The countdown is firmly on for the first round of the CPL100 tournament Claire, we're now just four days away. If you're not familiar with what the foggy is going on let's catch you up.
In a nutshell each season we hold a 20-over pyjama cricket tournament called the Chertsey Premier League which is played the last Sunday of every month until Finals Day on August Bank Holiday, where the great and the good of Chertsey and the surrounding area (in the form of luxuries and/or legends) play each other in a round-robin format to decide who is top of the crop. There are four Chertsey-themed teams in the mix; Meads Enforcers, Gogmore Knights, Bourne Stars, and Grove Armada.
Last year it was the Gogmore Knights who came out victorious, but this year its had a bit of a glow up so its anyone's game. New kit, new captains (ish), new format, as to tie in the 100 Years at Grove Road Celebrations we're adopting The Hundred for one year only. Get your brainbox round that. We've already recorded our Comms vote and the Public vote (via Insta) on who we think is going to win the tournament, look out for that one Finals Day. We're usually horribly wrong for info.
We've done the first round draw, Boasty took care of that - and each winner voted the CPL100 Moment of the Round will have the pleasure going forward.
Here's how its going to go down Round 1 on Sunday:
Bourne Stars v Grove Armada (1pm)
Gogmore Knights v Meads Enforcers (3.45pm)
You can check out the full squads here and we made a kit reveal on the socials at 12pm today so keep an eye out for that. They're good - big thanks to Sharks for supplying.
Notable Mentions
To Saturday. We stayed local to Chertsey (cost of living, end of the month, yada yada) so first up were the 1s. Chessington had done their homework and removed both openers swiftly, Karthik Menon at #3 felt hard done by with his dismissal and the 1s found themselves 49-4 after an hour in. When we left for the Rec overseas Eric Osner was in with Jack Ogle in his first game of the season (scoring 23), and when we came back nearing the end of the 4s innings he was still in underpinning things, eventually reaching his first Chertsey 50 and ending on 57 off 109 balls. 13,157km away Cape Town was cock-a-hoop we can tell you. Fist-bump to Will Cooper too (17) with an inspired innings, and Chessington were set 180 for the win. Par, and a good recovery, but possibly just a little shy.
Chessington were pushed all the way, and the 1s chipped away at them. With time running out Chessington found themselves 158-8 off 44. That's when things got really itchy. 163-9. All #9 & 11 had to do was hold on for six-ish overs, and it turned into quite a battle of wills between them and the Chertsey bowlers, but Chessington came off victorious. Pushed it all the way though and wickets were shared around, Eric removing the middle order, Jake Taylor with some epic stumpings. We find ourselves dropped down one spot league-wise, but a long way to go in proceedings so no fear.
Over at Dorking the 2s were having quite an out of body experience, and it wasn't the fumes of the M25 catching up with them. Bolstered batting-wise by the returning JR (James Richards) with 24, Ishaan Pal impressed on debut with 20, they got to 101 all out. Here we go we thought. What they didn't bank on though was a Dorking team that were hapless (they're not behind us are they?). The top four amalgamated 38 between them, Stuart Eagles nabbing a 5fer (5-23), his best figures since 2019. Dorking didn't get much better as things went on and the 2s persevered, the win coming with 20 runs to spare.
The 3rd XI were batting first over at Hampton Wick and found themselves 7-2 - let the carnage commence. Step forward Wooltorton & Harris who put on a stand of 65 between them, Ethan Austin impressing for his 18, but it was John Bailey's turn this week to go nuts and biffed 64 from 68 - six fours and three a-six-aaaas. We think you have found your spiritual home Mr Bailey.
In reply the 3s just wouldn't allow Hampton Wick to get going, and everyone had a hand in the demolition job - Jack Lloyd in the wickets with 2, John Bailey 3, Vishnu popped up with 1, but it was Boasty with 4-20 who takes the spoils. They had a ball by all accounts.
Over at the pudding bowl that is the Rec the 4s found it was a case of Play Your Cards Right - high and low balls bamboozling batsmen all over the shop. No-one came away with a speedboat though and they found themselves in familiar territory and 77 all out.
By return Hampton Wick found themselves 5-1, but #1 & #3 clubbed together and took things home, Josh Loveridge and Tom Bolger economical with their bowling.
Sunday saw Reigate Priory Cavaliers as the late shoe-in, Josh Fyfe continuing his form with the bat from the morning's U15 match with 23, but it was Felix Reisch showing his class with 38 who top-scored, Ravi Patel not far behind with 21, the Priory were set 160 for the win.
