Saturday, April 30, 2011

Three good all-round performances saw the 1st Xl come within seven runs of beating Tucker League champions Camden during a high-scoring draw at The Avenue on Saturday.

Shardul Brahmbhatt, Matt Wilcox and Jivan Lotay all did well with bat and ball against a side who went through the whole of the 2010 season undefeated.

Brahmbhatt took 5-75 with his off-spin during Camden's all out total of 260 - with Wilcox making a crucial breakthrough with his 3-32 and Lotay taking the first two wickets to fall.

All three players scored half-centuries in reply - Lotay 70 not out and both Brahmbhatt and Wilcox 59 - as 12 runs were required off the final over. Five came, with March losing their seventh wicket off the last ball to give Camden a slender 14 points to 12 advantage on the day.

Camden had started the match in blistering fashion with last week's headline maker Chris Ringham on the receiving end for once. The March skipper was smacked to the boundary four times in his second over as the visitors raced to 45 without loss on a very dry track after just seven overs.

Cambridge MCCU all-rounder Lotay broke the partnership and collected a second scalp before the visitors rallied to 141-2. Wilcox and some good catches produced three quick wickets, only for the Cambridge side to show the character that champions are made of and post such an impressive total.

Brahmbhatt kept plugging away and with two stumpings from John Gilson, he returned a five wicket haul.

March produced a 94-run opening stand before Rob Woolley was run out for 37. Wilcox and Brahmbhatt then both fell to catches before the left-handed Lotay helped to set up an exciting finale almost single-handedly. His innings contained nine boundaries - two of which sailed over the ropes.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

The 1st Xl are finding life in Rutland League Division 1 tough going, as illustrated by the
74-run defeat away to Peterborough Town, on Sunday.

Having lost the toss, the visitors looked to two of their promising young bowlers to spearhead the attack - Jordan Morgan and Tyler Phillips. Morgan claimed the first wicket to fall and Phillips impressed with a 2-51 spell off 12 overs.

Off-spinner Richard Green also bowled his maximum, taking 2-49 as Peterborough closed on 242-5.

Matt Wilcox (32), who was unable to bowl, shared in an opening stand of 47 with Tommy Howgego (14).

But at 57-4 things didn't look good for the visitors, that is until a spirited fight back from Chatteris skipper Anthony Palmer (27) and Dan Martell (28). They eased the score along to 110 but following their departure the side were bowled out for 168.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

The 1st Xl fell to their first Tucker League defeat of the season, when they lost to in-form Sawston by three wickets away from home, on Saturday.

The day started badly when Cambridge MCCU all-rounder Jivan Lotay dropped out through injury and they were forced to play a man down.

Things then got worse when his University captain, Rob Woolley was bowled off the third ball of the first over. Matt Wilcox and Rob Tombs put on 40 for the second wicket before the Aussie fell for 21.

Tombs went on to make 54 - an innings that included two 'sixes' and seven 'fours'. The only other top order batsman to shape up was the experienced Steve Hinson, who grafted his way to 31 in the all total of 151.

Having beaten Wisbech on the Bank Holiday, Sawston are not short in confidence - even after the setback of losing two early wickets.

Their middle order batted sensibly and despite Wilcox picking up three wickets and Tommy Howgego a brace, the visitors badly missed their top-line spinners - Lotay and Shardul Brahmbhatt.

Sawston closed on 152-7 to go third in the table.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Rob Moden produced the best innings of his career for the club, when his unbeaten 96 helped the 1st Xl to their first victory of the season in Rutland League Division 1.

Although Moden has reached three figures before in the lower teams, this must go down as his best - striking 13 boundaries during the massive 153-run win at Stamford.

With Matt Wilcox weighing in with a hard-hit 50, the visitors were able to finish on 217-7.

Stamford, who narrowly won at The Avenue on the opening day, fell apart after tea as Wilcox and teenager Tyler Phillips made in-roads into their batting. The Aussie picked up 2-15 and Phillips 3-15.

With Stuart Mills and Richard Green also picking up two wicket a apiece, the 10-man home team were dismissed for a paltry 64 runs.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

A hotly-disputed leg before off the fifth ball of the final over consigned the 1st Xl to back-to-back defeats in the Tucker League, at The Avenue on Saturday.

With just two balls remaining, Tommy Howgego was adjudged lbw to give visitors Foxton their first win of the campaign with a 30-run success.

At 83-5, the visitors looked in a precarious position, but not for the first time this season March eased off and allowed their opponents back into the game. This they did by finishing on
200-9, with Matt Wilcox, Chris Ringham and Tyler Phillips picking up two wickets apiece.

