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Blog headlines

  • AVCC v Keevil
    25 September 2016

    Well, I thought I would let the autumnal weather kick in before doing the final match report of the season…giving you something to miss, besides cricket, for a good few months. Today’s offering will warm your heart, lift your spirits and make you dream of leather on willow until Spring’s rays warm us again. Indeed, many records have been broken! Read on.

  • Urchfont v AVCC
    11 September 2016

    With autumn closing in, but the last vestiges of blue skies and fluffy white clouds around, AVCC arrived at Urchfont, with just 10 men to face the mighty Urchfont. Good lads, but this time well reinforced with 1st teamers who were competitive, young and very keen.

  • Collingbourne v AVCC
    4 September 2016

    Wow…a match report at long last. Well I’ve been sulking since the gripes from Avebury, but I couldn’t let the last match pass without recording sterling tales of daring-do. The feats are worth recording and reading.

  • AVCC v Burbage
    14 August 2016

    Well, that'll teach me to check emails before leaving to play!

  • AVCC v Avebury
    6 July 2016

    AVCC took the field in what has become unfortunately our trademark (without 11 cricketers).

  • AVCC v Bishops Cannings
    26 June 2016

    On a dull, rainy day, we welcomed a new fixture - Bishops Cannings - at Rushall.

  • AVCC vs Collingbourne (20/20)
    23 June 2016

    Well despite the floods and heavy rains blanketing most of the country, our game went ahead at home on Thursday evening vs our nearby friends of Collingbourne. Pitch was green, skies were grey and heavy, and rain threatened. We were voting for Brexit that day and so it was a day of great portent, much debate and history (although the author had wisely voted weeks before by postal vote).

  • Avebury vs AVCC
    5 June 2016

    Summer arrived and off we went to Avebury’s picturesque ground alongside the pre-historic landscape of man’s greater designs from long before even Dudley and I took up willow in our hands.

  • AVCC v Collingbourne
    2 June 2016

    Well, another cold, windy night and we arrived at Collingbourne for a 20/20 game. Long grassy outfield, undulating track and a new look AVCC.

  • Chitterne vs AVCC
    23 May 2016

    Braving the showers of a typical British Sunday, we took on the good gentlemen of Chitterne.

  • AVCC v Marden
    15 May 2016

    Well the sun shone, for a worthy cause. Remembering Richard Cox, a good friend of many in Upavon and Marden, who passed away in 2000. This match is a charity match, with all match fees, fines and donations going to his favourite charity - the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, and all prizes being handed out by his widow, Mary who attended the game with a number of friends.

  • Poulshot v AVCC
    11 May 2016

    With the heavy rain that fell in Wiltshire yesterday it was debatable whether we would get a game or not; but as the start of play grew closer the clouds decide to stop dropping rain in the area of Poulshot.

  • Aldbourne v AVCC
    8 May 2016

    Wow...what a scorcher this Sunday turned out to be. Felt like summer had arrived finally. Felt like a day for daring deeds and cricket.

  • FOSS v AVCC (20/20)
    3 May 2016

    Well it finally happened… the sun was shining, and with no practice sessions behind us, we turned up for our first fixture of the season to face the Friends of Stonehenge School (FOSS) at the new Centenary Pavilion Ground in Amesbury. A new venue for us, and a new fixture. It was a 20/20 match, and so high excitement beckoned.

 
 

2016

Sunday, 25 September 2016

AVCC v Keevil

Well, I thought I would let the autumnal weather kick in before doing the final match report of the season…giving you something to miss, besides cricket, for a good few months. Today’s offering will warm your heart, lift your spirits and make you dream of leather on willow until Spring’s rays warm us again. Indeed, many records have been broken! Read on.

Well we played our last game of the season, at home, against the mighty Keevil, who sent a strong team down to Rushall to play us. it was good timing for them. We had had our annual Barn Dance the night before, and most of the team were full of burgers. sausages, sore feet and alcohol. Actually, the Zimbabwean contingent (Matt and Jeremy) were still pretty inebriated from the the night before. We celebrated Middlesex’s Championship win and felt good, and sad that it was the season finale.

