Sunday 3rd September 2023
Somerset Minor Cup Final at Taunton County Ground
Chilcompton T20 1st XI 169-4 v Chard T20 2nd XI 154-7 – Chilcompton won by 15 runs.
The 3rd of September 2023. A date that will surely go down in Chilcompton Sports Cricket Club folklore. An event unparalleled in days gone by and to be remembered for many more to come. Yes, that actually happened. No, your eyes did not deceive you… Jordan Harding drank an alcoholic beverage.
There was also the small matter of the (somewhat discouragingly named) Minor Cup final at Taunton’s County Ground against Chard 2nds to attend, with a coach of players and adoring fans rolling out of the sleepy CSG at stupid o’clock; a nervous energy from its passengers only exacerbated by the auspicious ‘We Are The Champions’ tinnily blaring from the speakers.
Arriving before their opponents (advantage Chillies), the team immediately defied their ‘don’t change a thing’ mantra by taking an unprecedented pre-match warmup on the resplendent outfield. That left captain Ben Futcher to win(!) the toss and elect to set a total.
Following a scratchy couple of overs that almost witnessed a calamitous run-out, Futcher’s fellow opener Tom Hancock didn’t take long to settle the nerves. In the third, he thrice took advantage of some wide bowling and lightning outfield to cut beautifully to the boundary. Thereafter, it was Hancock’s half hour, absorbing the majority of the strike and continuing to stylishly find frequent twos and fours.
With a solid 67-0 from the first 10, the drinks break did little to remedy Hancock’s exhausted body, and a tired looking two attempt left him a few yards short of the crease. But his run-a-ball 43 was just the start Chilcompton craved, and with Futcher being joined by Adam Deverill at the crease, they sensed some big hitting was required. Cue Chard’s young leggie coming into the attack, which gave the pair ample opportunity to get aggressive – the skipper targeting the River End’s bleachers, his partner slog sweeping a few rows back.
With confidence and run-rate escalating, Chillies were pegged-back in the 16th over, with Deverill (23 from 15) scooping one to cover and Tim Fussell recording his second golden duck of the weekend following his first net session for two decades earlier in the week (once and for all proving that practice is entirely unnecessary in all circumstances). As dad Martin struggled to get a word in edgeways on comms and the last bars of ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ faded, James Purchase prevented the hattrick and customary batting collapse, flicking well off his pads on the way to a handy 10 from 11 in support of Futcher. Meanwhile, the captain continued to keep the boundary-count ticking and carried his bat to a quite superb 77* from 49 balls (3 fours, 4 sixes) and a competitive 170 target.
Jon Burgess and Tim Fussell were trusted with the pretty-in-pink new ball and quickly got into their rhythm before Fuss induced a reckless attempted scoop from the left-handed opener to take out his middle stump.
While the other opener, veteran Lee Brun, took a fancy to Burgess (4-32-0), Fuss kept the squeeze on and was rewarded with a second wicket in his final over – a sharp stumping from Adam Marshall – to finish with Chillies’ best figures of 4-16-2. All the while Brun and his impactful cross-the-line bludgeons were still in the middle, Chard looked well in the game. So, the last ball of Jack Ford’s second over shifted the momentum right back to Chillies, a full one bamboozling Brun (42 from 34), smashing his middle stump and leaving his team 74-3 from 12 overs.
With the required run-rate hitting double digits and the batters having to accelerate, the spin twins (not identical) of Purchase and Deverill sought to make the most of the famous Ciderabad track. As Purchase (4-32-0) temptingly floated them up, he saw a diving Futcher come close to taking an all-timer on the long-off boundary. Before Glen Stansfield successfully took a tumbling, but not fumbling catch at cow corner off Deverill (2-23-1, making him the tournament’s top wicket-taker) just a few balls later. That brought the large frame of Andrew Sochon to the crease, who was in no mood to muck about – smashing a four and a six from his first few.
Four overs to go and 48 needed, Futcher had some big decisions to make, so turned to star of the semi-final Jack Ford and overseas stalwart Glen Stansfield. The pair largely contained the batters to ones and twos, despite some increasingly nervy fielding. There was nothing nervy (right, Shuds?) about the steepling catch taken brilliantly by Sam Hudson to remove dangerman Sochon (31 from 16) and suddenly a small sense of ease came across the Chillies players. That was only lightened further when Chard’s captain tried a brainless scoop to Ford (a fantastic 4-22-2), which saw his middle peg ripped from the ground.
With Jordan Harding working tirelessly to turns fours into ones on the short boundary, he set the bar for the fielding team to follow. Marshall’s earlier sloppiness became an impenetrable barrier, Stansfield making diving stops on the boundary, and ultimately JP’s bullet arm and Ford’s cool head (I’ve never typed that before) combining to affect a run-out. Even Jon Burgess was exemplary in the field… until providing some much-unneeded comic relief as he saw a dolly pop out of his hands (prompting multiple action replays on the coach home).
It was left to Stansfield (2-16-1) to defend the 23 required from the final over, keeping his bottle to leave Chard an almost anti-climactic 15 runs shy. As the Chilcompton faithful streamed on to the pitch applauded reverentially from the stands, the 12th Man and team mascot (brothers Brad and Aaron Hancock respectively) joined the post-match presentations with captain fantastic Ben Futcher deservedly picking up the Player of the Match award.
This was a victory not only for the 11 players on the pitch, but for a squad that pulled performance after performance out of the bag on this enchanted cup run. For Rob Bath, Michael Gooderham and Dom Grass who all contributed to wins earlier in the competition. For the DoC Dave Travis, President Martin Rumary, Chair Clayton Rich, Fundraising Hero Jacqui Nolan – all who came to support at Taunton. Without the ongoing commitment from all involved, this club could not thrive as it does or punch so far above its weight as we do season after season.
Saturday 2nd September 2023
Long Ashton 1st XI 76-1 v Chilcompton 1st XI 72ao – LA won by 9 wickets.
Saturday 27th August
Chilcompton 1st XI 177-5 v Winterbourne A 173ao – Chilcompton won by 5 Wickets.
On another indifferent day in the English summer, Futcher won the toss and chose to bowl. With Taunton and more importantly the threat of relegation still looming, the skipper fired up the troops and it paid dividends early on. Jon Burgess (3-15 off 8) and Fussell (2-43) were all over the Winterbourne batsmen to reduce them to 53-5. Jack Ford (1-33) Adam Deverill (1-25) and Mike Gooderham (2-41) were the other wicket takers with Purchase doing the containing job like prime Ashley Giles. A farcical run out ended the visitors innings on 173 and after the start Chili had, Futcher and the lads were slightly disappointed but still had confidence to chase.
After teas Chili set about the run chase and after making 99 in the first game against Winterbourne, Futcher was in more charitable mood as he departed for a duck. Tom Hancock (29) and Adam Deverill (21) got the starts but fell but Glen Stansfield (44) carried the counter punch aided by DinderandPurchase (41*) to see the home side achieve a much welcome 5 wicket win.
The perfect start ahead of a critical weekend next weekend as Chili head to Long Ashton in a game to secure their status in Division 4 and then onto the Sunday when they head to the Somerset county ground to face Chard.
Match Ball Sponsor – Hobbs Marble & Granite
Sunday 20th August 2023
Somerset Minor Cup Semi Final
Chilcompton 1st XI 124ao v Bedminster 3rd XI 123-9 – Chilcompton won by 1 run
A chance to make club history, the curtain-raiser for the Sunday XI’s game saw Chilcompton take on Bedminster 3s with a place at Taunton at stake. A good toss to lose, Ben Futcher and Tom Hancock were sent out to do some early (way too early, indeed!) damage. Hancock (0) was soon back in the hutch, bringing quarter-final hero Adam Deverill to the crease. And it took until the 4th over before he and Futcher properly awoke. Thanks in part to umpire Sam Hudson calling a litany of wides and front-foot no balls, three boundaries helped the 12-ball over go for 21. From there the batting pair got the Terry Moore Memorial Scoreboard ticking regularly, and after the twelfth over it displayed 90-1. By the end of the 13th alas, it showed 90-4. A triple-wicket maiden for the visitors’ best bowler Daniel Turner took out Deverill (25), Tim Fussell (0) and James Purchase (0). Jack Ford (9) joined Futcher to get things moving again before miscuing one, and when the skipper was clean-bowled by Turner for a run-a-ball 45 shortly afterwards the end was in sight for Chillies; Jordan Harding (0), Hudson (5), Jon Burgess (1), Rob Bath (0) and Adam Marshall (0*) offering little effective resistance to the brilliant Turner who ended with figures of 3.1-1-12-6.
A target of 124 never felt like enough, and the Bedminster bats were in no mood to hang about, hitting the usually-reliable Burgess out of the attack after his first two overs. Fussell was at least able to keep things under control at the other end (a superb 4-0-12-0). But when Purchase saw two slogs dropped in the deep, the mood in the field was – as our DoC would say – lower than a snake’s belly. Hancock finally held on to one to remove the big-hitting opener – giving Purchase (4-0-20-1) a much-deserved scalp – and when Deverill (4-0-22-2) spun one through the gate a couple of overs later, a scintilla of hope began to emerge for the hosts. A truly atrocious LBW decision (no shot offered, directly in front of stumps) was perhaps the worst thing the opponent’s umpire could have done to his team, galvanizing the Chillies boys. And the emotion showed when wicket-keeper Marshall erupted into an expletive-riddled sendoff after completing a stumping of the other well-set opener. Jack Ford joined the party in the very next over, smashing one into the off-bail and splitting it clean in two. Spanking one into the field (Ford: “lucky”), Bedminster’s star man Turner tried repeating the trick but only found skipper Futcher on the long-off boundary (Hudson: “guess the wind wasn’t with him this time”). Destroying the stumps the very next ball and doing likewise with his sixth, the pumped-up Ford (ending with a game-changing 4-0-35-4) had three wickets in the over. 29 required from 3 overs. Back came JB, keeping things tighter this time and helped by an outrageous diving stop by Gord Harding preventing a dead cert of a boundary. The 18th over’s final ball saw the game’s major flashpoint: pushing hard to turn ones into twos, the batters chanced a suicide second to captain Futcher’s chocolate arm. The ball on its way to skittling into the stumps, ‘Honest Jon’ Burgess excitedly jolted out a hand wicket-wards. The bail was removed, but was it the ball or JB’s fist that broke the stumps? “Honestly umps, it was the ball”, reported Jon. Finger raised, run out given, away team steaming. Restricting the batters to ones and twos, 15 was the ask going into the final over. A refrain of “no boundaries, lads” was met with Burgess putting one right in the slot and seeing it disappear over the sight screen for a huge six. 6 runs required from three became 4 runs from two and finally 2 from the final ball. A swipe to trusty Tom Hancock at mid-wicket and the batters set off at pace completing the first run. The ball came back into the bowler’s end and hit the stumps, but both batters were inside the crease. Suddenly the coolest man on the park, Jonty Burgess calmly rolled the ball to Marshall at the other end to complete the run out. Jubilation for the home team who had made the final at Taunton by the barest of margins!
A date with destiny and, more directly, Chard 2nds awaits at ‘Ciderabad’ on Sunday, September 3rd.
Saturday 19th August 2023
University of Bristol Staff 1st XI 142-5 v Chilcompton 1st XI 126-6 – Uni Staff won by 16 runs.
Clearly saving themselves for the big semi-final the following day, Chilcompton 1st XI were beaten by the Uni Staff in a weather-affected game on Saturday. Chillies made a good start, with Jon Burgess (6-1-16-1) removing the big-hitting opener thanks to a tidy catch from James Purchase in the deep. With Brad Hancock (4-0-29-1) also taking the new ball, the youngster roughed up the other opener with a hostile beamer, followed by an absolute peach that clipped the outside edge through to Adam Deverill at slip. Follicly challenged spin twins James Purchase (6-0-29-0) and Tim Fussell (6-2-14-1) kept things tight, with Fuss getting one through to hit the stumps – a feat repeated by Jack Ford (5-0-30-1) not long afterwards. A stumping from Adam Marshall off Deverill (3-0-23-1) helped keep the score in check, until half-centurion Charles Clarke finally took the brake off to smash a four and six in the last of the 30 overs to get the total up to a meagre-looking 142.
Openers Tom Hancock (11) and Adam Deverill (4) looked confident in reply but, with the outfield longer than a Martin Rumary yarn, boundaries were hard to come by. The latter was sharply caught at short extra cover, before Hancock faintly nicked behind. When Fussell (16) did likewise, Purchase and (demoted from the Legends) Paul Dening rebuilt the chase. Finally, the ball began to find the rope or – in Denis’s case – sailed over it, as the stylish batter elegantly sent one back above the bowler’s head and into the nearby hockey court. When Purchase (28) and Ben Futcher (9) were bowled in quick succession however, the target suddenly looked a long way away – especially when Jack Ford was caught for a goldie. Dave Travis (7*) joined his old chum (combined age of 118), but the only shots he could really get away were verbal ones directed at the grating opposition wicket-keeper. Chillies ended 16 short after their 30 overs, with Denis stranded on an excellent 27*.
With two games to play and a single point outside the relegation zone, Chilcompton desperately need a win against visiting Winterborne next week.
Saturday 12th August 2023
Chilcompton 1st XI 114-6 v Barrow Gurney 131-7 – Barrow Gurney won by 17 runs.
In yet another game affected by the weather, Chilcompton and Barrow Gurney dodged the showers to eventually complete a 20 over game at the CSG on Saturday. After winning the toss home skipper Ben Futcher inserted the visitors to bat first but only 3 overs were completed before a 2 hour delay reduced the game to 20 overs. Barrow posted a challenging total of 131 built around Jason Cryans who top scored with 55. Jon Burgess (1-15) and James Purchase (1-8) bowled well but the pick of the bowlers was 15 year old Brad Hancock who took 2 for 30 bowling at the death.
In reply Chili lost Deverill early before an 81 stand between Tom Hancock (41) and Ben Futcher (41) looked to put the home side in control. The loss of both of these batters in the space of an over proved crucial as Edward Holdaway took 3 for 10 to wrap up the game by 17 runs.
Chili have 2 important games at the weekend at Uni Staff (Saturday) and home to Bedminster in the semi final of the Somerset Minor Cup on Sunday morning.
Match Ball Sponsor – Clayton Rich
Saturday 5th August 2023
Congresbury v Chilcompton 1st XI – Cancelled Rain
Saturday 29th July 2023
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 89ao v Frenchay 2nd XI 245-7 – Frenchay won by 156 runs.
Was that a spot of mizzle in the air on Saturday morning before the visit of high flying Frenchay? Nope – that was steam coming out of Trav’s ears after Mells defaulted on the Legends just a couple of hours before.
But spirits were lightened significantly six balls into the visitors’ innings, with James Purchase and wicketkeeper Adam Marshall combining to remove the opener – a century-maker in the corresponding away fixture.
With the other opener Will Stabb hacking away at the other end, Purchase (8-0-32-2) and Jon Burgess (8-0-35-2) worked through the top order. Purchase drew a catch from the Hairy Biker-esque number 3 straight to Tom Hancock at short extra cover, followed by a pair of classic down-the-hill-and-through-the-gaters from JB. 56-4 and Chilcompton were rocking.
Unfortunately, the boundaries soon started rolling, with the batters taking a liking to Jordan Harding (5-0-35-0) and Adam Deverill (3-0-25-0). Cue the introduction of Julian Hawkins, whose first ball a year on from last bowling was – you guessed it – pitched on the perfect line and length outside off stump. The Hawk’s typical accuracy stemmed the flow, while a furious Jack Ford (7-0-44-0) channelled his inner Trav. A suspected, not-given outside edge didn’t help matters, sending the chunter levels nuclear.
With the partnership reaching 160, Hawkins (8-0-49-2) finally got the breakthrough thanks to the first of two more catches to Hancock. And a super sharp piece of fielding from Harding finally removed Stabb, whose cross bat-heavy 122 from 114 balls concluded with a wagon wheel uncannily resembling a clockface showing ten minutes to ten.
The target set at 246, the response was f…ar from ideal. The antagonisingly-named Jamal Khawaja’s in-duckers accounted for Hancock (0), Deverill (10), Ford (7) and Purchase (0), with Ben Futcher (13), Andy Baker (0) and Marshall (2) falling at the other end.
Harding (22) at least had some fun, smashing four 4s, and Hawkins (12*) struck a couple of his own. But Chillies’ race was run, with Lee Clevely (0) and Burgess (1) having no appetite to hang around in the middle surrounded by the fielding side’s tiresome chat.
89 was as much as Chilcompton could muster in reply, and skipper Futcher will be hoping for a much better league performance at fellow strugglers Congresbury next week.
Match Ball Sponsor – Jacqui Nolan
Saturday 22nd July 2023
Chilcomtpon 1st XI v Bristol 3rds
Match cancelled – Rain
Thursday July 20th 2023
T20 Somerset Minor Cup Quarter Final
Chilcompton 1st XI 196-4 v Purnells 1st XI 169-6 – Chilcompton won by 27 runs.
