +0100

The wet spell we have had in the last week means that the bowlers have come into their own in a period that is normally dominated by the batsman We have seen nine 7 or 8 wicket hauls across the leagues and in 14 of the leagues in the country no one managed to pass 3 figuresBring on the rain I sayThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 25th June areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamJonathon WrightKidderminster69CheshireWarren GoodwinChester Broughton Hall108CornwallAlex SmeethWerrington87DerbyshireJames BensteadDunstall114DevonSeb BentonPaignton68East AngliaErik LaubscherNorwich73EssexUsman JanLoughton82Home CountiesNick FerrabyOxford112KentAndy AllonSibton Park70LeicestershireGethin KingSileby Town73LincolnshireNuwan ShiromanLouth72LiverpoolNick DeathHightown110MiddlesexFred Daeche-MarshallFinchley129NorthantsChris ParkNorthants Saints106North eastMark StonemanBlaydon130NSSCRichard HassallWood Lane89North WalesNadeem RehmanPwlheli92Northern PremierJamie HowKendall157NottinghamGareth CurtisMansfield Hosiery Mills141South WalesSouthern PremierCameron GriersonLymington75SurreySteven HobsonWimbledon77SussexJohn Burroughshorsham96West of EnglandSam MountCorsham125YorkshireAndrew BoukeCastleford131The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 25th June areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamMohammad KhalidLeamington5-26CheshireScott KirwinHyde6-39CornwallNicholas GeorgeSt Just6-65DerbyshireDan WheeldonSandiacre Town4-56DevonAli PashaPlympton7-44East AngliaBen ReeceSudbury6-25EssexMatthew PooleChelmsford4-23Home CountiesBjorn MordtHenley8-37KentAndy AllonSibton Park6-27LeicestershireMatt EllisSileby Town5-26LincolnshireStewart WestLouth8-44LiverpoolDanny BarlowNewton Le Willows7mdash28MiddlesexJivan LotayEastcote7-102NorthantsSharn GomesStony Stratford5-25North eastAndrew ElliotSouth Shields5-42NSSCIan ButlerPorthill Park8-52North WalesGareth DaviesMochdre6-37Northern PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes7-49NottinghamSaqlain MushtaqWest Indian Cavaliers5-41South WalesSouthern PremierRichard TaylorAndover7-39SurreyHenry TurnerWeybridge5-41SussexMatt WoodBrighton Hove7-17West of EnglandPhil JacksonDownend4-39YorkshireChris YoungCastleford6-54

Hasting return to the top in Sussex!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:56:12 +0100

Sussex Cricket League Results and Details Sat June 25 2011indicates team winning the tossPremier LeagueBrighton and Hove 168 24 ptsAdrian Chapple 586Three Bridges 53 10 ptsMatt Wood 717Chichester 20328 dec10 ptsRichard Logan 63 Peter Lamb 54 Roffey 2065 26 ptsMichael Norris 93East Grinstead 2324 dec30 ptsWill Adkin 120 Matthew Sugg 59 not outEastbourne 92 4 ptsHorsham 236 14 ptsJohn Burroughs 96Preston Nomads 1968 13 ptsMatt Henry 562Pulborough 84 2 ptsHastings 874 30 ptsMatt Machan 53 not outPremier League Team M W D L Ab MP BP Total1 Hastings 9 6 2 0 1 130 83 213 2 Preston Nomads 9 6 3 0 0 120 78 198 3 Horsham 9 5 2 1 1 110 76 186 4 East Grinstead 9 5 1 3 0 100 85 185 5 Roffey 10 3 1 4 2 80 76 156 6 Brighton and Hove 10 3 3 3 1 70 84 154 7 Three Bridges 9 2 2 4 1 50 68 118 8 Chichester 10 2 1 7 0 40 77 117 9 Eastbourne 9 2 1 6 0 40 68 108 10 Pulborough 10 0 3 5 2 20 63 83 11 Sussex Dev XI 4 0 1 1 2 20 14 65Hastings have returned to the top of the Sussex Premier League following a convincing six wicket win at Pulborough Their two nearest rivals Preston Nomads and Horsham played out a draw at FulkingFourth placed East Grinstead enjoyed a six wicket win at struggling Eastbourne and emerging Roffey won by five wickets at Chichester Brighton and Hove won at home to Three Bridges Hastings owed much to teenage paceman Joynal Ahmed playing only his second Premier game as he took 4 for 20 to send Pulborough tumbling to 84 all out Will Howard with 33 was their top scorerIn reply Sussex professional Matt Machan hit 53 not out to take Hastings home at 87 for 4 and earn their sixth victory in nine starts At Fulking Preston Nomads held out with eight wickets down against Horsham after their visitors had posted 236 all out of which opener John Burroughs made 96 and skipper Craig Gallagher 46 Sam Attfield helped things along with 31 For Nomads there were two wickets each for James Anyon Carl Simon and Kashif Ibrahim and there were three run outs Nomads were quickly in trouble and fell to 110 for 7 before Ibrahim with 39 steered them towards a total of 196 for 8 at Stumps Rob Wakeford made an entertaining 47 before he was stumpedFor Horsham young New Zealander Matt Henry took 5 for 62 and former Somerset leg-spinner Michael Munday 3 for 60 East Grinstead rattled up 232 for 4 declared against Eastbourne at the Saffrons with 120 from Will Adkin and 59 not out from the Leaguersquos leading rungetter Matt Sugg Josh Presland took 3 for 56 for the home sideBur Eastbourne then tumbled to 92 all out despite 43 from Brad Smith as Duncan Shoebridge took 4 for 26 and Craig Fowle 3 for 20 Brighton and Hove made short work of beating Three Bridges after posting 168 all out of which Chris Grammer made 30 and Jordan Rollings 38For the visitors Adrian Chapple took 5 for 86 and Jigga Parekh 4 for 36But Skipper Matt Wood proved the match winner for the home side he took 7 for 17 to reduce Bridges to 53 all out Chris Atherton waded in with 3 for 30 Roffey playing next week in the last 32 of the ECB National Club competition continued their good form with a five wicket win at Chichester after holding the home side to 203 for 8 declared of which Peter Lamb made 54 and Rochard Logan 63Andy McGorian took 3 for 62 but skipper Michael Norris led Roffey home to 206 for 5 as he hit 93 Logan grabbed 3 for 45

Tagged Users
Richard Logan

Devon League - Week 8 Results!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:18:44 +0100

1st XI Premier Division Result Summary- Week 8 ndash25th June 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsBudleigh Salterton 6 points 121 all out J Burke 54 R Bougourd 4-20 P Bradley 3-26 lostBovey Tracey 20 points 203 all out P Bradley 31 Z Joseph 42 B Ayres 50 C Carter 30 M Sutcliffe 6-31 by 82 runsExmouth 7 points 226 all out D Lye 56 R Baggs 67 T Anning 53 G Querl 5-60 lost toNorth Devon 20 points 227 for4 N Bettis 45 R Gear 96 C Overton 37 G Greenway 3-22 by 6 wktsPaignton 7 points 146 all out S Benton 68 G Chappell 5-57 lost toBradninch 20 points 204 all out B Cachopa 51 G Benton 3-39 T Farkin 3-57 T Field 3-65 by 58 runsPlympton 16 points 116 all out A Walter 20 C Bunney 20 J Wadham 3-20 J Menheneott 3-26 beatHeathcoat 6 points 113 all out C Small 27 Imran Ali Pasha 7-44 by 3 runsSidmouth 17 points 132 all out W Gater 63no C Hill 4-36 beat Plymouth 6 points 117 all out N Read 30 M Dalton 3-21 by 15 runsPublished by DCL Premier Division Result Secretary Dennis White 28th June 2011denniswhite1skycom

Cricket Match turns into Brawl!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:42:54 +0100

Police were called to Hainault Recreation Ground Forest Road Hainault when the match between Kothi and Taqwa cricket clubs turned violentOne Taqwa Cricket Club player Ahmed Mohammed was reportedly knocked unconscious during the fracas on the pitch and was one of two people taken to hospital where he stayed overnightThe two teams were playing in the Gujarati Metropolitan Cricket League GMCL in which they are close rivalsA member of the GMCL committee who did not want to be named said ldquoWe have been running the league for 15 years and this is the worst incident everldquoIt started off as verbal which happens in every game and the captain should have stopped it but unfortunately in this instance he didnrsquotrdquoRead more here

North Devon secure another win! 18/6/11

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:50:02 +0100

1st XI Premier Division Result Summary- Week 7 ndash18th June 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsBovey Tracey 20 points 143 for 3 P Bradley 45 Z Joseph 44no beatHeathcoat 3 points 139 all out C Small 32 L Lewis 47no D Childs 5-37 by 7 wktsBradninch 5 points 132 all out A Storm 40 R Baggs 3-23 lost toExmouth 19 points 133 for 6 DE Lye 29 R Acton 4-36 by 4 wktsBudleigh Salterton 6 points vPlympton 6 points match cancelledNorth Devon 19 points 178 for 5 C Overton 72 D Burke 3-56 beatPlymouth 6 points 177 for 8 D Hewitt 40 S Luffman 32 C Overton 3-36 J Overton 3-34 by 5 wktsPaignton 7 points 163 all out M Pedley 30 W Murray 3-36 N Hancock 3-32 lost toSidmouth 20 points 230 for 8A Griffiths 42 N Hancock 36 W Gater 59 by 67 runsPublished by DCL Premier Division Result Secretary Dennis White 21st June 2011 denniswhite1skycom

A wet weekend sees the batsman struggle!

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:06:20 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 18th June areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamAneesh KapilWolverhampton113CheshireSunit PandaUrmston112CornwallMatthew RoweTroon117DerbyshireDavid SmitIlkeston Rutland122DevonCraig OvertonNorth Devon72East AngliaHarry BushNorwich81EssexThomas OakleyArdleigh Green72Home CountiesJames BenningHigh Wycombe158KentChris VernonLordswood72LeicestershireLouis BottingBarkby United56LincolnshirePhil SneathSleaford96LiverpoolMatthew GlayzerOrmskirk118MiddlesexCarlos NunesTwickenham80NorthantsAlec SwannNorthants Saints120North eastWash OutNSSCWill PurserLongton112North WalesRobbie JonesMenai Bridge96Northern PremierPieter MalanBarrow117NottinghamMatthew HigginsWelbeck Colliery126South WalesBen WrightSwansea55Southern PremierSimon BeethamLymington63SurreyGraham GraceWimbledon68SussexLuke WellsBrighton65West of EnglandRobert WoodmanTaunton Deane112YorkshireJamie PickeringCastleford122The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 18th June areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamNeil PinnerKidderminster6-48CheshireJimmy WarringtonNantwich6-84CornwallNicholas GeorgeSt Just8-20DerbyshireMuhammed SultanQuardon4-31DevonDaniel ChildsBovey Tracey5-37East AngliaJoe BarrsSaffron Walden5-61EssexMax OsbourneBrentwood6-45Home CountiesBen FrazerHarpenden4-38KentMatt DenningtonBromley5-42LeicestershireR SharmaLoughborough Town4-23LincolnshireDavid WhiteGrimsby Town4-27LiverpoolAndrew WarhurstHightown6-53MiddlesexElliot HannahTeddington5-16NorthantsRichard StempNorthants Saints5-21North eastWash OutNSSCCraig BakerAudley6-28North WalesCarl ThomasMenai Bridge4-36Northern PremierIan CritchleyChorley5-21NottinghamAlex KingWollaton4-34South WalesJonathon HubschmidSwansea4-17Southern PremierJack SheppardHants Academy4-16SurreySussexRichard LoganChichester8-18West of EnglandSean StringerWeston Super Mare6-40YorkshireDan CravenHarrogate6-53

Tagged Users
Richard Logan

The Green slip to 2nd in the table!

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:00:30 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Tamworth CC - Sat 1st XIA heavy deluge saved Barnards Green from a tricky session as their Birmingham League campaign hit its first major roadblock in the form of an impressive Tamworth outfitWinning the toss and again taking an early wicket with Talbot dismissed for 14 by McEwan the Green sensed another strong start with the ball however an excellent innings by Burrows71 who was excellently supported by Orton30 Flower30 and Maddox23 led to the home side having to toil in an innings that suffered three rain breaksMcEwan was again in the wickets taking 4-60 and Smedley showed some form with his seventeen overs conceding just 52 for two wickets Sloppy fielding including five dropped catches hurt the home side as the visitors posted 250Despite a watchful start from Adam Dovey23 none of the Green batsmen really got going The first wicket fell on 25 with Golder dismissed for 9 The home side then proceeded to lose five wickets for just twenty runs when rain intervened with Poole and McEwan both on zero With a break in the skies play was minutes from the resumption after a long delay when a fatal deluge hit North End Lane and rendering further play impossibleThe Greenrsquos emotions mixed at this point as with twenty five overs needed to constitute a game they would have faced a testing eleven over period needing over six runs an over for a winning draw but more likely a battle for survivalThis weekend the First Eleven travel to Cathedral City Lichfield for another tough fixture With Brewood picking up points the Green slip to second in the table for the first time this season

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Barnards Green CC v Penn CC

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:21:09 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Penn CC - 1st XIAn excellent bowling display and ruthless batting kept Barnards Green at the top of the Birmingham League Division 3 table despite indifferent weather in the regionSkipper Tim Williams yet again won the toss and stuck to the winning formula inserting a Penn side containing several experienced Birmingham League cricketersVisiting skipper Dhillon was back in the hutch within 3 balls LBW to a McEwan inswinger and Harris struck a triple blow dismissing Hudson Lal and Adam Lawley all without scoring to leave the Wolverhampton outfit reeling at 10-4Nick Lawley joined his brother James to offer some resistance for the home side this period disappointedly culminated in a rain delay of an hour Upon the resumption a smart slip catch from Ford off McEwan accounted for James Lawley for an innings top score of 19 However only Rana18 provided any further ballast to the total as the impressive Harris5-36 and McEwan 4-32 routed the away side for a well below par total of 88With weather and nerves the only likely obstacles to a seemingly comfortable run chase economical bowling from Brooker and Doggett led to some nervous watching as Adam Dovey and Kevin Golder negotiated a tough opening spell with both batsman playing and missing occasions Unfortunately for the visitors their early pressure did not translate into early wickets as both Golder and Dovey increased fluencyWith dark clouds looming Golder sensed it was time to up the tempo and struck 6 boundaries including a brutal maximum in his 41 not out ably supported by Dovey 22 not out and gifted 26 extras by the visitors the winning total was reached just as the heavens openedWith in form Oswestry winning again and closing the gap at the top to 2 points the Green will be hoping to continue their form as they host fourth placed Tamworth who were tipped for the title by the punditry website wwwclubcriccomWickets are pitched at 12pm with the bar open all day and the Harris Kitchen providing refreshments

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Hastings still going strong at the top - 11/6/11

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:46:09 +0100

Premier League reportHastings continue to lead the Sussex Premier League ahead of Horsham Preston Nomads and East Grinstead All the top four played drawn games on Saturday with some affected by the weatherPulborough remain bottom and still without a win after they drew their home game with fellow strugglers ChichesterBrighton and Hove were Premier league winners in beating Eastbourne by 70 runs and Three Bridges won their second successive game with a win against Roffey by 83 runsBrighton batted first after winning the toss against Eastbourne and they were bowled out for 168 as Ed Giddins grabbed 6 for 35 Luke Wells with 52 was top scorer for the home sideEastbourne then capitulated to 98 all out as leg-spinner Patrick Spencer took 7 for 26 while Chad Chisholm with 29 was Eastbournersquos most successful batsmanHisam-Ul-Haq led the way for Three Bridges as they raced to 285 for 3 declared at home to Roffey He was well supported with 77 not out from James Chadburn and 64 not out from skipper Danny AldermanIn reply Roffey were dismissed for 202 as Amir Khan top scored with 71 and skipper Michael Norris made 59For Bridges Chad Barrett took 3 for 41 Jigga Parekh 3 for 12 and Adul Khan 3 for 82A hailstorm hit the game at Fulking between Preston Nomads and East Grinstead and when the teams returned to the field play was drastically reducedEast Grinstead made 178 for 6 declared after being put in after at one time being 76 for 5 Lewis Hatchett hit 53 and James Adkin 40In reply Nomads struggled to 108 for 7 with Hatchett taking 3 for 38 and Craig Fowle 3 for 33Horsham batted first at Hastings and reached 243 for 7 declared with 56 not out from Matt Henry and 47 from skipper Craig GallagherKirk Wernars took 2 for 70 Josh Poysden 2 for 57 and Jason Finch 2 for 55In reply Hastings reached 210 for 8 at stumps with 61 not out from Max Finzel and 41 from Jason FinchMatt Henry took 4 for 68 and former Somerset leg-spinner Michael Munday took 2 for 52 on his Horsham debutPulborough had the better of the bottom of the table clash against Chichester but the draw means the clubs remain as the bottom two with Pulborough yet to win a game and Chichesterrsquos only win has been against the Sussex Development XIRohit Jagota made 86 and Tom Crump 53 to take Pulborough to 232 for 4 declaredIn reply Chichester struggled to 130 for 6 with opener Matt Gregory carrying his bat for 62 not outFor the home side Canada World Cup bowler Harvit Baiwan took 2 for 18 and Jagota 2 for 12Premier LeagueBrighton and Hove 168 24 ptsLuke Wells 52 Ed Giddins 635Eastbourne 98 10 ptsPatrick Spencer 726Horsham 2437 dec14 ptsMatt Henry 56 not outHastings 2108 10 ptsMax Finzel 61 not outEast Grinstead1786 dec9 pts0Lewis Hatchett 53Preston Nomads 1087 2 ptsPulborough 2324 dec13 ptsRohit Jagota 86 Tom Crump 53 not outChichester 1306 5 ptsMatt Gregory 62 not outThree Bridges 2853 dec30 ptsHisam-Ul-Haq 92 James Chadburn 77 not out Danny Alderman 64 not outRoffey 202 5 ptsAmir Khan 71 Michael Norris 59Premier League Team M W D L Ab MP BP Total1 Hastings 7 5 2 0 0 100 73 173 2 Horsham 7 5 1 1 0 100 62 162 3 Preston Nomads 7 5 2 0 0 100 55 155 4 East Grinstead 7 4 1 2 0 80 67 147 5 Brighton and Hove 8 2 3 3 0 40 80 120 6 Roffey 7 2 1 4 0 40 69 109 7 Eastbourne 7 2 1 4 0 40 62 102 8 Three Bridges 7 2 2 3 0 40 58 98 9 Chichester 8 1 1 6 0 20 57 77 10 Pulborough 8 0 3 4 1 10 61 71 11 Sussex Dev XI 3 0 1 1 1 10 14 46

Devon League 11/6/11

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:49:15 +0100

1st XI Premier Division Result Summary- Week 6 ndash11th June 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsBovey Tracey 20 points 58 for1 P Bradley 28no beatPaignton 0 points 56 all out R Bougard 5-24 C Bradley 3-8 by 9 wktsHeathcoat 3 points 50 all out G Querl 4-12 J Overton 5-11 lost toNorth Devon 20 points 234 for7 N Bettis 85 J Menheneott 3-79 by 184 runsPlymouth 14 points 242 for 9 D Hewitt 40 N Read 36 R Acton 3-52 drew withBradninch 11 points 212 for 6 R Cater 30 J Street 34 R Acton 32 L Storm 42no S Nowack 43 M Hooper 3-31 Plympton 20 points 222 for 5 D Wrench 86no C Bunney 38 Imran 41no D Lye 3-58 beatExmouth 7 points 221 all out D Lye 30 R Baggs 40 A Radunovic 38 L Greenway 32 Imran 4-45 by 5 wktsSidmouth 6 points 160 all out B Gledhill 58 S Patidar 35 J Burke 3-24 J Murphy 3-33 lost toBudleigh Salterton 20 points 161 for 6S Barlow 34 J Murphy 30no by 4 wkts

The batsman dominate on 11th June!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:59:20 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 11th June areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamMoeen AliWolverhampton110CheshireJonny KettleNantwich150CornwallTaylor WilliamsSt Austell84DerbyshireHasan AdnanAlvaston Boulton100DevonDavid WrenchPlympton86East AngliaJoel AbrahamSwardeston221EssexRobert MarshallWoodford Wells143Home CountiesLouis ChampionWelwyn Garden City116KentTom HarveyThe Mote114LeicestershireHarvinder UppalMarket Harborough84LincolnshireNick JohnBracebridge Heath134LiverpoolStephen ParryBootle133MiddlesexAjat SanghaBrondesbury158NorthantsGreg EvansFinedon Dolby112North eastJoe CoyneSunderland88NSSCDavid MoorsSandyford114North WalesNathan ShearerMenai Bridge154Northern PremierLuis ReeceLeyalnd130NottinghamMatthew CartwrightKiveton Park Colliery102South WalesNick JamesSwansea106Southern PremierDavid TaylorAlton118SurreyZafar AnsariWeybridge123SussexHisham-Ul-HaqThree Bridges92West of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester89YorkshireBrandon HandleyAppleby Froddingham118

LCA Cricket Coaching and Dorset Cricket Board join forces!

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:23:25 +0100

LCA Cricket Coaching are delighted to have joined forces with the DorsetCricket Board LCA Cricket Coaching will be running a variety ofcoaching courses throughout the year offering children in the region anopportunity to further enhance their skills and rub shoulders with someof the finest players from the neighbouring counties From WinterAcademies right the way through to discipline specific Masterclassesthere will be something for everyone in Dorset this coming year andbeyond The reasonably priced courses will be giving the DCB a stream ofrevenue to pump back into the development of the cricket in the area inan attempt to make the DCB one of the most successful minor countysetups aroundldquoWe are excited at the prospect of being involved in hosting thesecourses run by LCA Cricket Coaching and I would strongly urge the keencricketers of all abilities boys and girls in our region to take alook at what is on offer to them as I feel they offer a fantasticadditional opportunity to further develop and improve their ability Thecoaches that are likely to be gracing Dorset with their presence in thefuture are all very highly qualified and have great experience in theworld of professional cricketrdquo explained Keith Brewer CricketDevelopment Director Dorset Cricket BoardThe first of the LCA Cricket Coaching courses will take place at HurnCricket Centre on 22nd and 23rd June These will be in the style of amaster class with the bowling master class on the 22nd June and thebatting master class on 23rd June Due to the nature of the master classdelivery the age range can be quite diverse catering for childrenboth boys and girls aged between 11 and 16 For more informationplease visit wwwlcacricketcoachingcouk or call 01489 808004Head Coach of LCA Cricket Coaching and current Hampshire professionalDavid Balcombe spoke of the partnership ldquothis is something we have beentrying to achieve for a while now and we thank Keith and the committeeat the DCB for giving us this opportunity We see the partnership as astepping stone for cricketing success in the region and we arethoroughly looking forward to working with the array of talent that Iknow is out there These are exciting times looking ahead to thepotential that we can hopefully help bring outrdquoLCA Cricket Coaching and Dorset Cricket Board join forcesLCA Cricket Coaching are delighted to have joined forces with the DorsetCricket Board LCA Cricket Coaching will be running a variety ofcoaching courses throughout the year offering children in the region anopportunity to further enhance their skills and rub shoulders with someof the finest players from the neighbouring counties From WinterAcademies right the way through to discipline specific Master classesthere will be something for everyone in Dorset this coming year andbeyond The reasonably priced courses will be giving the DCB a stream ofrevenue to pump back into the development of the cricket in the area inan attempt to make the DCB one of the most successful minor countysetups aroundldquoWe are excited at the prospect of being involved in hosting thesecourses run by LCA Cricket Coaching and I would strongly urge the keencricketers of all abilities boys and girls in our region to take alook at what is on offer to them as I feel they offer a fantasticadditional opportunity to further develop and improve their ability Thecoaches that are likely to be gracing Dorset with their presence in thefuture are all very highly qualified and have great experience in theworld of professional cricketrdquo explained Keith Brewer CricketDevelopment Director Dorset Cricket BoardThe first of the LCA Cricket Coaching courses will take place at Hurn Cricket Centre on 22nd and 23rd June These will be in the style of amaster class with the bowling master class on the 22nd June and thebatting master class on 23rd June Due to the nature of the master classdelivery the age range can be quite diverse catering for childrenboth boys and girls aged between 11 and 16Head Coach of LCA Cricket Coaching and current Hampshire professionalDavid Balcombe spoke of the partnership ldquothis is something we have been trying to achieve for a while now and we thank Keith and the committeeat the DCB for giving us this opportunity We see the partnership as astepping stone for cricketing success in the region and we arethoroughly looking forward to working with the array of talent that Iknow is out there These are exciting times looking ahead to thepotential that we can hopefully help bring outrdquo

4th June - Top Players

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:34:51 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 4th June areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamNeil PinnerKidderminster120CheshireKhalid SawasMacclesfield134CornwallJake LibbyCallington107DerbyshireDavid SmitIlkeston Rutland191DevonRob GearNorth Devon93East AngliaCarl RogersGreat Witchingham144EssexBilal ButtLoughton128Home CountiesNitin SehgalHigh Wycombe103KentMiguel BarbosaBromley135LeicestershireRobert TaylorMarket Harborough112LincolnshireChris JonesMarket Deeping103LiverpoolJW EvansColwyn Bay130MiddlesexFred Daeche-MarshallFinchley130NorthantsDean JoyRushton126North eastRamanpreet SinghDurham Academy126NSSCChris BeechLeek97North WalesNathan ShearerMenai Bridge124Northern PremierDickon MorrisCarnforth89NottinghamGareth CurtisMansfield Hosiery Mills111South WalesCraig MaloneyAmmanford145Southern PremierPeter HopsonHavant142SurreyAli JafferBanstead156SussexHisham-Ul-HaqThree Bridges152West of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester114YorkshireJordon LoweRotherham Town95The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 4th June areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamKadeer AliWest Bromwich Dartmouth5-60CheshireAdam RoylanceGrappenhall6-81CornwallSanjaya RajapakseCallington6-72DerbyshirePaul DawsonLullington Park8-53DevonGlen QuerlNorth Devon6-46East AngliaJames HaleGreat Witchingham6-76EssexMohammed KhanWanstead4-23Home CountiesSohail HussainHigh Wycombe6-25KentMin PatelBexley6-37LeicestershireLiam KinchSileby Town4-21LincolnshireTom AndrewsMarket Deeping6-69LiverpoolMichael BaerLeigh5-27MiddlesexTom ScolleyEastcote5-42NorthantsMatthew BellRushton5-11North eastBarry StewartTynemouth5-46NSSCSwananji MadanayakeBarlaston8-82North WalesIwan RobertsBangor5-44Northern PremierDinuka HiettiarchchiSt Annes7-32NottinghamDan CummingNotts Academy4-41South WalesAlun ThomasCardiff5-81Southern PremierJamie MillerHampshire Academy5-64SurreyMatthew ToddSunbury4-27SussexCarl SimonPreston Nomads8-55West of EnglandJason SquireTaunton Deane4-36YorkshireTom PringleYork8-74

Hasting still flying high!

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:40:54 +0100

Premier LeagueEast Grinstead 207 28 ptsWill Adkin 75 Chris Atherton 736Brighton and Hove 195 13 ptsJordan Rollings 75Tim Jarvis 51Hastings 3183 dec13 ptsKirk Werners 167 not out Matt Machan 76Harry Finch 55Preston Nomads 2417 5 ptsAlasdair Wilson 61 Stuart Faith 52Chichester 92 0 ptsMatt Henry 515 Horsham 963 30 ptsEastbourne 86 0 ptsDan Smith 528 Roffey 891 30 ptsThree Bridges 2788 dec14 ptsJibran Khan 92 Danny Alderman 58Pulborough 2779 13 ptsSachin Chuadhuri 79 Rohit Jagota 67Premier League Team M W D L Ab BP 1 Hastings 5 4 1 0 0 80 53 133 2 Horsham 5 4 0 1 0 80 44 124 3 Preston Nomads 5 4 1 0 0 80 43 123 4 East Grinstead 5 3 0 2 0 60 50 110 5 Roffey 5 2 1 2 0 40 52 92 6 Eastbourne 5 2 1 2 0 40 41 81 7 Brighton and Hove 5 1 2 2 0 20 56 76 8 Chichester 6 1 0 5 0 20 44 64 9 Pulborough 5 0 2 3 0 0 40 40 10 Three Bridges 5 0 2 3 0 0 38 38 11 Sussex Dev XI 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 8 There were runs galore in the top of the table clash between Hastings and Preston Nomads at Horntye Park but the game ended with Nomads holding out for a draw facing a massive Hastings scoreThe result allowed Horsham to move into second place above Nomads with their convincing seven wicket win at home to Chichester East Grinstead are fourth following their win at Brighton and Hove and they are followed by Roffey who triounced EastbourneThe bottom two clubs Pulborough and Three Bridges played out a high scoring drawHastings were surprisingly put in by Preston Nomads on a flat pitch that gave little help to the bowlers and they were positive in rattling up 318 for 3 declared from 55 oversNew Sussex recruit Kirk Werners hit 167 not out fellow pro Matt Machan made 76 and youngster Harry Finch 55In reply Nomadsrsquo openers Alasdair Wilson 61 and Stuart Faith 52 added 111 to give their side hopes of a successful run chase but hope faded when Rob Wakeford was run out for 47 and at stumps the innings had drifted to 241 for 7 still 79 short of victoryFor Hastings Jack Parsons took 2 for 52 on his debut and Mick Glazier grabbed 2 for 32 There were three century stands in the game a first time for the Sussex League Chichester decided to bat first at Horsham and were sent tumbling to 92 all out as New Zealander Matt Henry took 5 for 15 and emerging Sussex youngster Devon Endersby 3 for 24 James Johnson then made 28 not out and Endersby 25 as Horsham cruised to 96 for 3 in just 21 overs Another Sussex player Will Adkin led the way with 75 as East Grinstead made 207 all out as Chris Atherton took 7 for 36 in 19 overs Brighton were dismissed for 195 with Jordan Rollings hitting 70 and Tim Jarvis 51For the visitors Craig Fowle took 4 for 73 and Duncan Shoebridge 4 for 38 Eastbourne crashed to 86 all out at Roffey despite skipper Mark Tomsett making top score of 34 as Dan Smith took 5 for 28The home side won by nine wickets at 89 for 1 from 193 overs Aaron Jeal made 36 not out and Chris Plaister 26 not outAt Three Bridges the home side raced to 278 for 8 declared against Pulborough with Jibran Khan leading the way with 92 and skipper Danny Alderman making 58 For Pulborough Rohit Jagiots took 3 for 55 and Amit Suman 3 for 69 The visitors took the game to a nailbiting finish at one short of the Bridges total with nine wickets downIn their total of 277 for 9 Jagota made 69 and Sachan Chaudhuri hit 79 Chad Barrett taking 4 for 65 and Danny Alderman 2 for 66

4 from 4 for Barnards Green CC

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:47:07 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Wednesbury CC - 1st XIDestructive Dovey demolishes WednesburyGreen ten points clear with four from fourA devastating eight over spell from Malvern Rambler old boy Jon Dovey ripped the heart out of the Wednesbury batting order and set up a fourth consecutive league victory for Barnards GreenContinuing his good form with the coin Tim Williams had no hesitation on inserting the opposition with rain showers the forecast for the day Unfortunately his bowlers could not initially match this form as Jarvis 44 and Owen 22 set up a useful opening partnership of fifty with McEwan in particular having issues with his radarMcEwan2-53 eventually struck the first blow bowling Owen and then trapped Baker LBW first ball a close shout for LBW on his hat-trick ball was turned down and the reprieved batsman Patel made great use of this early fillip unleashing some booming drives down the groundSmedleyrsquos introduction severely stunted the run rate as he bowled 4 consecutive maidens at Jarvis who in an attempt to break the shackles was adjudged LBW sweeping Hull who had struggled to 4 from 32 balls with a solitary scoring stroke was another Smedley 2-40 victim caught at the wicket by BinksAt the other end Poole was removed from the attack and replaced by Jon Dovey who got the major breakthrough of the innings as the impressive Patel picked out cover fielder Harris to fall for a stylish 69 Dovey with his tail up continued to make the ball talk and blitzed the Wednesbury lower order with a highly impressive display of swing and seam bowling taking 5-20 from 8 overs with only Whistance10 and Tonks12 reaching double figuresThe visitors innings finishing on 201-955 and with a rain interruption of nearly an hour leaving the Green just 44 overs to batGolder and Adam Dovey opened up hoping to give another solid start to the innings however Golder 11 and Dovey5 joined Ford1 back in the shed before the score had reached 60 McEwan was the fourth wicket to fall to an injudicious shot after striking a huge six the previous ball and it was left to the talented Harris and veteran Smedley to rebuild the inningsSmedley was the ideal foil to the sublime Harris as he rotated the strike well in his 23 to allow Harris to turn on the style in an innings of 77 which was ended when he picked out the safe hands of Jarvis Smedley who had looked in little trouble unfortunately holed out to a well hit slog sweep which fell into the lap of the deep fielder leaving the home side in a precarious position still needing nearly 50 to win with the run rate comfortable but by no means easyEnter evergreen Jazzy Clarke who with his usual swashbuckling style stroked a cameo 24 not out from just 21 balls including three fours and a huge six to guide the home side to victory with twelve balls to spareOn Monday the Green traveled to Brewood CC for the bank holiday fixtures however persistent rain led to the match being abandoned without a ball being bowled Shropshire club Oswestry took advantage of a favourable weather pocket to dispatch Handsworth for twenty points to leave the Green ten points clear at the top

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Devon Round Up for the week!

