Week 19

Over Stowey’s season is now at a close, and wow, what a season. Plenty of highlights, plenty of up’s, not so many downs and plenty of enjoyment.

So here are my highlights (in no particular order):

• Carl’s match reports. I look forward to them every Sunday, makes my chuckle no end. Heavily edited and then sent to the papers. Just a brief highlight: Moment of the day had to be capt Pike's run out to take the first wicket or the fact that Shay took 2 catches.

• Kieran Barrow bowling left arm around and taking wickets in senior cricket.

• Lee Rich’s improvement from the no-ball king, to the most lethal spell I have seen him bowl against Dunster.

• Sorty’s first baller against Dunster.

• Stu Caldwell’s six against Bagborough. I can see why he enjoys the number 11 spot.

• The victory against Huish in the cup inspired by young Lee Villis.

• Five different bowlers taking a “Michelle” for the 1^st XI

• Mike Barrow’s eight wickets against Morebath.

• Not playing Bishops Hull.

• Teas

• Thatchers Cider

• Doing a supermarket sweep around Waitrose, having £100 to spend for the club’s Vice-president / Sponsor’s day. Oh those steaks were tempting.

• Ryan’s captaincy and the reintroduction of fines. Off to Vegas boys?

• The ever improving Stephen Miller, boy can he swing the ball.

• Shay trying to get out against Dunster as he was due to go to work, think he smashed 43 runs in about 20 balls.

• Jub’s century against Taunton, then being foiled by the rain in the next match against Bagborough by a most horrendous thunderstorm when on 93, so not quite completing back to back centuries.

• The ever present Stu Duerden and some remarkable catches.

• Phil Rich’s six for 19 against Carhampton, bowling very slow right arm.

• And lastly, but no means least, becoming champions of the West Somerset League Division Two.

Well, that’s about it for 2015, next week SCT will be back, oh boy have we had interesting summer of cricket.

Time for a Thatchers me thinks, had a few yesterday.

Week 18

Champions…Champions…Champions…Champions

I think you get the message! Over Stowey 1^st XI clinched the Division Two title with an emphatic eight wicket win over Carhampton. And with Timberscombe forfeiting their final fixture as they couldn’t raise a side, the Division Two title most definitely belongs to Stowey, and they still have a game to play.

All this excitement on Saturday, plus the club game on Sunday, I was suffering a bit on Monday, oh well; it does get harder to recover when you get older.

I would like to thank all those who turned up on Sunday, despite the weather, to play, to watch and support, and off course partake in some hospitality. It was good to catch up with some old players, so much so I didn’t know the scores on the pitch.

So, next weekend, the victory parade will be at Spaxton, when Stowey play their final game against Bagborough, I believe the champagne is ready to be opened as we speak.

Saturday was the final game of the season for the 2^nd XI, where they entertained Dunster. The visitors won quite convincingly, however there were two very good individual performances of note.

Firstly, Stephen Miller. Not only did he take four wickets off his 11 overs, apparently he swung the ball like a preverbal boomerang. Another milestone for Stephen is that he reached 30 wickets for the season, a great achievement by the 16 year old.

Secondly, Lee Rich. What a contrast to four months ago. Saturday was probably the best I have seen Lee bowl, pace swing, movement and great enthusiasm. He fully deserved his five wickets, he could have quite easily had more, but the ball just swung too much. Nice jug after thank you Lee.

Another milestone was one for myself; the last game of the season, and I gave my first LBW decision. And where there’s one, the second wasn’t far behind, but I gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt due to the angle the bowler was bowling at.

Anyway, plenty of improvement by the 2^nd XI this season and it’s just great to see the youngsters getting a chance. Well done by all those who played this season.

Right, Thatchers time.