Canvey Island Cricket Club Results
Weekend 19-20th July 03

Saturday 
Great Totham II          213 all out
Canvey Island I           216-5       
Canvey lost by 5 wickets

 After the debacle of the Foulness defeat last week it was back to winning ways for Canvey on one of the smallest grounds known to man. It is no exaggeration to suggest that the square leg umpire could have stood on the boundary line. Boundaries aplenty were on the cards right from the off and so it proved. Keeping the run rate down to manageable levels was well-nigh impossible, and it was only the steady flow of wickets that kept Totham under wraps. John Gunn took 3 for 44 to prove the most successful bowler, but all the bowlers chipped in. Gunn’s figures suffered most from being the bowler conceding the most sixes, one of which struck high on the village hall roof, hit by a batsman only just in his teens. Canvey openers Paul Ward and Neil Casson set about the victory target with their usual gusto, Ward racing to another half-century, eventually falling for 72, but not before savaging 62 in boundaries. The pair registered their fifth century partnership of the season, and Casson went on to a more sedate 70 before falling with the victory in sight. It was left to Matt Snowdon to deliver the coup de grace, launching his first ball for 6 over the village hall for the biggest hit of the day and winning the match in the process.

Hullbridge              174-7
Canvey Island II     175-2    
Canvey won by 8 wickets

 This match proved to be the John Scammell show, as the Canvey opening bat emerged from a recent slump to smash a match-winning unbeaten 91 against a shoddy Hullbridge bowling attack. Scammell raced to his highest score of the season from only 85 balls and was ably assisted by Martin Robinson (26) and his son Paul Robinson (32 not out). Despite 70 not out from R. Shepherd, Hullbridge were unable to post a score anywhere close to a decent one on a flawless Smallgains track. Three run-outs undermined the innings in a superb fielding display from the Islanders, with Sam Collins also chipping in with 2 for 23 to emerge the pick of the bowlers.

Sunday   
Mulberry               232-5
Canvey Island       185-8     
Canvey lost by 47 runs

 A disappointing attack of gamesmanship from Mulberry’s Aussie opener Bridle marred this match, which threatened at one point to be developing into a genuine contest. Bridle had proved his quality with a succession of sumptious cover drives, and sweetly timed straight sixes before the controversy erupted. Clearly edging an attempted reverse sweep to slip Bridle started to walk, then changed his mind realising that the umpire hadn’t raised his finger. As if walking back wasn’t bad enough, Bridle later admitted that he knew he’d hit the ball, and with over a century to his name wasn’t prepared to play to the spirit of the game. This sourness spoiled an otherwise excellent spell from Terry Cockell, the unlucky bowler in the controversy, who claimed 3 wickets in one over to end with 3 for 40. Paul Ward set about the victory target as if there were only 30 overs to get it in not 40, smashing a quickfire 45 studded with boundaries including two rasping cover drives. A broken bat proved to be his undoing as he fell caught at midwicket next ball after a bat change. Darren Wainer (27) and John Gunn (27) attempted to keep up the momentum, but their downfalls proved to be the team’s downfall, Canvey coming up well short in the final reckoning.