Newsletter – June 2016
June was an up and down month for the followers of Tanworth and Camp Hill cricket, with the 1st XI recording 1 win but suffering 2 defeats, with 1 match being abandoned.
It all started so well when we visited Shipston-on-Sour and batting first, posted a very impressive 266for 6, the highlight being a century for Captain Chris. Incredibly the home team responded with 267 for 2 and secured the win. Admittedly the wicket was a batsman's paradise, but it was still disappointing to lose after setting such a challenging target. Indeed, according to the Shipston -on-Sourweb site this was the highest ever total successfully chased by the home side and we achieved the 3rd highest score ever recorded against them.
The following Saturday we were hosts toLong Itchington. We won the toss and elected to bowl. And this time, our bowlers were quickly on the mark, with the opposition struggling on 3 for 3 after 7 overs. Our fielding was sharp, the catches were held and as fresh bowlers entered the fray, wickets continued to tumble. With the score on 82 for 9, Chris decided to have a bowl and with his very first delivery removed the last batsman. This added to the 3 wickets each for Rory and Brandon, 2 for Chris Pearce and 1 for Andy
The match continued with Chris and Fred opening our batting. From the very first ball, which he blasted to the boundary, Fred took up the challenge. More boundaries quickly followed but then Chris was given out lbw and our next 2 batsmen had only fleeting visits to the crease so that after 7 overs we were on 33 for 3, of which Fred had scored 30. Continuing to hit out very strongly, Fred was on 52 when he chipped a shot to the fielder at mid-wicket and his fun was over. It was however a match winning performance. James now took up the challenge and ably supported by Dave Hill he peppered the boundary with 4's and 6's and saw us safely over the line.
Rain put paid to our next match against Catherine de Barnes without a ball being played and next up at the end of the month we welcomed Wellesbourne to Tanworth Lane.They have a 100% record this season and so we knew it would be a daunting task, although we took comfort from the fact that Tanworth Lane has become a fortress as we haven't lost a league match there for over a year.
We batted first and started with Chris and Fred easing their way into the 40's before Fred was the first wicket to fall. This set the precedent for what was to follow as successive batsmen came and went with alarming regularity as we struggled into the 70's. We needed 100 runs to secure a batting point and the likelihood of that was looking remote when Andy came to the crease. As other wickets tumbled around himhe was joined by his brother Rory and between the pair of them they struck up a good understanding and their partnership eventually meant we reached the admirable total of 150, thus securing 3 batting points.
We had given ourselves a chance but it now depended on how our bowlers would perform. Alas, it was not to be and although Brandon took a pair of wickets and Chris added a third, the Wellesbourne team cruised to a very comfortable victory
Moving on to the 2nd XI, theycameoff second best against Stratford Barbs and the following week lost again, this time to Stanway. They then bounced back with a good win versus Catherine de Barnes before rounding off the month with another win away at Inkberrow.
The junior sides are progressing well and it was a shame that previous results led to our 2 under 11 sides playing each other in the play-off quarter finals. The winning side was then at home to Kenilwoth Wardens in the semi final. We narrowly lost to them in the league, at their ground, earlier in the season and another close match was anticipated. This proved to be the case but we managed to get the better of the argument this time, running out victors by 12 runs in a very competitive and close encounter. Who would have thought, some 15 months ago, when the team was first formed, that we would be contesting the final. It just proves that with enthusiasm, effort and application, great things can be achieved
Individual match reports are set out below
11 June 2016 1st XI v Long Itchington
Whether you remember "Right said Fred", the novelty song by Bernard Cribbins (which was a hit in 1962!!) or more recently the London based band of that name, we have our own "Fred" who is top of the charts for us and who single handedly destroyed any fight back from the visitors, to land our 3rd win of the season. I'll leave it for others to decide whether our Fred lives up to the name of the debut single from the London based band (I'm too sexy) but he is certainly to be admired by sports fans when he is in this kind of form.
