Brooke CC Club Sunday XI

As the only game played this weekend I thought it would be good to write a report!

Pressure on places in the team this Sunday (fantastic), not least because the 1st and 2nd team got called off on Saturday. I turned up at the ground thinking this is the first time we've played at home for a while, it's great to be here, we all are lucky to be playing our cricket here, it's a local derby!! A big thank you to everyone who ensured that we got the game on, the wicket and the outfield were great. Big sporting hugs to all!

The madness of the Sunday cricket 1 ball rule dominates the game, especially when the ground is damp. how can we bring on bowlers who, if were fielding second, have to bowl with a ball that's scratched and caked in loam!! we got put in as I lost the toss and we did a curit's egg, good in parts! I got 30, Jon A got a great 50 and we totalled 150 following a cameo 18 from Ben Nolan in about 10 balls!! He could be our Botham!!

We knew we didn't get enough runs so wickets were everything, Oli and Ben opened and it was quite a partnership, Oli even took the second wicket catch from Ben as a huge fly-ball went down to deep fine leg. Ben would agree though that the pick was Oli, fired up and fantastic, it was really great, unplayable at times. Ben and Oli took the wickets but Topcroft got the score within 25 overs for 4 wickets.

The story of the day though is of determination and competitiveness, Matt Babbington's fielding was excellent. Tom frosdick bowled with some real aggression, it was the first time Tom and if you want to get there, that's what it takes. Jim and Tom W were also spot on in the field. the end was a bit of a damp squib but I honestly feel that we hit some highs today and it all bodes well for next season.

------------------------------

Hi all,

I'm adding a few lines from our Sunday league game today because I feel it has resonance for what we are all striving for as a club. I was driving around on Saturday when I heard Radio Norfolk tell me that Panter and Shearer were taking it to Downham! I was so proud of you both I felt a shiver. I was also thinking though, what will happen on Sunday? the reason being that when we play on Sunday, teams are thinking 'we're playing Brooke' and they set themselves accordingly!

Today was the most extreme contrast, I talked to their skipper in the week and explained that we were taking a developmental side however we turned up to find 5 first team players from N&C Wanderers plus a professional. What do you do? Monkey (their Captain) won the toss and I looked him hard in the eye, he said 'I think you can have a bat' and I thanked him. He knew that we could be chasing the ball for 40 overs while some first team players got some net practice scoring 450 odd.

In the end we got 110, Oli got a scorcher, JA, Phil and me got 20s and we struggled through. credit goes to Matt Carver who was looking good until I ran him out! Matt Babington who batted for 10 overs with technique and concentration, you are a cricketer Matt through and through keep at it, also credit to Tom (hit's it hard but too much in the air) Westgate.

We bowled with our juniors and they won without us taking a wicket in 17 overs. This is a message to us all, it's really hard losing like that, those of us who've played at all levels in the club felt sick at the end. We can't have a gap between the first team and the development team as big as it is because it feels like the Gulf of Mexico and you know what that's like at the moment!!

This message, however goes out not as a complaint, but as a reflection on what it was like. We must enhance the idea of cricket development to keep up with the standards we want.

All the best

Jon

---------------------------------------

I know I shouldn't be but I feel gutted that we lost today and that's because we had better players in our team but the subtleties of the game all worked in their favour.

I won the toss and elected to follow the old addage of 'think about it for a moment and then decide to bat!' perhaps that was the wrong thing to do, it's a one ball game and they got to open in the humidity with the ball swinging about like crazy. Oli and I stayed there against some great bowling from their skipper putting on 80 odd for the first wicket but it had taken us nearly 20 overs because they'd put it on the spot. we all got to bat before the end and we knew that the 172 we posted was at least 30 short of what we wanted. Oli top scored the game with 68 and it wasn't just good cricket, it was a thinking innings. he gave me a talking to at one point when the balls were flying past and I really appreciated it. thanks Oli.

We were up for it and really spirited in the field, Rick and Harold opened up and we got hit for more than we'd wanted. Harold did well with a gusting wind but Rick will admit that he struggled, it just wasn't the conditions for him. they got to 50 really quickly and so we changed tack and decided wickets were where it was at! Oli and Ali bowled and cut in to them it was so exciting. then Phil carver came on and they just couldn't play him!

We got 6 wickets and their tail was weaker than Roy after his haircut (he now has to find his delilah) however the village blacksmith managed to bludgeon his way through to the end.

I'm really sorry we didn't win, thanks to everyone who took part in the games particularly to Ali for being a great inspiration and my vice captain who is a top drawer cricketer and a real competitor.

