Canvey Island Cricket Club Results

Weekend 11^th–12^th May

Saturday  
Canvey Island I            213-4
Burnham Sports II        161-9          
Canvey won by 52 runs

 The old cliché “a game of two halves” is often bandied around in footballing circles, but Smallgains provided the perfect example of an innings of two halves on Saturday as Canvey secured their second successive league victory. At the 20 over mark of their innings the scoreboard read an unimpressive 45-1. A small target beckoned, but with the half-way mark passed Canvey rapidly accelerated the scoring rate and set another customary demanding target. Much of the credit for this must go to Paul Ward, who played in his usual solid fashion for 65, and the Burrill brothers Les (29) and Richie (31), Les hitting another maximum for the third consecutive innings. A lusty cameo from Gary Burton (42) further enlivened proceedings. Richie Burrill then returned to produce a marvellous spell of pace bowling to claim 2 for 10 from 10 hostile overs. John Gunn also chipped in with 2 wickets as Canvey romped home.

Canvey Island II            168-8
Rayleigh III                   154 all out  
Canvey won by 14 runs

 Canvey edged home in a thriller against Rayleigh III by 14 runs to claim their first league win of the season. Rayleigh looked to be in the driving seat, needing only 43 runs from the final 10 overs with plenty of wickets in hand, but the game turned on an inspired spell from veteran Terry Castille. Castille made the crucial breakthrough by removing the dangerous Leighton (42), and then ripped through the remainder of the lower order on his way to 5 for 42. With Darren Wainer and Dave Higgins chipping in with 2 wickets apiece Canvey achieved a morale-boosting win. Wainer and Higgins had earlier been the heroes with the bat, with Higgins making a rapid 67 and Wainer a more sedate 24. Despite failing with the bat Dave Shroder showed his worth with 5 dismissals behind the stumps to propel Canvey to victory.

Sunday  
East Ham Corrinthians            264-6
Canvey Island                        216 all out       
Canvey lost by 48 runs

 When Paul Ward won the toss for Canvey on Sunday and elected to put the opposition in he could hardly have known that he was about to unleash such an avalanche of runs. Doyle (62) initially prospered for East Ham, but it was Aslam who really took the breath away. Coming to the wicket in the 21^st over he smashed the bowling to all parts, one ball landing on the bottle bank in the car park, as he amassed an awesome 105 not out. All this left Canvey with the proverbial mountain to climb. However, never ones to resist a challenge, Paul Ward and John Gunn decided to go for it from the off. Fully 93 runs came off the first 10 overs, as the two put on 123 for the first wicket. Ward was the one to take most advantage of the bowlers, raising his own 50 in only the 9^th over. He was particularly severe on Paz, taking 19 from his 4^th over, and 25 from his 5^th. Paz departed from the attack having gone for 62 off his 5 overs. Even the dismissal of Gunn for a quality 36 didn’t slow the scoring rate, and it was only when Ward was finally out for a magnificent 106 in the 25^th over that the innings faltered. Despite 21 from Darren Wainer Canvey eventually came up short, but not without contributing to a match of first-class entertainment.