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:50:36 +0100

1st XI Premier Division Result Summary- Week Four ndash 28th May 2011 Penalty SummaryPlympton 2 slow over rateResultsBradninch 20 points 152 for 3 T Piper 47no J Webb 63no beat Bovey Tracey 3 points 148 all out B Ayres 35 S Nowack 4-37 R Acton 3-32 by 7 wktsBudleigh Salterton 9 points188 for 8R Dawson 43J Hudson 34 S Barlow 37 drew withExmouth 15 points 230 for7 D Lye 74 R Baggs 59 N Folland 34no Paignton 11 points 203 for 9 G Benton 30 G Yates 49no A Imram 5-50 drew with Plympton 15 points 212 for9 A Walter 59 Imran 36 Plymouth 7 points164 for 2 C Whittaker 71 D Hewitt 67no lost toHeathcoat15 points 168 for8 S Smith 62no D Burke 3-32 M Hooper 3-25 by 2 wktsSidmouth 12 points 158 for 7 J Bess 91no M Westaway 6-37 vNorth Devon14 points 223 for 6 N Bettis91 C Overton 50 M Cooke 3-55 match abandonedPublished by DCL Premier Division Result Secretary Dennis White 31st May 2011 denniswhite1skycom

28th May Round Up

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:05:09 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 28th May areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamChristiaan JonkerWalsall156CheshireRichard GreenGrappenhall110CornwallLewis JenkinsFalmouth84DerbyshireBen AshdownSpondon116DevonJosh BessSidmouth91East AngliaMatt SpencerHalstead161EssexRoyston SmithArdleigh Green157Home CountiesJames BenningHigh Wycombe129KentChris VernonLordswood119LeicestershireJoel GarrettLutterworth124LincolnshireWarren NelHartsholme119LiverpoolMartyn EvansNew Brighton94MiddlesexEdmund EckersleyEaling107NorthantsMohammed HussainRushden Town120North eastTom WestleySouth Shields177NSSCNayyer AbbasKnypersley102North WalesTom ScrimshawDenbigh101Northern PremierPieter MalanBarrow86NottinghamUsman AfzaalWest Indian Cavaliers111South WalesRyan SylvesterSully Centurions101Southern PremierRichard HindleyHavant118SurreyGraham GraceWimbledon159SussexKirk WernersHasting St Leonards167West of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester119YorkshireAlex LeesYorkshire Academy102The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 28th May areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamDaniel SmithHimley5-31CheshireRob PorterMacclesfield5-48CornwallKelvin SnellPaul5-12DerbyshireMichael DeaneChesterfield5-51DevonMatt WestawayNorth Devon6-37East AngliaJustin BishopBury St Edmunds5-45EssexPaul CourtChelmsford5-48Home CountiesJames MorrisFalkland5-42KentJames HockleyHartley Country Club5-38LeicestershireTom DriverKibworth6-38LincolnshireTom BaxterBoston6-66LiverpoolAshraf NawabNew Brighton6-41MiddlesexJames GattingWinchmore Hall7-44NorthantsJohn PikeWollaston5-19North eastJames WardStockton5-57NSSCNayyer AbbasKnypersley6-53North WalesGerallt RobertsMenai Bridge5-38Northern PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes6-37NottinghamJonathon BallWelbeck Colliery6-45South WalesSarthak SawlaniMumbles7-49Southern PremierJames OrsquoGormanAndover4-41SurreyJustin GrangerSunbury4-14SussexChris AthertonBrighton and Hove7-36West of EnglandVikram BanerjeeBristol5-34YorkshireDan WoodsYork7-88

Top Performers from last weekend!

Thu, 26 May 2011 16:30:49 +0100

Again the early season sun has laid the foundations for some very good batting performances with 20 out of 23 leagues having hundreds scored in them and 4 scores over 150 Matt Sugg from East Grinstead top scored with 170 not out The batsman didnt have it all their own way though with six 7 wickets hauls been takenA little bit of rain this week may see the bowlers take control but well wait and seeThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 21st May areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamLaurie EvansMoseley131CheshireMark RowlandsOxton76CornwallDerbyshirePaul BorringtonTicknall115DevonBobby DawsonBudleigh Salterton96East AngliaCarl RogersGreat Witchingham85EssexImran QadirHainault Clayhall160Home CountiesJames BenningHigh Wycombe110KentGreg BainBexley121LeicestershireRobert TaylorMarket Harborough143LincolnshireAaron BrinbleLouth128LiverpoolDanny NolanNorthop Hall104MiddlesexSean TerryHampstead148NorthantsGavin BakerBurton Latimer157North eastZohaib KhanBenwell Hill132NSSCDaniel BrierleyWood Lane134North WalesGlenn ChambersPontblyddyn127Northern PremierMichael StevensLancaster72NottinghamDavid SmithWollaton111South WalesAneurin NormanCardiff129Southern PremierDavid TaylorAlton100SurreyGary OutramSutton114SussexMatthew SuggEast Grinstead170West of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester148YorkshireGerhard RudolphRotherham Town155The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 21st May areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamRicardo GordonMoseley7-36CheshireJonny WarringtonNantwich6-61CornwallDerbyshireNathan DumelowQuardon5-33DevonChris BradleyBovey Tracey5-45East AngliaRyan McCoreGreat Witchingham5-47EssexTheeban TavarasaIlford6-12Home CountiesKeith DutchTring Park7-80KentTom MeesBromley4-41LeicestershireHarvinder UppalMarket Harborough4-80LincolnshireElliot WilsonBoston6-26LiverpoolAndrew GlennonHightown6-18MiddlesexClint McCabeTwickenham5-85NorthantsSimon BranstonRushden Town7-53North eastChris VarleyBlaydon5-101NSSCSohail RaufSandyford7-13North WalesAshley WodMenai Bridge6-24Northern PremierGaurav DharChorley5-71NottinghamAlex KingWollaton5-62South WalesAlun ThomasCardiff4-46Southern PremierDarren AugustusAlton5-44SurreyAdam StanierSunbury4-12SussexKuldeep RawatPulborough7-47West of EnglandTom HankinsCorsham5-39YorkshireDan WoodsYork7-60

Sussex League Round up 23/5/11

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:12:14 +0100

Premier LeagueThe top two teams in the Sussex Premier League have both won all four games they have each played so far this season and Hastings lead current champions Preston Nomads by 2 points the teams meet at Hastings next SaturdayHorsham have moved into third place just ahead of Eastbourne and East Grinstead all the top five won their games on SaturdayHastings rattled up 273 all out at Brighton and Hove as Adam Maharaj-Newman hit 111 and Jason Finch 63 for the home side skipper Matt Wood took 5 for 68Brighton were then dismissed for 231 despite a patient 55 from Matt Green and 36 from Curtis Ford 16 year-old Harry Finch took 3 for 25 Preston Nomads won by a narrow 3 wickets at home to Roffey who made 188 for 9 declared after being put in In that total skipper Mike Norris made 54 and Simon Shivnarain 38For Nomads Carl Simon took 3 for 46 and Stephen Rigg 3 for 47Then Joe Gatting led the way to victory the Sussex player hit 112 off 91 balls including 18 fours and a six but Nomads were at one time 128 for 6 before they recovered to win for Roffey Aussie paceman Andrew McGorian took 6 for 81 Horsham were dismissed for 182 at Pulborough who are so far without a victory after their promotion last season Skipper Craig Gallagher his 65 and Will Beer 58 as Kuldeep Rawat grabbed 7 for 49 for the home sideBut wickets tumbled after tea as Pulborough were sent tumbling to 107 all out in 414 overs Sam Cushing taking 4 for 18There was drama at East Grinstead where the home side won of the very last ball by 76 runs against bottom club Three BridgesPut in Grinstead declared at 281 for 5 with Aussie Matt Sugg hitting his second century in successive weeks he made 170 not out and Sussex youngster Lewis Hatchett made 60 there were two wickets each for Hisham-ul-Haq and Chad Barrett Bridges reply started slowly but Hisham-Ul-Haq cracked 81 and James Chadburn made 61 but then the innings subsided and four wickets fell in the last two overs and eight in the last 11 with Craig Fowle bowling Ollie Blandford with the last scheduled ball of the gameFowle took 3 for 46 Hatchett 3 for 30 and Ian Sturmer 4 for 50 Eastbourne enjoyed their second outright win with a four wicket victory at Chichester after the home side had posted 238 for 8 declared of which Matt Gregory hit a superb 163 not out while Josh Presland for Eastbourne took 6 for 122Eastbourne skipper Mark Tomsett then made his second unbeaten century in three League innings to date to take his side to victory at 237 for 6 he made 117 not outHastings 273 30 ptsAdam Maharaj-Newman 111 Jason Finch 63 Matt Wood 568Brighton and Hove 231 15 ptsMatt Green 55Chichester 2388 dec13 ptsMatt Gregory 163 not outJosh Presland 6122Eastbourne 2376 28 ptsMark Tomsett 117 not outEast Grinstead 2815 dec30 ptsMatt Sugg 170 not out Lewis Hatchett 69Three Bridges 205 4 ptsHisham-ul-Haq 81 James Chadburn 61Roffey 1889 dec9 ptsMichael Norris 54Preston Nomads 1917 28 ptsJoe Gatting 112 Andrew McGorian 681Horsham 182 30 ptsCraig Galllagher 65Will Beer 55 Kuldeep Rawat 749Pulborough 107 10 pts Premier League Team M W D L Ab MP BP Pts1 Hastings 4 4 0 0 0 80 40 120 2 Preston Nomads 4 4 0 0 0 80 38 118 3 Horsham 4 3 0 1 0 60 34 94 4 Eastbourne 4 2 1 1 0 40 45 85 5 East Grinstead 4 2 0 2 0 40 42 82 6 Brighton and Hove 4 1 2 1 0 20 43 63 7 Chichester 5 1 0 4 0 20 43 63 8 Roffey 4 1 1 2 0 20 42 62 9 Pulborough 4 0 1 3 0 0 27 27 10 Three Bridges 4 0 1 3 0 0 24 24 11 Sussex Dev XI 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 8

Barnard's Green CC 3 wins on the bounce!

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:17:54 +0100

Handsworth CC Warks - 1st XI vs Barnards Green CC - 1st XINew signing Adam Dovey steered the Green to their third consecutive win in the Birmingham League as they continue to set the pace in the embryonic Division Three tableVisiting skipper Tim Williams won the toss and elected to field in the picturesque setting of one of the greenest spaces in Birmingham City Centre Handsworth ParkPartisan home support and the waft of a grilled chicken BBQ filled the ground as Dawkins 46 and Smith 11 got off to a solid start with Smith happy to play the anchor role to Dawkins aggressive stroke-play After a 26 ball vigil Smith was the first to go smartly caught by Hennessy off McEwan and Johnson quickly followed LBW without troubling the scorers Hooper and Bonner both started in aggressive fashion striking 14 of their combined 19 runs in boundaries however the patient Harris2-31 accounted for skipper Hooper and the impressive Poole1-15 bowled BonnerHarris also secured the major breakthrough trapping Dawkins for 46 and with wily spinner Ford chipping in with the wicket of Folkes for just 4 it was left to veteran Ernie Ramsey12to combine with youngster Okera Bascome in the most significant partnership of the innings Bascome played a mature innings peppered with eight boundaries including two maximums unfortunately for the home side Dovey and McEwan both picked up lower order wickets and two calamitous run outs finished off the Handsworth innings prematurely for 172 with Bascome stranded on 57 not outWith the home side failing to use their allotted overs play resumed immediately for the second consecutive week with Golder this time joined by Adam Dovey at the top of the order to try and negotiate a tricky fifty minute session to the tea break With both openers watchful in defense and ruthless in dispatching the loose ball the Green reached the interval unscathed at 72-0Golder was dismissed shortly after the resumption for 41 bowled by former Jamaican first class player Folkes this brought Harris 23 to the crease who looked in no trouble supporting Dovey until the introduction of spin in the form of Stone The extroverted Stone turned a vicious off break to account for Harris and struck a double blow with Ford falling first ballWith McEwan sensing a potential middle order wobble at 122-3 he upped the ante bludgeoning a rapid fire 28 including 2 huge sixes and scoring the Lionrsquos share of a 37 run partnership with Stone also accounting for McEwan in a spell of 3-41 it was left to Dovey43 not out to shepherd Poole and Clarke to a five wicket victory and 20 pointsThis weekend sees a bank holiday double header with the First XI hosting fellow promoted side Wednesbury on Saturday and traveling to Brewood on Monday Both matches start at 12pm Spectators are welcome to North End Lane with admission free and a selection of snacks and a full bar in operation all day On Monday the Second XI host Bromsgrove at North End Lane start 1230Thanks to minibus sponsors Brookhire and Inline EngineeringA full and unedited version of all match reports can be viewed at httpwwwbarnardsgreencom

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Week 3 Summary from Devon

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:37:22 +0100

1st XI Premier Division Result Summary- Week Three ndash 21st May 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsBovey Tracey 8 points 182 all outN Seagar 37 Z Joseph 40no M Hooper 4-31 lost to Plymouth 19 points 194 for 8 C Whittaker 47 J Toms 49 H Kamdampully 37 C Bradley 5-45 by 12 runsExmouth 15 points 200 for 8D Lye 90A Buzza 45 S Kelly 3-49 drew withPaignton 9 points 173 for 8 G Benton 63no S George 33 T Anning 3-42 Heathcoat 7 points 192 for 7 C Small 67no L Lewis 43 J Murphy 3-42 lost to Budleigh Salterton 18 points 193 for6 R Dawson 96no S Spoljaric 33 P Elliot 3-44 by 4 wktsNorth Devon 11 points 247 for 7 C Overton 61 J Overton 38 R Gear 35 B Slack 4-68 drew withBradninch14 points 248 for9 T Piper 55 B Cachopa 30 J Street 93 S Nowack 46 G Querl 4-51Plympton4 points135 all out N Hancock 4-41 W Murray 3-30 M Dalton 3-26 lost toSidmouth19 points 137 for 5N Hancock 36 Imran 3-37 by 5 wicketsPublished by DCL Premier Division Result Secretary Dennis White 24th May 2011 denniswhite1skycom

Sussex League - Carl Simon continues his good start!

Mon, 16 May 2011 10:46:19 +0100

Sussex Cricket League Results and details for Saturday May 14 2011Indicates team winning the tossPremier LeaguePreston Nomads 2595 dec 30 ptsKashif Ibrahim 77 not out Jeremy Green 55 not outChichester 123 0 ptsCarl Simon 551Pulborough 66 2 ptsJosh Presland 715Eastbourne 675 30 ptsEast Grinstead 229 12 ptsMatt Sugg 156Hastings 2304 30 ptsAdam Maharaj-Newman 89 Harry Finch 89 Three Bridges 193 7 ptsDanny Alderman 82 Devon Endersby 551Horsham 1973 30 ptsOwain Jones 72Roffey 2904 dec14 ptsJosh Fleming 152 Chris Plaister 78Brighton and Hove 2819 9 ptsTim Jarvis 122Premier League Team M W D L Ab BP 1 Hastings 3 3 0 0 0 60 30 90 2 Preston Nomads 3 3 0 0 0 60 30 90 3 Horsham 3 2 0 1 0 40 24 64 4 Eastbourne 3 1 1 1 0 20 37 57 5 Roffey 3 1 1 1 0 20 33 53 6 East Grinstead 3 1 0 2 0 20 32 52 7 Brighton and Hove 3 1 2 0 0 20 28 48 8 Chichester 3 0 0 3 0 0 20 20 9 Three Bridges 3 0 1 2 0 0 20 20 10 Pulborough 3 0 1 2 0 0 17 17 11 Sussex Dev XI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Division TwoHaywards Heath 176 26 ptsOllie Harris 64Cuckfield 173 13 ptsTom Mole 113 not out Matt Junk 548Bexhill 2337 dec14 ptsJack Richardson 75 Glynde 220811 ptsStuart Mouland 65 not outIfield 231 14 ptsGreg Barton 58Goring 2029 15 ptsRussell Jacob 660Worthing 2354 decBenn Chambers 71 not outMichael Gould 63 Alex Reid 56Lewes Priory 169 3 ptsImran Khan 60Stirlands 120 3 ptsBradley Hatchett 826StJamesrsquos 1263 Raza Ali 66Tahab Mahmood 51 MahmoodDivision Two Team M W D L Ab BP 1 Worthing 3 2 1 0 0 40 34 74 2 Cuckfield 3 2 0 1 0 40 33 73 3 Haywards Heath 3 2 0 1 0 40 30 70 4 StJames 3 2 0 1 0 40 30 70 5 Goring 3 1 1 1 0 20 31 51 6 Bexhill 3 1 1 1 0 20 28 48 7 Glynde 3 1 2 0 0 20 27 47 8 Ifield 3 0 2 1 0 0 36 36 9 Lewes Priory 3 0 1 2 0 0 24 24 10 Stirlands 3 0 0 3 0 0 5 5Report from Tony MillardPreston Nomads and Hastings are joint leaders of the Sussex Premier League with both having won all their first three games while Horsham have moved into third place following a seven wicket home win against Three Bridges who are one of three teams along with Pulborough and Chichester who are yet to win so far Preston Nomads were struggling a little at Chichester with five wickets down but skipper Kashif Ibrahim with 77 not out and Jeremy Green who made 51 not out took them to 259 for 5 declared The inform Carl Simon then proved a match winner with the ball as he took 5 for 51 to send the home side tumbling to 123 all out top scorer was Geoff Stevens who made 37 Hastings eventually enjoyed a six wicket home win against East Grinstead but it could have been much easier as the visitors were at one time 81 for 8 but Matt Sugg with 156 was helped in a 9th wicket stand of 123 with youngster Alex Mason to take their side to 229 all out Sugg made his 156 from just 118 balls as Josh Poysden for Hastings took 4 for 73Adam Maharaj-Newman and Harry Finch each hit 89 to take the home side to victory at 230 for 4 from 61 overs Three Bridges decided to bat first at Horsham and owed much to skipper Danny Alderman 82 for their total of 193 all out as Devon Endersby took 5 for 51 and teenage New Zealander Matt Henry grabbed 3 for 33But Horsham had little difficulty in chasing down their target to reach 197 for 3 from 37 overs as Owain Jones hit 72Endersby made 37 not out and James Johnson 35 Newly promoted Pulborough struggled at Eastbourne where they were dismissed for just 66Eastbourne included two former England pace bowlers in James Kirtley and Ed Giddins but it was young Josh Presland who did the damage he took 7 for 15 Brad Smith made 24 as Eastbourne reached 67 for 5 Rohit Jagota taking 2 for 10The highest scoring game of the day took place at Roffey where there were two centuries in the drawn game with Brighton and HoveRoffey saw Josh Fleming hit 152 from 159 balls and Chris Plaister 78 in a total of 290 for 4 declared Matt Wood taking 2 for 66 Brighton were behind the clock and lost three early wickets but Tim Jarvis cracked 122 from 136 balls and with Matt Green making 45 and Craig Young 28 they came desperately close to a dramatic win at 281 for 9 Andrew McGorian taking 4 for 81 and Luke Barnard 3 for 89In Division Two four clubs are separated by just four points with Worthing leading the way ahead of Cuckfield Haywards Heath and StJamesrsquos with all of these clubs having won two of their three games to date Worthing rattled up 235 for 4 declared at Lewes Priory with Ben Chambers making 71 not out skipper Michael Gould 63 and Alex Reid 56The home side were then dismissed for 169 as Andy Lutwyche took 3 for 48 and Challen grabbed 4 for 54 top scorer for Lewes was skipper Imran Khan with 60 Adam Scott made 34 Haywards Heath won their local derby at Cuckfield after being put in by the home side in the most exciting game of the day Sixteen-year-old Ollie Harris made 64 to help Haywards Heath to 176 all out as Nick Patterson took 4 for 54 and there were two wickets each for Josh Hayward and Neil Fairall Tom Mole virtually carried the home sidersquos innings on his own in making 113 not out as they were dismissed for 173 to give Haywards Heath a win by just 3 runs with young Aussie left-arm spinner Matt Junk taking 5 for 48 and Chris Parsons 3 for 17 StJamesrsquos enjoyed a comfortable seven wicket win at home to Stirlands who they put is and bowled out for just 120 with skipper Bradley Hatchett taking 8 for 26 Tim Robinson with 45 was top scorer for the visitorsRaza Ali than made 66 and Tahab Mahmood 51 to take StJamesrsquos to 126 for 3 Bexhill batted first at Glynde and made 233 for 7 declared with 75 from Jack RichardsonIn reply Glynde drew the game at 220 for 8 with 65 not out from Stuart Mouland Chris Topp took 4 for 44 There was also a draw at Goring after Ifield had made 231 all out batting first Greg Bartion hitting 58In reply Goring held on at 202 for 9 as Ifield skipper Russell Jacob took 6 for 60Division 3 East 1st XIrsquosBurgess Hill 271-6 30 pts Tom Trowbridge 98 Shaun Kevern 82Crowhurst Park 172 5 pts Hugh Warmisham 4-36Uckfield Anderida 206 13 pts Luke Forster 40 Adam Devlin 6-50Hellingly 210- 6 30 pts Scott Pearce 98 Paul McDonald 67 not out Scott Strangio 4-42Keymer Hassocks 165-8 26 pts John Price 53 Sam Palser 5-30Ansty 155 10 pts Chris Barnes 56 Andy Westgate 5-51Seaford 210-9 13 pts Jamie Goddard 76 Chris Stanyard 68 Scott Pearce 5-47 Brett Silvey 4-53 Lindfield 109-6 8 ptsCrawley 18110 pts Eric Dewell 79 not out Sol Shah 45 Paul Swanell 5-57Sidley 184-4 30 pts

Highlights of this weekend - 8 for 12 and 196 not out!

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:28:12 +0100

Newports Cameron Herring top scored this weekend with a very impressive 196 some other top performers were Glen Batticcioto Nantwichs Aussie who scored 176 Ben Foakes and Matthew Sugg also reached the milestone of 150 Lots of wickets were taken with some impressive hauls but the top of the list was Thomas Bailey who is a front runner for PLayer of the Month with 8-12 for NorthernKeep up the good workThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 14th May areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRichard JohnsonKnowle Dorridge114CheshireGlen BatticciotoNantwich176CornwallDerbyshireWes DurstonChesterfield97DevonEast AngliaJaden HatwellSwardeston118EssexBen FoakesColchester East Essex152Home CountiesNick LambHarpenden119KentTyler GriffinSevenoaks Vine99LeicestershireRobert TaylorMarket Harborough130LincolnshirePeter HoughtonSkegness147LiverpoolMichael SwartBootle131MiddlesexWill ProwseEastcote95NorthantsBen HowgegoBrixworth105North eastSharn BirweckHetton Lyons141NSSCNorth WalesJordon KaneLlandudno112Northern PremierPeter MalanBarrow Town106NottinghamWill ButlerCuckney95South WalesCameron HerringNewport196Southern PremierNick ParkBournemouth124SurreyAli JafferBanstead134SussexMatthew SuggEast Grinstead156West of EnglandSimon GreenWeston Super Mare72YorkshireSimon GuyRotherham Town115The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 14th May areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamDaniel SmithHimley5-37CheshireJordon FreeNeston5-43CornwallDerbyshireRyan McfadyeanSandiacre Town6-32DevonEast AngliaAndy LawsSaffron Waldern5-68EssexJoe Ellis-GrewalWanstead5-32Home CountiesLuke RyanBanbury5-59KentKarl PearsonSevenoaks Vine5-39LeicestershireJohn GurneyKegworth Town5-28LincolnshireGeorge LindeGrimsby Town7-21LiverpoolThomas BaileyNorthern8-12MiddlesexSunil TaylorFinchley7-47NorthantsSteven BellowStony Stratford6-22North eastLiam SimpsonChester Le Street5-35NSSCNorth WalesAshley WoodMenai Bridge6-17Northern PremierChris MillerKendal7-41NottinghamLuke WaterhouseWelbeck Colliery5-44South WalesJames SteptoeBridgend Town5-60Southern PremierScott MyersAlton5-18SurreyMatthew TealeGuildford5-40SussexDevon EndersbyHorsham5-51West of EnglandChris SkidmoreBridgwater4-16YorkshireRichard WilkinsonBarnsley6-44

Devon League results!

Tue, 17 May 2011 09:28:12 +0100

North Devon are the early front runners in the Devon Premier League will 100 winning record Plenty of time to go though and some solid performances being put in across the board Highlights being Glen Querls 6-31 for the leaders in the first week1stXI Premier Division Result Summary- Week Two ndash14th May 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsBudleigh Salterton19points193 for 1 S Allen 102 no J Burke 48no beat Bradninch4 points 192 for 9 B Cachopa 63 S Nowack 46 no S Barlow 3-40 J Hudson 4-43 by 9 wktsExmouth 20 points 153 for 4 D Lye 68 R Baggs 36no beatPlymouth5 points 152 aoC Whittaker 37 J Toms 38rsquo D Hewitt 33 D Lye 6-35 by 6 wktsPaignton 2 points 106 all outC Bryan 42 G Querl 4-27 J Overton 3-12 lost to North Devon20 points 107 for2 C Overton 42no G Querl 30no by 8 wktsPlympton6 points 186 for 5 C Bunney 55no J Mailling 36 C Bradley 3-55 lost toBovey Tracey17 points187 for 4 C Carter 59 A Fairbairn 30 C Bradley 32no by 6 wktsSidmouth20 points 105 for 0 A Griffiths 31no J Bess 69no beatHeathcoat1 point 104 all out N Hancock 5-39 by 10 wickets

7th May - Performances are hotting up!

Tue, 17 May 2011 10:38:36 +0100

Another week of top performances in the ECB Premier Leagues around the country Craig Fowle led the way with the ball with 8-30 for East Grinstead against Horsham in the Sussex league Runs have been scored everywhere with two players passing the 150 mark Jamie Dalrymple from Teddington smashed an unbeaten 173 and Harpendens Ricardo Domiano finished on 157Below are all the other top players for the weekThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 7th May areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamDougie BrownBarnt Green102CheshireJack SmithNeston99CornwallDerbyshireJamie PipeChesterfield106DevonJoe SmithHeathcoat72East AngliaCarl RogersGreat Witchingham119EssexAtamad Ul HaqColchester East Essex137Home CountiesRicardo DamianoHarpenden157KentMichael LawrenceBromley87LeicestershireMo BobatBarrow Town101LincolnshireBrett HoustonBracebridge125LiverpoolBenjamin SloanNorthern80MiddlesexJamie DalrympleTeddington173NorthantsAlec SwannNorthants Saints132North eastMichael RichardsonNewcastle92NSSCAlex MellorLeek115North WalesJamie GriffithsMold95Northern PremierLaukman VahaluwalaPreston88NottinghamRichard HarrisClifton Village107South WalesKieran HowelYnsygerwn141Southern PremierSimon SteelTotton Eling128SurreyRaymond de PassosWimbledon107SussexJohn BurroughsHorsham73West of EnglandAlex BarrowBath118YorkshireVic CravenHarrogate130The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 7th May areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamRicardo GordonMoseley5-37CheshireScott KirwinHyde5-29CornwallDerbyshireJohn JordisonSandiacre Town6-42DevonGlen QuerlNorth Devon6-31East AngliaGeorge WalkerSwardeston5-24EssexBilal MakodiaHainault Clayhall4-33Home CountiesUsman ArifOxford5-24KentSteven RoweSibton Park7-27LeicestershireDaniel BroughtonKibworth5-62LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne7-23LiverpoolAndrew WarhurstHightown5-30MiddlesexSunil TaylorFinchley6-76NorthantsJames CowellWollaston5-75North eastZohaib KhanBenwell Hill6-38NSSCImran ArifBurslem7-23North WalesIwan RobertsBangor6-18Northern PremierStuart NixonNetherfield6-63NottinghamHusnain RiazPapplewick Linby6-33South WalesDan Lewis-WilliamsMumbles4-32Southern PremierLuke GrahamAndover5-45SurreyHiram MurambeWimbledon5-19SussexCraig FowleEast Grinstead8-30West of EnglandCharlie WalkerBristol4-61YorkshireOliver Hannon DolbyBurnley5-35

Tagged Users
michael richardson

Oswestry CC v Barnards Green CC

Mon, 16 May 2011 11:51:45 +0100

Oswestry CC - 1st XI vs Barnards Green CC - 1st XIGolder Guides Green to top spotPhil Harris backed up his maiden Birmingham League century against Studley in the opening fixture with an impressive six wicket haul in game two as Barnards Green secured a comprehensive away win against the much fancied Oswestry CCWinning the toss visiting skipper Williams took the option to bowl first and hadto endure a nervy start as Carrasco and Huxley looked at relative ease as they raced to 39 at a rate above six per over McEwan then made the first breakthrough trapping Huxley plumb in front as the Green wrestled the initiative in a mini spell of 4-10 which saw the impressive Carrasco36 and overseas signing Fynn4 both dismissed by HarrisOswestry struggled to rebuild despite the green tinged pitch offering little sideways movement and slow but true bounce as pressure from both Harris and the improving McEwan led to rash shots including Robinson who mistimed a pull shot straight up in the air to Dovey off Harris and Miles who wafted an airy drive straight to cover fielder Golder for 14 Some lower order resilience moved the home sides score towards three figures however the reintroduction of McEwan who replaced the wicketless Poole struck the final nails into the Oswestry batting coffin to finish with 4-37 Harris who bowled unchanged finished with 6-62 The home side all out for 111 from just 35 oversWith such an early finish to the first innings the sides remerged after just a ten minute interval for the visitors to face a 15 over session before the tea interval Smedley and Golder combined watchful defense with good running to provide a solid start with the tea break just an over away however Smedley perished as he failed to dispatch a short offering from Fynn and was caught at point for 16 Resuming on 41-1 Harris became Fynnrsquos second victim LBW for 9 as Ford joined Golder for a testing period facing the impressive spin of Fynn and Robinson who both found extravagant turn from the drying wicket Ford struck 2 imposing boundaries as rain took the players from the field with the visitors close to victoryUpon resumption Ford13 became Fynnrsquos third scalp3-33 and it was left to Golder who finished with a solid and important 43 not out and McEwan who bludgeoned 18 from 12 balls to guide his side to victory by a 7 wicket margin with 42 overs to spareThis weekend sees an away double header for the 1st XI as they travel to Handsworth12pm on Saturday and face Kidderminster at Chester Road on Sunday11am in the first round of the ECB National 2020 competitionThanks go to match day minibus sponsors Brookhire and Inline EngineeringTo read full and unedited version of all match reports and view action photos please visit wwwbarnardsgreencom

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Devon Cricket League gets underway!

Tue, 10 May 2011 09:52:45 +0100

1stXI Premier Division Result Summary- Week One ndash 7th May 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsNorth Devon20points248 for 8C Overton 56 Glenn Querl 68 Imran Ali 3-57 C Donohue 3-53 beatPlympton5 points 117 ao D Wrench 37 Glenn Querl 6-31 by 131 runsBradninch 19 points 176 ao R Cater 68 N Hancock 3-44 W Murray 4-24 beatSidmouth8 points 162 aoM Cooke 42 S Nowak 3-49 W Squire 3-36 by 14 runsBovey Tracey 9points171 for 7 A Faibairn 35 C Bradley 41 B Ayres 38 drew withExmouth13 points 177 for 8 A Buzza 53 S Allen 50 R Bougard 4-43Heathcoat20 points258 for 5 P Randerson 53 JP Smith 72 L Lewis 70 beatPaignton5 points159 ao C Bryan 45 S Wadham 4-33Plymouth20 points135 for 3 D Hewitt 67nobeatBudleigh Salterton3 points 133 ao K Davies 3-35 C Hill 3-22 by 7 wickets2ndtXI Premier Division Result Summary- Week One ndash 7th May 2011 Penalty SummaryResultsPlympton7points150 for9 Ray Clarke 3-29 T Cooke 4-19 drew withNorth Devon15 points 233 for 8 R Screech 30 W Miller 35M Knapman 42 Richard Clarke 44noPaignton 19 points 196 for 8 J Woodcock 34 T Ward 63no N Rogers 3-43E Dumpleton 3-39 beatHatherleigh6 points 137 ao R Cherrington 30 T Farkin 3-32 C Smith 4-32 by 59 runsCornwood7points138 ao R Dart 31 J Mason 5-41lost toBovey Tracey18 points 156 ao R Wyatt-Haines 41 S Thomas 33 A Bees 5-8 by 18 runsSidmouth12 points 187 ao S Patidar 54 F Wardrop 61 J Richardson 7-47 vExeter12 points120 for 4 J Meredith 33no Match AbandonedBudleigh Salterton1 point75 ao D Kuruppu 3-29 H Barnes 4-11 lost toPlymouth19 points 76 for 3 by 7 wickets

Barnards Green CC weekend report!