In return James Pearson made the initial breakthrough for the Sunday XI, six of the wickets bowldeys overall, and it was Arthur Walmsley's dibbly dobblers that bamboozled the Priory's tail and had them all out for 118. Highlight of our Sunday though, and every Sunday, is watching the XI try to put the rope away, we'll give them credit its not easy, and they get better week on week, they've got it down to about 25 minutes now in between tea breaks and rolling about.
Last Friday we had the newly-formed Butterflies emerge from their chrysalis, to play in their first ever Smash It, taking on Pirbright. They had a ball by all accounts and started things off with a win too!
The Ladies played Twickenham last night in their Slam game and were much improved, Lilly Rowe and Shannen Miah seeing the innings through, opener Lilly with 12 and Shannen 17 on Slam debut. The innings solidified and taking advantage of the extras, 92 the target. In return Chertsey nabbed an early wicket, one of three run outs during the innings (Amy Bailey 2, Bonnie Edwards 1). Britt Measor and Lilly Rowe proved economical, Freya Edwards getting in amongst it on Slam debut, all bowlers bowling tight, Twickenham not getting a sniff in. Time flew by, and when we checked in there were three overs to go, forty runs to attain? Have we got the overs right? Yes we have... And lo, the win cometh - Captain Carli's first in the competition and we're of no doubt first of many.
Over in our favourite place: Colts Land, it was a bumper Sunday, with all four teams in the mix coming out victorious, against some top teams too. This we love to see. Here are the highlights:
The U10s had Malden Wanderers and picked up their second win, Albert Edwards nabbing two wickets, James Farrer economical. Captain Owen Jeffries biffed 7 from 6, and plenty to go on going forward.
The U12s dev coach Matt Henton wrote us a whole match report for his Sunday game v Sunbury so chuffed was he:
Sunbury were restricted to 121 from their 20 overs with some tight fielding and accurate bowling. Two great catches from Riley Morris helped to keep the wickets tumbling. Enan Parmar was the pick of the bowlers with 2 wickets for just 5 runs from his 2 overs.
In reply, Chertsey got off to a great start thanks to a 58 run opening partnership between Kit Schofield and Lottie Sewell, the latest eventually going for 10. Kit retired unbeaten on 32 for the second match on a row. Willem Warden took up the challenge and was still there at the end on 17 not out. Alfie Meredith and Enan chipped in with useful knocks but it was Max Toogood who hit the winning runs with 4 balls to spare. A controlled performance made it two wins from two for the Under 12 tier 2 team.
The U14s were taking on Windsor away and started exceptionally, openers Aidan Cassin & Adam Thaliwal putting on 36 between them. The middle order of Barnaby Rowe (19), Maff Barnes (22) and Josh Hawksley (40* ret) going for it, leading the team to 149-6 off their 20.
It was a chunky score for Windsor to attain, and after a steady start they were restricted and pushed back, the lower order crumbling, and the U14s coming away with the win, Luke Russell and Adam Thaliwal coming away with two wickets a-piece.
The U15s had an early morning fixture against Wimbledon and had a pesky opener that refused to depart the crease. Can happen. Getting over half his team's runs once he'd gone the Wimbledon batters fell like dominos and 126 was the score to get, Captain Pearson efficient in the field and Ed Marsh with a wicket where the stump nearly landed on the boundary. The response didn't quite go the way they wanted to start, 0-1 to 22-3 but opener Josh Fyfe hung around and was unlucky not to get his 50, his highest batting score for Chertsey so far, and setting the team firmly on their way. Mark Lemon chipped in with 30, and it was left to Ed Marsh & George "Jorge" Marshall to get them over the line.
So from that little lot who do we award the (we understand) coveted Bluecaps Champagne Moment of the Week? As ever there were a few in the mix, Eric nabbing his first Chertsey 50, Captain Carli nabbing her first Slam win (both first of many we hope), Eagles' 5-fer, the Butterflies' debut, John Bailey's 64*, all Colts winning on Sunday Funday, but this week's honour goes to a young chap who has had a busy 8 days.
He's been popping up on our radar in Notable Mentions the last two weeks with a prominent (ret) *, has amassed 121 runs in four fixtures (Woking & Horsell, Bagshot, Sunbury, Thames Ditton spread around the U12s & U13s) and is #4 in the CCC batting list at the time of going to press. We were keenly watching to see how long his unbeaten run went on for and know he was understandably super superstitious, but sadly it came to an end this week against Thames Ditton. Step forward Kit Schofield, and well done Sir, what a run.
