Saracens Cricket Club

Tourists Saracens CC led a charmed life over the weekend when despite the deluge dumped by severe storms both matches were played in bright sunshine and personal landmarks were recorded.

The first game on Saturday against Mallorca’s 1st XI saw the homeside win the toss and elect to bat. Opening pair Paul Muckelberg and Eric George made swift progress. Muckelberg, once more in great form, posted his half century in just thirty four minutes at the crease. By the seventeenth over the duo had posted 103 when first change Matt Ayre made the crucial breakthrough bowling George for 22 thus ending a splendid opening partnership, then with just two added to the score Tony Bunyan demolished the wickets sending Muckelberg on his way for a commendable 62. A tuneful rendition ‘I love you baby’ from a fielder on the boundary was tribute to Bunyan’s effort. The musical theme continued as the now famous Ben Moss Cheerleaders celebrated the big man’s purchase of new cricket whites in song as he hit a couple of boundaries. Andy Nicholas hit a run a minute 21 before being trapped lbw by Bunyan with the score at 134 and Moss’s brief innings came to an end when Ayre bowled him for 11. Mallorca: 138-4. After such a promising start Mallorca’s fortunes began to wane. Steve Jury and Neil Cook picked up the pace adding 33 for the fifth wicket, but Charlie Knighton’s catch off Bigby. M. ended Cook’s stint of 18 with the board showing 171-5. Bigby had Jury lbw for 13 and when Paul Frazer was dismissed for nought by another splendid catch by Richard Young off father Andrew’s bowling in the thirty first over Mallorca didn’t look like achieving two hundred, but Andrew Clemence and Paul Heaton, making his debut after a year out due to injury, took up the challenge pushing the score to 232 before Andrew Young triumphed once more trapping Clemence lbw for 27. Heaton’s demise came at the hands of Richard Young fielding at deep mid-wicket; running backwards Young reached out and in an amazing feat of dexterity took a one handed catch off his father’s bowling. Heaton’s contribution: a satisfying 26. Skipper Jon Barratt swung his bat to great effect walloping a six and amassing an unbeaten 17 in just ten minutes at the crease. Jack Scholes finished on 2 not out with Mallorca’s final tally: 255-9 from the allotted 40 overs.

Saracens’ figures: Ayre: 8-2-23-2. Bunyan: 5-0-28-2. Young A. 8-0-53-4.

In reply Saracens lost a couple of early wickets when Mallorca, motivated by their committed skipper Jon Barratt, rolled into action. With 24 on the board Andy Nicholas, bowling from the mountain end rearranged Ayre’s stumps for 15. Nicholas dismantled the stumps once again as Andy Bigby failed to trouble the scorer, the board static on 24. Richard Young and Vincent Archer added 34 before ‘keeper Moss held a catch off Barratt to end Young’s innings of 17 in the fourteenth over. Saracens: 58-3. When Tony Bunyan joined Archer there was to be little reward for Mallorca’s bowlers thereafter. The pair, seemingly invincible, shared a formidable fourth wicket stand of 105 before Bunyan was dismissed by a determined Heaton for 35. Archer on 79 resolutely plugged away in the heat of the afternoon and when he dispatched a ball to the boundary to record his century Vince celebrated with much joyous leaping down the track. Finlayson got his marching orders when Muckelberg took a catch off Barratt dismissing him for 9. The two hundred came up in the thirty fourth over and with excitement growing Barratt held a catch to dismiss Young A for 9 off Heaton. Barratt claimed two further wickets skittling Knighton and Barlow for 1 and 6 respectively and despite Archer’s valiant effort Saracens fell some 22 runs short of the target, but what a splendid day’s cricket we had witnessed. Archer finished a tad weary but unbeaten with a glorious 120 and Yenney not out 6. Saracens: 233-8.

Jon Barratt’s figures: 8-1-38-4.

AYRE AND YOUNG IN SPLENDID FIRST WICKET STAND SECURE WIN FOR SARACENS  
Posted by: wendypeters, on 14/10/2010, in category "Match Reports"
Abstract: SARACENS HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE. MATT AYRE RECORDS 1,000 RUNS IN SEASON AND RICHARD YOUNG HITS DEBUT HALF CENTURY TO SECURE WIN AGAINST MALLORCA SUNDAY X1 

SUNDAY: After the overnight inundations no one expected to get the game underway, but due to the fantastic drainage properties at the Mallorca Cricket Ground play began some forty minutes after the appointed time. Mallorca’s Sunday XI batted first in the thirty over match with opening pair Rob Hughes and Peter Wilson making dogged progress against Saracens attack. With the score on 84 Wilson appeared to be on target for fifty, but star fielder Richard Young held a catch off Robins to send Wilson on his way with 43 to his credit in the eighteenth over. Ralph Maiden’s stint in the middle was curtailed when Bigby M bowled him for 2. Ayre finally dislodged the seemingly unshiftable Hughes in the twenty fifth over for 40 with the score on 109. Hijazy Yaseen injected some spark into the proceedings with an unbeaten 31, whilst Burnett and Moore both became Andrew Young victims for 4 and 7 respectively. Andy Murray finished on 4 not out. Mallorca’s score: 148-5 from the thirty overs.

Saracens’ figures: A. Young: 6-1-24-2.  M. Bigby: 6-1-20-1.

After tea Saracens’ juggernaut duo Matthew Ayre and seventeen year old Richard Young were more than determined to have their day in the sun and eager to redress the balance. When Ayre reached 49 a huge cheer went up from the Saracens’ camp and I was advised that Matthew had just achieved a career landmark; 1,000 runs in the season, which is quite a feat when one considers that Saracens only play around twenty fixtures… deserved congratulations indeed! Ayre and Young had put on a hefty 128 for the fall of the first wicket which came when Rob Hughes held a catch off Matthew Moore to dismiss Ayre for 59. More celebrations were forthcoming as Young recorded his debut half century, carrying his bat for an impressive 63 including ten boundaries, and fittingly hitting the winning run in the penultimate over. It had been a great performance from the youngster. Bigby A finished not out on 6.

Mallorca fielded three youngsters, Henry Cross, Sascha Goonesekera and Adib Yaseen all of whom performed well.