Mon, 16 May 2011 11:49:39 +0100

Barnards Green CC - 1st XI vs Studley CC Warks - 1st XIBGCC 238- Harris 103noStudley 90 all out McEwan 6-26On a day of firsts for newly promoted Barnards Green it was Phillip Harris who completed the most significant inaugural act as his sublime 103 not out set up the crushing defeat of league veterans Studley ably supported by an excellent bowling display in particular a six wicket haul for Kiwi import Matt McEwanHeavy overnight rain delayed the start of the game by over an hour with the availability of a state of the art waterhog enabling the game to get underway with a minimal reduction in overs to 43 per side Home skipper Williams lost the toss under brightening skies and despite the early loss of Golder LBW to former IPL player Singh Harris and Smedley formed a solid partnership with Smedley in a watchful mood contributing 25 from 63 balls Ford fell 1st ball after replacing Smedley and it was left to McEwan33 to provide valuable middle order ballast to Harrisrsquo superbly paced inningsA mini clatter of wickets left the home side 166-7 with Harris just past fifty but with some ill discipline creeping into the visitors bowling and fielding Harris motored through the gears supported by Adam Binks who contributed 17no to a partnership of 72 as Harris brought up his fine hundred off the final ball of the inningsThe visitors reply got off the worst possible start as McEwan feathered the glove of Ahmed who was caught down the legside by Binks off the first ball of the innings Little went right for the visitors from here on in as McEwan with his tail up dismissed Hughes caught by Dovey beaten for pace on the pull and Lewis whose stumps were sent cartwheeling for just 3 Poole picked up a brace of wickets in an eye catching spell of 2-207 including Stamenkovic caught sharply in the gully by McEwan for a scrappy 9 The Greenrsquos second Malvern old boy Dovey then struck twice in quick succession to dismiss skipper Harris for 11 and Singh caught behind for 22 Studleyrsquos highest individual score of the matchWith the weather closing in hearts were in mouths for several overs as the home side worried that they would not complete the 25 overs to constitute a game however despite posturing from the visitors dressing room that the weather was too inclement to continue the umpires kept the players in the middle and a break in the clouds coincided with the return of McEwan who first trapped Rose LBW and then delivered the final rights to finish with 6-26 as Moss could do nothing but glove a well directed short ball straight up in the air to Binks who completed a simple catch to deliver the home side a well deserved 24 pointsThe Green will take early heart from their first encounter but skipper Williams was quick to point out that this was just the beginning of a season long journey to establish themselves in the Birmingham League ldquoAll we can do now is enjoy this evening train hard on Tuesday and go to Oswestry next week and start againrdquoSaturday sees the 1st XI travel to Oswestry for one of the longest away trips of the season whilst the 2nd XI entertain Kenilworth Wardens at North End Lane with the bar open all day and tea and refreshments available to spectators from the Harris Kitchen in the centre of the pavilion

Tagged Users
Adam Binks

Hastings and Preston Nomads lead the way in Sussex!

Mon, 09 May 2011 10:29:06 +0100

Sussex Cricket League Results and details Sat May 7 2011Indicates team winning the tossPremier LeagueBrighton and Hove 246 30ptsGuy Williamson 61 Craig Young 53 Chichester 183 13 ptsChris Atherton 661Horsham 17810 ptsCraig Fowle 830East Grinstead 1828 30 ptsWill Adkin 58 Matt Suggs 57Hastings 2519 dec30 ptsMatt Machan 72Roffey 137 9 ptsPulborough 89 2 ptsPreston Nomads 914 30 ptsStuart Faith 51 not outEastbourne 2848 dec13 ptsAngus Stewart 62 Callum Jackson 60Three Bridges 2177 10 ptsHisham-ul-Haq 50Premier League Team M W D L Ab BP 1 Hastings 2 2 0 0 0 40 20 60 2 Preston Nomads 2 2 0 0 0 40 20 60 3 East Grinstead 2 1 0 1 0 20 20 40 4 Brighton and Hove 2 1 1 0 0 20 19 39 5 Roffey 2 1 0 1 0 20 19 39 6 Horsham 2 1 0 1 0 20 14 34 7 Eastbourne 2 0 1 1 0 0 27 27 8 Chichester 2 0 0 2 0 0 20 20 9 Pulborough 2 0 1 1 0 0 15 15 10 Three Bridges 2 0 1 1 0 0 13 13 11 Sussex Dev XI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Current League Champions Preston Nomads have made the best possible start to the season and are joint leaders of the Sussex Premier League after two games following their six wicket win at Pulborough on SaturdayHastings Priory have also won both their matches so far they won by 114 runs at home to newly promoted Roffey on SaturdayThere were also wins on Saturday for East Grinstead and Brighton and Hove while the game between Three Bridges and Eastbourne was drawPreston Nomads bowlers proved too tough for Pulborough where batting for both sides was never easyThe home side were tumbled out for just 89 with only Tom Crump 30 looking anything like comfortable Carl Simon took 4 for 42 and Joe Gatting free from county duty took 4 for 25In reply Nomads were far from coasting at 52 for 4 but Stuart Faith having opened carried his bat for 51 not out to see them home at 91 for 4Hastings raced to 251 for 9 declared against Roffey at Horntye Park as Matt Machan hit 72 John Morgan 42 not out and Andy Cornford returning after five years from injury 39For Roffey Luke Barnard took 4 for 81 and Simon Shivnarain 4 fopr 78The visitors then crashed to 137 not out skipper Mike Norris with just 20 was top scorer as veteran spinner Mick Glazier took 4 for 22Horsham were put in by East Grinstead and dismissed for 178 as left arm spinner Craig Fowle took 8 for 30In reply the home side enjoyed a narrow 2 wicket win at 182 for 8 Will Adkin making 58 and Matt Suggs 57For Horsham Matt Henry took 3 for 33 Devon Endersby 3 for 34 and Will Beer 2 for 58Chris Atherton was the bowling hero for Brighton and Hove as the brother of former England skipper Mike Atherton took 6 for 61 to help bowl out Chichester for 183 of which Richard Logan made 46Earlier Brighton had set a challenging 246 with Guy Williamson hitting 61 from 39 balls and young Irishman Craig Young made 55 Logan was the pick of the visiting bowlers he took 4 for 52Eastbourne were put in by Three bridges and made 284 for 8 with Angus Stewart hitting 62 and young wicketkeeper Callum Jackson 60 for Bridges Hishm-Ul-Haq took 3 for 69 and evergreen Danny Alderman 3 for 81In reply Bridges reached 217 for 7 at stumps with 50 from Hisham and 34 from Jibran KhanFormer England man Ed Giddins returned to Sussex League action with 2 for 24 and Josh Preston grabbed 2 for 69

Tagged Users
Richard Logan , Tom Crump

Sussex Premier League Round Up - 30/4/11

Wed, 04 May 2011 12:39:20 +0100

Preston Nomads have started their quest to retain the Sussex Premier League title by winning a low scoring game at Fulking by four wickets against Three Bridges Hastings Horsham and newcomers Roffey all won in the top division while Pulborough and Brighton and Hove played out a drawAntiguan pace bowler Carl Simon now in his sixth season at Preston Nomads was their match winner against Bridges Bridges having decided to bat started well with Jibran Khan making an impressive 44 but when Simon changed ends he brought about a collapse with figures of 6 for 41 and the visitors were dismissed for 120 Stuart Faith and Stephen Rigg each took two wickets Jeremy Green kept the visiting bowlers at bay with a fine 50 including ten fours as Nomads reached their target at 124 for 6 Hisham-Ul-Haq taking 3 for 20The game of the day was at Eastbourne where Horsham won by two wickets with four balls to spare Eastbourne declared at 274 for 4 with skipper Mark Tomsett hitting 181 not out there were two wickets each for Matt Henry and Devon EndersbyEndersby made 75 to set Horsham towards theirtarget and 19 year-old New Zealander Henry coming in at number 6 cracked 7 sixes in his 99 not out to take his side home at 276 for 8 For the home side Mark Tomsett Ollie Ody and Richard Smith each took two wicketsYoung Sussex professional Matt Machan cracked 150 not out to take his new club Hastings to 280 for 5 declared at Chichester With Harry Finch making 44 the target for the home side was a tough one They were dismissed for 187 as leg-spinner Josh Poysden took 4 for 47 top scorer was Richard Browning with 64Newcomers Roffey enjoyed a five wicket win after putting in East Grinstead and dismissing them for 221 as Andy McGorian took 4 for 53 Roffey then made 222 for 5 with Chris Plaister making 72 and Michael Norris 53 Ian Sturmer took 4 for 82 for the visitorsAt Pulborough the home side made 227 for 9 declared after being put in by Brighton and Hove for whom Matt Wood took 4 for 61 Rohit Jagota the Pulborough skipper was top scorer he made 108 not out But the Brighton run chase hardly got started and at stumps they had reached 136 for 7 from 52 overs

Tagged Users
Richard Browning

The Leagues get going and the performances get better!

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:38:57 +0100

As the season picks up momentum so do the scores Sharn Gomes made a massive 183 for Stony Stratford and Usman Afzaal showed his class for West Indian Cavaliers scoring an unbeaten 165 With 4 scores in access of 150 the batsman are taking full advantage of this early season sunshineThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 30th April areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamCheshireGreg DixonDidsbury129CornwallDerbyshirePaul BorringtonTicknall104DevonEast AngliaDarren BatchSudbury140EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireRobert TaylorMarket Harborough115LincolnshireWarren NelHartsholme130LiverpoolMiddlesexNorthantsSharn GomesStony Stratford183North eastQuentin HughesChester Le Street61NSSCSohail RaufSandyford115North WalesJames ClaybrookBrymbo98Northern PremierRob LightfootBarrow82NottinghamUsman AfzaalWest Indian Cavaliers165South WalesSouthern PremierJames ParkBournemouth161SurreySussexMatt MachinHasting St Leonards151West of EnglandYorkshireJoe PadmoreScarborough100The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 30th April areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamCheshireGuy EmmertGrappenhall5-50CornwallDerbyshireRyan McfadyeanSandiacre Town4-23DevonEast AngliaPaul BradshawVauxhall Mallards5-46EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireNathan WalhamLutterworth4-30LincolnshireLee PeacockMarket Deeping4-38LiverpoolMiddlesexNorthantsMudassar AnsariRushton6-40North eastZohaib KhanBenwell Hill5-44NSSCSuwanji MadanayakeBarlaston7-51North WalesBen RobertsBrymbo5-52Northern PremierAnwar AliMorecombe6-57NottinghamDanial FootittClifton Village5-53South WalesSouthern PremierKevin NashBashley5-28SurreySussexCarl SimonPreston Nomads6-41West of EnglandYorkshireTom PringleYork6-34

6 Centuries scored in the Cheshire Premier League!

Tue, 03 May 2011 10:55:55 +0100

PREMIER LEAGUECHESTER Boughton Hall followed their last-over victory at Oulton Park on the new seasonrsquos opening day with a repeat performance against Didsbury at Filkins Lane to become the ECB Premier Leaguersquos only 100 per centersTheir bowlers were made to toil by solid Didsbury batting as Greg Dixon 129 Nick Anderson 82 and Tim Gregory 50 enabled the visitors to declare at a daunting 286-4Boughton Hall who had scored 305-3 to win at Oulton Park the previous week set about their task with relish led by Lancashirersquos Jordan Clark 84 and Warren Goodwin 50 Then by the fast-improving Ollie Law 46 and finally Trinidad all-rounder Daron Cruickshank He hit a boundary off the second ball of the last over to close on 47 and help CBH win by four wickets at 290-6 Macclesfield produced the best of the three premiership victories by 66 runs at Oxton after posting 230-8 Rick Hough 54 Khalid Sawas 40 Jack Ward 42 Ross Dixon 3-53 Mark Rowland 3-59 Handsome winners at Alderley a week earlier Oxton were all out for 164 Lee Dixon 64 former CBH wicket-keeper Matt Griffiths 31 while Rob Porterrsquos canny off-cutters earned him a splendid 6-58 returnHyde were too good for promoted Grappenhall at Werneth Low although their batsmen had to battle hard after tea With skipper Steve Titchard not yet available Grappenhall relied on Iain Wright 52 Rick Green 37 and Luke McCoy 31 for a declared tally of 188-8 Greg Lomax 3-34 Hyde lost regular wickets but opener Chris Pilkington stood firm to carry his bat for a valuable 61 as Hyde closed on 192-7 tail ender Tom Young helping out with 31Kettle 123 but champions again heldChampions Nantwich were held to their second draw when they were unable to part Nestonrsquos last pair in a high scoring game at Whitehouse Lane Former Oulton Park wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Kettle batted through the innings of 272-5 with a fine contribution of 123 helped by Chris Simpson 50 and George Cairns 45 Skipper Andy Roberts kept the Neston reply together with a solid 61 and aided by David Hurstrsquos 45 and 39 from Aussie Luke Pavlinovitch Neston closed at 222-9 Glen Batticciotto followed a duck with a 4-36 bwling returnFormer skipper Chris Watson 104 and Adam Landry 88 not out put on 127 for the fourth wicket as Urmston declared at a formidable 264-4 at home to Alderley Edge Well beaten in their first outing Alderley improved to close on 192-8 Mark Currie 56 Adam Wildig 44 not out Jason Whittaker 36There was a magnificent second wicket stand worth 225 between Toft skipper Toby Drummond 122 and Adam Carolan 129 at home to Oulton Park Toft declared at 292-7 Park second XI bowler Kieron Berrington showing up well with 4-74 off 18 overs while Robin Taylor took 3-93 Danny Leech laid anchor in Oultonrsquos reply contributing an unbeaten 105 - the Premiershiprsquos sixth century of the day - in his sidersquos closing tally of 228-3 He was helped by Louis Bentley 58 and Ben Gough 33 not out as Toft won the points battle 14-11DIVISION ONEPROMOTED Marple are making a major impression in the First Division Bowdon becoming their second victims by a six wickets margin at South Downs RoadNew Aussie opener Brett Forsyth 88 and Carl Hey 60 put together their second century stand for Bowdon but none of the other batsmen impressed in a closing tally of 183-7 Andy Greasley 3-60 Cheshire skipper Andy Hall took this in his stride with a fine knock of 67 Garry Cash added an unbeaten 47 Marple coasted home with five overs to spareWidnes are also impressing their 10 wickets win at Cheadle denying their hosts a solitary point Cheadle were all out for 96 Ben Samuels 32 Danny Moore 5-33 and Widnes knocked the runs off inside 22 overs Danny Naughton 68Irby are also looking good their second win being by eight wickets at home to Heaton Mersey who were all out for 121 Rob Houghton 5-39 Dave Newmanrsquos unbeaten 66 then saw the Wirral men through to a 25 pointerCALUM ROWE 131 FOR BOLLYBest innings of the day came from Bollingtonrsquos Calum Rowe at Sale where he hit 15 fours in a 150-ball 131 out of a tally of 214-4 Rowe was out in the last over trying to carry his side over the line after Sale had declared on 217-8 Steve Whiston 60 Jamal Benzafar 50 Chris Canning 43 not out Mo Ali 3-36 New South Wales based all-rounder Liam Scammell produced an all-round performance which could be one the seasonrsquos best to help Cheadle Hulme win by 89 run at Poynton First he top-scored with 74 and with 69 from Jordan Potts lsquoHulme were able to declare on 253-5 Scammell then took a hat-trick to help dismiss Poynton for 164 Paul Gould 58 Brian Kingham 39 his return of 6-51 off 15 overs being assisted by Ewan McCray 4-30Bramhall enjoyed the better of a 16 ndash 9 points draw at home to Christleton after declaring on 222-5 Andy Robertson 61 Sean OrsquoNeill 51 Iroshan de Silva 57 and J Creek 54 not out helped Christleton close on 173-8 Simon Wilkinson returning the fine figures of 4-32 off 20 oversDIVISION 2Cornford 125 for MiddlewichMIDDLEWICH recorded the biggest win of the day in Division Two by a 162 runs margin at the expense of Mobberley at Haddon FieldThey were led in every sense by skipper James Cornford with a classy 125 aided by Andy Cole 67 in a declared tally of 265-5 Mobberley mustered just 103 Vishy Bhardwa 5-33 Stephen Parry 3-19Bredbury St Markrsquos won by 42 runs against Timperley in the Pennine foothills after totalling 213 Paul Wood 88 M Brown 4-60 Timperley were all out for 172 Brown completing a personal good day with an unbeaten 77 while John Usher claimed 4-43BROOKLANDSrsquo 181 STANDBrooklands were handsome eight wickets winners at Stockport Georgians chasing the home sidersquos decent 197-5 Nick Tyers 43 not out A 181 opening stand between the returning John Birchall 89 and skipper Dave Madden 81 not out helped them home Birchallrsquos 89 was scored off only 68 balls his first 50 coming off 32 according to top rate scorer and information provider Ben MurrayUpton had the better of a drawn game against Congleton in the Wirral declaring on 196-8 James Williams 87 Andy Beecher 39 J Good 3-28 Congleton closed on 158-8 Jack Higginbottom 31 Ian Sharrock 3-19 Armand Strydom 3-28Warrington won by the comfortable margin of six wickets at Tattenhall after dismissing the south-Cheshire side for 108 skipper Roy Sandford top-scoring with an unbeaten 32 at number 8 while Rob Batey took 3-19 and Andy Martel 3-28 Best innings of the day came from Mal Agar with 42 in Warringtonrsquos comfortable replyThe clash of last seasonrsquos two best Meller Braggins teams resulted in a winning 15 ndash 10 draw for Stockport at Malpas T Facer contributed 72 and AHope 55 to Stockportrsquos impressive tally of 223-7 after which Malpas got as far as 174-6 after tea T Coates-Harman top-scoring with 33 not out

Tagged Users
Lee Dixon , Nick Anderson , Warren Goodwin

Bowling Alignment and Injury Prevention!

Tue, 03 May 2011 10:40:09 +0100

Thoughts of Head Bowling Coach Richard BrowningSo important to have a safe actionHow easy is it to identify a mixed actionIt is very difficult to identify a mixed action without the benefit of video analysis I personally would be very hesitant to conclude a mixed action if I had not had the use of a camcorder to look at a bowlers action from at least 3 different angles Once you have the footage of a bowler the first thing to look at is his back foot landing position This is likely to be in either a side on position where the back foot is parallel to the crease a front on position where the back foot is pointing down towards the stumps or a mid way position where the back foot is pointing towards an orthodox fine leg position The back foot landing position will dictate the hip position again either side on front on or mid way and it is important to ensure that the shoulders and hips are aligned as much as possible If they are not aligned this suggests a mixed action With a side on action the shoulders and hips will be aligned if the bowler looks to the outside of their non bowling arm with a front on action the shoulders and hips will be aligned if the bowler looks to the inside of their non bowling arm and with a mid way action the shoulders and hips will be aligned if the bowler looks through their non bowling armAt what stage do you intervene with a bowlerrsquos action to prevent injuryThe best case scenario for a bowler is that their hips and shoulders are aligned however a recent study of elite fast bowlers found that over 80 had mixed actions of varying degrees When this is compared to the amount of injuries in bowling these days I believe that the earlier you can ensure a correct action the better that will be for the bowler It is a lot easier to change a bowlers shoulder position to align with their hips rather than the other way round and with this being the case I dont think you can do enough work on making sure that the alignment is in place regardless of age or abilityHow important is volume of bowling to preventing injuryThere is a bit of a dilemma with this topic between bowling enough to improve and prepare for a season and to take wickets and also bowling too much that you may cause an injury Bowling with maximum effort sends a force of up to 65 times your body weight through your front leg and with the bowling action being unnatural anyway this has its obvious repercussions However you can still work on improving your bowling without putting that force through your body by doing drills Personally the simple alignment drill making sure that the fundamentals are in place allows our muscles to get used to the positions that they should be in This is done from a standing start to ensure that everything is in place and a bowler should strictly spend between 3 and 5 seconds making sure that this is the case With it being from a standing start this reduces the workload that our body has to do whilst also allowing us to improve our actions My opinion is that a bowler needs to bowl to get fit for bowling and better at bowling This sounds obvious but I see day in day out young bowlers being stopped from bowling due to the regulations now in place As much as I agree with the regulations I feel that coaches and young players particularly should be aware that drills such as the one I have already explained can be done and will not contribute hugely to the quota for that bowlerWhat advice would you give to a young bowler who has a mixed action and wants to make a correctionThe best advice would be to break your action down ideally by use of a video camera and follow the method that I have described earlier by checking the back foot landing position and working up from there to ensure that the hips and shoulders are aligned as best as possible Corrections can be made gradually and it is easier to alter the shoulder alignment to match the hips rather than the other way round One of the only success stories with that is Andrew Flintoff who after hours of work managed to alter his action to a front on one however critics may argue that this didnt ever actually prevent him being prone to injury Finally an area we havent gone into too much detail with is the run up Young bowlers sometimes fall away and have difficulties with their actions due to an angled approach The best advice when you do decide to progress on from the alignment drills is to make sure that you are aligned with the stumps from the word go ndash make sure the run up is straight

Tagged Users
Richard Browning

Thrilling win for Lancashire Colts! 1/5/11

Tue, 03 May 2011 12:32:18 +0100

Thrilling win for Lancashire ColtsLancashire Colts began their 2011 campaign in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League incorporating Readers Cricket Balls with a thrilling four wickets win over Fleetwood at BroadwaterScott Kirwin Hyde CC was the Colts hero with a mature innings of 54 not out off as many balls as the Colts got home with five balls to spareDarwens Alex Davies was another big success for the Colts keeping wicket impressively to take four dismissals including two stumpings and then scoring 63 off 89 ballsFleetwood had made 199 for 7 with Adam Parker 43 Cambridge MCCU wicketkeeper Dean Bell 43 Mike Clinning 38 not out and pro Ryan Smith 41 all in the runsLiam Watkinson was the Colts most successful bowler with three for 55Opener Mark Walling Garstang CC made 30 and helped give the Colts a solid start but after Davies was caught by Tom Wilson off Sam Bell the home side looked favouritesKirwin and skipper Jack Dewhurst came together with the Colts 144 for 6 and batted superbly to see their side through to a fine victory in the final overJoe Bell one of three brothers in the home side was Fleetwoods best bowler with three for 19 while pro Smith took two for 39

Netherfield hit double top! 2/5/11

Tue, 03 May 2011 12:42:21 +0100

Lancashire Colts enjoyed their second win in as many days in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier League incorporating Readers Cricket BallsAfter their exciting win over Fleetwood at Broadwater the Colts pulled off an outstanding performance to defeat defending champions Leyland by eight wickets with 201 overs to spare before a large crowd at Fox LaneSpin twins Mattie McKiernan and Greg Butterworth collected eight wickets between them as Leyland collapsed from 101 for 2 to 154 all out Pro Brett Pelser made 45 before he was leg before to Butterworth who went on to claim five for 35 while McKiernan took three for 24Ammer Mirza hit an undefeated 76 off 101 balls with 15 fours he saw the Colts home in an unbroken third wicket partnership of 136 with Danny Pawson whose 64 came off as many balls and included ten fours and one sixNetherfield top both Divisions One and Two at this early stage of the season Their first team won a thrilling game against Fleetwood at Parkside Road in the last overMarc Brown hit his maiden Northern League hundred and reached 108 before being run out as Netherfield amassed 282 for 5 Brown the Cumberland County batsman who played previously for Carlisle added 139 for the third wicket with deputy pro Dieter Klein who made 81 off 72 balls including seven fours and four sixes Unfortunately Klein the pro for Rochdale was injured while batting need a runner and did not bowlBrown made his runs off 143 balls and hit12 fours and one six John Huck hit 44 off only 34 balls including four sixes Ryan Smith took three for 81 off 19 oversHalf-centuries by Chris Stanhope 57 Adam Parker 56 and pro Smith 58 kept Fleetwood in the hunt but Marc Hadwin again bowled superbly to take six for 62 The veteran leg-spinner captured the last wicket of Fleetwood no 11 Kieran McGann caught by skipper Chris Parry with just three balls remainingChorley earned their first win of the season defeating Morecambe at Woodhill Lane by 57 runs Will Moulton made 69 with six fours and three sixes in the visitors 179 for 7 after captain Andy Holdsworth and Jack Bentham posted 57 for the first wicket Usual opener Jack Catterall was unable to bat after injuring his thumb in the warm-up Jono Gates took four for 43 for a Morecambe side without skipper Mark Woodhead who was illIkram Ullah hit 47 off 49 balls in Morecambes reply before he became one of Billy Smiths three victims Leg-spinning pro Gaurav Dhar then captured four for 41 as Morecambe were dismissed for 122Darwen fell 16 runs short of victory as their home game with St Annes was drawn Atiq Uz-Zaman hirt his first century of the season a sparkling 122 off 139 balls including 13 fours and two sixes in St Annes 210 for 5 He shared an opening stand of 99 with Nanthesh Kiruparan who made 28 Darwen pro Mohammad Zaman Khan took 52Zaman Khan made 51 off 72 balls and Chris Clarke 45 off 69 balls in Darwens reply before both fell victims to Matthew Grindley Earlier Jake Sunderland captured the wickets of openers Alex Davies and Niall Burke who posted 51 With pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi bowling a miserly spell of 25 overs for 74 runs Darwen just failed to get the added impetus needed to see them over the lineCumberland County opener Jonathan Miles hit his first century for Kendal as the visitors recorded a resounding nine wickets win on a superb batting track at Lodge Quarry Miles and sub-pro Werner Coetsee added an unbroken 210 for the second wicket Miles making 132 not out and Coetsee becalmed on 99 at the close Miles hit 18 fours and three sixes Coetsee ten fours and five sixes as Kendal reached their target with 13 overs in handCarnforth pro Gareth Pedder hit 77 including five fours and four sixes in Carnforths challenging 246 for 9 Openers Ryan Nelson 53 and captain Adam Hornby 50 had posted their second century opening stand of the summer adding 103 before Hornby was caught behind Stu Parkin bowled superbly amid the batting mayhem to capture five for 62 off 17 oversLancaster pulled off their second win of the season in a low-scoring affair at Lune Road Captain Mike Stevens Tim Barry and David Heywood all battled into the 20s as Lancaster made 139 against Preston whose pro Saeed Bariwala took four for 39 off 19 oversIain Burstow was Lancasters match-winner with a spell of four for 25 as the visitors were dismissed for 120 in reply Ben Simm wheeled through 17 overs to take three for 28 and Liam Moffat captured the vital wicket of Preston opener Sajid Patel for 47Blackpool were frustrated by Barrow at Stanley Park and had to settle for a winning draw Despite lacking injured pace bowler Richard Gleeson Blackpool had the visitors eight down for 166 at the close after South African pro Pieter Malan hit 59 The consistent Alex Smith made 86 in Blackpools 219 for 8 as spinners Liam Livingstone and Gary Collins each took three wickets In Division Two Carnforth enjoyed their first win of the season as David Robinson hit 84 off 108 balls to inspire a five wickets success at Shap Road Robinson who recently joined Carnforth from Warton CC was supported by Lewis Bradley whose undefeated 50 came off only 51 balls It capped a fine day for the Bradley family with father Mark capturing six wickets for 22 to hasten Kendals demise from 90 for 2 to 175 all outGulam Maje frustrated Chorley by batting throughout the innings for an undefeated 80 as Morecambe closed on 135 for 5 at Windsor Park Earlier Rowan Mitcham hit 87 and Dave Catterall 78 in Chorleys 262 for 4Sam Owen was Blackpools hero as they won by three wickets with four balls to spare at Ernest Pass Owen hit an undefeated 55 off 83 balls after Adrian Darlington 59 off 65 balls and Craig Outram 37 off 30 balls had supplied the foundation Ryan Gilmour made 50 and skipper Ian Allington 46 in Barrows 225 for 8There was another last-over win at Vernon Road where St Annes got home by three wickets with four balls to spare Darwen had posted 155 for 9 despite suffering three run outs with Darius Ainslie and Andrew Cook adding 45 for the ninth wicket Adam Taylor hit 43 off 87 balls in St Annes and despite Chris Davies taking four for 43 Ashley Wards unbeaten 32 saw the home side through in a tense finish in partnership with Richard ThomasNetherfield captain Shane Dixon hit 77 to steer his side to a hard-earned victory by three wickets at Broadwater It was Netherfields fourth win in as many games and they lead defending champions Leyland who had a free date by nine points Finally Dan Chambers took five wickets to help dismiss Preston for 156 at West Cliff Zac Godfrey-Plews hit 50 his maiden Northern League half-century and Dinesh Ranga was undefeated on 36 as Lancaster won with five wickets in hand

Promising start to the season for England's young prospects!

Tue, 03 May 2011 10:52:28 +0100

Talented seamer Chris Woakes has continued to impress for Warwickshire after an impressive start to the season The England hopeful helped his side comprehensively beat Somerset in his first game of the campaign and finished with match figures of 9-101 with 6-85 in the Somerset first innings Not only did Woakes star with the ball but the 22 year old smashed an impressive 129 to boost his credentials as a future England all-rounder Woakes also starred in Warwickshirersquos second victory of their county championship campaign The youngster finished with figures of 6-49 in Worcestershirersquos second innings to help his side to a second victory in as many gamesLeicestershire batsman James Taylor has made an impressive start to the Clydesdale bank 40 over competition The 21-year old quickly established a place in the Leicester line-up after a string of good performances last season Taylorrsquos 69 against Northamptonshire was the only highlight for the side in their loss by 7 wickets The pint size player was influential in their victory over Scotland to get back to winning ways he made a fluent 81 not out from 76 balls Taylor will be looking to re-create the form he has shown in the one-day matches in the County championshipLeg spinner Adil Rashid made a brilliant start to the 2011 season taking career best figures of 11-114 in their victory over Worcestershire Rashid had an excellent year last year and looks likely to continue the fine form that saw him make his debut for England in 2009 The 23-year old bowled excellently in their surprise defeat to the Netherlands in Yorkshirersquos opening 40 over match of the season finishing with figures of 2-20 of 8 oversThe first match of the season couldnrsquot have gone much better for 23-year old Varun Chopra The opener scored a brilliant 210 in Warwickshirersquos comfortable victory over Somerset and the former England under 19 captain hasnrsquot looked back since Chopra bettered his first match score in his second match against Worcestershire The 23-year old scored an impressive 228 in his sidersquos second innings to take Warwickshire to victory Chopra made a decent start to his one-day campaign scoring 54 in his sidersquos narrow loss to Hampshire on SundayLeft arm fast bowler Reece Topley has impressed for Essex in the first few games of the season The 17-year old took wickets from the off and took 5-46 in his county championship debut Topley continued his excellent form with another 5 wicket haul against neighbours Middlesex in his sidersquos second loss in two games Taking lots of wickets at such as young age the future is definitely bright for the Essex Seamer who could be seen in an England shirt in years to comeJamie Hopkins

Tagged Users
Jamie Hopkins

23rd April Player of the Week!

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:59:45 +0100

With more than half of the ECB Premier leagues not starting till next week of the following week the leagues that played still managed to highlight some great performances A top score of 160 and a 8-88 being the pick of the weekend from Vikram Atri and Mark Bengry respectivelyThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 23rd April areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamCheshireDaron CruickshankChester Broughton Hall100 66 ballsCornwallDerbyshireDevonEast AngliaJaden HartwellSwardestan141EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireTim AppleyardStoughton Thurnby124LincolnshireVikram AtriBracebridge Heath160LiverpoolMiddlesexNorthantsGreg EvansFinedon Dolben122North eastNSSCJames DawsonStone108North WalesGareth JonesConnah Quay108Northern PremierRyan NelsonCarnforth62NottinghamRawait KhanWest Indian Cavaliers116South WalesSouthern PremierSurreySussexWest of EnglandYorkshireAndy SimpsonScarborough111The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 23rd April areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamCheshireChris FineganNeston5-83CornwallDerbyshireDevonEast AngliaJonathon GallagherSudbury5-12EssexHome CountiesKentLeicestershireJames SykesStoughton Thurnby5-24LincolnshireLuke SmithWoodhall Spa5-23LiverpoolMiddlesexNorthantsMarc JacksonRushton5-37North eastNSSCMark BengryPorthill Park8-88North WalesRob BennettConnah Quay6-22Northern PremierMarc HadwinNetherfield6-76NottinghamLiam AndrewsClifton Village7-34South WalesSouthern PremierSurreySussexWest of EnglandYorkshireAndrew EllisCleethorpes5-52

First Week Round Up from Newcastle CC!

