WNCC Tour to la Manga – April 2010
Played 4, Won 2, lost 2
5th out of 8 teams
1st Match vs Exelcior CC, Holland – 9.00am 23/04/10
- WNCC won the toss and batted.
- WNCC 60 all out off 19 overs
- Excelsior 65 for 0 off 7.3 overs.
- Lost by 10 wickets
To only lose by 5 runs to the eventual winners was admirable. The fact that only 5 WNCC players turned up to the compulsory nets the evening before compared to the opposition (the eventual winners) who were at the ground at 7am doing shuttle runs and then fielding drills for over an hour said a lot about the different approaches to the task ahead. Quite nice to only have to field for 7 overs and I cannot remember a match where WNCC did not drop a catch. Interestingly after the game, as we retired to the pub for a post mortem, the Dutch were doing press ups and about to undertake another 1 hour long fielding practice.
Highlights:
Winning the toss and not having to field for 20 overs
An opening partnership by Fairey and De Vere Hunt of 22 from 6 overs (the slow hand clap appeared churlish 4 overs later as our 6th wicket fell).
Geoff Webster top scoring with 16. Yes I repeat Geoff Webster!
Simon Talbot Williams scoring 0 from 5 balls.
Will Stanton being out 1st ball – while we were debating the name of being out 1st ball in your 1st match of the season, (indeed 1st ball of a new decade) ……
Richard Stanton fell 1st ball – as he stepped back over the boundary rope he was heard to mutter “all those bloody emails organising the tour for that”
Ben Stanton – after surviving his 1st ball, the local scorer was heard saying – “well he’s the best batsmen in the family”.
2nd Match vs Bushey CC, England – 4.00pm start 23/04/10
- Bushey CC Won the toss and batted
- Bushey CC 147 for 6 from 20 overs
- WNCC – 135 for 6 from 20 overs
- Lost by 12 runs
A game we could have won. We started the match in search of our 1st wicket in three 20:20 over matches (having lost the Fisher Cup semi final last year by 10 wickets and the match earlier in the day by the same margin). After a liquid lunch the team fielded and bowled with great discipline. Richard Gottla, one of two tour professionals bought in to bring the average age down, surpassed a very impressive 4 over spell with a masterly 26. You can take the boy out of Wellington, but you can’t take the Wellington out of the boy, and an ugly swipe made in the fields of Crowthorne resulted in his demise. Stanton W was the only other player that made the game seem winnable with a quick fire innings, but his departure bought the Captain to the wicket to join Kennedy (hobbling on one leg) requiring a further 70 runs from 8 overs. 2 runs for a wide and some indisciplined bowling took the equation down to 27 from 3 overs. Rather unsportingly the opposition stopped bowling wides and the game was lost.
Highlights
Our 1st wicket for 3 matches
W Stanton getting off a pair (had a West Norfolk cricketer ever got a pair in the same day)
Talbot Williams taking a further 6 balls to get off a pair (see above)
After single handledly being responsible for losing the match the Captain was asked how it felt to be the 1st captain of WNCC who had ever lost two matches in one day and would he like to attend an emergency Committee meeting to discuss his future tenure.
3rd Match vs Madrid United, Spain – 12.30pm start 24/04/10
- WNCC Won the toss and batted
- WNCC 122 for 8 from 20 overs
- Madrid United – 89 all out
- Won by 33 runs
After an early night, WNCC were rewarded with their first win of the tour. John Everall was out 1st ball of the match (unluckily), but Gotla was the backbone of our innings with a score of 38. It was a tremendous team performance in the field with Jonathan Kennedy taking 5 for 17, but not before Gotla took 3 wickets including their reputed best player 1st ball. Thompson’s words as Madrid subsided to 37 for 7 – “ you will find as Captain of WNCC a match is never won until it’s over” were haunting me after a fine Captain’s performance moving two players to a position to which the very next ball was hit (one catch dropped by a pining Holloway, the second successfully taken by a still chuntering B Stanton) was then marred as Thompson cleaned bowled their last remaining ‘batsman’ only to find him reprieved as a no ball was called due to only 3 players in the circle. The score moved quickly to 80 for 7 until their innings was quickly over and our first win secured, meaning we finished our Group in 3rd place and our final game the following day would be for the 5th / 6th play off.
Highlights
Winning a match
A truly class all round performance from Gotla
JK getting 5 wickets (if only more bowlers would follow his example of bowling straight).
Talbot Williams fielding as far away from the Umpires (and his team mates) for the full 20 overs.
Winning a match
4th Match vs Madrid CC, Spain – 12.30pm start 25/04/10
- WNCC Won the toss and batted
- WNCC 179 for 9 from 20 overs
- Madrid CC – 150 all out
- Won by 29 runs
A game won at the breakfast table as the captain made each player draw lots for the first shot they had to play when they batted. For some reason this seemed to start each batmen with a positive mindset and led to our highest score of the tournament.