Rob Woolley, who has had a tiring week at Fenners for Cambridge MCCU,  went for just 20 with the the total on 42. But while batsmen at the other end were getting out to loose shots, his opening partner Wilcox took the fight to the visitors virtually single-handedly.

The young Aussie hit 10 boundaries, including two 'sixes', during his knock of 96, but once he had departed a draw looked the best the first team could achieve...until that eventful last over!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The 1st Xl produced a spirited batting display against Rutland League Division 1 leaders and championship favourites Oundle Town - scoring 249-7 but still losing by 38 runs.

Highlight of the innings was a career best 76 from No.7 batsman Stuart Mills, who blazed a dozen boundaries, including four 'sixes' off just 46 balls.

Matt Wilcox continued his own run-scoring spree with yet another 70 runs - 36 of which came in boundaries. The Aussie, together with skipper Rob Tombs (31), shared in a second wicket stand of 79.

The other batsmen to impress on the day was teenage all-rounder Tyler Phillips, who weighed in with a very useful 30 not out.

Earlier, Oundle had cracked a massive 287-4 thanks to South African overseas player Leon Le Roux's 145. He was eventually dismissed by Callum Young, who was one of four bowlers to pick up a wicket.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

That's more like it! The 1st Xl are back in business after teenager Tyler Phillips claimed a five wicket haul in the 59-run victory against Tucker League leaders Ramsey at The Avenue on Saturday.

The tall 16-year-old, who is part of the Cambridgeshire Emerging Players Scheme, ripped the middle order out of the visitors batting line-up to pick up a telling 5-26 after tea.

The Witcham teenager showed strong character having had 14 runs whacked off his opening over to come back with three wickets in his third over. That knocked the stuffing out of Ramsey, who from 83-6 were shot out for just 120 in reply to March's 179-5.

Before Phillips' onslaught Matt Wilcox had been at his fiery best - removing the top three batsmen at a cost of 46 runs.

And the young Aussie needed all his powers of concentration when he battered 88 runs after the team found themselves two wickets down inside the opening two overs. Credit to Steve Hinson, who sacrificed his wicket in a run out calamity - with Shardul Barhmbhatt bowled the very next ball.

Wilcox hit 14 boundaries, including a 'six', in his two hour stay at the crease, where he found support from Rob Tombs and then James Harradine, with an unbeaten 38. Carl Chapman, with 15 runs off five deliveries, helped them to a respectable total.

Rob Woolley, who has had a tiring week at Fenners for Cambridge MCCU,  went for just 20 with the the total on 42. But while batsmen at the other end were getting out to loose shots, his opening partner Wilcox took the fight to the visitors virtually single-handedly.

The young Aussie hit 10 boundaries, including two 'sixes', during his knock of 96, but once he had departed a draw looked the best the first team could achieve...until that eventful last over!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

The first year of computerised fixtures in the Rutland League has done the 1st Xl no favours at all, with back-to-back defeats against Division 1 leaders Oundle Town - this time round by a huge 148-run margin, on Sunday.

An extremely depleted March side fielded their socks off and did well to contain the home side to 279-2. South African overseas player Leon Le Roux followed up the previous week's 145 with a knock of 75 before being bowled by Stuart Mills. Anthony Palmer took the only other wicket to fall.

In reply skipper Rob Tombs top-scored with 29 and Matt Wilcox 23, with Mills chipping in with 19,  Dan Martell with 18 and David Hodson 15, in the all out total of 131.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Two wickets in two balls from Shardul Brahmbhatt brought the 1st Xl a dramatic six run Tucker League victory in the final over at St Ives on Saturday, to push them up to third in the league.

The young Indian off-spinner bowled the No10 batsman off the third ball of the over and had the last man trapped first ball as St Ives - the surprise side of the season - were dismissed for 172, in the 52nd over.

The extra four overs came into play simply because the visitors were bowled out inside 44 overs - and in the end what a blessing that was.

But at 171-7 things seemed to slipping away from the 1st Xl, until a sensational throw from the boundary by Rob Tombs hit direct for a most important run out. Brahmbhatt then did the rest.

Earlier, Matt Wilcox was again outstanding with a 4-36 spell - he and Jivan Lotay dismissing the top six.

The classy Cambridge MCCU all-rounder was the main run-scorer for the visitors with a knock of 63 - an innings that included nine 'fours' and a 'six'. Carl Chapman made an important 30 at No7 in the all out total of 178.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Take away the half-century from Matt Wilcox and the eight wicket defeat to Peterborough Town at The Avenue on Sunday was another sorry performance from the 1st Xl in Rutland League Division 1.

The Aussie top-scored with 55 in the all out total of 126, which came  in less than 35 overs. He also took one of the two wickets to fall, as the side finds itself stuck in the relegation zone.

But looking on a brighter note, at least the first team have now played both the top two teams home and away.