Soham Grammar School Summer 1970
Cricket - Interim Report
We were pleased to start this cricket season with eight boys who have had some First XI experience. These included Ritson and Oakman, captain and vice-captain respectively. On paper this looked a reasonably good nucleus around which to build a side, though unfortunately Oakman has so far been prevented from playing as a result of injury. Altogether a group of fifteen boys have turned out regularly for practice and have shown commendable enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
Our record so far (till mid-June) has been a little disappointing; in fact we sustained defeats in our first two matches, against Bury and Ramsey. In both these games our batting was a little diffident and elementary mistakes were made in calling and running between the wickets. Fielding and catching at this stage were also below par. Much effort has since been put into improving these weaknesses and in our last three matches, against Newmarket, Thetford and Newport, we have managed one victory and two creditable draws. The side is now beginning to develop an essential team spirit.
Once again this year our strength has been in our bowling. King is developing into a very useful left arm spinner and his variations of flight have caused opposing batsmen a great deal of trouble. At Newport, with 8 for 49, he produced by far the best bowling performance of the season to date and his figures of 3 for 7 at Newmarket and 3 for 30 at Thetford are a mark of his consistency. Martin, Walker and Ritson, our seam bowlers, have shared the opening attack. Martin, still very young, is a left arm bowler of great promise and should be a valuable member of the First XI in years to come. As yet he has not had the success that he deserves but his figures of 5 for 10 at Newmarket were very encouraging.
Ritson (3 for 16 against Bury) and Walker (3 for 20 against Thetford) have both turned in creditable performances.
Our batting, however, has lacked confidence and consistency; in fact Cox is the only batsman to have scored double figures regularly. Nonetheless, players like Ritson, King, R Murfitt, Bond, R Brown and S Brown all have the ability to score runs, and have done so. With more careful application of the basic principles of batting tempered with a greater urgency to score runs they should be more successful in the remainder of the season.
A word of praise is due to Ritson for his handling of the side and to King, his able deputy at Newmarket. Both these players have injected much enthusiasm into the side.
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last update 1 Dec 2007