Canvey Island Cricket Club Results

Weekend 17^th–18^th May

Saturday       
Canvey Island I            290-3
Rayleigh III                  128 all out    
Canvey won by 162 runs

 If batting the other team out of the game is the secret to success then Canvey have certainly been putting the theory to the test in the last few weeks. This was the third week that Canvey have batted first, the third time they have posted a score in excess of 200, and the third time they have emerged victorious. On this occasion they were at their most brutal as the challenge of Rayleigh III was dismissed with ease. No less than 14 times the ball was smashed over the rope, six times from the bat of Paul Ward, who compiled a season’s best 129, rapidly accelerating from 50 to 100 in only 8 overs. Richie Burrill was no less sparing of the Rayleigh bowlers, claiming five maximums on his way to 65 not out. Terry Snowdon also merrily smacked his way to 49, as Canvey compiled their highest score of the season on one of the most difficult wickets. Early on the Canvey pacemen found it difficult to gain the upper hand, but once Terry Cockell (3 for 21) made the initial breakthrough with his left-arm spin, veteran Gary Snowdon took centre-stage to claim 7 for 30, as Rayleigh were routed for a mere 128.

Canvey Island II            147-7
Brookweald III             148-4      
Canvey lost by 6 wickets

 Despite the best efforts of new skipper Dave Shroder, Canvey fell to a second defeat of the season against Brookweald. Appointed for his first match in charge, Shroder rose to the occasion in the best way possible, going in to open the Canvey innings and scoring his first half-century for three years. With only one other batsman reaching double figures, Shroder’s 50 took on even greater significance. Indeed without the 56 extras gifted by Brookweald, the Canvey total would have been a good deal lower. With the bowlers not firing on all cylinders and unable to dislodge Sampson (65) early on, Canvey were always up against it. Terry Castile returned the best analysis of 2 for 17, but it was not enough to stave off defeat.

 Sunday    
Canvey Island                   166-5
St. Ayden’s                       142 all out       
Canvey won by 24 runs

 John Gunn was the hero on Sunday as he guided Canvey home to a nail-biting victory over St. Aiden’s. With Connell (56) and Wyre (35) batting freely and only 70 runs required from the final 15 overs, Canvey did not look to be in the most promising of positions. Immediately upon entering the attack, Gunn pegged back the off-stump of Wyre and didn’t look back. Taking 5 wickets for the first time in three years, all bowled, Gunn swung the momentum right round. It was left to skipper Paul Ward to apply the coup de grace with two late wickets to gain Canvey a famous win. Ward had earlier been the star with the bat falling just short of a third consecutive century, with a typically classy 94. He shared in useful partnerships with both Les Burrill and debutant Ben Farnell, as Canvey overcame a rocky opening. In his first game for nearly ten years Farnell overcame some early ring-rust to stroke 32 useful runs, enabling Canvey to post what proved to be a match-winning total.