ARCC unbeaten run continues against Tillingham – 15/1/12
Jan 31st
The toss was lost and Aythorpe were inserted by Tillingham. Gravatt and Bridger opened the innings, PG tried to land the ball into the viewing gallery and the ball dropped down to square leg who licked his lips and took the catch. Soon after Bridger paid the price too after forgetting how cold that ball still was and was caught. This joined Clarke and Blackman together and AC was determined to add another theory about the cold ball. The theory that if you just smack it the temperature has no influence. And with his first two balls going for 6 this seems a fair point. The pair soon retired with Blackers using the side walls and Clarkie carrying on his fine form from last week with another flurry of boundaries. Clarke did what he could in the last to finish on a smart 51not out.
Tillingham had a target of 133 and Blackers made ARCC history being the first ever player to bowl a wicket maiden indoors for them. No one has even bowled a maiden yet so for him to bowl a wicket maiden was quite incredible. An impressive over with some balls beating both the bat and the gloves.
Ford then struck in his second over with a smart catch from Matt Bridger behind the stumps. Another impressive spell from Ford who thrived on the chance to open the bowling. AJ finished with impressive figures of 1-16 and is becoming a hard man to get off that mat.
Then the ball was thrown to Paul Gravatt who was on a hat trick. Unfortunately an inside edge foiled the hat trick. He was determined to get another go though and a few balls later he struck again hitting middle stump. And number 6 had no chance with Gravatt in the sort of mood that he was, wanting to prove all critics that last week was not lucky. So 6 was bowled too to give him a second chance of a hat trick.
A very close run out finished the match with a lightning throw from man of the moment Andy Clarke. Unfortunately this on top of a great innings of 51 not out was not enough to get man of the match again. Tillingham finished on 85.
- A Clarke 51 no
- S Blackman 38
- P Gravatt 2 for 15
- S Blackman 2 for 23
Winter Nets 2012
Jan 10th
Indoor nets have now started at Writtle Cricket Centre, they are every Monday evening between 8 & 9, until the 2nd of April, cost £5. If you wish to attend contact Gratty on 07860 780770.
Indoor League – ARCC Batting Stats to date 21/12/11
Dec 21st
Batting:
Giggsy: 5 innings, 180 runs, 3 not outs; average of 90, highest score 55*
Paul Gravatt: 6 innings, 166 runs (is this more than outdoors?), 4 not outs; average 83, highest score 54*
Blackers: 7 innings, 155 runs, 3 not outs; average 38.75, highest score 32
S Gravatt: 6 innings, 97 runs, 2 not outs; average 24.25, highest score 43*
A Clarke: 6 innings, 1 didn’t get to riverside in time to bat so that’s going down as a nought!, 82 runs, 1 not out; average 13.6, highest score 48*
R Hyams: 4 innings, 44 runs; average 11, highest score 24
ARCC triumph against Springfield again – 4/12/11
Dec 17th
Another toss won meant that ARCC could once again bat first. Clarke improved his lateness to be there in time to bat number 3 this week.
Gravatt senior took his place back as opener to teach his son a tough lesson.
Giggs still can’t stop scoring with three 6’s this week.
Paul Gravatt showed more 3’s than a tricycle shop in his innings to end up on a career best of 54 not out.
Impressive sportsmanship from Sam G though who walked instantly after the faintest of nicks that definitely would not have been seen by the umpires.
AJ Ford used his opportunity to bat some overs in there well and played some nice shots which will give him confidence for future weeks.
Soon Gravatt and Giggs were reunited and with slick batting in the last 3 overs took Aythorpe up to 152.
A great first over from AJ going for just 3 made it impossible for Springfield to get anywhere near the target. Giggsy at the other end was turning it too much for the Boswell boys and was unlucky to just take 1 wicket which was a thanks to a smart catch including a good call from A Clarke.
Springfield finished with 2 wickets in hand. Clarke and AJ were unlucky not to strike and Sam Gravatt was victim of his captain experimenting. 2 good run outs at the bowlers end made it 3 and Paul Gravatt showed that a long hop is not always a bad ball by bowling 3 or 4 on the trot and picking up a wicket from the final one.
With another great innings and the best bowling figures Giggs can only blame the umpire for him not securing a hat trick of man of the match awards.
For a classy knock of 54 unbeaten Paul Gravatt takes the metaphorical champagne this week.
P Gravatt 54 no, G Milbank 42
ARCC vanquish Old Chelmsfordians 27/11/11
Dec 1st
Old Chelmsfordians decided to bowl first after winning the toss.
The main men of previous games Sam Gravatt and Giggsy Milbank took to the stage and Sam G was looking good but unlucky to get a good yorker which he failed to spot and paid the price for being too aggressive and learned how cruel mistress that hall can be sometimes.
Gratty senior came in with the chance to reclaim himself as the better batsman out of him and his son. The outdoor captain was looking good before getting caught and bowled.
