Midweek Match Reports
Wednesday 22nd August 2007 - Justin Seaborn XI - Home
Justin Seaborn XI 60 All Out - Snitterfield 61 for 7 off 14.4 overs.
The Snipes brought their midweek 20/20 season to a close with a comfortable win over visitors Justin Seaborn XI, although as usual they made things tighter than need be with some questionable batting.
Fielding first, the Snipes bowled and fielded tightly with wickets for all 9 bowlers used and young Henry Moore taking 2 as opposition players Linford and Seaborn played and missed at Moore's flighty deliveries enabling keeper Wyllie to remove their stumps.
With the bat, Tim Cox and Jackson made valuable contributions and despite losing the wickets of Harry Cox, Hillier, Wyllie and MacKay cheaply, Payne secured the winning runs off the 4th ball of the 15th over.
Wednesday 8th August 2007 - Claverdon RFC XI - Home
Claverdon RFC XI 88 for 9 - Snitterfield 93 for 5 off 17 overs.
With Sunday Captain Ian Wyllie and all-rounder Neil Jackson batting for the other side, the Snipes were determined that this match should not prove a banana skin.
Tidy bowling and sharp fielding kept the Claverdon batting to single figures for all but Tim Cox who knocked up a stylish 29 before retiring. Of the Snittefield bowlers, Leefe 3 for 4, Payne 2 for 5 and Lamb 2 for 10 deserve mention. Lamb was unlucky to also clean-bowl Johnson for a Golden Duck, discounted as first ball faced, as was Richards who removed Byrd's stumps first ball faced during his spell of 1 for 9.
With the bat, Leefe (25 retired) and Mackay (27 retired) secured a solid platform for the home side to ease to victory although Claverdon had the very feint scent of a shock when the Snipes were stuck on 88 for a couple of overs and lost 2 wickets. Hillier and Linford secured the winning runs, Linford adding to a solid performance in the field and to his spell of 1 for 6 with the ball.
Wednesday 1st August 2007 - AP Racing XI - Home
AP Racing XI 111 for 7 - Snitterfield 112 for 8 off 16.3 overs.
Snitterfield earned revenge for their defeat in the first 20/20 match of the season with victory in a competitive encounter.
AP got off to a good start with openers Bennett and Nigel Nibblett pushing the scoredboard along until the 7th over when Nibblett fell to Booth on 24. Beck joined Bennett and continued where Nibblett left off. In the 10th over Richards produced a tidy spell of inswinging, removing the leg stumps of Bennett, Jason Nibblett and Lole with successive deliveries. Unfortunately for Richards and the record-book, the Lole dismissal was discounted as this was his free ball. He didn't last long though as Jackson despatched him in the 11th.
A wicket apiece from Kumarasinghe and Carrier making his debut together with some sharp fielding by the Snipes contained AP to a Nelson.
Evans was an unlucky duck as his intended glance found the top of the bail in the 2nd over of the Snitterfield innings. MacKay (16) and Jackson (13) kept the scoredbaord ticking over at the required rate and good contributions from Booth (12) Kumarasinghe (21) and Visser (25 - Not Out Retired) ensured that victory was always in sight.
AP maintained a spirited attack throughout claiming 8 wickets in total including an unlucky played-on by Wyllie and a questionable caught dismissal of Richards on his free ball.
Hillier and debutant Carrier brought the Snipes home with 3.3 overs remaining.
Thursday 19th July 2007 - Haselor Seculars - Home
Snitterfield 71 for 4 off 12 overs - Haselor 98 for 9 off 20 overs
Match Abandoned due to rain, Snitterfield win by 13 runs using DL method.
The weather had been glorious all day, so no surprise that both teams had high expectations of a competitive match in idyllic conditions. Wrong! Mother nature crept in almost unnoticed, scattering a few showers during the Haselor innings, then returned with vengeance 12 overs into the Snitterfield innings, causing the match to be abandoned.
The home side's tidy bowling and sharp fielding contained the visitors to 98 for 9, although their innings got off to a good start with openers Nosworthy and Pettick looking comfortable and pushing the score along to 41 at the start of the 8th over. Richards made the breakthrough removing Pettick with a quicker ball that popped up off the bat for keeper Wyllie to gather safely. Nosworthy followed in the 9th hitting Hillier through mid-wicket but only finding the hands of skipper Kumarasinghe.
The skipper contributed with 3 quick wickets for just 9 runs during his excellent spell and there were also wickets for Jackson and Payne plus a pair for Visser carrying on his great form from last week.
The Snipes lost a couple of wickets early on in their innings but opener Leefe and Hillier in at 4 moved the score along nicely until Leefe retired on 26 and Hillier was bowled by a delivery from Wilber that kept low. Holyoake made a start but was dismissed caught and bowled Brock then with Payne and Visser just beginning to accelerate the scoring, the heavens opened.
Wednesday 11th July 2007 - Great Alne - Home
Snitterfield 86 for 9 - Great Alne 101 All Out
The return fixture proved every bit as close as the June encounter but once again Great Alne came away with the spoils as Snitterfield ran out of overs, 15 runs short of the visitor's total.
At the interval, Snitterfield were in confident mood having bowled out Great Alne in the 18th over for just 101 runs. All of the attack contributed with sharp fielding in general and economic bowling. Hillier picked up a pair of wickets and there were one apiece for Hartwell, Holyoake and Payne. By far the highlight of the entire game was Visser's 4 wickets for 3 runs of his pair of overs. But for a couple of spilt chances and some fumbles in the field, the total could have been considerably less. As the saying goes: "Catches Win Matches!"
