Baggy Blue #3

by Ian | Oct 30, 2018

The 2018 Awards Night was a great opportunity to award the club’s third ever ‘Baggy Blue’. It takes a lot to earn the numbered club cap; decades of service, year after year as club captain or maybe even a 1000 run / 40 wicket season. The Baggy Blues get together each year to decide if anyone is worthy of the honor. Once a member has been awarded their Blue, they get to put their number on club kit.

The current Baggy Blues (Ian Oakes and Dan Cowell) were more than happy to award Baggy Blue #3 to Teddy Easthope. As well as playing for the club for 11 years, 5 of them as captain, Teddy has tirelessly organised the teams every week, taken on some of the jobs that no one else wanted to do and has recently taken over the coaching of our junior section,

2018 End of Season Awards

by Ian | Oct 30, 2018

Its been a great year for the club, wining the Regional League Championship East and Kent Village League Division 2. Everyone played their part to help the club to league victory, but here are the award winning, stand out players for the 2018 season.

Saturday Batsman – Jamie Keeler
Saturday Bowler – Joey Pratt
Sunday Batsman – Jack Dylan
Sunday Bowler – Teddy Easthope
Player’s Player – Joey Pratt

The White Hart Hythe Tea of the Year goes to Dan Cowell & Hannah who served up a superb feast. We look forward to next years offering.

Mersham v SCC

by Ian | Jun 2, 2018

Saltwood made the short trip to Mersham CC on Saturday, keen to keep their winning run going. A nice early arrival, no one paid for parking, gentle stretches on the outfield and all was going well apart from Joey not turning up after a night time injury to his knee.

Despite Jack repeatedly saying that Mersham will bat first, they won the toss and had a bowl. Well done Nostradamus. After last week’s showing with the bat, Joey Pratt was promoted to open with the in-form Jamie Keeler. Sadly JK’s form didn’t last too long, snicking off to Matt Fagg in the third over for 1, narrowly avoiding the 10 point fantasy league penalty. Joey was joined by Ryan Hall, putting on a 49 run partnership to calm the early jitters in the SCC lineup. Hally departed for 18 in the 13th over, replaced by Dan Cowell who put on another 76 with Joey who fell to an LBW. Three people were padded up and waiting their turn, but skipper Teddy Easthope decided the conditions were right for Jack Dylan to swing the willow. It was a good decision as he hit 58 off 43 balls, putting on 56 runs in partnership with Dan who eventually fell for 52, bowled by Matt Fagg. Next up was Archie on debut, a Saltwood legend in the making. A few confident blocks to start and then the first of many runs for Saltwood. Archie’s innings was cruelly cut short by a suicidal run called by Jack. Archie out for 1, followed by Teddy for 11 and 6no for Harry Stafford. The assembled crowd sadly missed out on Brice Dempster’s sumptuous cover drives this week, but the sheik will be back next week for another go. SCC 232-6 off 40 overs.

Skipper Easthope turned to Dempster and Pratt to open the innings and was rewarded with a wicket in the second over, a quality low down catch in the slips by Ryan off the bowling of Joey. Mersham dug in and scored 44 off the next 10 overs before rabbit hunter Easthope decided to try his luck at some big game, making himself first change bowler. Just one run off his first over, followed by a wicket in his second and third.

Despite being mocked by the umpire, Teddy continued with his straight spinning darts for 7 overs, taking his 2 wickets for 19 runs. A few 20 runs starts for Mersham’s batsmen but no one went on to make the big big score that was needed to win. Jack picked up a couple of wickets to go with his 50 which will keep his fantasy points rolling in. Harry S had to wait a few overs longer than normal to send down his deliveries after Teddy’s performance, but he picked up another wicket to remain Saltwood’s leading wicket taker. 2 wickets for Ian Oakes from 3 overs and 2 wickets for Archie to close out the Mersham innings on 154 for 10 off 33 overs.

