News Update – September 23
The final Men’s League matches of the 2023 season are scheduled for each Saturday up to August 26th. The David Roth grounds are looking fantastic after all the rain – and now the sun – further improved by our new boundary rope.
The U11s Girls and Men’s 2nd XI teams have both enjoyed particularly successful seasons:
Charlie at the Ageas
U11s Team Manager Charlie Gloyn reports:
Easton U11 Girls have had an incredible season, emerging as the Hampshire League Champions, winning the Skills Team Challenge at the Ageas Bowl and ending with the most exciting, nail-biting Cup Final against St Cross.
Skills challenge winners!
Easton girls comfortably cruised through their early stage League and Cup matches, defeating all their opponents with convincing wins against: Hursley Park, Sparsholt, Compton & Chandlers Ford, Alton, Ropley and Trojans and ended the season as League Champions.
On 23rd June they entered the U11 Skills Team Challenge at the Ageas Bowl in front of the crowds, before the men’s Hampshire T20 match and won the competition, allowing them to become the Guard of Honour for the Hampshire Hawks at the start of their match in front of a packed stadium.
EMWCC hosted the U11 Girls’ Cup Final on the evening of Thursday 6th July when the team was pitched against St Cross, who fielded a strong team of older players all in the year above the Easton side. What a match it was! The League sent two uniformed umpires and a League official to oversee the game. There was a good crowd of supporters on a hot balmy summer evening. The Club had a BBQ running for the match and the atmosphere was fabulous. Easton batted first against tight fielding from St Cross and achieved a score of 191 runs for 4 wickets in their 20 over innings. In the second innings St Cross neared the Easton score and it was an exciting and desperate all-out battle for Easton to secure wickets and keep the St Cross girls at bay. The men’s team members had gathered on the balcony after their training in support of our girls and the cheers from the supporters all around the ground were loud and electric.
In a nail-biting finish to the Cup Final the St Cross girls also secured 191 runs. A dead tie! There was much suspense as both teams waited while the umpires, scorers and match officials huddled around the cricket rule book trying to find guidance on who would be declared the winners. The rules dictated that in the event of a tie on runs then the winning team is the team who lost the least amount of wickets: Easton girls were declared the winners having lost 4 wickets compared to St Cross losing 6. An amazing and well-fought match by both sides and a fitting way for the Easton U11 Girls to end their season – both Cup winners and winners of the 2023 League, despite being the youngest side in their League.
Congratulations and well done Girls!!
The U11 Girls’ squad consists of players from Years 5 and 6: Imogen Wilson, Scarlett Hunter, Rosie Vincent, Lulu Sanders, Jessica Gloyn, Bea Gillett, Eva Raftery, Sienna Mirahmadi, Melita Timmis and Louisa McCowen, Lana O’Dell, Ellie Beresford and Sophia de Naray.
Winter training for the team will take place from January and we welcome new players.
2nd XI Captain Nick Trinder reports:
The middle of the season has been marred by the weather, however, the Easton Men’s 2nd team has had a very strong year. We have won 9 out of 11 games and promotion is in our hands, as we enter the final matches of the season.
There have been some landmark performances throughout the season, with Adi Mandrekar taking 5 wickets for only 7 runs in the season opener against Knowle Village. A trip to Sarisbury followed, where Aaron Burton recorded the League’s top score so far this season, with an incredible 163 runs off only 98 balls, including 19 fours and 7 sixes. Trevor Yeates still thought the ‘man of the match award’ was up for grabs and duly took 6 wickets for 9 runs to secure another victory for the team.
The 2nd XI after an all-round performance at Sarisbury Green
The following week, both George Marshall-James (108) and Oscar Hunwick (127*) scored their maiden centuries for the club. Their partnership of 253 runs was a joy to behold and is still the League’s leading batting partnership. Convincing wins followed against Eastleigh and Tichborne Park, before we faced a tricky visit to Hythe and Dibden. A great team performance saw us secure a 6 wicket win, including some very important contributions from members of our 3rd Team.
Despite the stellar performances mentioned earlier, it has been a team effort so far with vital contributions from squad members. Jon Scowen has been a revelation opening the batting and leads the team in runs. Whilst the opening bowling partnership has also been formidable with Fred Trinder and Jack Whiting taking 19 wickets between them, with an economy rate of 2.5 runs per over. With lots still to play for, it promises to be a thrilling end to the season for the team.