The story unfolded as follows. Long Itchingon were 2nd in the table when they visited Tanworth Lane on 11 June 2016. On an overcast day with the forecast of showers we won the toss and elected to bowl. And once again, our bowlers were quickly on the mark with an inspired opening salvo from the Turnbull brothers who. at an early stage had the opposition struggling on 3 for 3 after 7 overs. Our fielding was sharp, the catches were held and as fresh bowlers entered the fray, wickets continued too tumble. With the score on 82 for 9, Captain Chris decided to have a bowl and with his very first delivery removed the last batsman. This added to the 3 wickets each for Rory and Brandon, 2 for Chris Pearce and 1 for Andy. It really was a devastating performance by our bowlers, against distinguished opposition and it was a joy to watch and admire
With the unsettled weather forecast and the premature end to the first innings, tea was deferred and the match continued with Chris and Fred opening the batting. Long Itchington, with so few runs to defend, immediately went on the attack and set a very aggressive field, by crowding the bat. And so, from the very first ball, which he blasted to the boundary, Fred took up the challenge. More boundaries quickly followed but then Chris was given out lbw to a ball that hit him in the midriff (a strange decision) Our next 2 batsmen had only fleeting visits to the crease so that after 7 overs we were on 33 for 3, of which Fred had scored 30. Continuing to hit out very strongly, Fred was on 52 when he chipped a shot to the fielder at mid wicket and his fun was over. It was however a match winning performance. James now took up the challenge and ably assisted by Dave Hill he peppered the boundary with 4s and 6s to ease us home for an outstanding win.
Both our bowlers and our batsmen delivered the goods and just as important our fielding was sharp and crisp. We looked like the team 2nd in the table and if we continue to perform like is then the sky is the limit. And perhaps the whole team may adopt the mantra of "Right said Fred's" debut single.
25 June 2016 1st XI v Wellesbourne
On the last Saturday in June we welcomed the league leaders, Wellesbourne to Tanworth Lane. They have a 100% record this season and so we knew it would be a daunting task, although we took comfort from the fact that Tanworth Lane has become a fortress as we haven't lost a league match there for over a year. Sunshine and showers were the order ofthe day and although the showers caused a few disruptions to play, there was never any danger of the match suffering the same abandonments endured by a number of Cotswold League clubs on the day.
We batted first and started with Chris and Fred easing their way into the 40's before Fred was the first wicket to fall. This set the precedent for what was to follow as successive batsmen came and went with alarming regularity as we struggled into the 70's. To be fair, Chris was looking his usual solid self until falling and both Rich and Tom looked like scoring well until they also succumbed to the opposition bowlers. We needed 100 runs to secure a batting point and the likelihood of that was looking remote when Andy came to the crease. As other wickets tumbled around himhe was joined by his brother Rory, batting at 10 and between the pair of them they struck up a good understanding and their partnership eventually meant we reached the admirable total of 150, thus securing 3 batting points. Andy has already proved himself to be a very capable batsman and this performance was out of the top drawer, as he batted confidently with a good application of how to bat on the slow wicket, grabbing our innings by the scruff of the neck and marching our total onwards. Andy was eventually given out lbw for 44.
Having played the supporting role, Rory now stepped up to the mantle and in particular hit two 6's near the end to leave him on 25 not out at the close of the innings. And these 6's were not slogs, where he hit and hoped for the best, they were sweet crisp shots, with a swing that namesake Rory McIroy would have been proud of.
We had given ourselves a chance but it now depended on how our bowlers would perform. They have more often than not reeked havoc this season and a few early wickets could prove invaluable. Alas, it was not to be and although Brandon took a pair of wickets and Chris added a third, the Wellesbourne team cruised to a very comfortable victory
As we approach the half way point of the season it's an opportune time to mention some of the highlights so far, which include some terrific performances with the bat by Chris, most notable of which was his century at Shipston. We have also enjoyed some batting excellence this season from Fred, a match winning innings from James and some superb spin bowling from Brandon who is leading wicket taker this season.
Some would say it is wrong to single out individuals in what is a team sport and you don't have to look any further than England's abject performance against Iceland at the European Football Championships to understand that a team full of supposedly superior players can lose to a collective unit that combines more efficiently. It should not have been a surprise as Leicester City had already written the script in the Premiership. However it is natural for there to be varying capabilities in any team, but the thing not to lose sight of is the importance of the contribution from EACH and EVERY team member.
As Frank Dick said when he was in charge of British athletics, he expected and accepted nothing but a win from Daley Thompson. But for the athlete who usually finished 8th, if they could up their game and finish 6th or 7th, then it was unexpected and bonus points which could make all the difference at the end of the day. So, if you haven't had a specific mention in this or any other reports I apologise, but please rest assured that your contribution to the cause is appreciated
Junior under 11’s semi final v Kenilworth Wardens
We were defeated by Kenilworth in the group phase by just 3 runs, therefore, we knew we had a tough game ahead, but revenge was certainly on our minds heading into the game! The sun was out and the stage was set with the ground in pristine condition for a fantastic morning of cricket.
