1st XI vs Haverigg---Sat 12th July 2008

Perhaps the most depressing thing about saturdays match against Haverigg [a] was that the total number of no balls, wides and byes in Haverigg's innings was 35 - almost exactly the difference between the scores of the two teams!

Haverigg scored 237 for 8 off their 50 overs; D.W Bell top scored with 52 [off 53 balls], and Indian pro Sriram scored 45 [off 82 balls]. Saeed took 4 for 55 and Plevin 3 for 47. Once again, I felt that Alex Raybould's Figures of 0 for 44 did not really do justice to the quality of his bowling. As usual because he is 17 years of age, he had to end his first spell after bowling only 6 overs. To the people who make the rules I would respectfully point out:-

At age 17, TENDULKAR scored a brilliant century against England at Old Trafford.

At age 17, PELE played in the World cup final.

At age 17, BORIS BECKER won Wimbledon.

These People were not Children.

When we batted, disaster struck as Saeed was caught at the wicket for 0. However, Marc Brown again played excellently to score 69 off 91 balls, and A. Blaylock, for the second time in 6 days played brilliantly for 48 off 58 balls. But, after Saeed's dismissal the mountain was a little too high to climb, especially with Sriram bowling craftily to take 3 for 41. We ended on 200 for 8 off 50 overs, with an Umbrella field surrounding our later batsmen.

The Final result was; Haverigg 16 points, Carlisle 10 points. With 8 matches to go, the relegation battle is hotting up.

Geoffrey

1st XI vs Millom [half report]---Sun 6th July 2008--Higson cup Quarter final

Sadly, our league match against Keswick [H] was completely rained off. So in the league not a ball had been bowled between us this season. However we could still meet in the Higson cup final on August 3rd.

Sunday was a slightly better day, but in the end very fustrating. In our Higson Cup semi-final against Millom [H], we reached 139 for 3 before play had to be abandoned because of rain shortly after 4:30 pm. So we have to start all over again on Sunday 20th July.

There were two positives: first, Marc Brown had another fine knock of 45 off 83 balls, very much a captain's innings yet again. In his last 7 completed innings [in all competitions] Marc has scored 289 runs, a fine run of form. Minor counties, are you listening? Secondly Alex Blaylock played quite beautifully for 32 not out off 36 balls. His stylish play was a joy to watch; im sure there is a great deal more to come!

I wish these matches would start 1/2 hour earlier, at 1:30/ This would improve the chances of having a really decisive match on July 20th.

Geoffrey

1st XI vs Furness--Sat 28th June 2008

I am old enough to remember people saying: "what will happen to England's innings if Hutton fails?" It had become rather like that with us and our pro Usman Saeed. Inevitably there would come a saturday when Usman would fail with the bat-and that day came against Furness [a] when he was out for 5. Actually, the remaining batsmen worked hard to repair this early loss. Marc Brown [our captain] scored a magnificent 71 off 127 balls, and there was a very sprightly [undefeated] stand of 41 for the 9th wicket between simon plevin [24 not out off 21 balls] and Matthew Trickett [20 not out off 21 balls], the latter filling in at the last moment because Alex Blaylock had pulled out at a very late stage. We ended our 50 overs on 157 for 8.

Unfortunately for us, the furness pro M.Jahanger was at his best, racing to 104 not out off 111 balls [including 19 4's]. We lost by 9 wickets, and took 3 points from the match. [Furness are now second in the table]. We remain in 10th place, 17 points above whitehaven and 2 points behind Haverigg.

1st XI vs Haverigg--Sun 29th June 2008--Higson Cup Quarter Final

The next day was a much happier one for Carlisle. We were at home to Haverigg in the quarter-finals of the higson cup- and haverigg too had suffered a heavy defeat the day before. Yet again Brown and Saeed gave us a very good start, putting on 90 at a run a minute, until Brown was out caught for 49. Saeed went on to make 80 before being run out, and Simon Plevin, promoted to number 7, weighed in with 24 not out off 15 balls-invaluable runs, as it turned out. We ended our 45 overs on 192 for 6 wickets.

I am happy to report that this time our feilding was pretty good-though still some chances went begging. The turning point came when the Haverigg pro Sriram, was out caught off the bowling of Clark for 29. Even though his fellow-opener, R.Bell scored a pacient 47 off 104 balls, it seemed for most of the time that the mountain was a little too high for the visitors to climb. In the end we bowled them out in the final over for 182, winning by 10 runs. Clark took 3 for 40, and Saeed 4 for 26.

I will put in a special word for Plev. Despite considerable discomfort, he bowled the first 9 overs from the river end conceding only 17 runs-though Sriram was batting! Without his all round contribution, we would have lost the match.

Next sunday we play Millom [H] in the Semi-Final.

p.s Saeed has now- in less than 2 months scored 765 runs in all competitions. Watch this Space!

Geoffrey

Our batting really came good when we entertained Duddon S.C [currently bottom of the league] on saturday. After Marc Brown had gone for 33 of 73 balls- the third sucessive game in which he has exceeded 30. Saeed and John davies added 101 for the second wicket in only 70 minutes. Saeed scored 114 off 158 balls, and JD [playing for the first time under Marc Brown's captaincy] ended with 42 not out off 63 balls. We ended with 215 for 3 off our 50 overs. Starting on May 3rd, Saeed has now scored 678 runs in all competitions- in six weeks! W.G Grace had better watch out.

When Duddon batted, Lee Readitt was our most successful bowler with 4 for 53; Lee also showed great speed of thought and movement to run out Alexander for 26. Also Alex Raybould's consistently good bowling brought a greater reward this time- 2 for 18 in 10 overs. Duddon ended their 50 overs on 161 for 9. Although we were pleased with our 17 points, we are still in 10th place, 21 points ahead of Whitehaven, whom we play [away] next Saturday.

Sunday was not such a happy day for us playing against Netherfield [of the Nothern league] in the quarter finals of the county cup. The visitors knocked up 237 for 7 wickets off their 40 overs, Readitt dismissing their top three batsmen for 48 runs. Saeed took 3 for 33. Our feilding was frankly poor for much off the time.

For once our great opening partnership of Brown and Saeed failed both back in the pavilion at 14 for 2. After that we never looked likely to get the runs and were bowled out for 96 in 35 overs, John Davies top scoring with 19. So we losr by 141 runs- all rather humiliating, but perhaps a learning expereince for our young team. Next Sunday we meet Haverigg [h] in the quarter final of the Higson cup. We have not won a trophy for 20 years and Haverigg have not been on great form recently. It would be great to progress in this competition.

Geoffrey