Even though he ran out Archie, for his 52 runs and 2 wickets, the Kent Ballooning Player of the match is Jack. Buy your flight online at www.kentballooing.com

Good game, looking forward to the return at ours. Thanks to Mersham CC, their scorer and umpire.

Sandwich v SCC

by Ian | May 26, 2018

After everyone eventually found the cricket ground, we won the toss on a good looking wicket and decided to have a bat. A straight swap at the top of the order with last week’s centurion Jamie Keeler being replaced by fellow left hander Joseph Libby. The left handedness is where the batting similarities ended. With a strong breeze, a massive in-swinging seed at a horrid length combined with a nasty glare off a car windscreen (according to Joey) the usually self assured batsmen was sent back to the pavilion first ball after leaving a straight one.

@Tom Carr (4) soon followed Joey to the hut with a thick edge to gully after trying a few times to play the exact same shot. Saltwood 4 for 2 wickets, the pressure was on.

A well hydrated Ryan Hall (45), Dan Cowell (22), Joey Pratt (23) and Jack (12) added to the scoreboard throughout the middle overs, but it was really well constructed innings from the evergreen Jeremy Russell (53) which put Saltwood in the driving seat. A late cameo from Brick hands Brice Dempster (15), Harry Stafford (6) and Teddy Easthope (8*) saw Saltwood post a competitive 205 from 40 overs.

After a lovely tea, as you’d expect from Sandwich, our opening bowlers started their work. Their opening bat proved hard to budge so the Saltwood bowlers attacked the other batsmen, with most of their middle order getting starts but not sticking around for too long. The 205 target looked like a possibility for Sandwich, but Harry S made the all important break through, bowling their opening bat for 65. Joey Pratt came back on at the end to pick up 3 well deserved wickets, and Brice Dempster bowled a very tight spell of 10 overs for just 27 runs, it was good to see him back in form. Sandwich finished their innings on 177-9

Saturday’s Hide Physiotherapy Man of the Match is Jeremy Russell, for his superb 53 run innings, full of back foot cut shots (before June as well)

Hide Physiotherapy (www.hidephysiotherapy.co.uk) have been successfully treating private patients for over 10 years and provide high quality physiotherapy to our clients at their practice in Hythe.

Woodchurch v SCC

by Ian | May 20, 2018

On Sunday 20th May, Saltwood traveled to Woodchurch CC for their first KVL game of the season. Due to lack of an Umpire Saltwood forfeited the toss and the Woodchurch captain had no hesitation in choosing to have a bat. Due to an unnamed players extensive lateness, Saltwood started the game with only 10 men. Harry Wren and Jack Gooding opened the bowling. The Woodchurch openers took full advantage of some loose bowling and exposed the gaps of the missing fielder and found themselves 25-0 off 3 overs. With the arrival of the 11th man came some changes in the bowling attack which stemmed the flow of runs and there became a constant loss of wickets. Woodchurch were eventually all out for 147. Wickets were shared between bowlers:

Jack Gooding 3, Harry Wren 2, Ben Allon 2, Tom Bean 1

However it was the spin twins of Ryan hall and Harry Stafford (2 wickets) who were most impressive with the ball in hand. Both showing great control and maturity in tough spinning conditions.

After a tea that will be hard pushed to be beaten this year, Saltwood began the run chase. Unfortunately Arthur leaver fell early to a caught and bowled chance but then came a 50 run partnership between stalwart Jeremy Russell and young Harry Stafford (27). A steady flow of wickets saw Saltwood 82-6 at drinks. Enter Jack Gooding!!!

It was clear that Jack had other places to be and in true IPL style he dismantled the opposition bowlers and finished the game within 7 more overs, Scoring a fabulous 57* from 27 balls including 8 sixes. Tom Carr played a sensible innings at the other end and ended 15 not out. A fantastic start to the KVL season and a game where all had an opportunity to impact the game with bat or ball.

2 special mentions for the day: Tom Bean’s sumptuous on-drive and a fantastic wicket-keeping effort by Chris Fox in difficult conditions.

