Match Report - Saturday 15th August

Saturday wasn't the prettiest of days, both weather and match-wise. The army of Comms elves giving updates were kept busy everywhere by the rain (much love as always). Us, we chose to use Captain Birdseye as our fashion inspiration (fresh from repatriating tourists overnight from France on our fishing boat), stepping out in a bright yellow mac and CCC bobble hat (the latter yours too to own by purchasing from the club shop, a snip at £8.50), and we decreed we may have looked ridiculous (we caused the Egham team at the Rec in particular much amusement) but we were dry, that was the main thing.

The attire, being highly conspicuous, continued to cause us a few problems later on at the 1s match v Hampton Hill (Bushey Park), who had next to no rain while their 3rd XI equivalent were doing the hokey cokey over at Carlisle Park half a mile away. The 1s are on somewhat of a winning streak, and you can see they are confident in not only the team's ability but invidually with Cap'n Ogle at the helm, nice to watch. Batting first, Elliott Bloomfield put in an "entertaining" 44 (quoted Hampton Hill's Twitter feed), Greg Burton underpinning the innings and top scoring on 51*, mention to Dave Risk too, who batted a nice 22, and also when the time came fielded like a cat, although fast forward 24 hours at CPL and he looked like a cat who'd eaten too many Dreamies, moving only when absolutely neccesary. 

A spot of rain in the BYOTB and the 1s set about getting the job done, and confidently whipped through the Hampton Hill attack with not much resistance, Will Cooper in particular giving them some problems. Set on the north-west side of the park just back from the suburban high street through a gate, you were still very much treated to the perks of what you'd expect from a club nestled in Bushey Park - thoroughfare, beautiful scenery, and DEER. Now we've come across this lesser-seen-in-Chertsey species before at the 3s match v Teddington Tahn but they didn't give us much trouble on that occasion, but this time around they decided to take a cautious look at the 1s during their fielding innings (I mean why wouldn't you), when they got a bit brave the 1s tried to move them on by ironically clapping them off, but this resulted in the panicked herd heading towards yours truly, so our life flashed before our eyes a bit. Deer 1 - Comms 0. Next up for the 1s is a rearranged Challenge Cup match at Staines & Laleham tonight from 5.45pm.

Chertsey itself remained dry for most of the day, and over at the Club the 2s entertained Egham, finding themselves all out for 119, and up against a 13 year old opener scoring sensation who chipped in with 43, but the game went down to the wire with a defeat in the last ball, after needing just 8 from 3 overs, Cap'n Wiggins' men just letting the middle overs run away with them slightly. There was one thing to cheer though - beloved Umpire Alan's platinum jubilee - 100 matches of services to umpiring for CCC. What do you get for an umpiring centenery? A chance to run around with the stumps in the air? In any case, thankyou and congratulations Sir, here's to the next 100.

The 3s were over at Carlisle Park taking on Hampton Hill with caretaker captain Kevin O'Flynn at the helm (Lloydy positioned on a sun lounger in the sun, but still very much involved), and were treated to an astro pitch to play on (got that to look forward to 4s), and with the deluge choosing them over the 1s, it made the aftermentioned surface more or less an ice rink in the rain. After dancing between rain delays, and wondering why the tennis lessons next door were still going on (£££ was the answer it was decided) it was agreed there'd be a reduced game and any more rain would call it off. But rain never came... and after a fraught Hampton Hill fielding innings and a shift by Lee Houghton (55), Josh Loveridge (44), and Charlie Eagles (24), they prevailed with a couple of overs to go and a well-fought win. Cap'n Lloydy cock-a-hoop. 

The 4s, with Cap'n Toone returning from a break in Crete (he must have passed Cap'n Lloydy in the airport terminal), were taking on Egham at the Rec, and had the pleasure of a trio of Barnes' in the side - James, Rosie, and Dad Nick. Liam Fisher, on his return to the 4s, looked effective, but it was Martin Barnard who whipped through the Egham batsmen with some less than pretty scalps we hear, but it doesn't matter how you get them Martin, as long as you get them. Egham set one of those larger-than-we'd-like Challenge Cup scores and despite a MA 47 it was unfortunately just too far out of reach.


Seniors

Saturday 15th August
Challenge Cup Group 2 - Hampton Hill 161-9 v 1st XI 173-8 (A - Bushey Park) 
Greg Burton 52*, Will Cooper 2-19, Jamie Anthony 2-27

Challenge Cup Group 15 - 2nd XI 119 a/o v Egham 120-3 (H) 
Cameron Wakefield 22, Troy Bolger 1-8

Challenge Cup Group 28 - Hampton Hill 183-4 v 3rd XI 184-6 (A - Carlisle Park) 
Lee Houghton 55, James Woolerton 1-3, Sam Stratton 1-21, Ravi Patel 1-25, Joe Blanks 1-52

Challenge Cup Group 41 - 4th XI 129-9 v Egham 234 a/o (HRec) 
Martin Allen 47, Martin Barnard 4-43