Tag Archives: Mark Christie

2020 – A statistical review

The strangest of years but still one for the stattos amongst us to get our teeth into.

World events meant we had the latest start ever to a season – 18th July – and our enthusiasm to play meant that we also had the latest finish – 10th October – the previous record of the 1st October, (three previous occasions), would also have been beaten had we played the fixture we arranged with Oxted & Limpsfield for the 3rd October, but torrential rain in Limpsfield in the week ruined that plan. Club President Stephen Finch was clearly determined not to lose his claim to be an active player to have last played in October, turning out on 10/10/2020 to add to his last October appearance on 01/10/1977! Read more

Sunday Round Up : Losses to New Friends and Old Foes

Sunday 30th August 2020
Away Friendly
Little Berkhamsted 169 for 5 (35 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 127 all out (33 overs)
Little Berkhamsted won by 42 runs

How much do people want to play a game, and how far are they prepared to travel? Both questions were answered in a big way when, following the abandonment of the Saturday 3rd XI fixture, most were able to commit to the Sunday; the challenge was finding a fixture as enquiries were raised against all the live ads on the board and many had secured fixtures but not taken their ads down. Read more

A TIE as competive cricket resumes

Saturday 18th July 2020
Friendly
Whiteley Village 3rd XI 173 for 9 (40 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 3rd XI 173 all out (39 overs)
Match Tied

While 22 of the ‘League’ players participated in a second pre-League interclub match(*); high player demand for games led to the assembly of a 3rd XI in addition to our Sunday XI. Our good friends from Whiteley Village answered our advertisement and had us over for a game on their satellite pitch whilst their own seniors had a middle practice. Read more

Over 40s Tie with Weybridge again!

Thursday 22nd August 2019
Weybridge Over 40s 130 for 3 (16 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon Over 40s 130 for 9 (16 overs)
Match Tied

We could have made this up but we’re not, honest! A tie last Tuesday and a tie again yesterday evening at The Rec as the Over 40s ended their 2019 season with another last ball thriller. Read more

Over 40s TIE with Weybridge!

Tuesday 13th August 2019
Stoke D’Abernon 100 for 8 (16 overs)
Opposition 100 for 4 (16 overs)
Match Tied

Who writes the scripts for Over 40s matches between Stoke and Weybridge?

A third last ball finish in their last four meetings – none of them contrived – on a sunny evening on the green in front of a decent crowd that included Malcolm Dickson and Gary Harkett in their number.

Kevin Morgan won the toss and the non-appearance of Andy Berry at the start meant everyone shifted up one place from their allocated number, and when said latecomer was eventually put down as a non-runner Ralph Coleman was hauled off the pitch from his umpiring duties to get his kit bag from the boot to keep Stoke at a full compliment. The bag was more mobile and probably would have contributed more but that’s another story.

Carel Ferreira, (17), and Justin Jones went off like a train; plundering 28 from the first three overs, (three of the first four deliveries Ferreira faced from Wyeth went to the very long boundaries); but both were dismissed to leave Geoff Vinall and Rod Thomson the task of keeping things moving.

They had mixed success against the son/father combination of Jonny and Oli Slipper; Thomson was bowled by Slipper Snr; then Vinall, (14), heard the death rattle as former Stoker James Howells bowled a straight one that, contrary to the batsman’s version of events, did absolutely nothing. Good bat speed, though.

Fraser Slater and Deepak Malhotra boosted the total with a stand of 31 but were made to work hard for their runs as Howells, (2-0-5-1), and Hall, (2-0-9-1), bowled accurately. They were separated when Slater, (11), was run out by a direct hit with no-one backing up.

Malhotra, (17), Andy Page and Mark Christie surrendered their wickets in the closing overs in the pursuit of quick runs. Harry Nawaz hit a four and a single to close the innings on 100 for 8. Under par was the verdict.

After a quick turnaround Morgan took the gloves, selected his opening bowlers then ‘encouraged’ Coleman into setting the fields and working out the rest of the combinations which, with help from Page and others worked out pretty well. With so few runs to play with one over spells to involve everyone was the way to go in case people missed out; but more by luck than judgement this approach, rather than regimented two over spells adopted by their opponents, proved an effective tactic; due consideration given to the slower bowlers bowling most of the first eight overs with a long cow boundary in play on one side before switching ends.

Vinall and Page bowled the first two overs and set a good tone; Page castling Ed Smith, (dreams of an Ashes call up turned to dust when it became apparent that it wasn’t THE Ed Smith), to get Stoke on the board; next bowlers Jones and Nawaz kept Weybridge behind the rate and the latter bowled Aitken to make it 17 for 2 after four.

