Kent League Match - 100 Overs

New Ash Green (20 points) 203-8 dec. (50 overs)
Wickham Park (6 points) 184 all out (45.1 overs)
New Ash Green won by 19 runs.

With Kevin Ginn back in Australia and half the remaining first team regulars at Simon Duke's wedding New Ash Green weren't expecting a great deal from this final game, though they were boosted by the news that Wickham Park's star batsman Simon Webster was also an absentee, having already made his 1000 runs for the season. Although there was some debate Pete Burke opted to bat on winning the toss, and with Matthew Quantrill just making it through various traffic jams to the ground in time for the start he and Andy Payne went out to open the batting. Having been told the pitch had been playing slow and low Payne was startled by a first ball, which rose quite sharply off a length, and nibbled it to the keeper, pushing his policy of not walking in league games to the limit by having to be given out. Vaughan John survived the rest of the over, but the second ball of the second over was short and wide, nowadays usually a dangerous ball for Matthew Quantrill, and he duly failed to middle it and saw second slip take a stunning catch to leave him with possibly a new club record - for shortest time between arriving at a ground and being out. When Vaughan John was out to the final ball of the third over, also touching a lifter to the keeper New Ash Green were 0-3 and living up to their pre-match expectations. Despite the scoreline, though, the feeling persisted that this was not actually a particularly threatening bowling attack and the rest of the batsmen set about proving that feeling correct. Pete Burke was very positive in a partnership of 40 with Vic Mayers before being run out for 30 and Andy Mayers also looked in better touch than he has done for much of the season as he made 20 of a partnership of 42 before he was perhaps unlucky to be out LBW fairly well forward. Dominic Adolphe entertained the crowd and even the fielding side enormously with his trick trousers, which repeatedly ended up round his knees, and also had the fielders in some doubt as to where to stand. His enormous wind ups quickly saw long on and long off back on the boundary, though he failed to hit anything to them, but eventually he did hit a couple to square leg and
the boundary fielders gradually migrated round until they were at backward square and mid-wicket. Adolphe was connecting with so few that he never looked likely to be caught, and eventually he was bowled for 25 of a partnership of 68. Vic Mayers had been playing very sensibly and running well between the wickets, and with the respectability of 150-6 now achieved he opened up with a few big hits, mostly straight although the fielding side were strangely reluctant to post straight boundary fielders for him. He was now joined by Matt Meehan in a lightning partnership of 34 for the 7th wicket, 19 of which came in a single over in which both hit a six, and once Meehan had gone, his 19 coming off just 12 balls, Chrsitain Hoddinott ran aggressively between the wickets to support Mayers, before exhaustion slowed the run rate in the last over or two. Hoddinott was bowled trying to swing
across the line to the last ball, but the total had been taken past 200, a score that had looked completely out of reach for the majority of the innings. Mayers finished with 76 not out, a vital contribution considering the score when he had come to the wicket!

