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Game 2: CCC v Monkseaton Saints

CAPTAIN'S REPORT

I lost the toss at an overcast Churchill Playing Fields, after a 50 minute Metro journey to get to the game. Monkseaton decided to bat first with CCC starting without the full complement of fielders for the second week in a row. Guy did a sterling job with the 'new' (probably even older than last week) ball, and removed their dangerous opening batsman whilst keeping it tight. Matty got over a couple of loose balls in his first over to bowl a good spell too. Derek arrived from his meeting in Newburn in time to bowl three economical overs, and Mudasser came up with his usual assortment of pies, beauties and offensive sledging. Some excellent fielding from everyone, notably Guy and Peter (in a quite frankly comical battle against a strip of astroturf laid just backward of point) helped restrict Monkey to 114, and Guy's run out on the last ball got us a 4th wicket, and with that a bonus point.

Chris and I started slowly as they bowled tidy opening spells, but as we got to grips with the wicket we upped the scoring rate taking advantage of the large field and not particularly mobile fieldsmen. Chris was out for 21, caught off a ball that should have gone over the houses, with us needing around 50 off 6 overs. Peter helped with a cameo 6, including some great running between the wickets before blaring down the wicket to get stumped off a wide. We needed 30 off 3 when Mudasser came to the crease, and he proceeded to hit a couple of nice shots, almost get sconned off their quickest bowler, miss with 4 attempted late cuts, and then finally run himself out in bizarre circumstances after taking his gloves off mid run - then dropping one on the floor and running back to get it leaving me and him at the same end! Andy came in with us needing 12 off the last 6 balls. We sneaked 2 byes, then burgled a run after he got struck square in the nuts for the 2nd time of the game. Needing 9 off 4 I hit one back over the bowlers head, only for deep mid-off to run in the wrong direction in the darkening gloom, and it go for 4. Crucially the next ball was a wide, and 4 off 2 were needed. I moosed a massive slog out to cow corner and the fielder ran in to try and make the catch, and it bounced in front of him and went for 4, so we won with 1 ball to spare.

It was another really good game, and the major difference between the two sides was the fielding effort from CCC. We cut down the twos and threes with aggressive attacking of the ball and strong throwing from the lads in the deep, and those runs saved were vital.

Cap - me, even though I voted for Guy
Duck - it's going to be Mudasser every week, lets be honest.

CCC 8 points
Team: Nick, Chris, Peter, Mudassar, Andy H, Simon W., John E, Ian J, Derek, Matty, Guy

Game 1: CCC beat GEM

CCC kicked off their 2009 season in the best possible way with a hard-fought win over GEM.

The game took place at hitherto unknown Wardley CC, tucked away behind a housing estate on South Tyneside. CCC fielded two debutants, John and Hash; they were plunged into the deep end, having not played cricket for some years.

In blustery conditions the home side won the toss and chose to bat. CCC fielded a largely slow attack with Derek, Matty, Nick, Khalid and Mudassar all performing well to restrict GEM to 124-3 from 14 overs.

The CCC reply got off to a poor start with Nick and Simon Woodman dismissed in consecutive deliveries by Kamran Khan, who had played a game for CCC in 2007. Kamran later picked up the wicket of Chris, but Simon E (42 not out) and Khalid (43 not out) saw CCC home with five balls to spare.

CCC 7 GEM 2
CCC: Nick*, Chris, Simon W+, Simon E, Khalid, Peter, Mudassar, John E, Hash, Matty, Derek

CCC would like to pass on their condolences to GEM following the sad loss of their club secretary Nasar Ahmed Hussain, and to thank them for playing this game in such difficult circumstances.


And from the skippers' perspective:
In my first game as captain 'proper' I predictably lost the toss at a rather chilly Wardley CC, as we began the game with 9 men. After setting a rather un-orthodox 4-3 field, Derek and Matty took the "new" (about 80 overs old actually) ball, and eventually Mudasser and Khalid strolled onto the field after taking around 45 minutes to get changed. Matty took our first wicket and both openers kept it tight, save for a few lusty blows to a tiny leg-side boundary that tested out the 4-3 field. I opted to bowl myself as 4th bowler as the wicket was turning, and to everyone's surprise I didn't bowl too badly. Utilising the captain's privilege I had the tiny boundary on the off-side and let Khalid bowl with it on the leg-side and he did a creditable job taking two wickets. Derek finished his spell well and Mudasser's last over only went for 8 and he nearly took a wicket with a ball that bounced 4 times. Sharp fielding in the deep from notably Chris S, Skinx and John kept the total down as we restricted them to mostly singles and we were quite happy chasing 124.