So with a modest total to chase the Snipes headed out to bat. Unfortunately they were unable to get after the Great Alne attack and reached the half way stage with just 30 runs on the board for the loss of 6 wickets. Richards and MacKay, in at 7 and 8 looked to be making some headway and moved the score into the sixties before their wickets fell. Hillier attempted to close the gap with a quick-fire 15 before he was bowled, which left Hartwell and Holyoake unbeaten when the overs ran out.
Snitterfield will be looking for revenge this Sunday, in their scheduled 40 over home encounter against Great Alne.
Wednesday 4th July 2007 - Weston-Super-Mare CC Tour Match - Away
Weston-Super-Mare 265 for 8 - Snitterfield 151 All Out
Snitterfield's first tour match brought cup-final like excitement to the team, with the prospect of playing on a superb pitch and outfield, albeit in very strong winds gusting to what must have been force 9 at times. Having arrived early at the Weston ground, the team warmed up in the nets to accustom themselves to the conditions and Auz ran them through a nifty "hit the twigs" routine which he had witnessed at a recent Bears match.
With the home side electing to bat first, the Snipes took to the field with an 11th man sportingly loaned by the home side. Opening bowlers MacKay and Evans were soon up against it as the Weston opening bats showed no difficulty in coping with the conditions and the stylish pair were soon knocking up the runs. Mackay was eventually rewarded when Jackson held on to a catch at long-on dismissing Turner, while Evans had Webber dropped on 16. A costly chance indeed as he went on to score 69 before falling to Wyliie with Jackson again taking the catch at long-on.
Snitterfield rued four dropped catches and some fumbling on the boundary which at one stage looked like helping Weston reach a possible 350. However, given the conditions the side bowled and fielded well. Another wicket to Wyllie, a tidy 2 wickets off 3 overs from Kumarasinghe with Jackson also taking 2 off 3. Jackson also took another catch at long-on, Kumarasinghe a smart run-out, a catch in the covers by Visser and a spectacular "one for the photographers" take at mid-on from Richards.
Weston finished their knock with 265 on the board setting the Snipes a challenging 6.7 runs an over to win.
Snitterfield lost Kumarasinghe in the second over, then opener Leefe and Booth steadied things, although at half the required rate. Booth went in the 8th which brought Jackson to the crease to complete a solid 32 and justly earn him "man of the match", while Leefe went on to reach 27. A useful 17 from Evans helped things along while others around him crumbled until MacKay picked up his bat and delighted all with some hearty swipes and pirouettes on his way to an unbeaten 30. Sadly, his bid to salvage the day came too late and was cut short when Visser was run-out bringing the Snipes innings to a halt in the 26th over.
Wednesday 20th June 2007 - Great Alne - Away
Great Alne 133 for 5 - Snitterfield 122 for 8
Snitterfield lost a close and competitive encounter at Great Alne by just 11 runs.
Both sides shared similar returns with bat and ball on the half-size outfield where fielding placement is key to containing runs. The home side's experience was nearly matched by the Snipes efforts in the field - Kumarasinghe and Richards at mid-wicket in fine run-saving form, MacKay and Jackson holding on to challenging catches and not a bye conceeded by keeper Leefe.
The difference perhaps just an expensive couple of overs from the skipper who was tonked for 24 with a wicket for his rewards off his 2 overs, where the rest of the Snitterfield attack and the Great Alne attack went for a run per ball.
A solid 33 not out from Jackson and 25 not out from Fell, by far the cream of the Snipes batting, and with the ball - Wood, Morris, Jackson, Kumarasinghe and Fell shared a wicket apiece.
For the home side, 26 not out from Pethick, 25 not out from Woodward, 21 not out from Anslow and 23 from Steele, the highlights of their innings.
Wednesday 13th June 2007 - Hunter-Jockeys X1 - Home
Snitterfield 86 for 3 off 17 - Hunt/Jockeys XI 85 for 8
Snitterfield bounced back from defeat at the hands of AP to give short-notice visitors Hunt/Jockeys XI a pounding.
Bowling first, Snitterfield managed to contain the visitors to 85 runs with some accurate bowling, pick of the day being a fine 2 for 5 off 2 from Leefe. The jockeys' Mountford - 20, supported by Philips and Styles with 13 apiece, were the only bright spots on the visitors' card.
Snitterfield's innings started with a shock as Wood fell for 0 in the first over, but Leefe and Evans broke the back of the task in hand when they retired on 27 each, leaving Wyllie and Visser to bring the side home in the 17th over for the loss of only 2 further wickets.
Wednesday 6th June 2007 - AP Leamington XI - Home
Snitterfield 85 all out off 17.3 - AP Leamington 93 for 8
Snitterfield's midweek 20/20 season starts in defeat as a poor batting display hands victory to AP Racing XI.
AP batted first reaching 93 for the loss of 8 wickets following a measured 20 overs from the Snitterfield attack. Beck shone for the visitors, retiring on 25, supported by 17 apiece from Bennett and Morris (a Snitterfield regular). While Wood, Hillier and Payne were the pick of the home side bowlers with a pair each.
Snitterfield started sharply with skipper Kumarasinghe and Payne scoring 17 runs off the first 2 overs. Then it all fell apart. 2 wickets down in the 3rd over, another in the 6th with the 4th and 5th wickets falling in the 10th. Visser produced a solid 18 coming in at 10 but by then the damage was done and Snitterfield were dismissed with 3 balls to spare and 8 runs short.
The spell from Morris for AP (3 wickets for 1 run off his allotted 2 overs) was the pick of the days bowling, but he may well have compromised his future selection for the Snipes!!!