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It
just goes to show what a bit of success can achieve! A boost
to the confidence and more success follows! Ability that was
always there but unfulfilled, ever more so as a run of defeats
deepened the feeling of gloom surrounding the players, suddenly
bubbles to the surface.
Well, that certainly seems to be the case for the 1st X1.
Following the momentous Stevens Cup win the Ones have not
lost a game. After a series of nine defeats in ten completed
league games the knock-out victory has swept through the team
like a breath of fresh air.
It started with a dour losing draw against Grayshott, more
a case of let's not get beaten than let's push for victory.
That doubled the team's points tally for the season and stemmed
the tide. A home game against fellow strugglers, Wood Street,
followed and the lads found themselves chasing a total of
168 for victory. Early season batting performances have not
been stunning but this time it was different. Owais Khan,
supported by a series of different players, pushed steadily
onwards and a flurry of late sixes took his score to 80 and
the team to victory. How sweet was that?
Suddenly belief surged through the team and they went to table-topping
Puttenham in buoyant mood. A score of 167, helped by a doughty
41 from Richard Jones, meant that the bowlers had something
to defend. They did just that backed up by some excellent
fielding. In fact it was Puttenham who were holding on for
the draw by the end. A winning draw against such high fliers
- can you believe it!
So the new league leaders, Frensham, visited Elstead, another
tricky game in prospect. Frensham batted first but some excellent
new ball bowling by Mark Wycherley and Josh Berry restricted
the visitors to 10 runs off the first 10 overs and 69 runs
from the first 30. A late flurry took the score to a more
respectable 165 but Elstead's new-found batting confidence
would not be denied. An excellent free-scoring 80 from Sam
Barker, due a score all season, supported by fine contributions
from Chris Mude and Josh Berry, saw Elstead home in fine style.
So, an excellent points haul from two games we might have
expected to yield very little. No winder there's a spring
in the step of the players.
Unfortunately, at the same time, the Twos have stalled. The
lads were embarrassingly humbled at Grayshott being shot out
for a meagre 35 and then proceeded to snatch defeat from the
jaws of victory at Puttenham. Seven wickets for Pat Murphy
saw the home side bowled out for 113 and a fine 55 for Mark
Gibbons looked to have made a win a formality. This, though,
reckoned without the side's ability to fold like a pack of
cards and the boys were duly bowled out for 82.
For the 2nds another win or a couple of draws should see them
safely ensconced in mid-table in Division 3. For the Ones
there is all to play for. Suddenly it's tight at the bottom
and there's a real belief around the club that we can escape
relegation.
Gordon
Wycherley
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