1998 was the best season yet of recent times result-wise, surpassing 1997 which was pretty good in itself. Out of 20 games played, there were 14 wins, 1 draw and only 5 losses with a mere three actually lost to the decidedly unpredictable weather. The Elthorne game is usually one to look forward to but this was a little bit special. The visitors batted first, scoring 180 in 40 overs. In reply our top four batsmen scored 24, 38, 44 and 23 giving us the start we needed. But Elthorne fought back and pressure led to our being all out, just one over and six runs short.

   One of the best was the 24th May game v. Weybourne. We had struggled to make 90-odd. Only Kev Cheeseman's score reached double figures and that was his first-ever fifty! I couldn't play that one but when I arrived to watch Weybourne were on 35-1. After a breakthrough at 55, sustained pressure contained them and we won with 6 runs to spare. This was no mean feat as Weybourne feature a strong side.

 Olinda Vandals on 31st May shows the other side of our coin, however. Vandals scored steadily and the odd wicket apart looked set for a massive total until thanks to a much-needed breakthrough we cleared the latter half for relatively little extra. Nevertheless, 168 is enough to chase on any day and we trailed away to 114 all out. Only three batsmen reached double figures, Jason Walliker falling just short of his half-century.

 The Crown Taverners game was rained off but the good weather returned in time for the first tour match. The Barripper game was a low-key affair, West End taking charge early on and dismissing the home side for little over 50. Mount Hawke are no pushover, we had to work hard there on the Sunday. Tim Lamb continued his previous tours' good form before being run out on 82. The final tour match v. Perranporth - the least said, the better. In our defence I can say that after two previous days' cricket we were starting to sag a bit, nothing to do with the late nights at the hotel bar, eh? The hospitality at the Ponsmere is always good for us - maybe the trick is Peter Bachelor's plan to wear us out before facing him and the Perranporth C.C. on the Monday. In the end, it doesn't really matter, we're going to try to get our own back in '99.

 Lightwater is one of our bogey teams. It can go either way but we managed to psyche ourselves out of victory this year. We'll have to do better in future than 74 in reply to their 160 for 6. Cap'n Tim Lamb had an excellent season with the willow averaging 40.8. President's day saw a steadily compiled 90, followed later by 89 against Oakley, but the 30th August saw Tim notch up the elusive 100 not out in a total of 205. Not surprisingly, he featured prominently in the Annual Awards Evening. Not surprisingly, he featured prominetly in the Annual Awards Evening.

 The Awards evening was held held at Chobham Golf Club on Friday 9 October 1998. It's an ideal opportunity to get everyone together to thank everyone for the support given to the club over the previous year. A fine three-course meal and coffee was swiftly followed by the awards. The winners of the important trophy's are listed in the box above but first the entertaining "silly" awards. First up was Dave Hurren for some crazy dancing on the hotel balcony on tour, conveniently captured for the tour video for all to see. Fittingly, his award was a dancing plant - complete with a photo of his face attatched!

  Other "video nasties" included a two-and-a-half minute segment from the same video, shot by Matt Balkwill complete with his entertaining commentary "under the influence," his prize being a video instruction manual. Acid film or what? Only joking. Kev Cheeseman won a prize of a pair of water wings for partaking in a gentle "blow the matchbox across the wet-type water filled tray" style game - if such a game exists (see photos, above-left) - and getting soaked for his pains with a little help from his friends. "Beefy" Turner's award was a humungous pair of glasses for being unsure of a fellow hotel-boarder's gender, uttering forth the words from his lips; "That IS a bloke!" He also won the legendary "You're Shit - Aaarrrggghhh..!" award (see left) which goes to the bowler giving away most runs in one over. In Beefy's case a mere 20, which relieved Cap'n Tim who until late in the season was leading that one with 18.

Dave Hurren displays the Perranporth Tango

  I too got marked up for an award - literally! On tour and in the Ponsmere bar at about two in the morning, a new game was sprung on me. Basically everone sits round a table and someone shuts his eyes while whoever's next to him creates a simple pattern on his face with his fingers. That person tries to replicate the pattern on the next one who has his eyes shut and so on. I'd never played this one before, fine, except the two _******* on my left who conspired to hide copious amounts of charcoal on their fingertips, just for me (who'd had just the one or eight, I forget exactly)! Only when eventually taking notice of Kev's pleas of "When was the last time you looked in a mirror" between guffaws did I finally realise. And all on videotape...! _******* on my left who conspired to hide copious amounts of charcoal on their fingertips, just for me (who'd had just the one or eight, I forget exactly)! Only when eventually taking notice of Kev's pleas of "When was the last time you looked in a mirror" between guffaws did I finally realise. And all on videotape...!

  Certificates celebrating the West End "Lamb Clan" take-over were distributed amongst the seven members of the Captain's family that played for us at various times during the season, not to mention providing us with a goodly proportion of excellent home-fixture teas. Vice-Captain Jason Walliker ("Jowallika" to us) simply had to be mentioned in dispatches for his hair...! And Tim himself was given a Brillo pad to keep a tuft of hair on his chest (wig?) company. Then came the serious awards, listed at the top of this section, along with top averages (see boxout).