On Thursday night, underdogs Chilcompton hosted Purnell with the knowledge that they were just two wins away from a big trip to Taunton. And, having won the toss and stuck himself in, captain Ben Futcher was in no mood to let the opportunity go begging. Setting the tone in the very first over, he bludgeoned three 4s and a 6 in the opening five balls of the innings. Tom Hancock’s (2) rich vein of form couldn’t continue, but that brought Adam Deverill to the middle who slid straight into his skipper’s slipstream and the captain/vice-captain combo continued to fire on all cylinders. Futcher (32 from 20 balls) fell at the end of the seventh over, which only brought Tim Fussell to the crease. In between regular boundaries, he and Deverill ran between the wickets aggressively, piling the pressure on to the undercooked fielding team. 10 overs and 87 runs later, and it still felt from the cross-boundary experts as though Chilcompton didn’t quite have enough runs in the bank. Cue a monumental over of hitting from Deverill. 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 in the 18th took the total from competitive to imposing. Deverill fell in the next over for a brilliant, brutal 90 from 59 balls (eleven 4s, three 6s) with the damage done – both to the Purnell attack and his own fetlocks. Fussell continued to bring the pain. With some smart shots and running, he ended up with a stylish – and hugely appreciated from the growing crowd – 53* from 34, leaving a formidable 196-4 on the electronic scoreboard.
Chilies still knew they’d need to be at their best with the ball to get over the line, especially with the dangerous Phil Gregory marching out to bat (having scored 175 from 60 balls earlier in the competition). Three balls into the innings, however, and Gregory was heading back to the hutch, with James Purchase drawing him into a weak shot that presented Futcher with the simplest of catches at mid-on. Jon Burgess (4-28-0) maintained control and, just as the batters appeared set and looking to accelerate, an inspired double bowling change put the hosts back in control. First, Jordan Harding struck in his very first over – clean bowling Hewish who had made 40 from 26 – before Deverill (operating on one leg at the very most) did likewise to the new bat without him scoring. With left-hander Lenihan passing his fifty at a strike rate of well over 150, his confidence may have been growing but his mobility was waning. That inspired Deverill (4-39-2) to throw him a wide one. Lenihan charged, Adam Marshall grabbed, stumps down, finger raised, Chilcompton in the driving seat. Two balls later and Purchase (4-38-2) and Futcher combined again to remove the visitors’ last recognised batting threat. That left superb death bowling from Harding (4-35-2) and Jack Ford (4-28-0) and boundary-riding (Purchase, Hancock, Rob Bath, Sam Hudson) to game-manage the remaining overs. Denying the sizable crowd of onlookers, a dramatic finish, Futcher’s men were more than happy to watch the life drain from the chase, with 27 runs the ultimate deficit.
Book your seats now for what will surely be a capacity CSG crowd for the semi-finals against Bedminster on the morning of Sunday, August 20th.
Saturday 15th July 2023
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 191-8 (32.3 overs) v St Mary Redcliffe 1st XI 190-6 (34.6 overs) – Chilcompton won by 2 wickets.
The players arrived two by two to the biblically drenched CSG for a relegation clash with fellow strugglers St Mary Redcliffe. Denied access to the clubhouse thanks to an art show, Ben Futcher (certainly no oil painting) won the toss and chose to field with overs already being lost to rain.
Tim Fussell (8-1-30-1) and Jon Burgess (7-1-30-1) kept things typically tight off the top, the latter relishing running up the hill into the wind. Still Burgess was the first to strike; his quintessential outside-off line seeing the opener chop on. An edge soon afterwards should have made it two, with Adam Marshall’s thin layer of rust preventing him snaffling the low catch.
The dropped batter, James Thrower, began chucking his bat at everything on the way to a slog-heavy 50, with James Purchase (7-0-42-0) and Adam Deverill (7-0-45-1) bearing the brunt. But Dev finally cast his rod and reeled in the big fish with a beaut that turned down the hill and through the gate.
In between the off-again-on-again showers, some… let’s call it ‘partisan’ umpiring prevented more wickets tumbling. Until, that is, the wind assisted Jack Ford (3-0-17-2) bagged the two settled batters. Firstly thanks to a wild slog that left Deverill turning a dolly into a worldy at long-on, and then unequivocally wiping out the stumps. An uncharacteristically tracer-like throw from the chocolate-armed skipper Futcher effected a run-out on the last ball of the 35-over innings; 190 the score on the board, which felt like more than the visitors really deserved.
Futcher and rejuvenated Tom Hancock started the innings positively, running assertively between the wickets in a very every-team-that-plays-against-Chilcompton-but-we-never-do kind of way. With Hancock cutting and driving confidently to the boundary, the captain (4) and vice-captain Deverill (8) were both caught weakly.
It’s still not abundantly clear how Hancock (33 from 33 balls) got out – not even he knows – but the book shows hit wicket. That brought together veteran pairing Tim Fussell and Aussie import Glen Stansfield to the crease, and Chillies rocking at 52-3. With the soothing chorus of drills soundtracking the innings – Miles’s/Miles’/Mile’s [delete as applicable] masterpiece of a scorebox being fabricated in real time – the duo began to rhythmically diminish the target.
That was before a rush of blood to Fussell’s hairless head had him clean bowled charging down the pitch for 18, with Purchase (4) and Ford (1) falling soon after. Thankfully Sam Hudson, provided the increasingly aggressive Stansfield with some much needed support. Consistently a smidge behind the required rate, the overseas stalwart used the 26th over to crack two consecutive sixes to square leg putting Chilcompton on top. A much need tension-breaker – that, together with the sight of umpire Burgess comedically chasing his dislodged cap around the outfield.
When Hudson departed for a very useful 12, Stansfield continued to pepper the rope and at that point the tension all became too much for some. Jordan Harding smashed a ball to the mid-wicket fence, and a valiant effort was made in the field to prevent the boundary. A well-run three saw the target come down to just 12. But what’s this? Umpire Deverill signaling a four! The furious opposition captain is incandescent. They square up. Cheeks clenched. Chests out. Neither rutting stag prepared to back down. Futcher slowly, reluctantly heading their way to… God knows what. Finally the jets are cooled. The four is given. The game continues.
And while Harding was caught behind next over for 10, Stansfield ably supported Jonty Burgess (3*) to chase down the remainder with two-and-a-half overs to spare. The unbeaten 80 from 65 balls (seven 4s, three 6s) may not be enough to etch Glen’s name on the brand new honours board, but it was a superb innings and a lesson to all watching on how to chase down a target.
Top of the league Bristol lay in wait next week for in-form Chilcompton 1sts
Match Ball Sponsor – Hobbs Marble & Granite
Saturday 8th July 2023.
Blagdon 1st XI 0-0 v Chilcompton 1st XI 125-2 (20 Overs) – Match abandoned.
Chilcompton were left frustrated at Blagdon after the game was abandoned due to heavy rain. Adam Deverill (26) & Tim Fussell (19no) played well in support of Tom Hancock who finished with an excellent 68no. Chilcompton were well placed at 125-2 in 20overs before the rain came down.
Chilcompton face Redcliffe at the CSG on Saturday looking to pull clear to safety in Division 4.
Thursday 6th July 2023
T20 – Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 157-6 v Timsbury 2nd XI 113ao – Chilcompton won by 44 runs.
Chilcompton progressed in the Somerset Minor Cup against close neighbours Timsbury at Chilcompton on Thursday. Chilcompton won the toss and elected to bat at the CSG in front of a decent crowd. Ben Futcher (40) and Tom Hancock (26) got the home side off to a great start, but the innings slowed down in the middle overs after some good Timsbury bowling. Tim Fussell rolled back the years with an excellent 40no sharing good partnerships with Adam Deverill (20) and Rob Bath (11no). Chilcompton eventually finished on an above average score of 157-6 in their 20 overs. Pick of the Timsbury bowlers were Freddie Hosford (2-25) and Zak Cox (3-25).
In reply to Workman and Hosford made a steady start but were pegged back by veterans Tim Fussell (2-20) and Dom Grass (0-25). When Freddie Hosford was dismissed for an impressive 37, Adam Deverill ripped through the tail to finish with figures of 4-7 in 3 overs. Chilcompton won by an impressive 44 runs as the dark
Chilcompton face Purnells in the next round at the CSG on Thursday 20th July.
Saturday 1st July 2023
Chilcompton 167-8 v Long Ashton 186-5 – Long Ashton won by 19 runs.
Chilcompton let a victory slip on Saturday against high flying Long Ashton. Blunden 50 & Ball 43 were the mainstays of the Long Ashton innings as they posted a par score of 186-5. Jack Ford (8-0-59-4) & Dom Grass (8-0-32-1) took the wickets for Chili and Jon Burgess bowled frugally only going for 14 runs in his eight overs.
Glen Stansfield 17 and Adam Deverill 31 got the hosts off to a rapid start but good bowling from Forsyth 8-4-12-3 pegged back the innings. Only Tom Hancock 37 posted a notable score for the remainder of the innings as Chilcompton fell 19 runs short.
Chilcompton travel to Blagdon on Saturday hoping to return to winning ways.
Match Ball Sponsor – Richard Aldous
Saturday 24th June 2023
Winterbourne 176ao v Chilcompton 1st XI 251-9 – Chilcompton won by 75 runs.
On a glorious day down by the council estate of Winterbourne, Futcher won the toss and elected to bat first and with instructions to his opening pair to show more intent. Hudson didn’t quite get the memo as his take on “Baz Ball” had a “SP”ecial twist and he was in the hutch early. Deverill and Purchase soon followed to stunning catches. This brought the skipper and the Timsbury Lara Hancock to the crease at 26-3 in desperate need of a partnership. Suddenly after a slow rebuild the pair sprung into life and quietened down the home side adding 142 for the 4th wicket.
Hancock eventually departed returning a catch to the bowler for a high quality 42, Stansfield then bludgeoned 38 in his blue suede shoes. His Lordship, Robert Bath chipped in with 17 but the innings belonged to skipper who paced his brilliantly chanceless innings perfectly. His innings unfortunately came to an end on 99 as he came running down the track faster than Gemma Collins chasing a burger van and was bowled and sent off by his opposing skipper.
The Chilcompton tail didn’t wag, must have been the dairylea, smoked ham and sourdough combo and after 3 hours of batting Chilli had posted 251-9.
After Tea, Burgess and Fussell took the new ball and kept things very tight. The later would have been in the wickets if not for some Teflon glove work. However, Burgess was able to drag his tin man-esque body through 8 overs to return figures of 5-21 and rip the heart out of the home side. Deverill removed the main stay of the innings to end with figures of 1-50.
Brad Hancock bowled a cracking little spell that looked dangerous but was wicket less, as Purchase swooped in like prime Elma Fudd to collect 4 rabbits for 27 runs as Chilcompton completed victory by 75 runs.
Now out of the dreaded drop zone Chilcompton return to the CSG on Saturday to face Long Ashton.
Saturday 17th June 2023
Chilcompton 1st XI 153 ao v University of Bristol Staff 154-3 – Uni Staff won by 7 wickets.
On a glorious day at the CSG, Chilcompton were asked to bat first. Fresh from the Club fundraiser the night before (No-Show Donations still payable to the DOC) Adam Deverill and Sam Hudson looked to get out the traps early. Hudson resembling more of a lame stricken horse as he chopped on for 5 but Adam Marshall 10 (runs not batting position) supported Deverill 21 well as Chilcompton looked to rebuild. However, the former snicked off to his counterpart and had to depart. Tom Hancock (21) and Jack Ford (19) also chipped in with some useful runs but main stay was Ben Futcher who “scratched” around for his 46 as Chilcompton were bowled out for 153 which was certainly a below par score.
After tea Ford and Tim Fussell (1-30) took the new cherry, however fresh from watching the ashes at tea, Uni staff opener bludgeoned most of the bowling to fence for 65 in quick time. This was until White (1-32) entered the fray and bent the chatty keepers off stump back. Bowler of the day Brad Hancock (1-14) got his deserved wicket, but Chilcompton ran out of runs once again and were beaten.
Chilcompton travel to Winterbourne on Saturday looking to return to winning ways.
Match Ball Sponsor – Steve Davis
Saturday 10th June 2023
Chilcompton 1st XI 150 all out vs Barrow Gurney 1st XI 331-6 – Chillies lost by 181 runs
Having just about recovered from their debaucherous celebrations at Fat Sams after last week’s first win of the season, stand-in skipper Adam Deverill led his merry men to their televised fixture at Barrow Gurney.
And with confidence riding high, it took James Purchase (8-1-45-1) only two balls to trap the opposition captain plumb in front of his stumps. First blood, Chillies.
Having lost count of the amount of times he passed the outside edge, Jon Burgess (8-2-31-1) resorted to full-toss tactics to prise a leading edge from the other opener. Having once again abandoned his 2nd team colleagues, Rob Bath was in place at point to take a blinding one-handed catch.
That, alas, was about as good as it got in the field. Batters Mark Brown and Josh Yelland came together in the eighth over and soon began to take full advantage of the even pitch, lightning outfield and miniscule boundaries. Jack Ford, Michael Gooderham (4-0-44-0) and Jordan Harding (2-0-22), didn’t do a whole lot wrong, but the fours and sixes were relentless in frequency. Between prayers of the promised thunderstorms, the Chillies fielders spent the bulk of their time searching the car park and adjacent fields, with more lost balls than Deverill at Mendip Golf Club on a Sunday.
There were still some highlights to enjoy. On first team league debut, Brad Hancock’s (2-0-36-0) in-duckers were unlucky not to take a prized scalp of the (very) set batters. And finally, 26 overs and 223 runs later, Deverill (8-0-70-2) had Yelland (92) and then Brown (a superb 158 from 105 balls) in the same over, the latter only after taking a ripping off-break right into his personal middle stump – much to the enjoyment of the hordes of stream viewers (i.e. Sam Hudson).
There was still time for Fordy (8-0-83-2) to claim a caught behind and off-bail-clipping clean-bowled, but the damage had been done and Barrow Gurney ended on a foreboding 331 for the loss of six wickets.
A maiden probably wasn’t the start Chilcompton wanted in their reply, and nor was Deverill’s third-over dismissal for 1. Jack Ford (11) hit two consecutive fours – one, a glorious hook off his left earlobe – before knicking off, and Andy Baker (2) followed in identical style.
On June 10th, Tom Hancock recorded his first runs of the season. He drove and swept his way to a confidence-restoring 18 before falling victim of a stumping to the loopy first-change bowler. James Purchase (5) soon followed – bowled behind his legs for the second time in two weeks – and Rob Bath (9) was snaffled by a catch every bit as good as the one he’d taken what seemed like a lifetime before earlier in the day.
It was left to the tail to offer a counter-attacking resistance and former Navy man Michael Gooderham was soon splicing the mainbrace to hit the boundary fences with some excellent four hitting. And, sensing the chance to turn his frown upside down, Jordan Harding road-tested his new willow with some heaving blows for the cameras.
When Harding (29 from 14) and Gooderham (27 from 27) fell in consecutive overs, the game was up, with very little Adam Marshall (1*), Hancock junior (0) or Burgess (9) could do other than squeeze a second batting point. 150 all out on a day best forgotten, and another chance of a much-needed win at home to the Uni Staff next week.
Saturday 3rd June 2023.
Chilcompton 1st XI 163-6 v Congresbury 2nd XI 159ao – Chilcompton won by 4 wickets.
With more L’s than the name of a small Welsh town, the Chilcompton 1st team welcomed a bottom-of-the-league Congresbury to the CSG for an early season 40-pointer. Learning nothing from the previous week’s shocker, skipper Ben Futcher won the toss and again took his men into the field under the intense Mendip sun.
Following three maidens off the top from a JP/JB opening combo, that decision immediately looked a sound one, before a sharp piece of fielding from the former accounted for batter one without scoring. 13 more miserly overs from Purchase (8-3-24-0) and Burgess (8-2-22-0) put Chilcompton on top, with the only noteworthy incident occurring when a spade was called on to remove some fox excrement from cover point – Dom Grass the first man to react with the inevitable reference to our DoC’s batting (the shovel, presumably, rather than the faeces).
Grass was soon doing his talking with the ball, and quickly made up for his wicketless 2022. Following a dropped caught-and-bowled chance, he revved up the ‘anger ball’ to send down an unplayable yorker – stumps everywhere. A second soon followed, drawing an edge to allow wicketkeeper Adam Marshall the chance to impress onlooking club legend Neil Moon by taking a catch low to his right with added absolutely-definitely-necessary dive and roll.
With the evergreen Grass (8-0-18-2) keeping it tight one end, Adam Deverill (8-2-48-1) drew a catch from guest-starring 2nd XI captain Rob Bath at the other (though went at six an over, with some deliveries even dodgier than his chat-up lines in the Wagon that evening).
Batters’ eyes now in and six wickets still remaining, a big final eight overs could have stung Chillies. Thankfully, Jordan Harding (4-0-23-4) and Sam Hudson (3.1-0-18-2) ripped through a lengthy tail. The former’s you-miss-I-hit approach accounted for three clean-bowleds (including the ageing no.10 who, after already umpiring 35 overs, kindly rebuilt the stumps and bails after having them destroyed) and took a catch to claim a match five-fer. It was left to Hudson to take the final scalp, with the worst LBW decision to grace the CSG since Bean triggered Jack Ford a fortnight before.
Having seen a few balls keep low, caution was the word as the Chilcompton batters set about the potentially tricky 160 target. The visitors’ best bowler – the somewhat chilly Neal Frost – accounted for a Deverill duck, before cooling the generally genial atmosphere by accusing the home team’s skipper of cheating. Futcher should have walked for an LBW appeal, according to the grouchy bowler, that was blatantly inside edged on to his pads.
It looked for a while that Futcher (18) may threaten to repeat his century-making heroics of the previous week, hammering some confident boundaries, before getting the cold shoulder from Frost. When Purchase was bowled by a full-bunger behind his legs, Chilcompton remained a distant 90 runs away from the target with the ordinary looking bowling proving hard to get away.
Sam Hudson and Michael Gooderham dug in over the next 10 overs, knowing that rotation of the strike, occasional glorious four from Hudson and LOTS of extras would be enough to keep them ticking. But squeaky-bum time resumed when Gooderham (9) and Andy Baker were removed by the oppo’s 13-year-old in successive balls. Rob Bath – who had been talking like Brendan McCullum off-field, but batted more like Geoff Boycott on it – knuckled down to assist Hudson with the consistent three-to-four run overs required.
