This page contains the match results and the top performances both for and against the Cryptics and the Reports for West Midlands and Northern Tours.
Results
Played: 20 Won: 12 Drawn: 2 Lost: 6 Cancelled 16
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1. v Hurlingham Won by 3 wickets
Hurlingham 315 All out
Cryptics 317-7
2. v Cambridge University Cancelled
3. v Stragglers of Asia Won by 124 runs
Cryptics 244-6 declared
Stragglers 160 All Out
4. v Sandhurst Wanderers Lost by 3 wickets
Cryptics 127-7
Sandhurst 129-7
5. v Crossbatters Cancelled
6. v Oxford University Lost by 6 wickets
Cryptics 168 All Out
Oxford Uni 170-4
7. v Oxford Downs Won by 3 wickets
Oxford Downs 179-7
Cryptics 183-7
8. v Middleton Stoney Won by 5 wickets
Middleton Stoney 138 All Out
Cryptics 139-5
9.v Amersham Lost by 111 runs
Amersham 264-9
Cryptics 153 All Out
10. v Frogs Cancelled
11.v Cheshire Gents Won by 1 wicket
Cheshire Gents 237–7 dec
Cryptics 241- 9
12. St Edward's School Drawn
Cryptics 238-8 dec.
St Edwards 231-8
13. v Old Bloxhamists Cancelled
14. v St Edward's Martyrs Won by 37 runs
Cryptics 275-7
Martyrs 238 All Out
15. v MCC Lost by [ ] runs
MCC
Cryptics
16. v Rifles Cancelled
17. v Earl of Carnarvon’s XI Won by [ ]
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SOUTHERN TOUR
18. v Free Foresters Cancelled
19. v Old Amplefordians Cancelled
20. v Sussex Martlets Cancelled
21. v Old Hurstjohnians Cancelled
22. v Old Rossallians Cancelled
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23. v Eton Ramblers Won by 8 wickets
Ramblers 120 All Out
Cryptics 122 -2
24. v Hampshire Hogs Won by 6 wickets
Hogs 231-6 dec and 245 all out
Cryptics 228-5 dec and 251-6
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NORTHERN TOUR
25. v Yorkshire Gents Drawn
Cryptics 198 for 8 dec.
Yorkshire Gents 171 for 9
26. v Settle Lost by 12 runs
35 Over match
Settle 177-5
Cryptics 165-6
27. v Durham Pilgrims Won by 95 runs
Cryptics 266-7 dec. & 159 for 9 dec.
Durham Pilgrims 84 all out & 246 all out
28.v Cherry Tree CC Lost by 74 runs
Cherry Tree 246 – 7 dec.
Cryptics 172 all out
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WEST MIDLANDS TOUR
29. v Warwickshire Imps Cancelled Rain
30. v Shropshire Gents Cancelled Rain
31. v Worcestershire Gents Cancelled Rain
32. v Gloucester Gipsies Cancelled Rain
33. V Old Malvernians Won by 6 wickets
Old Malvernians 173 All Out
Cryptics 175 for 4
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34. v Royal Household Won by 54 runs
Cryptics 129-5 dec
Royal Household 75 All Out
35. v Hampstead Cancelled Rain
36. v Barnes CC Cancelled
Notable Performances
- Centuries made for Cryptics
J Westhead 135 v Durham Pilgrims
D De Silva 111 v Hogs
Rob Hastings 105 v Stragglers of Asia
O Erasmus 103* v Cheshire Gents
J Doole Century v Earl of Carnarvon
- Half Centuries made for Cryptics
Rob Hastings 87 v Martyrs
Tom Chappell 86 v Old Malvernians
W Miller 77* v Eton Ramblers
D De Silva 75* v Hogs
C Riley 63 v Durham Pilgrims
T Lortan 62 v Martyrs
B Westhead 62 v Yorkshire Gents
T Chappell 58 v Martyrs
SJ Halliday 57* v Hogs
J Joyce 60 v St Edwards School
Rob Hastings 52 v Hogs
James Pynn 50 v Middleton Stoney
S Khan 50 v Settle
Rob Hastings Half century v Earl of Carnarvon
- Five Wicket Hauls for Cryptics
Tom Andrew 5-23 v Stragglers of Asia
O Erasmus 5-60 v Cheshire Gents
J Curtis 5-74 v Martyrs
- Centuries made against Cryptics
Edekar 126 (St Edwards)
LJ Van Rensburg 116* (Cherry Tree)
- Five Wicket Hauls against Cryptics
None
West Midlands Tour
Having had the rest of the Malvern Tour completely washed out, it was a relief to finally play some cricket. We arrived with 13, enabling the loan of one player to the OM’s to make a full side. In truth, apart from Cryptic member Tom Chappell and Alex Milton, this was a poor OM side and we duly dispatched them pretty easily. Thankfully everyone had a bat and bowl and left fairly happy.
Northern Tour Report
Sunday 9th August 2015 – Yorkshire Gents, Eskrick Park.
Lovely Day, won the toss, elected to bat all looking good until we are 0 for 1 after 3 balls, James Westhead cleaned up for a duck. At 13 for 2 we were still looking fragile but Alex Gunn and Ben Westhead established some solidity with a 3rd wicket partnership of 72 before Gunn was dismissed 1 short of his half century.
Westhead continued with several partners up to and after lunch eventually being run out for a run a ball 62. Phil Mooney and Nick Westhead then added a further 36 for the 9th wicket which took the score to a respectable 198 before Mooney departed and the declaration came.
