Consett 2nd X1 Season Review 2016 by Andrew Cox
This season saw 29 players play in all competitions for the 2nd XI. This was our greatest strength, particularly in NTSL Division B2. There are a number of teams in this league that are regularly unable to field full teams due to unavailability of players. Meanwhile, mainly due to the hard work of those running the Sunday teams, we have a large squad of quality players from which to select the team.
Great thanks goes to all players, ground staff, scorers, tea makers, selectors, umpires, drivers, committee members and anyone else that contributed towards a very successful season for Consett Cricket Club. Long may the success continue both on and off the field. For the 2nd XI in particular, the team was able to finish 2nd place in the league with 301 points and therefore secure promotion to Division B1, the stated goal at the start of the season.
The batting performances making this possible came from Jamie Bradley who scored 508 runs in all competitions at 33.87 with a high score of 117, Matthew Kerswell's 220 at 15.17 (58*), Ian Cox's 215 at 14.33 (31*), David Bridge's 189 at 18.90 (63) and Stephen Turnbull's 183 at 15.25 (38).
The pick of the bowling performances came from Andrew Cox who took 33 wickets at 12.33 with a best of 5-11, Jamie Bradley took 31 at 8.58 (5-5), Matthew Kerswell took 21 at 18.00 (5-27), Wayne Greenwell took 19 at 9.95 (4-25) and Nathan Smith took 10 at 23.10 (3-63). Also note the success of both wicketkeepers with David Williamson taking 6 catches and 4 stumpings and Ryan O'Neill taking 3 catches and 6 stumpings. Simon Wilkinson also continued his exemplary finding with 5 catches and, most amazingly, Ian Cox also managed to cling on to 5!
We opened the season with a strong start beating Annfield Plain. We batted first and scored 158-6 with Philip Hunter leading the scoring with a very solid 38. They were then dismissed for just 56 with Andrew Cox taking 5-11, his best figures of the season.
A loss to Whickham, which featured 3-30 from Wayne Greenwell, was then followed by a strong, 124 run, victory over Greenside. This was an excellent all round batting performance from the team with scores from David Bridge (63), Daniel Pyke (58), Simon Wilkinson (40) and Wayne Greenwell (42). A very resilient batting performance followed from Greenside which saw them make 170-8 and a good bowling display from David Bridge (4-22).
Matthew Kerswell offered an excellent bowling display of 5-27 at home to Morpeth where they were only able to make 112 all out. We then chased this (114-4) with Ian Cox's 31* securing the victory. This game may be best remembered from the 78 year old John Douglas from Morpeth who both batted (5*) and bowled (1-12).
Alnwick away saw one of the most notable individual performances of a Consett player in 2016. Jamie Bradley secured his maiden century scoring 117 out of a total of 180-8, may this be the first of many. Alnwick replied with 95 all out where Daniel O'Sullivan dominated the bowling and took 5-4. A notable mention must go to Ryan O'Neill for his contribution to this game as well as David Shaw who took a fine catch in his 2nd XI debut.
Unfortunately, we lost at home to Leadgate which saw Jamie Bradley take 3-25 but were able to follow this up with a win away to Benwell & Wallbottle with Daniel O'Sullivan scoring 52 and David Bridge taking 3-26. At home to Seaton Burn (when the 1st XI were playing, and winning, at neighbours Shotley Bridge), they won the toss and elected to bowl. We amassed 195-8 featuring scores from David Bridge (55), Stephen Turnbull (33) and Matthew Kerswell (58). We then bowled them out for 24 in reply with Andrew Cox taking 5-14. Last minute call-ups to the 1st XI is often a frustration for 2nd XI captains on a Friday evening or Saturday morning. However, this game featured a Seaton Burn player being called up to the 1st XI as he had already begun to make his way out to field for the visitors. Possibly the latest last minute call up in history.
We overcame Bates Cottages (new to the league) in game that featured 4-26 from Andrew Cox and 30 from Nicholas Cook in a close game that may have proven vital at the end of the season. We then beat Annfield Plan with Jamie Bradley taking 3-19 and scoring 41 (from only 27 balls). This was followed by a strong team performance to beat Stocksfield with Jamie Bradley scoring 52, Wayne Greenwell 39 and Matthew Kerswell 33.
Again we lost to Whickham in a game that included a strong bowling performance from Nathan Smith (3-63) and good batting performances from Jamie Bradley (54) and Matthew Jackson (35). Hosting Greenside, we scored 214-8 with Jamie Bradley (38) and Matthew Jackson continuing their form and Nathan Smith scoring his maiden half-century with 51. We then dismissed them for 49 with Jamie Bradley taking 5-5 and Wayne Greenwell 4-25.
Jamie Bradley (3-15) and Matthew Kerswell (4-9) helped us beat Morpeth. We then hosted Benwell & Wallbottle and scored 154 all out (Jamie Bradley 30 and Stephen Turnbull 38) which was followed by a sustained rant from captain, Andrew Cox, that we had not scored enough runs and that the team needed to take more responsibility when batting. We then dismissed them for 36 with Jamie Bradley taking 4-1 and Andrew Cox taking 3-8. The wicket takers were helped by a strong bowling performance by Harry Davison who was able to keep the runs to a minimum at the other end.
The season closed with two disappointing losses to Cowgate (3-34 for Daniel Pyke) and Bates Cottages (3-26 for Jamie Bradley). The disappointment felt by the entire team was testament to how successful we had been that season. If we had been able to perform at the level we are more than capable of, then I am sure the league title could have been ours. It is with that in mind, that I call to all players to think what they can do to help the team secure their status in B1 with a successful 2017 season. I look forward to working with you towards this goal.