When he fell for a 1st XI place-retaining 12, it was left to Jon Burgess (4*) and Hudson to finish the job. Plundering the 38th over for 9 got them within sight, with Shuds quite rightly hitting the winning runs with an over to spare. His 55* was a superbly-paced, patient innings of the like Chillies had lacked so far this season, narrowly missing out on the player-of-the-match award that was eventually handed to Mr E.X.Tras for their sublime top-scoring 59 runs.
A trip to Barrow Gurney awaits next week.
Match Ball Sponsor – Neil Moon (VP)
Saturday 27th May 2023
Frenchay 2nd XI 257-3 v Chilcompton 1st XI 196ao – Frenchay won by 61 Runs.
Chilcompton 1st XI travelled to Frenchay on Saturday hoping to kickstart their season. Skipper Futcher won the toss, elected to field and Chili were soon chasing leather as Bevan embarked on his fine century. Jon Burgess (8-1-21-0) and Jordan Harding (7-0-36-0) were the pick of the Chili bowlers as the home side posted a challenging 257-3 in their 40 overs.
In reply Chili slumped to 67-5 with 5 of the top 6 failing to reach double figures and unable to support their skipper Ben Futcher who was holding firm at one end. Together with Futcher, Jack Ford (16) added 69 for the 6th wicket and Adam Marshall (15) added 51 for the 7th wicket to show some excellent resistance and give the visitors hope. All the time Futcher stroked the ball to all corners of the ground to reach a superb 100 and whilst he was at the crease Chili had a chance. Unfortunately, Futcher fell for 119 and Chilcompton ended up 61 short but showed some welcome fight after a disappointing start to the season.
Chilcompton host Congresbury on Saturday needing to register a much-needed victory.
Saturday 20th May 2023
Chilcompton Sports Saturday 1st XI 105ao v Bristol 3rds 106-8 – Bristol won by 2 Wickets.
On a glorious day at Chilcompton, the 1st team were looking to bounce back after the horror show the week before, Futcher lost the toss, and the opposition inserted us to bat sniffing blood. It didn’t take long for the PTSD of the week before to rear its ugly head as Sam Hudson and Tom Hancock were removed in the first and third overs, respectively. Ben Futcher and Adam Deverill started a rebuild before the former got caught out for 8. Deverill was the next to depart with a 9 iron straight down the fielder’s throat for 26. Chilcompton then went from 87-5 to 105 all out with some poor batting, bad luck and pearl harbour running from Jon Burgess and Stuart Plummer.
After teas Futcher knew we needed early wickets, so the field was aggressive throughout the innings. The first visitor’s wicket fell at 36 and the pick of the bowlers Adam Deverill (5-39) soon set about turning the game. James Purchase, Sam Hudson and Jon Burgess took the remaining wickets, but Chili just ran out of runs to play with as the away side creeped over the line winning effectively by one wicket as a player had retired hurt. It was a much-improved fielding display from Chilcompton who bowled very well too but yet again the performance was let down by poor batting. The batting will need to be rectified as the side head to Frenchay this week.
Match Ball Sponsor – Jade Ogden (The Handloom Room)
Saturday 13th May 2023
St Mary Redcliffe 1st XI 154ao v Chilcompton Sports Saturday 1st XI 88ao – Redcliffe won by 66 runs?
Chilcompton finally got their season underway after the deluge of rain during the winter months, Skipper Deverill was running late from the pitch and putt so James Purchase fresh from his brief spell with W&H won the toss and elected to bowl first. With the outfield resembling the rough of Augusta National, boundaries would be at a premium on the plasticine track in Bristol. The bowling unit all returned good figures, but the pick of the bowling was James Purchase (3-18) as the opposition were bowled out for 154 however that’s only part of the story as the fielding from Chilcompton was poor with numerous chances hitting the turf.
After teas, the Chilcompton innings got underway, like the pitch it was a little slow and at drinks were 21-4 well below the duckworth Travis score. Andy Baker (33) and debutant Stuart Plummer (29) were the only batsmen to offer any form of resistance and Chilcompton were bundled out for a paltry 88.
Chilcompton host Bristol 3rd at home this week hoping to return to winning ways.
Saturday 6th May 2023
Chilcompton Sports Saturday 1st v Blagdon – Match Rained off
Saturday 3rd September 2022
Stapleton Bristol 2nd XI 86ao v Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 89-1 – Chilcompton Sports won by 9 wickets
Needing a win a to stave off any relegation rules and become the first Chilcompton 1st XI (or Stratton) skipper to be relegated at least before the notorious FIVE in a Row, Morretti club legend, director of cricket Travis era, skipper Futcher won the toss and elected to bowl on the rock hard ground of Stapleton.
Truth be told, this match report will be longer than the home side innings. Burgess and Fussell (4-22 and 1-28) ripped through the relegation bound home sides top order. Pass Plus Purchase (4-14) came into mop up some bunnys, whilst Ford (1-16) actually got an lbw and the home side was bundled out and consigned to relegation before 3pm!
Sensing blood, skipper Futcher wanted a quick turn around, turns out the opposing captain wanted a stay of execution in div 4 as he declined and set about his sandwich.
When the innings did commence Futcher (41*) smashed anything of line to the huge leg side fence and in the process creeped ahead of the DOC in their average bet. Sadly, Hancock perished with 5 to win meaning we didn’t take maximum points, a bit like Liverpool this season.
Chilcompton look forward to a stronger showing next season after pulling a rabbit out of the hat and winning FOUR games in a row to save themselves from the depths of division 5.
Saturday 27th August 2022
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 236-5 v Long Ashton 1st XI 235-5 – Chilcompton Sports won by 5 wickets
Looking for their 3rd win on the bounce, towards the great escape, Chilli 1sts entertained Long Ashton at the CSG
Skipper Futcher…. Once again won the toss and inserted the opposition, this on the back of the season stat that Chilli only win games when chasing totals
The Long Ashton batsmen got off to a flyer, with both Wilson & Haywood, smashing anything off line to the lightning quick boundary, despite finally losing the first wicket (Wilson) at 60, Bowers continued the fast scoring. The Chilli bowlers finally took back initiative through the middle overs taking steady wickets along the way, before a final onslaught from Parnham seen over fifty runs come off the last 5 overs. The final total posted at 235 for 5. Pick of the bowling Burgess 1-19, Coxon 2-25, Deverill 1-54, & Purchase 1-26.
After the break, and the total at approx. 6 runs an over, K.Thick took the mantle to the Ashton bowlers, crashing 41 in the first 6 overs, while Hancock admired from the other end, after both openers departed, Blackmore initially joined Purchase at the crease, to build on the early momentum, and steady the ship with a 60 partnership, at drinks innings well placed at 113 for 2 (20 overs). Purchase fell quickly after for a well-made 29, bring Futcher to join Blackmore to add a further 60, before both Futcher (24), and Deverill (4) fell in quick succession. Still with 80 to get in the last 12 overs, Yorke joined Blackmore at the crease. These two made easy meat of these runs, getting Chilli over the line in the 38th over, Blackmore ending up with a chanceless 94 not out with a mix of deft, & aggressive stroke-play, aided and abetted by Yorke (27no).
A great finish, leaving Chilcompton one game left to try and grab the 7th place which will see them stay in the 4th division, away at Stapleton next Saturday.
Match Ball Sponsor – Steve & Paul Dening
Saturday 20th August 2022
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 192-6 v Bristol CC 1st XI – Chilcompton Sports won by 4 wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI hosted Bristol CC 1st XI at the CSG on Saturday in another must win game. Skipper Futcher won the toss and elected to field first following the successful chase the week before. The visitors almost made drinks without loss but the 1st wicket fell to Tim Fussell in the 20th over to leave Bristol on 83-1 at 20. The evergreen Tim Fussell was the pick of the Chili bowlers with 2 for 18 in his 8 and James Purchase also returned good figures or 0-21 in his 8. The visitors finished on 188-58 in their 40 overs with Mike Love (66) the top scorer.
In reply Ben Futcher (16), Tom Hancock (26) and James Purchase (32) all made useful contributions but the batting honours once again went to Martin Blackmore who hit a crucial 41 runs. The overs however were running out and it was left to Tim Fussell (12no) and Jack Ford (8no) to see Chilcompton home with one ball to spare.
Chilcompton still sit in 8th position and need to make it 3 in a row for wins when they entertain Long Ashton at the final home game on Saturday
Match Ball Sponsor – Wing Commander Johnny Golding OBE
Saturday 13th August 2022
St Mary Redcliffe 1st XI 209-8 v Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 210-7 – Chilcompton Sports won 3 wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI travelled to St Mary Redcliffe in what was a “Must Win” game. Skipper Futcher won the toss and kept his “Fielding First” decision a secret with the sun beating down but it was soon to be seen as a master-stroke. James Thrower with 80 and Jason Loud with 36 were the top scorers in the Redcliffe innings as they posted a slightly under par 209-8 in their 40 overs. Kieran Thick (3-49), Pete Coxon (2-29), Adam Deverill (1-33) & Sam Hudson (2-18) were the main wicket takers for Chilcompton.
In reply Chilcompton lost the skipper cheaply but the born-again Tom Hancock (25) and Adam Deverill (26) got the visitors off to a good start. James Purchase batted well for 29 but with 10 overs remaining Chilcompton still needed 84 to win. Enter the fray came Kieran Tick (50no) and Martin Blackmore (25) who smashed the ball to all corners of the ground to finish the job with 3 overs to spare.
Chilcompton now sit in 8th position but need to climb one more place so Saturday’s game home to Bristol 3rds is another “Must Win”.
Saturday 6th August 2022
Chilcompton 1st XI 231-8 v Bradley Stoke 232-3 – Bradley Stoke won by 7 wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI entertained league leaders Bradley Stoke on a belter of a wicket at the CSG on Saturday. Bradley Stoke won the toss, put Chili into bat and all the Top 5 batters passed 20 with ease but none of them passed the 35 posted by Andy Baker who had stepped up from the 2nd XI following a good run of form. A final push from Tom Hancock (32) and Jack Ford (35no) added 66 in 8 overs to take the total to a respectable 231-8 in 40overs.
After tea Tromans with 88no anchored the visitor’s innings as they passed the total with ease with 3 overs to spare for the loss of 3 wickets. The spin twins Adam Deverill (1-53) and James Purchase (2-50) were the only bowlers to find success.
Chilcompton travel to Redcliffe in Brislington on Saturday in a must-win game as they look to secure a place above the relegation zone3
Match Ball Sponsor Ellis & Co
Saturday 30th July
Old Down 1st XI 188-2 v Chilcompton 1st XI 187-9 – Old Down by 8 wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI continued their slide back towards Division 5 with a heavy defeat to Old Down. Recent new signings Jim Burrows (40no) and Martin Blackmore (34) both starred with the bat but no one else really joined them as the visitors posted a below par total 187-9 in their 40 overs. Jon Pullin with 5-46 did the damage for the home side.
In reply Old Down strolled to the total in the 31st over for the loss of 2 wickets. Pick of the Chili Bowlers were Jon Burgess (8-0-38-1) and Kieran Thick (6-1-10-1).
A mini season starts on Saturday with the visit of league leaders Bradley Stoke to the CSG with Chilcompton needing to win the majority of their final 5 games.
Saturday 23rd July
Chilcompton 1st XI 190-6 (40 overs) v Congresbury 2nd XI 166-4 (31 overs) – Congresbury won on run rate
On the back of a very poor run of results, Chilli 1sts were hoping for an upturn in fortunes against similarly lowly placed Congresbury. Under cloudy skies, skipper Futcher lost the toss…… again, and was inserted on another excellent Colby track. Chilli started brightly before Kieran Thick (20), fell in the 7th over and Chris Dunn (23) kept up his recent good form until he tickled one behind. Once the skipper had fallen cheaply, it was down to James Purchase, and debutant Martin Blackmore to rebuild, with a stand of 65, before Blackmore fell for a well-made 35. Purchase finally fell for 53, leaving Hancock (12no) & the returning Croker (13) to take the close of the inning to 190 for 6 at the break.
This total was soon to be shown as below par, as the Congresbury openers took the attack to the chilli bowlers rattling up 95 in 18 overs before Purchase (8-0-30-2) took the first scalp. The visitors continued rotating the strike whilst adding the odd boundary and had amassed 166-4 before the heavens opened. All the bowlers toiled but with little reward, along with Purchase, only Burgess (1-23), and Gibbs (1-13) added to the wicket column, aided & abetted by Blackmore, who had a good debut behind the stumps.
After looking at the skies for some time, it was decided the game would not continue with the skipper’s shaking hands.
Another loss for the Chillies, leaving them teetering in the bottom two of Div4, needing an upturn in fortunes in the next few weeks to stand a chance of staying in the division for 2023.
Thanks to Clayton Rich who sponsored the Match Ball
Saturday 16th July
University Staff Bristol 1st XI 201-2 v Chilcompton 1st XI 200-9 – Uni Staff won by 8 wickets
Being sure to arrive to the ground early to avoid another ‘Match Abandoned Due To Curfew’ fiasco, Ben Futcher’s struggling 1st XI travelled to play a Bristol Uni Staff side lying just one point below them in Division 4.
Making the ideal start, Futcher won the toss and decided to have a bat – tasking his men with making 280. The 13 runs that came off the first over certainly helped that cause, before the two rapid openers began to find their range. Trying to get the scoreboard and his playing partner moving, Chris Dunn called through a quick single, which left Adam Deverill (6) wishing he’d gone fishing. Knee fractured, ACL fubarred, innings – and season – over. #PrayForDev
Having seen off the openers, Dunny began to pick up where he left off last week and started turning ones and twos into thundering boundaries. When James Purchase (7) was clean bowled, skipper Futcher came into join the fun and the run rate was soon accelerating. After raising his bat for the second time in two weeks, Dunny then soon quickly met his maker (for the second time in two weeks) for a well-made 54. Tom Hancock’s (2) foul run of luck then continued, when the hitherto dreadful wicketkeeper pulled out a sharp stumping.
Jack Ford smote a swept four first ball up on his way to a quickfire 17. And then came the turning point in the innings: skipper Futcher looking well set on 48 and facing down the final ten overs with the score at 172, he gloved an easy one behind – karma perhaps for forcing Jonty Burgess into ‘running’ a three a couple of balls prior. The….you guessed it…inevitable collapse followed, with Chillies losing Burgess (10), a fit-again Peter Coxon (0) and Jordan Harding (6) at the cost of seven runs.
The returning quickies now with a spring in their step and garbage chat on their lips, liked the look of a couple of wild Dom Grass swishes at thin air. Finally aiming one at the stumps, Grassy absolutely vapourised the thing waaaaaaaaay over the mid-wicket boundary and half way back to Chilcompton. “To be honest, I never even saw it”, remarked Grassy (17*) coolly to the more-than-a-little miffed youngster, as he and Adam Marshall (2*) forced the score up to 200 and a fifth batting point.
With only 10 men in the field, the mercury rising higher than a JB beamer and sensing a below-par score, Futcher took a poetic gamble on opening with the rhyming couplet of Purchase (6.5-0-67-0) and Burgess (3-0-30-0). Safe to say that, with the scoreboard showing 40-0 after just two overs, it was a gamble that didn’t quite work out.
The more aggressive of the home side’s openers had hacked his way to fifty within five overs, and the partnership was worth 100 by the time 10 overs were up. The writing may have been on the wall, but that didn’t stop the typically accurate Grass (6-1-24-1) from prising an outside edge from the half-centurion to Marshall and thus claiming his first wicket for 11 months. Fordy (6-0-57-0) bowled with familiar aggression for zero reward, while Jord’s (3-0-23-1) excellent three overs in the face of adversity earned him a catch to JP at mid-on. But it was left to the hosts’ Tim Wong (102*) to cap his genuinely superb innings with a century and an easy win.
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry (probably the latter, Futch), the Chillies skipper will be desperate to bag a win against Congresbury at the CSG next week.
Saturday 9th July
Chilcompton 1st XI 209-7 v Bath 4th XI 213-5 – Bath won by 5 wickets
Chilcompton entertained Bath at the CSG on a glorious day and Skipper Futcher won the toss and batted on another superb Colby track. Chris Dunn top scored with an excellent 50 with Rob Bath 39no, Ben Futcher 36 & James Purchase 21 also making useful contributions. William Rhodes 2-20 & Ben Southern 2-37 bowled well for the visitors which kept Chilcompton to a slightly under par 209 for 7 in their 40 overs.
In reply the Chilcompton bowlers struggled to make the breakthroughs required with Ben Southern playing excellently for 118no. The veteran Jon Burgess was the pick of the bowlers with 1-30 but the fielding was sub-standard, and Bath easily reached their target with 3 overs to spare.
Chilcompton travel to Bristol Uni Staff next week looking for a much-needed win.
Thanks to Martin Purchase who sponsored the Match Ball
Saturday 2nd July 2022
Chilcompton 1st XI 89-2 v Stapleton 2nd XI – Match Abandoned due to rain
Every effort was made to get the game on, so a 25 over shortened game was agreed between the skippers. Kieran Thick (38) and Adam Deverill (33) gave Chilcompton a great start in only 13 overs, but the rain came again to snuff out any chance of a result.
Chilcompton Start the second half of the season on Saturday at the CSG hoping to complete the double over Bath.
