Saturday 8th September 2001

First XI vs. West Harrow - With the club already celebrating what would have to be described as it's most successful season for 10 years, the first team went into the vital crunch mach against West Harrow needing to win to stand a chance of finishing second and gaining guaranteed promotion. A win would certainly mean we would finish third, above West Harrow and stand an outside chance of getting up with all sorts of possible connotations in the first division. This was basically a big, big game and one that we all knew we had to do well in. Certainly, nerves were starting to jangle for this member of the first team as early as the Tuesday before.

The team selection was always going to be interesting, with Tony Willett having his strongest pool of players to chose from all season, with the possible exception of Venki, who returned to India the week before. The team he eventually decided on looked strong in all areas:- Stockman, S. Roche, Prinsloo, Jayasena, Barnard, Herron, Willett, Elia, Worton, Lewis, N. Roche. You could tell how much was at stake when 10 of the 11 team members were in the nets warming up over an hour before the start of the match, suffice to say that Ses 'Timekeeper' Jayasena did not arrive at the ground until shortly after the start.

The toss was going to be one of the most important factors in the game on a wicket which could only be described as a road - the best it's been this season. Unfortunately, Willet lost the toss, and inevitably, we were put into bat by a West Harrow side looking to restrict us to below 200, and take a few wickets on the way. Chris Stockman was dismissed early on, and we began to get nervous, but the highly impressive Ez Prinsloo quickly calmed these nerves with some impressive blows. Simon Roche and Ez were looking good, when Rochie fell for 20.

Ses Jayasena came in next, but Ez was not going to be overshadowed, as he quickly made 50 out of 69. When Ses went sortly after, Barnard came in and pushed the ball around for Ez, who by this time had completed his 100 out of 133. When Ez fell, going for another big shot, we could have struggles, but Adam Herron and Alan Barnard ran well to put on 80 runs in double quick time. Some of the singles were incredibly cheeky, a two, taken to the keeper was probably the highlight. West Harrow were rattled, and their skipper appeared to send one of their players off the field for dissent after another overthrow.

In the end, we finished on 249-5 off of 55 overs, with Ez scoring 113, Barnard 52* and Herron an impressive 42. This was going to be a difficult target even on a wicket that good, but we knew full well that we would have to bowl and field very well to stop West Harrow, who were almost certainly have a crack at the target. We started off well when Barnard made a full length stop in the covers, and threw in leaving both openers standing at one end and Herron whipped of the bailed to claim the first. A couple of wickets went down, but West Harrow were still having a go at the target.

The number 4 came in and hit Rochie for a massive six off his first ball, and then presented a chance to Barnard on the boundary off Stav 'Bubble' Elia. The ball came quicky, and Barnard may have had slightly more success in holding onto it had he not tried to catch it with his nose. By this time, Rico Lewis had come onto bowl at the bottom end, and wickets began to fall. You could tell how much the game meant by the celebrations of the players after each wicket. Ez Prinsloo losing it after one wicket and charging on a collision course for Barnard, who though about getting out of the way, but in the end took him on head on, and made little impact to the flying South African.

A few more wickets fell, brilliant catches from Matt Worton, and Tony Willett bringing about two, and another superb run out by Tony Willet and Stav Elia also brought about huge celebrations on the field. Rico Lewis and the quicks - Worton and Roche - wrapped up the tail with 5 overs to spare. All in all a brilliant performance for a first team who have, over the second half of the season started to expect to win games - an attitude which served us well in this game. It has to be said though; our post match celebrations easily matched the performances on the field, especially since the Seconds and Thirds also recorded wins in their last games of the season.

It has to be said, there were more Jugs on display in the bar than you'd expect on an average weekend at Stringfellows - Matt Worton, Neil Roche, Tony Willett and Dick Owen all purchased jugs, as did Ez Prinsloo (non-drinker) Kate Atkins (Supporter) and Chris Barnard (Scorer). Suffice to say, we were all hammered, and singing in the bar by about 10pm - it's always good to see spirit like that. Ricky 'Troublemaker' Smyth was a key player in the singing, and as the second team returned, Cookie and Loveday joined in the fun.

It's days like this that makes a season worthwhile. Lets hope we see many more of them next year.