Scorecard

30 Years at The Wood

by Ian | May 19, 2018

13 seasons on from Tom’s original article….
Stats update….approximately 475 matches, 378 innings, 4350 runs, 501 wickets

The 2005 season marks Ian’s 17th season with the Wood. In that time he has taken 388 wickets (including 212 children) and scored almost 3500 runs. These stats may suggest that he is a multi-talented cricketer, but really what they tell us is that Ian has played a lot of games for the Wood.

He has batted on 281 occasions, and although records are unclear here, it is safe to assume that he must therefore have played nearly 400 games for the club. Since making his debut in 1989 he has batted in at least ten games every season, not allowing work, loss of form, conservatory building, or lack of ability to prevent him turning out for the Wood. In 1993 he bowled an incredible 279.1 overs, although he only bent his back for 0.1 of these overs (probably after being hit for four by a one armed batsman).

Aside from the odd season when Ian really couldn’t be bothered (1998 and 2004), Ian’s bowling stats are surprisingly impressive. He has taken over 30 wickets on six occasions and won the much talked about (by him at least) KVL best bowler award in 1999. His best bowling (9-45) also came during this season, although his stats here are slightly misleading, as the average age of the opposition batsman was 12, and it was Chris South (running uphill) who removed their star player. 2000 was another good season for Ian with the ball, although his stats would be even better if he hadn’t come face to face with his very own Dr. Moriarty, going by the name of ‘Rusty’, in a small field somewhere in Somerset. Indeed Ian’s stats on tour would make interesting reading, and would certainly not be difficult to compile (in the case of his batting at least). A spectacular pair on the 2002 tour remains a career highpoint, if not for Ian, then for most of his watching teammates.

Ian has hit five 50s for the Wood and his stats clearly show that he could do better. When on form (2000/2001) Ian is a valuable middle order batsman, and has won many games shepherding the tail through the inevitable nervous Wood collapse. Of his 281 dismissals, it is safe to assume that at least 240 of these were highly amusing. From the ‘Yes, No, Yes, No, **** it’ exchange with Richard Owen to his ‘controversial’ dismissal for ‘Obstructed the field’ ‘Ninja’ has managed to manufacture some superb ways of getting out. For all his 388 wickets and inspired victories as captain, it is these comic moments that stick in the memory.

Like the young Hollywood actress trying to forget her earlier work in a soft porn flick, Ian will never be able to shake of his past glories. All his teammates know that for every great delivery, or Caribbean drive, there is the possibility of an amusing cock-up. Teammates see the woman coming out to bat, and they know instinctively that she will hit Ian for a one bounce four. The one-armed batsman will be bounced, the kid will receive Ian’s quicker ball. The real story, the glorious moments cannot be told by stats alone.

SCC v Westgate On Sea

by Ian | May 19, 2018

On Saturday 19th May, Saltwood hosted Westgate on CC in the Kent Regional League Championship East. After a frustratingly wet start to the season, it was a pleasure to see the sun beating down on another gorgeous Saltwood wicket.

Saltwood won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. Tom Carr and Jamie Keeler opened up and instantly made their presence known. The pair controlled their innings well and shared a 32 over first wicket stand of 166, before Tom Carr departed for 57 trying to munch a short ball through the offside, but unfortunately chopped onto his stumps.

With 8 overs remaining, Saltwood sent out billy big bash Jack Pudding, whom felt this was the time to construct an innings by introducing leaves and blocks into his game. After having a look, Jack (5) crashed a powerful 4, but fell a ball later attempting to whip one into next week.

Ryan Hall (26) enjoyed a quick cameo with some impressive 6 hitting and Dan Cowell (9*) joined the party for the final few overs, taking the Wood up to 244. The innings belonged to Jamie Keeler (120*) whom batted with some serious class, accompanied by a continuous flow of superlatives from onlookers in the pavilion. Very well batted Jamie.

It was Brice’s turn to produce a tea this week. Although it was a lovely tea, a very dark shadow was cast by the pungent egg sandwiches which lead to Brice being fined for stinky kitchen etiquette.