Saturday 25th June 2022
Long Ashton 1st XI 207-6 v Chilcompton 1st XI 205-9 – Long Ashton won by 4 wickets
A young Chth June ilcompton XI travelled to LA hoping to gain back-to-back victories against high flying Long Ashton. Tom Hancock departed early and when Ben Futcher was dismissed in the 10th over Chili were 36-2. The next 20 overs saw a stand of 95 between James Purchase (75) and Adam Deverill (35) and the target for the 40 overs was 200+. A flurry of wickets followed with only Chris Dunn 32 getting going with some excellent long handle shots and the visitors finished their 40 overs with a slightly under par 205-9.
In reply LA lost an
early wicket to young Jon Burgess but a century stand between Haywood and Bowers looked to take the game away from Chili. A flurry of wickets almost turned the game with Nick Warmington taking 3 wickets and just missing out on a hat-trick. The hosts gathered themselves and won by 4 wickets with 3 overs remaining.
Chilcompton start back to back home games on Saturday with the first visit of Stapleton to the CSG.
Saturday 18th June 2022
Bristol 3rd XI 179-9 v Chilcompton 1st XI 129-2 (Revised Total from 27 overs due to rain) – Chilcompton won by 8 wickets
Chilcompton’s out-of-form 1st XI traversed torrential downpours to visit Bristol 3rds, and play surprisingly got started under deathly grey skies just a little after the scheduled time on an agreed 38-over basis.
With the spin of James Purchase (8-1-16-0) keeping the batters in check from one end, Kieran Thick was trudging uphill from the other and taking full advantage of the bounce. He soon had a leading edge ballooned to Purchase in the covers, before a full-bloodied square cut was painfully pouched by Lee Clevely. Following a juggled caught and bowled, Thick was only denied a five-fer by a stubborn bail that refused to fall after the ball thunked into an anchored off-stump, and a nutmegged slip catcher in the form of Adam Deverill – he had to settle for figures of 8-0-33-3.
Adam Deverill was quickly among the wickets, goading two more catches from Nick Warmington. With the batters finally starting to take advantage of Jack Ford’s (8-0-53-0) pace and the miniscule boundaries, it took a superb yorker from Jordan Harding (2-0-13-1) to send the danger man packing for 46.
A clean bowled from Deverill (8-2-29-3) completed a fine spell, before Warmington (3-1-13-2) took a couple more late scalps – leaving the hosts with a below par 179-9 from their 38, and the visitors looking to the heavens and praying for blue skies.
Aiming to ensure victory before the weather had chance to dampen the fun, Thick (16) smashed 4-4-6 but was back in the hutch before the end of the second over. Captain Futcher kept things moving at pace though, slapping anything short to the easily-reached boundary rope. At 63-1 after eight overs, Chillies looked set to end their miserable run of form… until the rain finally took hold.
Thankfully, 45 minutes later, the precipitation had cleared, giving Futcher and Purchase the chance to chase down a revised target of 129 before the clouds could open again. Umbrellas were still required however, as it was soon raining boundaries, with the Chilcompton pair thundering the ball to all parts.
After a further 10 overs, the target was approaching at speed – but so too were the dark clouds and Purchase (29) was bowled just one run shy of the target. With the downpour intensifying, there was just enough time for Deverill to block out a single for the victory. All credit to the captains of Chilcompton (a match-winning innings of 65* from Futcher) and Bristol (for keeping the game going through the rain).
Saturday 11th June 2022
Chilcompton 1st XI 144-9 v St Mary Redcliffe 1st XI 145-2 – Redcliffe won by 8 wickets
Ben Futcher won the toss and chose to bat on another glorious track prepared by Mark Colbourne. The promising opening partnership of 56 between Futcher (32) and Kieran Thick (35) ended in the 12th over when Thick departed. Futcher was dismissed in the 18th over and when James Purchase was dismissed in the 22nd over the home side had reached 88 with lots of wickets in hand and a 200 total in sight. A procession of single figure scores followed before a good knock of 20no by Nick Warmington edged the home side up to a below par score of 144 for 9 in their 40 overs.
After tea good opening spells from Pete Clark (6-0-20-0) and James Purchase (6.3-2-21-0) restricted the run rate but wickets were needed. Redcliffe eventually strolled to an 8-wicket victory in the 27th over with only Kieran Thick and Nick Warmington successful with a wicket a piece.
Chilcompton hope to end their end their losing streak on Saturday when they visit Bristol 3rds at Failand.
Match Ball Sponsor – Dave Hazell
Saturday 4th June 2022
Bradley Stoke 2nd 194-5 v Chilcompton 1st XI 192-9 – Bradley Stoke won by 5 wickets
Coming off the back of two consecutive batting collapses that can only be described as ‘England-esque’, Ben Futcher’s men were given the chance to stop the rot at league-leading Bradley Stoke. And they were immediately handed a lifeline when standing umpire Ludwig van Burgess failed to hear a snick behind from Kieran Thick.
KT needed no second invitation to start slapping fours, top edging sixes and breathing sighs of relief as he watched catches go down, with Futcher (14) joining in the fun with a sightscreen clearing six down the ground before edging to slip. All seemed right with Chillies’ world as Thick cruised past the 50-mark, until a rare held catch finally saw Thick depart for a brutal 59.
As Adam Deverill dropped anchor, he watched a familiar story at the other end – four wickets for 14 runs with Chris Dunn (2), debutant Nick Warmington (3) and Sam Gibbs (0) all unable to hang around for long. With Deverill running out of friends faster than Boris Johnson, he began to hit everything that moved – scorching sixes and fours for fun. John Burgess (5), trying to do likewise, skied an easy catch. While Peter Clarke (returning to the Chillies fray after 7 years) may have misremembered his partner’s levels of athleticism – calling Deverill through for a two that resulted in a pulled fetlock for the latter.
Now batting on one leg and unable to run his trademark quick singles, Deverill accelerated the score by over 50 runs in 8 overs, while Clarke (2) and Adam Marshall (1) enjoyed the fireworks from the non-striker’s. He eventually fell to a run out for a crucial-looking 60, just giving time for Jordan Harding (8*) to smash a six from the last ball of the innings and take Chilcompton to a decent 192-9.
Thick and Dom Grass took the new ball in reply, and immediately had the opening batters struggling to get the ball off the square – only moving the score along with well-run singles at every half-opportunity – the superb Grass (8-1-16-0) reinforcing his reputation as the unluckiest bowler at the club (apart from, perhaps, the freshly crippled Nathan Bowen-Jones), after watching countless jaffers fly millimetres past the outside edge.
Burgess (8-1-32-1) continued the consistent start and eventually found a feather to Marshall’s gloves to remove the stubborn opener. With the home side 65-1 at the 20-over mark, Chilcompton were in the ascendancy.
Naturally, the batters began to play more shots after drinks, with Chillies matching their opponents for sheer butter-fingeredness and profligate extras (top scoring with 38). Among the wides and dropped chances, Gibbs managed to hold one off Thick’s bowling (6-0-40-1) that took out the second opener and Deverill (8-0-43-1) claimed an LBW. But by this time the batters were starting to find the boundary with increasing regularity and disrupting the visitors’ conveyor belt of fill-in bowlers.
Gibbs (2-0-20-1) and Harding combined to remove the dangerous looking skipper and Clarke (2-0-23-1) claimed a return wicket with a wicked inswinger that obliterated the stumps. But the writing was on the wall, as the target was eventually reached with relative ease off Warmington (2.1-0-13-0) with several overs to spare.
Sadly broke at Bradley Stoke, Futcher will be hoping to have his prayers answered against a St Mary Redcliffe similarly coming off three straight losses.
Saturday 28th May 2022
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 96ao v Old Down 1st XI 218-9 – Old Down won by 122 runs
Jack Ford 8-1-36-4
Kieran Thick 8-2-28-2
James Purchase 8-1-35-2
James Purchase 25
Match Ball Sponsor – Martin Rumary
Saturday 21st May 2022
Congresbury 2nd XI 189-8 vs Chilcompton 159-10 – Congresbury won by 30 runs
Two matches, two wins. Ben Futcher’s invincibles travelled to the cul-de-sacs of Congresbury on Saturday to go for their own three in a row, and were put in the field at the outset.
Jack Ford (8-1-38-0) and Dom Grass took the new ball and immediately had the openers unable to time their shots with testing lines outside off stump (and keeping them guessing with the occasional ‘chuck it down leg side’ tactic, too). James Purchase took advantage of the pressure built, claiming both in quick succession – one clean bowled and the second a catch from his own bowling. Purchase would eventually end as pick of the bowlers with 8-3-15-2.
With the next batters looking more confident, Grass (8-0-27-0) was denied a plumb LBW, hitting the hefty batter’s shin on the full in the distinct direction of middle and leg. “Very close” was the umpire’s… intriguing rationale. Revenge was soon had, however. A Peter Coxon full toss pinged straight to a hiding Sam Hudson at square leg, caught before he had time to give his already-damaged hand a thought.
The following 10 overs saw the hosts plunder 70 runs, before Adam Deverill (8-0-47-1) got the breakthrough – forcing a poor shot into extra cover that Tom Hancock took brilliantly over his shoulder. The half-centurion Vowles was next to go, his luck running out when he steepled one straight up off Jordan Harding and giving Adam Marshall a decade or so to consider exactly how he would claim the catch… slap bang in the middle of his chest.
Harding (4-0-18-2) was rewarded once more for his dogged consistency, making a mess of the batter’s stumps. Before Coxon (4-0-36-3) returned for over 40, claiming a clean bowled with his first, before Marshall stumped the advancing bat to claim an additional bowling point with the final ball of the innings. The home side ending with a generally acknowledged ‘chaseable’ 189.
To do so, Chillies would have to complete the job with only eight wickets – Hancock and Nathan Crocker both unluckily playing on to their stumps without a run to their names. That left Purchase and Futcher to rebuild. And rebuild they did, carefully seeing off the opening bowlers before beginning to drive and cut anything remotely driveable and cuttable.
As the partnership grew, so did the run rate. So with 100 required from the remaining 15 overs, Futcher (39) sought to push things along. Alas, the only thing he managed to push was the ball straight to the waiting fielder on the forty-five. From there, Chillies always looked up against it, despite another thundering six from Adam Deverill (14) and regular-ish boundaries from Purchase. The former got triggered for an LBW that he really couldn’t complain about, bringing Jack Ford to the crease and quickly into his shots, with one too many seeing him caught easily for 14.
When Purchase (an excellent 72) was caught in the deep soon afterwards shooting for a maximum, the writing was on the wall for the visitors. The final four wickets – Hudson 0, Harding 0, Marshall 0, Coxon 1 – fell in the space of 12 balls for just three runs, Dom Grass (2*) having run out of partners (after doing likewise to his wicketkeeper – sorry, still bitter!).
Coming up 30 runs short, Chillies return to the glory of the CSG next week to return to winning ways against a struggling Old Down.
Saturday 14th May 2022
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 96-2 – University of Bristol Staff 1st XI 95ao – Chilcompton won by 8 wickets
With a confidence boosting first win of the season in the bag, the Bash Street Kids of Chilcompton 1sts welcomed the University of Bristol Staff to Mark Colbourne’s pristine CSG strip. The evergreen Dom Grass® and Jon Burgess were gnashing their teeth to make dunces of the opening batsmen, and only a clanger that Roger-the-Dodgered Adam Marshall’s clutches denied Grass (5-0-14) the perfect start. Thankfully, Burgess was ready to make a menace of himself, using the famous CSG slope to break through the gate twice in two overs. With runs hard to come by, it didn’t take batter four long to start playing his shots, soon skying an ambitious drive straight down the throat of Chris Dunn at mid-off. Completely misjudging the flight and making a dash in entirely the wrong direction, Dunny turned a dolly into a worldy, plucking the ball one handed at full stretch, much to the amazement of teammates and opposition alike. A spell that more than matched his heroics from week 1 and an un-not-giveable LBW later, Burgess (8-3-17-4) rolled back the years to produce some wiley jug-avoidance – shelling one off his own bowling. That brought the even why-aye-wilier Peter ‘Alan Shearer/Ant/Dec/Jimmy Nail/Cheryl Cole/Scotty T/Vicky Pattinson/Vera/Ross Noble/Temuri Ketsbaia/Angel of the North/Big Brother voiceover guy’ Coxon into the action. After a few tight overs, he threw down a ball that can only be described as “utter shite, man” to gift a catch to Ben Futcher at mid-wicket. With the scoreboard showing 43-5 at drinks, Coxon produced something altogether more sensational the first ball thereafter – a slow, swinging yorker that must have left the batter wondering what was in his beverage. And, just as the lower order bats looked to get aggressive, there was time for Coxon (8-0-20-3) to produce a feather to Marshall behind the sticks. Spin “twins” Adam Deverill and James Purchase (3-0-10), were offered the chance to clear up the stubborn tail and the former took full advantage. After a few near misses, he eventually got one through to smash the off-stump. A desperate slog to Purchase on the boundary and a clear LBW later, and the maximum bowling points were in the book – Deverill finishing with an excellent 7.4-1-31-3.
Knowing that the chase would be a trickier prospect than the scorebook suggested, the task only got harder when Tom Hancock (4) was triggered in the very first over. That left Purchase and Nathan Crocker to consolidate and, after digging in for the next few overs, they began to dispatch anything short to the boundary on their way to a 50 partnership. The visitors’ own spin bowlers stemmed the flow a little, but by the time a frustrated Crocker (17) missed a straight one much of the leg work had been done. That left Deverill (9*) to finish the chase in double quick time, Purchase cruelly stranded on 48*, and Kieran Thick with a well-earned DFA. Back in the bar early and with ciders in hand, it was only left for the victorious 1sts to settle in and watch a live stream of the nail-biter at Nailsea reach its denouement…
Match Ball Sponsor – Aggregate Solutions
Saturday 7th May 2022
Bath 4th XI 144-10 vs Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 145-5 – Chilcompton won by 5 wickets
Haunted by the sight of several hundred Dave Travis ‘polite reminders’ sitting in their inboxes, Chilcompton’s freshly promoted first team set about their task of conquering the heady heights of Division 4 with a visit to Bath 4ths. Captain Ben Futcher won the toss and threw the ball to his baying opening bowlers – the wild Jack Ford (6-1-17) and wilting John Burgess – to get stuck into the under-strengthed batting line-up. It was the veteran (that’s Jonty for the avoidance of any doubt, despite Fordy’s deceivingly hirsute demeanour) that struck first – prising a false shot into the covers and a sharp catch from Nathan Crocker – and then second, with Dave Buckethands Travis pouching confidently while falling to his left as if the latest victim of Terry’s shotgun. A beautiful delivery that kissed the top of off-stump was quickly followed by another clean-bowled with the final ball of Burgess’s (8-2-18-4) brilliant spell, leaving newly appointed 2nd team skipper Rob Bath ruing the inevitable absence of his vice-captain for the foreseeable few weeks. Peter Coxon continued where Burgess left off, pursuing the nagging just-outside-off line with equal effect. The slightest of feathers to the gloves of Adam Marshall accounted for the dangerous opposing captain, before cleaning up another with the ball of the day – a perfect outswinger that decapitated the off stump. Having another caught in the ring by James Purchase, Coxon ended with more than credible figures of 8-1-40-3. Purchase himself (8-0-39-0) had kept things tight at the other end (aside from one or two uncharacteristically filthy drags down the leg side), before making way for Adam Deverill who struck in his first over thanks to a catch from Tom Hancock. But with the fielding team keen to finish the job rapidly in order to be regaled by raconteurs Messrs Clayton Rich and Martin Rumary on the boundary, Hancock surprisingly shelled a regulation catch that allowed the score to creep onwards. He found redemption swiftly afterwards, and Elmer Deverill (6.4-0-30-3) finished the job with a clean bowled – and thundering send-off – that racked up full bowling points at the cost of 144 runs.
With the heat of the early-May sun going to their heads, Purchase (2) and Crocker (2) faltered in response, with Hancock – perhaps still spooked by his rare drop – struggling to get away the canny left-handed opening bowler and then returning a catch to her for 15. It was left to Chilcompton’s leadership nexus Futcher and Deverill to get things moving, with the latter booming a familiar maximum straight down the ground before a not-so-familiar run three. As the opposing captain generously tried to get his quartet of under-15s into the game, the batters counter-offered no such charity and quickly took their partnership to 50. As Deverill succumbed with a smartly made 29, Futcher continued the assault, creaming the ball to all parts of the ground. With the target rapidly diminished, the captain’s recklessness grew and, surviving a drop in the deep, holed out the very next ball with a match-winning 48. Leaving only 11 runs left on the deficit and 15 overs in which to get them, a cut four from Kyle Gloudemans (4*) and towering six from Jonty Burgess (13*) made quick work to get Chillies off to the perfect start.
Saturday 30th April 2022
Timsbury 321ao (D.Hill 79, J.Purchase 4-63) v Chili 197-4 (N.Crocker 51, J.Purchase 53)
Saturday 28th August 2021
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 136-4 v Abbots Leigh 1st XI 135-7 – Chilcompton won by 6 wickets
Chilcompton approached the final game of the season at Abbots Leigh needing a win and a favour from everyone’s favourite team Pak Bristolians to clinch third place and a potential promotion to Division 4.
Skipper Futcher lost the toss and was asked to bowl first on the Gaza Strip like minefield. Adam Deverill (1-29) removed former Bath Exile Scharneck early as the pitch turned square. Jordan Harding-Bowen-Jones (more surnames than the twos bowled wides this weekend, Poor Umpire Moon) entered the attack and bowled a great line and length to finish with 1-20 off his 8 . Jordan’s wicket was just rewards and a surprising pouch by Teflon Futcher in the slips. Peter “Pan-Parker-Crouch-Ebdon-Beardsley” Coxon kept a stranglehold in the middle overs and James Purchase (1-39) and Jack Ford (1-20) claimed a big fish each to leave Abbots Leigh faltering like their outfield mower in their late pursuit of runs to close on 135-7.
