Fovant Home – 6th May 2012

Swanage entertained newly promoted Fovant at Day’s Park with a weakened side, short on bowling, on a dog of a day where the dark heavy clouds never lifted and the thermostat didn’t get up past 7C.

Fovant were inserted in to bat and were soon in trouble with Ricky King and Ben Baczala making early in-roads, dismissing the top three batsmen cheaply. Fovant’s captain, Tim Pearce, played a real skipper’s innings, grinding out 71 important runs without giving his wicket away, to get his side to a competitive 157-8 off 40 overs.

Swanage will be very disappointed that they didn’t perform particularly well after their early successes which had Fovant on the rocks at 40-4.

After tea Swanage were soon in trouble until Ian Booth and Lewis Kirby consolidated at two wickets down. Booth (15) was caught behind off a beautiful away swinging delivery which brought last year’s “Shave it all off” champ, King, to the wicket to join his pal Kirby.

Together they steered the Swanage ship to a winning position, only to find out late in the innings that the scoreboard, illustrating Fovant had reached 154, was actually 3 runs short of what was required. Unfortunately, inexperience in the middle order struggled to contend with this extra run-an-over requirement and panicky shots got both Kirby (41) and King (31) out in quick succession before Jordan Bishop and Baczala attempted valiantly to save the day.

Ultimately, Swanage were left 6 runs short of their target with 4 wickets in hand.

But credit must go to visiting captain Pearce, who bowled superbly as well, for leading his troops from the front with creativity and calm.

Swanage picked up 11 points by virtue of getting so close, and Fovant picked up 17 points, which was a good reflection of a tight game played in an excellent spirit even though the weather was more appropriate for a game of rugby in November than a game of cricket in May.

Winton Away – 13th May 2012

Swanage travelled to King George V ground in Ferndown to face Winton in their latest Longham Garden Machinery Dorset Sunday Division One fixture in broad daylight, but in a chilly wind that kept the jumpers on and the thermostat in the mid-teens.

Swanage skipper Ron Barker lost the toss and was pleasantly surprised to be inserted in to bat on a very decent deck given the amount of rain the area had received in the last several weeks.

Francis Kerins, fresh from his superbly crafted 97 against a fine Ferndown Wayfarers attack in the Dorset Saturday Premier League the previous week, opened up with Matt Thomas, and both openers showed excellent powers of concentration and patience as they sought to see of the new ball.

Swanage had steadily reached 36 off 12 overs before Kerins was bowled, bringing Ian Booth to the crease to join Thomas, who was just starting to warm up and had showed glimpses of his brilliance with some smoking cover drives and balanced cut and pull shots.

Booth and Thomas had to work hard when Charl van Wyk came on at the Tesco’s End to wheel away with his off-spinners. van Wyk bowled superbly, going for just 8 runs off his 8 overs, but with Tom Heyes showering it all over the place from the other end, the batsmen were allowed to still score at 4 an over throughout van Wyk’s spell.

Heyes really struggled with his length and at one stage it was thought he’d injured his toe with the ball after one particularly short delivery, but his ailment was more shoulder and back.

After 30 overs Swanage were well placed at 130-1 before Thomas (70) holed out at mid-off off Pierre van Wyk’s left-arm seam, bringing Lewis Kirby to the crease.

Kirby valiantly attempted to run Booth out off his first ball – clearly the blob race still fresh in the man’s mind! – before being bowled by P van Wyk shortly thereafter.

King (28) and Booth pushed the rate on in a blitz quick partnership of 57, with Booth scoring freely now, before Booth holed out to deep midwicket for an enterprising 63.

With wickets in hand Swanage kept scoring well, the highlight being Ryan Norman’s (19) bongo antics to smash 12 runs off the final over, leaving Swanage on an excellent 201-6 off 40 overs.

After an amazing tea – our heartfelt thanks to the Winton caterers – Swanage opened up with King (2-17) and Norman and soon had Winton in all sorts of trouble. Norman bowled superbly, cleaning up Winton’s top three batsmen in his first spell, before the introduction of the miserly Baczala and skipper Ron Barker’s off-spin.