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:40:08 +0100

First game of the season or the pre season What a glorious day in Newcastle Lads assembled eager for the off However due to what can only be described as an ambitious piece of fixture scheduling we were playing Guisborough CC in NYorks This is 65 miles away One of the great things about today was that I was not captain as this was a Club XI and charge was handed over to 1st XI skipper Niall Penfold Not having to captain a side is one of my rare pleasures these days so long as I still get to field slip with no running around chasing players paying teas scorers or tactical tomfoolery to worry about In a moment of total predictability we were hit by a cry off at 930 the previous evening via text from our opening batter and due to the travel time etc nobody was really that keen to fill the void ndash how I laughed So it was with a slightly weakened X that the lads departed NE1 at 1120 am I had business to attend to down there so had departed at 930amThe departure had not been without itrsquos hiccups principally how to get 10 bodies and 9 bags of kit into 2 Ford Fiestas and a Vauxhall Corsa I had pondered this potential problem as I cruised down the A19 in an extremely spacious VW Golf that morning I am reliably informed that our scorer may have travelled in the boot of the CorsaTo be honest I think that the real excitement of a pre season game isnrsquot about the cricket itself more itrsquos about getting back in the dressing room with the lads and enjoying the banter In the midst of the Andy GrayRichard Keys storm last month I pointed out that a hidden microphone in our home dressing room could have some fairly serious repercussions for unemployment levels in the Newcastle area Itrsquos a fairly merciless place as our young left arm fast bowler Mark Cryer will attest Mark has found himself at the centre of an identity theft storm at university Whilst Markrsquos bowling can not be said to lack penetration the same observation could not be levelled at him personally Until now apparently Mark has a girlfriend at Uni allegedly Strong suspicion in our changing room abounds that what Mark actually has is access to Facebook a Photoshop app and a lot of free time Thus a great deal of time was spent in the dressing room interrogating the young man to try and validate his claims To date the jury is still outHowever if this fictional girl were in fact real there would be no doubt that Mark Cryer is a member of the Newcastle Cricket Club Overachievers At our club we seem to have a large amount of players whose girlfriends are far far more attractive than they are Irsquom not naming names here but Alex Nicholson Toby Howd James Davidson Ross McLaren and Peter Hirst are all members This takes up a lot of discussion within the dressing room also with the Overachievers protesting their innocence in the face of overwhelming visual evidence to the contraryAnd these are just some of the strange conversations that take place in our dressing room Others have included lsquoIf you had to pick a golf club to use a in a fight which would you usersquo This is obviously troubling and indicative of a certain dark type of personality within the club For the record I went 6 iron ndash solid middle of the road with good reach There are obviously far more traditional conversations mainly based on past glories of the protagonists often such glories are not limited to the cricket pitch though in these instances the term lsquogloryrsquo can often be misleading I am talking to you on this one Mr PenfoldSo to the game itself We arrived at Guisborough to a fine welcome where Mr Penfold carefully negotiated a toss ndash our weakened side meant the best chance of an extended game was with us fielding first We took the field and the aforementioned identity thief Mark Cryer came charging down the hill first up The pitch lacked any pace whatsoever but Cryer built a good head of steam up frustration can do that and claimed the prize scalp of the opposition professional After doing so he retired to 3rd man to update his girlfriendrsquos Facebook status Dan Humble aka Gok Wan bowled his little seamers from the other end and Guisborough started very slowly A change in the scoring pattern was achieved via our bowling changes Peter Hirst came on for Cryer and explored the middle of the pitch in a sustained spell of hostility The batsmen in turn explored the middle of the adjacent housing estate Our young off spinner was also receiving similar treatment and Niall Penfold injured himself in trying to stop an exocet and had to leave the field All of a sudden my idyllic day was shattered as I was captain again I did what any sensible man would do in such a situation hellip I brought myself on and scattered the field Runs continued to haemorrhage at the other end as I toiled away eventually finishing with 8-0-34-0 not spectacular but relatively pleasing Having tried everyone at the other end I threw the ball to debutant Sam Malpass whose bowling I had only seen in the nets it looked like fodder At this point my primary concern was blowing the club cricket ball budget in pre season To everyonersquos astonishment including his own Malps picked up 6-0-19-5 which I was adamant was a fabulous piece of captaincy that changed the complexion of the game Guisborough ended 211-9 off 40 oversOur response was ruthlessly efficient Neil Corby put his dropped catch off my bowling behind him to score a fine 48 and Malpass ensured that expectations on him at NCC are now remarkably high by scoring a 60 ball 73 Others chipped in and a composed 25 from everyones favourite internet pest Mark Cryer saw us home with 3 wickets to spare All in a good days cricket with fabulous hospitality from our hosts Guisborough CC our thanks go out to them and we look forward to the return fixture next season very much in NewcastleWe returned to the club to celebrate a glorious Turret victory Pizzas were ordered in and beers were consumed At this point a striking young lady came to the bar while the past glories were in full flow and walked up to one of our number planting a firm kiss on the lips this is unacceptable behaviour at HQ Once the lads had recovered the composure I was able to offer the following sentence to the young man in questionldquoWelcome to the Overachievers Club Mr Sam Malpassrdquo

Tagged Users
Richard Browning

County Champo First Round Review

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:31:07 +0100

County Championship ReviewDivision OneEngland spin hopeful Adil Rashid took career best figures of 11-114 as Yorkshire made a winning start to their 2011 campaign with a comfortable 9 wicket victory over Worcestershire Rashid took 6-77 on the first day at New Road resulting in Worcestershire stumbling to a below par score of 286 In reply wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy hit an excellent 177 not out as the away side were all out 368 a lead of 82 The home sidersquos second innings was not much to write home about as Rashid once again took centre stage and helped his side dismiss their opponents for just 137 leaving Yorkshire with a target of just 56 to complete their first victory of the season Despite Joe Sayers being caught LBW early on The White roses comfortably reached the target and sit pretty at the top of the table after the first round of matchesExperienced bowling duo Gary Keedy and Glenn Chapple helped Lancashire comprehensively beat newly promoted Sussex at Liverpool by an innings and 55 runs Despite an excellent 90 from youngster Joe Gatting Sussex were dismissed for 243 on the first day 22-year old Karl Brown recorded his maiden first class century as the home side scored an imposing 472 all out in response to Sussexrsquos first innings With the away side still 229 runs behind Lancashirersquos total going into their second innings the cloudy skies looked to be Lancashirersquos main threat of not completing the victory Despite a rain stoppage on the last day Chapple and Keedy caused the South coast side to crumble from 151-3 to 174 all out to give the Red Roses a successful start to their 2011 seasonAn evenly contested match saw Hampshire and Durham share the spoils at the Rose Bowl Dale Benkenstein made an excellent 118 as Durham made a strong start to the match with a first innings score of 473 all out Left-arm spinner Danny Briggs was the pick of the bowlerrsquos for the home side with figures of 5-129 Hampshire made 294 all out in response youngster Ben Stokes claimed career best figures of 6-68 for the away side Stokes who definitely had a game to remember then went on to score an unbeaten century in Durhamrsquos second innings to leave Hampshire with an unlikely winning target of 490 Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson both scored well on the last day to prevent Durham from victory at the Rose BowlDivision TwoPace bowler Robbie Joseph took three wickets on the last day as Kent beat Essex by 57 runs in a low scoring affair at Chelmsford Sam Northeastrsquos 112 was the only high point in Kentrsquos first innings as they were dismissed for 247 In reply James Fosterrsquos 88 no out was not enough to prevent medium pace bowler Darren Stevens ripping through the Esssex batting Line-up finishing with impressive figures of 6-60 as Essex were all out for just 202 With a slender first innings lead Kent only managed 238 all out Reece Topley finishing with figures of 5-46 leaving Essex with a winning target of 285 Stevens continued to cause Essex problems with the ball as the away side lost wickets at regular intervals in the chase for victory Joseph ended any hope of an unlikely win with three quick wickets on the last day to give Kent a winning start their division two campaignGloucestershire welcomed Alex Gidman back with open arms as the newly appointed captain hit half centuries in both innings to beat Derbyshire by 7 wickets at Bristol Gidman shared a stand of 156 with Jonathon Batty in the first innings who chipped in with an unbeaten 61 as the home side finished 343 all out 19-year old Liam Norwell finished with figures of 6-46 on his first class debut as the away side were skittled for just 157 in their first innings With Gidman inforcing the follow-on South African Greg Smith hit an impressive 130 as Derbyshire set the home side a modest 146 for victory Gidman was joined by opener Ian Cockbain in ensuring the win for Gloucestershire who now sit at the top of the tableSpinner Jigar Naikrsquos 5-36 helped Leicestershire to an 89 run victory over Glamorgan in a tight match at Grace Road Batting at 8 Claude Henderson hit an unbeaten 80 as the home side scored 238 in their first innings In response Glamorgan collapsed to 146 all out newly appointed Captain Alviro Petersen the only player to score over 11 as the South African hit 91 With a lead of 92 Will Jefferson scored his first century of the season as Glamorgan bowled the home side out for 245 leaving the winning target at 338 Wickets fell at regular intervals for the welsh county and could only reach 248 on the last day giving Leicestershire the winSurrey and Northamptonshire had to settle for a draw at the oval in an evenly contested match-up Surrey Captain Rory Hamilton Brown hit 74 In the home sidersquos first innings of 322 Batting at 9 James Middlebrook hit an excellent 103 as Northamptonshire surprised the home fans with an impressive 376 all out 54 runs behind the away side new signing Zander de Bruyn scored an unbeaten 91 as his side declared on 342 for 6 leaving Northants 289 for victory in two sessions With a draw looking like the most likely outcome Surrey were only able to take 5 wickets and a draw was a fair resultJamie Hopkins

Tagged Users
Richard Browning

Division 2 Preview - County Championship

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:58:51 +0100

County Cricket Season Preview ndash Division TwoAfter being relegated to the second tier of the county championship Kent will be looking to go straight back up to division One Kent have lost fast bowler Ajmad Khan to Sussex in the only major change to the Kent squad for the 2011 season Captain Rob Key and opener Joe Denly will continue to be key figures for Kent and will need to influential if they are to get promoted back to division OneEssex joined Kent in the bottom two places and were also relegated to the second division With no batsman averaging more than 45 in the 2010 season the signing on Owais Shah looks to be an important one Scott Styris also returns to the county for the 2011 season in what looks to be a strong batting line-up for James Fosterrsquos side this yearAfter narrowly missing out on promotion to division One Glamorgan will be looking to put their winter off-field problems behind them and gain promotion to the top flight of the County Championship A huge internal row between board members has resulted in Coach Matthew Maynard leaving his post and as a result his son Tom who is a promising batsmanhas left the club in protest and has since joined Surrey The winter break has also seen 2010 captain Jamie Dalrymple leave the club after being replaced as skipper by South African batsman Alviro PetersenMatthew Hoggard led Leicestershire will be looking to continue the excellent form that they showed in the later stages of the 2010 season that left them just 9 points off Worcestershire who took the second promotion spot The foxes good performances was partly due to young batsman Greg Smith who scored 3 centuries in 10 inningsrsquo averaging over 80 Smith is definitely a player for the future can this season see him fulfil his full potentialAn exodus of players have left Gloucestershire this winter leaving the clubrsquos younger players the opportunity to show the club they can play at this level Seamerrsquos Steve Kirby and Gemaal Hussain have both left the county to join Somerset and with James Franklin not returning to Bristol for the 2011 campaign the bowling attack seems light to say the least Although the batting line-up has been boosted by the arrival of Will Gidman from Durham and New Zealander Kane Williamson who joins as the clubrsquos overseas player Spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan has agreed to join the Gladiators for their twenty20 campaignMid-table mediocrity was the story of Northamptonshirersquos 2010 season but with veteran Sri-lankan bowler Chaminda Vaas part of the squad for the 2011 campaign can Andrew Hall and his men forge a serious promotion challenge Stephen Peterrsquos was a key player for Northants last year hitting just under 1300 runs and will need to perform again if his side are to have a successful seasonUnder-achievers Surrey always have looked like they have the squad to be in and around promotion but never seem to fulfil the expectation that is burdened on them With a decent mix of youth and experience this year could see Chris Adamsrsquos side mount a serious promotion challenge The signing of Tom Maynard from Glamorgan looks likely to be a shrewd buy along with all-rounder Zander de Bruyn who joins the club from Somerset As expected Kevin Pietersen has also signed for the county but is unlikely to feature too much throughout the season Former Sussex bowler Yasir Arafat has signed as Surreyrsquos overseas player for the season and Aussie fast bowler Shaun Tait joins the club for the twenty20 campaignAfter another disappointing season for Middlesex a shake-up in personnel was required at Lords and thatrsquos exactly whatrsquos happened during the winter break Australian Chris Rodgers joins the club as the overseas player for the season as he joins from Derbyshire The club have also improved the bowling attack with West Indian Corey Collymore joining the club from Sussex and Anthony Ireland who was recruited from Gloucestershire Young spinner Ollie Raynor has also joined the squad he comes in on-loan from Sussex With Shaun Udal announcing his retirement at the end of the 2010 season this will be Neil Dexterrsquos first full season as captainDerbyshire can only improve after finishing bottom of division two last season The county have recruited wicketkeeper Luke Sutton back to the club where he started his career and Sutton will captain the side Australian Usman Khawaja and New Zelander Martin Guptil are both sharing the overseas player duties at the County ground taking half a season each replacing Chris Rodgers With the departure of bowler Graham Wagg to Glamorgan Derbyshire have boosted the bowling options by signing Tony Palladino from Essex and Mark Turner from Somerset

Div One County Championship Preview!

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:55:20 +0100

County Cricket Season Preview ndash Division One With India fully deserved One-day world champions the attention now turns to the England County season that gets underway this Friday with the first matches of the County ChampionshipCounty Championship Holders Nottinghamshire look set to be title contenders once again this year despite the departure of former England bowler Ryan Sidebottom who left the club to sign for home club Yorkshire Captain Chris Read will be looking for another impressive season after notching up over 900 runs last term which was invaluable in their efforts to win the division one title Batting duo Matt Wood and Bilal Shafayat have been released by Notts but they have recruited 36-year old seamer Ben Phillips from Somerset in their only domestic signing in pre-season Australian duo Adam Voges and David Hussey will share the overseas player role for the champions both taking half a season eachRunners up in division one of the County Championship last season Somerset will be looking to go one better this term under the astute captaincy of the ever-present Marcus Trescothick Potentially the best domestic signing of the winter break Steve Kirby has joined the Cidermen from neighbours Gloucestershire Kirby is joined at Taunton by Gemaal Hussain who also arrives from Gloucestershire and spinner George Dockerill who joins after a successful World Cup campaign with Ireland Treschothickrsquos team also boasts impressive overseas personnel with spin duo Murali Kartik and Ajantha Mendez both sharing half a season Hard-hitter Kieron Pollard has also been recruited for the Twenty20 competitionYorkshire had to settle for third place in the County Championship last season in what ended up to be a tight finish to the title race Captain Andrew Gale will have to do without South African batsman Jaques Rudolph who has left the White Roses to return to his home country for family reasons With no current overseas signing this year Ryan Sidebottom looks to be the only recruit for Andrew Galersquos men this termLack of significant run scorers in the four-day competition was Lancashirersquos main stumbling block last season and mid-table was where the Red Roses finished after an average season Rebuilding work at home ground Old Trafford will see Lancashire play their home games at other venues In the County with grounds at Liverpool Blackpool and Southport all allocated fixtures Sri-Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof takes the overseas player spot for the Red Roses this term2009 division one champions Durham finished in a disappointing 5th place last season which was largely down to a numerous amount of injuries suffered to key players last term Wicketkeeper Phil Mustard will continue to captain the Four-day side whilst experienced batsman Dale Benkenstein will take charge of the one-day matches Durham will be without seamer Neil Killeen who called time on his 16-year playing career at the end of last season Fringe Players Will Gidman and Luke Evans have also left the club joining Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire respectively Only one recruit for Phil Mustardrsquos team West Indian born fast bowler Ruel Brathwaite joins the club after a successful trialDespite Winning the 40 over competition last season Warwickshire will be looking for a more successful County Championship season after narrowly avoiding relegation in 2010 England hopeful Chris Woakes will lead the attack for the Bears after the loss of fellow fast bowler Imran Tahir who has left the county to join Hampshire Coach Ashely Giles has recruited William Porterfield from Gloucestershire which looks to be a shrewd signing along with Laurie Evans who was released by Surrey at the end of the 2010 season Pakistanrsquos Younes Khan has joined the Bears as overseas player and will be sure to score runs for Jim Troughton and his sideAfter just avoiding relegation to division two last year Hampshire will be hoping injuries to do not plague the squad once again Despite the departure of Kevin Pietersen to Surrey Hampshire have recruited well over the winter South African Imran Tahir re-joins the club moving from Warwickshire as the clubs overseas player Along with Tahir Hampshire have signed two Kolpak players Freidel de Wet and Johann Myburgh join the club for the 2011 season to provide much needed experience to this young looking side Pakistan one day captain Shahid lsquoBoom Boomrsquo Afridi has also signed up for the domestic twenty20 competition the competition which Hampshire will be hoping to retain after winning last seasonAfter winning Division two of the county championship Sussex will be looking for a successful returning season to the top division Veteran duo Robin Martin-Jenkins and James Kirtley both announced their retirement last year leaving Sussex to strengthen the bowling attack over the winter One test wonder Amjad Khan has joined the Sharks from Kent and adds much need pace to the Sussex seam attack Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan has agreed to another stint as overseas player at Hove the Pakistan fast bowler will share the season with left ndasharm bowler Wayne Parnell who will play for the side for the second half of the seasonWorcestershire were the surprise team in division two last season and deservedly won promotion to the first division The Pears defied all the odds to gain promotion last term and will need to do the same again if they are to stay in this division Australian all-rounder Damien Wright and Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal will both share the overseas player for the Pears both taking half a season each Veteran Batsman Ben Smith announced his retirement at the end of last season and has taken up a post as Assistant manager at New Road

What's been happening at Whitchurch Cricket Club

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:50:10 +0100

With the season just weeks away Whitchurch Cricket Clubrsquos preparations are in full flowCurrently playing in the Birmingham League Second Division the club struggled to make any sort of promotion challenge last season although early indications had shown otherwiseIn fact it was their early form that probably kept them in the division as they picked up just two wins in the second half of the seasonRegardless of this they go into the new season with renewed hope of a title challenge having strengthened their squad with six new signingsHaving seen pace-man Dan Bowen move to Shropshire rivals and Birmingham Premier Division Champions Shrewsbury and fellow opening bowler Amjaad Ali Khan opting to play his cricket elsewhere the club have been busy strengthening their bowling attack by adding two spin bowlers and three seam bowlers to their line-upWarwickshire under-19 players Ali Awan a top order batsman and off spin bowler and opening bowler Akeel Haider have joined from Birmingham Premier League outfit Mosely along with fellow opening bowler Shazad AliLeft-arm off spin bowler Aqsad Ali returns to the club after 3 years away and Walesrsquos under-17 squad member Dewi Jones also joins the club as an opening bowler having previously played for Brymbo and MalpasThe clubs aspirations of pushing for promotion have also been boosted by the retention of last seasons leading run-scorer Shropshire middle-order batsman Richie Oliver who is fresh from a successful winter playing for Willeton Crows in AustraliaMaisam Hasnain has taken over the captaincy from Simon Bowen who will continue to play in the side with Ian Gregory taking over the vice-captaincyOther changes have taken place in the 2nd team with Iain Marsh set to skipper the side having held the reigns in the 3rd team for more than 10 yearsAnd 1st team captain Hasnain is confident the side have what it takes to compete this year ldquoAs a club wersquore just looking forward to the season starting and wersquore excited at what we can achieveldquoLast year we started brightly but faded away But if we can start this season off in the same fashion wersquove got a great chanceldquoHaving lost our two leading wicket takers from last season it was going to be tough to get in players of the same quality but I feel wersquove done that and wersquore ready to tackle whatever comes our way The three lads from Warwickshire under 19rsquos are very good and we know what Aqsad Ali can do as he was here a few years backrdquoNew second team captain Iain Marsh has also made a signing recruiting Chris Rogers from local rivals Frankton in a bit to strengthen the batting line upWith friendly matches set to be played at the Heath Road ground on the 16th 23rd and 30th of April against sides including Shifnal and St Georges from Telford preparations are well and truly under way

Graeme Swann Tweets About the LCA

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:22:57 +0000

LCA Ambassador Graeme Swann tweeted about the LCA last week This recognition gained thelcauk hundreds of followers and the awareness that this has bought about has been incredible We thank Graeme hugely for this and look forward to his tweets in the future

David Balcombe - Beach Training "Hard Life"

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:47:29 +0000

When I last posted my thoughts it was a cold damp day in England Id finished training in the Rose bowl indoor school and another day of getting me ready for the season was over Im now writing this blog on a beautiful morning in Barbados with the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach life doesnt really get much betterIt has been a fantastic trip so far and as a squad we have been incredibly lucky to tour such a fantastic country and be in the sunshine for our seasons preparations The first stage of the trip was just geared towards the bowlers and getting us back into the swing of things outdoors and also to get us some dedicated time to work on our batting which in the modern game is so importantWith just 12 of us on the first stage of the trip there was also an element of team building and ensuring the bowlers gelled together as a unit which will be important when we are running in on a flat one later in the season For this reason we were staying in apartments of four cooking and living together it was brilliant I was rooming with simon jones and had the bowling coach John Ayling and Dominic Cork to complete the group To say it was a laugh a minute would be an understatementWhat we all werent quite expecting was how intense and quickly everyone would get up to speed again Ive not seen many more intense net sessions at this time of year before its been fantastic The highlight for me had to be a quick and bouncy net at the Kensington oval To set the scene I was paired up with Sean Ervine and I had to bat to see him through to the end of the days play the coach then unleashed Simon Jones James Tomlinson and Kabir Ali on us Im still nursing the bruises as it was probably some of the quickest bowling Ive faced for a while but what an experience Its fantastic to see the squad gearing up for the season so wellThe second phase of the trip is geared towards getting back to competitive cricket and gearing up to our first game on April 8th against Durham The hostile nets have not stopped and now its the turn of some of the front line batters to be in the firing line which is always great to seeThere are still a few of us still on the road to fitness after some big injuries which has meant that we have continued our rehab in and around training its been tough but having such a great support staff has made progression back a smooth process Im still not quite there but encouragingly I have been bowling at around 75 and its going fairly well and hopefully it continues to do so touch wood Its actually nice to wake up in the morning and feel the good aches and pains that remind me Im back doing the thing I love which is bowling and playing cricket its a step in the right directionBeach training has been tough but a little easier when there is some beautiful scenery to look at and crystal clear water to dive into to cool off Weve only had one game so far a 40 over game vs Essex which I can report was a success and were now looking forward to playing against some of the other countys that have recently arrived Ill have to watch from the sidelines and keep going with the rehab but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel

Pulborough CC look for Pro!

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:37:50 +0000

Newly promoted Sussex Premier League Club Pulborough CC are on the look out for someone to spearhead their side in their first year in the Premier League The LCA spoke to Pulborough Vice-Captain Tom Crump all the way from Sydney where he has been playing club cricket for the passed 6 months Tom said through sponsorship from an outside source we are able to offer a pro standard player some financial benefits including a basic plus performance related incentives per game Our player must be UK registered as we have already filled the overseas and conditional quotasIf you are keen to enquire more about this role in a high level of club cricket please email Tom direct hereTo here the interview with Tom in full please visit our Captains Corner section

LCA Legends take on UCCE side!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:24:18 +0000

The first LCA League Legends game of the year has been confirmed Leeds Bradford UCCE who this year are being sponsored by the LCA will host the LCA Legends in a 50 over fixture on the 23rd May at their home ground Weetwood Playing FieldsThe LCA League Legends will be an invitational team and will include the LCA Player of the Year from 2010 Dan Woods as well as some of the other top performers from last seasonLeeds Bradford UCCE are a squad full of exceptional cricketers who have all come through various club set ups all over the UK The LCA sponsorship is a great way to support some of the best club cricketers and the UCCE SchemeWith each member of the UCCE squad taking on the role of LCA Club rep they are all really helping to spread the word about the LCA The partnership is one that will hopefully see the LCA and Leeds Bradford UCCE go from strength to strength over the next 3 yearsLCArsquos tip for the top from Leeds Bradford UCCE - Alex Blake Following his debut championship century Blakey is aiming for plenty more 3 figure scores over the 2011 season for both the University side and Kent CCC

Has the busy schedule affected England's World Cup performance?

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:04:34 +0000

Has the busy Ashes schedule affected Englandrsquos world cup performanceAfter another disappointing loss for England in their world cup campaign and a quarter final position hanging in the balance I cannot help but think that Andrew Strauss and his side look fatigued and in need of a rest Make no mistake when England have performed well in this tournament they have looked like a side who could beat anyone and potentially go far in the competition But with their hectic winter schedule down under and pretty much no break between the series in Australia and flying to India it remains to be seen whether Andy Flowerrsquos men will even qualify for the quarter finals of this yearrsquos world cup The ECB will have to take part of the blame if England are to fall short of a quarter final position Is playing a seven game ODI series straight after the Ashes a perfect build up to the world cup The three and a half month tour saw England suffer injuries to Paul Collingwood Ajmal Shazhad Chris Tremlett Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan throughout and since losing key duo Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broard The ECB have since publically said they would no longer play seven one-day games in a series which clearly shows they feel Englandrsquos below par performances so far in the world cup has been down to the heavy schedule of the tour down underEngland are currently lying in 5th place in the group with one game to play The West Indies are Andrew Strauss and his sidesrsquo last fixture of the group stages and they will be fully aware it is a must win tie But with the Caribbean side playing some very good cricket so far in the competition its going to be a tough final game to say the least If England are to win against Darren Sammyrsquos side they also need to hope for other games to go their way as they could still potentially go out despite winning their last tie One thing is for sure the next few days are going to incredibly nail biting for England and their fans

Will England still qualify for the quarter finals?

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:22:46 +0000

After Englandrsquos shock defeat to Ireland on Wednesday it remains to be seen whether Andrew Strauss and his team will qualify for the quarter finals Make no mistake failure to make the next round of the competition would be disastrous for a one-day side that is fast becoming the most unpredictable side in the tournamentThe loss on Wednesday has really opened the group up with only the Netherlands who have not won a game yet England face group leaders South Africa on Sunday knowing they will need to drastically improve their game to stand a chance of winning in Chennai Andy flower will be fully aware that two wins in their last three games should confirm their passage to the quarter finals South Africa Bangladesh and West Indies will all be tough games for England and improvements in the bowling and fielding is definitely required for Andrew Straussrsquo men Host nation Bangladesh will prove to be very tough opponents for England especially with the home support they will be given and with already beating Ireland in the competition they will feel quietly confident they will be able to condemn England to another embarrassing defeat West indies will be buoyed by the impressive performance of fast bowler Kemar Roach who finished with figures of 6-27 which also included a hat-trick in their victory over Netherlands last week Despite a 7 wicket defeat to South Africa the Caribbean side will be Englandrsquos biggest challengers for a place in the quarter finals The main area of concern for England in this tournament so far has been their fielding on numerous occasions have catches been dropped especially in their recent defeat to Ireland The flat pitches in this yearrsquos competition has risen the amount that batting sides are aiming for On many times this year have teams exceeded 300 runs providing the seam bowlers with no margin of errorEngland will still be confident of getting into the quarter finals but further progression through the rounds will require major improvement in many areasJamie Hopkins

David Balcombe - Barbados Bound

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:14:50 +0000

So to pick up from where we left off in December The injury is on the mend the trainings tough I know I am back batting as Irsquove been hit on the head again and as for getting back to bowling sore isnrsquot the word Irsquove found muscles that have emerged from their winter hibernationCoaching has been on the increase as well as you can probably imagine The LCA CC post Christmas courses have been a great success so far lots of new faces and also some familiar ones too I have been lucky to be head coach on LCA CCrsquos inaugural course in the New Forest The course has been taking place at Brokenhurst college - a fantastic facility which now means we can provide our growing database of young cricketers with access to more cricket coaching in the New Forest District Having now formed a partnership with this district Irsquom hoping to have the pleasure of coaching a few more aspiring cricketers from the areaBack to the hectic months leading up to the season then January saw the Hampshire Twenty 20 squad depart out of the snow and to the tropical paradise of the Caribbean to take part in their domestic competition To say I was envious would have summed it up well However every cloud has a silver lining The fact that coaches went away with the 1st team squad meant there were coaching gaps to fill back at the Rose Bowl I was approached to enhance my coaching credentials working with the Hampshire Academy under the excellent guidance of Tony Middleton I got to work with all the lads both technically and tactically but also was trusted with developing their gym programmes To say the experience was invaluable would be an understatement To be able to enhance my coaching knowledge in such a professional environment and with the future stars of Hampshire cricket was a fantastic opportunity and one I can hopefully pass on to the young players on LCA Cricket Coaching coursesGetting back to full fitness and ready to start the season has been a long process but Irsquom now back bowling and so the one bonus is I can stop talking about how to bowl and start demonstrating it to the youngsters on our courses something I kept having to stop myself doing The main emphasis to get up early each morning has been the fact that I will be spending March in Barbados A fantastic opportunity to complete my rehab and make sure Irsquom ready and raring to go for the start of the season It will be nice to be back in the nets and taking full part in training again with the other ladsBefore I head away I have had to make sure the coaching side of things is covered and I have been fortunate to be able to secure the coaches I wanted to continue the work I started in the New Forest Adam Kelly a highly skilled coach in many areas has been drafted in to lead these sessions and Chris Benham will be back to keep up the great work he started with the guys batting There have also been some exiting meetings taking place in the LCA CC camp its been tight to fit them all in but glad we didhelliphellip Keep your eyes on the website for more information and news of these and many more exiting news from LCA Cricket coaching

Flintoff goes back to Club Cricket!

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:46:56 +0000

England legend Andrew Flintoff is turning back the clock and will turn out for club side Penwortham CC this coming SummerClub chairman Paul Walmsley confirmed Flintoffs arrival - subject to the necessary paperwork being approved - ahead of their Palace Shield campaignWalmsley said All I can really tell you is that Andrew Flintoff has signed for Penwortham Cricket ClubHis forms will be sent to the Palace Shield league officials for their subsequent approvalFlintoff who has taken 226 Test wickets and scored over 3800 Test runs will join brother Chris when he steps over the white line for Penwortham this season The LCA awaits news on his success and will follow Andrew throughout the campaign

New Forest Junior Cricket Association partner with LCA Cricket Coaching

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:00:15 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching is delighted to have joined forces with the New Forest Junior Cricket Association LCA Cricket Coaching will be running a variety of coaching courses throughout the year offering children in the region an opportunity to further enhance their skills and rub shoulders with some of the counties finest players From Winter Academies right the way through to discipline specific Masterclasses there will be something for everyone in the New Forest region this coming year and beyond The reasonably priced courses will be giving the NFJCA a stream of revenue to pump back into the development of the cricket in the area in an attempt to make the NFJCA one of the most successful district setups around ldquoWe are excited at the prospect ofbeing involved in hosting these courses run by LCA Cricket Coaching and I would strongly urge the keen cricketersof all abilities boys and girlsin our region to take a look at what is on offer to them as I feel theyoffer afantastic additionalopportunity to further develop and improve their ability The coaches that are likely to be gracing the New Forest with their presence in the future are all very highly qualified and have great experience in the world of professional cricketrdquo explained David Wood Development Secretary for the NFJCAThe first of the LCA Cricket Coaching courses will take place at Burgate School during the second week of Easter This will initially be targeted at a 9-13 age range and will be a 3 day long holiday camp offering in depth technical analysis fielding competitions matchday scenarios and much more Head Coach of LCA Cricket Coaching and current Hampshire professional David Balcombe spoke of the partnership ldquothis is something we have been trying to achieve for a while now and we thank David and the committee at the NFJCA for giving us this opportunity We see the partnership as a stepping stone for cricketing success in the region and we are thoroughly looking forward to working with the array of talent that I know is out there These are exciting times looking ahead to the potential that we can hopefully help bring outrdquo

LCA Ambassador, Graeme Swann becomes a father!

