The 1st XI endured a roller coaster campaign, and ultimately, a frustrating one. We won six games, two more than last summer, but it should have really been at least ten. Seven times we had teams 9 down and short of our total, and only once did we manage to win. A lack of experience in what is a very young side cost us at times, but we did play some very good cricket too, and the win away at Peterborough will stick long in the memory. Can and must do better next season...
Batting wise, Dion lead the way again with 795 @49, followed by Nathan’s 643@ 35. Belly lead the way with the ball, finishing with 54 wickets. Nathan and Dion both added to their runs with 33 and 26 wickets respectively.
Playing their first season in Division 3, the 2’s consolidated their position after a rocky start. Sixth place was about right for Swainy’s side, although again, perhaps we could have expected more considering the strength of that side at times. Unders plundered 759 runs and Neil Allen impressed with 381 in an extremely productive and bald opening partnership. Neil capped a fine all round season with 23 wickets, with support from Ali Khan (22) and James Canwell, Grant Ebrahim and Dave Avery (all 17)
The 3rd XI continued their amazing roll of recent years, winning Division 7 and gaining a third successive promotion. Hats off to Presto and his side, who were comfortably the best team in their division and deserved their success. Ian West 396 @32 and Oz 402 @30 were the leading run scorers but it was with the ball that we really shone. Neil Fewtrell was again very consistent, his 29 wickets costing a mere 15. There were also wickets for James Chaplin (27) and Ahmed Amin (23) while Michael Brown’s all round contribution played a big part in the second half of the season. What price a fourth successive promotion next season?
The 4th team are really a development side, and it’s all about giving our younger players the opportunity to play Saturday league cricket. The fact that they only lost two games and came close to winning their league shows just how good some of these lads are! There are too many of them to name here, but what we can say is that not a week seemed to go past without the senior members of the side coming back to the club after a game singing their praises.
There was also success on Sundays, with the Sunday 2nd XI winning their league and gaining promotion to Div 2 of the MK Sunday league, only losing a couple of games on the way. Well done to John Aylott and his side.
As for the junior section, our junior cricket supremo Mick Capel had earmarked 2009 as a development year and there can be no doubt that it was successful. Many of the club’s youngsters got their first taste of regular adult cricket and this experience will prove priceless in the years to come.
The Under 11’s and under 16’s came second in their leagues, the under 12’s and 14’s both finishing 4th and the under 15’s 3rd. It really is a great sight to see so many youngsters practising and learning the game down at Ostlers Lane most nights of the week and Mick and his team of coaches and helpers deserve a huge amount of credit for the quality of coaching that they provide and the success of this program. It really is something the club can be proud of.
Congratulations to everyone who played a part in this successful season at SSCC.