Captains Report - 2011 Season

Appleton CC - Captains Report 2011
 
So another end to another fantastic season at Appleton Cricket Club. 
 
We managed to play 29 fixtures this season with 18 wins, 10 losses, and one gentleman’s draw; we also had three games cancelled but amazingly only one game cancelled due to bad weather!
 
The matches that have stuck in my memory over the course of the 2011 season are as follows;
  • Sunningwell (away): I find it a bit embarrassing to mention my own performances and blowing my own trumpet but in this game  reached a personal milestone because I scored my first ever century for ACC. Also the manner of the victory of 157 runs and the performance of Andy Buck with four wickets for just six runs were remarkable.
  • Sophos (away): on a groggy Tuesday evening at Steventon on a lively track we managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Chasing a low total to win we were six wickets down for only 14 runs at one point and somehow managed to win the game by three wickets due to some big hitting from the tail, mostly from the ever-reliable Carl McKno.
  • Oxford Downs (away): this was a particular highlight as this was the first fixture that ACC have played over at Oxford Downs on a lovely batting track and wonderful facilities. This game sticks in my mind due to nine dropped catches on a particularly warm summer’s day but there were also a couple of highlights such as Andy Hammond scoring his first ever six and the wicket-taking Carl Alder recording outstanding bowling figures of five wickets for 40 runs.
  • Cumnor (home): I didn’t play in this fixture due to a broken finger so club Vice Captain Andy Buck relished the chance to try to get one over the ‘old enemy’. I departed the ground half-way through the game with ACC chasing an improbable 290 runs to win but with Roger and Eddie opening the batting nothing is improbable and both batsmen strode out to the middle and produced one of the most memorable opening partnerships in many a year! Roger went on to score a superb half century but ever present Eddie Gilkes went on to score an unbeaten century and was ably helped by another Gilkes (Ben) and Elliott Bennett. With nearly 600 runs scored in 80 overs of cricket providing great entertainment and more importantly getting one over the ‘Old Enemy’, this was a superb team performance.
Of course Appleton could not continue as a force in Sunday Cricket without the help and performances of the players, so to begin I will start off at the superb youth policy we now have at the club with Tom Daniel, Chris Salmon, Alexander Jeffreys, Jack Bennett, Jack Crowe all coming through and playing for ACC this year…..special mention to Jack Bennett for stepping in on a Sunday afternoon despite being injured.
 
Of course the youth policy is incredibly important to the ACC setup but this year we have also set up our Overseas Policy in which Leon Willis and Chris Jones have both made appearances and both thrived in the typically English conditions of the Appleton Sportsfield. 
 
Special mention goes to a number of players this season for their outstanding performances throughout the season. The players are as follows;
  • Ed Gilkes – 1 Century, 3 fifties, 10 catches
  • Roger Gilkes – 3 fifties
  •  Elliott Bennett – 3 fifties, 8 wickets
  • Andy Buck – 3 fifties, 21 wickets
  • Carl Alder – 35 wickets
  • Carl McKno – 22 wickets 
  • Tom Crowe – 20 wickets
And finally to finish I would like to thank the following members of the club:
  • For their fantastic work on the Sportsfield I would like to thank Graham Rose, Carl McKno, Roger Gilkes, and Matt Godwin but also all of the players who help to prepare the pitch throughout the week and come earlier and help with preparation on a Sunday.
  • Everyone involved in the six-a-side from preparation to playing and in particular the Bennett family for their great work with the BBQ throughout the course of the day.
  • For their work with the new club website and the village website – Carl McKno and Graham Rose.
The Officers for their continued support for the club;
  • Steve Handscombe – President
  • John Bennett – Secretary
  • Roger Gilkes – Chairman
  • Andy Hammond – Treasurer
  • Andy Buck – Vice-Captain
  • Ed Gilkes – Fixture Secretary
  • Dave Roach – Fines Secretary
  • Dave Manning – Officer sans portfolio
Let’s continue the hard work and make next season equally if not more enjoyable than the last.
 
Martin Bungay
ACC Skipper – Season 2011

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