The 2017 competitive Kwik Cricket season began last Sunday at Fiskerton & Thurgaton Cricket Club. We have two teams in this year’s competition, which is played using an 8-a-side format, with players batting in pairs for two overs at a time, and all 8 fielders bowling one over each. It’s a great format that means everyone gets a chance to have a bat and a bowl. Our two teams are in a group with 6 other teams – Caythorpe (x2), Fiskerton & Thurgaton, Notts & Arnold, Gedling Colliery, and Kimberley. Over the course of the season every team will play each other at least once.
 
The idea is to give players a friendly introduction to competitive cricket. There are no wides called, and no stumpings. Teams start off on 100 runs, and then 6 runs are deducted for each wicket, so teams always end on a positive score. In any case the scores are not collated centrally, it’s more to keep things mildly competitive on the day.
 
The way the fixtures fell for the first week left us with a no-lose game to start the season – Calverton vs Calverton! Some great skills were on show – you can really see how all of our youngsters are coming on with their batting and bowling. There was also one of the unluckiest wickets I’ve ever seen when one batsman dragged the ball onto his own boot and then onto the stumps from way down the leg-side!
 
Our scheduled opponents for the second game (Kimberley) hadn’t turned up, so as we had 14 players, and Caythorpe were short and only had 7, we decided to put together an 11 vs 10 match so that everyone got as much of a game as possible. Following a well fought game, we just conceded a few too many wickets in our 8 overs, and Caythorpe took the win.
 
I think every player had at least one moment to look back on with pride from Sunday. With the bat there were lots of good fours scored, and a couple of sixes too. There were the bowlers who announced to the opposing umpire that they couldn’t really bowl very well, only to bowl near perfect overs. There were some good wickets taken by other bowlers, and in the field there were a couple of excellent stops on the boundary to prevent certain fours.
 
It was noticeable that a few of our players were much younger than those in one or two of the opposing teams, but they all acquitted themselves well and did a fine job of representing our club. Well done!
 
Thank you to everyone who turned up last weekend. There’s a bit of a break now with the village get-together and then half-term, so our next fixture will be on Sunday 11th June at Notts & Arnold. Fingers crossed the weather has improved by then and we have some Sunday morning sunshine.

Saturday morning was beautiful! It lasted just long enough for cricketers around the County having to make journeys just before it started to rain.

The Second XI's game at home to Stapleford and the First XI's game at Eastwood were both called off without a ball being bowled. Fruitless travel all round but there's nowt you can do about the weather!

There was a record of 8,751 fans at Trent Bridge on Sunday for their One Day clash with Lancashire.  Yes maybe many of them were there to watch Broad, Anderson and Hales. However, given the cheers at the name check there was certainly a large travelling contingent from Calverton to support the under 11’s in their Gilbert Cup Game V Keyworth.


 
The day stared with the boys being the Guard of Honour and Flag Bearers for the players entrance on to the pitch. Then it was the photo opportunity with Nuts the club Mascot. The boys then watched at close quarters Notts and Lancashire go about their business. At the interval it was their turn to grace the hallowed turf. The boys acquitted themselves magnificently, restricting Keyworth to only 221, with some tight bowling and a fantastic catch from Joe the particular stand out moment. It was then Calverton’s turn to bat and the crowd were in some real danger with big hitting into the crowd that Notts themselves would have been proud of. Come the close of the innings Calverton had amassed 255 so a great victory for the boys and thus resulting in being crowned Notts’ Gilbert Cup champs.  After the game a few of the boys stayed around for autographs which rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable day for all. Respect and Teamwork are two of our core values so hearing comments from people seeing them for the first time about how well they worked together and how supportive of each other they were are particularly pleasing. They were a real credit to themselves and the Cricket Club. Just need Notts to do their bit and the boys could be going down to Lords to play at the home of cricket.
  
Very well done to you all.

Week 2 of the SNCL fixtures saw the 1st XI entertain Wollaton at GLA and the 2nds travel to Clifton.


Wollaton had first use of the 'road' at GLA, but thanks to an inspired bowling display backed up by some excellent fielding (including 2 run outs by the 'ageless' John Nester), the innings never really got going. The 'spin twins' were on top form again sending down a total of 32 overs with combined figures of 5-98. With Kyle Welch chipping in with 2-35, Wollaton were bowled out for 168 in the final over of the allotted 48. This total shouldn't really have been much of a problem.......but it was! A combination of factors contrived against the batsman with 4 batsman adjudged LBW and none going on despite getting into double figures meant only Skipper Ryan Evans posting 45, the target of 169 wasn't reached. With the score on 168-7 most folk were ready to 'start the car' however 3 wickets fell without any addition to the score and the game was tied! A tie snatched from the jaws of victory. At least it only cost 3 points as 17 were registered for the dramatic tie, meaning 37 points have now been gleaned from a possible 40.

