Welcome to the home of
Sandhurst Cricket Club
SCCPainting.jpg

Click to read story of club's birth

A WARM welcome to the website of Sandhurst Cricket Club. We are a friendly cricket club, based in the historical English town of Sandhurst in Berkshire.

The 2008 season was a trying one for Sandhurst's two league sides. Our first eleven narrowly avoided losing their top-flight status, but are back again this year - with renewed vigour - for another assault on the Berkshire League premier division title. The second eleven were relegated from division three, while we also boast a Sunday side and a Midweek XI (2008 League Cup winners).

For the next generation of Sandhurst players, we have a thriving and exciting Colts section. This includes teams at Under-13, Under-11 and Under-9.

* Please take time to look around our website, and do get in touch if you would like to be a part of our club. Thanks for your interest ...

Sandhurst Midweek XI

Midweek XI on course
to defend their crown

Binfield 149-5 Sandhurst Midweek XI 189-9
Bracknell & District Midweek League Cup semi-final

ADAM Birch (left) has led Sandhurst into the League Cup final for a second successive season after a second successive victory over Binfield (June 30th).

Having beaten Binfield in the league the week before, Sandhurst's openers of Des Sussex and Saj Shafi set the stage for a big score with a stand of 128 from the first nine overs.

Sussex made 84, while Shafi went for 42. This attacking approach forced the home team to position their fielders on the boundary for the latter half of the Sandhurst innings, allowing for a big score of 189-9, though a number of wickets were thrown away - among them three suicidal run outs.

Binfield's reply was frustrated by tight bowling early on, as the hosts managed just 65 from the first eight overs. Andrew Bradshaw, for the second game in a row, was on a hat-trick at one stage.

Sandhurst eased to victory by 40 runs, as Binfield managed just 149-5. The Midweek XI has therefore reached the final of the League Cup, to be staged at Bracknell on July 24th.

Sandhurst 1st XI

FIRST XI
HIT THE
FRONT

Sandhurst 1st XI 138-3
Emmbrook & Bearwood 1st XI 135
Berkshire League premier division

AN unbeaten 73 from Graham Sanders propelled Sandhurst to a seven wicket win over Emmbrook & Bearwood (June 27th) and catapulted them to the top of the Berkshire League premier division.

Emmbrook won the toss and batted first, a decision they may have regretted as Andrew Bradshaw split the openers with just 16 runs on the board.

The visitors, though, knuckled down and put on 85 for the second wicket, before Jordan Clement (2-18) triggered a collapse. The ever-reliable Ashfaque Rahman (4-25) was again in the thick of things, while Sumit Malla (2-24) also contributed to Emmbrook's downfall.

But it was Jaemie Gale's (1-3) solitary scalp - a controversial LBW - which brought out the worst in a disappointed Emmbrook, with abuse hurled at the Sandhurst umpire. This did little to enhance Emmbrook's reputation, as they crumbled from 101-1 to 135 all out!

Sandhurst expected some kind of 'response', but did not imagine it would be as swift as it was - the first ball of the innings. Opener Simon Massey left one outside the off stump, only to be given out by the Emmbrook umpire.

This only served to make this more steely Sandhurst more determined and, though Andy Tutty went cheaply (16-2), the pair of Sanders and Anthony Clapham (30) pushed on.

When Clapham fell, Sanders and Rahman (20 not out) finished the job. Sanders made sure with two terrific sixes, as Sandhurst won by seven wickets to pick up 30 points.

All other results went their way, with Sulhamstead, Mortimer West End and Peppard all beaten, which elevated Sandhurst to top spot. The season has reached the mid-way point ... and it's tight, with a little more than two average points separating the leading five sides.

Sandhurst's title aspirations could be determined over the next four weeks, as they tackle Peppard, Mortimer West End, Swindon and Grosvenor. 

* Graham Sanders has been named in a Berkshire Cricket League "Best of the Rest" XI, to face premier division champions Mortimer West End. The match will take place at Mortimer on Sunday, July 12th.

