Spring is in the Air

Spring is in the air with the intoxicating smell of newly mown grass, dappled sunshine and morning mists.  Daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops are in flower  - naturally the thoughts of all Outlook readers will turn to village cricket. A new season is upon us. Time to dust the mildew off cricket boots and whites and to do a few preparatory sit-ups and touch one’s toes … oowh - that hurt … well perhaps we can forego the exercises.

By the time readers receive this edition of Outlook we will have had a practice game on Sunday 22nd April and the first game of the season will have been played on Saturday 28th April at Ebernoe possibly followed by a team-building night at an Indian curry restaurant.

The first home game of 2012 is on Sunday 6th May against very tough opponents - Westbourne, and Paul Phillips has been hard at work getting the cricket square into first class condition with the assistance of Paul Lawson and Club Chairman Allan Thompson. In what is reportedly the worst drought since 1976, restrictions on the use of hosepipes will not help and we could find ourselves playing on bone hard tracks. But then the fickle English weather will kick in and we will probably find matches cancelled in June with heavy rain.

As mentioned in recent posts on Outlook we are probably going to struggle to raise eleven players in the early weeks of the season as several of our younger players have returned for the summer term at various universities. So if you are available to ‘hold the fort’ until the arrival of ‘the cavalry’ please contact John King.

The Cricket Club has a new President. Joe Clifford has accepted the invitation of the committee to take over this role. To readers of these notes Joe’s name will be well known. Although no longer a resident of the village he has been associated with the club for many years.  He was born in Lodsworth in 1944 and lived in the village until the late 1960’s. He played his first game for the village team at the age of 7 years old against West Dean & Singleton in 1951 and he took a catch at square leg.

Joe, now a fit 68, recalls playing cricket for the village team before the Recreation Field was donated to the village by the Barnes family – the freeholders of the Holist Arms.

The first time he watched a game in which his father was playing was in the early 1950s and it was played in a field adjacent to the triangle of grass known as Lickfold Green. Later Joe played for the village team on a flat stretch of land opposite the late Lady Fiennes’ house at St. Peter’s Well. There was no pavilion – just a shed and the teams simply changed at the side of the field.  But how did the players travel to adjoining villages in those days when there were fewer cars? Well,” recalls Joe,” we had bikes, and the skipper had a motorbike and sidecar so he brought the kit together with another player on the pillion.” Joe still plays the occasional game for the club. Joe’s nephew Matt Hall is the current captain of the village team.

While welcoming Joe we wish to thank the retiring President - George Bristow. George, as erstwhile landlord of The Hollist Arms and Chairman of the Parish Council has always been hugely supportive of the Cricket Club and hosted some memorable annual dinners at the pub – offering the club a special price. He entered a team in the now defunct annual six-a-side competition and frequently came by to watch on Sunday afternoons.

For readers of Outlook who are interested in tracing the recent history of cricket in Lodsworth the club website has been rebuilt. Type www.lodsworthcc.org into your browser and you will find details of matches from 2005 onwards and some recent photographs of the 2012 Awards Evening.

2012 Preview

A new season is (almost) upon us and preparations are in hand for the first game of the season, which as usual will be a test against our old foe Ebernoe on Saturday 28^th April. Actually, this first game could be decided on the toss of a coin for it is totally unpredictable.

 

Apart from a sprinkling of (younger) batsmen who have attended nets the majority haven’t had a bat in their hands for six months, likewise some bowlers will not have turned their arm over for the same period and muscles are likely to be tested by the sudden need to sprint to the boundary or between the wickets.

 

I speak from experience here as being the sometime wicket keeper and relatively inactive throughout the winter I have to face approximately 240 balls (40 overs x 6 balls). This requires squatting down and jumping up 240 times. For two week in early May my quadriceps scream and I am hardly able to walk!

 

Meanwhile the wicket is being brought to perfection by Paul Phillips – raked, aerated, mown and rolled, with weed killer applied and fertilizer spread. It is also watered if Southern Water Board restrictions permit. An awful lot of work goes into preparing the square so little wonder Paul guards it so zealously. The outfield too has to be repeatedly mown. Grass for football is too long for cricket, so gradually it must be shorn to an acceptable length once the goalposts are taken down. The sightscreens have to be maintained, repaired and painted, the kit sorted and renewed. And the implement shed has been improved by the Recreation Hall Committee with the construction of, what John King describes proudly as ‘an architect-designed extension’ (Architect Jamie Brooke-Fisher).

 

John King has been at work throughout the winter months, raising subscriptions from our brilliantly supportive Vice Presidents, arranging fixtures and printing fixture cards. The fixture list changes marginally from year to year. This year we dropped the fixture with Graffham and Smithbrooke (they usually cancel at a late hour), Fernhurst have dropped us after 50 years (anecdotal evidence suggests they believe we are now too serious – what us?) and the Cricket Society are not coming this year as we are unable to fit in their calendar. In their place John has arranged games against local villages Lynchmere and Elsted, and a touring team -The Ancient Mariners.

