Saturday 4th September 2010

Match Report | Rascals (Drawn): (32 overs per side)

CACCC : 137-7
Rascals: 138-2

This was another game when our batting unit failed to post a defendable score and an easy run chase ensued for the opposition and comfortable victory. It was good to see Ed Skilbeck in good form with another 50, unfortunately not for us!

Some of our batters were unlucky including Alex, who fell to an excellent catch off a long hop and the Skip, who top scored again with a modest 35 being well caught at long off. Julian as usual provided a quick step start despite very well directed opening bowling but as with others found shot selection tricky on a slow tennis ball bounce wicket.

Andrew Gow (1-25 off 7) and Julian (1-23 off 6) both bowled excellent spells and to be fair, we were unlucky not to take more wickets, Alex nearly hanging onto a juggling one in the gulley which would have been a stunner. That makes two near misses in as many games – third time lucky?
In failing light, Rascals cruised past our modest total with 5 overs to spare so it was off to the Bull for an early pint.

Sunday 22nd August 2010

Match Report | Butterflies (Lost): (40 overs per side)

CACCC : 178
Butterflies: 182-4

Singleton 3-34

The weather reports had been dreadful all week but thankfully we were really lucky with our second game on the picturesque Upper Club, photos attached. The morning conditions were slightly overcast with some humidity so bowling first seemed quite a good option but one of those situations when you prefer not to win the toss, which we didn’t and were inserted.

One of their opening bowlers did swing the ball but that didn’t worry Julian at all who provided the usual flying start at a rate of almost 10 an over, his contribution being 25 off 17, 4 fours and a six.

The trouble was we then had a sort of upper middle order collapse before the skip came to the rescue steadying the ship first with Nic and then Suraj, ending up with the top score of only 29. Suraj played a particularly fine wristy Tendulkalike clip to the square leg boundary and looked set for a large score after lunch, which was unfortunately not to be.

The problem was enough batters achieved starts but failed either to form partnerships with each other or go on to a decent score and as a result we ended up with a below par total on really a very good batting wicket of 178 and failing even to bat out our 40 overs. It was one of those days when good strokes seemed always to find the fielders.

With a modest total to chase down Butterflies were almost too cautious. Their openers initially had Ed to contend with who worked up some really good pace but could not really get his inswinger going. At the other end Christy bowled tidily as usual without any luck, one or two deliveries just clearing the bails by a whisker.

The pick of the bowlers was Nic inducing false strokes from their batters who were now upping the ante as a result of the climbing run rate. He returned excellent figures of 3-34 off 8.

Both the ground fielding and catching were excellent. Special mention to Alex here who managed to chest a full blooded cut shot in the gully which produced a hollow clunking sound and a very serious bruise but saved a certain 4 and nearly produced the catch of the century. We were rather let down by some slightly rusty support bowling which let the batters off the hook after which the result never looked in doubt.

Saturday 14th August 2010

Match Report | London Erratics (Abandoned): Match abandoned due to weather.

Sunday 8th August 2010

Match Report | East India Club (Lost): No report.

Saturday 7th August 2010

Match Report | Flitch Pilgrims (Lost): (25 overs per side)

Flitch : 172-4
CACCC : 169

Logan Wijay 47*

Great Canfield is a well looked after ground with a good track and excellent facilities. Accessibility is also much improved now that most of the East End road network has been completed so the M11 is reached much more easily than previously.

The Flitch found themselves in the same situation as us in the finding players department although we thought we had secured the full complement thanks largely to Paul Cooke’s late Friday night visit to a Notting Hill watering hole and recruitment of two extremely amicable Queenslanders. With one ‘no show’ though we were down to 10 although the Flitch were only 8 so being the gentlemen we are gave them one of ours so it was 9 aside.

We originally agreed a 30 over a side game but this was curtailed to 25 due to a heavy shower that made the wicket rather slippery when we batted.
It was good to see Chris Brown back for his first game this season sporting his new bionic toe. He found some lift in the wicket but their ump, who was a colon surgeon, decided this was all a bit dangerous mainly because their batters refused to wear helmets and said he was going to no ball anything above toe sorry shoulder height.

Except for Suraj (2-32 off 8) the bowling was too short on a wicket where the ball needed to be pitched up. This was reflected in lack of wickets and very poor economy rates ranging from 6 to just over 12 runs per over and resultant much too high a score after 25 overs of 172-4.

