Saturday 7th September saw the completion of the season’s LCF league competition.
Metz, having won the league phase, had already qualified for the final, but the three other teams had to try to battle through a mini knock-out phase for the other place. WOCC+J, having finished only fourth in the league, started the day with a 15-over match against Arcelor Mittal.
All the batsmen contributed but the star was undoubtedly skipper, Joost Mees. After a careful start he raced to 70 from only 39 balls, including 3 sixes and 6 fours. Well supported by juniors William Cope and Timothy Barker, with 35 and 29 respectively, the WOCC + J innings closed on an impressive 164 for 4 in their 15 overs.
Facing such a target the AM batsmen were forced to go for it from the off and wickets tumbled regularly. The catching was safe and bowlers Mark Fitzgerald, 2 for 26 and Mike West, 3 for 26, reaped the benefits. AM folded to 89 all out in the 13th over leaving WOCC + J winners by a massive 75 runs.
This victory left WOCC + J to face league runners-up, the Black Stuff, in another 15 over match, for a place in the final. Following the departure of several seniors the new skipper, Mark Fitzgerald, called in two more junior reinforcements. A cracking start by the BS saw them race to 33 before debutant Dhritiman Kamat took a fine catch in the deep to stem the flow. The match then turned definitively when James Barker removed skipper Rick Young, stumped, and the dangerous Ben Lyon, caught, in the same over. Wickets now tumbled regularly and Dhritiman completed his dream debut with remarkable figures of 3 for 3 from only twelve balls, ably assisted by two more stumpings by William Cope. A total of 73 was not likely to pose a major challenge and Tim Andrews, with a quick 35 not out from 24 balls, soon brought victory in the 9th over by 8 wickets.
The final against Metz over the full 20 overs started in a steady drizzle with the new captain, Timothy Barker, inviting the visitors to bat first. Recovering from 45 for 4, and despite the wet outfield, some big hitting saw Metz reach a promising 75 for 4 at the half way stage. However, the situation now changed remarkably. Firstly another junior debutant, Max Vickers, took his second catch, a superb leap near the boundary. This was followed by a remarkable spell of bowling by Charlie Ramsden. Having taken a wicket in each of his first two overs he polished off the innings with three wickets in his fourth, to finish with the unlikely figures of 5 for 11. The sudden collapse left Metz all out for 102 in only their fifteenth over.
Confident of knocking off this total the home side were thwarted after only seven balls of their innings when the umpires considered the rain was now too heavy. Refuge in the Wendy brought discussions of reduced targets, DRS, a replay, match abandoned, etc, but eventually the rain relented and the umpires calculated a reduced and seemingly modest target of 52 from 10 overs. Very generously the Metz bowlers were keen to get going again immediately despite the treacherous conditions. It soon became apparent that the target was hardly a challenge, Timothy Barker and William Cope knocking off the runs with no problems to leave the home side winners by nine
wickets.
So, a somewhat damp afternoon saw the LCF league programme draw to a close with Juniors + WOCC, as it was by now known, taking the trophy from last year’s winners, Metz.
Thanks should be given to all the players who turned out on the finals day, as well as the umpires who ensured that the matches went ahead despite the less than ideal conditions!