Jon

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Sunday 28th June away at Ashmanaugh

A game in the heat that exemplified what's good and unfortunately what's often poor and frustrating about Sunday League cricket. I won the toss, much to the relief of the football hooligan element in the team who settled back to be entertained by England while Oliver Stamp set about the Ashmanaugh bowling. He scored 98, never looking in any trouble but gloved a chance to the keeper just when we thought he was home and dry. We ended up with 217 for 10 off 38 overs. A good contribution of 15 from Arthur Sauverin, keep working Arthur your are getting there!

Unfortunately Ashmanaugh took over 3 hours to bowl their overs they made more field changes in one over than I made in the whole match!! once we'd managed to drag them out from the changing room after tea we managed to get their innings started. We gave a lot of runs away in the early overs with the young guys bowling, no blame here but a message about line and length which is all we're asking for. work to do in the nets.

Fidders looked great for a couple of overs and then did his hamstring (it's all the rage among the veterans!!) so Jon Andrews stepped up to the plate and bowled really well. 10 overs 5 wickets for 44 runs including their Aussie overseas who we got out for a duck as he clipped a ball to backward square leg and the skipper dived and caught it!! (See how I got that in there) cue celebrations as we needed just 3 more wickets with 10 overs to go and plenty of runs we felt to play with. Unfortunately a young lad who came to the crease and batted well for a few overs edged the ball to the keeper and didn't walk, the umpire stood firm and it was difficult to take. We had apologies from the square leg umpire and others in the team at the end of the game but it did feel bad especially because he had a Norfolk crest on his helmet.

Ashmanaugh got the runs with 2 overs to spare, we finished late, disappointed but retained a good spirit. the model of senior players and juniors is coming together well but we need to work on ensuring the juniors contribute more to the overall effort.

Jon

---------------------------------

I'll add a bit of detail to the Captains report about today at Brooke. First to say that we had great support throughout the game and the atmosphere was terrific.

Terrington are no push over, they came to win and I think fancied their chances. I lost the toss and they decided to bat, I'd already decided to put them in and chase so although that is yet another toss loss from yours truly it worked in our favour. the new ball swung in a humid atmosphere and Ben Prentice was simply too good for them, 5 overs, 1 maiden, four wickets for 8 runs! fantastic.

We bowled them out for 132 which could have been less and I will be thinking about being more ruthless in the semi final. I must add that Tom Riddell who is still 15, bowled 8 overs of off spin which they often struggled to play, lots of flight and great confidence. this was coupled by some outstanding fielding, well done Tom.

We lost some discipline at times towards the end of their innings, a bit of 'well this is just Sunday cricket' crept in. I have to say, I'm not interested in that and we need to get it out of our systems. the young players who are playing on Sunday are there to prepare for playing at a higher level and we need to show them what it takes.

Batting wise, Jez and I took the score through to 30 odd against some acurate bowling and we all contributed to the eventual victory. Congratulations to Oli and Ben who got a great 50 odd partnership to take us through at the end. they were never going to fail it was excellent. both were kind enough to stop short of the 28 scored by the skipper with the end batting scores reading JW 28, BP 27, OS 26, JA 24!

I'm a happy man

----------------------------------

Thanks to everyone who turned out tonight for the Broke Cup match, particularly Ric H and Andy W for stepping in, you are both club heroes!!. It was my first win as Captain and I'm chuffed about that, but I'm most pleased because they (Chapelfield) were completely outclassed. We were focussed and disciplined from the off and the bowling was spot on, all bowling to their field..... let's hear it for Jon Andrews, 4 great wickets and a run out.... nice Jug!

they scored 93 batting first, 60 odd of those were put on by our opening partnership of Jez Andrews and Arthur Sauverin both 16!! This is what we want, it was great. we won comfortably and are now in to the 1/4 final.

I think we should go for it in this cup competition. if we're serious about bringing the youth on then let's look at each game and decide who we need to field with them. We only survived to play a 20 - 20 tonight because Ali Shearer took it too them on Sunday. the kids at the club need to play with the best players, that's the way we'll progress!!

Jon

-----------------------

Sunday 9th May

Carter Cup v Horsford

Brooke were easily beaten by Horsford in the first round of the Carter
Cup. With Ryan Findlay taking 3 for 8, Richard Gilliat 3 for 24,
Matthew Warnes and Luke Caswell both taking 2 for 35, we were quickly
bowled out for 102 in only 33 overs. Chris Sheehy top scored for
Brooke with 18.

Horsford hit the winning runs for the loss of just 2 wickets in 17
overs, thanks mainly to 40 not out from Jon Atkinson and 32 from
Nathan Perry-Warnes. With one wicket falling to a run-out, the other
went to John Habershon, who bowled well and took 1 for 15 in his 6
overs.



