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Indoor 6 a-side league: Boldon beat CCC

After the euphoria induced by last week's opening day win over Mitford CC confidence was riding high in the CCC camp. This week's opponents however were none other than last year's competition winners - Boldon CC - and would prove to be a somewhat more formidable side.

One thing I am sure of winning these days is the toss and for the second week running I elected to bat first. Without regular opener Chris Smith available, Matt P was promoted to open the batting with 'numero uno' Nick T. Despite having strength in depth in terms of their bowling attack, both openers proceeded to spray many balls of the opening overs around resulting in expensive wides. In fact CCC had 14 runs on the board before Nick opened his account off the blade with a glorious straight drive for 4. A young and well drilled fielding side meant quick singles were riskier than ever so Nick and Matt had to box clever, and that they did as both worked the ball round well culminating in 25*'s all round. I replaced Matt who was first to retire and managed to add another 7 before being out to a decent catch. Simon W wasted no time in adding an unbeaten 12 to the board. With most of the innings being dominated by wides and the batting of Nick and Matt it was left to Simon W and Matty K to see out the final few overs, finishing on a par total of 121.

With Chris missing we brought in an extra bowler in the guise of Derek who despite harbouring some seasonal aliments added to our bowling options. He and Matt P opened the bowling and we soon saw why these lads ended up as league champions in '09. Despite a snick to a would-be slip off Matt's very first delivery the Boldon batsmen all looked at ease at the crease. It was a welcome return to form for Matty K who banished the memories of last week with a tight display of spin bowling. In an innings of few chances the highlight from our point of view was the left-footed strike from Derek straight into the hands of Matty K who executed a fine run out in what was to be our only scalp of the Boldon batsmen. Nick added a couple of overs before they knocked off our respectable total in the penultimate over of the game.

Against a team who will be there or thereabouts by the end of this competition I would like to think that if we play like that every week then we will pick up quite a few more points indeed.

Indoor 6 a-side league: CCC beat Mitford

REPORT: P. Finkill

On a freezing cold January evening CCC kicked off their somewhat belated start to the annual six-a-side indoor season. It was belated in as much as the previous encounter between ORP's and Mallards had over run by a near half an hour, making Nick Tomlinson's 7.02pm, out of breath arrival, look almost leisurely.

After presiding over the "pants-down ass whooping" of perennial strugglers Mallards, CCC took to the field. After winning the toss I elected to bat. Now a familiar pairing, Nick and Chris strode to the crease ready for war.

A somewhat new look Mitford side seemed to be alive with new blood. A tattooed, perma-tanned spice boy and a gun-flaring Adonis opened the bowling. Despite some pace and lift the attack was, at times, wayward. The resulting wides easing the score board pressure on the batsman. Nick managed to guide the ball into the gaps with ease and seemed to cruise to 25 in no time at all. Matt replaced Nick who was soon followed by the departure of Chris who, despite some lusty blows, lacked some of his usual devastation. Matt and I managed to keep the score board ticking over before Matt retired on a well-played 25*. Simon joined myself, chipping in with 13* before I retired for 25* too and made way for Matty K to face one ball - the very final ball of our innings!

The mathematicians amongst you will see that extras helped amass a decent and apparently defendable total. All we needed to do, unlike our opponents, was not bowl any wides and keep the hot headed over throws to a minimum. Needless to say this was easier said than done.
Matt P opened the bowling and with his bounce and pace he kept the openers pinned back, limited to mostly singles. Matty K struggled using an old ball with no seam but one pearler beat the outside edge and with a nifty bit of keeping Simon W whipped the bails off for a great stumping.

Nick had a mixed spell but delivered a lovely little cutter to trap one of the Mitford boys for a plum lbw. Matt P removed another with a well-disguised slower delivery. With another batsman falling foul of a run out things were looking pretty rosy for CCC. However, old habits die hard, wides coupled over throws and my bowling getting smashed all over the place, meant we gifted Mitford a chance needing roughly 8 off the last over. With the 'Greg Tomlinson over' flashing through my mind I tossed the ball to Matt P.........who delivered with a superb over of bowling leaving Mitford 3 short in the end. If we can tighten up in the field and continue to bat well we may be able to surprise a few teams this time around.

Game 10: CCC tie with Ratcatchers

CCC ended their losing run with a thrilling tie on Tuesday against Ratcatchers.

