27.8.11 - 5th XI v Clymping 2nd XI

WORTHING CC 5XI WSICL DIVISION 9 CHAMPIONS 2011

The end of the season has come quickly and a very important game for both Worthing and Clymping. Clymping needed to win to gain promotion, Worthing needed to win for the title assuming Horsham beat St Andrews.
The day started well with Worthing winning the toss! Putting Clymping in to bat we knew we would have to bowl well and try to restrict Clymping as much as possible. Greg Harris (4-41) started well taking three early wickets. Jack Stuart (0-35) provided good back up to Greg but unfortunately took no wickets himself. Gareth Challen (110) brother of our 1st teamer Benn, batted very well again to get his second century against us this year. A close stumping built some pressure and a couple of chances went down from Challen. Kevin Punter (2-44) created some good chances and took two wickets, including a good one handed catch from Adam Bastable at silly mid off. Challen was eventually out swinging at a ball outside off stump which span back in from Adam Squires (2-55) [guess who wrote this report - Ed], this was quickly followed in his next over by a similar ball which was left by the batsmen...only for it to come back in and take the top of off stump again. Greg Harris got  yet another run out for the season with a great throw from the boundary, well taken by Marc Hinton behind the stumps. Dan Stuart took two catches and Glenn Harris one. Jack Westlake (1-7) bowled a terrific first over wicket maiden, with a catch from Greg Harris going away from him at gully. Clymping 189 all out.

After tea we started the run chase needing 190 from 51 overs to win the title! A steady start from Adam Bastable (15) and Kevin Punter (65*) put us in good shape. The innings continued to get better and better with a fantastic knock from Glenn Harris of (78) from just 57 balls got us to within 37 of the win. Dan Stuart (19*) batted well with Punter, who steadied the innings from start to finish with a few big shots on the way. Stuart and Punter got the remaining runs to win the match finishing the innings at 190-2

Thanks to Rob Harris for umpiring and Robson Piper for scoring. A great match to end to a very strong season, which sees the 5th team take Worthing's second league title this year! It was a great feeling for all to secure the title at the manor ground with the 1st team on the main square offering their congratulations as soon as we finished. Thanks to everyone who has been there this season helping us gain promotion and a title. Some great individual performances to go with team efforts all year meant we went into every game thinking we were capable of winning, and managed to stay in 1st or 2nd in the table all season. Horsham Trinity picked up their 30 points against St Andrews meaning if we had drawn or lost to Clymping that we would have finished second.

Good luck to the 1s and 2s this week on their promotion/title challenges!

Scorecard

25.6.11 - 5th XI v Clymping 2nd XI

Back after a week off, Worthing looked to stay top of the table. After winning the toss we put Clymping in to bat on a flattish wicket that looked like it would do something early on. Clymping started well giving no real chances in the first 7 overs or so making use of the small boundary. The ball was doing a few things and J.Stuart (1-42) bowled well restricting them in the first few overs. D.Stuart (2-30) on first change at the pavilion end started to create some chances, Dan then got one to sit up a bit and L.Dean (23) middled a flat one to the diving skipper at mid off. This brought in Gareth Challen (Brother of our 1st teamer) who scored a very good 125 with only a couple of errors early in his innings nearly chopping it on twice. Harry Reeves was next best bowler to Dan taking (1-20) from his 7 overs bowling with good pace cleaning up the Clymping captain with a very good yorker. Fielding was very good throughout with catches from J.Quintais, N.Harris and A.Squires x2. Clymping finishing on 259-6 which was about par for the wicket. Other wickets went to J.Belton (1-45) and Glenn Harris (1-60).

The Worthing chase didn't begin well losing Glenn Harris (0) to a great delivery from Wadington (2-20), and J.Quintais (8) early. A.Bastable (41) and N.Harris (54) got us back into the game and put on 80 together keeping well on top of the rate. After losing Bastable and Harris it was up to A.Bardouleau (53*) making an appearance from the 4th team and S.Wookey (26) to continue, they batted well together and we looked like getting the total, but Sam was out caught in the closing overs. At this stage the rate was starting to become a bit more difficult but D.Stuart (21*) made a good effort late on to give us a strong finish. Unfortunately we finished up just 235-7 but at least made sure of the draw. Slightly disappointing to only pick up 7 points but wickets were hard to come by and the draw ensures Clymping did not pick up too many points to catch us by much.

The result drops us to second in the table at the half way stage 8 points behind Horsham Trinity and 16 points clear of Clymping. A strong second half to the season could well see us finish in the top spot!

Scorecard