Baczala bowled tighter than a Scotsman in a recession but was unrewarded wicket wise in his 8 overs, going for just 11 runs. Barker, however, cashed in on his bowling partner’s deep pockets and short arms, to claim a brace and finished with 2-19.

Booth (3-16), operating in tandem with Barker after tea, also snaffled a few wickets, drawing Winton’s mainstay in to a false shot off a delightfully flighted delivery to be caught at midwicket by Jordan Bishop.

King and Norman (4-19) then proceeded to clean up the tail, bowling Winton out for just 96.

Swanage host newly promoted Christchurch next Sunday and will look at bring their form of conscientious batting and top notch bowling and fielding to the fore again in what should be another highly entertaining performance.

Christchurch Home – 19th May 2012

The Swanage Sunday First XI continued their bright start to the 2012 season with a very convincing win against new boys Christchurch at Swanage’s Days Park on Sunday, beating the visitors by 100 runs on what turned out to be a lovely day for cricket without any hint of wet or “two jumpers” chill in the air, except for South African Ian Booth who thinks anything less than 26C is winter.

Skipper Ronny Barker was unavailable for this fixture and so Lewis Kirby was afforded his Sunday skippering debut and, much to the delight of his team, won the toss and elected to bat on a fair deck, brilliantly prepared by the evergreen Tom Yeates, who – while clubs left, right and centre have been clamouring for the phone to advise opposition teams that games are off – has not lost a game to rain the entire season thus far. Nor the pre-season either.

Digressions aside, Matt Thomas and Mike Nash opened up against Wimborne & Colehill’s Premiership opening bowler Mike Kitson and J Dugan. Nash, seeing triple but aiming for middle, was on smoking form from ball one and never let the bowlers settle.

Anything wide was dispatched with the kind of contempt slightly hungover senior players have for youthful exuberance on a balmy Sunday afternoon, but anything straight was dealt with with a straight bat and due respect.

Thomas and Nash saw off the red cherry in an enterprising partnership of 55 before Thomas (13) was undone hitting an air ball to cover; his patience leaving very wide balls finally faltering. Nash (33) was joined by Wimborne & Colehill pin up Francis Kerins before being bowled by a skidder off John Goodchild’s offspin: Swanage 80-2 just after the 20 over drinks break. Not even the new no-ball rules for such deliveries could save Nash (33) as the ball bounced twice … but the second bounce occurring only after the popping crease.

Kerins and Ian Booth consolidated the innings as Goodchild and left-arm seamer Brett Custard maintained good lines and lengths on a slowing deck. Patience and excellent running between the wickets to keep the pressure off finally started to pay dividends as Custard bowled out for 15 runs off his 8 overs and Christchurch had to introduce their fifth bowler, G Harverey just as Booth and Kerins decided to push the rate on.

These two put on 78 runs at five runs-an-over with Booth, especially, starting to bruise Christchurch with shots all around the wicket. Kerins was finally very well caught at cover for a well-constructed 38 which brought Ricky King, with running spikes and a skip in his step, to the crease.

King (15*) and Booth (71*) ran everything that hadn’t been dispatched to the boundary. King would have played the shot of the day with a backward cut to beat a slow outfield and a quick cover-point boundaryman had it not been for Booth’straight drive down the ground off Kitson’s first ball of his final spell.

The final over went for 13 runs and within 6 overs Swanage had gone from 158-3 to 204-3 – a partneship of 46 in 37 balls – to put themselves in firmly in the driving seat.

After a superb tea – grateful thanks to the Swanage lads and senior members who helped get such a great spread at such short notice – Swanage opened up with Ben Baczala (6-2-12-0) at the Football Ground End and Booth’s offspin from the Pavilion End in an effort to dry runs from ball one.

Booth drew first blood, tempting Kitson in to a cover drive, which turned and bounced through the gate leaving the visitors 12-1. Three runs later Dugan was next to fall, bowled by Booth’s quicker ball. Pete Richards (8-0-23-2) followed Baczala and King followed Booth and each were rewarded fairly quickly in to their spells, King (8-1-27-1) bowling Custard and Richards having Chambers caught by Jordan Bishop leaving the visitors reeling at 31-4.

