If you are a regular reader of the Ewelme Village News, you would know that the cost of maintaining the cricket pitch has become more than the Parish Council is willing or able to spend, and so the cricket team has been working hard over the last weeks to raise money and support. We are delighted with the great response that has been received to our letter requesting support; it’s clear that maintaining the tradition of village cricket is important to enough Ewelme residents, local companies and organisations to keep it going.
We have a new groundsman, Andrew Ford, who has done a great job in getting the pitch to a good standard very quickly despite the poor state it was in at the end of winter. However, it is likely that the pitch will require further significant investment at the end of the season, and also that the equipment will need servicing – so we are not out of the woods yet, and still require your ongoing support to ensure we can survive for many summers to come.
We would like to thank Grundons, Ewelme Parish Council, Rockwell, Wallingford Round Table and Lafone Telecom for their significant donations & support. We are equally thankful for the personal support & donations made by Gemma Clive, Cynthia Winfield, Mr & Mrs John Nash, Lord & Lady Jay, Richard & Rita Harrison, Catherine Hare, John & Rosie Lockyer, Michael Glasson, Barbara and Valentine Weidom plus many of the players themselves.
If you didn’t receive the letter and would like to support the club in some shape or form, please call Michael Howard on 652 555.
April 29th: Double Wicket Competition
Glorious weather and a good turnout made this year's season opening Double Wicket competition on Sunday 29th April a great success. The pitch was a lot greener than usual, but given the short amount of preparation time - it played well and improved throughout the day. As has always been the case an Andy was in the winning team - however with four Andy's starting the competition those odds were lower than usual.
11 teams entered the competition and none of the first round match ups was particularly close apart from Ian Mathewson & Chris Perkins losing to Olly Presland and Dave Greenaway when Chris was bowled around his legs by Dave on the last ball - had he kept it out they would have won. Ian & Chris were the highest losers and therefore given a second chance where they were easily beaten by Richard & Simon Cooper.
A glorious BBQ lunch was had and washed down with some of that amber liquid, followed by tea and scones. The second round was extended to four overs each way resulting in 3 hard fought contests. Adam Arscott & Andy Ford managed a record score of 51 and went straight through to the final. The youngsters; Ben Stradley & Steve Gair won through along with Olly Presland & Dave Greenaway to the semi final.
Having chased successfully in each of their previous games "The Youngsters" elected to field first and Olly & Dave collected a very respectable 34 runs. The innings was notable for Dave's first ever six and a number of scoring shots forward of the wicket! The youngsters built their innings slowly, requiring quite a few off the last over, but a couple of well struck boundaries suddenly changed that and with one ball left the scores were level. Olly brought the entire field in to save the single but the winning runs were cleanly struck through the covers to give the youngsters victory.
The final saw the youngsters again chasing, but this time needing a formidable 40 that had been bludgeoned by Adam & Andy Ford. The total was always going to be difficult and with accurate bowling from both ends - proved too hard a task. So after three previous unsuccessful attempts (the last with a rather too good partner), Adam finally managed to lift the coveted Double Wicket trophy along with Andrew Ford. The Trophy was presented by Cynthia Winfield.
May 6th: Shiplake at home
The first game of the season was, as usual, versus Shiplake. They are a strong team, usually more ready for the season than we are. It was overcast and the pitch looked as if it would assist the bowlers to start – but unfortunately I lost the toss and we were put in to bat. Our record against them is not good, and after 6 overs the top three had gone with only 11 runs on the board. Adam was clean bowled trying to slog a six on only his fourth ball – not the way a number 3 should play.
I joined new player Jem Stuart at the crease and we rebuilt the innings with a patient partnership of 25 in ten overs. Hardly scintillating, but the bowling was very tight. I was caught behind off a great leg cutter that took the edge with the score on 36. Another new player then joined Jem, the young Ben Strudley, and together in nine overs had the score up to 60 for 4, when Jem decided to step down the pitch to up the run rate – only to find his stumps in an awful mess. Ben went 2 runs later and Shiplake were into our tail. Andy Glasson managed a nice shot for 4, and that was the last scoring stroke in a spectacular collapse which saw us all out for 66.
Lunch was a somewhat gloomy affair for Ewelme, but Shiplake were very chirpy. Adam opened the bowling from the car park end and took a wicket with his 3rd ball, then another in each of his next three overs. Shiplake found themselves to be 4 for 21 after 7 overs, and although they had clearly mixed their batting line up – we were suddenly in with a chance. New player, Andy Carter took over from Reg from the Grundon’s end and had to suffer two sharp chances going down before claiming a wicket with his 5th ball. Chris Wright took over from Adam, giving nothing away. After a couple of overs I replaced him and Richard took a great catch at square leg and we had them 6 down for 53 runs. Ross then took over from me and bowled a peach of a ball taking a wicket with his 5th delivery.
They only needed another 7 runs – but the wickets were falling and the pavilion was very quiet. Adam then replaced Andy and bowled the dangerous Lovelock for a duck – 8 down with scores level ! With the field up saving the single Ross bowled what was to be the last over, and a 4 through the covers saw Shiplake win in what ended up a tight & enjoyable contest.
Adam starts the season with some dubious batting, but superb bowling taking 5 for 22 in six overs. Jem top scored with 23, which ended up being the highest score of the game. Despite the low scores, there was nothing wrong with the pitch which again, played very well. Overall the bowling and fielding were of a high standard, with only one extra and one dropped catch – but the batting needs a lot of improvement; with 4 ducks, 8 batsmen managed only 10 runs between them.
We have a full list of home and away fixtures through to the end of September, and are always on the lookout for new players, especially younger ones to secure the future. Home games are starting to draw bigger numbers of spectators, especially the wives and children of players, so why not come down on a Sunday afternoon to support your team and let the kids run around ?
Home games for the season are:
29-Apr Double Wicket
06-May Shiplake
10-Jun Swyncombe
17-Jun Sydenham
01-Jul Brightwell-cum-Sotwell
15-Jul Highmoor
29-Jul Cuxham
05-Aug Wallingford Round Table
02-Sep Hambleden
09-Sep Reserve
16-Sep Ibstone
23-Sep Harwell
30-Sep Double Wicket
Ralf Moller, Captain & Fixtures, phone: 834197