After losing a three early wickets to a good spell from ex-CCC seamer Kamran, the chase was never in doubt once Simon E had got off the mark. After taking 20 balls to trouble the scorers he then hit 24 in 5 strokes, including a couple of towering sixes (to the short boundary). With the best bowler having bowled out, Khalid and Si ticked off the runs in ones and twos, with a 6 in the penultimate over giving us breathing space. We sealed it with 6 balls to spare to notch a 7 wicket win.

After the untimely death of GEMS fixture secretary last week they were very committed, and played a big part in what was a good game of cricket that could have gone either way. The return fixture should be another good game, with both sides hopefully challenging for promotion.

DALEY'S ALL STARS ILL STARRED

By 'Arry Geezer

Bonanza
It looked like the dream business partnership. Import-export entrepreneur Arthur Daley’s thousands pump priming the North East Midweek Cricket League providing a cash bonanza for hard working star players whose dream ticket had finally come thrusting into the station.

But now that dream has turned to dust.

Just months after Daley drove his silver Jaguar on to the Cochrane Park wicket for a photo-shoot with Don Catley and other NEMWCL luminaries, Daley finds himself pursued by the Inland Revenue for fraud.

High Chaparral
Back on that sunny autumn day a promise was made. A promise to Daley’s Dream Team, the NEMWCL All Stars, who would take on all-comers in a series of winner-takes-all glory matches. The winning team would take home a monkey, each winning player a pony, in a deal that would set each of them up for a good night out away from ‘er indoors.

The fact that on that sunny day he was pursued from Cochrane Park for ruining the wicket even more should have been taken as an omen.

Rawhide
Now the IR is out for cricket’s Mister Rich, and it’s thought his shady dealings could cause the whole house of cards to melt.

There will be those who always said Daley shouldn’t be trusted, and that now the NEMWCL’s chickens are coming home to roast.

Daley could not be found last night. He had last been seen shuffling out of the Lounge pulling his trilby discreetly over his forehead, his flasher-mac collar up, slinking away into the shadowy night.

CCC Provisional Home Fixture List 2009

All at COCHRANE PARK unless stated otherwise.

W/B 18.05.09 Monkseaton (TBA*)
Weds 27.05.09 Blue Flames
Thur 28.05.09 Mallards (F) (TBA)
Tues 16.06.09 Seaton Burn
Sun 21.06.09 Oceans (F)
Tues 30.06.09 Fenham
Tues 07.07.09 GEM
Sat 11.07.09 Bretton CC (F) (TBA**)
Sun 19.07.09 Ovingham CC (F)
Tues 28.07.09 Ratcatchers
Tues 11.08.09 West End
Weds 26.08.09 Mallards (F) (TBA)

*Option to reverse fixtures or select alternative venue
** Contacted Riverdale, Bellingham, but no response as yet.

Guy Finkill Throws Hat Into Ring

An anonymous CCC spokesman today urged other candidates to put their names forward for the club captaincy at the forthcoming AGM on 22nd January.

All rounder Guy Finkill is currently the only CCC player to put his name forward as a potential captain for 2009.

The vacancy arose during December 2008 when incumbent captain Simon Edwards stood down after 8 years feeling he had taken the club as far as he could. "I've been captain for 8 years and I feel I've taken the club as far as I can," he revealed. "I took them up to Division 2 then down to division 3 then up to Division 2 again. Frankly I'm getting confused."

Finkilll was keeping his cards close to his chest in stating his interest in the post: "shotgun, I am more than happy to accept this exceedingly challenging post and i will approach the job with a tactical mindset combined with sheer passion and determinism, a winning formula in anyones book", he revealed cautiously.

Edwards meanwhile is now rumoured to be in line for the newly vacant England captaincy, whilst Finkilll is reported to have started spelling his name with three Ls to celebrate his CCC captaincy candidacy.