Aussie all-rounder Matt Wilcox made
an impressive debut for the club in the annual curtain-raiser to the season
against Long Sutton, at The Avenue on Saturday.
The Melbourne teenager, who landed at
Heathrow less than a week ago, struck nine boundaries during an innings of
44 and took three wickets without conceding a run, in the emphatic 184-run
victory against the Lincolnshire side.
Wilcox came in at No.3 following the
dismissal of Tommy Howgego, who hit 26 from the first 55 runs. The overseas
player and opener Jake Wenman put together a stand of 54, before Wenman was
trapped leg before just two runs short of his half-century.
Following the pair's departure there was a bit
of a wobble in the middle order before Matty Vail and James Harradine
feature in an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 83. Vail looked
comfortable for his 23no, while at the other end former Doddington skipper
Harradine crashed 54 on his return to the club. He hoisted four 'sixes'
during his knock, which came off just 32 balls.
That enabled March to reach 213-4 off their
40 overs - the reply over before it had really started. Four of the Long
Sutton batsmen trudged off the field without scoring, as Wilcox took 3-0 and
skipper Chris Ringham 2-2 from the opening four overs.
Off-spinner Richard Green was quickly
introduced and he picked up a four wicket haul with good close catches being
taken by Harradine and Howgego, as the visitors were dismissed for 29 in
14.1 overs.
March 1st Xl v Sawston
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Rob Woolley scored a century on his club debut, but was unable to
prevent the
1st Xl crashing to a heavy eight wicket defeat to Sawston in the opening
Tucker League game at The Avenue on Saturday.
The Cambridge University all-rounder, who also plays for Lancashire 2nds,
is at the club for half a season to 'get in some batting practice' as he
regularly opens the bowling for MCCU in the first class three-dayers.
Practice he certainly got - scoring a round 100 from the all-out total of
193. Woolley hit 13 boundaries, including a 'six' off the 136 balls he
faced.
Steve Hinson (27) and Aussie Matt Wilcox(17) offered support before they
both perished to the South African leg-spin of Sean Savage, who took 6-72.
For the second week running March skipper Chris Ringham took a wicket
with his first ball but that joy and a second wicket from off-spinner
Richard Green at 55-2 was short-lived. Sawston went on to compile a winning
third wicket stand of 139, which saw them home with 4.5 overs to spare.
Green's figures were easily the best, as he put together an impressive
1-29 off 10 overs.
March 1st Xl v Downham Town
Sunday, April 18, 2010
And it was a similar story on Sunday, when
Norfolk champions Downham Town dished out an eight wicket defeat at The Avenue,
after the
1st X1 were bowled out for a disappointing 117.
A mix-up in the calling early on saw young Dan Beavis run out on his club
debut, before the bulk of the runs came from the remaining top five batsmen.
Vice-skipper Rob Tombs and Matt Wilcox top-scored with 27 runs apiece,
with Rob Moden making 15.
But the modest total was never going to trouble a team, who were unbeaten
last season in Norfolk's premier league. They lost two early wickets to
Chris Ringham and Wilcox, but from then on it was plain sailing - the bulk
of their total coming in boundaries.
March 1st Xl v Granta 2nd Xl
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Rob Woolley is rapidly rewriting the record
books at The Avenue, when his second century in a week set up a thrilling last
over Tucker League victory for the 1st Xl on Saturday.
The Cambridge University all-rounder, who has
just come off a three day first class game at Fenners, followed up his debut
'ton' with an impeccable 115 against Granta 2nd Xl, before being caught at
mid-wicket with 31 runs required and five overs remaining.
Aussie Matt Wilcox smacked the winning boundary
down the ground with two balls to spare, to give the home side a morale-boosting
victory, on a day when team raising problems would have suggested otherwise.
But all the talk at the club is about Lancashire 2nd Xl player Woolley,
who played patiently for the first half of his innings, before cutting loose
and peppering the boundary rope. In total he hit 16 boundaries, including an
impressive 'six'.
Woolley shared in a second wicket stand of 69 with James Harradine, who
made a good-looking 29. With the experienced Steve Hinson at the crease 99
runs were added for the fourth wicket - Hinson finally run out for 35.
At the death six runs were needed off the final over and then two runs
off three. Wilcox well and truly nailed the fourth and final deliver.
At the start of the afternoon, the 1st Xl went
into the match with only two front line bowlers in the side.
Wilcox and skipper Chris Ringham shared six of the Granta wickets to fall in the
visitor's total of 234, on a very dry and flat track. Wilcox took 3-65 and
Ringham 3-67, with the back up bowling stretched to the limit.
March 1st Xl v Newborough
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Ron Tombs returned to form with a knock of 84 as an inexperienced 1st Xl lost away to Newborough for the third year running - the team going down by six wickets in
Rutland League Division 2.
Jake Wenman (17) and Matt Wilcox (40) found runs in short supply at the
top of the order before vice-skipper Tombs came in and blasted four 'sixes'
and seven 'fours' off 82 balls. His contribution, backed by 20 runs from
David Haslegrave, gave March a total of 183-8.
Teenagers Callum Young and Josh Jackman produced a great response -
reducing Newborough to 11-3 at the start. Young finished with 2-35 and
Jackman 1-24.
But with Aussie Wilcox unable to bowl only one further wicket fell to Rob
Moden, as the home side powered home with over five overs to spare.
March 1st Xl v Uppingham
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The 1st Xl slipped down the table from second to fourth following an
eight wicket defeat away to Rutland League Division 2 leaders Uppingham.
March lost the toss and were put in on a very wet wicket. A poor start
saw them lose their first three wickets for just six runs, which meant
the incoming batsman having to dig in and survive.
Vice-skipper Rob Tombs played well for his 39, in which he struck four
boundaries and he received support from Steve Hinson (19) and James
Harradine (17). However, against a good bowling attack the team could
only muster 99 for 9 from their 45 overs.
In reply, with the wicket drying out, the Uppingham batsman were able
to play their shots and reached 102 for 2 off 18.3 overs. The only
wicket takers were Stuart Mills and Callum Young.
