News - Berkshire Cricket League

League tables and Awards Information

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League tables

All league tables are now up to date and congratulations to all divisional winners and runners up.

Award Ceremony

This years award ceremony will be taking place at on Friday 29th October at Goring and Steatly Golf Club (RG8 9QA) and will be in the form of a Award and Quiz night

Further information including cost will be sent to clubs shortly.

Berkshire Cricket League Criteria Meeting 2010

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This years Criteria Meeting, to which EVERY TEAM is required to send a representative.

Venue - Tuesday 7th September 2010 at Woodcote Village Hall (RG8 0QX). 7.30pm start.

Clubs will be fined for non-attendance or failure to send a sufficient number of representatives (£50)

Do you want to take part in The British record for The Longest Cricket Match?

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Mike Gatting, Chris Tarrant, Surrey CC and Everest Cricket Record Breakers Amongst the Players lining up for 60 hr Continuous Cricket Match Challenge Earlier this week England cricket legend Mike Gatting was at Lord’s to throw down the gauntlet to British cricketers to join him in breaking the British record for the longest continuous cricket match.

The challenge is to celebrate 60 years of charitable activity by The Lord’s Taverners. The Lord’s Taverners are a cricket based charity working to help children gain access to sport, especially those with disabilities or who are from a disadvantaged background. To accept the challenge on behalf of amateur cricketers everywhere was Richard Kirtley, Record Breaking leader of last year’s successful expedition to play cricket on Mount Everest. Both are now recruiting cricket enthusiasts to join them in what will be a tough test of endurance. Starting on Saturday July 17th at 8am, the cricketers will play day and night until 8pm the following Monday (19th July). The match will be taking place in the picturesque grounds of Wellington College in Berkshire. A festival atmosphere is expected with food-stalls, beer tents and children’s entertainment. Spectators are welcome at what will be a unique cricketing celebration in idyllic surroundings. The project aims to raise £25,000 for the Lord’s Taverners, whilst providing a fitting celebration of their 60th anniversary. Over the course of the weekend, players will be joined on the pitch by Mike Gatting, Chris Tarrant, representatives of the Surrey Cricket Club, with more to be confirmed. With the help of floodlights, the match will run continuously for a full 60 hours. There will be breaks for refreshments, but only in accordance with ECB Test Match rules. The format of the game will be 40 overs on, 40 overs off. Each team will have more than the 11 required to play a full format game. This will enable players to get a little food and rest when required. Both sides are recruiting players able to take on such a challenge. In order to be a part of this record attempt, all that is required is a commitment to raise £500 for the Lord’s Taverners. In return you will receive your place on a team, a branded playing shirt, accommodation for those rare moments of rest, food and refreshments, as well as being part of something truly special. Ex-Middlesex Captain and England great Mike Gatting said: ‘I want to lay down a challenge to cricketers all over Britain. Come and test your mettle with 60 hours of continuous cricket. I believe this is a physical challenge on par with running a marathon, and will be an achievement of which we can all be truly proud. By raising money for the Lord’s Taverners we will be doing a great deal of good in the process.’ Everest Test organiser and World Record holder Richard Kirtley said: ‘It’s a great honour to take up the challenge laid down by Mike Gatting on behalf of all amateur cricketers in the UK. The Lord’s Taverners is a great cause, and this a worthy challenge. Last year’s cricket match on Everest was a huge physical challenge, and this is set to be equally so. The strain on the body will be different, but anyone taking part in this will be able to be proud of their achievements. Come and join our team and be a part of something special.’ To be a part of this historic match please log onto http://www.lordstaverners.org/hit-for-60.htm for more details. For more information, or details on how to sign up, please contact Danielle Spriggs (T) 0207 422 8269 (M) 07743 414 253 (E) Danielle.spriggs@captiveminds.com

Stoke Row Slump To New Low

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Date: 12^th June, 2010.

Venue: Newlands Lane, Stoke Row.

Toss: Crown Wood won the toss and elected to bat.

Result: Stoke Row (8) lost to Crown Wood (35) by 37 runs.

Pitch: Very good. A touch of grass allowed some seam movement, but generally excellent for batting on.

Weather: Pleasantly warm with the occasional patch of cloud cover mixed with glorious sunshine.

Tea: A fine effort from Dion Sampson and Christopher Young that included a wide variety of rolls, pizza, savouries, fruit and ‘junk food’.

Highlights: Ali Malik’s match-winning performance (92 & 3-45), Timi Malik (3-43) and Rob Crook (3-48) also bowled well for Wood. Will Macdonald (3-49) and Darren Clark (3-64) were leading wicket-takers for Row, though Sam Fletcher was arguably the pick of the attack (11-2-28-2). Paddy Hennessy (51) and Fletcher (42) offered resistance.

Quote of the Match: ‘Is it just me, Will, or have you lost a lot of weight?’ Crown Wood captain John Cartledge to opposite number Will Macdonald in the 1^st over of the Maharajas innings!

Sulhamstead vs Stoke Row (Premier Division)

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Date: 8th May, 2010.

Venue: Jack Booth’s Ground, Sulhamstead.

Toss: Sulhamstead won the toss and elected to bowl.

Result: Stoke Row (21) claimed a winning draw over Sulhamstead (7).

Pitch: Occasionally somewhat two-paced, most likely due to the overnight rain, but all in all a good wicket for the time of year.