Friday 20th May
Smash It Festival U9 Girls 24-2 (Net score 214) - Pirbright 16-2 (Net score 206)
Saturday 21st May
LOSS League - 1st XI 179 a/o v Chessington 182-9 (H)
Eric Osner 57, Eric Osner 3-24
WIN League - 2nd XI 101 a/o v Dorking 81 a/o (A)
James Richards 24, Stuart Eagles 5-23
WIN League - 3rd XI 177-8 v Hampton Wick Royal 132 a/o (A)
John Bailey 64*, Phil Boast 4-20
LOSS League - 4th XI 77 a/o v Hampton Wick Royal 78-3 (Hrec)
Raj Bahbra 19, Tom Bolger 2-15
Sunday 22nd May
U15s 125-5 v Wimbledon 124 a/o
Josh Fyfe 46, Ed Marsh 3-20
U12s 124-3 v Sunbury 121-7
Kit Schofield 32* (ret), Enan Parmar 2-5
U10s 66-5 (Net score 241) v Malden Wanderers 58-5 (Net score 233)
Thomas Box, Owen Jeffries 7, Albert Edwards 2-7
U14s 137-6 v Windsor 149-6
Josh Hawksley 40* (ret), Adam Thaliwal 2-15, Luke Russell 2-22
Sunday XI 159 a/o v Reigate Priory Cavaliers 118 a/o (H)
Felix Reisch 38, Ravi Patel 3-9, Arthur Walmsley 3-9
Tuesday 24th May
U13s 71-9 v Thames Ditton 73-5
Kit Schofield 27, Adam Osborn 2-3
Wednesday 25th May
Surrey Slam - Ladies 91-3 v Twickenham 69-3
Shannen Miah 17
Fixture Card
Its the first time this season we've had four teams out for the Social League, and Pirates v Academy are the feature match tonight so pop down for a social Thursday, that's always a bit of a tasty fixture.
Saturday we've given ourselves a bit of a mission and thrown petrol money caution to the wind, as we're going to attempt a quadruple visitation, 1s at Hampton Wick (they nicked Boasty's cap last week so we've been sent to retrieve it), 2s at home to Chipstead "can I have a vowel please Carol", Coulsdon & Walcountians, 3s are at the banana split that is the Rec taking on Old Hamptonians, and the 4s will be at another bowl, just Valley Ends.
Sunday sees the first round of the CPL100, and the Ladies will be in action against South Nutfield away, the girls are also back in action against Horsley & Send at home next Wednesday, that's one not to miss.
Thursday 26th May
Social League - Pirates v Academy (H)
Social League - Marist v Chertsey Ladies & Co (Habb)
Social League - Vet Labs v Woking Council (Hrec)
Social League - Otters 11 v Salesians (Hott)
*Hott - Ottershaw Rec
U15s v Woking & Horsell
U13s v Weybridge
Saturday 28th May
U11 dev v East Molesey
1st XI v Hampton Wick (A) 12pm
Off Park Road, Hampton Wick, Surrey, KT1 4AZ
2nd XI v Chipstead Coulsdon & Walcountians (H) 12pm
3rd XI v Old Hamptonians (Hrec) 1pm
4th XI v Valley End (A) 1pm
Windlesham Road, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SN
Sunday 29th May
U12s v Horsley & Send
U15s v Cranleigh
U11s v Esher
U13s v Byfleet
League - Ladies v South Nutfield (A) 2pm
Mid Street, South Nutfield, Surrey, RH1 5SE
CPL100 - Bourne Stars v Grove Armada (1pm)
CPL100 - Gogmore Knights v Meads Enforcers (3.45pm)
Monday 30th May
U11 dev v Ashstead (H) - THE MONDAY MATCH
Wednesday 1st June
Cup - U14s v Guildford
Girls U13/U14 v Horsley & Send (H)
Dates for Your Diary
29th May - CPL100 Round 1
12th June – Chertsey Legends Day Home v Away
13th June – Ladies Interclub Match
14th June – Chertsey XI v Surrey XI Walking Cricket
15th June – Chertsey XI v The Stage CC
16th June – The Social League is 25 Years Old - Babs' Army v Chertsey Ladies & Co
17th June – Colts Family Fun Evening
18th June – League Game - 1st XI v Streatham & Marlborough
19th June – Chertsey XI v Lords Taverners
26th June - CPL100 Round 2
10th July - Colts Day
17th July - President's Day
24th July - CPL100 Round 3
28th August - CPL100 Finals Day
2nd October - Cowpat Day
We're off to find the light up bails, see you at the weekend.