After Tea Chilcompton made an indifferent start with Tom Hancock and Adam Deverill both wrapped in front to leave Chilcompton reeling on 3-2. James Purchase (22) and Sam Hudson (17) set about slowly rebuilding the innings, emphasis on slow. Purchase departed first, after offering fitness tips to the opening bowler. Hudson perished shortly after trying and failing with a ramp slog sweep to a spinner for the second week running. Chilcompton now were wobbling on 60-4 with Nathan Crocker (25*) and Ben Futcher (51*) at the crease. Chilcompton had to up the rate and Skipper Futcher and his sidekick Crocker made sure they attacked the first couple of deliveries to put the pressure on the home side. The eventually Chili pair got home with 2 balls to spare as they held their bottle in very difficult condition. As the news of Bristol Pakistanis bowling out Hanham for 65 and chasing them down, the firsts headed back to Chilcompton wondering if three sides will get promoted, and just about made the end of Neil Moon’s fantastic days of umpiring at the test match at the CSG.
After a frustrating start to his season with a slipped disc, Shipper Futcher was left to rue some of the close games that were narrowly lost which would have certainly secured a top 2 finish.
Saturday 21st August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 148ao v Claverham (Yatton) 2nd XI 86-9 – Chilcompton won by 62 runs
There was monsoon like weather around the area, so it was amazing that the game was able to be played. Both skippers agreed to shorten the game to 30 overs due to a delayed start and after Skipper Futcher lost the toss, Chilcompton were inserted to bat on a tricky damp CSG track.
When wickets started to fall, first chili were afraid and soon they became petrified when they looked like messing up a chance to make ground on the Top 3. The pairing of James Purchase (26) and Nathan Crocker (28) helped the home side recover from 15-4 to add 53 for the 5th wicket. Skipper Futcher then entered the fray and top scored with a quick fire 40, until he decided to “Blitzkrieg Bop” down the track and was stumped. After a mix up between Adam Deverill (9) and Dom Grass (8) going for an all-run 2 the post-mortem to work out which “Born to Run” ensured. Chilcompton were eventually dismissed for 148 in the 29th over which looked slightly below par.
After co-op meal deals the bowlers needed to “Search and Destroy” so Jack Ford (1-14) and James Purchase (2-21) duly obliged as they struck early. Adam Deverill (2-17), Peter Coxon (2-18) and Kieran Thick (1-8) were the other wicket takers as Claverham “Did Stop But Didn’t Have Enough” as Chilcompton cruised to victory and re-enter the promotion chase.
Chilcompton travel to Abbots Leigh on Saturday hoping for the results to go their way and then move into 3rd place which could lead to a promotion to Division 4.
Match Ball Sponsor – Nick Western
Saturday 14th August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 193-5 v Pak Bristolians 2nd XI 215ao – Pak Bristolians won by 22 runs
Taking the scenic route through inner city Bristol, the desperate-for-a-win Chilcompton 1st XI were ‘welcomed’ by Pak Bristolians 2nds for the return leg of an ugly encounter earlier in the season. And first blood was claimed by Ben Futcher as he won the toss, eyed up the damp track and elected to field.
Approaching 800 runs already to his name for the season, opening bat Suleman Butt immediately took the aggression to bowlers Jack Ford and Peter Coxon (5-0-42) – anything slightly short, sitting up temptingly for dispatch. James Purchase came on before too long to cut the flow and force a false shot from the other opener, looping easily to the confident gloves of wicket-keeper Adam Marshall.
Unfortunately, Marshall was unable to repeat the trick with a thin feather from batsman three shortly afterwards, and Futcher shelled a regulation chance in the covers off Glen Stansfield (5-0-30-0) that made him look like an ar$e but failed to kick Butt from the middle. He’d spend the next hour totting up the runs that his drop would cost his side.
With the batters putting plenty in the air but continually somehow finding the boundary, it was clear Chillies needed to spin to win. Lee Clevely and Adam Deverill bowled in tandem to stymy the flow of runs, and the latter’s return to the team after some weeks off fishing allowed him to land the prize catch – Butt holing out to Purchase for 83.
130 on the board from 22 overs, wickets then began to fall regularly. Clevely (6-0-33-1) chipped in with a smart caught and bowled, before captain Futcher claimed some redemption with two carbon-copy catches from his vice’s dangerous off-spinners. Deverill (8-0-31-4) completed a fantastic spell with a tricky c&b from a vertiginous height, while Ford (8-0-46-1) returned to prise out the last Pak Bristolian that appeared to know how to hold a bat. It was left to Purchase (7.4-1-27-4) to pick off the bunnies, combining with Marshall thrice to bowl out the home side with two balls to spare for a total of 215.
As the mouth-watering smell of the home side’s curry-based tea wafted over, Stansfield and Chris Dunn popped on the pads. Their appetites clearly whetted, the pair began to tuck into some buffet bowling to get the run chase off to a tasty start. Notching up a fifty partnership in 12 overs, Dunn (22) fired one to cow corner that was smartly pouched and Deverill (2) followed soon afterwards.
As Stansfield and Purchase dug in, the bowling became tighter and the field widely spread around the boundary rope. Umpire Coxon’s 4 signal became an increasingly rarer sight and, after raising his bat for a well-made half-century, Stansfield (61) emulated his opening partner’s demise. Ever the purveyor of the Spirit Of The Game, Futcher (7) walked after a feint snick, leaving Purchase and Nathan Crocker to chase 100 in 13 overs.
Despite their best efforts, the crucial boundaries just wouldn’t come the batsmen’s way. Crocker (26) was eventually bowled, gloriously mirroring the bowler’s over-ebullient celebration. Purchase (63*) and Ford (2*) ultimately fell 22 runs short of the target, leaving Kyle Gloudemans padded up with the solace that at least he wouldn’t have to write this report.
Chillies host bottom of the league Claverham (Yatton) CC next Saturday, requiring a win – and a miracle – if they hope to play division four cricket in 2022.
Saturday 7th August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI v Bristol Lions – Match abandoned Rain
Saturday 31st July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 274-4 v Bath 4th XI 275-5 – Bath won by Chilcompton won by 7 wickets
On a drying track at Isla Nublar, Skipper Futcher won the toss for an unfathomable 5 straight time and elected to bat. Kieran Thick (151*) and The Mendip Lara, Tom Hancock (47) looked in fine form as the pair raced along to be well placed at 101-0 after 15 overs. Eventually Hancock succumbed to Duncan, which brought Futcher to the crease and both the skipper and the imperious Thick rattled the score along to 127-1 in 20 overs. Unfortunately for both batsman and fielder Futcher drilled one straight into the now broken hand of Beth Howe and the skipper departed for 21 closely followed by the fielder to A&E. Sam Hudson joined Thick and after a Megalodon of a mix up between Hudson was sent packing to the lovely new hut, to practice his footwork for his stumble later in the day. Kieran Thick joined the Moretti 100 club for the second time in 2 weeks as he carried his bat and his team to a superb 151no ably supported at the end by Crocks Verstappen (16).
After the interval the Bath openers were able to score freely until the spin of Golden Arm Thick (3-49) broke the opening stand at 106 dismissing Freeman for 50. A 30 minute drinks break including photographs for the home side annoyed the on loan 2nds skipper Burgess who’s hamstrings tightened as the shutter clicked on the boundary as the home side were well on target on 121-1 off 20overs. After drinks the Chili boys sniffed blood like a pack of Velociraptors when the home umpire adjudged the other opener Duncan LBW for 73 but no one could stop Sandford who stuck an aggressive 125no to take the home side to victory with an over to spare.
Chilli will see this as an opportunity lost to close the gap on the top 2 but are still capable of securing 3rd place and hopefully promotion with wins in their final 4 games.
Saturday 24rd July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 156-3 v Hanham 155-5 – Chilcompton won by 7 wickets
With a glorious week of sunshine beforehand it was inevitable the skies would darken just in time for the weekend’s cricket. And so it was as Hanham CC made the journey to the CSG enthused to play a game only to find that the rain is indeed the wet kind in Chilcompton. With much muttering, head shaking and wringing of wet hands that had lightly brushed the outfield this enthusiasm appeared to disappear faster than a climate change invoked heat wave. Whilst the Chili firsts braved the perfectly-fine-to-play-cricket-in weather and set about warming up by spending 45 minutes untangling the boundary rope before playing a spot of defensive-shot-only-batting-whilst-surrounded-by-9-close-in-catching-fielders, Hanham retreated to the bar hoping for a quick journey home or the sudden appearance of a yellow ball of fire in the sky.
Much to the surprise of the home team Hanham suddenly realised that amateur village cricket should really be played unless it’s actually raining, regained their love of the game and hastily arranged a 35 over a side game to begin at 2pm. With a spring in his step skipper Ben Futcher incredibly won his 4th toss in a row (now we know how he used that injury downtime) and elected, unsurprisingly, to insert the opposition. The re-united young opening bowling pair of Dom Grass and Peter Coxon set about their work with rather more gusto than the opposition batsmen, who with still dark thoughts about a potentially treacherous wet wicket (which had been covered during the previous night’s rain) were unable to find timing, the boundary or any early impetuous. This lack of urgency coupled with the excellent respective opening spells of Grass and Coxon led to a quick flurry of wickets to quickly leave Hanham in trouble on 28-3 in the ninth over. An IBW for Grass was followed swiftly by a looping catch taken at gully by Jared “Pique” Greenhalgh off Coxon before some inspired captaincy by Futcher (proving to be much more than an excellent tosser) led to him taking an excellent low slip catch to remove his opposite number Luke Stone having moved himself there only 1 ball earlier. Shortly after, the dangerous George Stone also departed, his mistimed shot sailing into the grey skies to be pouched by the onrushing Sam “Barry” Gibbs for another fine catch. With the superb spells of Grass (2-19) and Coxon (2-22) completed having bowled their allotted overs straight through it was time for Richard Edwards and Joseph White to rebuild against the change bowlers Mark “Beaner” Easterling and Kieran “Centurian” Thick. With a drinks break called, and only the skipper Futcher actually having one, a change of tactic was implemented as Gibbs and Sam Hudson were bought on to bowl the fifth bowler’s overs . After an unsteady start by Gibbs (3-0-15-1) he settled to get Edwards playing on for a positive 21 which was to prove the final wicket of the innings. Thick and Easterling returned to finish the innings whilst White (59*) and keeper Adam Tuffery (29*) upped the tempo, found the gaps and ran hard to put on an unbroken stand of 80 to leave Hanham with a more respectable total (155-5) than had looked likely earlier in the innings.
Chasing, what looked like a below par total, out stepped the returning Tom “Mendip Lara” Hancock and last week’s previous maiden hundred maker Kieran Thick. Showing no signs of the nerves he talks of, Thick set about the opening bowling keen to put his name in the frame for a replacement Hundred contract with an array of gorgeous attacking shots from the off. With Hancock for once playing second fiddle at the other end (nursing a new back injury to go with his arm ailment) the pair put on a rapid 50 opening stand. With Hanham aware the game was slipping away from them at an alarming rate, skipper Stone called on his brother G Stone (the away game’s danger man and comedy no-ball villain) to see if he could stem the tide with his rapid left armers. He duly obliged by re-arranging Thick (34) and Gloudemans’ (0) stumps with two beautiful in-swinging deliveries. When Hudson (0) also departed, plumb LBW playing back to spinner Mark Stone, suddenly Chilcompton looked further away from the total than they had previously having slipped from 54-0 to 60-3. However Greenhalgh joined Hancock for a first bat of the season and after getting a couple of early sweeps away for 4 quickly got into the groove. With Hancock now returning to his impressive season long (or longer) form the pair quickly took the game away from their opponents once again. After putting on a fantastic unbroken 96 run stand – Hancock, finishing unbeaten on 64* (once again unable to convert after completing his fourth half century in 10 innings of a superb season) after striking 10 boundaries and Greenhalgh (44* with 8 boundaries). The trade mark waist high fist pump from Hancock thrilled his family in the crowd and Futcher will be speaking to Burgess to see if his season long loan from the 2nds can be made permanent. The chase was completed with ten overs to spare – mystic Futcher having predicted that exact outcome earlier.
All that was left was for the 11 players, scorer, coaching staff, crowd, passers-by, Uncle Tom Cobbly and all to spend the next hour re-tangling the boundary rope, untangling the boundary rope and re-winding in the boundary rope as a ‘cool down” to celebrate another impressive win. Chilcompton travel to Bath next week (apparently by minibus) in high spirits with the promotion push to the glory of division 4 very much in the reckoning.
Match Ball Sponsor – Mike Clevely
Saturday 17th July 2021
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 281-8 v Brislington 3rd XI 251-7 – Chilcompton won by 30 runs
Certain dates stay long in the memory, 22nd November 1963, the assassination of JFK in Dallas; 16th July 1969, Neil Armstrong steps on the Moon, 4th October 1997; Watford 4 – 0 v Luton at Kenilworth Road. Now Saturday 17th July will stay in the memory for all players from Chilcompton Cricket Club. The 1st XI made the relatively short trip, for some anyway, to Brislington CC on the warmest Saturday of the year. Skipper Futcher made it ‘ 3 in a row’ which has not happened since Travis’ Golden Generation of the late 1990s and won the toss and elected to bat. Stansfield and Thick set the tone for the day as runs ran freely on a glass outfield. A confident early appeal which did not impress umpire Fussell saw Stansfield given a reprieve. However, it was Thick who took to the Brislington bowling like Tom Cruise takes to a free ticket to any British sporting event. After 20 overs and two drinks breaks Chilcompton were 140 for 0 and looking to set 300 for the now dehydrated and sunburnt Brislington XI. Stansfield finally departed for 36 as the heat, 10 pints of cider and ‘Ruby” the night before finally took its toll. Thick however continued with boundaries being dispatched to all parts of Bristol. Purchase (41) joined in the run fest until Thick finally holed out for a magnificent 124, hitting eighteen 4’s and four 6’s. Skipper Futcher (41) continued to keep the score board ticking on as the impressive ‘young Gloudemans’ kept the scoreboard up to date. Wickets started to fall as Chilcompton looked to push on and after 40 sweltering overs Chilcompton set Brislington 282 to win.
Tea was taken in any shade that could be found with Brislington feeling that 281 was a par score on such a good batting track. Chilcompton looked to make early in roads and Grass managed to move a ball for the first time which took Wright leg stump out of the ground in the first over. Brislington then started to find batting comfortable with Reeves and Hamblin keeping Brislington in the game, 120 for 1 at 20 overs. Chilcompton bowling was in short bursts as the heat continued to beat down as the ageing bowlers started to feel their age. The dangerous Reeves scooped one to Gloudemans at square leg for only to see it spill out of his hands with bowler Purchase wishing that young Gloudemans had brought his whites. Fortunately for Gloudemans, Reeves (76) holed out to Thick much to the relief of a certain square leg fielder. Brislington continued to keep up with the run rate, however, wickets started to fall at regular intervals including a catch of any season from Lord Bath as Grass (4 – 34) Purchase (2 -47) and wickets for Coxon and Stansfield left Brislington on 251 after 40 overs. As the players thanked the opposition and congratulated themselves on a fine victory, news from the 2nd XI who had also won with DOC Travis continuing his fine record of scoring a 100 every 26 years making it a fine double for CCC. This can now be added to the list of dates when people will stop you in the street and say ‘ Where were you on Saturday 17th July 2021?’
Saturday 10th July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 180-9 v Bristol 3rd XI 192-8 – Bristol won by 12 runs
On a changeable day at the CSG, Ben Futcher channelled his inner D.O.C and won his 2nd Toss in a row, aiming for the three in a row next week!
Bristol were asked to bat first and Jack Ford (1-36) was too quick for the Bristol opener as he was sent packing quicker than you can say “Rabbit in the Headlights”. Adam Deverill left the magic ball at home this week and it proved to work as he returned with figures of 3 -34. “The King of the North” Peter Coxon pinned the Bristol top scorer Lakhani in front in a good spell of 1-35 and Sam Hudson (2-31) came on to skittle out the tail enders as Bristol ended on a competitive but chaseable 192-8.
Chili’s reply got off to a poor start when they lost the “Mendip Lara” Tom Hancock early doors. Chilcompton’s Overseas player Glen Stansfield (39) and Sam Hudson (38) then started to rebuild the innings before the former offered up a regulation catch. Adam Deverill soon was undone by shade of Shane Warne v Mike Gatting. Skipper Futcher (59) now in with Hudson set about the rebuild job and with the pair in cruise control Hudson chased one wider than one of his Saturday night conquests and snicked off, no happy ending this time. Kyle Gloudemans (15) came to the crease and played second fiddle to the skipper, who had to ratchet up the scoring once again but an untimely run out saw Futcher depart with 21 required off 18 balls. Unfortunately for Chilli they stuttered like a Marcus Rashford penalty to the finish line and lost wickets at key times and ultimately lost by 12 runs.
Match Ball Sponsor – Dave Read
Saturday 3rd July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 168-4 (26 overs) v Barrow Gurney 1st XI 243-7 (40 overs) – Chilcompton won by 6 wickets after reaching the revised total
With an indifferent forecast predicted, returning skipper Ben Futcher had no hesitation when he actually won the toss and elected to have a bowl. Jack Ford (1-31) and Kieran Thick (2-56) kept things tight early on as Barrow struggled to get it away. The introduction of James Purchase (0-22) really then y tightened the vice on the innings. As the game progressed Mark Easterling (2-63), Adam Deverill (1-66) and the returning Thick (2-56) started to leak runs and the hosts amassed a par score of 243-7 before the tea break rain.