The Corbridge side chose to bat first at a cold and windy Cochrane Park, and CCC made a perfect start taking 3 wickets before double figures were reached. This should have been four when it appeared that Mudassar had run out Chomse with a direct hit from the boundary. However, Chomse (26) took advantage of his fortune, and with Robinson (59) threatened to take the game away from the home side until Cliff Spencer produced a remarkable over, dismissing 4 batsmen in five deliveries; and being unlucky not to claim a hat trick when a close lbw decision was turned down. Ratcatchers finished on 112-8 from 14 overs, with Cliff (4), Derek (2) and Guy (2) amongst the wickets.

With Nick and Chris returning from holiday CCC made a solid start. Nick was particularly attacking hitting 46 with panache. Chris batted all but three balls of the innings for 38, playing second fiddle also in a partnership with Mudassar (19). Both Nick and Mudassar holed out to good boundary catches, and when Chris was bowled by the excellend D. Stowell (4-19) four were needed from two balls. Simon E and Peter scrambled three of them from ther only balls faced and Simon was run out looking for the fourth.

CCC should have won this game as they seemed in control for 90% of it. However, good death bowling from Stowell and difficult dark conditions helped the visitors' cause.

CCC 6 Ratcatchers 5
Team: Nick, Chris, Matt P, Mudassar, Simon E, Peter, Simon W, John E, Guy, Derek, Cliff

Game 9: Blue Flames beat CCC

CCC slipped to another poor defeat against table-topping Blue Flames on Thursday.

Fielding a very young team CCC did also welcome back Matt Planchant for his first game in two seasons. Winning the toss and choosing to field first the skip took the gloves and gave the 'new ball' to Ewan and Gurjit. Both bowled well, and the change bowlers, Guy and Matty also did well. Blue Flames were restricted to 126-4, which is a par score at that ground.

If the bowling and ground fielding were very good, the catching was again poor. A total of 9 were put down, mostly off Keith Brown who compiled surely his luckiest ever 43 not out. Several further shots were lofted just out of reach, and Ewan was denied a first wicket from a comfortable catch at mid off when he overstepped the crease. However, you make your own luck, and CCC did not earn it.

The batting was beter than on Monday, but again simply not good enough for Division 2. Two needless run outs and several clean bowleds off innocuous bowling left CCC on 68-9, unable even to summon a batting point. The skip scored 22 not out. A comfortable win for a team that did not seem as strong on the day as Fenham or GEM.

CCC 1 Blue Flames 9
CCC: Ewan, Mudassar, Simon E, Matt P, John E, Sam, Andy H, Matty K, Ian J, Guy, Gurjit

Game 8: GEM beat CCC

GEM cruised to an easy and dramatic win against CCC at Wardley CC on Monday.

CCC, again depleted due to holidays, arrived with 10 men, so GEM loaned one man to field on the boundary. Having won the toss the home side batted on a sticky, slow wicket, with dog turds in the outfield. Their key batsman was soon back in the pavilion, hitting a skier to cover off Khalid. CCC fielded and bowled well enough, but the opener Mohsin carried his bat through for an excellent 60 not out from 14 overs. CCC's main problem was a total of 8 sixes conceded which gave GEM a total of 136-6, although the points total was helped by 3 wickets in the final over.

CCC never got going. Greg, in his first appearance of the season was cleaned up trying to slog, Khalid chipped a simple catch and the stand-in skip was fired lbw by Guy for his first ever first-baller. Guy then did the same to Mudassar, who reacted by hitting the wicket with his bat, breaking a stump. GEM were understandably upset, and a long "debate" ensued off the pitch whilst some gaffer tape was found to mend the stump.

On its resumption the game petered out somewhat with Woodman lbw (given by Greg) to a prodigiously slow ball, Johnson cleaned up, and Guy plumb lbw (given by the skip in a sweet moment of revenge). Only John with two nice cover drives, and Ewan, who batted sensibly given the conditions, looked the part, but still no one reached double figures, not even extras, although they did top score). A total of 38 all out is CCC's worst for some years.

CCC 1 GEM 10

Team: Greg (wk), Mudassar, Simon E, Khalid, Woodman, Johnson, John E, Ewan McGregor, Guy, Gurjit

Cap: went to Simon E for two high catches
Duck: It was decided that Mudassar-Gate meant that the duck was uncontestible, however, a "plate" competition was held for players other than Mudassar. Simon E won for (i) his first ever first baller (ii) laughing when he gave Guy out (iii) commenting from the sidelines that Gurjit, as square leg umpire, should restore the bails to the stumps, then failing to do so when he umpired)