Mid-Kent League Match - 46 overs per side, max. 12 per bowler

New Ash Green (19 pts) 213-7
Borstal (9 pts) 178-8
New Ash Green won by 35 runs.

Mr. Cox must have had a very interesting day at work as he promised he would write a report during moments of boredom, but it has not turned up. The joys of accountancy eh? Still it seems that Halls and High Halstow tied, meaning that if New Ash Green can take 18 points off High Halstow in their last game next week they will be champions at last! 

Now, a day late, the report has arrived. It seems that it wasn't the lack of dull moments, just that Andy felt there was so much he had to say that he just couldn't miss out. Anyway, here it is:

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, NAG got off to a poor start when Andy Payne was out for 1. However this proved to be a blessing in disguise, as it brought in form batsman Simon Duke. As he set about playing himself in, Vic Mayers took it upon himself to attack the opening bowlers. Anything which was pitched up and not straight, was dispatched, not always from the middle of the bat, but with sufficient force that it found its way over the infield. However, after hitting a straight six over long off, Mayers departed for 34, with a repeat of the shot resulting in the fielder taking a most improbable catch after standing watching the ball approach him with knees trembling, finally catching it 3 inches from the ground. This made way for Mayers Jnr, who with the now played in Duke also set about the attack. For the most part both batsmen played very sensibly waiting for the bad ball and sending it to the boundary when it arrived. They managed to bat through until drinks taking the score to 90ish for 2, although Mayers appeared to have a huge piece of luck when trying to cut a ball that lifted a little. There was a nick that the 2 Hoddinott’s swear they could hear from Tonbridge, however, the umpire must’ve been upwind and heard nothing. After drinks it was much of the same until Andy Mayers came down the pitch leaving a fairly sharp stumping for the keeper, with the score around 115. Hurst and Hampsheir both went out with the intention of increasing the scoring rate, and after a little success both went playing attacking shots. In the meantime Duke continued to play his way to a very assured 53, before falling to a very tired shot. This left NAG on 167-6 with the final 6 overs remaining, however, once again the seventh wicket partnership between Andy Cox and Graham Hobbs proved fruitful with 46 being scored in the final overs. This left NAG on 213-7.

After the worlds biggest tea, thanks to Hunton, NAG took to the field in what could be described as lethargic fashion. Despite beating the bat on numerous occasions neither Cox or Matt Meehan could find the breakthrough, and the Borstal opening batsmen, particularly skipper Chris Doyle, punished anything short. The introduction of Hewitt and Sumner (Heavy weight bowling at its finest) continued this trend until Sumner made the breakthrough with the score on 56. However, NAG couldn’t capitalise on this and Borstal continued for the most part trouble free. The only problem Borstal faced was the run rate required had increased, leaving them needing 114 off the last 15 over with 8 wickets in hand. Hobbs was then brought into the attack as batsmen can rarely contain themselves and usually try to hit him out of the ground. And, would you believe, in amongst the boundaries, Hobbs picked up 3 wickets. With the game now looking beyond Borstal, Cox was reintroduced to try to pick up the bonus points, and almost immediately removed Doyle for a very solid 86. The remaining batsmen then went all out for bonus points, with the result of more wickets tumbling. At the close Borstal ended 35 runs short on 178-8. Cox finished with 3 for 29, and Hobbs with 3 for 59, and special mention to Hewitt who bowled his 12 overs for 31 mostly against one of the best batsmen we’ve faced this year.

New Ash Green II v Walmer II
Saturday 31st August 2002

Kent League Match - 100 overs

New Ash Green (11 pts) 240-5 (50 overs)
Walmer (5 pts) 175-4 (50 overs)
Draw.

With the fixture problems caused by running three teams in three different leagues finally catching up with them New Ash Green needed to find three 'home' grounds today, and the 2nds were therefore playing at Tonbridge Cricket Club, an idyllic setting somewhat spoiled by the football chants from the nearby ground hosting Tonbridge's preliminary round FA Cup tie against Maidstone United.