Second XI vs. West Harrow (report by Martin Loveday) - Cooper lost the toss (again) and we were put into bat. Kev and Dom got us off to a great start scoring reasonably quickly on a desperately slow wicket which made attacking strokes extremely hard. They put on about 40 - 50 runs before Dom was given out LBW and came back to the pavillion not too happy. Kev quickly followed back after being caught in the covers driving both scored about 20 most ran because the outfield was very slow and the ball was not going to the boundary. Pat and D.Hinnigan were at the crease now before Dave who was looking good fell when he was bowled around his legs first ball after the bowler came around the wicket. Cookie came to the crease and first ball was pull from outside off stump for 4 over mid wicket. Unfortunately Pat had to slow his game down to stop the fall of wickets but it was to no avail as Cookie received a very good out swinger which took the edge and was caught by the keeper standing up. Pat played a few nice strokes backed up by G.Brown until he received a shocking delivery which kept low and was given out LBW. This brought captain marvel to the crease. Cooper didn't have time to settle before Pat received a ball which can only be described by those of us watching by the following ???. This bought N.Hubbarb to the crease and he walked back 2 balls later. Young S.Silvathesen followed him to the crease and was walking back the next ball after being bowled as well. Mr.Loveday was next up facing hat-trick ball and dealt with the pressure superbly. Cooper decided that there would not be enough time to play himself in so he started to play some nice slogs across the line. Loveday however looked the more accomplished batsman as he was hitting straight drives to the boundary and running hard between the wickets. A 43 run partnership later Loveday received a ball which jumped and came off the bat handle to be caught and bowled. This took the score up to 141 as Loveday departed and Mark Varley lasted just 3 balls for no score as we finished our innings.

We took the field with a togetherness which has probably been lacking a bit this year and Pat opened up with Cookie. An Old fella opened up with a pinch hitter but we proved too good. Cookie got the pinch hitter to play onto his stumps. Pat dismissed the older bat when a full toss was smashed back towards him and a great one handed catch took his wicket. 3 and 4 were at the crease and the 4 bat looked good but Pat undid him with a slightly shorter ball which didn't come onto the bat and a top edge was well held by Cookie after a 10 yard track all over the field resulted in a catch which would turn the game. Pat continued to bowl and picked up 2 more wickets while Loveday was bought on to replace Cookie and struck in his 4th over. They were now 6 down for about 70 -80 runs. Brown replaced Loveday and Kev replaced Pat. Kev bowled really well and got 2 wickets going for the occasional run but not many. Brown got one as well after having two dropped in his opening over. Pat came on to replace Brown with 5 overs to go us needing 1 more wicket them needing 20 runs. With only two overs remaining including the one being bowled Kev took the final wicket and a well earned win was the result of all our hard work.

We went straight to the bar and had a beer and talked to the oppo before we turned up back at the club to find the party in full swing and many people very drunk. We had a good night before leaving at some stage after many, many more beers.

Big up the E's and I think its fair to say we had a good season and a well earned drink. I shall see a few of you around but for the others I will see you same place, same time next year.

Third XI vs Southgate (report by Alan Porter) - It started a cold and cloudy afternoon but just as the 3s and the 1s started there quest for higher status the sun began to shine was this an omen that success was just around the corner on what could be a super saturday. With only 7 points required to gain promotin the task seemed a simple, bat first get 150 and retire to the bar for acelbration MISTAKE. Skipper Fursse lost the toss and Southgate batted first with a target of perhaps a minimum of 4 wickets and wih the 150 well wiyhin the batting of the 3s all was not lost. Southgate then for the first time thi season began to take our bowling attack apart and with A Porter failing to hold a sharp chance at gully perhaps this was not to be our day and the runs began to pile up, finnally we got our first wicket with perhaps a dodgy lbw after previously having several good appeals turned down, but still the runs began to flow and southgate seemed imtent on batting us out of the game as is there want. With acombination of bad luck and rotten fielding it was becoming desperate and peoples heads began to drop as the seasons hard work seemed to be slipping away, and with another wicket to an lbw decision was the only reward for a hard afternoons toil and southgate finally declared on 282-2 and if the 3s got the mximum batting points theEs woul fail to obtain promotion. Skipper re-jigged the batting order as a win now was our only hope.C Turner and P Langdell opened the batting with somewhere in the region of 8 per over required even on the small pitch this was a tall order, but the openers started to set about the enormous task before us P Langdell was first to go trying to push the score along but with R BULLEN in some quick runs were needed and Ray duly obliged with 50 odd before being bowled with Colin going for 45 a target of perhaps 140 off 20 overs was thought  possibly.Dave Baker arrived at the wicket to blast aquickfire 50 which after the loss off Daz for 0 Andre Edwards for 8 and Daniel  Billson for 0 these runs put us within the site of victory and along with Archie Macartur took the score to within 30 or 40 to win D Baker caught at square leg Archie was joined by Alan Porter and they took the score to with 12 required for an unlikely victory.  Kevin Furrse joined Alan at the wicket and off the second ball he received the ball hit the boundary for 4 byes and this left 4 overs  to get 8 runs and with a spinner on bowling to AP on short boundary a full toss was hit for four and another short ball was also  sent to the boundary an exciting victory was achieved and the celbrations began long into the night.