Christchurch’s Nethersole was the only visiting batsman to offer some resistance as Christchurch effectively shut up shop and looked just to get to 90 runs and one batting point. Harverey was well caught by skipper Kirby in the gully off Richards’ bowling before Nethersole was deceived by Booth’s fourth ball of his return spell (8-2-17-3) from the Pavilion End, the ball clipping the top off offstump.

With bowlers running out of overs Kirby introduced the seriously – almost precociously – talented 13-year old Olly Shrubsole and his legspin from the Football Ground End and in his first over he had Rollinson trapped LBW off a quicker straighter ball. Shrubsole was cruelly denied his second wicket in Dorset Sunday Division One cricket when he bowled a high stump-high full toss to Goodchild who mis-cued and top-edged high in to the air. Shrubsole ran forward at full speed to take the catch only for the square leg umpire to then decide to call a no ball for height. A good few seconds after the ball was actually delivered. Shrubsole finished with figures of 6-1-8-1, a great start to his adult cricket career. And he’s a batsman!

Skipper Kirby bowled the final over and picked up two wickets for 5 runs to end a very one-sided affair but the Swanage lads will be very happy that their batsmen all had a decent run and that their bowling, perhaps one short of a full house, was still far too good for a game Christchurch side.

Swanage now lead Division One and travel to Ferndown Wayfarers next week in what should be a cracking affair as is always expected when these two heavyweights clash in the top division in Sunday cricket in Dorset.

Ferndown Wayfarers Away 27th May 2012

In a match billed a “heavyweight clash” the players and spectators were not disappointed as Swanage narrowly lost by 2 wickets in the penultimate over against a strong Ferndown Wayfarers (FW) side with seven Premier league players, on their own patch, in a game that produced over 400 runs and 12 wickets.

Swanage arrived with a slightly weakened side due to Frank Kerins’ last minute bail out and stalwart Ben Baczala choosing rather to serve belter ladies in their Summer Wear at the Greyhound Inn in Corfe Castle, which was a good call if the talent this writer saw traipsing around the village on Sunday morning was anything to go by.

But the visitors welcomed Wimborne & Colehill’s Rob Hatchard, left-arm all rounder, who the Swanage lads know well from tussles between their respective Saturday sides from 2009 – 2011, alongside Swanage youngsters Elliot Baczala and Todd Stephens.

Swans’ skipper Ron Barker won the toss and elected to bat on a cracking day which required several drinks breaks to get through the day. Matt Thomas and Lewis Kerby opened up against the spin of Sanjay and the pace of Stammas. Sanjay struck first, Thomas (12) sweeping a ball to Stammas at square leg which brought Booth to the crease.

Booth and Kirby consolidated before an excellent ball from Sanjay which straightened and bounced caught Kirby’s edge, caught by Linge at slip. With Sanjay looking to bowl out and Stammas replaced by Dunham, Booth and King looked to build a big partnership without any risk on a great track and a large yet fast outfield.

Sanjay bowled his 8 overs for a very respectable 2-14 which brought FW’s young spinner to the party in partnership with left-arm seamer Dunham. King and Booth ran excellently between the wickets from ball one, putting FW under pressure and on occasion hitting balls straight to the fielders for one.

Eric Linge took over from his young spinner whilst the host’s skipper, Karl Jensen took over from Dunham, but they could no nothing to stem the runs as Booth and King racked up 174 for the third wicket, Booth (109*) passing 100 for the first time since 2010 with a straight drive off Linge. King was unfortunately out for 47, caught behind off the returning Stammas, and Hatchard hit 4 runs off two balls to take Swanage to 199-3.

Tea was, as usual, a delight – thanks to the FW caterers – and with the themostat dropping ever so slightly, Swanage took to the field to defend on a cracking deck, with an old ball that no self-respecting dog would chase, and a quick outfield.

FW started in cracking fashion, hitting the old ball to all parts of the ground in an obvious attempt to pinch hit and put Swans under pressure. At the 15 overs drinks FW had smashed and grabbed 90 runs, not helped by dropping their main hitter early. But fortunately the two openers who had caused the damage were out just before drinks, both to Barker (8-0-25-2) meaning two new, albeit quality batsman were in – Linge and Dean Elsworthy.