New Ash Green were once again without an umpire and forfeited the toss, and were therefore pleased to be asked to bat, not least because they only had 9 men, several of whom were not yet changed. Dominic Adolphe did arrive after 17 overs, but Sharad Bawdekar had dropped out at the last moment again, and with three teams to put out reserves were thin on the ground. New Ash Green therefore needed a solid start, and after Matthew Quantrill played his new trademark shot of a flat-footed push and edge at the first ball they looked anything but solid. That edge flew wide of the slips though, and a few overs later a similar shot was dropped at full stretch by a diving 2nd slip. Walmer came to regret that missed chance as from there on Quantrill looked much more like the reliable batsman of old, accumulating steadily and slowly accelerating throughout his innings. Darren Phillips was also solid, though struggling to get the ball off the square, taking 20 overs to reach double figures. However the partnership realised 93, giving New Ash Green the perfect base for a big score, before Phillips was bowled by the persevering Gary Line, comfortably the pick of Walmer's bowlers, for 22. Dominic Adolphe was caught soon afterwards, a fine catch by Walmer skipper Paul North, but Quantrill was then joined by Duncan Shannon in his last league match for New Ash Green before emigrating to New Zealand. Shannon played a superb supporting role as Quantrill batted with increasing confidence, more than trebling his total of Kent League runs in his 7th match as he notched up New Ash Green's first Kent League century. When he was finally bowled for 120, stepping away to hit across one that kept low, he and Shannon had added 111 for the 3rd wicket, and Shannon continued well to the end to finish on 34* as the score reached 240-5 in the 50 overs. One good feature was the aggressive running between the wickets, with more than 12 threes being run on what was not a particularly large ground.

In reply Walmer started with an equally obdurate opening partnership. Although they struggled against the pace and movement of Pete Burke, Paul Sumner and Andy Harrington, and were frustrated by the flight and accuracy of Chris Hoddinott, Phillip Holiday and Rod Cotton were undefeated on 77 at the drinks break, an almost identical position to New Ash Green. However unlike New Ash Green they did not look as if they were capable of accelerating, and so it proved. The opening partnership reached 100 before finally being broken by a full toss from Kieran Hoddinott, but despite a wide variety of bowling, much of it extremely tempting, Walmer showed no ambition to chase the total and stuck to going for bonus points. In this they were moderately successful as the New Ash Green fielding and bowling disintegrated in the mind-numbing tedium at the end of the game. Rod Cotton batted throughout the innings for 61, making Darren Phillips' innings look exciting by contrast, but how someone who looked beaten for sheer pace by Pete Burke managed to last so long is something of a mystery. New Ash Green did not actually bowl or field poorly (until the last few overs), and no realistic catching chances were missed, it was just one of those days when the good balls were too good to take an edge, and those that did go in the air didn't go to fielders. Probably the most interesting thing to happen in the 2nd innings was when Kieran Hoddinott came on to bowl leg spin, while Christian Hoddinott was bowling off spin from the other end, meaning that New Ash Green really did have 'spin twins' on. And if you don't think that's very interesting then you have some idea of what a tedious 50 overs it was.

All in all it was a disappointing finish to New Ash Green's first Kent League campaign, but a final league position of 6th was very creditable, and wins against all the top three showed that we are as good as anyone. The number of losses to middle-ranking teams, and close results against some of the very bottom sides showed the much greater depth in this league, and showed the need for much greater consistency. However with a bit more commitment and fewer first team players getting injured there is no reason why New Ash Green should not be able to be in contention again next year.

Finally congratulations to Pete Burke, who was leading wicket-taker in the division with 52, (though he did lose touch in the league as a whole with Martin McCague's total!) and also for his captaincy of the team, always difficult in a new league, with new opposition, new rules and a constantly changing line up. It hasn't been an easy job, and while some have inevitably been critical I would like to offer him my whole-hearted support for the future, though he may have to bite the bullet and trust some other bowlers a bit more!

New Ash Green III v Hunton II
Saturday 17th August 2002

Central League Match - 40 overs per side

Hunton II conceded.

The following is an accurate copy of Graham Hampsheir's response to a request for a match report:

'Having spent time and effort preparing the wicket, finding last minute players and even making a fantastic tea (which was laid out ready), Hunton contacted us at gone 1.00pm on Saturday to tell us they could not fulfill the fixture. Pissed off doesn't describe my feelings at the time. We have however taken the 18 points and secured promotion!!!!.'

Presumably confirmation of promotion will have to wait until the usual mid-winter league reshuffle has taken place, but if it is correct then this is an astonishing achievement for a team for whom a successful year would probably have been defined before the start of the season as not having to cancel more than two games. Congratulations to all those who played, often when being beaten by huge margins by one or two of the teams that are working their way up through the leagues, and particularly to Graham and all the other selectors for all the efforts they put in to getting sides out and successfully fulfilling all but one fixture. In a time when most clubs are shrinking this sort of expansion is a great achievement, and it is only by keeping a regular pool of people playing league cricket that we can maintain the strength of the first two teams.

New Ash Green v Met Police TSG Group 3
Sunday 1st September

Friendly Match

Match Cancelled.

Although New Ash Green had a full squad for a Sunday friendly game for a change it seems that the police didn't have 11 fit men, and they cancelled early in the week. Despite having a home ground and several days notice New Ash Green were unable to pick up a bureau fixture and the match was cancelled.