Cricket: Review for 2005-06

The provision of new cricket nets will hopefully see us improve our profile in this sport. This season we improved our results with some good scalps being taken by boys in all age divisions especially by our senior team which boasted some very talented players including Will McDowell, our skipper, who plays for Kent. Our Colts A team reached the semi-finals of the Kent Cup and Alex Hollingsworth recorded figures of 6-19, including a hat-trick.

1st XI
The statistics above don't really do any justice in terms of the quality, effort and professional attitude on display for most of this season.  Looking back we did make a very poor start, however, after a few frank words from a somewhat vexed coach, a strong recovery began in earnest and we remained unbeaten for the rest of the season.

I think it was Bill Bryson who said that "watching or listening to cricket is like having a nap without losing consciousness".  This fortunately didn't apply to most of our matches. Team highlights included an oh so near and rare win against New Beacon before the rain came down too hard and all players were literally soaked to the skin. The excellent winning draw against Holmewood House where we totally outplayed them in all departments (their staff couldn't resist telling me in the week leading up to our fixture that their 1st XI was in a national semi-final the following week) was memorable. However our finest victory and our most accomplished team performance was against a strong Ashdown House side where we restricted them to 109, only to knock-off the runs in double quick time for the loss of only one wicket. Adam Pollard and Ben Woodmansee were the architects of our successful run chase here with an unbeaten partnership of 112. Ben was excellent but Adam stole the show with some breathtaking stroke play of a very high class indeed. I was more pleased with this result than any other match all season because we were so professional on this day; from the warm-up, general attitude and focus, appearance, excellent fielding and bowling to a fine run chase. The demolition of Sevenoaks Prep was also memorable because to be a very good side it is no good I racking up' large scores batting first and then not being able to bowl a side out. We managed this feat against Sevenoaks.

Individual highlights are many. I have already mentioned the partnership of the season above. Catch of the season went to George Dewdney mooching around down at deep square leg when a very hard and flat sweep slog was brilliantly taken. Moments like that lift and inspire the team. Charlie Farrant and Adam Pollard bowled well in tandem with Charlie finishing with 12 wickets at a superb average of only 8.75. As much as these two were the 'big guns' it was the subtle introduction of spin in almost every match that worked so well. At this age and level not many boys adapt to the change of pace, flight and turn, and it was Nick Spurling and Will McDowell who went on to share 15 wickets between them.  Moreover, it was a combination of right and left arm spin that also contributed to the 'spin twin' success.

2nd XI
No players remained from the previous season's very successful team so it was largely a matter of starting all over again, not least as hardly any regular member of the side had experience of senior cricket.  Fielding throughout the season was generally at least sound but the lack of the depth in the side showed in the batting and the bowling, Charlie Verrell was the pick of the batsmen but he lacked reliable support. Others showed occasional flashes of ability but the 'tail' was too easily dismissed and cost us games we could have drawn. On the bowling front we had plenty of players who could bowl but too few who could bowl a consistent line and length. As a result we were seldom able to dominate and control matches because, too often, a flurry of wides or a ten-run over relieved the pressure on our opponents,

The boys were an enjoyable team to coach despite the undistinguished playing record and I wish them all the best for next year.