Wilsons Cricket Club
Home	Season 2002 fixtures

End of 2002 season report

1st XI

The final division 1D table shows the 1st XI finishing a creditable 4th. Risley were champions with Thurgarton also promoted to 1C.

The table after half the season shows little change from the final table. Wilsons moved up a place by winning more games in the second half of the season (5) compared to 4 despite playing 7 of the 9 games away.

Both games against champions Risley were lost to the weather - the rain saving us in the away fixture in July with Wilsons struggling at 70-8 chasing 163. Having lost comprehensively to Thurgarton early in the season we almost pulled off a dramatic win in the last over of the return game, but failed by 9 runs. Kirkby Portland comfortably won both of their games against us. We won at Underwood following a disappointing "no result" in the home game. Home and away wins were completed against Nuthall, Willoughby and Ruddington. We reversed the loss at Farndon but disappointingly lost at lowly Wymeswold "on a wet one".

I don't think anyone will argue with the fact that the bowlers won most of the games for us this season. Performances to note include James Fletcher's 4-21 against Nuthall (including a hat-trick), Tim Taylor's 6-45 against Ruddington and 4-28 against Wymeswold with Stefan's 4-33 in a lost cause against Thurgarton. Imran Khan was the star of the show taking the most wickets - 32 with match winning performances at Willoughby (4-18) and Underwood (4-25). All this at an average of just 10.69.

Here are the 1st XI top wicket takers:

Congratulations to Imran Khan whose average of 10.69 was the best in the division. Also to Tim Taylor who returned the second best bowling performance in the division with his 6 for 45 at Ruddington in July. It was only bettered by Ruddington's Lyndan Cowlard's 7-44 v Thurgarton. Tim also took 4 wickets in a match on 2 other occasions along with Imran (3 times), Iftikhar, Stef and James Fletcher (once each).

Top 10 1st XI run scorers:

On the batting front, no Wilsons player was in the top 10 best performances in the division. Only 3 players scored centuries in the division - Phil Smith (Thurgarton) 109 v Wymeswold, Richard Bowley (Wymeswold) 101* v Ruddington and Tom Chalkley (Underwood) 100* v Wymeswold. Wilsons highest was Stef's 66 at Ruddington followed by Richard Odell's 64 at home to Wymeswold. No other player scored a 50! It is interesting to note that most player's best scores were made away from the Coronation Ground.

Our participation in the Senior Cup was short lived. We were comprehensively beaten by division 1A champions Collingham. Only Tim Caldwell's 42 with the bat was memorable.

2nd XI

The 2nd XI's season ended in disappointment with relegation from division 2E.

At the mid point of the season things looked OK but work needed to be done.

Having played most of the first half of the season away and with only 2 wins to their name, the 2nd XI were hoping for a better second half. But only 2 more wins and improved performances from other teams at the foot of the table meant the 2nd XI finished bottom. The 4 wins came at Notts Amateurs III (with Stef and Tim Taylor) and at home to 10-man Keyworth plus home and away wins against Whatton & Aslockton.

Iftikhar Ahmed (and others in his family) proved to be useful finds. Ifti scored 268 runs (avge. 53.6, best 76 v Balderton plus 58 v Thrumpton and 51* at Siemens) and took 8 wickets. He eventually got the opportunity to play 1st XI cricket. Ifti's brother Mehtab scored 50 in 2 innings. Dave Nattrass (224 runs, best 44 v Siemens) and John Savill (203 runs, best 48 v Ruddington) were the pick of the other batsmen. Other notable innings include Eric Dalby's 51 in the last game of the season against Thrumpton, Jeff Moore's 46 at Balderton and Stef's 49* at Notts Amateurs.

Peter Shaw was by far the leading wicket taker with 29, including 5-21 v Keyworth, 5-29 v Whatton and 4-33 v Siemens. However, Stef returned the best bowling figures of 6-38 in his one game against Notts Amateurs.

The top performers:

Bowling:

Batting:

Sunday XI

In the first half of the season only 4 games were played on a Sunday. We beat Alrewas way back in April on a hot, sunny day thanks to 48 from Dave Nattrass and a good 8th wicket partnership between Tim Taylor and Alan Odell. The home win against Basford Mill was most memorable for the spell of 5 wickets without conceding a run by Justin. Imran hit a sparkling 68 in a losing cause at Kegworth. Nobody enjoyed the miserable, wet conditions at Snibston (our usual mid-summer fixture!)

In the second half of the season there were games against Pelican where Imran Khan (47 not out) and Nabeel Syed (25) put on 52 for the 6th wicket in just 7 overs, Broad Street (memorable for 2 things: Phil Herd's first 5 wicket haul for the club and Nigel Smith's first ever wicket) and Snibston (again). Against UHMCC Nabeel scored 50 and there were 3 wickets for Adam Burton. In mid-August Wilsons entertained Cardigan Road from Leeds. The game was dominated by a season best opening partnership of 134 between Jeff Moore (83) and Ray Smithson (59). In September Wilsons cruised to victory against Tudor (Eastwood) with a partnership of 104 between Stefan Boss (87 not out) and opener Jeff Moore.

There was also the excitement of the Coronation Sixes on Bank Holiday Monday.

The best partnerships by wicket, were: