Saturday Fourth XI Results 2007 Date TW Score Opposition Score Venue Result Team 01/09/07 306 for 7 wkts Mottingham 57 all out Foots Cray RFC TWCC won by 249 runs TWCC IV XI The Fourth Team returned to batting form with a vengeance in their crucial last match of 2007 against Mottingham 2nds, thereby securing promotion with a massive and comprehensive 249-run victory. Winning the toss, Tunbridge Wells chose to bat, and started cautiously, reaching the drinks break at 93-2 from 23 overs. But things then rapidly changed as 213 runs were plundered from the next 23 overs to bring up a monster total of 306-7. Fifties from Jan Ball, Dave Thomas, Charlie Phelan and Tom Dowding (64,60,57 and 64* respectively) had the Mottingham bowling despatched to all corners of the ground, while setting a new Club record for the most such knocks in one single innings. Phelan's score came from just 23 balls and included 6 enormous sixes. In-form Captain Steve Green wasn't even needed to bat ... In all, 32 4s and 12 6s were clattered in the effort, yielding 200 runs in boundary hits alone. Mottingham appeared shellshocked after chasing the ball all over the field, and their batting collapsed to just 57 all out, with the wickets shared by Chris Dell, Tom Jenner, Matt Green, Emerson Wood and skipper Steve Green. The bowling was very accurate, as may be understood from the fact that eight of the Mottingham team were out bowled. Overall, this was an emphatic and complete victory to end the season, with promotion secured, and only a narrow margin denying the XI the Title in addition, and thus a storming and successful campaign was concluded. 25/08/07 115 all out Bexley Park 133 all out Bexley Park TWCC lost by 18 runs TWCC IV XI In a crucial match between second and third in the league, Tunbridge Wells came off second best. However, in taking 13 points from a loss, Wells were able to maintain a six-point gap over Bexley Park, and thus remain in one of the two promotion slots. Tunbridge Wells chose to bowl on a still-damp green wicket, and, despite steady opening bowling, the early breakthrough failed to materialise. Bexley Park put on 50 for the first wicket, but were pegged back by the spinners as skipper Steve Green (4-26) and Christian Dell (2-37) broke through repeatedly. Jan Ball (2-25) then returned to end the innings at 133, a total that seemed very gettable with a strong batting line-up. Things then started to go wrong as the top order was blown away to leave Wells in serious trouble at 18-4. Ed Shaw (21) joined Frank Ormsby (27) to build a recovery, but wickets fell at regular intervals, and Wells ended up 115 all out, leaving S.Green stranded on 15 not out. Wells now head into their last game of the season needing a victory to secure promotion - the climax to a highly successful first-off campaign. 11/08/07 164 for 9 wkts Highways 61 all out Cobdown SSC TWCC won by 103 runs TWCC IV XI The Fourth XI opted to bat first upon winning the toss, but struggled to make headway despite fine batting from Frank Ormsby (32) and Andrew Wood (24). The score reached 99-8 with some twenty overs remaining when skipper Steve Green extracted 65 more runs from the tail, excellent support coming from Matthew Green and Phil Robinson. Indeed, the unbroken tenth partnership posted a record 38 runs, and S.Green recorded a maiden fifty, going on to carry out his bat for 60, thus setting up a competitive target while using up the available overs. The reply never really got started as M.Green (4-18) and Martin Phillips (2-25) reduced the home innings to 7-4. Raj Mitta (30) showed defiance but his solo effort merely delayed the inevitable, the final four wickets falling for ten runs as Christian Dell (3-12) cleaned up, and victory came to Wells by 103 runs, the innings lasting just 17.5 overs. Captain Steve Green played a matchwinning knock from the number nine spot, despite carrying a leg injury, and saw his side to a tenth victory out of twelve games played. 04/08/07 190 for 7 wkts Bexley Park 184 for 8 wkts Upper Nevill TWCC won by 6 runs TWCC IV XI Tunbridge Wells IV XI won a very tight game by just 6 runs against Bexley Park 2nd XI, their promotion rivals. Four 13-year-olds playing in the side all provided excellent contributions to go with all the Tunbridge Wells youngsters, but the key performances came from Mushy Khan and Sam Watts bowling tightly at the death. Eleven runs were required from the final over, and Watts took the vital wicket of Paul Hewagama (29), and Bexley Park could then only manage four of the required runs thus letting the Wells in for the win. In a game reduced to forty overs each, due to traffic problems, Steve Niker won the toss and elected to bat. The innings was built around an excellent 53 from Greg Brunger, with supporting contributions from most of the batsmen - Mushy Khan scoring 21 in his first senior game, and a controlled knock of 18 by Nick Manser adding 50 for the 4th wicket with Brunger. It was left to Josh Brockman (19 not out), scoring his first runs in senior cricket, and Niker (17 not out, which included a huge leg-side six) to add a vital 43 runs for the 8th wicket in the final 7 overs to get the score to a challenging 190. Tom Baxter and Loz Taylor struck early blows, but N.Fisher (31) and S.Austin (57) kept Bexley Park ahead of the required run-rate. At the half way stage, Bexley Park were 103-4 with Austin batting very well. Vital wickets from Paul Burley pegged the visitors back, before Austin fell to a splendid running catch by Burley off Taylor. The Wells fielding and bowling performance was lifted by support from the First Team, and it was left to Mushy Khan and Sam Watts to restrict the Bexley Park batsmen, and the Wells to record an excellent victory over a spirited and competitive Bexley Park side. 28/07/07 115 all out Old Brockleians 116 for 0 wkt Upper Nevill TWCC lost by 10 wkts TWCC IV XI The Fourth XI, accustomed to 'walking on water', felt the cold wind of defeat for the first time, as League Leaders Old Brockleians overwhelmed the young side in exacting a ten-wicket win at the Upper Nevill. Winning the toss and batting, Wells were indebted to Greg Brunger (47) for putting together any kind of target total, supported briefly by Tom Jenner and Christian Dell. The visiting attack were not otherwise extended, and all of the bowlers returned impressive figures. Just 33 overs were taken up at the crease, Wells leaving some twelve overs unused, and thus to the benefit of OBs. The reply equally was untroubled, and, strangely, the Wells bowling was innocuous against the openers, who took just a little more than 36 overs to reach the required total. Number two Jon Dummer added to his 2-16 with an accomplished undefeated 70, and the chase was ended with an almost unreal simplicity. Wells took no points from the game for the first time in the campaign, yet still hold on to second spot, albeit now 37 points off the lead. 14/07/07 263 for 8 wkts Mottingham 58 all out Upper Nevill TWCC won by 205 runs TWCC IV XI Winning the toss, TWCC batted, and proceeded to run up a highly impressive total, built around a controlled and hard-hit 90 from Frank Ormsby. With Will Arthur, 61 runs were posted for the fourth wicket, while Ormsby and Tom Jenner (44*) added 62 for the sixth partnership. With contributions down the list, and a runrate maintained at almost six-per-over throughout, Wells' young XI rattled up a total which would prove to be difficult to chase down. In all, Ormsby claimed nine fours and one six. Mottingham barely got going as Caspian Paget - on debut - sent down two spells which netted him 5-12, unassisted in the field, with four clean-bowled and one LBW. Skipper Steve Green also weighed in, and Mottingham subsided to 58 all out with almost fifteen overs unused. Opener Colin Nixon carried his bat for an undefeated 25, but he alone reached double figures, and the chase dissolved into defeat by a massive 205 runs. All of the Wells' bowling analyses were remarkable. The Fourth XI thus maintained their unbeaten status in the 2007 campaign, and still hold a game in hand over the league leaders, whose positions above are being closely chased down. 07/07/07 150 all out Betsham II 130 all out Betsham TWCC won by 20 runs TWCC IV XI Tunbridge Wells IV XI won a tight, low scoring game vs Betsham 2nd team by 20 runs. After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Wells found scoring difficult against some good Betsham bowling (Peter Reardon 3-19 and Tom Reardon 3-24). However, the innings was rescued by the two youngest players – Nick Manser (13 years old) scoring 29 with two sixes and Sam Watts (12 years old) holding the innings together with a fine, top-scoring, 36 runs. Tom Baxter and Andy Wood also provided useful runs. In reply Betsham lost wickets at regular intervals, but with opener Peter Reardon occupying the crease they still had a chance – he was finally eighth man out for a fine 64, well caught on the boundary by Liam Flint. Skipper Steve Green ended up with 3-12, making up for being out first ball earlier (believed to have been an unplayable delivery!). Matt Green picked up 2-19, but probably best bowler for Wells on the day was an unlucky Lawrence Taylor (1-8) who opened with a very fiery spell that deserved more wickets. With another victory, Wells maintain their position near the top of the table, with a game in hand over the leaders. 16/06/07 253 for 9 wkts O.Wilsonians 103 all out Old Wilsonians CC TWCC won by 150 runs TWCC IV XI Tunbridge Wells IV XI won their fifth game of the season away to Old Wilsonians IV XI by 150 runs, and remain undefeated in the campaign. Wells were asked to bat, and compiled an excellent 253-9, largely thanks to 102 from David Thomas and 58 from 14-year-old Tom Dowding. Thomas hit eleven fours and five huge sixes (one smashing tiles on the pavilion roof), reaching his century in just 89 balls. Sam Watts, just 12 years old, made 27, and supported Thomas in a partnership of 93 runs for the fifth wicket. Andrew Kemp then smashed 26 from just 14 balls at the end of the innings. A mostly young 'Old' Wilsonians attack bowled well, with Stapleton (3-54) and Scott (2-14) the pick, but they tired towards the end of the innings. In reply Wilsonians were kept behind the run-rate required thanks to steady opening bowling from Martin Phillips (1-15) and 14 year old Matthew Green (1-16 from 9 overs). Wells fielding was excellent and pressure to increase the tempo led to Wilsonians collapsing from 66-2 to 103 all out. The spinners did the damage, with skipper Steve Green taking 5-17, and Thomas claiming the man-of-the-match award by adding 2-12 to his earlier century. 02/06/07 337 for 4 wkts (46 overs) Blue Star II 119 all out NW KentCollege TWCC won by 218 runs TWCC IV XI After winning the toss and deciding to bat on a green and slow wicket, Tunbridge Wells youngsters amassed a mammoth 337 in their 46 overs. This score was built around an excellent 98 not out from Tom Dowding, who just failed to get a maiden hundred, when he lost the strike on the penultimate ball of the innings. Charlie Phelan (79), and a whirlwind 58 by David Thomas, which included six sixes, savaged the Blue Star attack. Dowding, just fourteen years old, played patiently, as he knocked the ball around, giving the strike to the belligerent Phelan, who hit 3 sixes and 10 fours in an explosive innings. Their partnership of 122 was the basis for Wells large score. After scoring his maiden league fifty, Dowding accelerated, and put on 127 for the unbroken fourth wicket with David Thomas. Blue Star started off with intent, as Mahmood rushed to 23, but two wickets in two balls from Andy Wood, and a smart run-out by Freddie Ray, reduced the home innings to 23-3. Freddie Florry bowled without luck initially, but finished up with 4-25 in 10 overs on return from injury. This was backed by Freddie Ray’s 2-13. Gary Streatfield (47) offered resistance, but was thrown when his colleagues clapped for a fifty prematurely, and he was out caught trying to make his fifty in style. Florry wrapped up the innings with three wickets in one over. The victory, when it came, was concluded by the enormous margin of 218 runs in TWCC's favour. This leaves Wells at the top of their division, with further promising displays from their youngsters bringing about this accomplishment. 26/05/07 66 for 2 wkts Old Brockleians 191 for 9 wkts Old Brockleians Match abandoned TWCC IV XI Frustratingly, rain in South London at 5.45pm brought this excellent top-of-the-table clash to a premature close. The game was evenly balanced at the halt, although the Tunbridge Wells youngsters were worrying the experienced Old Brockleian side. Old Brockleians batted first, and started positively with G.Coasby (33) anchoring their innings at 4 an over in the first 10 overs. They were pegged back by the father and son combination of Matt and Steve Green; Matt had the batsmen struggling with his seamers, whilst Steve's spinners (3-20) appeared to give the Wells full control. However, a big hitting innings of 46 by Ollie Barnes looked to be taking the game away from the visitors until S.Green produced a slower off-break to remove him. This breakthrough began a minor collapse, as the home side had no answer to Sam Watts (3-10) in two overs. On an uneven pitch with a rugby outfield, wicket-keeping was extremely difficult, costing Wells 24 byes and 31 wides. A second-wicket partnership of 48 between Charlie Phelan (32) and Barnie Shaw (21 not out) had led the Wells to 66-2 after 12.3, with Tom Dowding (8 not out) looking in excellent form, when the rain got too heavy to continue. Both elevens took 10 points from the encounter. 