Chris

First, it was great to have Andy C back after his sabbatical and hopefully this was the first of many more games to come for him.

As to the match after losing the toss on a blustery day at Mayfield and being put in the field, this was arguably decided by a first wicket partnership of 53 on what was an unpredictable wicket, not helped by a couple of difficult chances going down in the field.

After Richard broke the opening stand with a spell of 2 for 1 in 5 overs, Adrian bowling unchanged for the remainder of the innings from the top end took 5 for 34 in 14 overs, aided by good catches for Richard,  Andy H and Prasad and with Prasad (1 for 19) and Saqib (2 for 13) at the other end picking up  3 wickets between them the remaining 9 wickets fell for only 79 runs to leave Mayfield on 129 all out from overs.

After an excellent tea, Ives never really got to grips with the wicket with only Adrian (20) and Richard (13) making double figures as we were bowled out for 77 in only 27 overs which although we could have done better was possibly a par score for the conditions on the day.

First match of Ives centenary season on an unusually hot day for the time of year saw Ives take to the field resplendent in their new Centenary cricket shirts.

An excellent bowling and fielding performance from everyone followed restricting Arkley to 177 in 46 overs thanks mainly to a  run  wicket stand, Adrian (3 for 39) Andy H (1 for 28), Richard (1 for 35) and Saqib (1for 26) were allin the wickets and although a couple of catches went down which might have restricted the Arkley total further, catches were picked up by Ciaran, Adrian and Bob behind the stumps.

In reply Ives quickly found themselves 6 for 2 with Ciaran and Richard back in the pavilion. Bob (32) and Adrian (14) put the innings back on track with Phil P pitching in with 19 before both he and Bob departed in the 2 balls either side of tea to halt the Ives momentum.  Phil K with a fine 44 and Saqib (22) put the innings back on track with a 67 run stand before, following their departure, a flurry of wickets fell to leave Ives 162 all out with 3 overs to play.

Despite the loss all in all an encouraging start to the season with hopefully more to come.

A bright late season afternoon, the toss lost again, Ives asked to bowl. Leyhill make a good start and there’s 60 on the board before the 1^st wicket falls to Richard (5 overs 1 for 30) caught behind by Bob. Then a 78 run  2^nd wicket stand before Adrian (4 for 39 in 8 overs) brings Ives back in to the game and Matthew, who also contributed a  run out, ties down the other end (7 overs 1 for 21 ) and the Leyhill score at tea instead of being 200+ is restricted to 192 for 7.

After an excellent tea Richard quickly departs run out but the run rate is maintained as Phil K (14) and Phil P (11) join Ciaran, before from 67 for 3, Bob (33) and Ciaran put on  a 50 run stand.  However despite Ciaran (51) with his second  50 in two weeks, Adrian (16), Saqib (9) and Andy H (10) keeping the score ticking the rate finally proves beyond Ives as the last wicket falls with one ball remaining and Ives 7 runs short of the target

• A new fixture this week, same toss result LOST .
• Eaton Bray ask Ives to bat . A new opening  pair this week Ciaran and AD . The start is measured and at 20 overs with no wicket down, 70 is posted . Drinks are taken and the pace of the innings increases  with both batsmen looking for the runs  after a solid start . 
• AD posts 54  and falls LBW with the score on 136 the highest 1st stand of the season to date . Ciaran carries on, and with the arrival of Raj to the wicket posts his maiden 50 . They both carry on and set a target of 220 , with Ciaran 86 not out and Raj 38 not out . With 150 scored in the last 20 overs . 
• After Tea we are limited with the bowling this week . Matt and Earle both open the bowling and golden arm Matt soon bags a wicket caught by AD. Mattt ends up with 1-46 from 7 over two spells. Earle  picks up a wicket  bowled and finishes with 1-38 from 7. AD takes over from Matt and takes a wicket to leave Eaton Bray 3 down at drinks break . 
• At drinks Eaton Bray are odds on  to carry on for a win . Bowling changes are made, Ciaran is brought on.  Ciaran strikes to remove there skipper an important wicket. AD changes ends and picks up 2  wickets, 1 a stumping from Bob, first of the season. AD ends up with figures of 4-32 from 9 . Ciaran carries on with some fine bowing and takes wickets to end up with 4-15 from 7.5 overs and takes the last wicket to WIN the game with Eaton Bray bowled out for140  .
• Nice ground , Good result 
• Man of match Ciaran ,

Having been asked to bowl first Ives took an early wicket courtesy of Richard (1 for 22 in 6 overs) but were then put to the sword with a 2^nd wicket stand of 183 as Cublington sailed past 200 with only Ciaran having any success with 2 for 48 in 8 overs, and despite Matthew (0 for 33in 8 overs) and Adrian  (0 for 39 in 8 overs) bowling well and some excellent fielding particularly in the first 20 overs.

In reply Ives got off to an excellent start with Ciaran (9) and Richard (41) putting on 25 and the Richard and Raj (36) adding 68 in quick time to take the score to 93 for 1 in only 14 overs. However 4 quick wickets changed the match in Cublington’s favour and despite 72 from Bob, 17 from Adrian and 16no from Matthew at the end, the overs ran out with Ives on 231 for 8.

With the threat of rain ever present Rivets won the toss, batted, and found themselves 20 for 2 thanks to 2 quick wickets from Saqib (3 for 39 in 8 overs).  After that however it took to the drinks break at the 20^th over and ‘Nelson’ (111) to bring the next wicket which arrived with the introduction of an under the weather Richard who quickly perked up after taking 2 wickets with his first 2 ball and finished with 4 for 28 from his 8 overs. With Adrian also chipping in with a wicket Rivets were reduced to 140 for 8 with more than 10 overs left but an unbroken  9^th wicket stand saw them to 195 at tea.  Mention should be made of the catching with 7 of the 8 wickets falling in that way to Matthew (2), Denis, Earle and Bob with 3 the wicket.

