SPL (Sunday Premier League) End of Season Report

Time to put pen to paper with my thoughts of the 2016 campaign whilst the memories are still fresh. Just over three weeks now since our last game against The Stage. The scores on the doors for the season were:

Played 17, won 7, lost7, Tie 1, Draw1, Abandoned 1

Biggest win - 84 runs v Gentlemen of Hampstead

Biggest loss - 91 runs v Braywood

Highest team score - 274 v Gentlemen of Hampstead

Lowest score - 130 v Royal Ascot - chasing 135

Highest score conceded - 268 v Braywood.

Highest score - 120no Brett van Niekirk v Kensington

Best bowling 8/1/36/6 - Faisal Aziz v The Stage.

After a dispiriting May availability picked up and the overall season ended with as many wins as defeats and one memorable tie against The Jesters. The only draw was against Incogniti, which his the only "time" game we ever play, otherwise my preferred format is the straight 40 overs win or lose with bowlers restricted to 8 overs. A number of captains have asked to play time but I'm now against it as there is too much hassle trying to judge declarations and I prefer to limit bowlers to 8 overs thereby having to use at least 5 bowlers. It's amazing how many captains say they prefer maximum of 10 overs. Based upon the way I was brought up playing Sunday cricket I aim to get as many players involved in the game I don't want TFC's on Sunday thank you. There were very few TFC's this year with me being the leading TFC performer on 4 or 5 occasions. I'm sure if I reverted to league type win at all costs there would have been more wins than losses but that's not my way on Sunday, get people involved, if you bat high you are unlikely to bowl and if you are a main bowler you are likely to bat low. It helps the Sunday X1 have Butler, GT and I, so that's 9, 10, jack sorted! As always the Sunday side had a nucleus of 7 or 8 players who played most weeks

Me being the captain played all 17, injury free, bar one game when I had to pull out of bowling after 3.5 overs because of a calf strain.

Gunbarul played 16, wasn't selected for Bowler's game otherwise he would have been an ever present.

Chris Butler made 14 appearances, again not selected for Bowler's game.

Atif Amin made 15 appearance, again not selected for Bowler's game and was a late cry off from the last game due to a fall and visit to A & E.

GT - 13 appearances, missed a few having a strop

Brian Dixon - 12 appearances, missed a few due to hockey and his Mrs.

Blair King - 10 appearances, not selected for Bowler's game otherwise ever present once he finally made a return to the fray.

Faisal Aziz - 9 appearances, hopefully not going back to Pakistan for so long next season

Joe Blackett - 8 appearances, late start due too injuries

Jai Chopra - 8 appearances, late start due to school commitments.

Yusuf Qureshi - 7 appearances, couldn't be bothered, bad back and Ramadan.

Individual accolades - the averages.

Batting Averages - qualification 5 innings with average over 10

	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	Highest Score	Average
Blair King	10	1	440	113no	52.22
Yusuf Quershi	7	1	233	66no	33.29
Brian Dixon	11	0	265	51	24.09
Faisal Aziz	9	2	150	60	21.43
Gunbarul	14	0	278	76	18.86
Jai Chopra	8	1	123	63no	17.57
Joe Blackett	7	3	70	20	17.50
May Armstrong	10	4	69	25	11.50

Bowling Averages - qualification 5 wickets

	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy	Best
Faisal Aziz	56	4	224	15	14.93	4	6/33
Yusuf Qureshi	18.4	0	101	7	14.43	5.61	3/25
Mat Armstrong	65.4	5	319	13	24.54	4.88	4/13
Chris Butler	92	4	424	15	28.27	4.61	4/16
Atif Amin	69.5	2	397	14	28.36	5.71	2/19
Thomas Allen	80	6	422	13	32.46	5.27	3/42

Reaper's Roll of Honour

Best batsman - Blair "baby face" King - Interesting story of Blair aged 23 3/4!

Easy winner of award, never looked back after scoring 67 in his first innings in four years. 460 runs in 10 innings with only two single figure scores, one the inevitable first baller, matured now though, didn't throw his bat ! I played with him in his first game for the club, 2009 I believe, away at Teddington Town, when he turned up with his brother Chris, kept wicket I think. Over the next two seasons he scored big runs, albeit with a penchant for first ballers and throwing his bat !When he got in though he often scored big. By the end of 2011 he was gone, never to be seen on a cricket field again until June 2016! Very strange apparently regained his love of cricket in Italy! Lets hope you are back with us in 2017 Blair and haven't fallen out of love with the game after a winter of indoor cricket. You made a big difference to the team with your runs and wicket keeping.

Best bowler - Senior spinner Chris racoon Butler

Personal choice, my awards, not averages driven. Ever reliable performer, invariably first change from Road End. Bowler of seemingly innocuous pies but gets wickets year in year out. Must get them with flight and guile and talk. Can't bore them out as he very rarely bowls the same ball twice! Doosra here carom ball there, back of the hand here occasional off spinner, occasional pie! If he had his way he wouldn't have any boundary riders, thankfully I don't listen to him. Every spell he tells me to go back at mid off which means it will be back of hand short and deposited over square leg or cow corner for a boundary, thanks Chris well bowled !

All rounder and new comer of the year - Faisal Aziz

Thank you GT for recommending Faisal. Together with return of Blair main reason for improved SPL performance after poor May. Quick off spin, bowling tight lines with devilish quicker ball. Handy low order batsman strong through leg over mid wicket and off his pads, can drive and cut through the off side if required.

Guest performer of the year - Cameron Jacobsen - son of Charlie.

Quality spinner, handy batsman and fine fielder with gun arm. Alas allegiance now lies with Henley CC, very much their gain and our loss. Performed twice for us-

Incogniti - 110 and bowling analysis of 4.5/0/19/2 at death.

Jesters - 25 and crucial spell in final twenty overs of 8/1/18/2, bringing M & B back into game which eventually ended in a tie. Playing club cricket in Perth over the winter.

Reaper's Remarks

Gunbarul - played mainly as batsman only bowling in six games - dodgy back and skipper's Sunday philosophy of giving everyone a game curtailed his bowling. Not Gunbarul's most prolific season with bat but if you play by the sword you die by it. Still most reliable SPL catcher though.

Atif Amin - Tifler - not his most prolific season but season in season out the Tifler is there, never on time though, with his dogs in toe. Batting and bowling went off boil the longer the season went on due to injuries, hopefully an off season recuperating will do the trick and possibly a few early season nets to iron out the bowling action.

Thomas Allen - GT. What can one say, truly awful season with the bat and went awol for a few games due to depression / strop. When he was on the field though he did bowl a number of telling spells in combination with CB, the squirrel and racoon. Obviously learning his trade, got at least two wickets with his 23 yard ball. Hopefully back to his run scoring best next season with his trusty harrow bat!

Brian Dixon - finally cracked the 50 and as always was steady behind the stumps. Opened the bowling in one match with his useful swing bowling but on Sunday designated as an opening bat. Brian was quick to point out that he scored 3 50's, which he indeed did but closer inspection shows his highest score was 51 ! Obviously reached the summit and relaxed ! Set your targets higher aim for 75. Towards the back half of the season became the Sunday purveyor of scrumptious teas, well done Brian.

Joe Blackett - late season starter but ended the season bowling well and scored useful late order runs. Unlucky not to take more wickets.

Yusuf Qureshi - a travesty that he came second in the bowling averages, bowling utter filth most weeks. Didn't play enough for various reasons but good to see him playing a few Saturday games. Still one of the biggest wastes of talent in the modern era.

Jai Chopra - played a few nice knocks, including his maiden Sunday 50. Disappointed with the ball but leg spin is a difficult art and will no doubt come back a world beater next season.

Matt Armstrong - slow on the up take, took him ages to realise his stutter was the result of warn studs. New boots solved the problem straight away. Went for a few runs but generally bowled at the death. Actually scored a few runs for a change, putting on 27 for the last wicket in one game with Chris Butler!

It just leaves me to say a few thank yous before the end.

To Charlie Jacobsen for preparing the wickets, without the aid of the heavy roller all season and for posting my reports during the season.

To Peter Meade for umpiring in four or five games for us. Always more professional in games with umpires, indeed there were three or four games where we had two umpires. Hopefully will see you next season, despite Gunbarul trying to break your arm with a straight drive.

To Beer for providing the teas during the first half of the year and to Brian for taking over so expertly for the latter part of the season.

To all the Sunday players who supported me during the season, whether that was one game or 16 games, thanks very much

Have a good off season and see you all in the early season nets if not before

regards

Matt Armstrong

Reaper

Guru of Gloom