19/05/07 215 for 5 wkts OD CUACO 81 all out Beckenham TWCC won by 134 runs TWCC IV XI A brilliant and mature innings of 129 not out by the 14 year old, Barnie Shaw, was the foundation for the Wells score of 215-5. Opener Shaw overcame the difficult conditions that had seen the Wells reduced to 16-3 after 5 overs, and carried his bat to score his second hundred for the club. This was his first league hundred. His 50 came up in 24 overs and 100 in 40 overs. Shaw’s innings was based on some excellent cover-driving, and then punishment of OD and Cuaco’s tiring bowlers. He hit 17 boundaries, including 3 sixes. A partnership with skipper Steve Green (23) of 86 provided the base for the Wells score. This was followed by a partnership of 80 in 16 overs with 13 year old Sam Watts (32), whose leg-side hitting shows large potential. Barnie Shaw then finished his innings with two large sixes, as he added 33 in the last four overs with his father, Ed Shaw. OD Cuaco were bowled out for 81. They had little answer to the spin of Steve Green and Jack Wood, Green taking 4-21. Matt Green bowled an excellent spell of 1-11, with James Emmett’s 2-12 finishing off the tail. Sharp fielding by Tom Ford and James Emmett brought two run-outs. Tunbridge Wells Cricket Club are starting to reap the benefit of their Colts policy and the benefit of this year running a 4th XI playing in The Kent Feeder League West. They recorded their third win in succession. 12/05/07 135 for 5 wkts Old Wilsonians IV XI 129 for 8 wkts Upper Nevill TWCC won by 5 wkts TWCC IV XI Stand-in Skipper, Steve Niker, won the toss and inserted the Old Wilsonians in this Kent Cricket League Feeder game played on the Nevill Car Park Ground. A tight opening spell from Andrew Kemp and Andy Wood had OW's at 9-1 off 7 overs, Kemp getting a wicket in his third over. Emmerson Wood bowled the dangerous Jason Gundry-White (26) in his first over, and Barnie Shaw grabbed two wickets to reduce the OW's to 46-4 off 16 overs. A welcome debut for left-arm spinner, Paul Burley, produced a spell of 3-12 off 8 overs at the death, backed by young Sam Watts, who bowled 4 good overs when OW's were trying to hit their way out of trouble. Matt Groves (38 not out including three sixes) enabled OW's to reach 129-8 in their 38 overs. An excellent innings by birthday boy Charlie Phelan (78 not out with 13 boundaries - 9 4's and 4 6's), led the Wells to victory. It was fitting that his father, Paddy, vice-president of TWCC, was watching - to celebrate CP's birthday as well. The Wells started positively with opener Emmerson Wood hitting three boundaries, and Phil Beresford making 17, however it was Phelan who dominated the innings with some strong shots to leg and some clean straight hitting. The OW's stuck to the task and promising youngster, Aaron Steel took 2-10. The Wells 4th. XI cantered to a 5-wkt-win, and are now in second place in their league, which would gain them promotion if they maintain this position. 05/05/07 156 for 9 wkts Blue Star II 75 all out Upper Nevill TWCC won by 81 runs TWCC IV XI Tunbridge Wells 4th XI recorded their first win in the Kent West Feeder League, with their mix of fathers, Colts coaches, sons and a couple of senior players. (The Judd-Skinners School matches had unfortunately seen to the absence of a large part of the Colts contingent marked down for selection). TW Skipper Steve Green lost his first League toss, and some excellent seam bowling by Hill soon reduced the Wells to 5-3, later pulling back to 31-4 from 11 overs. Opener Martin Watts had withstood this collapse, and, with Nick Beck (62 not out), led a revival with sensible front-foot batting. The need to play out the overs was carefully met, with youngsters Tom Ford and Sam Watts both producing excellent shots in their innings to suggest better things to come during the season. Beck’s 62 included 9 boundaries, and partnerships with Watts, Steve Niker and Ed Shaw added vital runs - 54 coming in the last 10 overs to give Wells a target to defend. Blue Star’s innings mirrored the home performance, Ed Shaw and Andy Wood both taking a couple of wickets in a lively opening session, Andy Wood being given much encouragement by son, Jack. Blue Star were reduced to 30-4 after 10 overs. With Shaw putting in an excellent spell, Steve Green grabbed the vital fifth wicket, just when Blue Star looked to rally with some lusty hitting. Young leg-spinner Jack Wood then took two wickets in successive balls - and had a catch dropped as well – during the latter stages, however it was fitting that Shaw should take the final wicket in his 12th over to complete a five-wicket-haul and a notable victory.