At 64-2 Giggs and Blackman were a good pair to have but Giggs soon retired and with Clarkey yet to arrive, time wasting was needed by AJ. He was unfortunate though with another good yorker so Giggs came back and carried on batting like the trojan that he is. No chances, just constant runs showing his experience in there.
In the penultimate over Blackman pulled his groin and got run out. Impressively this made him even slower than usual which no one thought was possible. OCs didn’t like it but Gratty swapped to run the last over with lone man Giggs which got them up to 123.
With only 5 and an injured Blackers it looked best for the big man to keep which again OCs did not like. Clarkey arrived just in time to bowl the first over and 5 dots was exactly what the doctor ordered. Giggsy then struck in his first over finding an edge which was well taken by the poorman’s Alec Stewart. Very well walked by the OCs batsman should also be added.
Gratty jnr then came on and was clearly nervous about something as it was a bad day in the office for the young scholar, this meant that AJ got thrown the ball and did not disappoint. A fantastic spell of 3 overs for just 12 runs won the game for Aythorpe. He put the breaks on and made the batsmen chase after the other bowlers. He was unlucky not to get himself a wicket and left OCs with a big task from the last few overs.
It was still possible with one over left but the senior pro AC made sure they did not get close bowling a pressure last over very tightly.
This week but for the first time in ARCC history Graham Milbank gets man of the match in consecutive games, with another big not out, 55 this week he is the man to get out in there.
G Milbank 55 no
G Milbank 3 overs 3 for 22
ARCC thrash Great Baddow – 13 November 2011
Nov 21st
After more drop outs than a 22yard line Aythorpe finally managed to get 6 people to Riverside thanks to some quick work from officially the most popular boy in Springfield Sam Gravatt who has more contacts than an opticians.
Blackers lost the toss but was happy to be inserted by Great Baddow who came to the game still searching for a victory in this seasons competition, and about 40 minutes later they were no better off.
This was thanks to another great batting performance by the outdoor champions.
Sam Gravatt stepped up to the plate and was excited about opening. The youngster used his trademark late cut again and was treated to a double up once Blackers came in and again ran a 2 which has become standard for the man who is now being described as some sort of fast twitch muscle fibres machine. Giggsy carried on his impressive form and showed his experience in the indoor game once again getting his team off to a quick start to put minimal pressure on the middle order batsman. Andy Clarke took full advantage of this by missing a ball that must have turned sideways.
The 5th Sam of the squad entered the arena and quickly followed orders to make way for Giggs and Gravatt to return. These two finished with some quick scoring to take Aythorpe up to 135 with Gravatt jnr hitting a career best of 43 not out to give his captain a batting order headache for next game with rumours of a Gravatt snr return.
Aythorpe went out to field more confident than a lion chasing a 3 legged zebra. And apart from the 6 Baddow batsmen they didn’t disappoint anyone.
Giggs and Clarke bowled purposefully taking 3 wickets between them for just for just 17 runs. A good catch from Giggs via the roof off his own bowling plus a stumping gave him 2 well deserved wickets after setting field positions which were more precise than an ordinance survey map reference.
The 2 teen aged Sam’s then joined in partnership and shared the last 3 wickets. Sam Gravatt finished with remarkable figures of 2 for 2 from just 3 balls. One wicket was a remarkable catch from Clarkey who’d taken the gloves and had to move almost yards to make enough ground to make the dismissal. It was a great catch and although the lap of honour seemed unnecessary it just shows how much this venue means to a man who has played at the most famous cricket grounds in the country.
A fantastic win for the in form team by over 100 runs which must be a record of some sort.
The next game is not till the 27th due to the international break and with Paul Gravatt available it could be a difficult week of selection for Blackman and even more difficult if players don’t reply to text messages!!!
S Gravatt 43 no, G Milbank 35 no
S Gravatt .3 overs 2 for 2
ARCC beat Springfield – 6 November 2011
Nov 21st
The usual crowd of Mum’s Dad’s and girlfriends arrived at Riverside wanting to see fireworks and they didn’t leave dissappointed. Blackers won the toss (Again) so batted and tried to send Clarke in to open but once again he refused like a tired horse at Bechers Brook.
Giggs and Gravatt went out instead and raced Aythorpe into a match winning position and once again showed that there is no reason they shouldn’t open every week scoring very quickly with great running to put Aythorpe on 50+ after just 4 overs. The 2 G’s kept hitting the walls and even when they didn’t they backed up and got runs.
Giggs and Gravatt went out instead and raced Aythorpe into a match winning position and once again showed that there is no reason they shouldn’t open every week scoring very quickly with great running to put Aythorpe on 50+ after just 4 overs. The 2 G’s kept hitting the walls and even when they didn’t they backed up and got runs.
Sam Gravatt joined SB quickly after with giggs retiring and the youngster simply refused to waste any balls getting his eye in. Still buzzing from his circle of support the Grammar School hero did not face a single dot ball and sacraficed his innings running himself out late on finishing on 23.
Aythorpe finished on a new personal best of 158 and with just three 6’s in that this shows how valuable those side walls can be when used properly and anyone who gets caught trying to hit a 6 is just an idiot (I’m clearly gonna regret saying that in future weeks!).