The early collapse had one very useful side effect for New Ash Green - having felt they had the game won early on Wickham Park now saw chasing over 200 as a mountainous task and although they actually were in contention for much of their innings there was always a feeling (unless you were the arch-pessimist Dominic Adolphe) that the match was now destined to be New Ash Green's. The opening batsmen started slightly tentatively, but when Glynn Gunning started to put away a few loose balls from Matt Meehan it looked as if the fight was on. Vic Mayers once again put New Ash Green back in control by snapping up the other opener, and shortly afterwards Matt Meehan caught the left handed Spry stepping inside one that he thought would swing away and being bowled by the
'other' one. These wickets inspired the two opening bowlers and the next few overs were definitely the most firey of the match, pace, bounce and swing causing discomfort to all the batsmen. Gunning was caught by Matthew Quantrill when one from Vic Mayers lifted and took his glove and Teare and Willis were also out to vicious lifters, one each from Mayers and Meehan that flew into the gully/point area. At 44-5 Wickham Park seemed completely out of it, and though Joe Medland looked very comfortable against normal balls he too was beaten a number of times and the game would have been all over had Paul Sumner been able to cling on to a diving chance at third slip off another wicked ball from Meehan. As it was Medland and Matt Palmer survived the most hostile of the bowling, though Palmer caused some debate as to whether his technique of stepping out of the line and slashing across was caused by fear or the fact that he did hit the ball quite well that way.
Certainly he was very upset by suggestions that he only had one shot! One shot or not he was able to hit quite a few runs off the quicker bowlers, and after 11 overs each Mayers and Meehan were removed from the attack. The slower pace of Pete Burke and Andy Mayers, bowling an excellent spell off a shortened run, reduced the scoring rate but failed to bring a wicket initially, and once again Wickham Park were getting back on target. Eventually, though, Medland mishit one off Pete Burke and as the ball seemed to be floating out of his reach Christian Hoddinott took a good catch running backwards at mid-wicket and the game had turned again. Andy Payne had come on to bowl spin and despite some good balls was slipping in a few too many full tosses, which he was getting away with, and one or two short ones which Palmer clubbed away with great power. At the other end Burke also
dropped a couple short and Iain Wilson took advantage with a 4 and a 6 which put the batting side ahead of the rate again. With Vic Mayers probably struggling to bowl a second spell Burke decided it was time to play his last trump card and use Matt Meehan's final 4 overs. In his first over back he beat the bat a couple of times, but failed to take a wicket, but with time running out for him in his next over he got Wilson caught by Paul Sumner while trying to counter attack. In his third over he finally ended Palmer's resistance as he eventually paid for his reluctance to get in line to the quicker bowlers and was comprehensively bowled for 39. Meehan couldn't get his 5th wicket in his final over, finishing with 4-54, but that burst had conclusively turned the game New Ash Green's way. Although the run rate was still well within reach the final two partnerships couldn't get the runs without taking risks and Pete Burke duly took the ninth wicket before Andy Mayers wrapped up the match with a well deserved wicket on the first ball of his return to leave New Ash Green fairly comfortable victors.

New Ash Green II v Walmer II
Saturday 30th August 2003

Kent League Match - 100 Overs

Walmer (20 points) 183-5 (50 overs)
New Ash Green (2 points) 58 all out (20.4 overs)
New Ash Green lost by 125 runs.

Having lost the toss and been put in the field, a weakened 2nd team began promisingly with Robin Wills (7-0-26-1) bowling accurately and Keith Bushell (15-7-44-0) bowling even tighter! Five of Bushell's first seven overs being maidens. Wills meanwhile removed the Walmer opener with his trademark in-swinging yorker. A stand of 76 for the second wicket however, put Walmer firmly in control, scoring runs was never easy on an under prepared (under statement!) wicket and the remaining bowlers made good use of the conditions, Lewis (Blair) Cooper (9-1-31-3) bowled a very good spell and caused lots of problems for the batsmen, good bowling from Matt (Frodo) Scanlon and Steve Ball along with Shane Hampsheir's tidy keeping eventually restricted Walmer to 183 for 5 from their full 50 overs.

New Ash Green III v Lower Halstow
Saturday 30th August 2003

Central League Match - 40 Overs

Lower Halstow 328-2
New Ash Green 81 all out
New Ash Green lost by 247 runs.

The team had everything - quality openers, a dynamic middle order and bowlers bowling line and length at pace backed up by fielding of the highest quality. Anyway that's South Africa, New Ash Green had none of the above, in fact we didn't even have 11 players after the awesome ability of Jasper Holiday was denied us on the morning of the match. How costly that decision might be can only be guessed at.

The first victory was New Ash Green's winning the toss and electing to field, mainly on the assumption that we could prolong the game beyond tea.

Matt Pennell and Kier Wilson opened the bowling. Both looked sharp and consistently made the batsmen play false shots but Stevens and Ward found it far too easy to push the ball towards the statues masquerading as fielders, and amble about 100 quick singles.

