Today's date is

Tuesday 2nd August

Home v Countess Wear EECL

This EECL fixture was reduced to 18 overs due the opposistion's tardiness after Mike had won the toss and decided to bat. Rohan was run out after 4 overs but Ben took the ball to all parts of the ground. Mike didn't get hold of one, and Charles didn't see the next one to find us 3 down. Ted was calm and played a couple of nice shots, but fell tring to move the score along. Boggers was caught behind and now has a 3 point lead at the top of the duck race, but when Ben skyed a ball he should have put away we weren't too sure if we had enough runs. Gus changed all that though, hitting 3 sixes in the final over to take us above 160.

Nine an over was the required rate and CW needed to get off to a flyer, but Ted and Ben bowled both went for less than six an over; Ben picking up two wickets in the process. Rohan bowled really well, and was unlucky to be hit for as many runs as he was. Nick got a couple of wickets but paid for them in the last over (although over 36 was needed from the over) when the batsman was using a short arm jab to knock the ball over the fence. Mind you don't need to hit it too far at Hayne! AH

Away v Ide

There's not too much I can say about this match ... the fact that pitch was absoluley horrible, coupled with the fact that we only had 8 players, ment that we were bowled out for 32.

Both Andy and Robbie had plumb (and I mean plumb) LBWs turned down but I don't think it would have made too much difference; as it was the runs were knocked off in just under 8 overs. AH

Sunday 7th August

Away v Newton Tracey NDL

Well, what a close finish. Two runs. Phew.

We were very nearly late because of the nail biting finish to the Test, but it was worth it..

For once Charles managed to lose the toss and so we were asked to field first. Ted and Ben opened the bowling, Ted down the hill and Ben up the hill and into a fresh breeze. Both bowled well, though without sucess (bad luck Dave, you will catch one one day)and it wasn't until Charles called Rob up from third-man that the fun began. The Golden arm struck again as the previously very cautious NT opener flicked Robs first ball to square-leg where Anthony took a good catch diving forward.

Will came on down the hill and tempted the other opener with a mixture of long hops and half volleys. After Dave had a comic juggling moment that even Robbie would have ben proud of it looked as if the luck was firmly with NT, but he tried one too many and skyed one to Charles on the extra-cover boundary.

Rob was treated with the utmost respect and finishe with figures of 9/2/20/2, taking a wicket with his first ball and his last ball without going for a single boundary.
Anthony came on to replace Will down the hill while Robbie was trundling uphill and bowled one of the best spells he has ever deliverd. He finished with 8/0/17/1, just pipping Rob for economy. NT had a comic moment to rival Dave's, a run out going for a third run from an overthrow handing us the fourth wicket

Will returned to bowl up the hill and found the slope and wind ideal for his natural swing. His second spell tore the heart out of the NT order, leaving him with final figures of 9/2/42/4.

Ben and Ted then returned to clear up the tail, Ben once more up hill into the wind and Ted down the hill. It was Ben who had the last laugh, taking the two remaining NT wickets to end with 6.2/0/25/2 against Ted's 7/1/18/0.

129 all out, not a huge score, but tricky...

Mike and Charles started confidently but the Captain was soon back in the pavillion having edged to slip. Ben went in at No. 3 and he and Mike played sensibly to see us to within sight of the finish. They were assisted by the bowlers who kept the NT 'keeper busy with a sucession of wides and no balls. On 33 Mike managed to pick out the cover fielder, and so Dave Carr went in to join the increasingly confident Ben. Unfortunately Dave was a little over-confident, and so it was Ted who joined Ben for the final overs.

A good 7 wicket win from a solid team performance. CS

Tuesday 9th August

Away v Met. Office EECL

Our last game of the season was another visit to Exeter CS, but this time to play the Met. Office. With Mike delayed Charles did the honours and duely won the toss. What to do? Well, he was bound to get it wrong anyway, so he elected to field first. The second problem was who to keep wicket...