(Deano, who had been voted Dick of the Day by his contemporaries for his last week’s transgressions, was puzzled all day as King, Booth, Kirby and Thomas, for some reason, kept raising their hands when they saw him.)

Linge and Elsworthy consolidated well with good running and some crisp boundaries before Dave Morton induced an edge to ‘keeper Thomas. With Elliot Baczala, high on the confidence his awesome Saturday bowling form has given him, coming in from the other end and bowling full and straight suddenly FW felt a bit of pressure.

Linge was well caught at long on by Booth off Morton and Baczala (6-1-24-4) ripped out the middle order’s heart with two quick LBWs and a beautiful “top-of-off-stump” bowled – all Premier league top- and middle-order batsmen – leaving the hosts reeling.

Sadly Baczala had to be removed due to ECB bowling regulations and Morton (8-0-48-2) had exhausted his spell, so the task was left to Kirby who got hit for 8 runs off his over leaving FW 9 to win off two overs.

Sanjay, with a calm head, managed to take advantage of being dropped in the penultimate over and led his team to a 2-wicket victory in what was a fabulous game of cricket.

Excellent cricket played by two very good teams in an fantastic spirit on a delighful Dorset summer’s day.

Swanage are now tied in 2nd place with old rivals St Georges, one point behind FW, and entertain Bournemouth next Sunday.

Bournemouth Home 3rd June 2012

Ron Barker’s Sunday First XI won the toss and batted first against lowly Bournemouth in their latest Sunday Division One encounter.

Ricky King (44) and Matt Thomas (26) looked in good form but, with their departure, Swanage suffered a collapse with most of the tail only contributing to the duck race and the total of 139 all out.

Bournemouth looked like taking all the points but the Swanage bowlers had other ideas and dismissed the visitors for a mere 124. Ricky King (3-26) Ron Barker (2-22) and Elliot Baczala (2-20) spearheaded the attack and helped Swanage to an excellent win.

Cranborne Away 10th June 2012

Unfortunately, no match could be played at Cranborne due to the inclement English summer weather. With all other games in the league cancelled for the same reason Swanage remain in 2nd place, behind new leaders St Georges, and just in front of old foes Ferndown Wayfarers.

Swanage entertain Shillingstone at home next Sunday in what should be another entertaining game of cricket at Days Park.

Shillingstone Home 17 June 2012

Swanage welcomed Shillingstone CC to Days Park on a blustery Sunday and after losing the toss, Ronny “Buckets” Barker’s side was in the field first.

The Swans bowled excellently to restrict Shillingstone to just 139 off their 40 overs, with Mike Wells (8-0-27-3), Barker (8-0-43-3), Ricky King (8-1-25-2) all in the wickets.

After a heavy night celebrating the Saturday 1st XI’s fantastic win against the season’s erstwhile leaders Bournemouth, Barker would have been proud of his troops for their excellent work in the field.

However, after a fantastic tea, the Swanage batsmen – along with the now four match old pitch and the dog’s breakfast that is a cheap league ball after just 40 overs wear and tear – fell asleep.

Only Lewis Kirby (43) kept any sort of momentum going in the chase, before one ill-advised cross-bat shot too many caught him LBW and with that Swans chances disappeared as the visitors, through excellent straight bowling, restricted the hosts to 137-8 emerging deserved winners by the slenderest margins of just 2 runs.

Henstridge Away 24 June 2012

Unfortunately, due to Henstridge’s withdrawal from the league, the Swans had no game this Sunday.

St Georges Away 1 July 2012

The mighty Swans travelled to Dorchester to take on league rivals St Georges in a top-of-the-table crunch game, and emerged worthy winners by 51 runs after a sublime middle-order batting crusade took the game away from the hosts, and a superb bowling and fielding effort put the match in the back pocket of Ronny Barker and his troops by drinks in the second innings.

Buoyed by the return of mercurial Ryan Norman this was a strong Swanage side packed with match-winners.

Barker won the toss and didn’t hesitate asking to bat first, the memories of the same fixture last year fresh in his mind, where St Georges managed to hang on for a win defending a good score on a decent deck.

