Sunday Premier League End of Term Report

The last game was 13th September and as is always the case we could have played for the last three weekends. The season is over and the stats have been collated, welcome to the end of season report.

Played 15 won 11 lost 3 and abandoned 1.

So a successful season for the Sunday team, albeit not quite as many games as normal. The above includes the Spring bank Holiday game. A couple of games were cancelled due to the rain, with the worst of the weather tending to fall on the Sunday during the season ! We had to cancel a game on the Sunday of the spring bank holiday due to the Lords Test and the fact we had a game on the Monday, I won't be arranging a game for this Sunday next season. The opposition cancelled at the last moment on one Sunday and there were a number of blanks intentionally left for colts and ladies cricket. There were six games up until the end of June and nine after June. Generally there are more free Sundays in the early part of the season due to exams and players at university.

Games played

• Matt Armstrong 15
• Arul Appavoo 15
• Chris Butler 12
• Brian Dixon 12
• Tom Allen 12
• Atif Amin 11
• Callum Phillips 9
• Will Cunliffe 6
• Will Western-Kaye 6
• Yusuf Qureshi 6
• Amit Giri 5
• Alex Le Clerq 4
• Jai Chopra 4
• James Billington 4

Also played - Ben Ward, Sachin Moudgil, Raoul Cheema, Tom Wilding, Ben Zakrewski, Simon Ball, Charlie Rodger, Kieran Grey, Arun Nimba, Vish kumar, Tom Evans, John Hewitt, Todd Lindley, Alex Hess, Alkesh Vaja, James Bowler, Ed Sears, James Coyne, Will Ballantyne, Cameron Jacobsen, Jamie Odell, Elliot Pinkham, Jamie Kidell & Ahmed Furaq.

John Hewitt, Alex Hess and Todd Lindley deputised for Brian Dixon behind the stumps in the games he didn't play.

Generally availability was good with the hard core of the magnificent seven, Armstrong, Appavoo, Dixon, Allen, Butler, Amin and Phillips, making the bowling and wicket keeper selection easy . With just the question of finding some batsmen each week.

Highest score - 355 v The Stage

Lowest score - 156 v Braywood

Highest score conceded - 249 v Kensington

Lowest score by opposition 72 Exiles, first game of season. At 14/7 Tony marched out to the wicket to declare that the tea was not ready! Luckily the last three wickets put on 58 and the innings lasted 27 overs.

Highest individual score - 146 Yusuf Qureshi v The Stage

Only other century - 120 Arul Appavoo v THe Jesters.

>Best bowling - five instances of four wicket hauls, two by Arul, two by Tom Allen and one by Chris Butler, best overall

5 overs 1 maiden six runs 4 wickets by Arul Appavoo v The Exiles.

Best victory - 4 wicket defeat of Incogniti, recovered from 136 for 6 to chase down 209. Undefeated 7th wicket stand of 77 between Atif Amin and Arul Appavoo.

Above victory came week after worst defeat of season to The Fiddlers, lost by 8 runs chasing 198 when we were 137 for 1.

Averages

Qualification 4 innings

Roll of honour

Not that long as Arul won most of the awards

Best Batsman , Best Fielder & Most Valuable Player

Best Batsman

Arul Appavoo - Gun, Gunbarul

Took over from Raoul Cheema has highest run scorer along with highest average. Started out batting nine then worked his way up the order with sheer weight of runs and the speed in which he scored them. Long reach and levers, strong straight, cow corner and square leg. Played last five games primarily as a batsmen only bowling once, posting scores of 49, 36, 120no, 87 no & 77. Won game v Incogniti with undefeated 7th wicket partnership of 77 with Tif, scoring 49no which included 3 6's. Put on 191 for 4th wicket with Billo v Jesters as M & B recovered from 34/3.

Safest catcher of the ball, took approx. 6 or 7 catches during the season, normally at log off, quite a few steeplers.

Not a bad opening bowler as well, 3rd in the averages. According to Will Cunliffe ruined a few games by running through the oppo's top order. Gave other bowlers a chance during back end of season due to his work load in the 3's(cunning plan GT!).

Best Bowler

Tom Allen - GT, Squirrel - Clubman of the Year

Most overs and most wickets, formed a fruitful combination with senior Sunday Spinner Chris Butler. Normally operating in tandem as first change. Only wicket less once in twelve bowling spells. Admittedly got 4 or 5 wickets with a few steak pies but on the whole bowled a tight and testing off stump line. Missed one or two wickets with dropped catches off his own bowling ! Obviously benefitted by playing more often on Sunday, courtesy of his job with 3. Had a few strops but that's GT for you! Needs to learn to bowl with a prouder seam.