After the rain had cleared and a revised total of 165 off 27 overs had been calculated it was down to the Chilli batsmen to get the runs to really leap back into the promotion race. Glen Stansfield (51) and Tom Hancock (11) opened up, with the former looking at his fluent best until a moment of misfortune accounted for his wicket. James Purchase (30) and Kieran Thick (22) started to fall behind the rate on a sticky wet pitch before they both were dismissed. With Chilli stuttering on 123-4 and requiring 42 off 4 overs, enter the Skipper Futcher (17* off 9) and the Deputy Deverill (30* off 15) and the pair bludgeoned the ball to all parts to take Chili to victory with an over to spare. Chilcompton move into the top half of the table and face Bristol 3rds at the CSG on Saturday.
Saturday 26th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 185-3 v Abbots Leigh 1st 184ao – Chilcompton won by 7 wickets
The Firsts hosted Abbots Leigh is the final game before the turnaround, Skipper Deverill lost the toss and was asked to bowl first. Jack Ford and Dom Grass took some from the heavy hitting skipper (emphasis on Heavy) and the visitors were on 80-0 after the first 10 (50 above the required 30 in the DOCs eyes). James Purchase then pinned the skipper after some fine Glove work from Ironman behind the stumps, electing not to take the stumping the ball before to manufacture a wicket. With Kieran Thick marking his run up, the skipper had a change of heart and brought himself into the attack when he saw that the number 3 had blocks than Legoland. Purchase (3-26) then bought his second and the key wicket of Webber saw the opposition on 100-2. Finally after the world’s longest warm up Thick (5-24) entered the attack and ripped through the batting line up earning a new friend in the process with the non striking batsmen giving him a Dave Hazell fist bump. Ohhhhhhhhh cricket friend. When the larger frame of Tucker didn’t make his ground after some great work by the Farming Anonymous pair of Yorke and Baker, the Outgoing Batsmen willow ended clearing the boundary rope much to the delight of the Chilli huddle. Purchase and Grass returned to mop up the tail as Abbots Leigh limped like an injured Gazelle to 184 all out from 35 overs.
After the delights of a Covid tea, Chilcompton needed someone to get runs with Hancock unavailable due to injury and his brother Matt otherwise engaged. Gloudemans (9) became unstuck by the floaty bowling of the Colin De Grandhomme doppelgänger and the other frugal opener snaffled Deverill for 19 with the worst ball of his spell. Enter the Steam Train Purchase who demanded to be entertained after not getting his 66763673 required boundary laps in. Ask and he shall receive as Kieran Maximus Meridius Thick joined the party and the pair decided to up the ante and dispatch the ball around the ground. This prompted the opposition too “switch” balls to a second new ball after drinks, cunning as it was the ball come off the bat quicker. Purchase then got a reprieve as he top edged a beamer, and after a G7 summit meeting between the umpires, Deverill swooped in and gave the correct decision of not out. MOM Thick (67) eventually played one shot too many as the 118 run stand was broken. With the opposition now arguing amongst themselves Purchase (74*) and Stansfield hit the requisite remaining runs to put the 1sts back in the promotion mixer. As for Abbots Leigh, they wheel spun out of the car park quicker than Shuds at the Somerset Wagon in the Stratton days (those that know, know).
Match Ball Sponsor – Mike Clevely
Saturday 19th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 158-4 v Pak Bristolians 2nd XI 156-9 – Chilcompton won by 6 wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI headed for a rare away fixture outside of Bristol looking to get back to winning ways as they took on bottom of the table side Claverham/Yatton CC 2nds. After winning another toss – more now than the absent skipper Ben Futcher has managed in the last 5 seasons – Adam Deverill invited the hosts to take first use of the pitch in the quaint surroundings of Teletubby land aka The Wood Memorial Ground under gloomy skies and the joys of the returning autumnal weather following a 3 day summer.
Fresh from sharing a history lesson on the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games with his travelling companions the returning Dom “Grassy” Grass (the team’s nickname committee still channelling the spirit of the 90s England test team – Goochy, Stewie, Lamby, Smithy, Hicky, Daffy et al) set about sharing the new ball with Peter “King of The North” Coxon (better) in a youthful combination of a mere 113 years. Despite good bowling Claverham set off at a lively pace until Coxon snared the first wicket to fall – opener Shimmons falling to a miss hit aerial drive to Deverill at mid off muttering about the quality of the opposition on his return to the hutch. Instead of slowing the scoring rate as hoped this merely bought Andrew Mayers to the crease who decided to press his foot to the accelerator and liberally strike the ball to boundary whilst coaching his young partner at the other end. There followed an excellent passage of play as the Mayers/Coxon duel traded lusty drive for cunning variation until Coxon got his man nicking behind – Gloveman Andrew “Bakes” Baker stunned by his own ability to cling on to the passing ball . Coxon took another wicket – cleaning bowling Gamble for a patient 14 – to finish with figures of 8-1-38-3 as he and Grass (8-1-30-0) finished their allotted overs. Following the spritely first ten overs (58-3) Claverham were suddenly squeezed into a go slow by the introduction of spin twins James Purchase and Lee Cheeser” Clevely (6-0-23-0) scoring only 17 runs from the following ten. Continuing his great all-round form of the previous week, Purchase took the next 3 wickets to fall, finishing with remarkable figures of 8-2-10-3. Scrambled singles and agricultural blows from the lower order upped the rate once more following the end of Purchase’s spell but the wickets continued to fall regularly as Deverill (6-0-28-3) picked up 3 of the remaining 4 required. The returning Kieran Thick, back bowling after his recent injury, was unable to take the final wicket as Barker (plumb Ibw to Deverill for a career high score of 19) and home skipper Stephen Gamble (19no from 14 balls) ensured that Claverham finished on a respectable 156-9 from their 40 overs.
Following a check on the Euro game progress on the open-air telly and successfully managing to avoid eating all 8 bags of the Hancock family purchased doughnut bounty, Chilcompton set about polishing off the runs instead. Alas the start of the innings did not go as planned as the statistically successful opening partnership of Kyle Gloudemans and Tom Hancock for once did not set their normal 1st wicket platform – Gloudemans succumbing to a beauty of an in-swinging delivery into his stumps for a duck from the left armer John Ashman (8-1-22-1) with the score only 3. This bought the assured Purchase to the crease who followed his back-to-back 3-fors with back-to-back half centuries. With “Mendip Lara” Hancock soon into his fluent best, scoring freely all around the ground, and Purchase striking the ball cleanly at the other end there appeared little doubt as to the result. However having both reached their personal half centuries soon after each other, Purchase – 54 off 65 balls with 10 boundaries – succumbed to one blow too many as he picked out Barker in the field having put on 114 for the second wicket. The customary Chilcompton collapse (that 90s England theme runs strong within them) was on especially when Deverill (0) and Chris Dunn (3) both fell clean-bowled swiping at the impressive 12 year old off-spinner Tom Ashman (2-28) leaving work still to be done at 138-4. The nerves were calmed by first Hancock – attempting to smash someone’s windscreen in with a swivel pulled six over square leg into the car park – and then Thick (18no off 10) who wasted little time in striking 3 boundaries and a six of his own as they finished the game in style. Hancock returned to his happy teammates finally able to see a “W” in the results column again having compiled yet another glorious innings of 71 unbeaten runs (80 balls) and looking forward to a celebratory doughnut. The shine was taken off however when he was reminded of the fact that his poor conversion rate could soon see him promoted to the 2nds.
Buoyed by a win at last, Chilcompton return home to the CSCG next week to take on Abbots Leigh.
Saturday 12th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 225-6 v Pak Bristolians 2nd XI 227-8 – Pak Bristolians won by 2 wickets
With the summer finally beginning in Somerset, Chilcompton firsts arrived at the CSCG looking to get their league form back on track following back-to-back loses. The day started well, despite Chilcompton missing several first team regulars, with the toss won by stand-in skipper Adam Deverill who duly invited Pak Bristolians to take to the field in the blazing sun. The innings began with a boundary struck from the very first ball as the Chilcompton opening pair of Kyle Gloudemans and Tom Hancock looked to continue their impressive run of high scoring partnerships. As Gloudemans played the anchor role against the initially tight line bowling of Pak Bristolians opening bowlers Qaisar & Faisal (8-2-41-0) it was the more fluent and stylish “Mendip Lara” Hancock who repeatedly found the boundary to have Chilcompton scoring at 4 an over for the first ten overs. After conceding 3 boundaries to Gloudemans in his 4th over Qaisar was removed and replaced by the young slow bowler Abdullah (8-2-25-0) who began to tighten the scoring rate with clever changes of pace and length whilst at the other end, the left arm quick, Azan Naseer continued to squeeze the scoring options. However, after a loud and vociferous appeal for a caught behind (one of several lively flashpoints throughout the game) young Azan lost both his cool and accuracy as Hancock once again smashed the ball to the ropes on three occasions during the next 4 balls. Having already bought up a well-deserved personal 50 Hancock then took the opening pair to their second 100 opening stand in 4 innings in the 25th over. With the platform set and change bowlers introduced it was time to up the ante but despite the encouragement (not to mention text message instructions via the umpire) from the seated and hydrated teammates Hancock (73) fell, bowled, when looking set to make 3 figures having struck 14 boundaries. If the visitors thought the wicket would bring respite they were sadly mistaken as James “Steam Train” Purchase entered the arena and began destroying their bowling attack with a combination of timing and glorious ball striking (a sumptuously stuck six off his pads the stand out shot of many). By the time Purchase departed 9 overs later he had contributed 53 of the 72 runs made for the second wicket. An over later Gloudemans (40) also departed – heat and failing fitness contributing to his run out as he failed to make the third. With overs running out Deverill, Matt “Loudy” Loud and Chris “Dunny” Dunn all departed to the returning Qaisar (3-50) selflessly giving their wickets away in the search for quick runs. It was left to Jack “Fordy” Ford (the nicknames thought up by the Chilcompton brains trust really know no bounds) to return to form with a sweetly struck unbeaten 22 including a straight driven six into the sightscreen to take Chilcompton to their total of 225-6.
Following on from a mainly melted ‘packed lunch’ tea Pak Bristolians set about feasting on the Chillies bowling attack with Suliman outdoing the earlier first ball Chilcompton innings four with a first ball full toss square leg stuck six. Despite the sledging dished out by a riled few, including the classic ‘he’s only got one shot’ (the one that goes for 4 or 6 presumably!) Pak Bristolians completely ignored it to motor to 73 without loss after 10 overs and 96-0 off 15. With Sam “Seconds Bunny Hunter” Hudson (Hudsy?) removed from the attack, skipper Deverill also unable to stem the tide and the home side becoming fractious with each other in the field the introduction of the Chillies player of the match Purchase finally began to convince the home side that there was still a contest, and possibly a win, to be had. Bowling with his usual variety, thought and control Purchase took the first 2 wickets to fall – the first well held in the deep by Hancock with the baying Chilly Army’s alcohol fumes swirling round him as Suliman (45) played his “one shot” too many. There followed, during the middle overs of the second innings of the match, a gripping contest as lustily struck boundaries were traded with a steady flow of wickets as the game swayed this way and that – Purchase adding a fine catch to mirror Hancock’s with a superb spell of 8-0-27-4 as he bowled 3 of his victims inducing opener Addur-Rahman (46). Peter “Coxony” Coxon (just joking it’s just Pete) also taking a wicket during his 8 overs to possibly his worst ball of a respectable spell. With the match heading again towards an away victory Ford was reintroduced to take the wickets required to snatch the victory and he duly obliged with a stunning double wicket maiden ending his spell (8-0-41-2). However, with Qaisar still at the wicket striking the ball to all parts it looked as though victory was assured until Deverill cleaned up his stumps giving Chilcompton the belief that a victory could still be on the cards. Alas it was not to be, as the visiting captain Qamar Warraich survived the heat, verbals and countless contested lbw decisions (along with the odd contested wide call) to take his team to victory in what became an unpleasant end to what had been an otherwise excellent game. Chilcompton will travel the relatively short distance to Yatton next week hoping to arrest the tide and pick up a much needed win.
Match Ball Sponsor – Ian Barnett
Saturday 5th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 170ao v Bristol Lions 1st XI 202ao – Bristol Lions won by 32 runs
Chilcompton 1st XI made the short journey to Dunkerton on the warmest day of the year to take on Bristol Lions hoping to reverse last week’s defeat. Skipper Deverill won the toss and decided to take the field on what looked an interesting wicket. Tight early bowling by Ford and the recently promoted Easterling made scoring runs difficult and this pressure resulted in an attempted quick single to the ever so sharp Jonty Grass Rhodes who swooped and through down the stumps leaving Wyn run out by 3 yards. Bristol Lions started to score feely and with short boundaries all around it was proving difficult to prevent boundaries being scored with some clean hitting with many a ball being lost to all parts of the ground. The arrival of Purchase (3 for 36) and Grass ( 2 for 39) brought some control back for Chilcompton and after 2 quick wickets for Thick, Bristol Lions were eventually bowled out on the last ball of the innings for a competitive 202.
Chilcompton started the run chase in positive fashion despite the unpredictability of the wicket with Gordon ‘Tom Hancock’ Greenidge and Sam Hudson striking the ball well and putting early pressure on the Lions opening bowlers. The change of bowlers proved successful for the Lions as the extra pace proved difficult as wickets started to fall. The classy Hancock stood firm bring up 50 with some excellent stroke play as Chilcompton reached 100 for 3 at 20 overs. Eventually Hancock fell for an impressive 75 leaving Chilcompton needing 5 runs an over off the last 12 overs. As the wicket continued to behave like a naughty school boy, Captain Deverill came to the crease and looked to steer his team home. Some clean hitting from Dunn brought the away team ever closer but the re-introduction of Akon from the road end proved decisive as he picked up 5 wickets for 13 runs, skittling out the final 3 batsmen without troubling the scorers and leaving Deverill stranded not out on 21.
Chilcompton hope to reignite their season on Saturday at the CSG against Pak Bristolians
Saturday 29th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 209-6 v Bath 4th XI 221-7 – Bath won by 12 runs
Summer finally arrived at CCG and as the first XI arrived in their usual dribs and drabs, Bath were already into their pre-game warm up routine looking to remain top of the league after four games. Having won the toss, skipper Deverill elected to bowl and both Bath openers looked to set the tone from the off, dispatching any short delivery to the boundary on a quick outfield. The usual banter from ‘Gloves Hudson’ fell on deaf ears as Bath looked to set a 200+ target. The pacey Ford made the breakthrough with 40 on the board with a delivery that moved away from the Bath opener and removing the off stump in the sixth over. Chilcompton bowlers then managed to stem the fast scoring Bath with some controlled bowling from Purchase (2 -32) and Deverill. Despite a number dropped catches and potential run outs, Chilcompton began to take wickets at regular intervals with Hudson impressing with the gloves. The unfortunate Ford was forced into visiting A and E after another dropped catch which left the tired Chilcompton fielders a player light (not something that has been said before) in what now appeared a huge field to cover. Bath rallied in the final overs to post a very competitive 221 for 7. Players enjoyed another traditional Co-Op Meal Deal for tea before looking to reply in positive fashion.
Despite losing Deverill early on, the ever impressive Tom Hancock looked to steady the ship with a Gordon Greenidge type innings, striking the ball to all parts of the CCG. The arrival of Stansfield with Chilcompton struggling brought back memories of a match winning innings versus the same opposition a decade earlier. Unfortunately, after one ball and pushing for a quick single, Stansfield brought back memories of Derek Redmond at the Barcelona Olympics. A pulled hamstring brought the often comical situation of a runner joining the batsmen. Despite the injury, Stansfield and Hancock started to take control and now 221 looked a realistic possibility. Bath’s bowlers rallied, first removing Hancock for 47 and the Stansfield for an impressive 66 where the game was delayed whist he hobbled back to the pavilion. A quick fire 26 from Hudson kept Chilcompton in with a chance but finally the hosts fell short by 12 runs in their pursuit.
Match Ball Sponsor – Dave Stock
Saturday 22nd May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 140-6 v Hanham 2nd XI 139-8 – Chilcompton won by 4 wickets
Four weeks into the league season and finally the Great British summer’s biblical rains abated for the day to allow Chilcompton Sports 1st XI to finally complete a game of cricket. With clear skies and a cold wind to greet them Chilcompton overcame the first hurdle of the day by arriving just in time despite Keynsham’s temporary 3-way traffic lights’ best efforts. This delay had at least led to the best decision of the day by stand-in skipper Adam Deverill who was forced to send stand-in coin tosser Tom Hancock to do what no first team skipper has achieved in living memory – win the toss!