We kept up with the run chase at just under 7 an over fairly well with useful scores from Paul Cooke 17 off 22 balls, Suraj 29 off 13 balls and the Skip 30 off 40 but at 99-6 the game looked up.

However, thanks to Logan and his sixth wicket partnership with Thomas Mathew (17 off 10 balls), we almost crossed the line in a very exciting finish. Logan struck the ball beautifully playing some text book lofted drives (47 not out off only 23 balls, 3 sixes and 5 fours) and was unlucky not to reach a maiden half century. It took a brilliant backwards diving catch to dismiss Thomas and break the partnership. Unfortunately, David our last batter was run out, so Logan was unable to reach the strikers end to score the last two runs for victory.

Saturday 31st July 2010

Match Report | Armadillos (Lost): (40 overs per side)

CACCC : 80
Armadillos : 84-2

This game was preceded by a very unsatisfactory state of affairs with various people pulling out at various stages, mostly at unacceptably short notice and this seemed to have an adverse effect on the game itself.

Sheffield is a stunning ground certainly living up to expectations and it was therefore a pity we could not do better. There is really not a lot to say. Julian scored 32 off 24 balls but our innings fell away after he was out.

So everyone can appreciate the quality of the ground, attached is a photo showing us all at it. Hopefully this will encourage more to sign up for this game next year…. and stay signed up.

Saturday 24th July 2010

Match Report | Refreshers (Won): (40 overs per side)

CACCC : 229-9
Refreshers : 188

McConnell: 50
Varma: 48
Payne: 45*
Thomas: 3-33
Aldwinckle 3-43

‘This is a hard hat area’

In case anyone had any doubts about the skips views on the Dunsfold track this year, the above, often found on construction site signs, probably sums these up. Unfortunately, a couple of the oppo didn’t take heed, despite being offered our club ones, hard hats that is, and unfortunately faced, quite literally, the consequences. Fortunately, no ambulances were required on this occasion.

We had first use of the wicket, always an advantage, having won the toss and after a cautious start by Gary and Michael (32), the runs began to flow, both driving nicely through the ball with text book high elbows and an extremely useful first wicket stand developed of 63. Gary went on to a half century before being dismissed via bat then pad onto wicket.

If the Varminator returned with the ball last week then this week he returned with the bat, once he found one to his liking that was, treating us to one of his characteristic entertaining innings of 48 runs off 32 balls including two big slog sweep sixes.

At the other end and contributing to a fifth wicket partnership of 71 was the Killer, who continued from where he had left off a week previously with some fine confident stroke play. He was very unlucky not to reach 50. It was a shame that the partnership came to an end especially as the Varminator looked set to go onto a really big score. Unfortunately, the pitch gremlins did for him and he was out, sportingly walking, from a medium paced good length ball that got ridiculously big on him, shoulder height catching a bit of glove apparently on the way. Christy also chipped in with a useful 27 and we managed an excellent score off our 40 overs of 229.

The Refreshers set a target of just under 6 runs an over started slowly and after 10 overs found themselves at 46-3 thanks to a great combo of fine hostile fast bowling from Ed and some nagging line and length medium pacers from Dominic, who accounted for both their openers.

The pressure slowly built up with precision bowling from Christy (1-29) and the dependable Varminator (2-25). There was a useful looking fifth wicket partnership but this was broken by an excellent catch by yes the Varminator in the action again on the long off boundary.

Their innings though was finally wrapped up by a fantastic second spell from Ed taking 2 wickets (and nearly 2 broken jaws) in 2.3 overs including their dangerous looking number 4 bat, caught behind by Gary, who did an excellent job on debut behind the stumps. The fielding and catching was again first rate with only one drop by the skip though he managed to hold onto a couple of others in the slips.

This had been a fairly comfortable win with 4 overs to spare, the oppo’s tail end needing over 10 runs per over and again a great team effort with everyone contributing.

Wednesday 21st July 2010

Match Report | Royal Logistics Corp (Abandoned): Match abandoned due to weather.

Saturday 17th July 2010

Match Report | Antelopians (Won):

(40 overs per side)

Antelopians : 103
CACCC : 104-8

Varma: 4-4
Kulasingam: 37

‘The Varminator returns…………….’

We were pretty much on the same area of the square as last time which seemed to have deteriorated during the week and was almost impossible to bat on with only 5 batsmen reaching double figures, hence a very low scoring but nevertheless exciting game. It was thankfully slightly cooler than last Saturday.