Matt Thomas and Rob Hatchard, considered to the be perhaps the shortest opening batsmen in the county, got the account moving before Hatchard (9) was bowled. Saturday skipper Ian Booth and Thomas moved the scoreboard on freely before Thomas hit the first ball of the first-change bowler down backward point’s throat. Booth (8) followed shortly after, nicking one behind, before Rick King and Lewis Kirby consolidated things very well.

Kirby was bowled shortly after drinks which brought Ben “Boom Boom” Baczala strolling the crease to join his pal King. After weeks of hard graft and application, necessary on the Swanage deck, this was an opportunity to score at will on a bouncier, faster pitch against tiring bowling.

Both King and Baczala took this opportunity with both hands, scoring well around the wicket, milking the hosts’ slow bowling options and smoking anything slightly off target to all parts of a Dorchester Rec ground with a lighting outfield.

Rick King was out just after the 30th over for a fantastic 53, expertly constructed from the early stages with Kirby when Swans had lost two quick wickets, right through to 5th gear where he and “Boom Boom” had the hosts chasing leather for fun.

Baczala was joined by Paul Higham in the 31st over and together they hit cruising speed in no time, smashing 93 runs from the last 9 overs. Baczala ended with 53 not out and Higham 40 not out, both achieving strike rates well over 100, as Swanage set an imposing total of 226-5.

After an amazing tea – our thanks to Mrs King and her team who put on a spread that one will not easily forget – St Georges’ openers went out to face the music against Higham’s away swing from the Graveyard End and Hatchard’s left-arm in swing from the Tescos End.

Both Higham and Hatchard bowled with discipline and patience as the hosts struggled to get their innings going, Hatchard striking first. Baczala and Norman bowled with great control, picking up a few wickets, until the drinks break when Barker introduced Booth and himself in an attempt to get the “Swanage Squeeze” going.

With Baczala chewing about his withdrawal from the attack, Booth gave his friend something to smile about, bowling St George’s barnacle opening bat off his first ball.

Barker had the dangerous Rich Cole – who was in combative mood after a century against Broadstone 2nds the previous day – caught at mid-off by Booth and suddenly St Georges found themselves up a creek without a paddle.

Booth picked up another wicket as did Norman later in the innings and by the 35th over the writing was on the wall.

St Georges worked hard to get past 170 and full batting points but in the end they were well beaten by a side who had shown intent from 1:30pm and hadn’t let up until close of play, restricted to 175-8.

With Winton beating Cranborne, Swanage move back in to second place on the turn, just 2 points behind leaders St Georges (114 pts) who still lead the pack but only just.

Swanage pack the passports and iodine tablets next Sunday as they venture inland to take on Fovant away in Wiltshire. If the visitors can maintain the intensity they showed against St Georges, and combine it with disciplined batting and their customary sharp work in the field, they should have no big problems reversing their season opening loss, thus ensuring they go in to the second half of the campaign firmly embedded at the top of the league table.

Fixture Cancelled Away to Fovant 8th July 2012

Winton Home 15th July 2012

Swanage (133 all out) lost to Winton (136-5) by 5 wickets in game that can only be described as “a (very) bad day at the office”. Poor batting temperament and shot selection, coupled with lacklustre bowling, gave the visitors a deserved away win and will have dented Ron Barker’s title hopes a bit, meaning there is certainly no scope for any further losses this season if he and his men are to achieve their goal of Sunday Division One champions for 2012.

Christchurch Away 22nd July 2012

On Sunday, Ron Barker’s First XI travelled away to Hurn Bridge to take on Christchurch First XI. Unfortunately, Christchurch Second XI had earlier scratched their away fixture at Day’s Park in Swanage, so the Swans travelled with quite the contingency of away support which was well received by all players.Barker lost the toss and was asked to field and it did not take long for openers Matt Beard and Ryan Norman to nip out a few top order wickets, before Elliot Baczala and Ian Booth, with three wickets apiece, tore the middle-order out and Jem Warner snaffled the last two wickets as Christchurch were bowled out for just 83.

Mike Nash and Matt Thomas batted well against some tidy opening bowling, getting Swanage to 62 before Nash holed out on the midwicket boundary off a full toss. Booth and Thomas finished off proceedings as Swanage romped home by 9 wickets and 20 points in the bag, keeping them on the summit of the Dorset Sunday Division One table going in to the business end of the season.

