Cuckfield Seniors

SUSSEX MARTLETS OVER-40s vs. CUCKFIELD OVER-40s  Match Report     17th July 2024

After having a plethora of players a couple of weeks before, leading to some seizing the opportunity to pull out citing work commitments, the Martlets only assembled ten on the day and stand-in skipper David Christmas had the first of his many headaches.  With one of the ten effectively “hors de combat” , and another having to temporarily depart, his normal duties were made ever more complex ! We thank Cuckfield for their forbearance in providing a tenth fielder when the time came.

Slightly unexpectedly, we were on the artificial wicket for the second year in a row, which caused chuntering from the usual bowlers, if not the batsmen !  Rain had interfered with the ground preparations, although on the day the weather was  perfect – dry and sunny, the Cuckfieldvistas as timelessly and beautifully rural as ever.

Deepak Kapadia and Willy Boulter opened up and put on 82 for the first wicket, possibly a little slower than was ideal, Deepak going on to retire in the over he reached 35 (the rule for the day) – coming back at the end of the innings to finish 49 not out.  David Pugh at 3 made a fine 40 n.o. off 40 balls, with2 6s and 3 4s, whilst our beleaguered skipper unfortunately was bowled for a golden ! Debutant Andrew Wilson managed a single before Tom Whyte, with 38 n.o. off 25 balls, brought some spark to the last third of the innings, with Chairman Walker usefully contributing 16 off 11.  Both batted very sensibly, waiting for the shorter balls which were “standing up” and could be hit square without much worry. The total was aided by no less than 21 wides, as the Martlets closed at 215-5 – perhaps 20 short of a really competitive score.  Cuckfield used 8 bowlers, of whom Adam Jull, skipper, was the pick with 1-21 off 6 overs. Ian Stocker also bowled well,  2-24 off 6.

The Cuckfield tea was marvelous and right up to the standards of this famous Club in Sussex, a most hospitable venue and rightly one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures in the Martlet Vets fixture list (but please can we play on grass again in 2025 !).

KC Lee, our customary umpire at this game, got the home innings under way and Jeremy McGahan struck first, bowling Ward for 17, after a bright start.  Runs came quite quickly, the Cuckfield batters being more accustomed to the surface perhaps, and after a stumping from an exuberant Boulter off Walker at 61, the next wicket only came at 149. Pringle and Loveridge dealt with whatever Lack, Walker and Christmas produced, the latter creating most problems with some nice inswing – but still going for 6+ an over ! However, when they retired, wickets began to fall, Lack taking two, one from a skier and another from a 24 yard delivery which bamboozled Chakravarty.

The ever-enthusiastic and wily Tom Whyte was introduced and ended up the pick of the Martlet bowlers, taking 3-37 with his nagging and accurate inswingers, and, as the Cuckfield tail was marshalled by Ian Stocker, it became a question of whether we could squeeze out the remaining batters and also somehow get lucky when the two retirees came back.  In the event, we did clean up the tail, Andrew Wilson taking a wicket with his first ball, but we could not take the final wicket as Pringle and Loveridge returned (46 n.o. and 45 n.o. respectively) to finish the game – a creditable performance by the Martlet ten, taking the game so far to within one wicket, and certainly an enjoyable day for all. Good to have David Brook in the side for the first time too, fresh from the physio, although he was unfortunately too injured to play much part.

Thankyou to all , KC for his excellent umpiring as ever, Marion Cottingham and Richard Prokopowicz for scoring – and Cuckfield for being a fantastic and welcoming oppo.

Willy Boulter