In reply despite knocks of 20 or more from Richard (20), Bob (24), Ciaran (24 )and Adrian (38) no one went on to get the bigger score required and with Chris P ending  on 3 not out Ives fell 40 runs short to finish 155 all out.

Footnote:  Congratulations to Ciaran, Adrian, Andy H, Matthew, Chris P and Richard who won the Hatch End CC 6 A Side competition on Sunday, being unbeaten on the day and with Chris P scoring the winning run in the final.

In a match restricted after only 4 overs by heavy rain to 25 overs a side Ickleford having been 41 for 1 at the break were reduced on an strip made unpredictable by the rain to 120 for 8 with 6 overs to go before a 8^th wicket stand saw them to 150 for 5 at the close.  Chief wicket taker was Richard with 4 or 56 with Andy H chipping in with 2 wickets, one to a fine gully catch by Phil K, and 1 each for Adrian and Matthew.

After another excellent tea Richard and Bob got the Ives innings under way and at 50 for 1 after 10 over the run rate was exactly on target, However from there wickets fell regularly and despite a cameo innings  from Jeff Hausler of 11 making his first appearance from the Ives from down under the Ives innings closed on 105 for 7 with Bob remaining resolute to the end on 55 not out.

Colonials Conquer Citizens

The fortunes of Ivanhoe fluctuated – down up down down up.. so definitely a game of many more than two halves!

Skipper Dancer actually won the toss on a rain affected pitch. After 2 days of heavy rain, there was much in the pitch for bowlers, with uneven bounce and a steamy, cloudy atmosphere to induce swing. So with Citizens racing along at 58-0 what had gone wrong? Well Ivanhoe opened encouragingly with 2 maidens but the openers played very sensibly and selectively and the ball raced to the boundary when hit. But one wicket brings 2, and the middle order fell away, to give Ivanhoe every hope of an early finish. However the tail wagged well, catches were dropped in the deep, 2 by the keeper and another at slip and only a sharp catch by Parnell R  at slip and a calm take in the deep by Woodcock, from an enormous hit, showed the Ives the way.

Woodcocks 2 spells brought 1-21 and Hausler’s economical spell 1-22. Meanwhile Parnell M quietly picked up 5 for 46, with his slower ball (well even slower) causing some difficulties). Dancer finished things off, with little luck and 2-11. Old Citizens reached 164 All Out, at least 30 more than they should or could have attained – which was a talking point at (a very good) tea.

At 4 an over on a tricky pitch this was a possible win if Ives kept focus and wickets. At very few for 4 things seemed to be on the way to defeat. With the top 3 contributing nothing – Parnell R receiving a grubber of the worst order and Collins ran himself out albeit to an excellent direct hit.  Caras then began the recovery and reached the 20s before departing. At 20 overs over half the total had been achieved but 6 wickets were down.. Indeed the 7^th wicket but on 35 with Woodcock and Dancer looking strong.  However with Woodcock departing lbw straight after drinks, and Dancer bowled by a full toss for 25, things looked bleak (the score 100 for 8). But cometh the hour cometh the colonials. South African Abrahamson and Aussie Hausler looked increasingly confident and Citizens finally realised that defeat was possible .. and indeed it was.. with 6 overs to spare Hausler deposited the ball over the midwicket boundary for 6 and his 51* and victory for Ives by 2 wickets.

Man of Match: Andrew Hausler

On a day when only 5 wickets fell (and one fielder, namely Den who intercepted a throw by Jonathan with his head and had to be taken temporarily to hospital where thankfully no lasting damage was found), Richard made no mistake this week in making his maiden ton for the club when in reply to Mayfield’s 197 for 3 he batted through the innings for an unbeaten 132 not out and with Phil P (60no) saw the Ives to a magnificent win by 8 wickets  with 6 overs to spare in an unbroken 3^rd wicket stand of 176 in 24 over.

Earlier having been reduced to 9 men in the field as Andy H chauffeured Den to hospital, Ciaran took 2 for 32 aided by catches by Phil K and Jonathan and Saqib took the only wicket to fall, but that was only the hors d’oeuvre to the main course that followed.

On a hard, fast track Adelaide Southgate quickly got into their stride with 50 on the board in 8 overs and a score of 300 looking on the cards at one point as their openers put on nearly 150 in quick time before the first wicket fell to Richard, caught behind by Bob.  From there some semblance of order was restored, albeit the innings closed on 247 for 6 in 40 overs, with 2 wickets for Adrian and 1 each for Richard, Andy H and Ciaran with a well taken one handed gulley catch by Den and another by Adrian. Mention must also be made of Earle;s fielding at deep mid off throughout the innings.

After an excellent tea Adrian and Richard opened the Ives reply and after a first over maiden Richard took the game to the bowlers with 50 coming up in only 5 overs of which Adrian’s contribution was 3.  However with the score on 92 and Richard on 73 a misjudged call lead to Richard running himself out when  a ton looked definitely on.  Andy H kept the score ticking along with a quick 19 and Adrian likewise to keep a win in sight. However the increasing run rate eventually became to much despite 26 from Earle and 16 from Den and once Adrian departed for 43 the innings fell away to close on 209.

Despite the defeat an enjoyable game all round.