Saltwood took to the field. Joey Pratt started well hurling down fireballs, with Shah Rajput at the other end gracefully hooping the ball from leg to outside off. It was the ever elegant Shah who made the breakthrough, taking three quick wickets. Two of which were grabbed in the James Corden by the notorious duo Keeler and Carr.

Westgate found their momentum, with 3 of the middle order batsmen scoring fifties, putting the pressure onto the Saltwood bowling attack. Westgates chase was slowed when young spinner Harry Stafford took the prized wicket of Westgate’s hard hitting No.4 Smith.

Brice Dempster and Teddy Easthope saw the Wood home with the ball and Westgate fell 11 runs short, all out for 233.
The Hythe Life Magazine Man of the match award goes to Jamie Keeler for his glorious 120*.

Scorecard

2017 End of Season Awards

by Ian | Sep 9, 2017

Thanks to everyone who came along to the 2017 End of Season Awards Dinner last night, hope you all had a good time. Lots of awards were handed out to some deserving members and some great stories were passed around, some of which will be re-told at the Christmas drinks session.

What a fantastic year its been at Saltwood CC. 26 matches and 23 wins, champions of Regional League Div 1A East, runners up in KVL Div 3, 92 junior members, 2 juniors playing their first senior cricket matches, 1 Baggy Blue cap handed out, another successful summer camp for the juniors, two new senior members and another great Aussie in Ben Davies

Thanks to Hythe Life Magazine for sponsoring:

Saturday Batsman of the Year – Ryan Hall
Saturday Bowler of the Year – Brice Dempster
Sunday Batsman of the Year – Ben Allon
Sunday Bowler of the Year – Teddy Easthope
Players’ Player of the Year – Ryan Hall

And now the one you’ve been waiting for…… The White Hart Tea of the Year 2017 goes to…….. Jonathan Brady and Arthur Leaver who pulled out all the stops for the last match of the year, knocking Brice of the top spot. Commiserations to Joseph Libby who picked up the Wooden Spoon award for the lowest scoring tea, better luck next year Joey.

Saltwood CC have awarded an honorary life membership to Ian Oakes. Every aspect of our club has quite simply transformed under Ian’s term as Chairman and an honorary life membership is a fitting tribute;

The colts section is booming, senior cricket continues to grow. He’s sourced and funded new nets, new wickets, new scoreboard and all new playing/training kit for all members.The ground he’s managed to constantly improve, he takes it upon himself to maintain as head groundsman. He’s enabled us to have an overseas for the last three years.

Everything which has helped to developed our club, Ian has been at the source of it all. There isn’t enough praise you can heap on Mr Oakes which reflects the continued selfless commitment he has given our club over the years. Blow the dust of the record books, turns out he could actually play cricket boasting over 470 wickets for The Wood. And top it all, he’s not a bad bloke. Well done Ian, thoroughly deserved.

Natwest CricketForce 2017

by Ian | Jan 26, 2017

The 2017 Saltwood CC Natwest CricketForce event will be on the 1st and 2nd April 2017 and just like last year we need your help get the club ready for the season ahead. Seniors, juniors, parents, wives and girlfriends are welcome to come along and lend a hand.

nwcf2014 We’ve got some big jobs to finish so we really do need your help this year. Our new electronic scoreboards will need installing on the pavilion, new signage at the entrance as well as the normal jobs of clearing up the pavilion, marking out the square, pre-season rolling, clearing the driveway, getting the nets ready…….

If the chance to help your club and the free BBQ lunch isn’t enough to entice you along then how about a chance to win a hot air balloon flight thanks to our sponsor, Kent Ballooning. Paying your subs by the 2nd April gets you one entry into the prize draw and helping out at Natwest CricketForce 2017 gets you another, so put the dates in your diary with a leisurely 10am start. If our army of junior members want to bring a parent with them to help out they get an extra entry into the prize draw.