Antelopians had little hesitation in batting first having won the toss but they were soon in trouble thanks to some accurate new ball bowling by Christy and Matt and before they knew it found themselves at 34-3. There had been a slightly controversial incident with a late lbw appeal prompting the umpire to raise his finger and a slight kerfuffle ensued. On reflection the batsman concerned could have been called back but then that would have defeated the object of hiring ECB trained umpires.

Enter the Varminator, recently returned from a break home clearly fully recharged and a fantastic spell of bowling. No, not a football score four all, four for! In full 8 overs, 5 maidens, 4-4. In terms of average, this beats the previous best of 1.25 (8-10).

Antelopians limped on from 55-5 with a sixth wicket stand taking their score onto 90. A tidy spell by Thomas Mathew (2-11) accounted for the last two wickets after only 28 overs assisted by a fantastic de Jager like running catch by Matt Borgwood. The fielding and catching had been excellent oh and yes the skip pouched another low slippy off the Varminator.

This should have been an easy ask at only 2.6 runs per over but the now cut up wicket was so unpredictable that it was touch and go all the way. Julian was unlucky with a flier down the leg side catching his glove to the ‘keeper but Jolyon steadied the ship playing down on the ball (what you have to do constantly at Dunsfold these days) and keeping their opening quickie at bay.

Christy again played an excellent innings of 37 which kept us in the game. He demonstrated the art of leaving the seaming and swinging ball and putting away anything loose, including a couple of huge sixes. The skip hung around for a while with him before being given out lbw to a ball hitting the edge of the pad before shooting off well down leg towards The Sun Inn (?)

After Christy fell (leading edge - more dodgy bounce) the challenge was taken up by Matt, who looks a really useful classic left hander and Paul Cooke. Matt was unlucky to be out to a diving one handed catch so it was down to the ninth wicket pair Francis and Charles. Both batted with considerable confidence, Charles producing the shot of the day a forcing stroke off the back foot through extra cover for four (to the very long pavilion boundary), not the easiest to pull off. This was proceeded the next over by Francis crunching the ball to the mid-wicket boundary and clinching victory! This was a great performance with the whole team contributing – well done guys.

Saturday 10 July 2010

Match Report | Wine Trade (Draw):

Wine Trade : 238-8
CACCC : 134-9

Costelloe 3-44

This was a game played in excellent spirit but marred by a poor track on the extremity of the square that offered nothing to batters and bowlers and consequently produced poor cricket. Most of the wickets that fell were from catches, particularly behind the wicket, and a good proportion of runs came off sliced and edged strokes with very little decent stroke play.

Proceedings got off to a bad start because having arrived at 11.00 am we were told that the childrens’ games finished at 12.00 and we could not start before then. Ed Aldwinckle had to leave early (hand-bagged!) so it seemed prudent to field first having won the toss as we were a bit light on bowlers. Ironically Ed wasn’t to make much of an impact as the unresponsive wicket favoured pace off the ball.

Bearing in mind the Mediterranean sun and lightning fast outfield we did well to restrict Wine Trade to 122-4 at lunch mainly due to a very tidy spell from Christy who claimed 2 of the wickets including a useful looking ex-leaguer from Epsom CC.

After Lunch Paul took up the challenge with his medium pacers suiting the conditions. He returned excellent figures of 3-44. Wine Trade decided to bat on and on …....and on.. but they couldn’t really be blamed for this on account of the late start. Our ground fielding was excellent as too was the catching although one or two difficult chances went begging. The skip returning to his old position of first slip after a long absence pouched a low one off Paul, a strange sensation without the gloves!

Special mention to Adrian who despite carrying a nasty ankle injury and being in some discomfort nevertheless put his hand up on the bowling front producing a tidy spell of 1-13. In addition, he almost took a sensational one handed catch on the charge, fantastic commitment.
Wine Trade eventually declared at about 4pm and Julian and Ed went out to open the innings. Julian got us off to an excellent start, 29 runs in 10 balls, 4 fours and 2 sixes before being undone by the eccentric bounce. Michael Hosford-Tanner hit some fine straight drives before the wicket did for him and a simple spooned up catch to cover. Wickets tumbled fairly regularly and any chance of getting near Wine Trade’s total disappeared after Adrian fell to a close stumping call.

Christy played an excellent ‘get out of jail’ innings dropping anchor and defending and leaving the ball impressively whilst putting away loose ones – definitely man of the match. He was ably assisted by Paul Costelloe in a tense last wicket stand.

Sunday 4th June 2007 09:01

Match Report | Acme (Won): No report.