We lost the toss and were inserted by the visitors and we decided to adjust our pairings in an attempt to put as many runs on the board as possible. Tanav and George were first up and it was a positive start, with George pulling a short ball for 4 and in combination with good running, we added 12 in the first 4 overs, however we lost a wicket in the final over to reduce the score to 208-1.
Louis and Gus were next to take to the crease. Louis timed a cut shot to perfection in the first over through point and a platform for the final 4 batsman was looking strong, before Kenilworth utilised their sharp fielding skills to run out the TACH pair 3 times. Louis added another boundary in a sublime 11 not out to help us restore the runs lost. We were now 214-4 from 8.
Oscar and Alfie batted next and the instructions were to push on and take the game to the opposition. Oscar took no time at all in doing just that, using his power and placement to strike 2 boundaries. Alfie supported with positive calling and running but unfortunately lost his wicket twice and the scoreboard made good reading for Kenilworth at 218-6 from 12.
A big push was required from Tanworth to achieve a defendable score. This challenge increased in difficulty, as their strongest bowlers were back into the attack and looked to restrict the scoring. Jo Kelso had other ideas. He batted beautifully, timing the ball to all parts and creating pressure on the fielders, which led to overthrows and an increase in bad balls which were put away with style, particularly through the off side! Ted ran superbly well, hit a reverse sweep for 4 and gave enough strike to Jo, enabling him to make very good bowling look much less threatening! He finished on 24, the team on 247-8, a challenging score and the momentum was very much with us heading into the second half!
Wardens' reply started perfectly, taking 10 runs off the first 2 overs and it was looking like an uphill task to restrict the free flow of runs. However, Tanav entered the attack and bowled a match-changing over, smashing the ball into the stumps twice in the over to give us new found belief and this was reflected in the noise levels and confidence every fielder possessed. This resulted in a score of 201-3 from 4 overs after a fantastic run out!
The following 4 overs were pivotal and there was a clear difference in batting strength within the pair. Our plan was to let the strong batsman take 1 run and then squeeze his partner, which worked superbly well for us. The dot balls mounted and Louis and Alfie bowled terrific overs, forcing the batsman to play big shots and this resulted in Ted taking a crucial wicket. Mention also for Gus' tight over under pressure, going for just 6 runs! 212-4 from 8.
The 3rd pair contained two district players, so it was going to be hard work to continue our increasing dominance on the game. Jo came into the attack and took a sublime caught and bowled with his first ball! A few boundaries followed however and the game was back in the balance for a spell before two fantastic run outs from Ted and Alfie pushed wardens back a further 8 runs, showing that the fielding drills at training are paying off!
The game was now on a knife edge. 25 needed from 24 balls and there was a long conversation to decide the next bowler, but it was a tremendous show of sportsmanship from Ted who allowed Alfie to bowl the disputed over. This epitomised our team spirit on the day and Ted should be applauded for his honesty! Alfie went on to bowl a great over, with just 4 runs coming from it and a vital dot ball at the end! Jo had 2 overs in hand so, he knew he had a difficult task in keeping the scoring down! 4 singles followed but Jo took yet another wicket! A terrific catch from Louis at mid-wicket, to leave the visitors requiring 21 from 12 balls. Up stepped Oscar to bowl the penultimate over.
By this stage, the batsmen were going for it and were attempting at score as many boundaries as possible. Oscar responded with tight lines and lengths and the pressure proved to be too much after an amazing throw from Alfie and a pick up to match the description from Oscar caused a run out! 18 needed from 6. A boundary and a no ball meant 10 off 3, then 9 off 2. It was time for a cool head and Jo took his 3rd wicket, another caught and bowled to seal victory and sparking celebrations from the TACH faithful.
A fantastic team performance. Even when the going was tough with the bat, we dug deep and set a good score. But to follow that up with a near perfect performance in the field gave us the 12-run win and to see the team spirit throughout was a joy to witness. This was highlighted by a post-game celebration of DJ Bravo's 'Champion' Dance, which is a big hit within the players and was a great way to round off a superb morning of cricket!
We now move on to the Cotswold Hills League Final against Wellesbourne on Sunday 17th July at Evesham and we go there full of confidence, knowing that a similar display in the final gives us every chance of glory!
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