Whitchurch-on-Thames Cricket Club

So, we finally reach the season's end, much later than almost everyone else, and all the better for it.  The outcome? Result Matches Won    16 Winning Draw      1 Losing Draw      1 Lost    17 Cancelled by Us      2 Cancelled by Them      2 Cancelled by God      3 Still slightly in deficit, but so much better than last year, when we managed only 7 wins versus 18 losses and 15 cancellations of one sort or another (mostly washed out). Thanks very much to Alan Kilford for arranging the fixtures this year and to the skippers - Lyn, Alan (again!), Jim and Cormac for getting the sides together and organising us on the pitch (harder than it sounds).  Also, of course, to Butty and Jon for preparing some excellent wickets, even towards the end of the season there was no shortage of bounce and carry, despite a little rain. Andy

This article first appeared in The Bulletin of Whitchurch on Thames , September 2013.  See www.whitchurchonthames.com. We are a junior cricket club that have started in 2012, our aim was to get local children playing grass roots cricket in their area and to make sure we promote the longevity of two adult clubs that have been around for almost 150 years each. We wanted to run our junior section in a different way to other clubs and keep the numbers of players in our age groups down so we drive quality over quantity, to make sure everyone has the chance to play cricket whatever their age or ability and most importantly to have FUN! How are we doing so far and does the strategy work? Well this year we have entered 4 teams in the Berkshire Youth Cricket League at Under 9, Under 11, under 13 and under 15 age groups and 1 team entered into the Oxfordshire Under 13’s league. All teams in the Berkshire Leagues have finished as division champions (Unde...

Nick Turner noticed that our recent victory over Greys Green was covered by that estimable organ, the Henley Standard .

Pangbourne & Whitchurch U15 Colts XI beat Wokingham to win the Berks. Div 2 Cup yesterday. Toby Staker, Woody Chapman, Tom Chapman , and Matt Kilford (capt) , who all play regularly for Whitchurch on a Saturday and a Sunday, were all part of the winning side. Not to mention they were coached by Alan Kilford . Well done, guys!

The undoubted man-of-the-match in this closely fought encounter was undoubtedly Nick Turner, who bowled 10 overs for 26 at the start, accounting for 3 Greys wickets. Then, coming in at number 8 as the middle-order was collapsing all around him, Nick scored his maiden 50 (not just this season, we mean, ever !) with some brutal stroke-play, including a four and six off the last two balls of the match that sent the WAMs scurrying for cover! Nick has suggested he might write his own match report, which will appear here....

Whitchurch Saturday CC Cricket Team List Match Against: Greys Green Venue: Greys Green Date: Saturday 31 st August Start Time: 1:30 PM Arrival Time: 1.00 PM Team List Alan Kilford ( Captain) Matthew Kilford Paul Vaughan Andrew Heard Nick Turner Jon Steward Francis Xavier Brian Reddecliffe John Staker Toby Staker Andrew Mutefa Tom Chapman

If truth is to be told, not many of us were confident that we would, for the second Sunday in succession, win a match by scoring 286 runs.  But doubters like your correspondent were put to the sword as Whitchurch overtook Welford Park's 286 for 6 off 40 overs with more than two overs to spare. The first innings had been more than a little harrowing, with bowler after bowler being sent aerially into the cow fields time and again.  One unfortunate opening over went 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 6 - 4 (byes, streaking down the legside), after which said bowler was told to "take a rest" ("gladly!").  The oppo, sitting in the pavilion, thought that this was unduly harsh - "you always give a bowler a second over on a Sunday".  Well, maybe that's a vote in favour of Jim's no-prisoners captaincy that we didn't this afternoon. If I'm honest, there was some fine hitting of a cricket ball going on, and perched atop a domed hill where the ball ran easily dow...