If, as an omen, the heavens opened 20 minutes before the scheduled start and soaked the pitch, making it soft and spongey despite the best efforts of Nigel Wookey.

Not to be deterred, captain Campbell won the toss and put us into bat. Much grumbling from VC, Graham, who pointed out that we had never beaten these guys batting first.

We only had 10 players - although the junior Campbell brood turned up mid innings. But it was strong. Simon Borthwick and Angus Harley went out to open; confident and loose. Unfortunately, Simon returned shortly after in the first over for a duck, 5-1 being the score. Not the start we hoped for. It was a long afternoon for Simon umpiring, and a long winter to the next knock.

Matt Boothway (can finally spell his name as Jeremy kept the book) went out to bat, quite drunk and very loose. No messing around, a couple of 4’s to open up with and off we went. 25-1 off 4 overs as Matt opened up and then unfortunately, Angus was caught in the 5th over for 8 off the same bowler (Garrett) who had Simon caught. Sad; Angus had looked steady.

Greg Caswell joined Matt at the crease and mayhem commenced as the pair of them hit out and tonked Keevil around the ground. For a top league side, these two showed no respect. Unfortunately, Matt went for a fine 29 in the 11th over, with the score on 65-3. he hit 5 fine 4’s.

Then entered the 2nd of the Zimbabwean twins of terror - Jeremy Richards. More drunk than Matt. He looked technically correct but clearly was too worse for wear to run, and at one point looked like he was going to throw up after a single. Not his normal gazelle like running today. No worries! Instead, Jeremy played his finest and (personal record) top-scoring innings for AVCC and bludgeoned 79 off the bowling with 11 good 4’s and 3 mighty 6’s. Beats running any day. Great innings. Not sure how many balls he was seeing out there, but he hit all of them until he was caught.

Captain Campbell strode in, surveyed the scene, flexed his shoulders to continue the momentous hitting, and came back shortly afterwards for a duck; very unexpected. Ben Jones came in and held his end up for a quick 15 at the end, but still there, quietly adding to his runs was Greg who made 77 not out (a personal record for AVCC I believe). Great innings, and not even inebriated unlike most of his batting partners.

227-5 the innings ended. For you “state’s” out there….a record 35 overs score for AVCC. Also, this is now the NEW GROUND RECORD by AVCC. Yes…taking it back, from believe it or not….Keevil. Well done and magnificent performance.

Tea was had. Great chocolate cake from Nicki, and we were ready to take the field as we had something to really defend now.

Felt hard at front as their openers hit everything hard and long, and they were quickly 60 in the 8th over, before the first wicket fell to young Alex Richardson - caught and bowled. Having seen some of our drunken fielders, it was wise decision to catch off your own bowling as though Jeremy could hit 2 balls at the crease, he was clearly having trouble picking the right ball in the field to get to.

Once we had broken the partnership, Simon Campbell bowled a tasty spell and got their other opener on 44. After that, they slowly capitulated as the blowing tightened. Ben Jones tool 2 wickets, bowling a good line and a mix of balls; Matt Boothway got his first 3 wickets for the club at the end with a 2-3 spell (most excellent), and young Jack Campbell took his maiden club wicket, as well as a good catch…thus contributing more than his dad that day…I am sure that would have been a good talking point at home. Graham Newland picked up the other wicket with a smart stumping from Bruce Carter.

Keevil finished on 160-9 and we were winners for our last game by 67 runs.

Good season; sorry to see it end. We were unbeaten in May, clear winners and champions in September, and unlucky to lose all in between. We have had many individual scoring records this year (including 2 in this match), and twice we have broken our innings scoring records for 35 overs..including setting our home ground record with 227 in this match. Graham achieved 25 wickets..a first for the club…in the season…..so overall much to celebrate and look forward to next season…