Danny Chester and Julian Caan opened the Cryptics bowling and the YG’s reply was steady and measured. Unfortunately for the YG’s their opening bat was forced to retire hurt in the 10th over on 18, apparently shot by a sniper in the calf attempting a quick single. Partnerships were built but wickets picked up at crucial intervals, non-more so than when Chester had Rigby caught behind on 40 when he was looking like he could have seen the game though for the YG’s.
At 163 for 9, Cryptics had 5 overs remaining of the final 20 to get the win, but not for the first time in this fixture, the YG’s managed to see things though for a draw, finishing on 171 for 9 (8 with the injury). The wickets were shared around, 2 each for Caan, De Villiers and Mark Bolton and 1 each for Banks and Chester.
Another good day at Eskrick. Great weather, a good game and excellent hospitality.
Monday 10th August 2015 – Settle CC, Marshfield.
A very different group met at Settle for the 1pm downpour which seems to happen this particular Monday in August every year. Thankfully it was not as persistent as previous years and we finally agreed to start at 2.30 and play a 30 over match.
Settle won the toss and batted on a green track and for the first 15 over the Cryptics contained the Settle batting well without picking up any wickets. The big mistake was actually getting a wicket or two. Callum Lockett came in at four for Settle; he took 8 balls to get off the mark then proceeded to smash 82 off the following 28 balls. This included seven 6’s and eight 4’s in a batting display which was entertaining to say the least and caused some serious local tension when residents of housing 2 streets away from the ground complained of balls smashing tiles on their roofs!
Lockett was finally bowled by de Villiers and shortly after, the Settle innings finished on 186 -5. Two wickets a piece for de Villiers and Mo Bhada and one for James Banks.
The Cryptics response was steady after losing Zijad Bhada in the first over. Timmis and Mo Bhada put 96 on for the 2nd wicket although we were conscious about falling behind the rate. Both batsmen fell within an over of each other leaving us 90 odd to win from the last 10 overs. De Villiers, Ben Westhead and Sharuk Khan all looked capable of keeping up with the rate but unfortunately only Khan went the distance. His 50 not out from 32 balls came within one strike of winning the game and Cryptics just fell short at 181 for 6.
Another good game despite the result. We have yet to beat Settle since this fixture started a few years ago – so maybe next year.
Tuesday / Wednesday 11th& 12th August 2015 – Durham Pilgrims, Castle Eden.
When we arrived at Castle Eden we got our usual warm welcome and had, certainly on paper, a strong side. Looking at the Pilgrims there were many of the regulars not in attendance, notably Adam Applegarth who had been called away at the last minute on business. The DP’s were captained by Applegarth Junior who promptly lost the toss and The Cryptics batted first. The opening pair of Chris Riley and James Westhead started well and aided by some poor Pilgrim catching put on an opening stand of 67 before Riley fell for 29. Banks, de Villiers and Richardson all contributed to partnerships with Westhead who went on to score 135 in what was the mainstay of our 266 -7 declared.
Julian Caan and Ockert Erasmus then tore into the Pilgrim batting with 6 wickets between them, (4 for Caan and 2 for Erasmus) reducing the DP’s to 44 -6. Only Khan put up any real resistance with a hard fought 44, but a run out and wickets for Kelly (2) and Grantham (1) finished them off for 84 and a first innings lead of 182.
To follow on or not to follow on was the question. In the end it was non cricketing influences that made the decision. It was felt that the fewer of us on the pitch on the Wednesday morning after a night in Newcastle the better and as a result we prepared to bat again.
Riley and Richardson opened up and after losing Richardson cheaply Riley and Nick Westhead pushed the score along. At the close of play on day one we were 102 for 3 – a lead of 285.
It was probably just as well we had that lead, because a South African driven Court session saw many drinking fines for misdemeanours during the day leaving several worse for wear at a relatively early stage of the evening. As ever though we battled through to be present in body if not in in mind for the start of the second day’s play on the Wednesday morning.
Riley and Ben Westhead continued the innings but wickets fell steadily with only Riley really showing any form. His 63 came to a halt when he was bowled by young left armer Stuart who claimed his eighth wicket of the match. Cryptics declared on 159 for 9 giving the DP’s about 40 minutes batting before lunch.
In the top order again only Khan showed any real resistance and thanks to some guile from Kelly and swing from Erasmus and Caan, we had the DP’s in trouble at 67 for 5. The tail then wagged with the lower order contributing 179 for the last 5 wickets. James Westhead, having given up the gloves for the second innings got the final wicket with the Dp’s on 246 falling 95 short of the target.
Always good to win up here. We are starting to get the upper hand on the DP’s, no doubt there will be a reaction.
Thursday 13th August 15th – Cherry Tree CC, Alexandra Meadows.
The start of this match was slightly chaotic, due to a late change of venue and several players from both sides having just received A level results. Some good some not so...
A later than anticipated start meant we agreed to a 40 over match. Cherry Tree won the toss and batted first. After a solid start, some brutal hitting mixed with elegant stroke play saw van Rensburg hit the first ton against us this week with an excellent 116 not out. Wickets were shared with de Villiers being the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 11 from 8.
Chasing 246 in 40 overs was always going to be a tough ask and we never really managed to get that crucial partnership going that might have given us a shot in the last few overs. We lost wickets steadily everyone contributing but no one going on to make a meaningful score. We were finally bowled out for 172 with 6 overs remaining. A slightly disappointing end to the tour.
The record of played 4 won 1 drawn 1 and lost 2 does not look great, but we played some good cricket in the week and we performed particularly well in the two “traditional” Northern Tour matches at Eskrick and Castle Eden.
All in all, a successful week.
Nick Westhead