The bar will be open all day, and a BBQ will be operating throughout the afternoon. Start time for this clash is 1pm, and the game will be 40 overs a side.

Forthcoming fixtures


July 4th
Sandhurst 1st XI v. Peppard
Knowl Hill 1st XI v. Sandhurst 2nd XI

July 5th
Hawley v. Sandhurst Sunday XI

July 6th
Emmbrook & Bearwood v. Sandhurst U13 Spitfires
Sandhurst U11 Hawks v. Ascot & Sunningdale Princes

July 7th
Sandhurst Midweek XI v. Old Beans

Sandhurst U11 Hawks

Falcons are
no match
for Hawks

Finchampstead Falcons 86
Sandhurst U11 Hawks 136-2

Berkshire Youth Cricket League Division B

THE Hawks' fantastic season continued on Monday (June 29th) with a cracking win by 50 runs over Finchampstead Falcons, which keeps them on track for the league title.

Batting first on a glorious night at Finch, the opening pair of Mark Paget (25 retired) and Jason Wiseman (25 retired) made the most of the quick out-field and short boundary by plundering runs against good bowling and rattled along at six an over.

Alfie Gibbons is scoring runs for fun at the moment. He launched two sixes in his innings of 25 (retired) to up the tempo even more, though the middle order which followed was unable to follow suit as Sandhurst finished on a decent total of 136-2
from 20 overs.

Finch's reply was hampered by Sandhurst's opening bowlers, who clamped the run rate down. Spinner Bill Rooney (2-9), skipper Dan Bird (2-10) and Jack O'Neil (1-10) tore through the top order. Add to that a couple of run-outs from Rooney and Ben Cousins, and Finch were beaten.

Manager, Ian Cousins, said: "
All round a great performance, especially the fielding and bowling to close the game out at the end.

"There was a great team spirit, with encouragement from all the boys right the way through on a very hot night.

"It was also pleasing that we retired three batsmen in one game and were able to set a challenging target."

Next match: away to Ascot & Sunningadale Princes (July 6th).

PLAYERS
WANTED

SANDHURST Cricket Club is always seeking new members, for both our senior and colts section.

There is something for all standards, with the option of league cricket or friendlies. As well as the cricket, we also have an active social scene.

Membership prices have been frozen for the 2009 season.

If you are interested, click here for details. We look forward to seeing you at our club during the 2009 season.

Click here for membership form


Meet us at nets

THOSE interested in being a part of Sandhurst Cricket Club, are welcome to join us at our outdoor net sessions.

The Seniors have nets each Thursday, at the club, from 5.30pm. The Colts meet each Saturday, from 10am-11.30am.

Sandhurst 2nd XI

Slip-up but
Sandhurst
stay second

West Reading 156 Sandhurst 2nd XI 136
Berkshire League division four

NOT one to be outdone by his fellow-elder statesman, Simon Coxwell (right) emulated Martin Pharo's antics from the previous match with seven wickets, but the 2nd XI's batting let them down as they lost by 20 runs at West Reading (June 27th).

Despite this disappointing defeat, the 2nd XI remain second in the table at the midway point of the season, as both Twyford and Waltham both lost. Leaders Mortimer, though, have opened up a daunting gap.

West Reading won the toss and chose to bat first at Reading University. Openers Waseem Akram and Adnan Raja put on 67 at four runs an over before Martin Pharo bowled Akram for 43, scored off 49 balls.

For the second week running, Russell Stone had no luck with many aerial shots off his bowling evading fielders, while Calvin Hall - opening the bowling for the first time this season - bowled an excellent spell of 10 overs. He took 1 for 19 - his wicket courtesy of a sharp stumping by 2nd XI 'newcomer' Adam Birch.

Skipper Coxwell had opener Raja caught by Mark Honey for 55, then ran through the middle order to finish with 7–41. Mark Clapham took the final wicket courtesy of a third extraordinary catch from Hall (left).

