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(A monthly piece
from Elstead Cricket Club)
Two games to go and we're on a right old roller coaster! Flying
high one week, down in the dumps the next! If consistency
wins titles then Elstead won't win the I'Anson Championship.
A complete wash-out against Grayswood was followed by a cracking
win at Frensham. Olly Barker's fine century and 72 for Khalik
Ahmed put a big total on the board and Elstead's devastating
bowling attack did the rest. So to struggling Badshot Lea!
Again the Barker / Ahmed pairing did the damage, another 70
for Khalik and 80 for Olly helping post another large score.
Once again the bowlers were up to the task.
With rivals Cranleigh only picking up a draw and an eight
point win in the same period Elstead found themselves top
of the table. Grayshott, too, had slipped to defeat and were
now looking to be outsiders for the title race. It was ours
to lose, and so we tried hard to do just that at Dogmersfield.
Batting first we amassed a lowly 135 and, although we took
seven wickets, the home side duly picked up the points. Cranleigh
recorded a ten point win and went back to the top.
So two games to go and all to play for! Will it go to the
wire? As a newly promoted team we were expected to be relegation
material. We've had a great season but can we go all the way
and become champions?
The 2nd X1's season tailed off with something of
a whimper. In the last five weeks of the season only two games
were played, a combination of poor weather and opposition
unable to raise a team being the culprits. Morale was not
helped by a, frankly, awful performance against Rowledge,
who were bottom of the table at the time and without a win
all year. Still, things improved on the last day as Simon
Wade and Ian Gould took the Milford attack apart. Simon rattled
up 99 before being run out (Oh dear!) and Ian managed a career
best 91. Chrsi Mude waded in with an unbeaten 35 and Elstead
amassed a huge 259 for 2. David Tye's five wickets then helped
bowl out Milford for 75.
So that's almost it for another year. I'll let you know how
the roller coaster ride ends but what a celebration there
will be if it all goes well.
Gordon Wycherley
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