Results: June 2000

01/06: Away v. VALLEY END (16 x 8 ball overs)

The second in a series of occasional evening games against our neighbouring club. Tim won the toss and, to the surprise of the home club, decided to bat first. Tim scored a good 28 but both Matt Balkwill and Kev Cheeseman went cheaply at the other end. Mike Hills and later Jay Walliker grafted away despite others also falling cheaply. There were 21 extras in the total.

Jay Walliker and Howard Turner opened the bowling for West End and controlled Valley End rather well, Jay being particuarly effective. Mike Hills was unlucky not to get more than one wicket, clean bowling Andrews who was starting to hit out. It was no foregone conclusion - it went all the way into the last over. Tomlinson held the home clubs' reply together until caught just before the end, leaving Baker to hit the winning run.

West End 95-8

T. Lamb 28	Gregory 3-16
M. Hills 20	Kingsnorth 2-8
J. Walliker 19	Tomlinson 2-16

Valley End 97-5

Tomlinson 29	H. Turner 2-21
Andrews 22	J. Walliker 1-11
Messenger 19	M. Hills 1-27

Result: VALLEY END won by 5 wickets

Season 2000

04/06: Away v. WEYBOURNE (Time game)

This "return" game took place after both teams realised they were free on this day. Weybourne batted first but Walliker struck in the first over, bowling Paine for 0. Wickets fell regularly, with easy catching chances going straight to the fielders, especialy Dave Lamb who had to buy a jug after taking three of them. Lamport managed to put up dogged resistance, the only man to reach double figures.

In reply, West End took thirty-one overs to reach the required target of 83. Tim Lamb made his usual significant contribution, this week 30 before being caught as one of Lamports' two victims. At the other end three were caught off Knox. Both bowlers bowled unchanged and accurately but luck eluded them and had to bow to the inevitable as Walliker and Weston calmly gathered the last runs.

Weybourne 82 all out

R. Lamport 18	T. Lamb 3-4
S. Knox 9	J. Walliker 3-7
Extras 27	Weston 1-11

West End 83-5

T. Lamb 30	Knox 3-41
J. Walliker 21*	Lamport 2-38
Weston 8*	-

Result: WEST END won by 5 wickets

Season 2000

11/06: Away v. OLD PAULINES (Time game)

With Crown Taverners unable to get a team up, the conference found us Old Paulines. West Ends' fielding was good, especially early on but the home side ground on to 184 off 49 overs. Cato was eventually out to a great catch by Johnno Greathead. The other three wickets taken were bowled - there were very few catching chances going. Mike Hills bowled 17 fast and accurate overs with no luck, only taking his wicket on the last ball of the innings when Kennedy dragged the ball onto the stumps.

As for West End, Tim Lamb and Matt Balkwill got off to a good start but were both gone with the score on 38. No-one else really got going - some nagging bowling saw to that - except Mike Hills who settled down only to be caught on 20. After that, it was down to Ben Pudney and Howard Turner to see us to an honourable draw. In all, an enjoyable day which saw 93 overs of play.

Old Paulines 184-4

Cato 80	T. Lamb 2-49
Kennedy 35	A. Barrett 1-36
Highfield 34	M. Hills 1-39

West End 134-8

M. Hills 20	Edridge 3-15
T. Lamb 20	J. Grant 3-23
M. Balkwill 18	Adams 1-16

Result: Match Drawn

Season 2000

15/06: Away v. VALLEY END (16 x 8 ball overs)

The third evening game against this lot. Valley End batted first and Reedman scored 26 while losing both Baker and G. Messenger for 0 each, both victims of Howard Turner. He got the first four scalps in the list, although two dropped catches deprived Turner of a what would have been a well-deserved five-wicket haul. The strong middle order thrust forward, but West End, giving only three extras, kept nagging away and got the home team all out in the sixteenth over. Tim bowled a fine spell of leg-spin around the wicket, picking up three very cheap wickets.

Tim and Matt started off solidly. Matt, having scored two commanding fours was bowled the same over, leaving Tim to hold the fort with a succession of partners. Craig Weston was the only other man to reach double figures as Valley End kept up pressure to keep WECC to 88. Three games in this series so far, three losses. All good experience, though.

Valley End 115 all out

Harpley 33	H. Turner 4-38
Reedman 26	T. Lamb 3-6
P. Williams 25	WAlliker 3-20

West End 88-7

T. Lamb 36	T. Pocock 3-13
M. Balkwill 19	Kingsnorth 3-17
C. Weston 11	J. Pocock 1-19

Result: VALLEY END win by 27 runs

Season 2000

18/06: Home v. NIGHTINGALES (35 overs)

Nightingales are from East London and are a new fixture, also the first one taken over the new-fangled internet. Due to travelling times it as agreed to limit the game to innings of 35 overs. Tim Lamb on the toss and elected to bat which was a good decision considering the blisteringly hot nature of the day. If the Nightingales opening bowlers kept it tight, then so did Tim and Matt Balkwill who gave no chances away in the early overs. In the eighth over, Tim cut loose before falling on 66. Jay Stephens and then Jay Walliker took up the gauntlet with solid support from Matt (10) and Kev (15). All batsmen reached double figures.

Nightingales required over five an over, the assault starting in the first over. South-African J. Jay made 80 with a display of powerful hitting. A few wickets fell, all batsmen getting off the mark, but a determined half-Century from Patrick L (?) helped see the visitors to within sight of the target, which was overtaken with four and a half overs to spare. Nevertheless, everyone had an enjoyable time of it and the fixture should be returned at their ground next year.

N.B. In Nightingales bowling scores, Jay Walliker and Craig Weston were marked down as "Honicker" and "Stevenson" respectively.

T. Lamb 66	Yasseem 1-30
J. Stephens 36*	Andy W. 1-35
J. Walliker 34*	-

J. Jay 80	T. Lamb 2-51
L. Patrick 51	Stephens 1-10
Andy W. 14	Weston 1-11

Result: NIGHTINGALES won by 4 wickets

Season 2000