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:49:45 +0000

LCA Ambassador Graeme Swann will be available as expected for Englands opening World Cup match against Holland after the birth of his son on ThursdayOff-spinner Swann remained in England when his team-mates flew to Bangladesh last weekend so that he could attend the birth of his first childIt was always anticipated he would miss Englands two warm-up matches - the second is against Pakistan in Fatullah on Friday - but would arrive in time for Tuesdays Group B opener in Nagpur His wife Sarah gave birth to 8lb 9oz son Wilfred and Swann is therefore set to fly to India soonThis is an incredibly special day for us and we are both absolutely delighted and very proud parents he saidBoth Sarah and Wilfred are doing very well and I am looking forward to enjoying the next couple of days with them both before I fly out to join the team for the World CupThe League Cricketers Association would like to congratulate Graeme on his first child and wish him all the best in the World Cup

World Cup Preview

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:54:12 +0000

The 10th Cricket World Cup is underway after a spectacular opening ceremony in Bangladesh 21000 spectators witnessed the show that saw Canadian singer Bryan Adams perform plus all 14 captains paraded in Rickshaws around the stadium in Dhaka to demonstrate the local cultureThe opening match of the tournament sees two co-hosts facing each other as Bangladesh face favourites India in Mirpur This is the opening match of Group B which also includes England South Africa West indies Ireland and Netherlands Andy Flowerrsquos men got their preparations for the tournament to a winning start after narrowly defeating Canada by 16 runs Despite coming close to an embarrassing loss to the Canadians Stuart Broadrsquos bowling performance was one to behold after finishing the warm-up match with figures of 5-39 The fixture also saw batsman Kevin Pietersen promoted to up the order to open the batting despite getting out for 24 this change of tactic is likely to be used for the first few games of the tournamentEnglandrsquos first opponents in the group are a Netherlands side who are looking for a repeat of their shock victory over England in the World twenty20 tournament last yearAll-rounder Ryan Ten Doeschate is the key man for Holland and any chance of success in the tournament will be down to the Essex man to performFavourites India will no strangers to the amount of pressure on them to perform this tournament especially with the fact three quarters of the matches in the competition are in their country With 1796 runs under his belt in this competition over the years cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is likely to bow out from the international game after the tournament has finished Tendulkar to score the winning runs in the final and then retire I wouldnrsquot put it past himArguably Indiarsquos toughest opponents in Group B are South Africa The Proteas who despite having a team of hugely talented players have never had the run of the green when it comes to the World Cup but with the top two ODI batsmen in the current rankings in their side they will surely feel 2011 could be their yearWith a new captain at the helm for West Indies West Indian cricket will certainly be hoping for a new era under the guidance of 27-year old St Lucian Darren Sammy Despite being thrown in at the deep end Sammy will be fully aware of the talent that lies in his squad and if consistency is created for the Caribbean side there is no reason why they canrsquot go far in the tournamentThe days of Bangladesh being a developing side who rarely challenged the bigger teams is definitely over After One-day series victories over West Indies and New Zealand The Tigers have overtaken West Indies in the current one-day international rankings and sit in a very respectable 8th place With the home crowd behind them this year could well be their most successful in their historyHaving only ever beaten one test playing nation in a one-day international you wouldnrsquot be too far off to say Ireland are the biggest underdogs in Group B Although with seven players with first class county experience and the return of Sussex Batsman Ed Joyce the Irish will certainly be no pushoversThe first match in Group A sees New Zealand kick off their World cup campaign against Kenya The Kiwis who are in terrible form of late are the definite dark horses of the competition Key duo Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum will both need to perform throughout the tournament if they are to progress to the later stagesKenya have come a long way since reaching the semi-finals in the world cup in 2003 Unfortunately the Kenyans have only gone downhill since their remarkable triumph eight years ago Six wins in their last 34 one-day internationals suggests they could have a tough time in the subcontinent With a recently appointed new captain and nine players playing in their first world cup the upsets that used to be on the cards now seem less likelyWith spin bowling legend Muttiah Muralitharan leaving the international side of the game after the competition the extra incentive to give the leg-spinner a farewell ending in front of their home fans is definitely there Reaching the final in 2007 the Sri Lankans will be looking to go one better and lift the trophy this time roundDespite only ever winning once in the world cup Canada will be buoyed by taking England all the way in their warm-up match The key man for the Canadians is 40-year old John Davison Davison once smashed 111 in 67 balls against West indies and at the time it was a world cup record for the fastest centuryThe controversy of late surrounding the Pakistan cricket team is all but certain to have affected the sides world cup preparations One-day series victory over New Zealand will have filled the team with confidence but consistency has always been a problem for Shahid Afridirsquos sideCurrent holders of the competition and world no1 ranked side Australia are always a side that turn up and perform exceptionally well at big tournaments Looking for their fourth successive world cup crown you would be brave to bet against the Australians becoming victorious once again With Ricky Ponting back as captain after missing the One-day series win over England with injury and Brett Lee firing on all cylinders of late i can see the Aussies going far this yearCoached by former England Batsman Alan Butcher Zimbabwe face a tough task to qualify for the quarter finals one of Australia Pakistan Sri lanka or New Zealand will need to be knocked out for that to happen All-rounder Elton Chigumbura skippers the side and any success throughout the tournament rests of his shouldersMy PredictionWinner South AfricaLCA PredictionWinner England of course

What's been happening at Chipping Sodbury?

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:53:22 +0000

Chipping Sodbury Cricket ClubAfter the thrills and spills of Chipping Sodbury CCs 150th anniversary year in 2010 the Bristol based club are now looking forwardin the hope ofreaching further milestonesAfter another swashbuckling year the 1st XI narrowly missedpromotion for the second year running in the Bristol North Somerset League also reaching the Gloucester Cup final at the County Ground narrowly losing the game against Premier 1 outfit Frocester A couple of signings has boosted the clientale over the winter months which will strengthen the top order and just maybe be whats required to win the titleOff the pitch 2010 saw us welcome various reptouring sides huge marquee events with famous guests and nude midnight sprints on the square 2011 will probably be identicalOther news is the clubs new 3 lane outdoor net facilityis now complete and will have immediate impact for all playing members as they can now increase net time and maybe reduce bar time

LCA Cricket Coaching join forces with Funky Sports

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:20:31 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching Ltd and Funky cricket have formed a partnership to ensure the cricketing community in the South can pair up both excellence in their equipment and excellence in coaching Cricketers the world over will know that the right bat can make all the difference to the power in your cover drive the timing of your pull shot or helping you ease that spinner over the top on a Saturday afternoonFunky bats have been designed with the help of the pros to maximise everything that is good about a traditional piece of English Willow but with the modern game in mind To see Sean Ervine stroking the ball effortlessly over the ropes with his very own Funky Slug would be testament to this very factLCA Cricket coaching has come on board with the hope that they can provide the extra knowledge to the cricketers to even further maximise the use of their equipment LCA CC with the funky cricket equipment provide innovative fun and informative coaching sessions planned and inspired by the professionals and the professional gameWith the right bat and the right coaching your already one step ahead of the game OFFER Follow the below image link and buy any Funky cricket bat at the checkout stage type lcacoaching into the Offer Code box to receive a 10 discount on the bat

Barnards Green CC, Birmingham League Season 2011.

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:42:32 +0000

Barnards Green CC Birmingham League Season 2011By Adam BinksFebruary 2011With the most monumental season in our little clubrsquos history coming up in 2011 I thought it a good time to start looking back at our 2010 campaign and the behind the scenes work that goes on in the close season to make a club tickFor a lot of our members September marks the time to put the cricket kit hopefully laundered in the loft and to forget about the early Saturday mornings and the inability to walk properly until Tuesday after 50 overs in the field For a select few here is when the hard work begins to make sure we get a decent side on the park for our 1st ever Birmingham League fixture in May 2011Promotion from the Worcestershire County League into arguably one of the finest amateur cricket leagues in the world a league steeped in history and with a highly impressive list of former players including Steve Waugh Wasim Akram and Kevin Pietersen has to rank as one of the proudest moments in my career From a personal point of view I am looking forward to another crack in the league having previously played 4 seasons in the Premier League in my younger days for the majority of our guys though it will be their first taste of having to travel outside of Worcestershire for a game of cricketOur 2010 campaign was hard fought and not without adversity our rivals will point to having the services of an exceptional overseas player Andre Russell who as I write is hopefully doing enough to impress Otis Gibson and force his way into the West Indies World Cup side and whilst there is no doubt his near 800 runs and 40 wickets made a huge contribution his call up to the West Indies A side meant we lost his services for over half our season and we had to rely on home-grown talent to make a push for promotionSeptember 2010With the ink barely dry on our League Champions 2010 commemorative t-shirts at our end of season promotion party a tap on the shoulder from our skipper Tim Williams suggesting we need to start thinking about an overseas player for 2011 was not high on my agenda I was much more interested in my pint of Guinness drinking rum and coke from the Trophy and one of Hrsquos special chicken kebabs off the BBQ This said our player recruitment has been a key factor in our recent successes and Tim is always diligent when it comes to his research and this has certainly paid off in recent seasons with no less than 3 of our last 5 overseas players being in the provisional ICC World Cup squads and a 4th having made his 1st Class debutOctoberNovember 2010October was a pretty quiet month on the whole it looks as if the early work has paid off though as we have already provisionally signed our overseas player subject to the necessary paperwork keeping it close to our chest we are pretty happy he is a potential for representative honours in NZ and comes highly recommended by Dan Flynn a former overseas playerhonorary life members and Black Caps playerNovember sees the AGM no different to any other cricket club I am sure with the debate centering on the usual items namely the quality and price of teas and lack of volunteers to get them done a plea for people to help with the preseason work on the ground at CricketForce and surprisingly in times of austerity a unanimous vote to raise subscriptions and match fees in order to support our rise into the Birmingham League I did have to fill in one of my closest mates at the club on the content of the meeting on Monday morning however as he turned up to the meeting a little the worse for wear having consumed a good deal of cider whilst watching his beloved Aston Villa on Super Sunday he was certainly surprised to learn he had been appointed as Evening Twenty20 SkipperDecemberJanaury With a return to work for most of us and Christmas seeming a long time ago momentum really starts to take hold as we gear up for the now imminent 2011 season winter nets are in the diary for early February at the awesome Malvern College Sports Complex the winter home of Worcestershire CCC Our new overseas player has signed his contract but we also receive a dual blow to our starting line up with both opening batsmen ruled out of the 2011 season Mark Hooper has a cruciate knee ligament injury and George Rhodesson of former England Keeper Steve has decided to move onto pastures new whilst disappointed we wish ldquoBoy Armsrdquo all the best as he continues his quest to make it through the Worcestershire Academy and onto higher honours January however does have a silver lining on the player recruitment front as we manage to capture 3 players from local rivals these signings will add competition for places in the squad and importantly give us a new ball option to back up Phil Harris and hopefully our as yet un-revealed Kiwi quickhelliphellipJanuary also sees the announcement of a brand new kit supplier local firm ID Sportsnet pipped our longstanding supplier at the post to kit us out in the best gear in the league we hope and with a new fangled website to handle payments our new treasurer Kev Golder is one happy man as he wonrsquot have to deal with the thankless task of making sure I get my long sleeve shirt and Engine receives his XXXL in time for April as well as ensuring ID receive a hefty chequeFebruaryFebruary proves a great month for the cricket section with former skipper Chris Smedley organising a highly successful pre season fund raiser which fills the club with over 200 punters for an event dubbed BGCCrsquos not Got Talent Seven musical acts grace loosely speaking the stage from 730pm-2am the highlight being the dubiously named Spandex Bell Ends resplendent in tight pink t-shirts We also find out that our Fundraising manager Rich Brown has managed to secure a grant which will see us the proud owners of a couple of water hogs some additional covering as well as some catching ramps and unfortunately for those who hate catching practice some skyer bats which basically put a ball into orbithelliphelliphellipRich puts in a lot of hard work and we are delighted with these acquisitions which along with our newly installed nets worth 40k mean we have some of the best facilities in the county roll on May 7th

Shahzad added to growing injury list.

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:43:56 +0000

Injured Shahzad added to the Lengthy Injury list for the touristsEnglandrsquos bowling department has been hit with another injury blow with the world cup only weeks away Ajmal Shahzad picked up the knock during the tourists 51-run defeat to the Aussies in Brisbane Shahzad faces scans on Tuesday along with Surrey bowler Chris Tremlett who injuried his side last week amid fears they will both have to fly home for treatment and join Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann on the injury list Liam Plunkett who is currently touring the Caribbean with the England Lions will fly out to Australia in preparation for the seventh One-day international the Durham bowler will not make it in time for the sixth match in Sydney The 25-year old last featured for England in March last year and will see this as an excellent opportunity to reinforce the confidence that was placed in him that saw the bowler make his test debut at just 20 years of ageMeanwhile Andy Flower and his coaching staff will be buoyed by the excellent performance of newcomer Chris Woakes in the fifth test who bowled aggressively and with discipline finishing with impressive figures of 6-45 and become only the second Englishman to take six wickets in a one-day international Woakes was the only real stand out performer for the tourists whose batsmen not for the first time in this one-day series failed in their attempt to chase the home sidersquos total The loss at Brisbane sees Australia take a fully deserved 4-1 lead and confirm the series victory with two games to playDespite injuries currently threatening to affect Englandrsquos world cup preparations Andrew Strauss and his men will be encouraged by all-rounder Stuart Broad who has re-joined the England squad in Australia but will not be considered for the last two one-day matches in this series to make sure the 24-year olds stomach injury is fully healed With the world cup less than a fortnight away it remains to be seen which England players will not recover in time for the tournament and along with many Batsmen currently struggling for form down under Andy Flower will feel the sidersquos preparations for the competition could have been smootherThe format of this yearrsquos world cup sees the 14 countries split into two groups of seven and the top four teams in each group qualify for the quarter finals This revised format has not been used in a world cup since 1996 England are placed in Group B along with India South Africa Bangladesh West Indies Netherlands and Ireland Andrew Strauss and his side start their campaign against qualifiers Netherlands in Nagpur on the 22nd of February

Bat Repairs Pre season Offer!

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:44:05 +0000

Batrepairs was set up by Dominic McMullan a cricket fan club player and enthusiastDominic has strong contacts in the game and was asked by a player at his own club Richmond CC to see he could get a broken bat repaired having returned the bat in nearly new condition the player couldnt believe the quality of the work and other enquiries followed soon afterBatrepairs understand that repairing or refurbishing your existing cricket bat is a more economical optionthan purchasing a new bat especially as finding the right bat for you and your game can be hard work which is why wersquore here to extend the life and performance of your favourite willowBatrepairs will accept all makes of bats for repair or refurbishment in many cases well also be able to apply original stickers to the your batIn the 6 months of trading Batrepairs already has many satisfied customers see wwwbatrepairscom for a list of testimonials and more informationFounder of the LCA Richard Logan also chose Batrepairs for his own personal bat see his testimonial hereFollowing the rare occasion I scored any runs last season with my favourite Adidas bat I managed to smash the bottom of it in the next fixture I had put in down as a lost cause until I spoke to Dom at Bat repairs Following our conversation I sent the bat off with little hope However only 2 weeks later I received the bat back fully repaired with a new set of stickers looking like brand new Bat repairs did a fantastic job well worth the moneyBatrepairs has a Facebook site which shows before and after images on repaired and refurbished bats click on the Facebook button on wwwbatrepairscom to view the images and add Batrepairs as a friendOffer to LCA membersFollow the link to the Bat Repairs page here to benefit from the LCA Offerhttpwwwthelcacoukpartner_view_profile36

England v Australia 3rd One Dayer

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:53:41 +0000

Below par England fail again as Australia cruise to a 3-0 lead Australian continue to overpower England in the one-day series storming to a 3 ndash 0 lead with England now knowing they now need to be victorious in all of the last four matches to win the Commonwealth bank series down underThe latest of the three defeats saw Englandrsquos poor batting performance in the One-day games highlighted once again with only Jonathon Trott hitting a respectable score despite batting fluently for his 84 not out Trott was unable to create a real partnership with one of his colleagues as regular wickets fell throughout the innings It continued to be a torrid time out in the middle for Durham batsman Paul Collingwood who is still struggling to find form and was dismissed second ball by spinner Xavier Doherty a worrying sight for England who with the World Cup next month not far away they need all guns firing if they are to have a successful tournamentWith the away side failing to bat their allocated overs at Sydney the modest total of 215 was Micheal Clarkersquos sidersquos target under the lights But despite a below-par batting performance Englandrsquos bowlers opened up with the new ball aggressively with both Chris Tremlett and Ajmal Shahzad taking early wickets Debutant Chris Woakes followed by taking the wicket of captain Micheal Clarke in his first over and with Australia 59-3 the tourists felt they could have a chance of taking an unlikely victory in Sydney Woakes replaced the injured Tim Bresnan who injuried his calf in the second one-day international in Hobart Bresnan has flown back home for treatment but is expected to be fit for the world cup But with required run-rate always on the Aussies side they reached the required score comfortably with David Hussey top-scoring for the Australianrsquos with a gritty 68 not outWith this series a warm-up for the World cup in February the first three matches have definitely been a reality check for Andy Flowerrsquos side with a vast amount of improvement is required if England are to progress to the later stages of the competitionAfter 10 months out of the one-day set-up there was a surprise call-up for Sussex wicketkeeper Matt Prior who has made the team for Englandrsquos 15 man squad for the world which was picked last week The announcement also sees Andy Flower pick three recognised spinners for the tournament Graeme Swann James Tredwell and Micheal Yardy the lucky trio to be chosen Stuart Broad who got injured during the test series returns to the side as expected but there is no place for Surrey bowler Chris Tremlett who despite currently having a successful tour of Australia misses outJamie Hopkins

Job Opportunity - Beaconsfield CC Club Development Officer

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:15:35 +0100

Beaconsfield Cricket Club Development Officer Beaconsfield Cricket Club is situated in the small town of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire and has two pitches and four artificial nets The club was formed in 1825 The club has four Saturday XIrsquos playing in the Thames Valley League one Sunday XI playing in 3 cup competitions plus friendlyrsquos and a junior section comprising of 150 colts In 2010 the 1st XI were relegated from the Home Counties Premier League into Thames Valley Division One The clubrsquos ambition is to return to the Home Counties Premier League within 2 years Benefits to the clubIncreased number of playersIncreased number of high quality playersIncreased revenue membership sales sponsorship etcA single point of contact for coaching and coachesContinually up to date with modern coaching thinking and practiceBetter positioned to attractaccess future fundingA coordinated coaching structure within the club for all playersProvision of a safe and friendly learning environmentBenefits to the appointed personECBCACounty Board Training OpportunitiesRegular contact with other coachesdevelopment officers in the area to share best practiceSelf Development Career DevelopmentSenior responsible position within the clubJob DescriptionPurpose of the jobTo ensure high quality coaching programmes are produced and delivered by the best available coaches within or outside of Beaconsfield Cricket ClubPrinciple Responsibilities main dutiesTo motivate club personnel and coaches to get involved in a structured programmeTo plan and implement a fully inclusive annual indooroutdoor player-centred coaching programme which is appropriate to needs of the club and approved by the Club Cricket Committee To communicate a child-centred coaching ethos at youth level to players coaches team managers parents club committee ground staff umpires teachers and community partnersRecruitappoint appropriate volunteer Coaching Staff including specialist coaches and check all qualificationsAttend selection meetingsAct as First Team PlayerCoachPlay in all 1st team Saturday League games and Sunday Cup fixtures plus any warm up gamesAppoint coaches and team managers to all age group teams Other ResponsibilitiesEncourage the development of high quality playing and practice facilitiesArrange Easter May half-term and Summer Holiday courses and promote to parents and local schools This would include a bonus payment to be agreedEnsure there is enough appropriate coaching equipment and monitor equipment levelsTo book all facilities as necessary with regards winter coaching summer coaching clinicsOverseeconduct risk assessment indoorsoutdoorsAttend junior league meetingscoaches meetingsTo produce and utilise a wet weatheralternative pack of activities eg videorsquos worksheets quiz group discussions etchellipTo have knowledge and understanding of ECB Child Welfare procedures in relation to coaching responsibilitiesKnowledge Skills and ExperienceExperienced coach minimum ECB Level 3Head Coach or equivalent with a knowledge of ECB coaching and coach education systemsExperienced and quality player capable of playing to ECB Premier League standardFull member of ECBCA attendance on Safeguarding Children Course CRB ClearedSelf motivating and believe passionately in improving the quality of coaches and coaching within the club environmentEnthusiastic positive reliable well presented leader with good interpersonal skillsHave good management and organisational skillsDisplay a sound knowledge of cricket structuresHave the ability to communicate and negotiate with internal and external personnelIT skills are essentialMust be approachable and contactable sometimes during unsociable hoursInventive lateral thinkerMust be both a lsquostarterrsquo and a lsquofinisherrsquoAdditional informationThe appointed person will be Self Employed with a 6 month contract package to be circa 4000 dependent on experience and qualifications Pay will be made in 6 monthly instalments Apr-Sept Income from coaching clinics etc paid on topRequired coaching hours will be 6pm-830pm on Thurs seniors 10am-12noon on Sunday colts plus all U17 matchesAny 11 sessions with colts can be arranged by the appointed person at their own convenience so long as they donrsquot conflict with any required hours or matchesA laptop will be provided if requiredTo apply please send cricket CV and covering letter toJon MahoodFlat 4 Riverlock CourtSpring Gardens RoadHigh WycombeBucks HP13 7FNjon_mahoodhotmailcomwwwbeaconsfieldcccomClosing date 4Aniticipated start date 2th March 2011 nd April 2011

South of England Cricket Coaching Business Opportunity

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:36:36 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching Regional Head CoachJob Title League Cricketersrsquo Association Head Coach and Regional ManagerVacancies in Dorset Wiltshire Oxfordshire East Sussex and KentRole This role is in place to continue and support the growth and development of youth cricket in the designated areas The person in this role will be responsible for delivering and filling all the courses in the area with the excellence LCA CC have become known forClosing Date 4th February 2011Principle ResponsibilitiesLead each of the courses that are run in that area Recruit coaches to work with you on the courses Fill each course in that area a marketing plan email templates and assistance supplied by LCA CC Build relationships with cricket contacts in the areaKnowledge and ExperienceHold a minimum ECB level 2 coaching qualification including up to date CRB First Aid and Child Protection certificatesBe proactive and forward thinkingHave excellent communication interpersonal and time management skillsMust be able to develop and sustain key partnerships with local clubs and schoolsHold a full and valid driving licensePotential EarningsTo be discussed on applicationCandidates should apply by sending their CV with a covering letter explaining their suitability for this position to infothelcacouk or call 01489 808004

Busy Schedule continues for Ashes Heroes!

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:19:15 +0000

Busy Schedule continues for Ashes HeroesEnglandrsquos players have no time to rest after their superb Ashes victory they now prepare to face the Aussies in a One day international series with the home side determined to make up for their poor test series performanceWith England full on confidence it is vital for the tourists to perform well in this series and continue their winning streak in AustraliaPaul Collingwood who recently announced his retirement in test cricket will captain the twenty20 side before Test skipper Andrew Strauss takes over for the seven ODIrsquosAfter being dropped from last summerrsquos ODI series against Pakistan Kevin Pietersen returns to the limited overs set-up along with fellow Ashes winner Ian Bell who missed the previous ODIrsquos through injuryThere is still no place for Keeper Matt Prior who is once again overlooked for the limited overs set-up After impressing in this previous series against Pakistan Steve Davis retains his position as 50- over wicketkeeperWarwickshire bowler Chris Woakes who stood out with some excellent performances in last yearrsquos domestic season is the only un-capped player in the England Squad Woakes will be competing with Ashes hero Chris Tremlett who gains a recall to the one-day set-up for the first time in two yearsAfter being snubbed in the first round of the IPL auction Graeme Swann will be looking for good performances and continuation of his excellent test form of lateInfluential bowler James Anderson is heading back home to the UK for a rest and will miss both T20 matches and three one-day internationals fellow test bowler Steven Finn replaces Anderson before joining the England lions in their tour of the West IndiesWith Batsman Michael Clarke declaring his retirement from twenty20 internationals stating he wants to focus on test and 50-over cricket one-day specialist Cameron White takes over the reigns as T20 skipper with Wicketkeeper Tim Paine his deputyDespite the Australianrsquos ODI squad yet to be announced it is sure to be without Captain Ricky Ponting who misses the commonwealth bank series through injury and undergoes surgery on Tuesday to repair his fractured finger that kept him out of the fifth Ashes testWith the World cup fast approaching next month both sides will see this series as good preparation for the inaugural tournament which is hosted by India Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

Michael Lumb Batting Master Class

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:32:13 +0000

Last Monday 13th December saw the last of the LCA Cricket CoachingHampshire star master classes This time it was a chance for the kids in the region to gain valuable tips from World T20 Winner Michael Lumb Once again the master class took place at the fantastic indoor facility at King Edward VI School Southampton at this stage it has to be mentioned that Mr Chris Eades History PE Master IC Cricket at KES was instrumental during each of these master classes giving up his time not only to learn from some of the stars of the game - as we all were but to actively help the children that attended a huge thank you to him for all of his efforts over the 3 week periodThe master class began with a skill related warm up encouraging the boys to concentrate hard on watching the ball right the way onto the bat It was then important to establish the basic foundations so we quickly ran over the key points surrounding the grip stance and backlift before going into some detail on the forward drive Once each child had got to grips with the 6 points we were looking to achieve we swiftly moved into a front foot circuit This included 5 stations with one being the bowling machine one using thecricket coaching matand the other being target related Each group rotated around each station hopefully honing their front foot technique in slightly different situations each time This worked extremely well with each batter improving immensely and the interaction between the boys and Michael proving a real successAfter a much needed break at the half way stage - we moved onto playing off the back foot The set up for this was very similar to the front foot section we started off by going through the fundamental points of playing off the back foot by setting up a back foot defensive testing drill Once everyone understood the fundamentals it was then important to get each and every child to hit as many balls as possible This was again done in a circuit-like structure with the coaching mat and bowling machine playing a huge part All potential shots were covered in the 5 stations with Michael Lumb coaching the pull shot - a personal favourite of hisThe master class was very technically based which was a purposeful approach by LCA Cricket Coaching so as to send the children away with all the information they need when practicing with their schools clubs or on anotherLCA CC coursepost christmas Each child thoroughly enjoyed the master class and the opportunity they got to pick the brains of the England Hampshire star The feedback we have received has been excellent and we hope to arrange another series of master classes with similar stars in the New YearMany thanks to other LCA Cricket CoachesRichard LoganDavid Balcombefor their efforts in making the session run as smoothly as possible and also toLMI PhotographyandStuart Applebyfor their coverage of the eventAn excellent 3 weeks worth of master classes - extremely rewarding and valuable for the kids Thanks to everyone who supported us and for those of you who attendedHave a great christmas and a happy new yearBrowny

The County Domestic Schedule too much cricket?

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:08:33 +0000

The ECB have today released the fixture schedule for 2011 The season starts on 9th April 2011 Yes ndash APRIL Itrsquos getting earlier and earlier In 2010 we saw uncharacteristically good weather very early in the season meaning that almost all of the early fixtures were completed Itrsquos highly unlikely wersquoll get weather like that 2 years on the trot this is England and WalesThe release of the fixtures has led to the resurfacing of the moans from last year about there being too many fixtures and too much cricket Ashley Giles Director of Coaching at Warwickshire has stated his displeasure that Warks players only get 12 days rest in the first 49 of the season Last season Middlesex played 8 CCC matches in the first 7 weeks The ECB set up a working party called the ldquoStructure Grouprdquo to look at the formats and schedules ndash typically though this group was set up too late to have any effect on the 2011 schedulesRecently the ECBrsquos executive board decided to back the findings of this working party which recommended cutting the number of Championship from 16 games to 14 and the Twenty20 Cup from 16 to 10 per county from 2012 onwardsThe proposed changes to the County Championship are as followsbullDiv 1 moves to 8 teams ndash the ldquoeliterdquo playing 14 fixtures each team home and awaybullDiv 2 moves to 10 teams ndash the ldquorest of themrdquo also playing 14 fixtures in total Eh That maths doesnrsquot work So essentially div 2 teams will play 5 of the other counties both home and away and 4 of them only once either home or awayThese changes are designed to counter the ldquotoo much cricketrdquo moansI remain unconvinced that there is actually too much cricket being played Cricket is a spectator sport spectators want to watch people playing it not spending their time in the nets and the gym Itrsquos my view that the players donrsquot actually play too much cricket and I donrsquot imagine that any player is going to be prepared to accept a 20 pay cut even though theyrsquoll be playing 20 less cricket And if they are playing too much cricket itrsquos because their county hasnrsquot grasped the concept of squad rotation The problem isnrsquot the number of days being played itrsquos how they are arranged within the seasonThe Championship is the most important thing to almost all players members supporters and management doing well in that matters to them more than anything I know this isnrsquot reflected in crowd numbers CCC is never going to be mass attended given it is almost all played on weekdays during the day But the Championship remains enormously competitive and as we saw from the last day of the 2010 season remains exciting and tense Irsquom not sure what message it sends out reducing the amount of ldquoproperrdquo 4 day cricketThere are some arguments that it would become even more competitive if we allowed for promotion into and relegation out of Division 2 but the Minor counties are a long way from being able to host and pay for 1st class cricket This would require some serious investment and in these austere times that simply isnrsquot going to happen When I speak to casual cricket fans their main problem with Championship is that they donrsquot understand how it works how the scoring system works and therefore what the significance of each dayrsquos play is Therersquos a PR job to be done here and it would of course help if a national broadcaster actually showed Championship cricket ndash or at the very least did a weekly round up show a bit like Match of the Day In my opinion each of the 3 formats should be spaced out evenly throughout the season so in an 7 or 8 day period a county will play 1 CCC 1 CB40 or preferably a CB50 and a T20 or 2 If counties are smart with squad rotation this sort of schedule would put far less pressure on players then cramming 8 CCC fixtures into the first 7 weeks of the season as happened at Middlesex last seasonThe season also finishes too early there is room to extend it for another couple of weeks into September the weather stays fine enough although I realise there are potential clashes with other international and domestic competitions but believe itrsquos possible with enough depth in your squad to manage this A 2 week extension to the season would also ease the pressure on the schedule without reducing the amount of cricket It would be infinitely preferable to extend it a couple of weeks into September than make it earlier and earlier in AprilOne thing that certainly might liven up the domestic game is an FA cup style knock-out competition involving the minor counties A proper knock competition with rounds leaving opportunity for say Devon to knock out Durham in the 1st round ndash an FA cup style shock I think this could be really funThe finanical impact of these proposed changes will for the smaller counties be considerable if the motion is passed by the ECB in February These are incredibly trying times for counties trying to balance the books with ever increasing wage bills ndash where is the sense in making them even worse off The smaller non-test ground counties will be looking for some compensation from the ECB Irsquom not sure I fancy their chancesMeanwhile it seems that the 2011 fixture schedule has pleased practically no-one and the 2012 schedule looks like pleasing even fewerLizzy AmmonLizzy is a long time cricket obsessive and part-time cricket writer who blogs at httpwwwlegsidelizzycom She also commentates on the alternative cricket commentary service Testmatchsofa ndash httpwwwtestmatchsofacom She has been a long time Middlesex member and does the scoring every Saturday for Barnes CC and runs their colts section

Australia v England 3rd Test Preview

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:17:13 +0000

Australia v England ndash 3rd Test PreviewWith England 1-0 up in the series and playing the best cricket since many people can remember this third test in Perth can only come sooner for the tourists With the pressure mounting on the Aussies after two poor performances in the previous tests the changes keep on coming for the home side An unexpected call-up for Western Australia left-arm spinner Michael Beer has surprised many people with only five first class matches under his belt A certain risk for the Australian selectors who seemingly have picked Beer from the sole fact he took five wickets including Kevin Pietersen LBW in Englandrsquos first tour match With many Australian cricketing names showing their disapproval into the selection all eyes will be on Beer when he gets his chance to turn his arm over in the third test Beer comes in for the disappointing Xavier Doherty in Perth There were high expectations of Philip Hughes when he achieved his first Australian cap at the young age of 20 Despite some times of sheer brilliance from the Left-hander during his test career consistency has always been a problem for the opener Hughes comes in for the injured Simon Katich looking to regain the form that saw him score runs for fun whilst playing for Middlesex in 2009 All-rounder Steven Smith has been ever present in the Australian one day sides of late but only records two test match appearances Smith highly rated in his home country will supply another spin option for his side if named in the final 11 on Wednesday night Smith comes in the squad for batsman Marcus NorthAfter recording figures of 0-170 in the first test Michael Johnson was dropped for the Adelaide test replaced by bowler Doug Bollinger but with Bollinger failing to take the opportunity to impress the left-armer regains his place for the squad in PerthAnother recall for bowler Ben Hilfenhaus who was also dropped for the second test Australiarsquos leading wicket taker in last-years series in England will feel hard done by to be dropped from the previous test But the selectors have re-inforced their confidence in their opening bowler in what looks to be conditions that will suit the Tasmanian With the injury of Stuart Broad opening up a place in the side Amjal Shahzad Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan were all eager to impress in the warm-up match against Victoria Despite an impressive century from Sussex keeper Matt Prior none of the England seamers stood out from the crowd in the draw keeping the position wide open and a selection headache for the England selectors Despite Broadrsquos injury England will be looking for business as usual in the third test knowing that only one more victory is needed for the tourists to regain the Ashes Even though England dominated the first two tests England will be aware Australia will not give up their excellent home test record without a fight and will need to keep their foot on the pedal to prevent an Aussie comebackJamie Hopkins