 

Insurance for the club has been renewed – this is mandatory for all teams who are affiliated to Sussex County Cricket Board. So if any Outlook reader is hit by a cricket ball while walking their dog they can be sure we have 3^rd Party Cover!

 

The AGM took place on the 2^nd February and the usual suspects were voted into office. The captain will be last year’s successful skipper Matt Hall and Vice Captain Paul Phillips. Chairman Allan Thompson’s firm Contract Candles, agreed to sponsor our shirts. Allan also made a generous donation towards a replacement mower while Andrew Wilson-Smith agreed to sponsor 12 balls for home games.

 

Discussion on the renewal of the playing strength of the team took some time at the AGM. Finding new players is the key to the survival of village cricket. I suppose all readers of Outlook will be well aware of the Cricket Club so an advert is probably unnecessary but if anyone is reading this who is new to Lodsworth, River or Lickfold do consider joining us – previous experience at Test level is not required. Nets have been arranged and a practice match at the recreation ground on Sunday 22nd April.

 

Looking further ahead, Paul Phillips undertook to arrange nets and coaching sessions for village youngsters on Saturday mornings during the season. A notice will appear in Outlook giving details. In this way the tradition of village cricket in Lodsworth is assured.

 

 

Bob Powell

Scribe

A Mixed Bag

Sunday 25th September at Lodsworth

The Cricket Society 109 for 7 off 41 overs (A Gale 52, D Chapman 24: Andy Long 11 overs 3 wickets for 9 runs, Dave Clarke 9 overs 2 for 23, Nick Bellion 5 overs 1 for 31).

Lodsworth CC 84 for 9 off 38 over (Richard Gough 35, Dave Clarke 23)
Match Drawn

With the skipper on vacation, Jack and Harry Dimond at Leeds and Southampton Universities respectively and other players working, a mixed assortment of players gathered, under the captaincy of Councilor Paul Phillips to host our last game of the season against The Cricket Society (aka The Society of Cricket Statisticians). We were fortunate to be able to call on the Midhurst 2nd XI skipper Richard Gough, Finn Campbell was down from Marlborough College for the weekend and Nick Bellion had just returned from a skiing course in New Zealand.

The Lodsworth team bowled very well and with some sharp fielding restricted the visitors to just 109 for 7 in two and a half hours of play. Andy Long shortened the odds on him winning the bowling trophy with 11 overs 3 for 9 and Dave Clark delivered 9 aggressive overs, taking 2 for 32. Bob Powell took two catches and a stumping and Paul Phillips and Richard Gough caught one each.

The game started at 12.30 and tea was taken so early that the ladies were caught on the hop and the kettle hadn’t boiled, but this was compensated for by some excellent iced carrot cake!

The late cry off of one of the Lodsworth batsmen, stranded, he said, in Lyme Regis, necessitated the last-minute call up of 11-year old Henry Cruikshank who opened the innings for Lodsworth along with his dad, Fergus. Henry played well against a quick bowler and is one to watch for the future.

Otherwise the team did not perform well with the bat and only Richard Gough (35) and Dave Clarke (23) were able to master the Cricket Society variety of pace and spin. Teetering on defeat at 86 for 9 and with 5 overs to go Bob Powell joined Pete Long. Leaving their Zimmer frames on the boundary the two pensioners batted on to score 0 not out and 0 not out respectively, thus effectively securing a draw.

Great fun and a good end to Lodsworth’s best season in a decade. For the record the village team have played 17, won 10, drawn 3 and lost 4.

Man of the match Bob Powell (by vote of the opposition)

Scribe Bob Powell

The Right Spirit

Goodwood CC v Lodworth CC

Sunday 11^th September 2011 at Goodwood Park

Goodwood CC 163 for 7 off 40 overs (J Clifton 62, A Clifton 23: Paul Phillips 8 overs 2 for 16, Jack Dimond 4 overs 2 for 12, Andy Long 8 overs 1 for 27)

Lodsworth CC 128 for 9 (D Clarke 59, Jack Dimond 18; R Carver 5 overs 4 for 15, M Beard 8 overs 2 for 17, C Patel 5 overs 2 for 26)

Lodsworth Lost

Lodsworth were hard pushed to put out a team for this game and played for the first two hours with just nine players. With so many gaps in the field it was a creditable performance to restrict the home team to 163 off 40 overs. Paul Phillips had a good day with the ball taking 2 wickets for 16 runs and also taking two brilliant catches on the long on boundary. Jack Dimond also bowled well and took 2 for 12 in 4 overs.

The Goodwood cricket ground is in a magnificent parkland setting – directly in front of Goodwood House with the flag of the Duke of Richmond flying at the mast. The ground has a quintessential village pavilion with a thatched roof and a proper scoring box accessed from the verandah.

The quality of the teas matched the grandeur of the setting but showing no sign of being overawed Dave Clark and Jack Dimond began to establish a firm base for Lodsworth before Jack departed leaving the score was 61 for 2. The middle-order then simply imploded with Alfie Bunker, Al Rix, Paul Phillips and Andy Long all sent back to the pavilion for very few runs. The tail end of Fergus Cruikshank, Pete Long and Bob Powell wagged briefly wagged but at 128 for 9 Lodsworth were all out.