Ferndown Wayfarers (FW) Home 29th July 2012

On Sunday, in the absence of Sunday 1st XI skipper, Ron Barker, Lewis Kirby’s Sunday side hosted last year’s Sunday Division One champions, Ferndown Wayfarers (FW), in a vital clash for the Swans who still have hopes of lifting the Division One title by the time the season is over.

Kirby won the toss and elected to bat on a great wicket with a quick outfield. Matt Thomas and Ian Booth opened up and from the onset reached a tempo of six runs an over without taking any risk. Thomas (67) hit shots all around the wicket, from square cuts to a drives through the covers and flicks off the legs. One ball was taken off his nose and hit over fine leg for six, which is novelty on the normally slow and low Day’s Park deck. Booth supported his partner well, hitting some crisp shots as well especially square of the wicket, before a straight drive brought his partner Thomas’ downfall – run out off the hand backing up with the score of 123. A truly gutting way to be dismissed.

(But not as gutting as a poor Cranborne lad last year, who opened the batting only to be run out in the same fashion off the first ball of the game without facing a delivery.)

Ricky King joined Booth and they re-built a partnership which did inevitably drop the run rate to below six for the first time, but with good running between the wickets and some lusty blows from both players at the end, the hosts were able to scramble to 222-1 off their allocated 40 overs. King (40*) and Booth (86*) had constructed a superb unbeaten partnership of 99 runs to ensure the pressure was firmly placed on the defending champions going in to the second innings.

Earlier in the campaign FW had successfully chased the 199 Swanage put on the boards so early wickets were going to be vital to ensure the pressure was always on the visitors. Kirby opened up with seamer Rick King and the leg-spin of 16-year old Dan Salmon.

Salmon struck first with a well-flighted ball to dismiss FW’s young opener, before Matt Thomas took one of the catches of the season at deep square leg, catching the dangerous Eric Linge off Salmon’s bowling for a duck. A clever field change by Kirby to pack the leg side invited big-hitting McLean to try and give himself room on the off-side only to give himself too much room, hitting his own wickets off Salmon who was now on fire. King picked up an LBW from the Pavilion End before Salmon finished his spell from the Football Ground End trapping Dean Elsworthy LBW leaving the fancied visitors reeling at 36-5.

Once Salmon (4-40) bowled out his overs at the Pavilion End life became easier for the FW’s middle order as they dealt with a very old ball on a good batting track against the Swans seam attack struggling to find any movement at all. At drinks they had recovered to 93-5 and had become a bit of a thorn.

The introduction of Booth after drinks, however, changed the game as he struck in his first over, before going through the visitors’ tail, grabbing 5-4 to bowl a handy side out for 105 runs.

Swanage maintain their place at the top of Dorset’s Sunday Division One but St Georges are not too far behind them with a game in hand. Cranborne also had a bye this weekend and will visit Swanage in two Sunday’s time in what will be a vital game for Swans to win if they are to ensure this championship race goes down to the final weekend at home to St Georges.

Bournemouth Away 5th August 2012

On Sunday Ronny Barker’s Sunday 1st XI travelled to Chapel gate to take on a beefed up Bournemouth side that included several Southern League Gold batsmen.

Batting first after winning the toss, the hosts’ opening pair Matt Thomas (58) and Frank Kerins (60) gave Swanage a good start, with Lewis Kirby (27) and Ricky King (31*) finishing off a solid innings allowing the Swans to post 211-4 off their 40 overs.

Bournemouth’s batting upfront was excellent against the now old and decrepit ball on a great deck and Swanage will rue the several very catchable drops that went down throughout the unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 157 runs as the old adage that “catches win matches” rang loud and clear as the hosts surpassed the Swans’ total with only two wickets down.

The most disappointing aspect of this will be that the even older adage that “catches win championships” may now haunt this side as they let slip of the one hand they may have had Dorset Sunday Division One title.

Cranborne Home 12th August 2012

On Sunday Ronny Barker’s 1st XI hosted a very strong Cranborne side, bolstered by the includsion of Dorset CCC’s James Park and Southern League all-rounder Dan Loader. Winning the toss in Sunday cricket is imperative given the second innings does not get a new ball.