Getting to know Mr Balcombe

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 10:11:15 +0000

September 2010 became a difficult month for me this year Having had eight consecutive Championship games under my belt I had really started to feel like I was finding my feet in Division one cricket Walking off the field in pain at the end of a hard fought draw against Yorkshire up at Scarborough wasnrsquot what I was either hoping for or needing at the time I had been bowling well but luck wasnrsquot to be on my side There is never a good time to get injured but equally every cloud has a silver lining It is a fairly clichd way of looking at things but it has meant that I have been able to pursue other avenues and develop skills outside of cricket Which if Irsquom being honest have taken me completely out of my comfort zoneIt was the beginning of September and I had quite possibly the full spectrum of emotions flying around my head each one vying for top spot I was feeling very sorry for myself self pity is never an admiral trait mix this in with anger and a fair bit of disillusionment and it all came back to ldquowhat ifrdquo What if I hadnrsquot got injured I could have played the last three Championship games What if I wasnrsquot injured I could be heading off to the beautiful sunshine of Australia to play in the winter What if what if Itrsquos fair to say none of these emotions play a positive part in day to day living and it was a good thing I was told to snap out of it pretty fast but also that I was given the opportunity to snap out of itI had been summoned into the Rose Bowl to hear the verdict on my recent scan I already knew that I had a problem with my back however what I was waiting on was the implications it would have on my winter I had already resigned myself to my fate My brief discussion with the specialist two weeks previously gave me some indication that it could take a while It is safe to say I wasnrsquot feeling all that vibrantThis particular day the ECB and PCA personal development coach happened to be in the executive club and hauled me over Shersquos great and having got to know me over the last few years knows when somethingrsquos on my mind or to be completely blunt when I need a good kick up the backside Today was most certainly one of those days We chatted for an hour and I was told in no uncertain terms to stop wallowing in my own self pity and we laid out a plan for my winter a plan that unknown to me would end up presenting some great opportunitiesOne of the opportunities we discussed was a role within the Hampshirersquos academy programme With my personal development coachrsquos ever increasing work with the ECB and the Counties she thought it would be a fantastic if James Tomlinson and I could present the ECB personal development workshops throughout the winter So a winter of personally developing the future Hampshire stars What an honour if not a slightly daunting prospectAs soon as this opportunity arose another one presented itself which was starting to really fill up my winter plans fairly rapidly and was reducing my time in front of Jeremy Kyle and Homes under the hammer A scary thought I know The opportunity in question was a role in the LCA Cricket Coaching Company I was already good friends with the two founders having played cricket with and against them previously The opportunity just seemed to make sense to be more involved with them helped me achieve my goal in working up through my coaching qualifications and as I had already done some work previously on some of their courses it was a good fit for me Little did I realise that this opportunity would have a huge impact on my life outside of professional cricket I had to now set about working my way up the coaching levels and gaining more and more experience in other areasSo far there has to be no complaints although the lads in the office would probably disagree I am thoroughly enjoying all the challenges that are flying my way thick and fast Letrsquos not also forget Irsquove had to fit my rehab sessions in as well unfortunately casting Eastenders out the window Having to combine my rehab back to full fitness my other Hampshire commitments coaching and organising a coaching company as well as presentation writing and delivering Academy Workshops has meant a VERY busy winter so far but one thing I can say is itrsquos been incredibly enjoyableOne thing I have realised through injury and combining other challenges outside of cricket it that as a professional player it is never wise to rest on your loralrsquos and think that the incredible life I lead will last forever I am incredibly lucky to play cricket professionally but like anything there is a life span to it Looking to your future is important and Irsquom certainly very lucky to have other involvements outside of the game

'Skeg's' Wicket Keeping Master Class

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:49:13 +0000

Last night saw the second of the 3 Hampshire master classes at King Edward VI School Southampton After a fantastic Simon Jones Master Class last week it was going to be hard for Nic Skeg Pothas to follow with his keeping session However follow he did and with great enthusiasm and belief Each one of the 12 young keepers that attended were extremely attentive and open armed with what Pothas was delivering and ALL learned a great deal and took away points that they will cherish for the rest of their careersThe session began with a quick warm-up to get the blood pumping and the intensity actualised this was then followed by an extremely interesting discussion surrounding wicket keeping kit Pothas suggested that due to the keeping glove been an extension of ones hand and a huge attribute for a WK - this must be carefully chosen when purchasing the equipment Pinkies thumbs must be able to make contact whilst the hand is in the glove otherwise all sorts of problems may occur and the glove must mould around the shape of ones hand to encourage keeping your hands together the majority of the time - two extremely important points that were not known to many of the kids in attendance before the beginning of the course Pads - these must be as small and as comfortable as possible Keepers need to move and should not be hampered from doing so by lugging large pads around with them Finally footwear - Spikes are a must Pothas said England is a wet country and keepers must be able to move quickly at the last minute sliding around in flats is not an option Nic was very thorough in his explanation of particular kit to purchase stating the real importance of it when being a wicket keeperOnce all kit conversations had been exhausted it was down to the nitty gritty hard work of being a keeper Agility drills were in place all over the hall for each keeper to take part in Emphasis was very much on being in the correct position during each of these fitness type warm up drills which proved extremely difficult to watch yet alone take part in This soon progressed into lots and lots of catching skills and drills with focus being placed on basic techniques all the way through Nic was excellent in the way that he suggested there was no complete correct answer for particular movements and techniques using current Australian WK Brad Haddin as an example of being slightly apart from the traditional keeping coaching manual Instead he gave his personal thoughts and advice on certain topics stating comfort as a vital factor in ones technical decision makingInitial attention was given to standing back and certain stances and movements for this before looking at the dreaded although not in the case of many of the 12 attendees last night standing up technique Innovative fun and new drills mixed with experience and in depth discussions between the boys and Nic created a recipe for improvement and enjoyment across the 3 hoursAs is the case with all 3 master classes each of the boys went away with a ticket to a Pro40 game of their choice at the Rose Bowl to watch their hero in action and one lucky winner Jez Pidgeon walked away with 2 x Test Match Tickets to watch England vs Sri Lanka next summer Another lucky winner and it must be mentioned that this particular lad displays all 3 disciplines when on show for his club and occasionally district James Burgess walked away with a signed shirt from Nic after been drawn out of the hat by the Hampshire star at the end of the sessionMany thanks to those of you who attended please do continue to work at your game and believe like Nic said that you are the best Thanks also to Mr Eades of King Edward VI School who supported the session giving advice when needed to many of the lads during the 3 hours and also to to LMI Photography for getting footage for Hampshire Cricket and the regions pressWe look forward to the 3rd and final master class of 2010 with the Michael Lumb Batting Master Class next weekBrowny

Wisden Cricketer Magazine Offer!!!

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:13:31 +0000

The LCA are extremely excited to have one of the longest standing and well known cricket publications on board TWC offer LCA members a fantastic discount on subscribtion to their magazineEdited by John Stern The Wisden Cricketer is the worldrsquos biggest-selling cricket magazine launched in 2003 as a result of the merger between Wisden Cricket Monthly and The Cricketer It was acquired by BSkyB Publications in 2007TWC is a mainstream sports title available throughout the world in newsagents or by monthly subscription It has an audited sales figure of 34559 of which around 95 are in the UKWith the worldrsquos best cricket writers and commentators at our disposal TWC covers cricket in all its forms across the globe focusing mostly but not exclusively so on the game in the UK and the fortunes of the England team

Looking forward to 2011!

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:37:06 +0000

Looking forward to 2011With the anniversary of our first course rapidly approaching I wanted to look back on our first year and see how far we had come How exciting is 2011 going to be for LCA Cricket CoachingOver a year ago Browny and I were approached by our old school with the view of holding a couple of master class style cricket sessions in the area Having both been coaching for some time we both jumped at the chance to work together having enjoyed 2 years playing in the same team at NorthantsThat course ran smoothly and our coaching styles really complimented each other and the lads seemed to thrive in the environment we createdHaving enjoyed the weekend in Wolverhampton so much we decided we would hold another set of master classes at a couple more venues in the country We travelled to Notts High school where another ex Northants player is now teaching Scott Boswell and held a bowling master class there for some of the best young bowlers at the school A 2 day stint in Shrewsbury the week after delivering another 2 master classes confirmed that this was more than just a bit of funFollowing Richardrsquos graduation from Leeds Met University he moved down to Southampton to work full time for LCA Cricket CoachingSince that first master class in December last year LCA Cricket Coaching have held over 15 courses through the south of England and have coached over 300 hundred aspiring cricketers in the area We have had such a great time working with some of the best young players around as well as some children just getting to grips with the great gameHaving given the children in the area chance to work with some of the countryrsquos finest players such as Simon Jones Michael Lumb and Nic Pothas we hope to be able to offer more unique courses like these throughout 2011 and beyondWith the addition of current Hampshire star David Balcombe to the LCA Cricket Coaching team the future is looking bright We have over 30 courses organised for next year and with that in mind we hope we can continue to help some of the southrsquos brightest young talents realise their dreams whether it be to follow in the footsteps of David or some of our other guest coaches or to get in their club side for the first time everLogie

Senior Skills Set

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:31:49 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching are hosting a Christmas Senior Skill Set for players aged 18 The skill set will be run by current and ex-professional cricketers in an attempt to establish and improve on current techniques that may have been developed over the years The session is geared towards amateur cricketers who are looking to develop certain aspects of their game for a more successful summer If this is you please get in touchVenue GameSet Match Net areaDate 12th December 2010Time 600pm - 900pmPrice 35For more information or to book on the skill set please contact 01489 808004 or email infothelcacoukWe look forward to seeing you at the session

Simon Jones Fast Bowling Clinic

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:09:40 +0000

The Simon Jones Fast Bowling Clinic was a huge success 21 children attended the event with many parents staying to watch and listen to the star during the 3 hour session Simon Jonah Jones contributed in all areas of the master class starting from a bowling specific warm up and ending with his advice on variation deliveries The bulk of the session was taken up by internationally proven bowling drills that Simon had learned and experienced when working with fast bowling guru Troy Cooley during his time with the English national side Each child attempted these testing drills and many of them thrived under the watchful eye of their hero Video analysis also took place in small groups during the clinic where each child got to see themselves bowling on a large screen mounted in a room just off the sports hall This analysis was then transferred into areas of the action that each child might be able to work on to help improve on their current action Feedback from the course has been extremely positive with all the children knowing what it is that they must try to improve in the lead up to the season and also a realisation that fast bowling is an art Simons advice was invaluable to many of the children and I am sure this will stick with them for the rest of their careers Thanks also goes to fellow coachesDavid Balcombe and Richard Logan who were instrumental in the running of the course and a special congratulations to Sam Corbett who was drawn out of the hat by Simon to receive 2 x Test Match Tickets for the England vs Sri Lanka Test at the Rose Bowl next summer All other attendees received a ticket for a pro40 game of their choice next summer to hopefully see Jonah in action for the RoyalsFantastic start to the series of master classes at King Edwards SchoolBrowny

LCA Cricket Coaching hit the media!

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:20:47 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching has recently been branded in the media thanks to the Simon Jones Fast Bowling Academy BBC South Today presenter Tony Husbands was very keen to learn a few bowling tips from the ex-England and current Hampshire star that he bought along a TV crew to the Rose Bowl to interview Simon and see how productive his coaching tips are The story was shown on BBC South Today on 24112010 at 630pm and the full interview with Simon wearing his LCA Cricket Coaching tracksuit in front of the large LCA Cricket Coaching banner can be viewed here The event is also of interest to SKY Sports who will be present filming on 29th November to catch a glimpse of Simon passing his vast array of knowledge onto the young fast bowlers in the region Keep a look out on Sky Sports News to find out more information Book on one of our courses to see what all the fuss is about

Cricket Coaching Philosophy

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:59:13 +0000

Recently when visiting a public school down in Dorset I was asked what my cricket coaching philosophy was This triggered my thoughts around the subject and specifically when the words lsquocoachingrsquo and lsquophilosophyrsquo constantly figured throughout the Level 3 modules I attended around 18months agoI had not prepared myself for that particular question so instead voiced my views on coaching and a typical session run by myself with LCA Cricket Coaching On reflection of the visit I decided that ones cricket coaching philosophy should not be something that you decide whilst getting through your coaching certificates without real thought instead it should be developed through vast experience and voiced more often than not in every session you takeMy personal philosophy and one that LCA Cricket Coaching generally upholds is to keep everything as simple as possible and for enjoyment to be had by all This may seem extremely lsquosimplersquo and something that should not even be put in a philosophical bracket however if you complicate cricket and start thinking about the technicalities too much too early from experience this can lead to a major downfall and certainly halt progression leading to a lack of enjoymentA slight addition to the lsquosimple and enjoyablersquo philosophy that LCA Cricket Coaching has is the lsquoplaying to learnrsquo idea I believe that everyone should understand exactly what is being taught to them so throughout my sessions I will constantly allow time for questions and strongly advise that kids research the knowledge being passed onto them by means of videos and through the lsquoCoaching Tipsrsquo section on theLeague Cricketers Associationwebsite That way they are learning exactly what they are hoping to achieve through physical practiceThe final lsquophilosophicalrsquo point that LCA Cricket Coaching is built upon is the lsquohellipitrsquos your gamersquo message We deliver fun and enjoyable cricket coaching sessions and a great deal of information is passed on in every session This forms the basis of progression however LCA Cricket Coaching cannot be at every cricket session that every child is involved in they have to take responsibility of their own learning a happy mixture of the two is what gets you to the topUntil next timehellipkeep working hard and hopefully see many of you at our summer coursesBrowny

LCA Cricket Coaching - Specialist Master Classes

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:10:16 +0000

LCA Cricket Coaching Specialist Master Classes - Simon Jones Michael Lumb Nic PothasLCA Cricket Coaching are joining forces with some of the best players in the county to provide a unique opportunity for you to train withand learn from the bestHampshire has to offer 2005 England Ashes star Simon Jones will be holding a Fast Bowling Clinic T20 World Cup Winner Michael Lumb will be joining us for a master class in batting and the counties number one wicket keeper Nic Pothas will be leading a session for all the young aspiring wicket keepers out thereTo book on one of the courses below please either follow this link call us on 01489 808004 or email us at infothelcacoukCourses are filling up very quickly and with a limited number of places on each courseplease book soon to avoid disappointmentThenumber of players on each courses is limited to 20 to ensure an intense and valuable experience is gained by each personSimon Jones - Fast Bowling ClinicDate - 29th NovemberVenue - King Edwards Southampton 600-900pmAge range 8-16 years oldCost 49Course will include- All FUNdamental bowling skills- Video Analysis- Tactical discussion with Simon Jones how the best do it- Specialist reverse swing session- Internationally proven bowling drills- Death Bowling- Nutritional Fitness Advice for fast bowlers- WIN signed memorabiliaNic Pothas - Wicket Keeping Master ClassDate -6th DecemberVenue - King Edwards School Southampton600-900pmAge range 8-16 years oldCost 49Course will include- Intense Basic Wicket Keeping Skills- Diving Drills- Mental side to wicket keeping- Keeping to Pace bowling reading spinners- Agility Drills- Demonstrations from Hampshire star Nic Pothas- Nutritional Fitness Advice for keepers- WIN signed memorabiliaMichael Lumb - Batting Master ClassDate - 13th DecemberVenue - Kings Edward School Southampton 600-900pmAge range 8-16 year oldsCost 49Course will include- Intense Basic Batting Drills- Specialist T20 Batting Skills Tactics- Playing against Spin Seam- Demonstrations from England Hampshire star Michael Lumb- Nutritional Fitness Advice for batters- WIN signed memorabiliaTo book on any of the courses above please go to wwwlcacricketcoachingcouk

The LCA Player of the Year

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:51:12 +0100

LCA Player of the Year 2010The very first player of the year award for the League Cricketers Association goes to York spinner Daniel Woods Woods who was on Lancashires Academy as a youth switched allegiances two seasons ago to play for the extremely successful Yorkshire club and has never looked back Previously of Hyde CC in the Cheshire League Woods has had a fantastic year with York Cricket Club claiming 82 Yorkshire League wickets at an average of 1262 runs per wicketHe added ldquoI had quite a slow start to the year and was waiting for it to turn around for quite sometime Luckily it did so against Yorkshire Academy at my favourite ground Weetwood and the season went from strength to strength with me getting a hat-full of wickets towards the end This award means a lot to me and I am sure I will endure some further stick about being a kit badger with the addition of this prize many thanksrdquoThe LCA has presented Daniel with a brand new pair of Adidas batting spikes signed by Kevin Pietersen with his own embroideryCongratulations

LCA Player of the Month Awards for 2010

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:53:01 +0100

This season has been a fantastic one with lots of runs been scored and wickets been taken all over the country Each week we have selected a batsman and bowler from each of the ECB Premier Leagues to go into a draw to win the LCA player of the MonthThere have been some outstanding performances Please visit httpstatsthelcacouk to look over all the results and top performers from this seasonBelow is a list of the Players of the Month for this yearPlayer of the Month May ndash Will Evans Mochdre Cricket Club ndash 112 96 130Player of the Month June ndash James Campbell Bath Cricket club ndash 146 119Player of the Month July ndash Tom Hankins Corsham Cricket Club ndash 293 58Player of the Month August ndash Warren Goodwin Chester Broughton Hall Cricket Club ndash 2 hundreds in the last week of July and 122 111Player of the Month September ndash Elliot Green Shrewsbury Cricket Club ndash 3-50 9-77Congratulations to all the players aboveLCA Stats are in association with Cricket Archive

The week for 9 wickets hauls!

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

With some leagues already finished there are only a handful of perforamces to look at but in them there are some fantastic ones Two 9 wicket hauls by Elliot Green of Shrewsbury and Mark Dixon of BourneLou Vincent continues to show his class in the Cheshire league with another big scoreThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 11th September areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamMohamed SheikhSmethwick79CheshireLou VincentNantwich173CornwallXXXXXXXXXDerbyshireAlex HibbertChesterfield114DevonXXXXXXXXXEast AnglianJames MarshallVauxhall Mallards133MiddlesexXXXXXXXXXNorthamptonshireClint TomlinsonFinedon Dolben103North EastSam JobsonSouth Northumberland70North Staffs and South CheshireSaeed AnwarPorthill Park93North WalesSteve SmithLlandudno81Northern PremierRyan NelsonCarforth65LeicestershireD PatelLoughborough Town85LincolnshireWill CloughBourne110LiverpoolDominic OrsquoBrienLytham92EssexXXXXXXXXXHome CountiesXXXXXXXXXKentXXXXXXXXXNottinghamshireBrett HuttonNotts Cricket Board Academy102West Of EnglandXXXXXXXXXSouth WalesXXXXXXXXXYorkshireGraham AttenboroughDoncaster Town92SouthernXXXXXXXXXSussexXXXXXXXXXSurreyXXXXXXXXXThe Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 11th September areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamElliot GreenShrewsbury9-77CheshireJason WhittakerAlderley Edge7-29CornwallXXXXXXXXXDerbyshireAlan GoughLullington Park6-25DevonXXXXXXXXXEast AnglianJonathan WillsNorwich5-8MiddlesexXXXXXXXXXNorthamptonshireSimon MyattStony Stratford6-50North EastLee CrozierSouth Northumberland5-32North Staffs and South CheshireDaniel ColcloughLittle Stoke7-52North WalesGlenn ChambersPontblyddyn4-19Northern PremierStuart NixonNetherfield7-20LeicestershireWarren EvansLutterworth5-31LincolnshireMark DixonBourne9-31LiverpoolChris LiptrotHighfield8-29EssexXXXXXXXXXHome CountiesXXXXXXXXXKentXXXXXXXXXNottinghamshireAlec CobbettWollaton5-40West Of EnglandXXXXXXXXXSouth WalesXXXXXXXXXYorkshireBen BikerHarrogate7-29SouthernXXXXXXXXXSussexXXXXXXXXXSurreyXXXXXXXXX

Performances show no sign of wilting

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

As the season comes to a climax there are some awesome performances still been put in all over the countryThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 4th September areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRyan BishopShrewsbury116CheshireSteven BramhallBowden84CornwallAdrian NoottFalmouth85DerbyshireRoss WhiteleyChesterfield147Devon-East AnglianHarry BushNorwich115MiddlesexDan HousegoTwickenham120NorthamptonshireRichard KaufmanOld Northamptonians144North EastMichael RichardsonNewcastle141North Staffs and South CheshireSaeed AnwarPorthill Park82North WalesAled WilliamsLlandudno150Northern PremierMatthew FrithFleetwood89LeicestershireTrevor WardLeicester Ivanhoe112LincolnshireDammika GunawardeneSleaford130LiverpoolDavid SnellgroveBootle120EssexAlan IsonUpminster144Home CountiesMatthew GitshamHigh Wycombe111KentMichael BarberSevenoaks Vine112NottinghamshireDan BirchClifton Village143West Of England-South Wales-YorkshireAlex OsmondCleethorpes122Southern-SussexPatrick SpencerBrighton and Hove102SurreyHarry StephensGuildford92The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 4th September areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamUsman AwanMoseley6-15CheshireRobert WoolleyHyde8-55CornwallDaniel BrooksNewquay5-46DerbyshireSimon LaceyChesterfield5-50Devon-East AnglianJoe BarrsSaffron Walden5-12MiddlesexDavid KeightleyTeddington4-29NorthamptonshirePaul HughesBurton Latimer6-50North EastZohaib KhanBenwell Hill5-38North Staffs and South CheshireDaniel ColcloughLittle Stoke6-46North WalesGlen ChambersPontblyddyn4-28Northern PremierBrett PelserLeyland8-22LeicestershireJay GandhiLeicester Ivanhoe5-49LincolnshireCharlie HopkinsBourne6-59LiverpoolMarcus SharpLytham6-61EssexJoe Ellis-GrewalWanstead5-20Home CountiesCarl CroweHenley6-33KentRichard HornerBickley Park5-39NottinghamshireJim RhodesPapplewick and Linby6-45West Of England-South Wales-YorkshireRichard WilkinsonBarnsley7-63Southern-SussexLuke MarshallHorsham5-87SurreyMichael CottrellMalden Wanderers5-32

28th and 30th August Player of the Month

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:09:16 +0100

The Leading Run scorers in each league for 28th and 30th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamDavid HempKnowle Dorridge88CheshireJack SmithNeston122CornwallAlex TunnadineTruro62DerbyshireJamie BensteadDunstall100DevonMatthew NobesNorth Devon121East AnglianJames MarshallVauxhall Mallards103MiddlesexMark TurnerBrondesbury114NorthamptonshireAndy DanielsFinedon Dolben62North EastShaun BirbeckHetton Lyons87North Staffs and South CheshireBen McGuireKnypersley87North WalesDuncan MidgleyLlandudno104Northern PremierAndy KellettSt Annes111LeicestershireMartyn GidleyTrevor WardLoughborough TownLeicester Ivanhoe121121LincolnshireAlex HornsbyLindum88LiverpoolJohn ArmstrongOrmskirk117EssexAkbar JabarUpminster94Home CountiesNitin SehgalHigh Wycombe138KentGavin PointerBexley77NottinghamshireAdam BurgessCuckney108West Of EnglandJames CampbellBath116South WalesIwan JenkinsCardiff103YorkshireOliver WhittakerRotherham Town129SouthernRyan HaleAlton159SussexJason FinchHastings St Leonards Priory79SurreyGraham GraceWimbledon111The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 28th and 30th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamAlex SaundersWellington6-24CheshireIan GrindleyUrmston4-25CornwallMatt OrsquoLearyPaul6-16DerbyshireChris WindmillSpondon5-26DevonS Wyatt-HainesBovey Tracey4-21East AnglianPaul WisemanNorwich6-49MiddlesexPaul DancyTeddington6-43NorthamptonshireJordan CapelNorthants Academy6-29North EastGuy SaxtonNewcastle7-39North Staffs and South CheshireWill PurserLongton7-10North WalesAnthony CaddyMenai Bridge5-15Northern PremierBrett PelserLeyland7-33LeicestershireNeil GambleLoughborough Town6-31LincolnshireMatthew BradleyBracebridge Heath6-14LiverpoolMarcus SharpLytham7-20EssexIan BelchamberBrentwood4-17Home CountiesKyle NipperTring Park6-35KentTom MeesBromley5-9NottinghamshireJim RhodesPapplewick Linby6-42West Of EnglandVikram BanerjeeBath5-26South WalesJamie WilliamsPontarddulais6-15YorkshireChris PageRotherham Town6-31SouthernMorgan RushbrookLymington5-46SussexLuke MarshallHorsham6-39SurreyZafar AnsariWeybridge6-26

Experience shows through!

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:01:32 +0000

Two ex test players showed their class this week with big scores from Grant Flower and Lou VincentNot to be out done previuos winner of LCA Player of the Month shows why with a massive 216 not outThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 21st August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamGavin ShephardBarnt Green47CheshireLou VincentNantwich160CornwallTom SharpTruro64DerbyshireJohn TruemanSandiacre Town104DevonAlex TrevarthenPlympton60East AnglianGrant FlowerBurwell170MiddlesexBrandon BuckleyHampstead83NorthamptonshireMohammad HussainRushden Town104North EastTom LathamGateshead Fell122North Staffs and South CheshireDan HancockElliott BirksLittle StokeLongton6666North WalesWill EvansMochdre216Northern PremierAtiq-uz-ZamanSt Annes121LeicestershireJoel PopeBarrow Town150LincolnshirePaul ButlerSkegness96LiverpoolJarred FletcherNorthern117EssexJonathan WalfordBrentwood98Home CountiesCarl CroweHenley152KentGeorge WellsBexley106NottinghamshireRichard StrohCuckney136West Of EnglandJacob LintottTaunton St Andrews105South Wales-YorkshireGerhard RudolphRotherham Town103SouthernBenny HowellHampshire Academy93SussexToby FinzelBexhill151SurreySam WhitemanWeybridge97The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 21st August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamDougie BrownBarnt Green2-20CheshireNick AndersonDidsbury8-20CornwallJustin StephensPaul4-13DerbyshireSteve OttewellAlvaston Boulton7-43DevonChristopher BradleyBovey Tracey5-30East AnglianTom RashBury St Edmunds4-46MiddlesexDuncan WoodTeddington7-37NorthamptonshireJake HigginbothamRushden Town6-43North EastDavid RutherfordBenwell Hill6-34North Staffs and South CheshireAndrew WinfieldStone5-24North WalesAjay DhawanLlandudno5-7Northern PremierNimesh PereraBlackpool7-20LeicestershireMartyn GidleyLoughborough Town5-LincolnshireMichael TroopsBoston5-43LiverpoolNick DeathHightown8-32EssexBilal ButtLoughton5-24Home CountiesMarc MilliganPotters Bar4-54KentChris FenwickTunbridge Wells6-28NottinghamshireTom UllyottCuckney4-56West Of EnglandPaul RobbinsTaunton Deane5-16South Wales-YorkshireChris YoungCastleford6-43SouthernScott BarlowEdward DenhamBournemouthBournemouth2-212-21SussexStephen RiggPreston Nomads5-63SurreyJonathan NolanGuildford4-42

Portsmouth Summer Course

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:05:29 +0000

We were desperately looking forward to this 2 day course at Portsmouth Southsea CC for a number of reasons The local newspaper had given the course a fantastic write up and the club were backing us to deliver having had a bad experience with a rival company the previous year When we turned up at Portsmouth Southsea CC it felt a little like we were making a hospital visit with the club being located in the heart of the St James campus and it was pleasing to see 3 members of the club sweeping away the leaves that had fallen on the net area Two of the lsquogardenersrsquo Matt Benfield and Rob Jacobs were helping us for the two days and it must be said were fantastic with the kids and both have huge potential as cricket coachesThe parents arrived with the fantastic news that the forecast for day two was horrendous and wondering if we had a backup plan if it rained Once the register was taken all 23 lads were on board with gleaming LCA Cricket Coaching T-shirts and Caps and the cones set out like Gatwick airport runway we began our warm ups The youngsters were run into the ground by Matt and Rob and the older lads got off lightly with Brownyrsquos finest partner fielding drill The day then ran on with both groups rotating round the various stations laid on covering all disciplines of the game in detailed fashion Before lunch the intensity of the course ndash which is something always highlighted as important at the start of the courses ndash was fantastic As usual lunch had an impact of everyone and tiredness kicked in leaving the afternoon session a little bit of a challenge for the coaches Nevertheless drills took place appropriately and the day ended with great successThe nights sleep was hampered by the forecast for the south of england so wide awake at 6am I got up to see a blanket of grey sky above Southampton and puddles developing in the street We made our way over to P S CC to be welcomed by a cloudy but dry cricket ground This allowed us to begin the day and luckily finish the day without a drop ndash it must have been the only place in Hampshire to have been like it hospitals do bring luck after all The day was a mix of intense drill based activities and competitive games putting into practice the skills learned over the previous 8 hours coaching Once again it was fantastic to see all the lads having improved in one way or another and most importantly with smiles on their faces as they went about the job of beating each other in various games including pavillion cricket the off-side and on-side gamesMany thanks to all the coaches and to Portsmouth Southsea CC for allowing us to use their fantasic DRY facilities We are already looking forward to our return next year

A fairly evenly matched month!