Despite the loss this was a pleasantly competitive game played against a team of gentlemen who play cricket in the ‘right spirit’.

Man-of-the-Match Dave Clarke

Scribe Bob Powell

Parsimonious Parham

Lodsworth CC v Parham Park CC
Sunday 5th September at Lodsworth

Parham Park CC 180 for 1 off 30 overs (A Wales 71, A Vander 87 not out: Dave Clarke 9 overs 1 for 43)

Lodsworth CC 134 for 6 off 30 overs (Jack Dimond 49, Alfie Bunker 40: J Hammond 14 overs 4 for 50, J Mitchell 2 overs 2 for 3).
Lodsworth Lost

Over the years Parham Park have proved to be a difficult team to beat, somehow, with a core of veterans, always managing to resist our best attempts to bowl them out. And so it proved in this game, started in grey overcast skies (causing the game to be reduced to 30 overs each) but finishing in glorious sunshine.

Captain Phillips threw all his bowlers into the fray – Dave Clarke, Andy Long, Fergus Cruikshank, Alfie Bunker and himself but to no avail as A Wales (71) and A Vander (87) hung around until the 25th over before James Hickey gave the home team something to cheer with a superb catch to claim one wicket as
the visitors coasted to 180.

Tea came and went – very nice, as always - and then Lodsworth set off in pursuit. Here Parham proved to be parsimonious for they used just two accurate bowlers for 27 overs. Fast bowler J Hammond quickly captured the wickets of Charlie Dimond and James Hickey and went on to record 14 overs 4 for 50.

Jack Dimond batted confidently to reach 49 and Alfie Bunker displayed some expansive hitting to record 40 but Lodsworth simply ran out of time and were well behind at the close of play beaten by a team that played to its strength and gave nothing away.

Man of the Match – Alfie Bunker
Scribe Bob Powell

Perfect Ten

Walberton CC v Lodsworth CC
Sunday 21st August 2011 at Walberton

Walberton CC 110 all out (B Kemp 32, R Lockwood 24; Matt Hall 2 overs 3 wickets for 4 runs, Andy Long 8.3 overs 3 for 26, Paul Phillips 7 overs 2 for 16).

Lodsworth CC 117 for 3 (Jack Dimond 57 not out, Harry Dimond 28 not out)
Lodsworth won

Put into bat Walberton CC, who in the past proved to be our nemesis (we haven’t beaten them for eight years), were quickly in trouble with the loss of two wickets for 6 runs. Their batting never really recovered and they were soon 50 for 6. The
damage was principally done by Matt Hall with 3 wickets for 4 runs, Andy Long with 3 for 26, and Paul Phillips with 2 for 16.

Lodsworth put down a lot of catches but two superb efforts by Alfie Bunker and Jack Dimond stood out. The Walberton tail wagged with a spirited 24 from R Lockwood but after 34 overs the opposition succumbed with 110 all out.

After tea Lodsworth began the chase but quickly lost the  wickets of Matt Hall and Alfie Bunker while Jack Dimond steadily advanced with a succession of drives and leg glances to the boundary. Paul Phillips was briefly at the wicket but
perhaps his mind was on the Lodsworth Village Horticultural Show where he was exhibiting his prize vegetables, for he was quickly dismissed. Jack (57 not out) was joined by his brother Harry Dimond (28 not out) and together they took the score to 117 for 3 to record Lodsworth’s 10th victory of the season.

It is worth recording that this is the first time in a decade that Lodsworth have won 10 games in a season and also worth recording that Councilor Phillip’s vegetables took first prize.

Man-of-the-Match Jack Dimond
Scribe Bob Powell

Best Win of the Season

West Chiltington CC v Lodsworth CC
Sunday 14th August 2011 at West Chiltington

West Chiltington CC 229 for 4 in 40 overs (Dave Clarke 1 wicket for 11 runs, Matt Hall 1 for 43, Graham Braithwaite 2 for 32)

Lodsworth 233 for 5 in 38 overs (Graham Braithwaite 119 not out, Alfie Bunker 32, Tom Davis 22, Jon Clifford 12 not out)
Lodsworth won

Lodsworth CC faced one of their most difficult fixtures of the season for West Chiltington are a very strong village team and playing at home they fielded virtually an entire League side.

Their batting lineup was formidable and, despite some good Lodsworth bowling, they amassed a total of 229 runs for the loss of just 4 wickets in 40 overs. They went in to tea, no doubt confident of victory.

In response Lodsworth made a shaky start, loosing three early wickets, but two excellent partnerships, first between Graham Braithwaite and Tom Davis (22), and then between Graham and Alfie Bunker (32) saw Lodsworth achieve a commendable victory. Graham Braithwaite’s 118 not out was superb and an exhibition of powerful hitting. He stroked the ball to all corners of the field, hitting eight monumental sixes. If only he could be available regularly for the village team! Well done the Lodsworth team.

Man-of-the-Match Graham Braithwaite
Scribe John King