Carter and Lewsey bowled with similar results and with the score on 140 we got our first wicket, Stevens lbw Lewsey for 77. Hayward came to the crease and he hit the ball harder and further than Stevens. Ward, on the other hand, simply continued to hit the ball wherever he liked until he retired hurt on 103, probably to protect his average, although protect it from what is anybody's guess. The groin strain he allegedly suffered mysteriously disappeared by the time tea was taken with the score on a mammoth 328-2, with the only other wicket falling at 302 to a good catch by Kier Wilson off Matt Pennell.

The New Ash Green innings fell apart very quickly. Lewsey hung around for a patient 39 and there was a very creditable 8 from Graham Poole, who is starting to show himself as a good batsman, but the next highest score was 5. They say it ain't over until the fat lady sings, well we had an entire choir and none of them had heard of weight watchers.

Although this is a bit of a tongue in cheek account it perhaps shows how much the third team has evolved this year. This game was played without many of the regulars and although everyone played as well as they could the fact is the third team now has good standards and has become a much more disciplined unit over the course of the year. This was nearer to the type of performance we would have encountered in may horrific.

Editor's note: While the first and second teams have had less successful seasons than last year, partly due to the step up in standard for the firsts, the 3rd team have undoubtedly been the success of the season despite the fact that they have not won a single game. The development of a number of young talents from people with no experience whatsoever into genuine cricketers has been possibly the brightest part of the season. Congratulations are due to all the players involved and especially to Graham Hampsheir and Alan Carter for the organisation and for keeping up a superb team spirit in the face of some overwhelming defeats. Assuming that they will be relegated and won't have so many severe mis-matches next year there must be every prospect of some genuine 3rd XI victories and a real promotion challenge next year.

 Sunday 31st August 2003

FAMILY FUN DAY

Firstly, a huge Thank You to everyone who came along to the Fun Day and special thanks to everyone who volunteered for help run events, BBQ and bar, which helped make the day such a great success.

We had an attendance of over 70 people, 48 of whom registered to play in the Cricket Tournament, which then became an 8 a side event.

Congratulations to the winning team – F (Frodo’s Fellowship). captained by Scanners, and commiserations to the runners up, team A ( Jolly's Rogers) – captained by Jolly. I won’t do a match report on each game, Graham Hampsheir was particularly brutal to some of the 9 year old female bowlers and Peter Burke hit a nonchalant one handed six but failed to get one off the last ball of the final to win the tournament!

Also congratulations to Q and Shane for winning the egg catching competition – this event will definitely be returning next year! Eventually 20 pairs took part in the egg catching after Gill Bushell and James Hewitt had set the standard with 13 throws. Keith Bushell and Pete Burke later took the lead with 20 and Andy Cox and Sarah Stuart (nee Bushell) kept up the Bushell family honour with an excellent performance in making 15 including the catch of the day when Sarah took one catch one handed before eventually falling not to poor catching but the lack of a throwing arm on Sarah's part! Scratch pairing Shane Hampsheir and Matthew Quantrill then set the standard with 28 reaching the last line marked on the pitch almost 80 feet apart before the egg finally broke in Quantrill's hand. They were subsequently threatened by the pairing of Alan Carter and Graham Hampsheir who reached 24 before Alan's valiant attempts to catch Graham's increasingly errant throws finally failed with a spectacular splatter to bring their challenge to an end. A number of impressive attempts from various youngsters were headed by the impressive 15 throws managed by the 6 year old pairing of Edward Quantrill and Edward Easom, and the popularity of the contest was proved by the number of youngsters clamouring for a second go when the eggs ran out - an extra dozen on order for next year please!

Listed below are details of the cricket teams and their achievements.

Team A v Team B Team D v Team E

39 Runs 15 Runs 37 Runs 24 Runs

Team B v Team C Team E v Team F

45 Runs 27 Runs 39 Runs 43 Runs

Team C v Team A Team F v Team D

55 Runs 56 Runs 36 Runs 35 Runs