The 2nds travelled down the Ring Road to pre season promotion favourites Clifton with only 10 men. When Captain Waghorn trudged back from the toss wearing a forlorn look, it became apparent we were fielding first.......oh dear! It didn't take long for our fears to be realised as the Calvo bowlers were put to the sword on a belting batting wicket as the electronic scoreboard threatened to blow a fuse. As the score zoomed past 300 there was very little to enthuse about apart from the wonderful aroma of Garlic Bread emanating from the Pavilion kitchen! The 45th over of the innings provided the only highlight really, bowled by Charlie Bateman. Wickets on consecutive balls saw Charlie on a hat trick, only for the ball to fall agonizingly short of mid on. However, Charlie took another wicket with the next ball to take three in four balls and 'forcing' Clifton into declaring, meaning at least we'd claim maximum bowling points from 3 hours of agony. The Garlic Bread et al was wonderful, softening the blow and making the challenge of chasing 332 seem somewhat irrelevant! Skipper Wagg and the returning Andrew Finch opened up and showed just what a tremendous wicket it was to bat on, putting on 100 for the first wicket in just 18 overs - dare we dream? Well we could, but not for long. When Finchy departed for a brilliant 74 the scoring rate was bound to drop and 180 to maximize all the available batting points became a priority. When Wagg finally perished in the 43rd over for a patient 59, only 2 runs were needed for the 180 target which were achieved with 5 balls remaining. So a 'sound thrashing' was had, but 8 points taken from the game.

MOM's - 1st XI Darren Wright, applied the brakes taking 3-42 from 16 overs.
              2nd XI Andrew Finch, hard hitting entertainment!

With the pre season friendlies done and dusted, it was time for the real business to commence and what a first Saturday of the season it was.

The Second XI had the privilege of playing the first SNCL game of the season at GLA, whilst the First XI made the short trip down the Epperstone bypass to play Hoveringham.

Both teams lost the their respective tosses, but that would be all they'd lose on a record breaking day.

The Hoveringham skipper must still be having nightmares over asking Calverton to bat first as the runs flowed. Despite the early loss of Darren Wright, the rest of the batsman made hay taking full advantage of a particularly short boundary one side of the wicket. Scott Andrew and Adam Peel put on 131 for the second wicket before Adam fell for 63. Skipper Ryan Evans joined Scott who was making steady progress and the two of them compiled another good partnership of 81 before Ryan was adjudged LBW. By now the 'wee man' was getting into his (short) stride and a ton beckoned. Cal Williamson & Scotty added another 116 runs plundering the bowling to all parts before Scott finally fell to the last ball of the innings for a magnificent 140. Cal was undefeated on 47 as the innings closed on a mammoth 334-4.

Meanwhile up the road at GLA the Bottesford Captain was probably ruing batting first as Jarrod Bell tore the top order to shreds. Bowling with great control and enough movement to bother the batsmen, Bottesford never really threatened to post a decent score in perfect batting conditions. With Ethan Wright chipping in with 3 wickets and Jarrod returning to mop up the tail, 122 all out was a superb effort by the bowlers, Jarrod finishing up with the remarkable figures of 6-28 off 10 overs.

After the Seconds had tucked into a wonderful spread by Mrs Bateman, it was the turn of the batsmen to shine (well three of them anyway). Skipper Graham Waghorn dragged Jarrod away from the teas and out with him to open the batting, whilst Fraser Ball sat on the verandah with pad rash! 97 were added for the first wicket before the Skipper was adjudged LBW for about 50!! Fraz joined Jarrod and the remaining 25 runs were achieved without any alarms. A 9 wicket victory with 17 overs remaining - heady stuff!

Down at Hoveringham, they (Hoveringham) weren't going to die wondering! Two early wickets for the Skipper put Calvo in the driving seat, but runs were coming at a healthy lick as the score rattled along to 77-2. Then a collapse of 'Calvoesq' proportions due to fine spells of bowling by the 'spin twins' saw the hosts subside to 125 all out. Brinsley finishing with 4-20 off 8 overs and Daz with 2-15 off 5.

So, 40 points from 40 and the two biggest wins ever recorded on the same day since just prior to the Boer War!

MOM - 1st XI Scott Andrew
MOM - 2nd XI Jarrod Bell