The bowling went without reward from Clarke and Millbank who didn’t get the luck they deserved from a few edges. Some sharp fielding led to some run outs though and it was Blackman who made the first real break through finding the inside edge and a smart diving catch from Hyams. Gratty jnr picked up the final wicket cleaned bowled to finish off a great performance.
G Milbank 27, P Gravatt 27
ARCC win against Wickham – 23 October 2011
Nov 21st
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Holiday’s, trips to Lincoln and ill mothers led to a very junior team on Sunday with Blackers and Clarkey’s combined years being more than the other 4 players all together.
Blackers’ tossing improved to a 66% success rate for the season. He stuck to his belief of batting first whatever the scenario. Clarkey wasn’t brave enough to open the batting so the two older Sam’s took to the arena. They took full advantage of some generous bowling to both retire early after some sharpe running between the wickets which made Blackers so impressed he was breathless.
Clarkey didn’t fancy 3 either so Rob Hyams joined Blackers.
With 2 retired batsmen on the balcony ready to come back in and Clarkey hitting boundaries AJ had a license to bat both aggressively and recklessly. However Ford sensed a massive score was likely so used the chance to gain some valuable time at the crease as practise for future weeks.
The retired batsmen did finally get the chance to return with Clarke hitting 3 consecutive 6’s from the last 3 balls of the innings.
This meant Aythorpe finished on 147 which is their highest score yet which fans went snooker loopy about.
Aythorpe took the field with confidence and debutant Sam Adams was given the first over. A sharp catch from Hyams gave him a a wicket on his third ball and the 4 Aythorpe fans were buzzing.
Blackers was controversial trying on put more pressure on Ford saying he needed to go for 8 or less to stay on. He stuck to his word and replaced Ford with Gratty jnr who had the same rules in place and also failed. At the other end (well same end actually) Adams kept bowling well and Blackers also gave Ford and Gravatt a lesson in bowling with some devastating off spin which claimed two stumpings thanks to lighning sharp reactions from Hyams with the gloves. A catch off Gravatt gave Hyams 4 dismisals for the innings which he was over the moon about.
A Clarke 48 no, S Blackman 32, R Hyams 37
S Blackman 2 overs 2 for 16
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ARCC victory over Great Totham – 16th October 2011
Nov 21st
Another comfortable win for the Aythorpe machine.
Fresh from an exciting presentation evening on the Saturday night the team were pleased with a later 7pm start.
Blackers tossed much better this week with heads not letting him down. He had no hesitation in batting first.
The two G’s, Giggs and Gratt opened up the innings and went along nicely before Gratty decided to cream a ball straight into the hands of mid wicket.
Giggsy and Clarkey ticked the score over nicely until good catches ended their innings’. At 58-3 this meant the 2 Sam’s (Blackman and Gravatt) were left in charge of the innings.
AJ came to the crease for the last over and the two teenagers took the score past 100 to leave Great Totham needing 108 to win.
Totham never looked like getting close thanks to the usual 3 unplayable overs from Clarkey. 2-10 from AC and 1-18 from Giggs left the other batsmen with too much to do.
80 runs were needed from the last 6 overs which were given to Gravatt jnr and Ford to take care of. The pair kept Totham interested going for almost 30 off their first overs between them. But like Alan Partridge they managed to bounce back and rip through the bottom order in their next overs.
Some sharp keeping from Paul ‘the croc’ Gravatt claimed one stumping and was unlucky to have 2 turned down before that.
With 3 wickets in one over and solid batting to sustain the ARCC innings Sam Gravatt was awarded this weeks man of the match.
Next week Aythorpe look to continue their winning run against Wickham at 5pm.
S Blackmann 22 runs
S Gravatt 3 overs 3 for 22
Riverside Indoor Cricket League 2011/12
Oct 4th
For the first time ARCC have entered a team in the indoor competition during the winter of 2011/12, if you are interested in playing, contact Sam Blackman: sam.blackman@talk21.com
The fixtures are:
Sunday 9th October (2)
6pm Aythorpe Roding v Rankins
Sunday 16th October (3)
7pm Aythorpe Roding v Great Totham
Sunday 23 rd October (4)
5pm Aythorpe Roding v Wickham
Sunday 6th November (6)
LEAGUE CUP PRLIMINARY ROUND
6pm Springfield v Aythorpe Roding
Sunday 13th November (7)
8pm Aythorpe Roding v Great Baddow
Sunday 27th November (9)
9pm Aythorpe Roding v Old Chelmsfordians
Sunday 4th December (10)
9pm Aythorpe Roding v Springfield
Sunday 8th January 2012 (13)
9pm South Weald v Aythorpe Roding
Sunday 15th January (14)
3pm Aythorpe Roding v Tillingham
Sunday 29th January (16)
6pm Aythorpe Roding v Writtle
Sunday 5th February (17)
LEAGUE CUP Round One
6pm Ingatestone v Springfield or Aythorpe Roding