Sunday 27th June 2010

Match Report | Dunsfold (Abandoned): Match abandoned due to weather.

Wednesday 23rd June 2010

Match Report | The Marauders XI (Lost): No report.

Saturday 19th June 2010

Match Report | V&A Museum (Lost): No report.

Saturday 12th June 2010

Match Report | Artificials (Won): No report.

Sunday 6th June 2010

Match Report | Keevil (Won): No report.

Sunday 23rd May 2010

Match Report | Barnes Occasionals (Abandoned): Match abandoned due to weather.

Saturday 22nd May 2010

Match Report | Bounders (Lost):

CACCC: 172
Bounders: 173-5

Nic Singleton was the nominated captain for the day and won the toss and elected to field. The oppo captain then asked if they could field first, as they wanted to get home early, so Nic, gentleman that he is allowed them to insert us.

Alex, after only 3 hours sleep having had something that went bump in the night (!) and Nic went out to bat. Nic immediately and skilfully guided a catch down the throat of their gully, which was duly dropped and after that settled into a fine innings on what was a pretty poor wicket – very spongy and the ball seemed to bounce everywhere randomly.

Alex on the other hand was incapable of hitting the ball off the square and scratched around changing bats and generally feeling the effects of the night before. Having been seeing the ball well, Nic on 29 decided it was time to swing and miss at a ball and was duly bowled.
A period of play then occurred with CAC having the most extraordinary period of good luck, with easy catches spooning just short of the oppo and it was generally agreed that this was our comedy period of the game.

Paul made the mistake of following Alex’s advice and swung at a ball which hit his stumps and then Christy followed shortly.

It must be said at this moment that their bowling was actually pretty good and aided by the strange bounce, it was quite hard to hit.

Suraj (25) and Tim both played some good shots when they were in and we were looking good. Palmer played a characteristic innings and hits some nice strokes before being caught by and excellent catch.

Paul was cleaned bowled and it has to be said that if that ball had hit his pads he would definitely have been lbw’d.

The good news was that we weren’t all out, so we did see out our 35 overs, although at 172 runs looked a bit thin on the ground.

After tea – most of which was consumed during preparation, we took to the field and Alex managed to drop a catch from their opener who ended up 71 not out.... ooops. After this initial set back, we started to look good with some wonderful bowling by Dom and Paul.

Christy and Suraj then came on and we had them under wraps.... This was also in part to some good captaincy from Nic and some good fielding from the team. Nic lead by example with a superb one handed catch at mid off.

Unfortunately at this point disaster struck as Nic finding himself in the action again fielded a hard hit drive at which point his hand exploded and he had to go to hospital. The reins were handed over to Suraj, who did the best he could, although one bowler short, leaving us with major problems.

After this Suraj and Christy continued to bowl tightly and as we were not offered an extension on the 7 over limit by the oppo captain, we had to think the unthinkable.... after a few overs that seemed like they would never end, we haemorrhaged runs and pretty much lost our position, which was looking good. We had a few plumb LBW decisions go the other way, and despite our best banter we were unable to persuade their 2 hard hitting batsmen to throw their wickets.

Having said this, we took them to the last over with the batsmen seemingly unable to smash Logan Wijay’s accurate medium pacers out of the ground.

Perhaps had he bowled sooner we would have entered the last over slightly more competitively.

However any game that has a result in the last over is a good one, and so although we lost, we did manage to come out of it with our dignity intact..

Saturday 15th May 2010

Match Report | Wealdstone Corinthians (Lost):

CACCC : 182
CW : 183-6

Perinparaja 49
Mathew 31
Kulasingam 3 – 34

‘The tail that wagged…..’

We played Corinthians for the first time two years ago at Battersea when Rode failed to turn up and this was the ‘away’ leg as we were unable to tie up grounds and dates last year.

Cavendish RC is a well maintained ground with full length boundaries on all sides and a fast outfield. The pavilion curiously doubles up as a nursery.

We won the toss and elected to bat but soon found ourselves in trouble on a firm green top wicket offering assistance to their skipper and accurate out swinging opening bowler. After claiming an early wicket on 5, Christy and Tim Soper (26) steadied the ship but then disaster struck. Christy was bowled with the score on 46 and Suraj strode confidently to the crease only to receive an absolute snorter lifting and moving away which he did well to get anywhere near but unfortunately snicking to the ‘keeper. The next ball comprehensively bowled Francis Palmer to complete the hatrick, 46-4. Congratulations to their skip Steve, apparently a keen ice hockey fan.