Easton Third Team Report 2023 – by Pete Duff
It is good to report a much better season after our demotion last year, finishing 7th out of 17 in Division 6 North East, comfortably in the top half. Going down a division suited us well and we won 7 games, often quite comprehensively. We lost 6 games and especially against higher teams we struggled, more so in our batting, but with virtually equal numbers of wins and losses, this has been the ideal level for the Thirds.
Our bowling squad this season has definitely been one of the strongest in the division. Spearheaded by the fearsome threesome of Noah P, Noah G and Eddie, top order batsmen got pegged down, playing and missing, then wickets fell. Eddie’s speed meant nearly all the runs were scored behind square, deflection shots rather than pro-active ones, but once these positions were fortified and he could keep his line and length, he could achieve figures like 27 for 4 off 8 against Ashford Hill IIs, which nearly produced a big upset with Ashford chasing a low score. Batsmen found both Noahs’ testing swing and line difficult to handle and they were often the mainstay of our attack, reliable and taking regular wickets with good economy. Noah P’s superb 4 for 14 off 8 against Compton & Chandlers Ford V, including both openers and no. 4 in his initial spell, and Noah G, though away for some of the season, got 3 for 21 off 6 against a strong Oakley side, including both openers.
With Billy’s sheer pace to follow and Bruce providing good middle innings support including his occasional surprise lifters, there wasn’t much let-up for the batsmen. Further good bowling was provided by Aidan and Oscar, both joining us late season for a couple of games, in Aidan’s case opening the bowling, and Casper played three games, picking up three wickets against Overton II with his deceptive flighted spin.
Taking wickets in the later stages of the innings, and thus preventing many more runs, was proficiently undertaken by Adam M. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting the early batsmen out then for big hitters to come in and undo all the good work. That this rarely happened was mainly due to Adam’s 4-wicket hauls (and once 5), almost a regular feature and often including higher-up and by then established batsmen, and he finished the season as the division’s second leading wicket taker (25).
A mention must also be made of Eddie’s amazing direct hit run-outs, of which there were several. Batsmen, take a single to Eddie at your peril!
Our batting performances could be divided into two types. Against higher-table teams we managed an average of 108 runs, not enough of course, but for the 9 teams who ended up below us in the table we scored an average of 208 (extrapolating the score to 40 overs if batting second). A big difference, yet in those 4 higher-table games the bowling wasn’t always that much different but just a bit tighter, and in many cases we got tempted into false shots, or forgot to play ourselves in, lapses of concentration rather than being beaten by the bowling.
Our main batsman was Ben, leading run scorer for the season on 287, building that important base for many of our innings. Highlights were 77 and 58, both not outs which saw us through to wins with the help of Pete (56) and Casper (38 not out). Jay posted a fine 72 early on to ensure our first win of the season, and Tom and Will added inevitable class on their appearances, Tom hitting our highest score of the season (98). Andrew also made his mark with 46 and 35, both not outs, as well as doing sterling service behind the stumps.
The batting find of the season has got to be Jasper, who after finding his feet showed us just what he could do – 57 not out (against the top team) and 64 in the last two games, the latter a match-winning contribution with some great shots in an exciting finale against O&G IV’s.
Finally, wonderful to have the legendary Mr Hicks still playing and umpiring regularly, long may that continue, and thanks to Andrew for all the hard work behind the scenes in organizing the team every week. A very enjoyable season for all concerned!
In Summary:
The men’s cricket continues every Saturday (1pm starts) through to the end of August. Our teams are currently sitting as follows:
- Mens 1st Team (Div 1); 15th out of 18
- Mens 2nd Team (Div 5 Central): 4th out of 18
- Mens 3rd Team (Div 6 NE): 7th out of 17
The Club will celebrate the end of its season on Saturday 2nd September, with a mixed inter club game, BBQ, drinks and the season’s Club Awards after.
Charlie Gloyn’s successful summer continues, as the Ladies W10 Softball Captain her team has progressed to the quarter finals of the League Cup. The match vs Cadnam CC will be played at Easton on Sunday September 3rd 4.00 pm start.
Chairman Adrian Lee leeadriancj911@gmail.com
Juniors Manager Rhi Kerr juniors@emwcc.com
Press Officer Lynda Gray ldaten453@aol.com