The results of the 1st shot and a brief tour report for each player were as follows:
1. Robert Gurney – The Dilshan scoop – his practice in the nets paid off as the shot was perfectly executed resulting in 4 runs over the keepers head. Went on to heave 67 in 7.3 overs. Captaincy improved as Tour went on, but for man more recognised as playing with a straight bat, was forced to change his technique early on in the tour to adapt to the tournament rules.
2. Simon Talbot Williams – The straight six – clean bowled trying to heave one off the back foot. 8 overs into the innings he was still heard muttering – “why do I always get the only good ball of the match”. An average of 3 runs in 4 completed innings including two 0’s speak volumes. Fortunately 4 daughters, under 11years old, equipped the Captain for handling his on and off field tantrums.
3. Jonathan Kennedy – The straight six – no run scored. Bowled well later on again after 1st three balls went for 6,4,6. After missing the 1st match having arrived with an injured ankle, (and threatened an early flight home), he was the go to player for the captain with a fabulous 5 wickets in the 3rd match. Not sure if the tournament organiser was too impressed, when proudly announcing how much the new La Manga state of the art pitches cost, to hear that there is a side return in Wandsworth with a wicket that costs more!
4. Ed De Vere Hunt (aka Severe – – nt ) The reverse sweep – no run scored. On the eve of the first match he described his cricketing ability as ‘an all rounder who hits it hard and won’t hang around long as I shoot from the hip’. Only when he later produced a Harrow school cap was he forgiven when we realised the origins of his misplaced self confidence. To be fair after injuring his hand on the 1st day, he did produce an all round display in our final match, but truly excelled in his role as Social secretary responsible for getting the team to bed early.
5. Richard Stanton – the straight six – six runs scored and (despite the Captains protestations) the shot of the tournament. In his three innings the 1st ball was always an event. Dismissed 1st ball in the 1st match, he gained the biggest cheer of the second day when he nudged a single to square leg to get off the dreaded King pair which was followed up by a quite extraordinary straight six in the last match off the first ball. It did not just reach the boundary – it went over the sightscreen. Pre season training had clearly paid off with a very tidy fielding performance capped off by a tumbling catch.
6. Richard Thompson – the professional leave – no runs – survived. Delighted to have passed over the reins of captaincy, was used more as a bowler than batsman. Had the misfortune of bowling at the best batsman (slogger) we faced and alongside the captain was found wanting in match 2 chasing 27 form 3 overs. Will be more remembered for his beautiful tennis strokes on the clay courts.
7. Mike Fairey – the professional leave – padded away- survived. Another who rediscovered his batting touch in the final match with some lusty blows. Was sent out to graze in the deep and almost managed to go through a game without touching the ball in the field. His biggest contribution was organising a fabulous restaurant on the Saturday night.
8. John Everall – reverse sweep (no run scored) – As the man responsible for the team kitty, he became very popular when it came to sharing taxis, buying drinks et al. A comparison with Steve Waugh was mentioned, in that we bought the wrong brother on tour.
9. Richard Gotla – reverse sweep – missed it, no runs scored. A game too far for the young tyro. After two outstanding all round performances in matches 2 and 3, he was led astray by the Stanton clan and 5 minutes before batting challenged to finish 3 pints without drawing breath. History will show that he narrowly failed to win the bet, then played 5 reverse sweeps in a row and was out for 0 from the fifth. He was certainly the ‘sickest’ player in the team. On his departure he admitted that before arriving he thought he would have to sneak down to the bar after supper for a drink on his own – clearly never been on WNCC tour before.
10. Will Stanton – the Dilshan scoop – no runs scored. Along with his younger brother, seemed to respond better after a liquid lunch with his bowling improving as the tournament progressed. Responded well to his 1st ball of the decade duck, but gave it away in the 2nd match when well set. Overclubbed it between games on the 1st day and will be remembered for having to uncharisterically retire early.
11. Geoff Webster – the professional leave – padded away – survived. The surprise ‘strokeplayer’ of the team, top scoring against the Dutch and then playing out the last 5 overs in the final match just when it looked we could throw away a winning position. A man of many previously hidden talents with his all round tennis game being another tour revelation.
12. Ben Stanton – DNB in the last match – Bowled better and better as the tournament progressed, but still had to wait until the third match before finally claiming a wicket and then got two in two balls. The 4 over format clearly suited his fitness levels and when he did bat showed everyone how to clear the ropes. His only error as vice captain was to turn down an opening slot in the batting order and then watch everyone else score his runs.
13. George Holloway – DNB in the last match. In fact I can’t remember him scoring a single run. Our 2nd professional, he clearly benefited from the rule stating that a wide is two runs, but you don’t have to bowl an extra ball – otherwise he might still be trying to finish his 1st over to this day. Dropped the only catch that came to him all tour. By the end the Captain, although fairly certain that Holloway’s deteriorating level of performance would not be contagious, was forced to drop him for the last match to prevent the rest of the team following in his footsteps.