Best Newcomer

Callum Phillips

Keen cricketer, useful away swing opening bowler, who deserved far more wickets than he got. Beat the bat consistently on the outside, suffered with a number of dropped catches. Fell over after delivery more often than any other bowler than I can recall, as did his glasses. Skipper probably gave him too attacking fields ! Useful lower order batter, strong on the leg side. Energetic fielder with strong throw. Hope to see him back in 2016.

Other profiles

Will Cunliffe

Scored his runs quickly, predominately through the off side and cover region. Good on the pull when required. Good fielder with bullet throw although direction needs calibrating !

Brian Dixon

Another valuable player, as he's the Sunday wicket keeper. Based upon my sketchy scorebook records, shows he had more stumpings than catches during the season ! 7 catches to 8 stumpings, impressive. Helps having a good keeper when you have a regular pair of spinners. Disappointed again with the bat, should be scoring 400+ runs, yet to get that elusive Sunday 50. Hopefully third season lucky when runs will over floweth.

Atif Amin - Tif, Tifler, Tin man - and his performing dogs

One of the most immobile fielders on the circuit. Scored 74% of his runs in one stand out innings of 50no, to see M & B home in an undefeated 7th wicket partnership of 77 with Gun. Impressed with the ball this season, bowled nagging full length away swing line.

Will Western-Kaye

Didn't score the runs he should have, fluent all round the wicket. Kept getting starts and then getting out.

Amit Giri - Mr Giri

Quality Sunday performer with bat and ball. Needs to sort his life out and get playing more Sunday cricket. 5 appearances Mr Giri, atrocious, can do better !

James Billington - Billo, Aussie Jim

Quality batsman at this level and brilliant fielder. Pleasure to have him in the side, won all our games when James played. Didn't score the amount of league runs we all hoped he would but hopefully he will benefit from the English experience.

Yusuf Qureshi

Another poor season, doubled his average in his last innings by hitting a career best against a poor Stage attack. Didn't play enough a shambolic six appearances.

Chris Butler

Another Sunday stalwart and specialist point and square leg fielder. Profitable season with 16 wickets and formed a good partnership in tandem with GT. Benefitted from a number of smart stumpings from Brian.

Matt Armstrong - Reaper

Disappointing season, how can you lose your run up for virtually the whole season when you have played for 33 years! Does generally bowl at the death which doesn't help the economy rates. Batting talents rarely required this season. Finished season with two dropped catches, can do better, must do better !

Jai Chopra

Talented cricketer available from late June once back from Charterhouse. Good leg spin bowler, batsman and fielder. Should be even better next season, a year older, stronger and a further season under the tutelage of Martin Bicknell.

Alexander Le Clerq

Sunday character and raconteur. Captain of the Phene Philanderers . The David Bryant(pipe smoker) of the bowling department, his batting talents were rarely required this season.

2016 and beyond

A lot of people say Sunday cricket is too weak. The selection of the opposition is based on two main criteria, we need to be playing every game at home( bar revenue)and we can only put out one team on a Sunday. Consequently as fixture secretary as well as Sunday captain for over twenty years the fixtures have been shaped due to this. We can only put one team out on a Sunday and in terms of strength that team would be classified as a medium 2nd X1 strength, with most of the players coming from the 3's a few 2's and 2 or 3 Sunday only players. This is why the majority of our opposition are nomadic teams, as they are more than happy to come and play at the beautiful Bray ground and are generally of the correct strength. There are quite a few 1st and 2nd X1 league players who are happy to play the odd game on Sunday, as per the availability section shows. So there is no point in trying to arrange stronger fixtures as this will not entice players to play as I know from twenty years experience they are only going to play 1 or 2 games or in quite a few cases none at all. Based upon this year's magnificent seven the strength would be 3's / 2's. There were a couple of new fixtures this year, The Frogs and Captain Scott's X1. Although we beat the Frogs easily we had a good side, containing Billo and Coynie ! Captain Scott's X1 beat us and had a number of good players. I will look to add one or two new fixtures next year as well as probably lose at least one team. There will be 3 or 4 Sunday's left free, mainly in the early part of the year for colts / women's cricket.

So that ends my report and before I go a few thank yous. To Charlie for preparing the wickets and putting my reports on the website. To Tony and Max for preparing the teas and serving the drinks. To all the players who supported me during what proved to be a successful 2015 Sunday season.

Winter well and have an enjoyable off season. See you all, if not before, back at the Spring nets at Claire's Court in March

Matt Armstrong