2016 Results & Reports

Following on from last season’s promotion the main target for the 1XI was to challenge at the top of the table – to achieve promotion was an outstanding result. The squad remained almost unchanged from the previous season and the continuity of selection and the familiarity of roles certainly aided this season’s promotion push. A fine run of 6 consecutive wins in the middle of the summer catapulted the team into second place, a position they wouldn’t relinquish.

On the pitch there were notable performances throughout the season from a number of players:

• Nick Procter – 122 vs Horley,
• Chris Fewson – 81 vs Sheen Park
• Jake White – 80 vs Putney
• Chris Fewson – 67 vs John Fisher
• Harrison Green – 62 vs Sheen Park
• Ed Cooper – 61 vs John Fisher
• Nick Procter – 60 vs Wallington
• Nick Procter – 59* vs Horley
• Nick Procter – 56 vs Woodmansterne
• Jake White  – 52 vs Sheen Park
• Matt Dixon – 52 vs Chobham (Cup)

• Nick Procter – 8 for 55 vs Sheen Park
• Nick Procter – 6 for 7 vs Chobham
• Dom Brown – 5 for 25 vs Woodmansterne
• Adam Burlison – 5 for 69 vs Putney

The consistency was led by the “senior pro’s”  with stellar performances from Nick Procter with both the bat (419 runs) and ball (31 wkts) with multiple match defining performances rightly earning him the POTY accolade and maintaining his position as one of the divisions best all rounders and Mark Collin, who performed consistently each week (395 Runs) and offered brilliant mentoring to the younger squad members both in game and during net sessions.  With Nick and Mark in the engine room of the batting order this guaranteed a solid foundation to the innings leaving the lower middle order freedom to compile match winning targets each week.

Other notable contributions came from Chris Fewson (227 runs in 6 innings), Josh White (19 wkts) and Dom Brown (16 wkts). The key to the success this season was the consistent availability of the core players, with 9 players playing 9 or more games.

The next challenge awaits in Div 1 – can they achieve a third successive promotion?

Stand out performances throughout the season from Mal Russell and Asim Iqbal ensured we remained competitive in all matches. The continued inclusion of the best youth players will bring its rewards in due course and whilst 2016 provided a few bumps in the road as expected with such a young side, this will hopefully provide the platform for a promotion push in 2017.

Season highlights were as follows:

Mal Russell
410 runs at 45.56 HS 108 and 2×50

Asim Iqbal
277 runs at 34.63 HS 75 and 2×50
18 wkts at 13.39 BB 7/64

Gareth Amer
262 runs at 23.82

Joseph Roberts
150 runs at 50 HS 48*
10 wkts at 23.3

Adam Iqbal
10wkts at 27

Match defining contributions from:
Alex Cooper 4/6 vs Wandgas
Joel Stroud 4/6 vs Hook & Southborough
Cameron Walters 66 vs Hook & Southborough
Dominic Brown 52* vs Worplesdon & Burpha Haris Shoaib 50* vs Hook & Southborough

Consistent performances lead to call ups to the 1XI for Harry Mead and Asim Iqbal.

After a slow start, the VCL XI enjoyed a successful season upon its return to Division Two. In the VCL, we recorded four wins, six draws and three defeats which meant a respectable fourth place finish.

In spite of poor availability during the first few months of the season due to GCSEs, A-levels and university commitments, the side managed to lose only once after 8th May. This run included a notable, gutsy draw away against a strong Dorking team. This was largely due to a captain’s knock of 35* from 40 overs by Josh Farrell as he steered his side to safety.

Effingham’s next game was quite a contrast as, having been set 241 to win from 45 overs, Jordan Bond led the side home with 85 from 71 with support from Harrison Green (52 from 55 balls). This game set the tone for the rest of the season as the side’s batting improved almost with every game. A notable statistic from the season is that the VCL XI scored over 200 in seven of the last nine games of the year. The Sunday XI, which plays ‘friendly’ matches when there is no VCL match, also scored 200 in three of its six matches.

As you can imagine this deluge of runs was caused by many notable individual performances.

In the VCL, the leading run scorers were:

• Chris Fewson – 369 runs @ 73.80 (including one hundred and three fifties)
• Harrison Green – 352 @ 44.00 (including one hundred and one fifty)
• Edward Cooper – 303 @ 60.60 (including four fifties)
• Josh Farrell – 234 @ 33.43 (including one fifty)

However, as we all know cricket is a game about far more than aggregate run totals and as such I have picked out some performances from batsmen which set up winning positions for the side.

• Josh Farrell (86) and Rob Gibbons (52) in an opening partnership of 148
• Adam Iqbal (52) and Chris Fewson (117) in a third wicket partnership of 166
• Ed Cooper (88) and Jordan Bond (63) in a second wicket partnership of 108
• Adam Iqbal (52) and Chris Fewson (65)
• Harrison Green (127*) and Adam Iqbal (23)
• Chris Fewson (86*) and Adam Burlison (29*)

The bowling efforts in the VCL were led by Sunday regulars Simon Fuller and Harrison Green who picked up ten wickets apiece. Dom Brown bowled superbly when available to claim eight wickets at 10.25. Joe Roberts and Rob Gibbons also chipped in with six wickets each.

The Sunday ‘friendly’ XI also saw many eye catching performances; Harrison Green twice batted through an entire innings to record scores of 97* and 116*, Nick Jackman scored 89* on debut in a convincing win over Leatherhead, Rob Gibbons took five wickets for the cost of three runs in that same game and twice Dom Brown took four wickets in an innings.

The Sunday XI also played in one of the club’s most extraordinary games of the year away against Mickleham. Defending 143, Chris Fewson completed two late runouts as Mickleham finished one run short.

Overall, it was a successful season for the club’s Sunday cricket; to have only lost three times in 2016 is a notable achievement. Particularly pleasing was the team’s regular 200 plus totals which were built upon the consistent performances of the club’s younger batsmen. The 2017 season can be eagerly anticipated.