Charles elected to do this himself as this left all the bowling options open. Ted and Ben started the bowling with very different results. Ben bowled like a dream, making the ball swing late and move off the pitch and ending with 5/0/7/3 (would have been 4 but for a drop behind the stumps), while Ted ended with 5/0/42/1. The wicket he got was with a fantastic ball, but unfortunately he did not find a consistent enough line.

Robbie bowled well, and turned the ball both ways while Will's late swing caused problems until the batsmen started to take a pace down the wicket to him. Anthony came on to replace Will and bowled a great over, though if the bails had fitted properly the ball wouldn't have hit.....

127 was a goodish total, and batting second in the gloom can be difficult.

Darren and Rohan got us off to a good start against some tight bowling until Rohan tried one shot too many and was caught at mid-wicket. This brought Ben to the wicket, and he did much the same, perishing going for boundaries. All the while Darren continued on in his unique way.

Mike followed Ben, and at least the wickets stayed intact for a while, although the scoring rate slowed a little.

When Darren was finally out for a very hard hitting 52 (inc. one six that is probably still travelling) Ted went in with the determination to up the rate. We needed just over a run a ball for the remaining 2.3 overs when he joind Mike, when he missed a straight one with 7 balls to go we only needed 3 to win. A cameo, but a match winning one.

Mike and Charles managed the 3 required to give us a win with 2 balls to spare. CS

Sunday 14th August

Away v Rackenford

As is traditional we got lost on the way to Newlands Manor and so the game did not get under way until just after 2:30. Charles won the toss and decided to bat, well he decided that Mike and Peter would bat. This they did, and very well they did it too. Not the fastest scoring rate that has ever been recorded, but importantly we did not lose wickets..... Owen Lloyd ended with figures of 8/6/3/0, but we did not lose early wickets.

On a rather soft wicket the ball was doing plenty for the slower bowlers and the Rackenford bowlers were difficult to get away.

Mike was unfortunate to nick one behind just aas he seemed to be getting the measure of things, and when Rohan was given out C&B off a bump-ball the alarm bells were sounding. Dave Carr was then next man in, and with his form recently some were predicting what would happen next..... DC proved them wrong with a very powerful innings, hitting the ball to all parts. He lost Peter to a stumping (or were they taking a run to the keeper....) which brought the Captain to the crease.

Charles made Dave run, calling some near suicidal singles. Putting pressure on the field seemed to work and they managed to up the scoring rate form 1.5 an over to just over 3. When DC was bowled round his legs Anthony came out to face the last 2 overs with Charles, taking the score up to 126 for 4 at the close.

Another low score at Newlands, but a sore to bowl at.

Rohan and Will started the bowling after tea. Rohan struggled with his length, but over came his early problems to end with 8/3/21/0. Will bowled up the hill and had a wicket in his first over, Rob Lester edging to Steve. 3 overs later Dave Miles drove a catch straight to Mike at Mid-On and then Rogers lobbed one to Charles at Long Off first ball... WILL WAS ON A HAT-TRICK!! Hearts in mouth we all gathered round the bat only for Sibley to loft the ball into the outfield for 2 runs. Will then took a skied catch to dismiss him C&B second ball. Jug evasion if ever I saw it....

Rob came on up the hill to replace Will with Anthony replacing Rohan. Rob quickly settled in to a good line and length but Anthony found it more difficult down the hill. After two overs Charles Gordon was summoned from Point to replace Anthony. Age and experience triumphed and Charles bowled a good tight line. He also managed to dismiss Owen with a peach of a slower ball, apparently he watched Harmison do it on the telly....

With 6 down we were in with a real chance, but the luck was not with us and Rackenford made the final 20 runs without further loss.

A good close game, but in the end we were 30 runs short of a winning score. CS

Sunday 21st August

Home v Kelseymen NDL

With Kelseymen in 2nd and CFCC in 4th this was an important clash. Following a disappointing performance in Braunton we had to put on a better show at home if Mike's dream of promotion was to remain a possibility.