Weather: Utterly miserable. Cold, overcast and more suited to rugby or football, although the sun began to creep out from behind the cloud in the 44^th over of the Sulhamstead reply.

Highlights: A magnificent 103* from Will Macdonald kept Stoke Row afloat against some high quality bowling from Phil Braithwaite (4-33). Steve Belcher made 40 for the hosts; Macdonald (3-15) and Sam Boughton (3-35) bowled superbly for Stoke Row.

A Wicket too far

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A wicket too far – any resemblance to Hollywood dramatizations of classic British war operations is purely coincidental. The following is based on real life events.

It was dark (ish), overcast and bitterly cold, but something had to be done. Under ominous circumstances the 1st Welford paratroop began their assault to take the Arnhem bridge head and thus end the league by 6 months. It was to be the largest cricket orientated airborne assault in history, pads and all. At approximately 1:10 (1:12 by Pauls watch) operation market garden/ Welford assault on Peppard began.

Flights partially resume in the May Day skies....

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While Ruislip Victoria's league season avoided the volcanic ash and safely took-off over the May Day Bank Holiday skies, the friendly sides are still waiting in the hangars with all games so far being victim of the erupting volcano (aka the weather).

Field Marshall Krunic took his 1st XI squadron for an away sortee and took to the skies to start their Divsion 1 BCL campaign over Emmbrook & Bearwood. After a sticky start and some early casualties (10-3), a great partnership between fighter-ace Prashant (97) & Wing-commander Puneet (76) meant that Ilija's pilots navigated their way to 259/7 in the alloted 45 overs. In reply, E&B boys felt the force of a new three-wave attack with "veteran" Carl (3-15) and new Top Guns, Shahid (4-50) & Ravi (3-34) doing the damage in bowling out the oppo for 160 to claim a maximum 35pt win.

Jim's first game leading the 2s was to defend the home skies around Greenford against Welford Park's Magnificant 7 and had to be aware as there a wounded pilot trying to make a maiden umpiring flight. On a day when a game was in doubt, a delayed start and the match switched to the top square, the opposition pulled a sneaky manoeuvre and offered to bowl first and take to the field with only 7. Faced with a barrage of a drying wicket, lush outfield, accurate bowling and inspired fielding which made scoring difficult, Jim's boys still soared their way to 199-4 from the 45 overs. This was built around Bill "B-52" Bailey flying throughout for 81no with a few howitzers being hit from Fu (including 2 sixes) & JJ.

After an improved re-fuelling stop (warm scones anyone, what what!!), despite the lack of numbers, WP started off with nothing to lose with 14 coming off the first over. The heavy scoring continued mainly by "Red Baron" Westbrook but when Shiv's radar homed in on the other opener's stumps, the RVs scored their first hit. With the threat of spin "twins" ChrisG (a welcome return to operations!) and SimonD (2 wickets) slowing the run-rate, WP were 139-3 (effectively for 7) in the 26th over with everything still to play for. However, straight after the 3rd wicket was taken the heavens opened. It was wisely agreed to abandon operations and both sides had to be happy with their work for the day - due to WPs higher run rate, their 7 men claimed 20pts while Jim had to be happy with 10 but at least the dogfight was not lost!

Unfortunately the rain that came (from Spain?) on Saturday night put pay to any rivalries on Sunday (even a planned rendezvous at Lords was aborted) and even flooded our new Monday host's ground so no play would have been possible. This left us grounded with nothing more to do than twiddle our thumbs and polish the propellers.

I'm sure our luck and the weather will improve soon so have a great Star Wars day - May the Fourth be with you!!

Roger & Out!
Andrew [AKA the maiden umpire]

The Magnificent 7

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A village, North West of Newbury is periodically raided by cricketers led by many different captains during the summer months.

Desperate, the village team travel to a nearby town (Newbury) to buy bats to defend themselves. They approach a veteran batsman, Slothy (Andrew Barr). He tells them bats alone will not do them any good; they will need pads as well! They ask him to lead them, but Slothy rejects them, telling them a single man is not enough. They keep at him though, and he eventually gives in. He recruits men, though the pay is a pittance (normally a jug of beer if someone takes a few wickets or scores a few runs)....

Stoke Row Escape Derby Disaster

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Date: 1^st May, 2010.

Venue: Woodcote.

Toss: Stoke Row won the toss and elected to bowl.

Result: Woodcote (23) claimed a winning draw over Stoke Row (9).

Pitch: Green, and damp to start with due to the overnight rain.

Weather: Beautiful during the Woodcote innings, before clouding over during Stoke Row’s reply. Rain fell as the final three deliveries were bowled!

Highlights: Sam Fletcher’s surprise success with the ball (8-0-42-4), Will Macdonald’s match-saving unbeaten 98, and Chris Young’s 39. For Woodcote, James Wheeler (55) and Jezz Mayo (49) shared a century opening stand, Ryan Van Heerden snared (5-23) on debut and Titch Vickers gave a magnificent wicket-keeping performance, including one electric stumping. Stoke Row bowling 45 overs in 2 hours 35 minutes (including drinks break).

Allsobrook swings out Crown Wood for 6!

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The first league game of the season saw Crown Wood 1st XI host last years runners up, Mortimer West End 1st XI in the BCL Premier division. The new season saw a change at the helm for Crown Wood as John Cartledge took over the reins, ushering in new beginnings for the team, with the half the side under 20 years old.