With the hosts inserted on a damp track the evergreen Dom Grass (8-2-14-0) and Jack “Viking” Ford set about squeezing the life out of any hopes of a rapid start to the game as Chilcompton took control from the off. The wiley Grass – bowling his allotted overs straight through – was so in control of his craft that he was even able to formulate a cunning plan with sidekick Glen Stanfield to create a wicket chance to be purposedly spurned. Stansfield’s juggling efforts (3 drops in 1) were so convincing that his team mates and the opposition were left completely unaware that it was merely part of the master plan to preserve Grass’ miserly economy rate and keep the struggling opener in the middle to continue to accumulate at a snail’s pace. Peter Coxon replaced Ford and continued the tight lines of the opening pair, bowling with excellent control and taking the first wicket to fall in the 17th over curtesy of a mistimed shot steepled to Lee Clevely’s crocodile snare. With the score at that stage only 34-1 it was time for the first member of the Stone family to enter the fray and attempt to up the ante and build a target worthy the name. The initial impetus was provided by Clevely who, taking over from Grass at the ‘Drive your car across the cricket field’ end, showed that although class and experience may be permanent a net session before you bowl in a match after an 18 month hiatus might be a good idea. Coxon meanwhile took the second wicket to fall – unfortunately unaware of the Grass/Stanfield plan to keep the struggling opener in the middle – with Hancock providing his second excellent contribution of the game by taking a fabulous one-handed catch diving forward at square leg. WIth ‘Cheeser” Clevely removed from the attack, Stansfield joined the fun and quickly removed the dangerous looking Stone Senior with the slower off break although not before the Chilli fielders had witnessed a full blown family feud with the first of his sons over a miscommunicated single call (the chilli fielders missing one of several run out opportunities). Stansfield then removed a second Stone (Skipper Luke) before completing a Stone Family Hat-trick by removing the clean striking George to finish with excellent figures of 8-0-21-3 (or 8-0-27-3 if you get the scores from the website??). Meanwhile skipper Deverill switching ends – to allow Ford to return at the ‘leave your big ladder by the fence” end – to good affect taking 2 wickets of his own from his 6 overs. Viking Ford, with his resplendent beard flowing in the wind, got himself a wicket that he deserved (8-2-17-1 or 24runs depending on which scorebook you read??) before some late order single scrambling left Hanham with a below par 139-8 at the half way stage.
Opening pair Kyle Gloudemans and Hancock hoped to continue their blossoming partnership from the week (and season) before on a drying track but found the Hanham bowlers in no mood to be offering up any easy runs. Hancock was bowled after 8 tight overs with only 17 scored and was soon followed by skipper Deverill in the same fashion – although this time by Left arm swinger G Stone with a loud send off proclaiming he’d be beaten by “the quicker one” (how Deverill was to have the last laugh). Gloudemans (16) was joined by Kieran “Best player in the club” Thick who was soon into his stride only to see his partner also depart, caught and bowled to a muddled shot, with the score on 29 to Hola (7-2-12-2) and the target looking a long way away. Man of the Match Stansfield joined Thick however and soon set about chasing down the score required with boundaries quickening the rate and easing the visitors concerns. After completing a rapid 50 partnership Thick departed for a cleanly struck 39 including a pair of sixes and 4 fours when looking well set for a 50. Stansfield was joined by Chris Dunn who looked to continue to up the score. Knowing only wickets would prevent a Chilli win with Stansfield comfortably controlling the chase Hanham sent for the self proclaimed star man (probably) Stone to return. What followed was the most entertaining over of the match. An increasingly annoyed Stone completely lost his head and run up in bowling 6 no balls and a wide for good measure. To add insult to injury, and added mirth to the Chilcompton team on the sidelines, 2 of the no-balls cleaned up Dunn’s stumps and finally deciding to change his run ups length even bowled a bigger no-ball off a short run up. The Prosecco’d up home team support called for a change of umpire to no avail with Grass insisting they give Deverill (told you) a break due to it being his first game. Dunn (12) eventually departed, bowled by an absolute beauty of an unplayable leg cutter legal delivery from Davis (6.2-0-16-2), before the returning Stone Snr was deposited for a straight six by Stansfield. Andrew Baker joined in time to score a couple of runs and be called through for the sharp winning single by Stansfield who finished unbeaten for a superb 31. With a first game and first win complete Chilli Firsts returned home to swap victory stories with the “win clutched from the jaws of defeat” seconds at the CSCG.
Chili face Top of the table Bath on Saturday at the CSG hoping to move further up the table.
Saturday 15th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 50-0 home to Brislington 3rd XI
Kyle Gloudemans (22) and Tom Hancock (25)
Match Abandoned after 10 overs
Saturday 8th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI v Bristol 3rds – Match cancelled due to rain
Saturday 1st May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 99ao v Barrow Gurney 1st XI 29-2 – Match Abandoned
Chilcompton 1st XI opened their season at the CSG with a lacklustre batting display against Barrow Gurney 1st XI. Wicket’s fell regularly in difficult conditions and it was the returning legend Glen Stansfield who top scored with an excellent 28. Tom Hancock (17) and the limping Ben Futcher (15) were the only other Chili batsmen to reach double figures. Kian Ware was the pick of the Barrow Gurney Bowlers with 4 for 10 in his 6 overs and Edward Holdaway chipped in with 3 for 11 in his 6 overs.
Barrow Gurney stuttered to 29 for 2 in 12 overs before the showers took the players off and the game was abandoned. Chilcompton were confident of an unlikely victory with the evergreen Dominic Grass the pick of the bowlers with excellent figures of 2 for 2 in his 4 overs.
Match Ball Sponsor – Matthew Western
Season 2020
Saturday 29th August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 218-3 v PR Royals – Brislington 3rd XI 222-4 – Brislington won by 6 wickets
Chilcompton hosted Brislington on a windy day at the CSG. The Skipper Ben Futcher lost the toss and his Chili side were asked to bat first on a soft pitch due to the weeks rain.
Kyle Gloudemans and Tom Hancock opened the innings and in a watchful manner got Chilcompton up to 68 for 0 off of 20 overs. After the drinks break Hancock started to up the tempo and finding the middle of the bat often gave Chilcompton a much needed bit of acceleration. Hancock fell to the bowling of Peters for a brilliant 70 on his debut for the 1st XI. This now sparked Gloudemans into life with him hitting the fence regularly. Gloudemans caught for his 1st XI personal best of 81. Kieran Thick (25no) ended the innings with some big hitting as Chilcompton made 218 for 3 off the allotted 40 overs.
Brislington started their innings with a bang. Blake (26) and Turner (16) got them off to a flyer as Bris were going at 10 per over and looking to end things quickly. Dom Grass (8-31-1) and Crocker (6-17-2) got rid of the openers this brought Reeves to the crease who also carried on where the openers set off punishing some of the loose Chilcompton bowling on his way to a fantastic innings of 112 not out. Chilcompton got there lines right in the middle overs and pulled the reigns in to make life more difficult for Brislington but with Reeves at the crease Brislington were always favourites and got home with and over and 4 balls to spare.
Match Ball Sponsor – Richard Aldous
Saturday 22nd August 2020
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 127-8 v PR Royals – PR Royals 177-8 lost by 50 runs
In a tasty encounter the Pakistani’s prevailed over an underwhelming Chilcompton. Batting first on a squelchy track at Farmborough the hosts struggled for rhythm under some testing bowling from seamers Ben Cousins and Dom Grass. Geordie Cousins nabbed the openers cheaply, bringing the number three to the crease who turned out to be the main protagonist – a century that survived a huge appeal early on, drops but generally power hitting (one into the adjacent tennis courts). Wickets taken by Lauren Bowen-Jones and Sam Hudson helped somewhat yet the damage was done and teacher Grass would have said in a report that the Chili fielders could have done better.
Chasing a challenging 178 under cloud seemed more straightforward after a solid opening partnership from fisherman Adam Deverill and farmer Chris Dunn. However both fell in quick succession and a cultured 21 from Alex Fudge seemed to be in vain once Ben Futcher’s uncharacteristic dancing shoes reappeared…premature with nightclubs still closed. Neither the middle order nor the tail could contain the versatile bowling attack so the visitors ultimately fell well short and endured more sour grapes.
Saturday 15th August 2020
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI v Bristol Lions – Rained Off
Saturday 8th August 2020
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 157-9 v Bath 4th XI 160-8 – Bath won by 2 wickets
On a scorcher at the M4 junction CSG, Futcher surprisingly won the toss for the first time in years and elected to bat first.
The prodigal son Glen Stansfield and Sam Hudson (17) opened up, before Stansfield went cheaply. Hudson and James Purchase (30) both looked set before Hudson decided to offer catching practice. Skipper Futcher was next to go as a rush of blood saw him doing a waltz down the track, only to quick step back to the chairs, one of which he turned around and sat watching the club house rather than the “quality of bowling” that had seen him get out.
With the opposition rotating their extra man more than chili rotated the strike, the home side struggled in the middle overs. Nathan Crocker (47) and lower order contributions saw Chili limp to 157, at least 50-75 runs short of what they believed to be the par score.
Bath got off to a good start before Purchase snared a couple, Hudson and Lauren Bowen-Jones chipped in with middle order wickets. When Jack Ford removed Bath mainstay Aspeeling it seemed on for Chili but unfortunately the home side couldn’t get the last couple of wickets in their race for promotion to POD F next season
Next week the Saturday 1st XI host Bristol Lions at the CSG, 1pm Start.
Match Ball Sponsor – Nick Western
Saturday 1st August 2020
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 187ao v Bristol CC 3rd XI 201-4 – Bristol won by 14 runs
Chilcompton had a walkover in their first mini POD League Game v Knowle 3rd XI after Knowle disappointingly defaulted during the week. At late notice Bristol 3rds stepped in to help out and hosted a friendly at Failand. Bristol batted first and reached 201-4 thanks to 3 fifties from the openers and Herring. Sam Hudson (2-44) and James Purchase (1-34) were the wicket takers for the visitors. In reply Chilcompton managed 6 ducks which is a post war record for the Club. Those who did reach double figures were Ben Futcher 80 retired, Alex Fudge (47) and Sam Hudson (36). Chilcompton fell 14 runs short with good practice all round in preparation for the visit of Bath to the CSG on Saturday, 1pm start.
Saturday 31st August 2019
Chilcompton Sports Saturday 1st XI v Chew Magna 2nd – No game due to Chew Magna folding
The season ended like a damp squib for the 1st XI due to Chew Stoke folding. Whilst the 1st XI held their own in division 5 it was a case of “What might have been” as they finished in 5th place and only 4 points below 3rd position which would have probably meant promotion. New players will hopefully be recruited in the winter to give the side a boost in their 2020 campaign.
Saturday 24th August
Chilcompton Sports Saturday 1st XI 177-5 v Bath 4th XI 176ao – Chilcompton Won by 5 Wickets
In their final game of a mixed bag of a season Chili ended on a high with an impressive victory in Bath. Losing the toss Ben Futcher’s army were sent out to field in the blistering heat with only ten men due to a Northerner in transit. However regular opener local celebrity Jack Ford and Mr Fragile Futcher found joy early on with miss-timings from each bat and a couple of edges going unpunished. The hosts found some impetus eventually but Futcher lead from the front to break the shackles. He then bowled another before James Purchase was introduced and he quickly joined in with one through the gate. The safe hands of Alex Fudge helped Futcher (3-25) take his third yet the Bath number five was in no mood to lie down. A combination of destructive hitting and streaky strokes gave Chili reason to sweat more despite most of the bowling being in a decent area; the nearby straight boundary trees were in danger of buckling at times. Nevertheless, Purchase managed to hold one in the deep to take the less dangerous batter off PC Daniel Rugg, commendably bowling six overs after a blow to the head in the morning. Ford grabbed a deserved wicket then Tim Fussell showed his considerable worth, not only a sharp take off Purchase but then three offie crackers in short succession to clean up the tail, conceding just 11, to leave Chili confident of a run chase.
Following nourishment Adam Deverill and Alex Fudge walked out knowing a solid start would put the visitors in pole position. Some testing bowling gave food for thought as swing and bounce challenged both. Fudge seemingly found the fielders with every middle but stayed resolute until he reached choppy waters and was dismissed despite an uncharacteristic but understandable reaction about the legality of the bowler’s action. Deverill was discovering more groove and underlining his case as wicketkeeper-batsman. Purchase combined effectively, tentative then up through the gears to steer the ball to varying parts. After a pleasing 50 Dev was caught then Ford was dismissed immediately so JP and Futcher had to display assurance and experience to take the away side to within sight. Both went to big shots but Tim Fussell and late but worth the wait Steven Longden saw it through, success sealed with a wide.
Chilcompton’s game at Chew Magna next Saturday is unfortunately cancelled due to the demise of the Chew Magna 2nd XI and they currently sit 3rd in Division Five rueing some poor form mid-season.
Saturday 17th August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 208-9 v Bristol Lions 170ao – Chilcompton Won by 38 Runs
Chili 1st XI’s last home game of the season resulted in a solid win against a competitive Bristol Lions outfit. Ben Futcher kept to tradition by losing the toss and his team batted first under indecisive skies. With the promotion push a distant memory there were changes to both personnel and order so Adam Deverill and Alex Fudge had to build an opening partnership. It was tough on a damp sticky deck but both stood firm under persistent bowling and well-set fields. Deverill (30) blasted the occasional boundary and ticked things on in his robust style; Fudge stayed cultured throughout, proving his worth as a level head who boasted an aesthetically-pleasing demeanour. The former departed bowled, Futcher lost his wicket thus a fired-up Sam Hudson came to the crease to join his banter brother Fudge. Despite some frustration about extra running the two combined well and Fudge brought up his maiden first-team fifty with a three, holding his bat aloft knowing the impact it had made…he was finally grabbed for 54. With Hudson finding some extra rhythm Jack Ford joined to try to help raise the run rate towards the end. Ford (17) and Hudson (46) had their fun crushed, with a mini-collapse ensuing that England would be jealous of. However, Richard Gillard and Martin Rumary saw the overs through, both stroking impressive fours to take the score past 200 and to a respectable total.
Following a lovely Samantha tea the hosts set out to kill any hope of a chase and gate crash the CSG birthday party sharp-ish. This was not the case as the stubborn openers frustrated bowlers and fielders alike despite not getting many off the square. Eventually Ford’s perseverance told, a catch for Lee Clevely in front of his adoring fans. Then momentum was found, Clevely bowling one through the gate, Futcher skidding one in for another cleverly caught Clevely catch and Futcher held one off Dom Grass. Sensing victory the home team seemed to over settle and gradually, in spite of some plays and misses, the Lions roared with some ferocious hitting; even the mild mannered Dom Grass cursed at one debatable decision. Enter big guns Deverill and Hudson: Shuds taking two quick victims with his mediums before Dev sealed success with a caught and bowled, sparking jubilant reactions reminiscent of Freddie Flintoff in 2005.
Match Ball Sponsor – PRW Group
Saturday 10th August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI v Barrow Gurney – Match cancelled due to rain
Saturday 3rd August
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 192ao v Congresbury 2nd XI 193-5 – Congresbury won by 5 Wickets
Chilcompton 1st XI looked to return winning ways Saturday but once again sadly fell short after winning the toss and batting first. The top order failed to get a good start and after 20 overs the hosts were wobbling at 33 for the loss of 4 wickets. Nathan Crocker (44) and Sam Hudson (45) began to rescue the situation but both fell short of well deserved half centuries. Lee Clevely (29), Lauren Bowen-Jones (14) and the veteran Dominic Grouty Grass (21) all did well in the latter stages to take the score on to a competitive 192. Neal Frost was the most successful of the Congresbury Bowlers with 4-44.
After a fantastic tea courtesy of the Bowen-Jones Household the home side were looking to make in-roads into the Congresbury batting. Jack Ford bowling excellently first up took 2 early wickets but half centuries from Lewis, Castle & Eyres took the game away from Chilcompton despite the best efforts of the Chilcompton bowlers & fielders.
Chilcompton travel to the batting paradise of Barrow Gurney on Saturday looking to put in an improved performance
Match Ball Sponsor – Richard Aldous
Saturday 27th July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 168ao v University Staff 1st XI 169-3 – Uni Staff won by 7 Wickets
On a fine day at Combe Dingle Chilcomtpon 1st XI looked to make it 3 wins in a row and restart their promotion push. All started well with Ben Futcher winning the toss and choosing to bat but what followed was a disastrous batting display. The below par total of 168 was built around an excellent innings of 71 from the evergreen Nathan Crocker with only Sam Hudson and Ben Futcher reaching double figures from the remaining 10 batters. Crocker was spotted stroking his beard in disbelief later in the Chili Clubhouse over a Thatchers Haze as he explained the inept batting performance to the victorious Legends.
In reply Ed Morgan took the attack to Chilcompton with a well crafted 81 and Uni Staff easily passed the Chili score for only 3 wickets down and almost 20 overs to spare. Lauren & Jordan Harding-Bowen-Jones where the only Chili Bowlers to take a wicket in a game that will easily be forgotten
Chilcompton entertain Congresbury and the CSG Saturday knowing that maximum points from their 4 remaining games will be required to reach a top 4 finish.
Saturday 20th July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 249-5 v Almondsbury 99ao – Chilcompton Won by 150 Runs
Given inspiration by last Sunday’s events at Lord’s Chili completed a comfortable yet important victory against Almondsbury on Saturday. After predictably losing the toss once more Ben Futcher’s army were asked to bat on a promising-looking CSG track. Openers Kyle Gloudmans and Sam Hudson set about creating a solid foundation for the rest of the team, Hudson his busy combative self with Gloudmans providing the flair and grace. The latter reached 35 before lofting up a short one then Hudson started a walk towards the Tramways prior to the ball arriving and was hit in front. So rebuilding was required from Futcher and Kieran Thick; KJT demolished his second ball for six then began to hit the ball to all parts, bringing up 40 in no time at all before being dismissed. Following this, Futcher and his troubling body departed as did James Purchase so all-rounders Nathan Crocker and Jack Ford needed a hefty partnership. The two complemented each other well, Mr Insomnia Crocker (52*) battling through the lack of rest, keeping the scoreboard ticking over while musician Ford (45*) struck all the right notes with many arguing the sound of leather on his GM to be the best sound around. Some pulsating strokes and effective rotating of the strike from both lifted Chili to create a target of 250.