Unfortunately, Barker called incorrectly and was swiftly inserted in to the field. Cranborne accumulated a very respectable 193-7 off their 40 overs, with wickets being shared between Rob Hatchard (1-29), Ian Booth (2-36), Ben Baczala (2-40) and Jem Warner (2-20).

After tea Dan Loader and the evergreen Phil Park bowled excellently: full and straight. A brilliant catch saw Thomas out early and another fine effort to get rid of Booth (19) left Swanage 52-2 off 20 overs and well behind the rate. Frank Kerins (31) and Ricky King (31) tried to move the rate on but with fine bowling from the first- and second-change wickets continued to tumble in the quest for quick runs, with Swanage finally bowled out for 133.

Shillingstone Away 20th August 2012

Ronny Barker’s Sunday First XI travelled to the very lovely Shillingstone CC on a scorching day and won the toss, much to the delight of his team who were very keen on watching their side bat rather than bake in the heat in the field.

Frank Kerins (1) and Mike Hernandez (14) opened the innings but both departed fairly early in the piece, as did other youngsters Jem Warner (2), Todd Stephens (3) and Mikey Haines (10).

At 56-5, Matt Thomas was joined by lanky Ben Baczala and they struck a delightful 58-run partnership before Thomas (41) departed, done by the slow low wicket, trying to pull spinner Weld. Booth and Baczala (34) pushed on to 154 before Baczala was out LBW. Booth (41*) continued to hit out with King (4*) applauding politely from the non-striker’s end as Swanage posted a very respectable 189-7 off 40 overs.

After a delicious tea, particularly well-appreciated by Mike Wells who didn’t know he was soon to be opening the bowling in the Swans reply, Swanage struck early with Ricky King (1-16) dismissing the dangerous Andrews before Wells (1-28) had Salisbury – himself very keen on dubious stumpings – stumped by Thomas in a beautiful display of karma on the cricket field.

Wickets continued to fall regularly with Booth and Hernandez and Barker picking up a wicket each. It was Ben Baczala, however, who stole the limelight. Baczala was chewing away quietly with Shillingstone 95-5, muttering on about spin cleaning up the tail when Booth entered the attack, only to find himself taking a hat-trick and a five-for as Shillinstone were bowled out for 133. Baczala (5-25) will rue having to buy two jugs but can be thankful that his performance has edged him ahead of his pal Ricardo King as the “shave it off race” enters its final stages.

St Georges Home – 2nd September 2012

Ronny Barker’s Sunday 1st XI finished on a high, beating Dorset Sunday Division One Champions St Georges for the second time this season in a game which swung quite drastically in to Swanage’s favour only at the end of the game.

Electing to bat first after some morning drizzle, Lewis Kirby and Ricky King (22) did a fine job up the order before King was out LBW. Ollie Shrubsole was done early in his innings by a lovely ball that did all sorts off the wicket and clattered in to his stumps and Kirby was joined by Steve Ramsay. Ramsay hit some sparkling shots on a slow low wicket but was out to a splendid catch in the deep. Will Baker was cleaned up by the Georges spinner, Dave Griffiths, bringing Matt Thomas to the crease. Thomas and Kirby manufactured a lovely little partnership before Kirby was out LBW for 41 from 104-balls. (Boycs would have been proud.) Thomas and Ben Baczala got the score to 158-5 at the end of 40 overs, Thomas smashing a quality straight six off the final over.

After tea Ricky King opened up with his new variation: “the Tillers” alongside Steve Ramsay with his slightly faster in-duckers. Todd Stephens and Ollie Shrubsole were the change bowlers alongside Ian Booth and Dave Morton. Morton tried his very best to offer the game up on a plate to Georges, which was a very cunning ploy indeed as Georges had reached 140-5 and complacency had set in. However, a Booth wicket to dismiss Griffiths and then the return of King and introduction of Ben Baczala ruined the champs and they lost their last 5 wickets for very little.

Swanage finished second for the second consecutive season and were a side, though not always consistent, that looked to entertain every week and who picked up fans wherever they went on their 2012 campaign travels.