Things started well when Charles won the toss and elected to bat on a hot and sunny afternoon. He decided to open himself, and so Peter went down to number three. It was not long however before Mike and Peter were together, Charles neglecting to cover his stumps and losing his leg bail for 2.

Mike and Peter pushed on and were scoring well when Mike cut at a high full toss and was well caught on the boundary. On another day it would have been called a no-ball. Peter went driving upishly to bring Ben and Darren together. What a contrast, Ben all style and MCC coaching manual and Darren, well, Darren.

In the end Darren's direct approach won as he top scored with 57, closely followed by Ted on 53, just to show that style can be effective too.

Our total was helped along by 40 extras, most of them byes, as the Kelseymen's wicketkeeper had one of his more ordinary days. 270 all out was just about what we had set for ourselves, all we had to do was stop Kelseymen from scoring 271!

Unfortunately Peter was taken ill during the tea (nothing to do with Dave Carr's offerings I assure you) and so Andy Hartley came on to field as a sub. Ted and Ben led the way with the ball, but once again their first spells did not rain wickets. Not that Ted's first 5 overs were uneventful with the pitch showing signs of life and bounce that encouraged the waiting batsmen to look out the helmets... He also managed to bowl a couple of beamers, but all is forgiven..... Rob bowled his 9 in a single spell, as is normal, ending with 36 for 2 thanks to catches from Ted and Charles. Will, David and Roy were all tried with varying degrees of success, but the best of the bay came from, well you guessed it, Ben and Darren.

Ben bowls much as he bats, good action, correct footwork etc. etc. He came on down the hill to bowl a great spell to remove 2 of the middle order to end with 9-0-34-2. Darren also bowls much as he bats. Right arm round for God's sake, who in their right mind bowls right arm round? Well he actually started right arm over, but the first ball went for 6, so he went back to type. The second ball also went for 6, but he regained his control to finish with the best figures of the day, 3-0-22-2. Ted was back on at the Urinal end for the last 3 overs and wrapped things up by removing the Kelseymen number 8's off stump with the first ball of the 43rd over leaving them 34 runs short of victory.

Over all CFCC played a very good game of cricket. The ground fielding was a little sloppy at times, but we did not drop any catches and by and large bowled tidily. Much more of this and we will get promoted! CS

Man of the Match: Darren

Tuesday 23rd August

Home v Butterleigh

Captain Ted starts his skippering carrer with a 100% record, but it was very close in the end.

Winning the toss gave Cheriton the light to bat in (the match already reduced to 18 overs), and Darren was seeing it well, dealing almost exclisvely in boundaries. In contrast Jeremy and Rohan dug in for their culmitive 32, indeed while Rohan was at the crease he only scored one boundary. Darren's departure to an excellent caught and bowled (Darren had leathered it back to the bowler) brought about a mini-collapse as Anthony extended his lead at the top of the Duck Race and Ted departed after one breathtaking cover drive. Steve and David steered us towards a total of 138.

It was thought that we had 20 to 30 runs less than was required but Ted opened with himself and immeadiately made a mark when the opener was clean bowled, Nick was more expensive but also picked up the other opener in his first over. The medium pacers were fairly cheap but Tony had more luck than Robbie, picking up two wickets, including one caught behind (a proper wicket)! By this time the Butterleigh No. 3 retired having made 50. Rohan and Darren were brought on and three wickets had fallen from their first 5 overs. Eleven runs were required from the final over and Darren was told that on no account must he take a wicket, as this would let the No. 3 back in! Darren duly bowled the No. 11 with his forth ball but happily 8 runs were still required to win, and wide and two singles was the result of the remaining balls.

When will Ted be captaining again? And will he retain his unbeaten record? But most questioning of all, will Boggers be caught in this year's Duck Race?! AH