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Already the 2008 cricket season is entering
the home straight. As I write there is only just over a quarter of the games to go and, once
again this month, I have nothing remarkable to report. It's been a season of mixed success,
mixed weather and, quite frankly, mixed emotions.
Both the 1st and 2nd X1s have struggled to maintain settled sides and that has been reflected
in results. For the Ones, defeats to table topping Frensham (no great surprise) and Harting
(more unexpected) were followed by a dour performance to garner two points from a losing draw
against high-flying Chiddingfold. Buoyed by this moment of success the lads went to Grayshott
in the hope of denting the home side's title aspirations. And how! Thanks to David Tye's six
wickets Grayshott's much vaunted batting was tightly reined in and a total of 125 looked to
be within Elstead's reach. A young batting line-up set off like a train but lost a couple of
wickets before Chris Mude and Josh Berry steadied the ship. Mark Gibbons contributed his usual
mix of doughty defence and flamboyant hitting to make a useful score before Saul Allison saw
Elstead home by carting Grayshott's fearsome opening bowler for a couple of boundaries. Eight
points was a wonderful fillip and nudged the team away from what was becoming an edgy flirtation
with relegation.
The Twos followed a heavy and disappointing defeat at Puttenham with what can only be described
as a characterful performance to wrest two points from table topping Alfold. This latest in
a Summer-long run of doughty but unexciting matches was followed by a key win at bottom-of-the-table
Lindford. Fifty from Simon Wade saw the lads home by seven wickets and pretty much banished
any threat of relegation that had been lurking in the wings.
Then the August rains came and the season for both teams completely stalled!
Finally, a word for a couple of youngsters, Chris Terry and James Berry! Playing in representative
matches both scored runs against very strong opposition. Fourteen year-old Chris opened the
batting on home turf in Elstead against an Under 15 fast bowler whose run-up seemed to start
in Thursley, yet he put a natural trepidation aside to score a very mature 65. James combined
a fine 41 in a South West Surrey match with three wickets. Such promise amongst the juniors
is very rewarding for all those who run the junior section and warms the cockles of even the
most hardhearted observer. Well done, lads!
Gordon Wycherley
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