We went from bad to worse, 55-5 and then 63-6 …..80-7, we thought we would all be joining the wedding reception going on next door but for the valiant efforts of our tail. Paul Costelloe kept out the good balls one end while Barry and Thomas smacked some loosish bowling at the other. Andrew also joined in with an undefeated 14 which was a great effort as he was carrying an injury as too was Barry so at one stage we had two runners – very confusing! The 8th and 9th (although effectively 9th and 10th as we only had ten players) wicket partnerships of 55 and 47 respectively must be club records.

Corinthians suffered an initial upset with an excellent catch in the gulley by Tim Soper off Paul Costelloe providing an early wicket but unfortunately after that their run chase gradually gathered momentum. The bowling was steady but was not helped by the ‘keeping changeover which meant Christy not bowling until their batsmen had settled. He made an instant impact taking a wicket with his first ball, reducing the run rate and then taking two further wickets in as many balls eventually ending up with excellent figures of 9 overs, 2 maidens 3-34.

Everyone tried hard in the field despite injuries and huge gaps into which the batsmen could effortlessly push the ball and it was this that probably ultimately lost us the game. Corinthians reached the finishing line reasonably comfortably with two overs and 4 balls to spare.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable game with everyone being involved against a friendly side on a first rate ground and yes the weather finally warmed up and it felt like summer!

Sunday 9th May 2010

Match Report | Ripley (Lost): Match report not submitted.

Saturday 1st May 2010

Match Report | Canbashers (Win): (15 overs per side)

Canbashers : 113-5
CACCC : 117-1

J Whiting 74* and 3-18

We managed only 3 overs before the rains came and there followed a long delay and early tea. Against my better judgement, it was decided we should play a 15/15 bowling from just one end of the wicket, the other still being saturated. Thankfully nobody was injured largely due to the fact that bowlers wisely decided to deliver off two or three paces.
All our bowlers put in steady performances backed up by some excellent fielding and catching in the soggy conditions. Julian Whiting was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets as Canbashers managed 113 off their 15 overs.
Julian and Alex Chamberlin opened the batting smashing 25 off the first over and a further 17 off the second after which the result never really looked in doubt. Both batters looked in excellent form and Alex was unlucky to be out on 22 off just 8 balls. Julian went on to a magnificent 73 not out with some excellent straight hitting over the heads of the boundary hugging fielders. Victory was attained in just 8.5 overs.
Despite the conditions this convincing win was particularly satisfying as Canbashers beat us last year.

Sunday 25th April 2010

Match Report | Phene Philanderers (Lost): And so to our 26th season, where we have lost our opening fixture which hasn’t happened for many years. Things can only get better! However congratulations to the club captain for his maiden and unbeaten century.

Henry won the toss and elected to a bat on a drying wicket. Julian Whiting & Christy Kulasingam opened the batting and Julian set off like a train, taking 16 off the first over. He didn’t really stop there, taking 13 off the third over and reaching his fifty off 33 balls in equal time. At the other end, Christy was playing the perfect foil, keeping up his end and letting Julian play the shots. It couldn’t go on and within 10 runs of each other, we were two down for 80. Thereafter, the batting completely collapsed with the exception of Ed Skilbeck who retired hurt when he was going well on 24 and of course Henry. All his hard work in the nets has certainly worked dividends, striking the ball beautifully and apart from a stutter in the forties, scoring at a good rate. His best shot was just before his century (50: 65 mins; 56 balls: 100: 119m; 93b), with a straight six over the bowler’s head and his most extraordinary, scooping a ball that almost bounced twice for six. Once his ton was up he declared and having beaten the Phene quite comfortably in recent years, 235 seemed to be winning score.

However, the Phene were in a more determined mood this year and although we thought that with a wicket off the first ball, things were likely to go our way, they had a good top 5 batting line up, with a gaggle (5) of McGahans scoring the majority of the runs. We missed a crucial catch in the slips (from a slip fielder who should have held a regulation catch for him) from their centurion, but in truth we didn’t bowl well enough on a soft pitch, where any ball that wasn’t pitched right up, got the treatment. Our fielding was excellent, with everyone looking sharp. Special mention to Julian and Paul Costelloe who did a lot of chasing round and stopping a number of runs.

I forgot the trophy we play for, so at least we retain that until for a couple of weeks until I can give it to them!

CAC 235-7 (Dodson 100*; Whiting 60)
Phene 239-3

Click here to download a video of the skipper smashing the cover off one on his way to his maidon tonne!!!