End of Year
Report - Peter Clark
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October Report
SUCCESS!
The October Report from last year states that
the Saturday team finished fifth out of ten in
Division 2 after an inconsistent season. This
year they are champions. Such a turn around
demands comment. Elevation to the captaincy has
not only shown that Guy Watson can lead well, it
has encouraged him to produce several outstanding
performances with the bat and the ball. Our two
quality batsmen, Craig Wells and Nick Clark, both
played half a season with this team. They
produced a succession of superb performances,
scoring three centuries and eight fifties between
them. In the one game in which they both played,
they made an opening partnership of 212 - a club
record. Newcomer Peter Kirby has been the other
star. His left arm spin has rarely been collared
and the variety of his delivery has consistently
got out the key batsman, as well as producing
three, five wicket hauls. When these four have
failed, others have stepped in to take their
place. The team's spirit was first exemplified at
Compton House in May, when playing in the rain.
With bowlers and fielders being unable to grip
the ball, this is a miserable experience. The
batting side is almost bound to win. Yet this
side kept cheering each other on to overcome the
handicap, reverse the rule and win the match. In
later games against Pimperne and the return
against Compton House, they again came back to
win games that appeared to be lost.
FINAL MATCH REPORTS
In the remaining weekends of the League season
the Saturday side we're well beaten by rivals
Dorchester Seconds but recovered their poise to
win an exciting game against Bournemouth off the
penultimate ball. Peter Kirby again bowled well,
taking 5 - 42, and Peter Clark hit the winning
runs in a tense last over to take his score to 87*.
The Sunday Firsts put in an excellent team
performance to beat Poole by 7 wickets, with
Craig Wells leading the side home on 54*. They
then lost an exciting game against Studland in
the last over. The batting of the Powell brothers
was a feature of this game. Jon scored an elegant
70 for Swanage and then Chris replied with an
equally good 63 for Studiand. In their last game,
a weak side was overwhelmed at Colehill, despite
a defiant 52* from Peter Kirby. At the bottom of
Division Three, the Sunday Second Eleven has
continued to play with spirit. Ashmore fielded a
Somerset Second Eleven Player, Sam Diment. Ron
Barker collected enough bruises from the quickie
to last until Christmas! This defiant attitude
enabled the side to set a reasonable total, only
to see Diment come out as opener and knock off
the rims. They did collapse in the next game
against the Division winners, St.Georges. Having
done well to bowl them out for 79, they scored
only 30. A good team performance in the last game
led to a 72 run victory against Sturminster
Newton, which ensured that Sturminster, not
Swanage, ended at the foot of the table.
A Change for 2001. Lack of availability of
quality players on Sundays was a frustrating
feature of the season. As a result, the club has
decided on a change in direction. Now that the
Saturday Eleven has won promotion to the Saturday
Division 1, this will become our premier side.
Our existing Sunday Division 1 side will be
dropped. Our present Sunday Second Eleven will
become our First Eleven, hopefully staying in
Division 3. We shall enter a new side, our Sunday
Second Eleven, in the bottom Division 8.
The intentions are threefold:
to provide top quality cricket on
Saturday;
to bring on some of the youngsters who
have done well in the Under Fifteen side this
year;
to give a game to those who have been
unable to retain a regular place in our
Division 3 side but are nevertheless keen to
play.
Like all things in life, it is a gamble, but a
calculated one. We hope that the parents of this
year's Under 1 5 youngsters and the cricketers in
the district will come forward to support us.
YOUTH CRICKET.
The season for our junior cricketers ended
with our Under 13 side playing Bere Regis on a
glorious Summer evening. Humphries Kirk have
sponsored trophies for the new Youth Awards.
These were then presented after a barbecue. The
highlights of a very enjoyable season were first
the Under 15 side winning at Beare Regis and,
second, the exciting Under 13 tie against Bere
Regis, with the ground full of parents and
children on our presentation evening. Not to be
forgotten are our Under 11's, who continue to
grow in numbers and who are well looked after on
Saturday mornings.
Results
* Under 15 side played 4 , won 3.
* Under 13 side played 4, won 1, tied 1.
The Trophy winners were as follows:
Player of the Year
* Under 11 - Richard Parsons
* Under 12 - Tim Dartnell
* Under 15 - Tom Large.
Most Improved Player
* Under 11 - Lee Beech
* Under 12 - Ashley King
* Under 15 - James Pond.
Thanks goes to every one who helped to make
the season a success. We hope to see some of
these children appearing soon in our senior sides.
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