	Brooke Cricket Club - Sunday XI

		As the only game played this weekend I thought it would be good to write a report! Pressure on places in the team this Sunday (fantastic), not least because the 1st and 2nd team got called off on Saturday. I turned up at the ground thinking this is the first time we've played at home for a while, it's great to be here, we all are lucky to be playing our cricket here, it's a local derby!! A big thank you to everyone who ensured that we got the game on, the wicket and the outfield were great. Big sporting hugs to all! The madness of the Sunday cricket 1 ball rule dominates the game, especially when the ground is damp. how can we bring on bowlers who, if were fielding second, have to bowl with a ball that's scratched and caked in loam!! we got put in as I lost the toss and we did a curit's egg, good in parts! I got 30, Jon A got a great 50 and we totalled 150 following a cameo 18 from Ben Nolan in about 10 balls!! He could be our Botham!! We knew we didn't get enough runs so wickets were everything, Oli and Ben opened and it was quite a partnership, Oli even took the second wicket catch from Ben as a huge fly-ball went down to deep fine leg. Ben would agree though that the pick was Oli, fired up and fantastic, it was really great, unplayable at times. Ben and Oli took the wickets but Topcroft got the score within 25 overs for 4 wickets. The story of the day though is of determination and competitiveness, Matt Babbington's fielding was excellent. Tom frosdick bowled with some real aggression, it was the first time Tom and if you want to get there, that's what it takes. Jim and Tom W were also spot on in the field. the end was a bit of a damp squib but I honestly feel that we hit some highs today and it all bodes well for next season. J ------------------------------ Hi all, I'm adding a few lines from our Sunday league game today because I feel it has resonance for what we are all striving for as a club. I was driving around on Saturday when I heard Radio Norfolk tell me that Panter and Shearer were taking it to Downham! I was so proud of you both I felt a shiver. I was also thinking though, what will happen on Sunday? the reason being that when we play on Sunday, teams are thinking 'we're playing Brooke' and they set themselves accordingly! Today was the most extreme contrast, I talked to their skipper in the week and explained that we were taking a developmental side however we turned up to find 5 first team players from N&C Wanderers plus a professional. What do you do? Monkey (their Captain) won the toss and I looked him hard in the eye, he said 'I think you can have a bat' and I thanked him. He knew that we could be chasing the ball for 40 overs while some first team players got some net practice scoring 450 odd. In the end we got 110, Oli got a scorcher, JA, Phil and me got 20s and we struggled through. credit goes to Matt Carver who was looking good until I ran him out! Matt Babington who batted for 10 overs with technique and concentration, you are a cricketer Matt through and through keep at it, also credit to Tom (hit's it hard but too much in the air) Westgate. We bowled with our juniors and they won without us taking a wicket in 17 overs. This is a message to us all, it's really hard losing like that, those of us who've played at all levels in the club felt sick at the end. We can't have a gap between the first team and the development team as big as it is because it feels like the Gulf of Mexico and you know what that's like at the moment!! This message, however goes out not as a complaint, but as a reflection on what it was like. We must enhance the idea of cricket development to keep up with the standards we want. All the best Jon --------------------------------------- I know I shouldn't be but I feel gutted that we lost today and that's because we had better players in our team but the subtleties of the game all worked in their favour. I won the toss and elected to follow the old addage of 'think about it for a moment and then decide to bat!' perhaps that was the wrong thing to do, it's a one ball game and they got to open in the humidity with the ball swinging about like crazy. Oli and I stayed there against some great bowling from their skipper putting on 80 odd for the first wicket but it had taken us nearly 20 overs because they'd put it on the spot. we all got to bat before the end and we knew that the 172 we posted was at least 30 short of what we wanted. Oli top scored the game with 68 and it wasn't just good cricket, it was a thinking innings. he gave me a talking to at one point when the balls were flying past and I really appreciated it. thanks Oli. We were up for it and really spirited in the field, Rick and Harold opened up and we got hit for more than we'd wanted. Harold did well with a gusting wind but Rick will admit that he struggled, it just wasn't the conditions for him. they got to 50 really quickly and so we changed tack and decided wickets were where it was at! Oli and Ali bowled and cut in to them it was so exciting. then Phil carver came on and they just couldn't play him! We got 6 wickets and their tail was weaker than Roy after his haircut (he now has to find his delilah) however the village blacksmith managed to bludgeon his way through to the end. I'm really sorry we didn't win, thanks to everyone who took part in the games particularly to Ali for being a great inspiration and my vice captain who is a top drawer cricketer and a real competitor. Jon ----------------------------------- Sunday 28th June away at Ashmanaugh A game in the heat that exemplified what's good and unfortunately what's often poor and frustrating about Sunday League cricket. I won the toss, much to the relief of the football hooligan element in the team who settled back to be entertained by England while Oliver Stamp set about the Ashmanaugh bowling. He scored 98, never looking in any trouble but gloved a chance to the keeper just when we thought he was home and dry. We ended up with 217 for 10 off 38 overs. A good contribution of 15 from Arthur Sauverin, keep working Arthur your are getting there! Unfortunately Ashmanaugh took over 3 hours to bowl their overs they made more field changes in one over than I made in the whole match!! once we'd managed to drag them out from the changing room after tea we managed to get their innings started. We gave a lot of runs away in the early overs with the young guys bowling, no blame here but a message about line and length which is all we're asking for. work to do in the nets. Fidders looked great for a couple of overs and then did his hamstring (it's all the rage among the veterans!!) so Jon Andrews stepped up to the plate and bowled really well. 10 overs 5 wickets for 44 runs including their Aussie overseas who we got out for a duck as he clipped a ball to backward square leg and the skipper dived and caught it!! (See how I got that in there) cue celebrations as we needed just 3 more wickets with 10 overs to go and plenty of runs we felt to play with. Unfortunately a young lad who came to the crease and batted well for a few overs edged the ball to the keeper and didn't walk, the umpire stood firm and it was difficult to take. We had apologies from the square leg umpire and others in the team at the end of the game but it did feel bad especially because he had a Norfolk crest on his helmet. Ashmanaugh got the runs with 2 overs to spare, we finished late, disappointed but retained a good spirit. the model of senior players and juniors is coming together well but we need to work on ensuring the juniors contribute more to the overall effort. Jon --------------------------------- I'll add a bit of detail to the Captains report about today at Brooke. First to say that we had great support throughout the game and the atmosphere was terrific. Terrington are no push over, they came to win and I think fancied their chances. I lost the toss and they decided to bat, I'd already decided to put them in and chase so although that is yet another toss loss from yours truly it worked in our favour. the new ball swung in a humid atmosphere and Ben Prentice was simply too good for them, 5 overs, 1 maiden, four wickets for 8 runs! fantastic. We bowled them out for 132 which could have been less and I will be thinking about being more ruthless in the semi final. I must add that Tom Riddell who is still 15, bowled 8 overs of off spin which they often struggled to play, lots of flight and great confidence. this was coupled by some outstanding fielding, well done Tom. We lost some discipline at times towards the end of their innings, a bit of 'well this is just Sunday cricket' crept in. I have to say, I'm not interested in that and we need to get it out of our systems. the young players who are playing on Sunday are there to prepare for playing at a higher level and we need to show them what it takes. Batting wise, Jez and I took the score through to 30 odd against some acurate bowling and we all contributed to the eventual victory. Congratulations to Oli and Ben who got a great 50 odd partnership to take us through at the end. they were never going to fail it was excellent. both were kind enough to stop short of the 28 scored by the skipper with the end batting scores reading JW 28, BP 27, OS 26, JA 24! I'm a happy man :) ---------------------------------- Thanks to everyone who turned out tonight for the Broke Cup match, particularly Ric H and Andy W for stepping in, you are both club heroes!!. It was my first win as Captain and I'm chuffed about that, but I'm most pleased because they (Chapelfield) were completely outclassed. We were focussed and disciplined from the off and the bowling was spot on, all bowling to their field..... let's hear it for Jon Andrews, 4 great wickets and a run out.... nice Jug! they scored 93 batting first, 60 odd of those were put on by our opening partnership of Jez Andrews and Arthur Sauverin both 16!! This is what we want, it was great. we won comfortably and are now in to the 1/4 final. I think we should go for it in this cup competition. if we're serious about bringing the youth on then let's look at each game and decide who we need to field with them. We only survived to play a 20 - 20 tonight because Ali Shearer took it too them on Sunday. the kids at the club need to play with the best players, that's the way we'll progress!! Jon ----------------------- Sunday 9th May Carter Cup v Horsford Brooke were easily beaten by Horsford in the first round of the Carter Cup. With Ryan Findlay taking 3 for 8, Richard Gilliat 3 for 24, Matthew Warnes and Luke Caswell both taking 2 for 35, we were quickly bowled out for 102 in only 33 overs. Chris Sheehy top scored for Brooke with 18. Horsford hit the winning runs for the loss of just 2 wickets in 17 overs, thanks mainly to 40 not out from Jon Atkinson and 32 from Nathan Perry-Warnes. With one wicket falling to a run-out, the other went to John Habershon, who bowled well and took 1 for 15 in his 6 overs.