Thomson and Malhotra shared the next four overs at a combined cost of just 20; Malhotra was unlucky not to get a wicket; Thomson doubly unfortunate that a shot cracked back at him didn’t stick but split the webbing on his hand, forcing him to leave the field and Stoke a man down for the last quarter of the match.

As the light started to fade quicker bowlers had their turn. Christie and Ferreira bowled well but late boundaries in each of their overs kept Weybridge in with a chance; Vinall completed his allocation with a tidy over to swing things back in Stoke’s favour only for Coleman, Ferreira and Nawaz to cough up a mix of boundaries and extras to leave Page with just six runs to play with going into the last over with dangerman Slipper still a the crease; his arrival prompted by a great throw from the deep by Malhotra to effect a run-out.

It would be remiss of us not to mention Ferreira, Jones, Malhotra and Slater all patrolling the boundaries with distinction to take the game deep.

No-one expected the game to go as far as it did at the innings change, and DLS, WASP, etc; never gave Stoke a price; but their ‘Ice Man’ Page did justice to the name given to him by the golden generation of a decade ago; a boundaryless five ball sequence left two needed off the last ball. It was creamed out into the deep but a rocket throw from Jones to the bowler saw the batsman stranded and an easy run out decision given meaning the sides had tied.

Another excellent advert for Over 40s cricket – for anyone reading this please don’t make these games into League as there are enough high quality in-game battles to satisfy demand there, and those out for a more sociable experience still get to play in a relaxed atmosphere.

The sides meet again at the Stoke Rec next Thursday, (22nd) – please make every effort to come and support this excellent concept that started with a few colts’ parents forming a team and ultimately going on to help with numbers for longer format games at the weekend, make tours happen, extend playing careers and create revenue.

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4075960





Sunday Round Up : Three matches!

Sunday 28th July 2019

Excellent availability, and most importantly received early in the week, allowed us to source two great fixtures…and in the end we played three matches! An early call could be made to secure a fixture at our friends from Sutton, and later in the week Thames Ditton binned off their original opposition when an advert for a game at the Rec was placed; technically a re-match but none of the Stoke XI that played at Giggs Hill Green a few weeks ago were in Duncan Elder’s side.

Home Friendly – Match 1
Thames Ditton 91 all out (18.2 overs)

Stoke D’Abernon 92 for 4 (13 overs) Read more





Ten Man Over 40s beaten by Walton

Tuesday 2nd July 2019
Friendly
Stoke D’Abernon Over 40s 138 for 8 (20 overs)
Walton-on-Thames Over 40s 142 for 5 (16.2 overs)
Walton-on-Thames Over 40s won by 5 wickets

The Over 40s resumed their season after a rain-off and an opposition forfeiture and played well in patches but fell to a five wicket defeat.

Batting first having lost the toss Peter Phipps was an early departure, bowled attempting a ramp; but Malcolm Dickson and No.3 Justin Jones played very well; running hard and picking up boundaries whenever the bowlers erred. They each hit a six in a stand of 62 in just under nine overs before Dickson, (29 from 29), fell to a great one handed grab in the deep by one of a few suspiciously under the age of 40 looking fielders who were able to save many runs on the boundary.

Jones departed soon after for the match’s highest score – 44 from 37 – courtesy of one of three stumpings to Fletcher.

Stoke traded runs for wickets in the closing overs with a few single figure scores but no ducks; Geoff Vinall gave it a biff to make 18 from 11 and Mark Christie added 11 from 12; the latter sportingly recalled having been stumped off a beamer.

Ten man Stoke made it to 138 for 8.

The absence of an eleventh man didn’t help the cause as openers Kane and Fletcher took advantage of the extra gaps to add 46 for the opening wicket. Geoff Vinall broke the partnership when he had an lbw appeal upheld; then took two more, one bowled, another courtesy of a rare catch for Ralph Coleman; that saw him drag his figures back to 4-0-24-3.

Hassan Dahir Jnr was given a turn with the ball and bowled nicely, creating a couple of chances that the presence of an eleventh man might have seen taken, and definitely would have seen fewer runs conceded. He can be pleased with his contribution given he is still at an age where he doesn’t bowl off 22 yards.

Rod Thomson swung one into the line of the stumps to remove Kane for 42; Harry Nawaz picked up the wicket of Matoli for 14 and Stoke had a sniff at 100 for 5.

Sadly the next two batsmen – one aided by a runner permitted – knocked off the rest with little ease and 20 balls to spare; despite the best efforts of the fielders who saved many runs – Phipps kept well given it was not a regular thing for him to do.

Thanks to Kevin for putting the team together and to everyone for being so giving of their time to make this fixture happen.

