Cricket  Reports (1971)

Played 15 Won 6 Drawn 5 Lost 4.

At the end of the 1970 season the 1st XI lost eight regular players, so that this year was inevitably to be one of rebuilding. With this in mind the results were perhaps better than expected, and several of the newcomers did extremely well.

Our batting was, curiously enough, steadier than last year, though inexperience against pace showed itself in the heavy defeats against Harrow C.S. and Vyners. Harris established himself very quickly as a class player, scoring three fifties during the season and averaging over thirty. He was well supported by Bond and Haynes, the latter improving tremendously as the season progressed. When he learns to play more off the front foot he will be very good indeed. It was a pity that Warby missed the first half of the season. His experience would have been invaluable in the early games.

The bowling was adequate, but depended too much on Newing and James. These two bowled three quarters of the total overs, and took an even greater proportion of the wickets. As they have both now left, those remaining are going to have to work hard next year. They must learn that accuracy is the main virtue of schoolboy bowlers, and that this only comes with practice.

With so many youngsters in his side, Newing's task as skipper was not an easy one, and he did an admirable job. He has served the 1st XI faithfully for three years, and in that time taken over a hundred wickets. He, along with James and Warby will be sorely missed. Next year's team will still be a young one, but they have learnt a great deal already so that one can look forward with quiet confidence.

I. R. CLARKSON

Played 7 Won 2 Lost 4 Drawn 1

The second eleven failed to achieve the same degree of success as the first eleven. Our two victories were gained by our superior bowling ability with its well balanced attack of Lowe, Peters and Hale, with Henderson and Madon taking wickets at vital times.

However, it was the batting which let the side down, and only R. Phillips, Barwick and occasionally Rowe batted with any degree of success and confidence. It was this lack of depth in batting which cost the team victory on at least two occasions.

I would like to thank Mr. Dixon and Mr. Charleston for sharing umpiring duties and for the advice they gave both on and off the field. I should also like to thank my team mates for a most enjoyable season.

R. MARTIN (Captain 1971)

Played 7 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 4

The Colts XI had an undistinguished, though fairly enjoyable season. Unlike their predecessors, the team contained no outstanding individuals and indeed it was at times difficult to find eleven players of the requisite calibre. What with early season rain and rival attractions later, insufficient practice was obtained and few players therefore showed any confidence or consistency. This was epitomised in our batsmen's approach to the bad ball, which was frequently treated with exaggerated respect; our opponents, however, almost invariably gave our bowlers "the treatment" when they provided them with a liberal allowance of full tosses and long hops.

But the team played up to their capacity and several players attained a reasonable standard. Of the batsmen, D.Banks nudged and edged his way to some useful scores, but he must learn to play more off the front foot. Fazakerley produced some fine shots and with practice could become a good batsman. G. Lowe displayed a sound defence and was beginning to inject some necessary aggression into his play.

G. Lowe and D. Simmonds tried hard as opening bowlers and the latter's 7 for 26 against Copland was the outstanding individual performance of the season. C. Thomas always bowled accurately and was an astute and reliable captain, setting his fields skilfully.

E. COX

Played 5 Won 3 Lost 1 Drawn 1

Five matches were scarcely sufficient for this side to display or develop its abilities. On three occasions the team overwhelmed its opponents, but collapsed against St. Benedict's and just managed to hold out for a draw against Roxeth Manor. The team relied too heavily on four or five players for both runs and wickets, as was shown when an athletics fixture took three players from the side against Roxeth Manor, with deleterious consequences.

Devenish proved himself a batsman of class with a wide range of fine attacking strokes. Of the remaining batsmen Wise and Szelewski had the power to bludgeon a weak attack and Murtagh was a determined and resolute defender. But there was at times an alarming vulnerability and lack of depth in the batting. Only Harris heeded nostalgic evocations of the forward defensive stroke and gave confidence that his defensive technique was adequate to cope with good bowling.

The bowling of Wise, "Froggy" Hartley, and Barber was promising. In some matches inept batting rather than devastating bowling gave them scarcely credible figures, but they deserve praise for fully exploiting their opportunities. Wise with his ability to move the ball, and Hartley with his hostile pace, should develop well when they have acquired a greater control over length and direction.

The team fielded well, and Parfitt at cover point was responsible for many dismissals with his safe catching and swift accurate throwing.

Colours were awarded to Devenish, Wise and Hartley.

J. WHEATON

For the Under-13 team the 1971 season was almost non-existent. Only three matches were played, producing a home victory over Salvatorian College and narrow away defeats by Roxeth Manor and Copland School; but seven fixtures were cancelled. Lacking regular matches, therefore, it was hard for the team to develop any great competitive spirit.

Of the three matches played not one took place on a pitch which could not be described as other than a closely-cut outfield. Young cricketers need level and true wickets on which to learn their strokes and it must be a cause of anxiety to see the decline in the standard of pitches. Similarly, all three matches were played on fields where there was no adequate boundary marking which causes difficulties for fielders and umpires alike.

On a brighter note, there were some encouraging signs for the future in the way the Under-13 team played. Round captained the side sensibly, but could afford to be more venturesome in his bowling changes. Stevens showed the right temperament for an opening batsman, and White and Entwistle showed they could hit the ball hard though they did not do so frequently enough. Both Searle and White could develop into useful all-rounders.

The bowling, White's excepted, was usually too short in length to be penetrative; and the fielding unfortunately bore the stamp of middle age rather than youth.

One looks forward to the 1972 season, hoping for more clement weather, improved pitches and a real opportunity to see the potential of this team being fulfilled.

R. G. BIRCH

In a season when the weather was generally in control and only three matches were played, it was somewhat difficult to fully assess the likely cricketing talent. However, two matches were convincingly won and the other lost only by the narrowest of margins (one run) and the fastest of hands.

The team was enthusiastically led by Wells, and outstanding among the players were Pendred who combined demon bowling with remarkable reflex catches, Tinsley who generally tried to scare the opposition out, Rice, a very stylish all-rounder, Kirby and Baker who were very sound opening batsmen, and Price whose wicket-keeping improved considerably during the season.

All the team were very keen, and if they retain their interest should provide the basis for very strong senior teams in the future.

G.S.J.