MCC honour for talented cricketer

Sidmouth’s Will Gater was presented with an MCC sweater and cap from Andrew Flintoff, prior to playing for the club’s Schools team against the English School Cricket Association team, at Lord’s Ground, London.

He was selected after his name was put forward as a good cricketer by MCC match managers who had seen him play this season.

The 50-over match saw Will take two wickets, both lbw, for 18 runs in his spell of seven overs, including the ES opener and captain. He didn’t get to bat, as those who hadn’t bowled were put in to bat first and the MCC won in only 39 overs.

The day ended with a dinner for the team members and parents in the Long Room, where they were able to get a close look at the Ashes trophy.

Picture courtesy Photos Unlimited.

?Tipton’s final game of the season saw them take on Yarcombe and Stockland. Skipper David Birch lost the toss and was asked to bat on a drying wicket. Yarcombe seemed to have made the right decision in bowling first as their openers produced tight and aggressive spells to pin back Tipton’s batsmen. However, Kevin Jones and Matt Williamson batted sensibly, putting away the bad ball and building an impressive first wicket partnership.

Tipton had reached 52 when Williamson was bowled on 18, shortly followed by number 3 Steve Shaw, victim of a superb caught and bowled. The reliable Phil Tolley then joined Jones at the crease, hitting 49 in a typical display of controlled aggression, but ever-watchful, especially when playing the accurate Reed.

Jones was caught after amassing 40 well-crafted runs, followed by Tolley and Joe Birch in consecutive overs. Despite the fall of wickets, some intelligent batting from Robin Pickering and Phil Wright brought Tipton to 156 for 5 after 40 overs.

Opening bowlers Joe and David Birch kept Yarcombe’s batsmen pinned back, the latter proving particularly effective, taking two wickets and conceding no runs from his first three overs. Tipton’s bowlers were outshone by keeper Dave Dawson, whose near faultless performance earned him three stumpings, remarkably all of them members of the Fuzzard family.

After 20 overs, and with veteran spinner Dave O’Higgins chipping in with two wickets, Yarcombe were well behind the run rate and the game looked to be Tipton’s to lose.

Despite this, a spirited display of batting from Yarcombe’s lower order brought them within 40 runs of their target with six overs to go.

It took the return of Joe Birch and the introduction of Steve Shaw to break the partnership and ensure that, after 40 overs, Yarcombe finished 25 runs short of Tipton’s total.

Some outstanding individual performances and a great team effort ensured that Tipton ended a successful season on a high note with a 28th victory, one short of last season’s record total.