The Over 40s go again on Thursday when Leatherhead come to The Rec.

Scorecard : https://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4057062





Stoke Smash I – Pictures (1)

The first round of images from last Friday’s inaugural Stoke Smash have hit the Club’s in-box…


riday’s I







We’ll add more as we receive them.

Stay tuned for the thoughts of Chairman Drew on this incredible event!





Stoke Smash I – Match Report

Friday 14th June 2019
Stoke Smash I
Vinall’s Vampires v Cheeseman’s Cheetahs
Umpires : Drew Patrick and Tim Handel

A separate report on Friday as a whole will appear but here in due course, but here is an account of how the match played out from the scorers’ table courtesy of the Big Bird and Ralphie.

Vinall’s Vampires Batted first…

Over 1
Not a great start as Geoff Vinall departs before the Barmy Army could break into their rendition of “…and Number One is Geoffrey V…” but Tom Frost hit the first maximum of the evening with Justin Jones knocking it around at the other end.

10-1 (1/8)

Over 2
Frost plants two more maximums into the crowd, and with a couple of singles also nudged becomes the first enforced retirement of the evening at 20 not out. Next man Shawn Dyson ends the over with a four and a two.

29-1 (2/8)

Over 3
Klimcke concedes ‘only’ 15 as Jones and Dyson trade boundaries.

44-1 (3/8)

Over 4
Dyson plants Will Frost into the crowd, and then into the car park in successive deliveries. A single then means an enforced retirement.

58-1 (4/8)

Over 5
The first of two, (by rule), from captain Cheeseman starts with a wicket as Harry Nawaz cuts to Oli Slipper. Jones retires after a couple of boundaries meaning two new bats in the form of Fraser Slater and Club Captain James Trower.

71-2 (5/8)

Over 6
Ian Hopton bowls the only over of the match not to contain a boundary as the batsmen garner six from six.

77-2 (6/8)

Over 7
The only runs off the bat to Trower as Slipper concedes just four; Slater unlucky to face one of the better bowlers on the night.

81-2 (7/8)

Over 8
Cheeseman again. A mixed bag, including the wicket of Slater, but not as successful as his previous set as Trower moves to 20, (retired, but leans on his bat at the other end to keep the game moving), leaving Kevin Morgan the last few deliveries – caught off a no-ball off one of them, bowled off the free hit, thus helping to register a nice red-inker.

97-3 (8/8)

INNINGS CLOSED Read more





Over 40s defend 103

Monday 3rd June 2019
Friendly
Stoke D’Abernon Over 40s 103 all out (18.5 overs)
Leatherhead Over 40s 82 for 7 (20 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon Over 40s won by 21 runs

After the weekend’s games the Over 40s had their turn yesterday evening and won their opening match of the season at Leatherhead.

Batting first on a pitch that kept very low Justin Jones and Fraser Slater added 33 for Stoke’s first wicket before the former was caught on the circle from one that didn’t come on to the bat – a sign of things to come – then Kevin Morgan heard the death rattle next ball.

Scoring was difficult. Slater dug in – and dug out – a number of deliveries that rolled. Jase Earl managed the match’s only six and a couple of fours before he was unable to do anything about a low one.

Slater’s 16 from 30 doesn’t sound very T20-is but in hindsight this was great effort, allowing Geoff Vinall, (15), and Mark Christie, (12), to collect a few cheap runs from the later bowlers in the queue.

Andy Page and Andrew Klimcke both dragged on balls that rolled; leaving Harry Nawaz and Ralph Coleman the task of trying to bat the rest of the overs. They nudged the total over 100 before Nawaz got a good ball from pick of the bowlers Richardson who returned figures of 3.5-0-10-3.

Klimcke, (3-1-3-0), and Vinall gave little away as Leatherhead began the chase and Stoke had valuable scoreboard control.

Opener Berryman played as positively as he conditions allowed. Just has he worked it out and hit back to back fours off Christie, the same bowler then bowled him with a slower ball that kept low.

Nawaz picked up two wickets courtesy of a leg before shout, (none of these were going over), and a nice catch in the deep by Jones.

Home skipper Meyer and Bentall did their best against the change bowlers who were all given their turn. Klimcke took a good catch off Page to remove Harris for ten; and despite an unbeaten 20 by Harris; Bentall, (leg before to Earl), and Voss, (bowled by Jones), were late departures as Stoke closed out a 21 run win; the margin of victory aided by another great keeping display by Morgan.

Thanks to Leatherhead for their hospitality. A return match at Stoke will be inked in soon.

The Over 40s are in action again next Monday with a trip to Walton-on-Thames.

Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/4045461