The fast and the furious!
It may be getting dark outside around 4pm, but a hardy group of Sherston magnalons have been continuing the battle between willow and leather (well plastic) in the Chippenham Indoor League. The format consists of a game of 10 overs per side and is completed in approximately an hour. The league consists of 8 teams each playing each other once before the league splits (top 4 and bottom 4) for another 3 games.

We joined the league last winter and proceeded to win division 2 and promotion to the top division. This year we have been competing against large established clubs like Chippenham, Bradford-on-Avon and Biddestone. After 5 games we have won 3 and lost 2 and sit in 4th place (joint second on points but having an inferior run rate).

DIVISION 1
Played     Won Run Rate Points
Chippenham        5    4     1.94         8
Bradford        5    3     1.92         6
Winsley A        5    3     1.92         6
Sherston        5    3     1.66         6
Biddestone A    5    2     1.68         4
Winsley B        5     2     1.66         4
Box                5     2     1.62         4
Spye Park A        5     1     1.77         2

Game 4 – SMCC won by 1 wicket
Winsley B 101-2 (60)
SMCC 102-5 (57)
SMCC Team – J Harmer (c/wkt), H Stevens, C Lovell, I Gould, A Pegg, M House
Winsley batted first and scored a slightly under par score without losing wickets. A solid bowling performance which kept the runs down towards the end of the innings.
SMCC started the chase with purpose with Stevens (22), Lovell (23) and Harmer (24) all losing their wicket before being given the chance to retire. Gould (18) continued the fight supported by Pegg and House but wickets kept falling and when Gould fell with 4 balls remaining, House was left as last man standing with 5 still required. House,
although being an aussie, didn’t crumble under pressure from the English and saw us home with 3 balls remaining, although he was denied the winning runs by a wide.
Man of the Match – House, tight bowling spell and some calm under pressure saw us home

Game 5 SMCC won by 5 runs
Sherston Magna 113-5 (60)
Spye Park A 108 ao (57)
SMCC Team – J Harmer (c), M Goodwin (wkt), R Cartwright, I Gould, A Pegg, M House

Spye Park won the toss and chose to bowl, a steady start from Cartwright and Goodwin (retired 25 not out) before losing a few wickets in the middle. Harmer was run out in strange circumstances when an instinctive hook saw him caught off a no ball, and in the confusion was run out when Gould attempted a single. Gould (retired 25 not out) stayed in and continued to run well between the wickets supported by the tail (Yes – even Pegg scored 9!). Goodwin returned to the fray to boost his score to 41 before he and the returning Gould (26) fell in the last over.
House, Gould and Pegg bowled well (Cartwright also attempted to break E Kenny’s 15 ball over SMCC record) with pace and guile starting off but some lusty hitting left Spye Park needing only 36 off 4 overs with 5 wickets remaining.
An incredible over from Gould then occurred with a wicket and just 3 runs came off over 7. This was followed by two more tight overs and a couple of wickets and Spye Park needed 11 off last Pegg over with one wicket left. A run out ended the game with 6 runs needed.

Man of the Match – Gould, bowled us back into the game and kept the innings together with the bat.
Upcoming Indoor fixtures
20th Jan – Chippenham to be rearranged
3rd Feb – Box 5.30pm
17th Feb TBC