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

A fairly evenly matched month for batsman and bowlers with no real stand out performersGuess who got a hundred Indeed for the 4th week running Mr Goodwin from Chester Broughton Hall scored a hundred taking his tally for the last 4 weeks to well over 430 runs Now that is high standardsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 14th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamW WagnerWellington26CheshireWM GoodwinChester Broughton Hall111CornwallC HarrisNewquay93DerbyshireRE HillermanLullington Park72DevonAC GriffithsSidmouth102East AngliaOT HigenbottamNorwich91MiddlesexA MitchellShepherds Bush37NorthamptonJ BatemanWellingborough74North East-North Staffs and South CheshireP WilshawLongton111North WalesA CaddyMenai Bridge63North PremierMZ KhanDarwen115LeicestershireS ColleyAshby Hastings51Lincolnshire-LiverpoolI RobinsonOrmskirk124EssexW RogersWoodford Wells119Home CountiesA ToddAston Rowant24KentLJ MorganTunbridge Wells42NottinghamJ TerryKimberley Institute111West Of England-South WalesGP ReesNewport119YorkshireC SpinellaDoncaster Town134SouthernCJ StoneHampshire Academy91SussexBC BrownEastbourne115SurreyAB LondonSunbury71The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 14th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamW WagnerWellington5-14CheshireL VincentNantwich7-57CornwallCA HunkinGrampound Road6-26DerbyshireJR JordisonSandiacre Town6-21DevonA JonesPlympton6-48East AngliaSJ ThelwellSwardeston7-29MiddlesexD HooeyActon1-10NorthamptonSD BellewStony Stratford4-11North East-North Staffs and South CheshireYasir AliElworth6-23North WalesJ RimmingtonLlandudno6-24North PremierBJ PelserLeyland7-47LeicestershireFB BakerBarrow Town4-34Lincolnshire-LiverpoolCJ LiptrotHighfield6-44EssexA Ul-HaqColchester East Essex4-48Home CountiesS BurgerRadlett3-26KentRSG AndersonBromley4-32NottinghamT HainesCaythorpe4-28West Of England-South WalesJPJ SylvesterSully Centurions4-25YorkshireMA AshrafYorkshire Academy7-37SouthernBAC HowellHampshire Academy4-11SussexPJS SpencerBrighton Hove5-35SurreyM CawoodGuildford3-11

Whiteley smashes 204 not out

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

In a week that has seen the lowest scores of the season across the leagues Ross Whiteley of Chesterfield shone through with an awesome 204 A special mention has to go to Warren Goodwin who for the 3rd consecutive week has top scored in the Cheshire League with another hundred Warren shows he has veryhighstandardsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 7th August areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamS LambWellington96CheshireWM GoodwinChester Broughton Hall122CornwallTR MarrionTruro117DerbyshireR WhiteleyChesterfield204DevonDJ BowserNorth Devon125East AngliaJER GallianSaffron Walden116MiddlesexM TeixeiraActon71NorthamptonAM ReynoldsonNorthampton Saints117North EastJW CoxonChester-le-Street75North Staffs and South CheshireR HollowayAudley81North WalesDarren JonesConnahs Quay63North PremierR BradleySt Annes54LeicestershireAN BhagawatiMarket Harborough101LincolnshireGR PereraGrimsby Town59LiverpoolNG DeathI RobinsonHightownOrmskirk9696EssexunknownGidea Park Romford83Home CountiesTanveer SikanderPotters Bar89KentSS McKechnieHartley Country Club126NottinghamGE WeltonCaythorpe75West Of EnglandTE HankinsCorsham89South WalesS DaviesYnysygerwn105YorkshireJ OsmondCleethorpes90SouthernR MillerVentnor94SussexM TomsettEastbourne154SurreyGV GraceWimbledon128The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 7th August areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamMR BarnardShrewsbury5-41CheshireAJ WindleDidsbury5-37CornwallJ VandersayGrampound Road7-60DerbyshireMP DowmanQuarndon6-35DevonD BurkePlymouth6-37East AngliaBT CreeseCambridge Granta3-20MiddlesexHassan KhanEaling4-77NorthamptonSP CrookBrixworth6-52North EastAL SmithChester-le-Street8-43North Staffs and South CheshireM BrownBurslem7-35North WalesJ HurlinHawarden Park5-60North PremierKRP SilvaLancaster7-23LeicestershireM RyanAshby Hastings5-58LincolnshireA SearsSleaford7-51LiverpoolMA SharpLytham7-30EssexT MooreBrentwood5-43Home CountiesB MahoneyHarpenden5-30KentMJ DenningtonBromley4-31NottinghamK GarsideMansfield Hosiery Mills6-34West Of EnglandP ThomasTaunton Deane4-22South WalesM DaviesYnysygerwn5-34YorkshireB WatsonSheffield Collegiate8-28SouthernS CharmanSt Cross Symondions5-30SussexJ WhiteakerChichester Priory Park5-68SurreySD HumeReigate Priory5-19

The First Summer Course

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:06:29 +0000

A week after the first day of LCA Cricket Coachingrsquos first ever summer course I am sat here in the office reflecting on such a good week One stand out performance for the week was the weather coming from the Midlands and spending most of my coaching career in the north of the country generally the winter courses and the summer courses all merge into one however down in Chichester no-one could argue ldquoitrsquos like training in Perthrdquo was the shout from one of the lads As a coach it is always nice not to have to think about different options if the weather decides to fall out with usThe Chichester U16 course was the smallest course we have this summer with only 12 lads being on it This allowed for some real in depth and intense coaching material to be delivered and also for the use of the video camera which doesnrsquot generally appear on the summer courses apart from the odd parent who likes to catch a glimpse of their next Andrew Flintoff in action The lads all from Chichester CC contributed brilliantly to the course and responded with clear improvements by the end of the week The course was spread over 5 days due to games taking place at Priory Park each afternoon allowing for the guys to go home or some take part in the games and put into practice what they learned during the morning sessionEmphasis was placed on the fielding and catching side of the game for the first couple of days and despite losing a couple of balls down one of the U15primes throats the standard was generally very high This left ample time to go into real detail with the other two disciplines of our gamehellipbatting and bowling As always the basic simple start ndash the forward drive ndash and variations of this took up a good hour of one of the mornings with Logie Richard Logan constantly drilling it into the lads that ldquoto progress on we must establish a solid technique with a simple shot such as thisrdquo Once happy with the progress made ndash and it must be pointed out that the concentration levels were sky high ndash we moved on to a bit of bowlingThere was a complete mix of bowlers on the course and surprising but excellent to see were two talented leg spinners This meant the initial bowling session was based on the lsquofundamentalsrsquo of any bowling action which are really important to get right before attempting to move on The session finished with each of the boys getting filmed bowling from 3 anglesThe early part of the following morning was spent going through the videos with the lads on a big screen attempting to find ways to improve their actions whilst pointing out the good things that were already going on Only 2 out of the 12 had ever seen themselves bowling before and could not believe that they looked like they did It is a fantastic way of learning as you can see first hand what is going on and work out the slight alterations you might need to make to improveThe remainder of the week was spent introducing various different batting shots from the sweep shot to evasive work working on the areas of the bowling action that the boys needed to work on and the standard warm-up fitness fielding sessions religiously taken bymyselfAll the guys that attended gave 100 on the course which is all you can ask as a coach This made it so easy for us to progress certain techniques and drills quickly and hence see the lads making big strides in their development Special thanks goes to our helper Eduardo who is over from Italy and wanted to experience some English cricket coaching and also to Priory Park for allowing us to hold the course at such a picturesque venueNB Two of the boys on the course were heavily involved in helping Chichester 2nd XI to a comfortable win on Saturday good work ladsMoving ontoPortsmouththis weekhellipBrowny

Goodwin gets back to back hundreds!

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

For the second week in a row Warren Goodwin of Chester Broughton Hall in the Cheshire League has won player of the week with back to back hundreds a fantastic effort Keep up the high standardsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 31st July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamBS WilsonWalsall115CheshireWM GoodwinChester Broughton Hall118CornwallC HarrisNewquay93DerbyshireAP WoolleySandiacre Town95DevonNC BettisNorth Devon129East AngliaJG HatwellSwardeston103MiddlesexDJ GoodchildEastcote145NorthamptonRI KaufmanOld Northamptonians108North EastJJ CoyneDurham Academy107North Staffs and South CheshireSD JenkinsonStone90North WalesT DuckerHawarden Park86North PremierJ MilesBarrow107LeicestershireR KaraBarrow Town122LincolnshireJ LuffmanWoodhall Spa116LiverpoolF UghradarLytham90EssexArfan AkramWanstead142Home CountiesM HillWelwyn Garden City90KentDJ ChambersSt Lawrence92NottinghamRA StrohCuckney100West Of EnglandSD SnellBristol119South WalesS DaviesYnysygerwn84YorkshireVJ CravenHarrogate119SouthernJA HaywardSouth Wiltshire120SussexOP RaynerEastbourne107SurreyRH JonesGuildford147The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 31st July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamD BowyerWolverhampton5-39CheshireR WilkinsonAlderley Edge6-30CornwallGM ThomasSt Just6-51DerbyshireA GrayAlvaston Boulton5-55DevonA JonesPlympton4-42East AngliaGW WalkerSwardeston5-26MiddlesexAS SanghaBrondesbury6-24NorthamptonWE SneathFinedon Dolben7-43North EastK TurnerGateshead Fell8-78North Staffs and South CheshireMustafa BashirWood Lane6-36North WalesR HeywoodLlanrwst5-29North PremierS NixonNetherfield9-77LeicestershireJKH NaikSileby Town3-30LincolnshireSHA RanceLouth5-41LiverpoolM FarrellOrmskirk6-34EssexIT BelchamberBrentwood7-92Home CountiesW MorrickAston Rowant7-49KentJP ThompsonHartley Country Club5-14NottinghamD SmithWollaton5-66West Of EnglandT DaviesCorsham4-10South WalesD BatchelorSwansea4-29YorkshireA ThorpeRotherham Town6-42SouthernJ BallingerAlton7-20SussexJE PoysdenHastings St Leonards Priory7-59SurreyRD BedbrookBanstead6-43

Player of the Month 24th July

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

Leading batsman for this week was Chichester Priory Park Lions Chris Kirkham He smashed 161 in their victory overThree Bridges It was another great week for the bolwers as 4 people managed to bag themselves 8 wicketsCheck out whether anyone from your club managed to get into the top spot this weekThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 24th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRCC CanningWloverhampton134CheshireWM GoodwinChester Broughton Hall117CornwallDF DavisCallington84DerbyshireR BriscoeQuarndon125DevonT KentExeter94East AngliaCJM SabburgHorsford117MiddlesexT MeredithTwickenham107NorthamptonV TripathiNorthants Academy144North EastGM ScottHetton Lyons128North Staffs and South CheshireJ SadlerHem Heath125North WalesD JonesConnahrsquos Quay83North PremierJD CordingleyDarwen63LeicestershireJ GillettSileby Town110LincolnshireW NelNettleham135LiverpoolDR SnellgroveBootle70EssexAR IsonUpminster120Home CountiesA DuncanHigh Wycombe119KentDH StickelsStLawrence163NottinghamGE WeltonCaythorpe120West Of EnglandBRF StauntonBath102South WalesJPJ SylvesterSully Centurions124YorkshireGS BallanceBarnsley113SouthernTI MortonSouth Wiltshire134SussexC KirkhamChichester Priory Park161SurreyCH HarperCobham Avorians97The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 24th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamCR GriggsWalsall7-39CheshireRJJ WoolleyHyde8-49CornwallK van RooyenTruro5-25DerbyshireJ NeedhamOckbrook Borrowash5-16DevonA JonesPlympton5-15East AngliaS LoganGreat Witchingham6-43MiddlesexD WoodTeddington8-36NorthamptonM DaviesNorthampton Saints5-35North EastShahid NazirTynemouth8-26North Staffs and South CheshireM BrownBurslem7-32North WalesA BellisSt Asaph6-19North PremierRD McMillanKendal6-21LeicestershireC GloverLeicester Ivanhoe5-30LincolnshireTIL ShorthouseSleaford6-35LiverpoolA HodgkinsNorthop Hall8-65EssexBV StephensColchester East Essex6-75Home CountiesKP DutchTring Park5-51KentK PearsonGore Court4-23NottinghamW ButlerCuckney7-56West Of EnglandB OrrTaunton4-14South WalesA ThomasCardiff4-47YorkshireD WoodsYork7-36SouthernMJ MetcalfeBournemouth4-33SussexAbdul KhanThree Bridges6-65SurreyG BetzSutton8-68

Kirkham stands out on 24th July

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:29:17 +0100

Leading batsman for this week was Chichester Priory Park Lions Chris Kirkham He smashed 161 in their victory over Three Bridges It was another great week for the bolwers as 4 people managed to bag themselves 8 wicketsCheck out whether anyone from your club managed to get into the top spot this weekThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 24th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRCC CanningWloverhampton134CheshireWM GoodwinChester Broughton Hall117CornwallDF DavisCallington84DerbyshireR BriscoeQuarndon125DevonT KentExeter94East AngliaCJM SabburgHorsford117MiddlesexT MeredithTwickenham107NorthamptonV TripathiNorthants Academy144North EastGM ScottHetton Lyons128North Staffs and South CheshireJ SadlerHem Heath125North WalesD JonesConnahs Quay83North PremierJD CordingleyDarwen63LeicestershireJ GillettSileby Town110LincolnshireW NelNettleham135LiverpoolDR SnellgroveBootle70EssexAR IsonUpminster120Home CountiesA DuncanHigh Wycombe119KentDH StickelsStLawrence163NottinghamGE WeltonCaythorpe120West Of EnglandBRF StauntonBath102South WalesJPJ SylvesterSully Centurions124YorkshireGS BallanceBarnsley113SouthernTI MortonSouth Wiltshire134SussexC KirkhamChichester Priory Park161SurreyCH HarperCobham Avorians97The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 24th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamCR GriggsWalsall7-39CheshireRJJ WoolleyHyde8-49CornwallK van RooyenTruro5-25DerbyshireJ NeedhamOckbrook Borrowash5-16DevonA JonesPlympton5-15East AngliaS LoganGreat Witchingham6-43MiddlesexD WoodTeddington8-36NorthamptonM DaviesNorthampton Saints5-35North EastShahid NazirTynemouth8-26North Staffs and South CheshireM BrownBurslem7-32North WalesA BellisSt Asaph6-19North PremierRD McMillanKendal6-21LeicestershireC GloverLeicester Ivanhoe5-30LincolnshireTIL ShorthouseSleaford6-35LiverpoolA HodgkinsNorthop Hall8-65EssexBV StephensColchester East Essex6-75Home CountiesKP DutchTring Park5-51KentK PearsonGore Court4-23NottinghamW ButlerCuckney7-56West Of EnglandB OrrTaunton4-14South WalesA ThomasCardiff4-47YorkshireD WoodsYork7-36SouthernMJ MetcalfeBournemouth4-33SussexAbdul KhanThree Bridges6-65SurreyG BetzSutton8-68

Wallace hits 5th double hundred of the season!

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

Runs kept coming this month with all but 4 leagues having individuals getting into 3 figures Mark Wallace amassed 216 not out for Port Talbot Town in the South Wales Premier leagueHamza Naddem was the pick of this weeks bolwerstaking all but one of the Himley wickets to fall in the dayandfinishingwith9-60Here are the other leading players for the 17th JulyThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 17th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamJames RalphKidderminster122CheshirePat RobertsToft108CornwallAlex SmeethWerrington104DerbyshireMatthew CluerMatlock101DevonCraig OvertonNorth Devon118East AngliaHarry BushNorwich135MiddlesexAhilen BeadleShepherds Bush121NorthamptonAlec SwannNorthants Saints123North EastGordon MuchallSouth Shields174North Staffs and South CheshireScott OliverModdershall73North WalesDion HoldenMenai Bridge152North PremierSteven CroftBlackpool108LeicestershireJoel PopeBarrow Town116LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne110LiverpoolDavid SnellgroveBootle73EssexMatt ThurstonChelmsford91Home CountiesMichael PayneTring Park85KentSam BillingsHartley Country Club143NottinghamLuke DurandtRadcliffe-on-Trent139West Of EnglandJames CampbellBath105South WalesMark WallacePort Talbot Town216YorkshireAndy SimpsonScarborough109SouthernThomas MortonSouth Wilts131SussexRobert WakefordPreston Nomads115SurreySteven HobsonWimbledon105The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 17th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamHamza NadeemWalmley9-60CheshireJ WarringtonNantwich7-55CornwallAndrew LibbySt Austell6-18DerbyshireChesney HughesIlkeston5-34DevonJonathon ParkerPlymouth5-13East AngliaMartin AddisonVauxhall Mallards6-40MiddlesexAhilen BeadleShepherds Bush7-77NorthamptonDan BendonFinedon Dolben4-30North EastMalintha GayanayakeStockton5-40North Staffs and South CheshireShabir AhmedLittle Stoke6-26North WalesPaul FlemingSt Asaph5-10North PremierGareth PedderCarnforth6-24LeicestershireTom DriverKibworth6-46LincolnshireBrett HoustonBracebridge Heath7-77LiverpoolJoseph DaviesLytham6-22EssexSuleman QadirHainault Clayhall6-59Home CountiesPeter ConnellHigh Wycombe5-16KentJohn WilliamsLordswood3-21NottinghamRichard AdamsKimberley5-49West Of EnglandWill RudgeBristol6-32South WalesScott EdmedSt Fagans4-18YorkshireDan WoodsYork7-55SouthernCallum MaherBashley5-26SussexJeandre JumetHastings and St Leonards6-40SurreyKevin SmithSunbury6-39

Become an LCA Rep

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 21:46:58 +0100

The League Cricketersrsquo Association LCA are currently contacting each club in the country with the intention of appointing one player per club as the LCA Club Rep We understand how much work it takes to keep a cricket club going and what sacrifices are made by everyone in and around the club The LCA has been created to benefit the cricket players and members all over the UKWhen joining the LCA a player will become part of club crickets fastest growing community There are many other benefits that can be taken advantage of such as discounts and offers from our business partners taking part in different LCA events including League Legend cricket matches and LCA Golf days the use of our interactive personal trainer Catalyst PT being able to view stats from various leagues around the country and many other opportunitiesJOIN THE LCA NOW FOR FREE and be in with a chance to win a signed pair of Kevin Pietersens Adidas cricket bootsHaving a club rep at each club will not only help us distribute information and news about the LCA but also enable us to receive various different stories about your club and blogs from your players supplied to us by your rep These will be posted on our website and forwarded on to our partners at The Wisden Cricketer Magazine who may publish the story and give your club some fantastic coverage in a magazine read by over 33000 peopleIf you could forward this on to the players at your club we would greatly appreciate it as we understand how busy you are and how much work you put into running your clubIf a player is interested in becoming the LCA Club rep for their team please contact us at infothelcacouk LCA Club Rep Rolebull Point of contact at your club for The LCAbull Responsible for adding the clubrsquos details to the LCA websitebull Distribute news and LCA information to the players and members of the clubbull Send through and excitingfun stories from your clubbull Send through any blogs that are written by your players and members which will be posted on the LCA websiteLCA Club Rep Benefitsbull Play a lead role in a new and exciting cricketing communitybull Chance to meet current prorsquos at our annual Club Rep seminarbull Chance to win the LCA Club Rep competition with prizes including various cricketing memorabilia and ticketsbull Beneficial rates on LCA Events such as Golf days and pre season toursWe appreciate the time and effort you have put into helping us build our team of club reps throughout the UKIf you have any further enquiries about the LCA please donrsquot hesitate to contact us at infothelcacouk

Player of the Month 10th July

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

Luke Ryan from Banbury and Douglas Rice from Cambridge Granta gave the stand out performances last weekend Luke took 8 for 53 in Banburys 1 wicket win over Harpenden and Douglas set up a convincing win against HalsteadThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 10th July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamCobus PienaarKnowle Dorridge117CheshireLou VincentNantwich102CornwallArfan HusseinPenzance58DerbyshireMatt LinekarAlfreton100DevonHammad AzamBudleight Salterton95East AngliaDouglas RiceCambridge Granta164MiddlesexJosh KnappetFinchley136NorthamptonRichard KaufmanOld Northamptonians147North EastJohn GrahamSouth Northumberland88North Staffs and South CheshireQaisar AbbasHem Heath101North WalesAndrew SavageBangor99North PremierIkram UllahMorecombe90LeicestershireStephanus GroblerNarborough Littlethorpe150LincolnshireTim ShooterHartsholme101LiverpoolGuy RobertsLytham126EssexRishabh ShahWoodford Wells140Home CountiesNick FerrabyOxford150KentLeighton MorganTunbridge Wells171NottinghamRichard HarrisClifton Village132West Of EnglandMichael ColesBridgwater149South WalesAlun EvansAmmanford131YorkshireAndrew BourkeCastleford127SouthernRichard HindleyHavant100SussexBen BrownEastbourne121SurreyOliver Roland-JonesSunbury104The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 10th July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamJamie SpiresKnowle Dorridge5-39CheshireNick AndersonDidsbury6-44CornwallChris RobertsGrampound Road5-17DerbyshireGeorge ChapmanLullington Park5-15DevonJonathon TipperExeter7-68East AngliaJason ColemanCambridge Granta7-68MiddlesexHanish PatelHampstead5-69NorthamptonSimon DriverWollaston5-87North EastKirk RowlandStockton6-43North Staffs and South CheshireSamiullah KhanBurlsem7-73North WalesPaul FlemingSt Asaph7-38North PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes6-32LeicestershireJames SykesStoughton Thurnby5-32LincolnshireTom AndrewsMarket Deeping6-31LiverpoolNick CaunceOrmskirk6-52EssexIan BelchamberBrentwood4-34Home CountiesLuke RyanBanbury8-53KentChris WilliamsTunbridge Wells5-38NottinghamAlex TudorWest Indian Cavaliers4-27West Of EnglandQasim KhursidCorsham4-48South WalesMatthew FisherAmmanford5-45YorkshireAlex RomaniwCastleford5-48SouthernSimon BranstonSouth Wilts7-67SussexNick PattersonCuckfield6-56SurreyGreg BetzSutton7-74

3rd July dominated by Thomas Hankins' 293!!

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:24:07 +0100

Thomas Hankins of Corsham in the West of England Premier League put in the performance of the season so far His 293 came off just 145 balls and included 29 4s and 18 6sThomas helped his team amass 420 in just 55 overs which lead to a comfortable victory over Taunton DeaneSomeone will have to go some to even get close to that score but there is plenty of time left and a 10 for would push it close so well see what you have gotOther performances from last weekend wereThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 3rdJuly areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamEd FosterShrewsbury110CheshireRick MooreOulton Park138CornwallAlex SmithWerrington121DerbyshireRoss WhiteleyChesterfield104DevonTyrone KentExeter92East AngliaMichael ComberClacton-on-sea112MiddlesexSteven SelwoodFinchley115NorthamptonMal LoyeOld Northamptonians93North EastPhillip BellSouth Shields122North Staffs and South CheshireMuhammed KhanBarlaston159North WalesMatt WouldenMochdre137North PremierKarl CrossLeyland109LeicestershireLewis HillLutterworth103LincolnshireRoald BadenhorstSkegness162LiverpoolMichael FarrellHighfield104EssexAdam WheaterWoodford Wells121Home CountiesBen ClementsHarpenden74KentJames HodgsonThe Mote127NottinghamJames HawleyCaythorpe174West Of EnglandThomas HankinsCorsham293South WalesJack SheppardSwansea107YorkshirePeter FultonCleethorpes121SouthernCharlie EssonSt Cross113SussexJason FinchHastings St Leonards118SurreyOliver Roland JonesSunbury118The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 3rdJuly areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamChris DavidsonKnowle Dorridge7-38CheshireJ WarringtonNantwich7-50CornwallJeff VanderseyGrampound Road7-43DerbyshireGeorge ChapmanLullington Park5-28DevonRoss ActonBradninch5-33East AngliaGrant FlowerBurwell5-36MiddlesexImraan MohammedHampstead6-65NorthamptonRushton6-71North EastLee CrozierSouth Northumberland6-30North Staffs and South CheshireNayyer AbbasKnypersley7-59North WalesDavid NorthSt Asaph4-11North PremierDinuka HettiarachichiSt Annes7-61LeicestershireFergus BakerBarrow Town5-66LincolnshireDaniel MilgateBoston7-66LiverpoolChinthaka PereraNew Brighton7-18EssexJoe AustinColchester East Essex5-74Home CountiesTanveer SikanderPotters Bar6-56KentTom HarveyThe Mote5-23NottinghamLuke FletcherClifton Village7-22West Of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester4-8South WalesNicky MaggsYnysygerwn4-41YorkshireBen SandersonRotherham Town7-32SouthernMatthew MetcalfBournemouth6-65SussexRichard SherlockHorsham5-29SurreyPaul NicholasBanstead6-81

July 3rd Dominated by Tom Hankins

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:32:57 +0100

Thomas Hankins of Corsham in the West of England Premier League put in the performance of the season so far His 293 came off just 145 balls and included 29 4s and 18 6sThomas helped his team amass 420 in just 55 overs which lead to a comfortable victory over Taunton DeaneSomeone will have to go some to even get close to that score but there is plenty of time left and a 10 for would push it close so well see what you have gotOther performances from last weekend wereThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 3rd July areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamEd FosterShrewsbury110CheshireRick MooreOulton Park138CornwallAlex SmithWerrington121DerbyshireRoss WhiteleyChesterfield104DevonTyrone KentExeter92East AngliaMichael ComberClacton-on-sea112MiddlesexSteven SelwoodFinchley115NorthamptonMal LoyeOld Northamptonians93North EastPhillip BellSouth Shields122North Staffs and South CheshireMuhammed KhanBarlaston159North WalesMatt WouldenMochdre137North PremierKarl CrossLeyland109LeicestershireLewis HillLutterworth103LincolnshireRoald BadenhorstSkegness162LiverpoolMichael FarrellHighfield104EssexAdam WheaterWoodford Wells121Home CountiesBen ClementsHarpenden74KentJames HodgsonThe Mote127NottinghamJames HawleyCaythorpe174West Of EnglandThomas HankinsCorsham293South WalesJack SheppardSwansea107YorkshirePeter FultonCleethorpes121SouthernCharlie EssonSt Cross113SussexJason FinchHastings St Leonards118SurreyOliver Roland JonesSunbury118The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 3rd July areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamChris DavidsonKnowle Dorridge7-38CheshireJ WarringtonNantwich7-50CornwallJeff VanderseyGrampound Road7-43DerbyshireGeorge ChapmanLullington Park5-28DevonRoss ActonBradninch5-33East AngliaGrant FlowerBurwell5-36MiddlesexImraan MohammedHampstead6-65NorthamptonRushton6-71North EastLee CrozierSouth Northumberland6-30North Staffs and South CheshireNayyer AbbasKnypersley7-59North WalesDavid NorthSt Asaph4-11North PremierDinuka HettiarachichiSt Annes7-61LeicestershireFergus BakerBarrow Town5-66LincolnshireDaniel MilgateBoston7-66LiverpoolChinthaka PereraNew Brighton7-18EssexJoe AustinColchester East Essex5-74Home CountiesTanveer SikanderPotters Bar6-56KentTom HarveyThe Mote5-23NottinghamLuke FletcherClifton Village7-22West Of EnglandNick TrainerFrocester4-8South WalesNicky MaggsYnysygerwn4-41YorkshireBen SandersonRotherham Town7-32SouthernMatthew MetcalfBournemouth6-65SussexRichard SherlockHorsham5-29SurreyPaul NicholasBanstead6-81

Player of the Week for June 26th

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

Last weekends performances are up for the 26th JuneHave a look who is leading the way as we reach the half way point in the season There are still some great scores and figures being produced every weekKeep up the good workThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 26thJune areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamJack ManuelWalsall145CheshireSimon HardstaffToft101CornwallChris HunkinGrampound109DerbyshireJames EdeQuarndon89DevonAndrew De BoorderBovey Tracey137East AngliaPeter TurnbullBury St Edmunds131 78MiddlesexBilly GodlemanBrondesbury200NorthamptonAsim ButtPeterborough Town133North EastJonathon RikardStockton111North Staffs and South CheshirePhil AdamsLongton103North WalesDaniel DrewMold104North PremierJon Jon SmutsChorley135LeicestershireAnshuman BhagawatiMarket Harborough120LincolnshireNeal SnellGrimbsy Town157LiverpoolWillian HantamColwyn Bay99EssexIrfan ShahHainault Clayhall199Home CountiesLloyd SubinBanbury114KentJames GoodmanBromley157NottinghamDaniel MierkalnsClifton Village107West Of EnglandJames CampbellBath119South WalesRyan SylvesterSuly Centurions152YorkshireSimon MasonYork154SouthernBenny HowellHants Academy155SussexMark TomsettEastbourne156SurreyArun HarinathSutton103The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 26thJune areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamGreg RicketsWalmley7-43CheshireAjit RanjanChester Broughton Hall6-75CornwallRobert ClackworthySt Just5-34DerbyshireSteven ScrimshawDunstall5-41DevonCharles HillPlymouth5-24East AngliaTumi MasekelaClacton-on-sea6-46MiddlesexJohn ReeveActon7-77NorthamptonMarc JacksonRushton5-33North EastGraeme BridgeBlaydon5-20North Staffs and South CheshireNiroshan BanadaratillekePorthill Park7-41North WalesGordon KerrLlandudno7-45North PremierDavid MakinsonLeyland7-30LeicestershireLawrence PerryMarket Harborough6-8LincolnshireMartin ShillitoHartsholme5-40LiverpoolChris LiptrotHighfield6-35EssexAtamad ul haqColchester East Essex4-71Home CountiesKabir ToorRadlett8-98KentMatt GreenwoodLordswood5-38NottinghamJimmy HindsonCaythorpe6-38West Of EnglandWill RudgeBristol7-24South WalesJamie WiliamPontarddulais3-29YorkshireAndrew EllisCleethorpes5-56SouthernJames HibberdSouth Wilts6-73SussexMonty PanesarBexhill7-108SurreyDavid BurtonAstead6-33

June 26th Player of the Month

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:29:59 +0100

Last weekends performances are up for the 26th JuneHave a look who is leading the way as we reach the half way point in the season There are still some great scores and figures being produced every weekKeep up the good workThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 26th June areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamJack ManuelWalsall145CheshireSimon HardstaffToft101CornwallChris HunkinGrampound109DerbyshireJames EdeQuarndon89DevonAndrew De BoorderBovey Tracey137East AngliaPeter TurnbullBury St Edmunds131 78MiddlesexBilly GodlemanBrondesbury200NorthamptonAsim ButtPeterborough Town133North EastJonathon RikardStockton111North Staffs and South CheshirePhil AdamsLongton103North WalesDaniel DrewMold104North PremierJon Jon SmutsChorley135LeicestershireAnshuman BhagawatiMarket Harborough120LincolnshireNeal SnellGrimbsy Town157LiverpoolWillian HantamColwyn Bay99EssexIrfan ShahHainault Clayhall199Home CountiesLloyd SubinBanbury114KentJames GoodmanBromley157NottinghamDaniel MierkalnsClifton Village107West Of EnglandJames CampbellBath119South WalesRyan SylvesterSuly Centurions152YorkshireSimon MasonYork154SouthernBenny HowellHants Academy155SussexMark TomsettEastbourne156SurreyArun HarinathSutton103The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 26thJune areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamGreg RicketsWalmley7-43CheshireAjit RanjanChester Broughton Hall6-75CornwallRobert ClackworthySt Just5-34DerbyshireSteven ScrimshawDunstall5-41DevonCharles HillPlymouth5-24East AngliaTumi MasekelaClacton-on-sea6-46MiddlesexJohn ReeveActon7-77NorthamptonMarc JacksonRushton5-33North EastGraeme BridgeBlaydon5-20North Staffs and South CheshireNiroshan BanadaratillekePorthill Park7-41North WalesGordon KerrLlandudno7-45North PremierDavid MakinsonLeyland7-30LeicestershireLawrence PerryMarket Harborough6-8LincolnshireMartin ShillitoHartsholme5-40LiverpoolChris LiptrotHighfield6-35EssexAtamad ul haqColchester East Essex4-71Home CountiesKabir ToorRadlett8-98KentMatt GreenwoodLordswood5-38NottinghamJimmy HindsonCaythorpe6-38West Of EnglandWill RudgeBristol7-24South WalesJamie WiliamPontarddulais3-29YorkshireAndrew EllisCleethorpes5-56SouthernJames HibberdSouth Wilts6-73SussexMonty PanesarBexhill7-108SurreyDavid BurtonAstead6-33

19th June: Wicket Takers and Run Scorers

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:14:25 +0100

Another week of great performances by the players throughtout the country led by Nick Walker of Welwyn Garden City in the Home Counties Premier league He took a fantastic 9-83 in just under 24 overs in the victory over BanburyMore wickets flooded in with up and coming Cheshire seamer Rob Wooley picking up 8 for 56 for Hyde CCThe batsmen werent to be out done though and 5 people surpassed 150Check out who were the leading performers around the country belowThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 19thJune areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamTejinder SinghHimley130CheshireWarren GoodwinChester Broughton Hall153CornwallTim MarrionTruro87DerbyshireKevin LeatherdayMatlock128DevonJames StreetExeter95East AngliaRichard HeskethCambridge Granta142MiddlesexThomas ScollayEastcote131NorthamptonRichard KaufmanOld Northamptonians113North EastAlistair MaidenBenwell Hill155North Staffs and South CheshirePeter BarnettElworth100North WalesStevie KelshawChirk157North PremierSteven CroftBlackpool130LeicestershireJames BullLoughborough Town106LincolnshireJack LuffmanWoodhall Spa115LiverpoolDominic OBrienLytham104EssexUsman JanLoughton152Home CountiesWes MorrickAston Rowant97KentPaul DixeySt Lawrence118NottinghamDan BirchClifton Village141West Of EnglandJames CampbellBath146South WalesAlun EvansAmmanford159YorkshireGary BallanceBarnsley106SouthernHamza RiazuddinSt Cross101SussexRobert WakefordPreston Nomads108SurreyChris MurtaghReigate Priory116The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 19thJune areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamPaul GriffithWalmley5-69CheshireRob WoolleyHyde8-56CornwallChris HunkinGrampound Road5-17DerbyshireSimon LaceyChesterfield6-27DevonMark GilmourPaignton5-22East AngliaDarren CousinsSaffron Waldern5-38MiddlesexKish NadesanEaling6-52NorthamptonRichard AshtonNorthampton Saints5-12North EastZohaib KhanBenwell Hill5-30North Staffs and South CheshireAnwar AliModdershall7-69North WalesJack RimmingtonLlandudno6-35North PremierRyan SeniorFleetwood5-24LeicestershireStephanus GroblerNarborough Littlethorp5-35LincolnshireTom AndrewsMarket Deeping5-39LiverpoolNathan Heathcliff-CoreHightown7-22EssexJames LeverWoodford Wells4-27Home CountiesNick WalkerWelwyn Garden City9-83KentRob StaterGore Court4-33NottinghamRichard AdamsKimberley7-39West Of EnglandKevin SedgbeerTaunton St Andrews4-19South WalesYorkshireGlen YatesBarnsley6-5SouthernDavid BevenVentnor6-85SussexDaniel JosephChichester Priory7-34SurreyGreg BetzSutton8-26