West Reading finished on 156 all out off 35 overs, leaving Sandhurst with 55 overs to bat.

After a tea, which will not have threatened the £35 budget, Sandhurst began their reply shakily as West Reading started with the old ball, opening with spinners Taimoor Yousuf and Ghoddusi. Yousuf soon had Coxwell caught at slip and this set the tone for a very disappointing effort as Sandhurst slumped to 68–7, before Martin Pharo and Rob Lloyd dug in with a partnership of 57 to take Sandhurst to within 30 runs of an unlikely victory.

However, once Pharo mis-timed a drive to be caught for 34, the last two wickets quickly followed and Sandhurst finished on 136 all out with seven overs still to bat and 20 runs short.

* There are certain things you don't expect to see on the cricket field at this level of the game. Streakers is one of them, while one would be mildly surprised if division four of the Berkshire Cricket League triggered pitch invasions, or Mexican waves. And an umpire wearing an iPod could be accused of not concentrating fully on the match, but this is exactly what faced the Sandhurst 2nd XI at West Reading. That, coupled with a skipper who felt it necessary to coach his batsmen in between overs whilst umpiring, also raised a few eyebrows. Slipping standards ...


MATCH DETAILS REQUIRED

Due to the turnover of matches, no reports can be accepted more than a week after the fixture date. Do make sure you submit details within a reasonable time-frame.

Sandhurst U11 Sharks

Final pair help
Sharks into
double figures

Sandhurst U11 Sharks 42
Emmbrook & Bearwood 152-8

Berkshire Youth Cricket League Division H

THIS is a match best forgotten from a batting perspective, as the Sharks lost by 110 runs at home to a strong Emmbrook & Bearwood (June 26th) - and it could have been so much worse!

Put into bat, Emmbrook made 152-8 from their 20 overs. Among the highlights was some terrific bowling. Team captain, Harry Staples, led from the front to finish with figures of 3-19 - at one point he was on a hat-trick. Harry was ably assisted by Aiden Buckingham (2-15), while wicket-keeper Mark Paget claimed two stumpings. Add to that another Ted Batchelor run out from the deep, and the performance was pleasing ... apart from the 62 extras!

So with a large total to aim for, the Sharks then proceeded to see how quickly they could go in and come back again. The kit bag area resembled a Ferrari formula one garage, where coach Ian Cousins could not get the batsmen ready in time due to the procession of players them coming and going!!!

After just four overs, the sorry Sharks had crumbled to 6-9 and were in danger of failing to record double
figures. Then, charged with staying there to the end, Jake Staples and Harris Khamisani defied the tight Emmbrook bowling for another seven overs and put on 36 before Jake succumbed, to leave Harris unbeaten on 13.

Ian sighed
afterwards: "Our bowling and fielding was spot gave a us a real chance but oooohh the batting!!!!!!!

"The less said about that area the better, though some junior players showed a few seniors the way in terms of technique and guts."

Club Corner
launched

FEW of us can avoid the effects of the global economic downturn, but as a cricket club, we ought really be doing all we can to help each other, which is why a new section has been created on the website to do just that.

"
Club Corner" is a page where members can advertise, plain and simple - free of charge, obviously. Whether you run a business, have a skill or trade which others should know about, then this area is for you.

Send details to
Richard Fleming, including artwork, logo, website address, etc.

MESSAGE FROM
COMMITTEE

Availability and selection: Before every match, would all fully paid-up members ensure that they let the relevant captain know of their availability for selection ... in good time.

This particularly applies to those members who feel that they may have been overlooked for selection on occasions.

Could captains please provide Martin Bridges with a list of all of their players - with contact details - so that he can make sure the contact list is fully up to date. There are a few players for which we do not have any details.



Affiliated to:
England & Wales Cricket Board
The Berkshire Cricket Board
The Club Cricket Conference