A fulfilling tea courtesy of the Hudsons (predominantly mother) gave the hosts fuel and desire to bowl the visitors out cheaply. It was tough going at first as Almondsbury stayed strong, easing the ball into gaps successfully but Lauren Triple Vodka Bowen-Jones-Harding took the breakthrough to open the floodgates. Next the spin kings of Purchase and Clevely were turned to – and boy did it pay dividends. Purchase bowled the kind of lines and lengths that Ashley Giles only dreamed of while Clevely aka Cheese grated away at the batting line-up. The two even combined for a wicket with the fielders supporting what was a pleasingly solid team display. Ford woke up off Clevely not Purchase, JP grabbed a couple caught and bowled, and Clevely hit the jackpot of stumps twice. Finishing with 4-9 and 3-26 respectively most of the work was complete; due to a nasty-seeming opposition injury only nine wickets were required. This left King Ford to put the crown on an impressive day to seal the win for the spices of Chili, wondering in the bar if Somerset needed their advice on how to see out a match.
Match Ball Sponsor – Clayton Rich
Saturday 13th July
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 222-9 v Abbots Leigh 1st XI 205ao – Chilcompton Won by 17 Runs
On a lovely peaceful summer’s day at the Chilcompton Sports Ground, Skipper Ben Futcher kept his 100 % streak of WINNING the toss without Jared Greenhalgh and Matt Rivers in the starting line-up. Futcher promptly chose to bat which was a surprise given the Chili 1st XIs batting crumbles this year.
The Injured Skipper (6) and Kyle Gloudesman (14) started the innings, with the latter getting a beautiful start before they both found the keeper’s mitts. Kieran Thick tried to put his injured hamstring to good use but his poles were knocked back quickly from a great delivery from F.Elicity who was bowling well in tandem with A.Budge. With Chili struggling at 29-3 James Purchase (54) and Adam Deverill (64) batted beautifully and put on 130 for the 4th wicket before the former walked after a tickle, something for the opposition to learn from. Adam Deverill was ran out taking on a deep throw from midwicket, shame he didn’t get the bat on it with his Ben Stokes lunge into the crease and he and his broken glove had to depart. Jack Ford (28) had a typical Fordyyyyyy knock, see ball, hit ball, bye ball. Sam Hudson (2) wished he had DRS to use after being pinned in front and everyone was in awe of Alex Fudge who scored a quickfire 18 off 10 balls. It was left to Jordan Harding Bowen-Jones (8*) and Lauren Harding Bowen-Jones (1*) to take Chili to a par 222 after their allotted 45 overs.
After a feast from Mr & Mrs Thick, Chili knew they may have to bowl Abbots Leigh Out to win, and would have to do it without their hostile strike bowler Rivers, who was promoted to the Legends for their trip to Mells. Like in the away fixture Lauren Bowen Jones (0-28) was creating all sorts of problems but unlike the away game the hosts couldn’t take them and in contrast Jack Ford with 3 for 42 finally got some reward for his excellent bowling this season. James Purchase (2-25) beat the outside edge numerous times, and was unlucky as even when he hit it, it was adjudged to be not out. With the game still in the balance the Skipper got his field placings spot on and turned to Nathan Crocker (3-33) who’s spell was the deciding factor in the match. Hearing the festivities at the Chilcompton Celebrates, Kieran Thick (1-30) wrapped the innings up slightly early and Chilcompton won by 17 runs to finally return to winning ways.
Saturday 6th July
Winterbourne ‘A’ XI 436-6 (45 overs) beat Chilcompton 1st XI 269-6 (45 overs) by 167 runs
Chili were comprehensively beaten in a run fest at Winterbourne. After losing the toss in front of just three teammates the hosts ask Ben Futcher’s personalities to bowl on a pitch reminiscent of the Bristol Road they had just driven up on. Once the rest of his group finally arrived it was all hands on deck as Bourne wasted no time in despatching the ball to both the long and mini boundaries. The players on the adjacent track were in regular danger from the amount of sixes being pummelled while the hedges took an equally lethal pounding. It was slave labour for the away bowlers with fielding at times showing signs of promise but at others failing to live up to expectation. One opening bat was especially brutal, going on to make a double hundred, not before a chance went begging when still on two figures. Despite toiling Chili fought to the end, notably Rob “I am Titanium” Bath with his lofty floaters (2-23); however the remaining bowlers were wishing they could screw up the scorebook and recycle the paper, struggling for rhythm, consistency and joy.
During a delicious evening tea the visitors agreed that 43 from each batsman would be sufficient to see the game through. Yet this plan and the target remained a daunting prospect. Skipper Futcher and James Purchase started smoothly, punishing the loose balls whenever possible and taking quick singles. Credit to Winterbourne’s bowling and fielding, of a higher standard than the boys from the CSG in its approach and its execution. Futcher brought up a fluent fifty but fell caught for 60 before three swift wickets – including Purchase for a stylish 46 – all which were extremely avoidable. Chili’s Achilles heel of hunting down a score was swelling again, the evergreen Jared Greenhalgh inviting Alex Fudge (eventually with a correct pair of gloves) to try and recreate the previous season’s heroics at this ground. Suffice to mention this was an entirely contrasting set of circumstances with the away side still 300 short at the halfway stage. Greenhalgh was dogged but then sheepish when given out but walked back, leaving Fudge and Kyle Gloudmans to restore some pride with some fluidity. The former was run out for 28, before Gloudmans (53*) and Bath (25*) underlined their talents in a much-changed Chili outfit. However the chase was now closer to pointless as the effort was significantly out of reach.
Saturday 29th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 287-4 v Timsbury 2nd XI 284-6 – Chilcompton Won by 6 Wickets
After Chew Magna conceded in the league Chili managed to arrange a friendly with Timsbury on a Saharan-like Saturday. Once the two skippers agreed to a 40-over blast ahead of two Twenty-20s captain Ben Futcher remained consistent by losing the toss and leading his team out to field. With both weather and ground favouring batting the away side were toiling early on, struggling for inspiration from their bowling and fielding alike. Despite this some chances were created but ultimately wasted as Timsbury punished their lacklustre and at times bizarre nature with a no-nonsense approach to runs. After what felt like an age the two openers were both dismissed for 84, Mr Chilcompton Dave Travis taking a grab off the perseverant James Purchase (1-40) then the Magaluf Maestro Adam Deverill sneaked a stumping off the ankle-crippled Sam Hudson’s spinners. The following batsmen brought the familiar frustration back; however Nathan Crocker’s head was literally cooler than most to bowl his man and Jack Ford had some overdue respite with a wicket of his own. Alex Fudge underlined his wildcard reputation as a slim Shane Warne by taking two and his impressively solid final over helped keep the hosts under 300.
Following some lovely deserved rest and nourishment The Moretti Kings Travis and Fudge were asked to set a platform but Travis fished at one outside off early on. Deverill replaced him and found some gaps while Fudge/Budge/whatever you want to call him melted in the afternoon sun yet remained aesthetically-pleasing, stayed fluent and hit some glorious boundaries. However, the former feathered one behind before Fudge (31) got a cracking off-cutter to leave Purchase and Jack Ford with plenty to do – this was where the game’s pivotal partnership developed. Both were tested at first but became equally effective, Ford in his elegant yet destructive style stroking the ball to every corner and Purchase driving well while punishing the wayward deliveries. Each reached 50 but instead of reaching a plateau like Viral Kohli kicked through the gears and found sports mode. Subsequently, the target was in sight; a blip occurred at the death as Ford finally succumbed in the deep for 97 so Rivers swaggered in looking to seal it with Purchase, who had just sealed his hundred, in the last over. He proceeded to dance down the track and miss the first ball…only for the keeper to fumble. Nerves increased for those observing but at the second time of trying Rivers flicked a four to the short rope and completed a satisfying victory in an extremely worthwhile mid-season friendly so that cold showers could be enjoyed by all three balls early.
An excellent game and a big thanks to Timsbury for the stepping in to offer a game at such late notice.
Saturday 22nd June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 105ao v Bath 4th XI 183ao – Bath Won by 78 Runs
Chilcompton fresh from their midweek T20 Triumph looked to fight their way back into contention.
Skipper Futcher, true to form, lost the toss and was asked to bowl. James Purchase performed well produced with an excellent spell of 4-28 in 9 overs plus a run out. Purchase was backed up by Jack Ford (1-26) and Lauren Bowen-Jones (0-19) who gave the Home side a good start with a tight opening spell. In a much improved Fielding Display Chilcompton dismissed their visitors in the last over for 183.
After a Florence Frost Special Tea, Chili knew sensible batting and application was all that was required. Unfortunately the home side achieved neither and things started badly when Jared Greenhalgh (7) was pinned in front with even less foot movement than Trescothick. The Skipper Futcher was also trapped in front but would of survived under review as the ball pitched outside leg. Sam Hudson nurdled his way to 13 in about 13 hours and it was only Jack Ford who offered any resistance with a solid 37 as Chili whimpered to a second successive home collapse.
This week we travel to Chew Magna hoping to get a batting point for the first time in 3 weeks
Match Ball Sponsor Bridget Frost
Saturday 15th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI v Bristol Lions – Chilcompton Won due to Bristol Lion’s Defaulting
Saturday 8th June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 126ao v Barrow Gurney 1st XI 130ao – Barrow Gurney Won by 4 Runs
Chilcompton hosted Mid Table Rivals Barrow Gurney at the CSG on Saturday where skipper Ben Futcher continued his form of losing yet another toss and Chili were asked to field.
Lauren Bowen-Jones (1-15) took a wicket with the first ball of the match as an impressive Chili fielding display backed up the bowlers. James Purchase (4-26) snicked off Fizz from Corrie and the droney opener had to depart as Sam Hudson did the rest. Last season’s Midsomer Norton overseas player Hashan came in, as Lee Clevely proved the bargain bin rumours to be true as he departed quickly. The wickets continued to tumble quicker than a Liverpool Striker as the visitors were skittled for 130.
The teams retired early to the warmth of the Club House to enjoy a fantastic Frosty tea.
The Chilies game took a nasty turn as Kieran Thick and Ben Futcher departed quickly. Adam Deverill was controversially ran out before Matt Rivers hit a “majestic” 24 according to the man himself. James Purchase and Nathan Crocker also chipped in with 16 and 15 respectively but the wickets were falling at an alarming rate due to some dubious shot selections. The Chilies last pair fell 4 short as Alex the Nudge Fudge finished on 1 Not Out from 27 deliveries and yet again Chilcompton snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to leave the skipper considering a trip to the storm damaged sight screen to mend slats with some rope from the shed.
Chili 1sts travel to the familiar surroundings of Dunkerton CC on Saturday to play Bristol Lions hoping to return to winning ways
Match Ball Sponsor Ian Barnett
Saturday 1st June
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 275ao v Congresbury 2nd XI 305-6 – Congresbury Won by 30 Runs
On a glorious day at Congresbury, Skipper Futcher proved to be useless at the toss once again and Chili were asked to bowl first in the Sahara like conditions. Robotic Australian Brooks took the Chili attack to all parts of the ground, whilst Lewis was a lot more scratchy and it was Kieran Thick who got the breakthrough dismissing Lewis on his way to 2-46. The good news ended there as Castle joined Brooks to punish the Chili attack who were let down by an unusually poor fielding performance. Sam Hudson (1-38) snicked off Brooks for 121 and Matt Rivers removed Castle for 95 to silence the building crowd ahead of big football match. Rivers bagged another 2 wickets both pouched by Dizzie Greenhalgh and the hosts finished on what Chili believed was a par score of 305.
After a veritable feast at teas Thick (58) and Futcher flew out of the blocks and reached a 50 partnership in 6 overs before Futcher perished for 14. What happened next swung the game back in the hosts favour as Deverill chased a ball wider than square, Purchase added another duck to his flock for this season and Greenhalgh offered catching practice to the waiting fielders. With wickets falling at a rapid rate Chili needed stability and when Thick departed for 58 the game seemed over. Matt Rivers (44) and Nathan Crocker (42) regrouped and Chili edged closer to an unlikly victory. Unfortunately they both departed and despite some lusty blows from Sam Hudson (25) and Jack Ford (28) Chili fell 30 short in a game that they felt got away from them.
Chilicompton welcome Barrow Gurney to the CSG on Saturday hoping to return to winning ways.
Saturday 25th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 282-5 v University Staff 1st XI 215-9 – Chilcompton Won by 68 Runs
Chilcompton hosted rivals University Staff hoping to continue their recent good run. Skipper Futcher again lost the toss, but was happy enough to bat first on the “Chili Road”
Futcher and Nathan Crocker (28) scored freely enough as the score passed 50 before Crocker succumbed to Kulranta. This welcomed Vic Captain Adam Deverill to the crease, fresh from a Farmhouse White Post Special Breakfast and the scoring rate began to increase. The pair put on 173 in 27 overs before Deverill’s majestic knock of 106 came to an end when he was pinned in front. The loudest cheer of the day came when James Purchase got off of the mark for a season and he eventually departed for 16. A quick fire cameo of 17* from Jared Greenhalgh helped propel Chilcompton forward. The skipper eventually departed on the penultimate ball of the innings holing out again, this time for 99 as Chilly closed on 281-4.
After a bite to eat the Uni Staff seemed to be unaware that losing draws ended 15 years ago. Lauren Bowen Jones (1-28) made the early breakthrough as Kulranta snicked off to the grateful gloves of Hudson, before James Purchase (2-15) removed Manjuanth via the same method. The pick of the bowling was from Scott Yorke who took 3 for 11 as Chili cantered to victory with Uni Staff producing more blocks than in a Lego house.
Chili will be pleased to have finished 90 overs with Uni staff after last season’s debacle, and next week travel to Congresbury hoping to remain top of the league
Match Ball Sponsor Ian Barnett
Saturday 18th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 117-1 v Almondsbury 2nd XI 112ao – Chilcompton Won by 9 Wickets
Heartened by a substantial team-building breakfast at the local hostelry, Chilcompton headed to the far side of Bristol looking for back to back wins. On arrival Captain Futcher promptly lost the toss and was asked to bowl.
Last week’s impressive form by Lauren Bowen-Jones continued as she struck early at often on her way to 3-18 to leave the hosts reeling at 51-5. Almondsbury never recovered as the Chili bowlers shared the love around with Rivers chipping in with 2-7 and Thick 2-17 helping skittle the home side for a paltry 114.
After being given the option to be served tea or head out, Futcher opted for teas. Little did the Skipper know another buffet was on the way as he and Kieran Thick raced to a 100 partnership in 12 overs. Futcher was the only wicket to fall for 42, whilst Thick bludgeoned the ball everywhere for his 67 not out as Chilcompton romped home.
Next week Chilcompton host University Staff hoping to complete a full game and not leave it to the league committee to decide the result.
Saturday 11th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 129-4 v Abbots Leigh 1st 125ao – Chilcompton Won by 6 wickets
Chilcompton Travelled to Abbots Leigh looking to bounce back from the previous weeks disappointing defeat. Skipper Futcher won the toss, decided to have a bowl and opened up with Jack Ford and 1st Team Debutant Lauren Bowen-Jones. Lauren Bowen-Jones struck early and often for Chili on her way to magnificent figures of 4-28 in her 9 overs to earn the Player of the Match Award. Stevie Rivers produced some wonder deliveries taking 3-19 with James Purchase (2-19) and Kieran Thick (1-3) taking the remaining wickets as the hosts stumbled to a paltry 125 in 37 overs.
After tea Ben Futcher & Kieran Thick opening up the innings before Thick snicked off for 16. Nathan Crocker & James Purchase failed to trouble the scorers and Chili were struggling at 28-3 with over 100 runs still required. Chili regrouped with Ben Futcher (54) and Sam Hudson (28no) cautiously rebuilding the innings until the skipper decided to try and end the game quickly by holing out to his favourite corner. A thirsty Jared Greenhalgh (28no) joined Hudson and added the acceleration to take the visitors to a 6 wicket victory with 9 overs still remaining.
Chili 1sts look to continue their winning ways next week at Almondsbury
Saturday 4th May
Chilcompton Sports 1st XI 154-9 v Winterbourne 3rd 155-8 – Winterbourne Won by 2 Wickets
Chili suffered a disappointing defeat on the opening day of the new season to fellow promoted side Winterbourne. Skipper Ben Futcher began the campaign with a lost toss and the away side asked the hosts to bat first on a cold blustery afternoon…it really did feel like winter was coming. Two speed merchants found some swing and variable bounce so life was difficult for the top order, with the big five all departing for fewer than 20, where each would be frustrated at how they were dismissed. Sam Hudson stuck around for a dogged 33, showing a mixture of grit and improvisation, while his partner in crime Jared Greenhalgh (31) found the right combination of aggression and composure. Now a competitive total was within reach and a late contribution of 24* from ‘new signing’ Matthew Rivers helped lift Chilcompton to 154-9 in their 45 overs.
Following an effective trio of food, drink and service Chili set about defending their mediocre total in the evening sun, cheered on by their 2nds teammates. Jack Ford and Kieran Thick both hit the ground hard and gave encouragement to the waiting fielders, who were chirpy yet sloppy at times, drops and miss-fields that didn’t go unpunished. Nevertheless, Ford did snatch the opener cheaply then Thick took two quick-fire wickets, one a majestic dive and take from Adam Deverill. However, the visitors, still with last season’s closely-fought encounter in their minds, settled in the middle order and worked the ball around the ground at a sufficient rate. The pick of the bowlers was Deverill (3-16), fishing for an edge wherever he could in his new seam-up approach. James Purchase and Nathan Crocker were equally economical but received less joy. Overall the bowling attack showed character and desire but ultimately had too little runs to protect. Wickets out of the blue and experienced batsmen gone inspired Chili and meant they still had a shout but eventually the away side had the whereabouts to see the game through on a day where Chili lacked spice and Bourne had supremacy.
Match Ball Sponsor Matthew Western