Reports 21st Aug

1st XI

Cheam moved to the brink of the Premier league with an excellent victory away to Spencer in a top of the table clash.  Starting the day just 4 points in front of Spencer the bonus point victory leaves Cheam needing to win just one more game to seal a second consecutive promotion.  With Normandy just one point in front the title race is also wide open. 

After winning the toss Spencer Captain Neil Baker elected to bat first on what was, despite the rain, an excellent if slow Field View surface.  Opener Andrew Mawson attempted to set the early tone pulling the first ball of the innings from Steve Clark imperiously to the boundary.  Sadly for Spencer he was out 4 balls later attempting to repeat the shot but only finding mid on as he spooned the ball off the splice of the bat. 

Not for the first time this season the Cheam opening attack of Clark (3-27) and Lee Harrison (2-38) had the opposition under pressure.  Luke Billingham, a centurion from the earlier meeting, survived a confident appeal for caught behind before edging to slip.  At 25 for 3 Spencer were wobbling.  Pierre Jason (46) showed real patience in rebuilding the innings and in partnership with Hugo Darby took the score to 57.  Cheam heads were starting to drop before a sensational piece of fielding from Chris Salmons turned the game completely in Cheam’s favour.  After half stopping a firm drive from Jason, and diverting the ball out of the path of the mid off fielder, Salmons got back to his feet before cutting the ball off inches from the boundary.  A powerful throw fully 70 yards scored a direct hit with Darby narrowly out of his ground having been sent back.  After that the Spencer middle and lower order had no answer to the Cheam seam attack as Danny Miller and Salmons continued the excellent work of the openers.  Wickets fell with little resistance as the Spencer innings closed on 123 from just 35.1 overs. 

In reply Cheam Captain Danny Miller set about the Spencer attack in frenzied fashion taking 23 from the first 4 overs.  A mixture of lusty swings and excellent timing saw Surrey II’s seam bowler George Edwards and fellow opener Jimmy Birt harshly treated. The Captain eventually departed bowled attempting to sweep Birt into the road. It’s never boring watching! Fellow opener David Houpapa, still on nought at this point, took up the chase in slightly calmer fashion marshalling the batting with a real air of confidence.  Happy to accumulate early the big Kiwi accelerated with the introduction of Darby peppering the cover boundary and finishing 59 not out from just 48 balls with 10 4’s. With just 4 wickets and 22 overs needed Cheam secured what could be a vital bonus point. 

Cheam welcome Purley to Peaches close on Saturday with revenge and title hopes firmly on their minds.

2nd XI

3 games to go, and all to play for.  The British summer appears to have left us for the month of August and we have been left with cloudy weather with the odd shower.  This week Old Wimbledonian's came to town.  Let's be honest, there is no love loss between the sides following their fixtures over the past couple of years.  Old Wimbledonian's aim was to make sure Cheam can't win the league, and apart from the obvious Cheam wanted to rub salt into the wounds of the opposition and remind them who will be playing Division 1 next year.  With Kaser back from travelling he was now unavailable due to Ramadam, Rat dropped out of the side to allow MOD back to add some strength to the batting line up.  MJ was early this week, he must have had a row with Fi!!!!

The players needed no motivation this week.  Cheam were fired up and after Circus losing the toss for the 8th time on the bounce, Old Wimbledonians elected to bat.  The players were out of the dressing room.  All except MJ who was checking his hair in the mirror.  The field was set, umpire ready, batsman had taken guard, JP had stretched, and MJ was sat at mid off putting on his boots.  All part of a genius ploy I'm sure, as 2nd ball JP found the skippers outside edge and Drib's took the catch at 2nd slip.  See what happens when you bowl over the wicket JP?!!!  The other opener batted like he had a baseball bat in his hand (baseball was the theme of the day).  He was swatting at everything, but simply wasn't good enough to actually hit it!  Beefy opened up the other end.  Almost a year to the day following his encounter with a young lady at a bus stop came steaming down the hill.  It's given him a new lease of life.  3rd ball he found the outside edge and another neat catch was taken by Dribs.  3-2 was the score and Beefy punching the air with delight like someone out of a boy band.  It was also a day of look alikes, with Jonathon Trott umpiring, enter Brian Charles Lara.  JP desperate to prove he wasn't the only left arm seamer in the club that could take the wicket of a West Indian International came steaming up the hill, dug one in and hit Lara on the head.  Beef found the edge again with MOD taking a diving catch to his right and the opposition were 16-3.  Could we go and watch the 1's?  In fairness the batsmen dug in and with a 5 over's without a wicket there was only 1 thing on the captains mind.  Get the 'King's of Spin' on!  2nd over, Max had Lara caught by Caddy at extra cover after narrowly escaping a collision with MJ, Dribs got the rough end of the stick.  Their number 6 was about 6'4", realised he couldn't play Drib's properly so decided he was going to swing at everything.  Edging wide of circus on 3 occassions, just over the stretching Smokey (he's almost 5' tall when fully stretched by the way!) and just wide JP who we have decided is a 'specialist fielder' wherever you put him!  Max was causing havoc at the other end, taking wickets at regular intervals to prevent partnerships being built.  Drib's got his wicket in the end, pushing one through a little quicker and bowling the batsman.  Max wrapped up the innings taking his 5th to finish with figures of 5-23 and Old Wimbledonians all out for 129 in 29.1 over's.

A tactical change in the batting line up saw MOD open up and MJ drop down to 3.  circus dropped himself down to 6 leaving Caddy at 4, and Callum at 5.  After being told he was batting for, Caddy pulled Circus to one side.  "Me bat 4?  Wow thanks Circus, I've always wanted to bat there but because you bat there I don't like to ask.  I really do love you!"  Dylan and MOD got Cheam off to a solid start with Dylan taking the attack to the bowlers before falling for 31.  MOD was out to a direct hit from mid on.  The opening bowlers were pretty average so on came the spinners, I mean pitchers.  Many of the deliveries bowled were more suited to the Yankee's Stadium than Peaches Close.  Without a home umpire it was going to cause issues if they called the bowler every ball, so it was ignored.  MJ batted well for his 37 with Caddy supporting him.  Suddenly both fell in quick succession and Circus found himself at the crease at 89-4.  As Circus took his guard the opposition were asking if he was there to make up the numbers, "No, that's what you've been doing this season" would have been an apt response!  Circus saw the job through with Max, after Callum fell to a catch at mid on.  Cheam knocking them off in 31 over's, and game over by 4.45pm. 

Man of the Match - Max again, bowled with great control and stopped any partnerships being built, must have been that 10am kiss the other day!!!

Baby award to MJ for his antics before the first ball was bowled.

Next week, away Vs Purley, 12:30 start.  If Cheam win it takes the league down to the final game of the season. 

In other news, it's the race night next Saturday, buy your dogs from PC ASAP.  Just to confirm they are all greyhounds, no poodles!