Player of the Month - 12th June

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

With a bit of rain around last week the bowlers really cashed in There were 5 7 wicket hauls which is an awesome effort Although there were 7 leagues with no one reaching three figures there was still some heavy scoring going onIn the Surrey league Wimbledons Graham Grace put Maldern Wanderers to the sword smashing 186 not out and also with the name of the season so far Jon-Jon Smuts hit a 139 ball 177 to set up Chorleys win over Carnforth up NorthFor the second time this season a player managed to get the best figures and the highest score in their respective league Following Mr Grobler James Irvine-Fortescue scored 129 and took 4-42 for St Cross in their draw with Havant in the Southerm Premier LeagueTo take a look at the other top performers from last week check out the tables belowThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 12thJune areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamJames RalphKidderminster102CheshireSean ClarenceUrmston130CornwallDavid RobertsSt Just102DerbyshireJack RatcliffeSpondon108DevonLewis GregoryPlympton81East AngliaMatt FreidlanderCambridge Granta111MiddlesexAhilen BeadleShepherds Bush117NorthamptonDion EbrahimStony Stratford80North EastTom LathamGateshead Fell119North Staffs and South CheshirePeter WilshawLongton159North WalesJames ClaybrookBrymbo119North PremierJon-Jon SmutsChorley177LeicestershireAnshuman BhagawatiMarket Harborough124LincolnshireGraham WestLouth83LiverpoolNick DeathHightown78EssexAndrew DCruzUpminster127Home CountiesSteven GalePotters Bar160KentGrant SheerBromley77NottinghamScott ElstonNCB X171West Of EnglandDevon ConwayTaunton Deane111South WalesRyan SylvesterSully Centurions133YorkshireGraham AttenboroughDoncaster112SouthernJames Irvine-FortescueSt Cross129SussexMalcolm JohnsonBexhill78SurreyGraham GraceWimbledon186The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 12thJune areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamAnthony OConnorWellington7-30CheshireAlex KeggChester Broughton Hall6-81CornwallMatt OLearyPaul5-70DerbyshireMatt DowmanQuardon6-45DevonDavid BurkePlymouth6-74East AngliaChris SabbryHorsford5-34MiddlesexJohn ReeveActon6-50NorthamptonSteven MusgraveWollaston6-23North EastJamie HarrisonDurham Academy7-26North Staffs and South CheshireRobert JamesKnypersley5-34North WalesIwan RobertsBangor5-41North PremierDaryl WearingBarrow7-44LeicestershireChris WearMarket Harborough5-31LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne5-37LiverpoolSimon KerriganOrmskirk6-33EssexMaurice ChambersWanstead6-28Home CountiesStuart HoleOxford7-24KentMatthew LincolnSt Lawrence5-17NottinghamRichard AdamsKimberley7-39West Of EnglandTom StaytBath4-7South WalesDavid HarrisonYnysygerwn5-46YorkshireGlen YatesBarnsley6-44SouthernJames Irvine-FortescueSt Cross4-42SussexDuncan ShoebridgeEast Grinstead6-25SurreyRichard BanhamWimbledon6-25

LCA Player of the Month - 5th June

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

The season is in full swing now and the weather has been getting better and that has been reflected in the scores we have seen all over the country There were only 3 leagues in the country where a hundred wasnt scored Having said that there were only 3 leagues in which a 5 wicket haul wasnt achieved so there is still plenty there for the bowlersGood luck to the bowlers as the season goes onPictured is Keith Parsons who scored 154 for Taunton St AndrewsCheck out who were the top scores and wicket takers this weekThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 5thJune areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamTejinder SinghHimley150CheshireMaroof KhanChester Broughton111CornwallMark HorwellWerrington101DerbyshireKevin LeatherdayMatlock93DevonJames TomsPlymouth118East AngliaCharles KnightleySaffron Walden121MiddlesexStephen SelwoodFinchley122NorthamptonRob KeoghNorthants Academy136North EastChris HewisonSouth Northumberland118North Staffs and South CheshireShaun JenkinsonStone100North WalesTrevor BauerSt Asaph129North PremierAlex AtkinsonNetherfield117LeicestershireAnish PatelLoughborough Town119LincolnshireAndrew CrookBracebridge Heath168LiverpoolChris TipperNorthern123EssexJulian RussellColchester East Essex71Home CountiesAaron ToddAston Rowant150KentJames ThompsonHartley Country Club144NottinghamWill ButlerCuckney119West Of EnglandKeith ParsonsTaunton St Andrews154South WalesAlun EvansAmmanford113YorkshireAndy SimpsonScarborough142SouthernChris WoodHampshire Academy111SussexJeandre JumatHastings134SurreyPaul StirlingSunbury92The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 5thJune areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamFred EburahMoseley5-26CheshireJeremy HartToft6-46CornwallAnthony AngoveFalmouth6-55DerbyshireSan van DaeodonkQuarndon5-20DevonRob GearNorth Devon6-61East AngliaDarren CousinsSaffron Walden4-42MiddlesexKish NardesanEaling7-23NorthamptonJake HigginbottomRushden Town4-32North EastGraeme BridgeBlaydon5-21North Staffs and South CheshireSamiullah KhanBurlsem8-67North WalesPeter BanhamBangor6-34North PremierBilal AsadPreston7-39LeicestershireBhargav ModhaBarrow Town6-55LincolnshireFahad MasoodBourne5-14LiverpoolRyhs OwenPrestatyn5-56EssexBen StephensColchester East Essex4-12Home CountiesKyle NipperTring Park6-69KentEd GiddinsBromley6-15NottinghamPhil DefreitasPapplewick5-24West Of EnglandRobin DsouzaWeston Super Mare5-33South WalesStuart PhelpsPort Talbot Town5-29YorkshireDaniel WoodsYork6-83SouthernJamie MillarHampshire Academy6-34SussexKashif IbrahimPreston Nomads5-12SurreyChris NottonWeybridge6-74

LCA Player of the Month - 29th May

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

The weekend of the 29th May saw some more fantastic performances Even with some rain around many of the teams throught the country managed to get full games inSpecial mention has to go to Jason Roy who smashed 103 not out of just 35 balls to help Reigate knock off 145 in an amazing 85 overs against WimbledonStephanus Grobler was the first person this season to produce the best bowling figures and the highest score in his league He scored 71 not out and took 5-31 for Narborough in the Leicestershire Premier LeagueTake a look below at the other high flyers in the Premier leagues last weekendThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 29thMay areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamAbandonedCheshireMark CurrieAlderley Edge75CornwallDan DavisCallington102DerbyshireDevonNeil BettisNorth Devon116East AngliaAbandonedMiddlesexBen DuncanTeddington81NorthamptonJasper DaviesRushden Town69North EastUsman ArshadDurham Academy129North Staffs and South CheshireHamza SiddiqueModdershall66North WalesWill EvansMochdre130North PremierJon MilesBarrow72LeicestershireStephanus GroblerNarborough71LincolnshireAbandonedLiverpoolMichael BarnesNorthop Hall89EssexNuwan ShiromanBrentwood124Home CountiesAbandonedKentMatt LincolnSt Lawrence101NottinghamAbandonedWest Of EnglandLouis GeggFrocester143South WalesAbandonedYorkshireAbandonedSouthernThomas MortonSouth Wilts69SussexAbandonedSurreyJason RoyReigate Priory103The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 29thMay areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamAbandonedCheshireJames HawleyNeston6-25CornwallRobert ClackworthySt Just4-32 8 oversDerbyshireAlan GoughLullington Park6-38DevonGary ChappellBradninch8-16East AngliaAbandonedMiddlesexChris PeploeEaling5-64NorthamptonAlec SwannNorthants Saints4-8North EastJon WightmanSouth Northumberland5-81North Staffs and South CheshireNirosham BandaratillekeBarlaston5-26North WalesRobert WardBrymbo4-13North PremierPasan WanasingheBarrow7-25LeicestershireStephanus GroblerNarborough5-31LincolnshireAbandonedLiverpoolFarhaan BehardienHighfield4-20EssexGareth JamesLoughton3-48Home CountiesAbandonedKentBen EasterSt Lawrence3-78NottinghamAbandonedWest Of EnglandDevon ConwayTaunton Deane6-43South WalesAbandonedYorkshireAbandonedSouthernSimon BranstonSouth Wilts5-24SussexLuke MarshallHorsham7-33SurreyJamie LawrenceCobham Avorians4-30

Player of the Week Recommendation!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

The Cricket Exchange Agency has kindly recommended the following for Player of the Week On Saturday Andre Russell stroked a majestic 105 with 5 sixes and 15 fours to lead his team to 245 off their rain affected 38 overs Russell added 2 vital wickets as Barnards Green CC bowled Colwall out for 154 to take maximum points On the Monday Bank Holiday Russell was in a far more watchful mood as he grafted his team out of trouble with a fine 70 again including several big hits late on to lift Barnards Green to 202 off 50 overs The Jamaican all-rounder then blitzed his way through the Droitwcih line up with a stunning spell of pace bowling Russell took the first 7 wickets to fall and ended with 8-21 off 12 overs as Droitwich were rolled over for 70 Russells spell included 5 wickets in 5 balls 1 off the last ball of an over followed by 4 off the first 4 balls of the next Russell bowled with decent pace and movement which proved too much for the opposition batsman Congratulations Andre keep up the good work Coming soonthe draw for the Player of the Month of May

Catalyst PT help LCA members get into shape!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

Catalyst PT have come on board as the LCAs personal trainer so watch this space for some amazing new articles ready to get you in shape for the SummerBelow are the first couple articleshttpthelcacoukindexphpmodshow_fitness_tipsid_fts23httpthelcacoukindexphpmodshow_fitness_tipsid_fts24Please let us know if you want any specific topics covered or if you have any questions email us atinfothelcacoukTil next time stay focused and keep up the good work

LCA Player of the Month - 22nd May

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

A special mention has to go to a couple of players this weekGarry Park from Cambridge Granta and Nick Kruger from Netherfield both managed to amass the same total of 208 for their club sides this saturday They were both the leading run scores in their respective leagues and have been entered into the draw for this month LCA PLayer of the Month awardBelow are the other top performers from this weeks round of gamesThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 22ndMay areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamNeil PinnerKidderminster83CheshireRichard WilkinsonAlderley Edge114CornwallDave RobertsSt Just143DerbyshireHasan AdnanAlvaston Boulton84DevonBobby DawsonBudleigh Salterton143East AngliaGarry ParkCambridge Granta208MiddlesexJames KeightleyTeddington115NorthamptonRichard KaufmanOld Northamptonians110North EastRamanpreet SinghDurham Academy129North Staffs and South CheshirePeter WilshawLongton121North WalesSam RimmingtonLlandudno124North PremierNick KrugerNetherfield208LeicestershireRaja HayatSyston Town127LincolnshireJonathon CheerBoston133LiverpoolLouis BotesNew Brighton144EssexAaron WestBrentwood137Home CountiesCarl CroweHenley107KentAlex KempBexley113NottinghamSam KelsallNotts Cricket Board X1118West Of EnglandLouis GeggForcester170South WalesDan CherryPort Talbot Town114YorkshireCallum GeldartYorks Academy117SouthernJames HaywoodSouth Wilts104SussexJoe GattingPreston Nomads134SurreyChris MurtaghReigate Priory156The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 22ndMay areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamFrederick EburahMoseley5-53CheshireTom YoungHyde6-89CornwallSamuel HockinWerrington6-62DerbyshireJoe AshdownSpondon6-54DevonDavid BurkePlymouth5-38East AngliaFrans BesterBurwell7-49MiddlesexTahir AfridiEaling6-26NorthamptonAndrew ReynoldsonNorthampton Saints4-23North EastGary ScottHetton Lyons4-36North Staffs and South CheshireMazakat AliModdershall7-25North WalesMark RobertsChirk5-47North PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes6-50LeicestershireNeil GambleLoughborough Town6-52LincolnshireRoald BadenhorstSkegness6-37LiverpoolMartyn EvansNew Brighton6-40EssexBilal ButtLoughton4-42Home CountiesTom LambertHenley6-27KentPhil BrowningBickley Park5-51NottinghamTom UllyottCuckney5-22West Of EnglandTom FurleyFrocester6-48South WalesScott EdmedSt Fagans4-25YorkshireNick HardgraveDriffifeld Town5-32SouthernJames Irvine-FortescueSt Cross4-22SussexLuke MarshallHorsham5-55SurreySimon CramptonMaldern Wanderers3-26

Check out the Best Performers from May so far!

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

LCA Player of the Month - ECB Premier LeaguesCheck out the leading run scores and wicket takers from the ECB premier leagues from around the countryThe LCA would like to congratulate all the Club cricketers throughout the UK There have been some excellent performances so far this MayWith the help of one of our partners Cricket Archive we have been able to select the highest run scorer and wicket taker from each weekend in each of the ECB Premier LeaguesAll these players will be placed in a prize draw at the end of May and a player will be randomly selected to win an Adidas England training vest signed by Dimitri Mascarenhas of England Hampshire and Rajasthan RoyalsThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 1stMay areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamLuke ParkerK D72CheshireJames DuffyHyde128CornwallNo GameDerbyshireJames ChapmanSandiacre Town100DevonA De BoorderBovey Tracey124East AngliaCarl RogersGreat Witchingham127MiddlesexNo gameNorthamptonMatthew BellBurton Latimer116North EastMichael RichardsonNewcastle100North Staffs and South CheshireAshar ZaidiWood Lane79North WalesWill EvansMochdre112North PremierPasan WanasingheBarrow71LeicestershireTom BurtonKibworth64LincolnshireTim ShooterHartsholme101LiverpoolNo GameEssexNo gameHome CountiesNo gameKentNo gameNottinghamDaniel WatsonCuckney119West Of EnglandKeith ParsonsTaunton St Andrews137South WalesSam DaviesYnysygernn125YorkshireNicholas GaywoodSheffield Collegiate129SouthernThomas MortonSouth Wilts105SussexBen BrownEastbourne104SurreyNo gameThe Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 1stMay areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamFrederick EburahMoseley8-32CheshireJason WhittakerAlderley Edge8-60CornwallNo gameDerbyshireNigel MallenderAlveston Boulton6-46DevonJon BaglowBraunton5-39East AngliaTumi MasekelaClacton-on-sea6-34MiddlesexNo gameNorthamptonSimon HillOld Northamptonians6-14North EastMark WoodDurham Academy7-43North Staffs and South CheshireMustafa BashirWood Lane7-34North WalesIan MartinHawarden Park6-52North PremierRoss McmillanKendal5-24LeicestershireDaniel BroughtonKibworth5-28LincolnshireTom AndrewsMarket Deeping6-31LiverpoolNo gameEssexNo gameHome CountiesNo gameKentNo gameNottinghamMartin WeightmanClifton Village7-44West Of EnglandOliver PringleBristol4-64South WalesNick JamesCardiff6-13YorkshireTom KnightRotherham Town6-73SouthernKevin NashBashley6-34SussexIan EllisBexhill6-15SurreyNo gameThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 8thMay areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamRained off

LCA Player of the Month - 15th May

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

The scores and figures are in for the 15th May See who were the top performers of the weekendThe Leading Run scorers in each league for 15thMay areECB Premier LeagueName of playerClub played forScoreBirminghamMatthew PardueKidderminster98CheshireWarren GoodwinChester Broughton140CornwallNo gameDerbyshireMatt LinekarAlfreton109DevonBobby DawsonBudleigh Salterton81East AngliaGiles EcclestoneSaffron Walden101MiddlesexYasir MehmoodActon127NorthamptonConnor CunninghamPeterborough132North EastAndrew SmithChester Le Street173North Staffs and South CheshireJames DawsonStone75North WalesRobbie JonesMenai Bridge140North PremierBrett PelsarLeyland121LeicestershireLewis HillLutterworth112LincolnshireWarren NelNettleham130LiverpoolGareth CrossColwyn Bay106EssexModassor IbrahimIlford110Home CountiesBen ClementHarpenden150KentPaul DixeySt Lawrence143NottinghamDaniel WatsonCuckney118West Of EnglandWes DurstonCorsham145South WalesAlun EvansAmmanford89YorkshireAlex LeesYorkshire Academy136SouthernLaurence PrittipaulSt Cross89SussexWilliam AdkinEast Grinstead108SurreyBen ChapmanCobham Avorians125The Leading Wicket Takers for each league on 15thMay areECB Premier LeagueNameClubBowling FiguresBirminghamDougie BrownBarnt Green5-21CheshireJames HawleyNeston6-24CornwallNo gamesDerbyshireLiam WhartonOckbrook Borrowash5-40DevonMatt WestawayNorth Devon6-40East AngliaJason ColemanCambridge Granta5-32MiddlesexMikesh BhattStanmore5-34NorthamptonSteve MusgraveWollaton5-49North EastMichael DicksGateshead Fell6-71North Staffs and South CheshireSamiullah KhanBurslem8-65North WalesShane CarltonConnohs Quay5-31North PremierDinuka HettiarachchiSt Annes6-51LeicestershirePhilip ChamberlainSileby Town5-26LincolnshireNicholas GoacherSleaford4-16LiverpoolKurt RoughlyWallasey6-78EssexTarisai SavanahLoughton4-33Home CountiesBen FrazerHarpenden5-45KentJames DaySevenoaks Vine4-40NottinghamMitchell GowlandRatcliffe6-55West Of EnglandNeil PollardBristol4-33South WalesMichael ReedUsk4-15YorkshireTom PringleYork5-43SouthernChristian PainLymington4-28SussexCraig FowleEast Grinstead6-46SurreyAlan CopeAshtead4-18

League Cricket in the month of May

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

May has been an exciting month for many league cricketers up and down the country Here are just a few highlights of information been passed on to the LCA- Youngster Olly Hardaker of Horsforth CC hit an astounding 329not out against Upper Wharfedale in the Ian Chappell Cup in Yorkshire This is one of the highest one-day totals ever recorded in league cricket and it was scored in style with Olly only facing 144 balls smashing 27 sixes and 28 fours Hardaker is said to be looking into achieving county trials this summer Well done Ol- May has also seen no less than five 8-wicket hauls across all ECB Premier League 1st team cricket a statistic rare to see Whilst the bowlers enjoy their glory runs have been coming thick and fast tooincredible given that its still only MAY Since the beginning of the season there have been eight scores of over 150 in the ECB Premier Leagues up and down the country - the highest from ex-Derbyshire professional Stephen Stubbings who scored a magical 187 for Alvaston and Boulton against Sandiacre Town in the Derbyshire Premier league- Fast bowling legend Jeff Thomson spoke at an event at Barrow CC in the Northern Premier League last Thursday however they failed to convert his generous advice into a win as they were skittled for 156 and were beaten convincingly by Blackpool CC Next time Jeff it might be worth staying a couple more days and donning the whites for the Saturday afternoon- Bromley CC in the Kent Cricket League had an amazing feat last year they were unbeaten in all cricket apart from against Reigate Priory CC in the 2020 Cup However the curtain raiser for the 2010 season saw them get turned over for 181 in 45 overs and lose to rivals Bexley CC in the 58th over of their innings thanks to an unbeaten 22 by George Wells- Martin Dobson of Welbeck Colliery CC in the Nottinghamshire Premier League has had 3 innings in the 2010 season scoring 2 hundreds and 1 fifty Congratulations Dobbo keep up the good workWe are sure that much more has gone on in the league cricketing world and would welcome you feedback by email infothelcacouk

South Africa out of World Cup

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

South Africa were knocked out of the World Twenty20 by living up to their reputation of coming up short in crunch matches with an inexplicably limp batting display after a Charl Langeveldt masterclass in end-innings bowling had kept Pakistan to a gettable total The bedrock of the defending champions first victory in the Super Eights were Saeed Ajmals doosras and a sparkling Umar Akmal cameo but Pakistan will also thank the redoubtable South African top-order for idling early in the chaseLike in the first-round game against India South Africa left the onslaught for too late On a track which didnt have too many demons they were just three fours and three twos in the first ten overs from a line-up boasting some of the worlds finest hitters AB de Villiers responded to the climbing asking-rate with some belated power-hitting but once he fell attempting an audacious scoop Pakistans bowlers choked the runs again and South Africa went down by 11 runsThere was still hope for South Africa after de Villiers fell with two of the games best finishers Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel needing 47 off the final four But neither could get the ball away against the spinners and few would have guessed that most of South Africas runs at the death would come from Johan Botha Morkel was silenced by Pakistans plan of targeting his leg stump and his ineffectiveness was highlighted by a dab to backward point for one to a shortish doosra from Ajmal off the first delivery of the final over when 17 was requiredBut it will be churlish to blame the lower-order after the top three each of whom have nearly a decades worth of international experience consumed 43 balls for their 38 runs Herschelle Gibbs who has been hit-or-miss for a long time now pottered around before slugging a short ball to midwicket Graeme Smiths ordinary tournament ended with a tame miscue to mid-on and questions about the tempo of Jacques Kallis batting will resurface after he poked 22 at just more than a run-a-ball before holing out to long-onThe match was slipping away from South Africa when they were at 71 for 4 after 13 but de Villiers exploded with a four and two sixes in one Abdur Rehman over to keep it alive The second of those brought up his half-century and a roar from a pumped-up de Villiers but when his attempted scoop off yet another Ajmal doosra lobbed to the keeper Pakistan were back in chargeIn contrast to the listless batting South Africas bowlers were immaculate at the start to keep Pakistans traditionally fragile top-order to 19 for 3 the worst performance in the first six overs in this competition Exhibit A in the gallery of poor shots was from Salman Butt who pulled a short and wide delivery that he would have been better off looking to cut Then the man picked to strengthen the batting Khalid Latif chipped to wide mid-on before Mohammad Hafeezs troubles with the bat continued when he was lbw for 1The Akmal brothers started the firefighting by taking on the spinners Roelof van der Merwe was taken apart by a bunch of slog-sweeps and Kamrans powerful cut off Botha brought four more to double the total in two overs to 46 van der Merwe was clobbered for three straight sixes in five deliveries before Gibbs swooped at backward point to get rid of Kamran but with Pakistan batting down to No 8 the game was even at 69 for 4 after 11The flood of runs continued with arrival of Afridi Umar wowed the crowd with a paddle-scoop over short fine off the pacy Kallis and Afridi muscled boundaries over cover and midwicket The horrors at the start were completely forgotten by the sprinkling of Pakistan fans in the ground after Umar scuttled across the stumps to swing Albie over deep backward square leg and Afridi absolutely hammered a flat six over long-on to take Pakistan to 102 for 4 after 14 with the finisher Abdul Razzaq still to comeThree fours were taken off a Dale Steyn over and Umar was flamboyantly celebrating his half-century after blasting Langeveldt for a straight six on the first delivery of the 17th Things unraveled swiftly from there with Umar holing out to long-on and Afridi being bowled by a full delivery from Langeveldt three balls later There were no more boundaries and Pakistan finished with a whimper only 16 coming off the final threeHowever Pakistan lived up to their billing of being most dangerous when cornered by stubbornly defending the small total to retain an outside chance of progressing to the semi-finals

England Knock Out NZ

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

Englands cricketers maintained their impressive momentum with their third win in three Super Eight fixtures as New Zealand were outmuscled in their must-win Group E finale in St Lucia and sent packing from the tournament by a three-wicket defeat that was more emphatic than the final margin suggested Chasing 150 for victory after another disciplined bowling display led by Tim Bresnan England were able to overcome a mid-innings wobble and a late clatter of wickets to coast to victory with five balls to spare as Bresnan put the seal on a fine days work with 23 not out from 11 ballsThanks to Pakistans earlier victory over South Africa Englands progress was assured before the match began but for New Zealand the stakes were utterly black-and-white A victory would have propelled them into the semi-finals but anything less would allow the defending champions Pakistan to come from nowhere in the Group and leap into the final four In the end that is exactly what transpired as Englands superbly balanced outfit made light of the absence of Kevin Pietersen to turn in a thoroughly professional victoryAs has become the norm for this tournament Englands openers refused to stand on ceremony as they set off to better New Zealands effort of 149 for 6 Craig Kieswetter belted a four and a six in the first over bowled by Nathan McCullum before drilling the third ball of Kyle Mills spell into the covers to depart for 15 while Michael Lumb took a shine to the extra pace of Shane Bond milking 19 runs from his first two overs including a brace of leg-side steers a checked drive for six and a loose flick that burst through Gareth Hopkins webbing as he dived in vain to his leftAt the end of the Powerplay overs England had hurtled to 57 for 1 compared to New Zealands earlier effort of 39 for 1 but not for the first time in this tournament the introduction of the slower bowlers whipped the momentum out of the innings Daniel Vettoris first over had been swiped by Lumb for 11 runs but he responded brilliantly by taking all pace off the ball in tandem with Scott Styriss offcutters as England stumbled to 66 for 4 after nineStyris was the first of the pair to strike from the fourth delivery of his spell as Ravi Bopara - standing in for the absent Kevin Pietersen - smashed uppishly into the covers where Ross Taylor timed his vertical leap to perfection Three balls later Vettori suckered Lumb on the sweep with a loopy slower ball that rapped him plumb in front of middle for 32 before Paul Collingwood continued his poor run of form by nurdling another Styris cutter into Brendon McCullums midriff at midwicketAs usual however Eoin Morgan found a method to master the conditions as he slapped Styris one-handed over cow corner for a vast six while Luke Wright tucked into the extra pace of Ian Butler by spanking two slog-swept fours in consecutive deliveries Morgan then made room outside off against McCullum to dance into a delightful drive over extra cover and when McCullums third over was shovelled for 13 runs England were cruising on 117 for 4 with seven overs to comeVettori responded by reintroducing Bonds extra venom and the change did the trick as Wright immediately holed out to deep square leg to end a fifth-wicket stand of 52 in 38 balls But Morgan and Bresnan stole a boundary each off the next over to take the asking rate below a run-a-ball and even when an unlikely collapse revived New Zealands morale the result was never really in doubt Morgan was well snaffled by a leaping Vettori at midwicket for 40 from 34 balls before Michael Yardy unwisely rifled a drive to long-off but Bresnan belted Mills through midwicket to put the game beyond doubtIt was a busy days work for Bresnan who earlier set the tone for the performance with 1 for 20 in four constrictive overs He conceded a solitary run from the first over of the match and bowled Jesse Ryder 9 from 11 balls with a slower ball in his second then returned at the death to concede just seven runs from the final over of a New Zealand innings that never quite found a fifth gearBrendon McCullum did his best to keep the runs flowing at the top of the order but after a positive start the introduction of Englands spinners stymied his attacking options as Swann and Michael Yardy limited him to a succession of increasingly frustrated sweep shots Eventually he stepped out to Swann and aimed a pull over midwicket but Lumb on the boundarys edge steadied himself beneath a steepling chance to send him on his way for 33 from 32 ballsBy this stage Aaron Redmond - Martin Guptills replacement at No 3 - had already been and gone for 16 from 15 balls at the end of an eventful over in which Stuart Broad on the midwicket boundary first saved a certain four with a sprawling dive then watched a meaty six sail clean over his head and finally pulled off a brilliant low catch which he completed with his legs bent at the knees to prevent them touching the rope as he bounced along the turfAt 68 for 3 after 11 overs New Zealand needed a positive response with their tournament life at stake and that was provided by Styris and Taylor who added 62 in 41 balls to lift their side towards a competitive total When Styris crunched the first ball of Sidebottoms penultimate over for six over long-on the pressure was on England to keep their heads in the slog overs But to their credit they did Sidebottom responded to that indignity by conceding two runs from the remainder of his over and one ball later Styris was gone as Wright called decisively at deep cover to slide into a well-judged catch 127 for 4New Zealands keeper Gareth Hopkins then lasted just two legitimate deliveries as he was surprised by a glove-high beamer from the sixth delivery of the same over before being bowled by the non free-hit seventh for 1 Taylor responded with one last six a baseball slog off Sidebottom to move to 44 only to fall to the very next delivery as Bresnan at deep midwicket settled comfortably beneath a skier

Kiwis Seek Another Semi Final

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

The team who perpetually punch above their weight in global competitions versus the most notable under-achievers of the lot This is a contest that - barring disasters - should count for little for one of the protagonists England but for the other New Zealand it will make or break their progression to the semi-finalsThe Kiwis know all about the last four - its their spiritual home in ICC events having reached those heights in five World Cups four Champions Trophies and the inaugural World Twenty20 to boot And having recovered from a sound thrashing at the hands of South Africa to squeak past Pakistan in a one-run thriller on Saturday they will hope they have enough momentum to notch up a second victory and keep their noses in front of both South Africa and Pakistan whose earlier clash will have spelt out their exact run-rate requirements before the tossIt promises however to be a tall order against a team that astonishingly by their usual standards are shaping up as the wild cards of the competition After their soggy start in Guyana England have put together two seriously impressive victories in the Super Eights not least Saturdays 39-run trouncing of the much-fancied South AfricansWith a wide array of attacking batsman a battery of seamers who use the short ball well and two canny spinners in Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy they have men for all occasions and the confidence that comes with success If England are ever to break their duck in ICC events they will surely never have a better balanced unit than the one they currently boast But for this particular fixture theyll be missing Kevin Pietersen due to the birth of his child and whether they admit it or not the near-certainty of their progression is likely to dent their competitive edge just a touch New Zealand know they couldnt hope for more favourable circumstances as they take on the group leaders

Aussies Hand Sri Lanka 81 run thrashing

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:13 +0100

Australia stormed to a resounding 81-run win that all but assured their semi-finals spot as Sri Lanka were steamrolled by extreme pace and sustained pressure folding for 87 Dirk Nannes and Mitchell Johnson were the main destroyers of the Sri Lankan batting line-up but the win was made possible by Cameron Whites unstoppable 85 from 49 balls which rescued his side from a perilous 67 for 5White was ably aided by Michael Hussey in an unbroken stand of 101 in less than ten overs and when the Sri Lankan top order was bullied out by a formidable Australian pace attack in quick succession the rest of the batsmen collapsed in a heapAustralia had been in a similar situation against Bangladesh in the group stage sinking to 65 for 6 before they were saved by a 74-run partnership between Hussey and Steven Smith Today they had White to thank as he saw off the threatening Suraj Randiv making the most of a missed chance on 23 to establish his dominance over the rest of the attack as he passed 50 from 32 ballsShane Watson and David Warner have given Australia solid starts more often than not in this tournament but today they were parted with the fifth ball of the innings as Angelo Mathews snaked one in to rattle Watsons stumps via an inside edge In an impressively-controlled opening spell Mathews then deceived Brad Haddin sent in ahead of Clarke with Australia one down with a slower one that took the leading edge and looped up to give Sanath Jayasuriya an easy catchAustralia were then under real pressure when Mahela Jayawardene held a blistering reflex take at slip when Warner nicked a flashing drive to Randivs third ball of the match In a dramatic over Randiv then set Sri Lankan hearts racing when he beat David Hussey first ball with a flighted delivery that went the other way as the batsman drove on the walk and Kumar Sangakkara whipped the bails off milliseconds later - not that it mattered as the ball had also brushed the edge on its way throughThe hat-trick evaded him but he topped off an outstanding spell when Clarke backed away to cut a turning ball and lost his off bail Australia were 67 for 5 after 11 overs at that stage and were in real danger of crumbling for an insubstantial totalBut Sri Lanka could not carry the intensity from their opening onslaught into the second half of the innings After racing to his half-century White led Australias charge in the closing overs lifting Welegedara down the ground with brutal hits from consecutive deliveries to move into the 70sWith that Hussey who had nudged his way to 9 from 15 balls took his cue walking across his stumps to paddle a knee-high full toss from Lasith Malinga to fine leg Hussey followed that up with a majestic lofted cover drive before closing the over with an audacious sweep to a searing yorker White took Australia past 150 with his fifth and sixth sixes in the penultimate over and an incredible 91 runs came from the final seven oversJayawardene has been Sri Lankas linchpin at the top of the order in this tournament and when he swivelled to pull Nannes handsomely over square leg it appeared that the stage had been set for another excellent knock But Nannes dug the next one in even shorter and the ball rose alarmingly to take the splice and balloon up to give Smith an easy catch at long legIt was pace and aggression that did for Sangakkara too as Shaun Tait sent down a brutish bumper that beat the attempted hook for pace striking the glove on the way through to Haddin The slide continued as Nannes fired one in at Jayasuriyas pads in his next over beating an aimless swish to pin the batsman lbw to reduce Sri Lanka to 26 for 3 in the fifth overWatson was brought on in the last over of the Powerplay and his medium-paced seamers proved to be a far more attractive prospect than the 90mph-plus barrage of Nannes and Tait Dilshan responded with a caressed cover drive and a clean hit high over long on and Mathews didnt miss out either slamming Watson straight back over his head as 15 were taken from the overBut they still had Johnson to contend with from the other end and he made his intentions clear by banging his first two balls in before rolling his fingers over his third to induce an uppish cut from Dilshan White at backward point went airborne to pull off a stunning catch inches from the turf and when Mathews picked out Hussey on the cover boundary four balls later Sri Lankas short-lived counterpunch was nipped in the budSri Lanka were 67 for 5 after 10 overs - almost exactly the position in which Australia had found themselves in the first innings - but their middle order lacks Whites power and Husseys class and from that point on the two sides went in opposite directions Australia seizing back the game with a supremely confident fightback Sri Lanka capitulating meekly in the face of sustained pressure Such was the scale of the win Australia are now virtually guaranteed a place in the semi-finals