Balloon flight prize draw is open to anyone who signs the register with their contact details and helps for at least 2 hours. No cash alternative, draw will take place on the 2nd April 2017, the chairman’s decision is final!

Kent Ballooning Sponsor SCC

by Ian | Jan 20, 2017

kent-ballooning-featured We are delighted to announce Kent Ballooning are once again sponsoring Saltwood CC for the 2017 season. Kent Ballooning are a local, family run business offering sunrise and sunset hot air balloon flights from April to October. They pride themselves on their exceptional quality of service and value for money, and have been awarded a 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence!

Several members of the club have already flown with Kent Ballooning and it is not an experience that you want to miss out on. They have kindly given us a couple of flight vouchers which we’ll be using as prizes. The first balloon flight will be given away to someone who helps out at the 2017 Natwest CricketForce weekend. Kent Ballooning will also be giving out the Player of the Month Awards, so make sure you play your best to get the beer.

A huge thank-you to Michael & Louisa from Kent Ballooning – visit them on Facebook

2016 Awards Dinner

by Ian | Jan 2, 2017

2016 Award Winners, sponsored by Hythe Life Community Interest Company & Hythe Life Food Festival. Many thanks for their support this year.

Players Player – Jack Gooding
Best Innings – Tom Carr
Saturday Batsman – Joey Pratt
Sunday Batsman – Teddy Easthope
Saturday Bowler – Joey Pratt
Sunday Bowler – Shahid Rajput
Duck League – Joe Pritchard (and Barry Wire, but he wasn’t there)
Tea of the Year – Ryan Hall

2016 Batting & Bowling Stats

by Ian | Jan 1, 2017

For a full details on the Saltwood CC season that you can sort and filter please visit our Play-Cricket Site –

Saltwood beat Hythe Green in season opener

by Ian | Apr 19, 2015

Saltwood CC (220-8) started the season with a win over local rivals, Hythe Green CC (148 ao). The new wicket played well for its first outing and will only get better given more time to dry out. (more…)

2015 Spring Newsletter

by Ian | Feb 15, 2015

The cricket season is creeping up on us so its time for all members to fill out their membership forms and encourage their friends to join the club. As you’ll see from the 2015 Spring Newsletter you can get some free club clothing for recommending new playing members and also the chance to win a hot air balloon flight from one of our new sponsors, Kent Ballooning. Junior members (all under 18s) will need to complete the slightly longer membership form.

Recommend 1 new playing member at get a free club cap

Recommend 2 new playing members and get a training top

Recommend 3 new playing members and get a match jumper

Natwest Cricketforce 2015

by Ian | Feb 9, 2015

The Saltwood CC Natwest CricketForce event will be on the 28th March and we need as may members as possible to come along and help get the club ready for the season ahead. If the chance to help your club and the free BBQ isn’t enough to entice you along then how about a chance to win a hot air balloon flight thanks to our sponsor, Kent Ballooning. Paying your subs by the 28th March gets you one entry into the prize draw and helping out at Natwest CricketForce gets you another, so put the date in your diary with a leisurely 10am start. If our army of junior members want to bring a parent with them to help out they get an extra entry into the prize draw!

There’s loads to do as the pavilion needs a good wash down and a new coat of paint, the drive needs a scrub and the entrance tarted up. If the funding comes through we might be putting our new sight screens together, but if not we’ll patching up the old ones so bring as many tools as you can and we’ll make short work of the list and get in the nets.

Balloon flight prize draw is open to anyone who signs the register with their contact details and helps for at least 2 hours. No cash alternative, draw will take place on the 29th March, the chairman’s decision is final.

Saltwood CC 50 Club

by Ian | Nov 19, 2014

The cricket season is over for another year but work hasn’t stopped at the ground. Soon after our last home match the £20,000 wicket renovation and extension project started thanks to funding and support from the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust, Shepway Sports Trust and Kent Playing Fields Association. The top surface of the old square has been dug up, levelled and re-built with an extra five wickets built from scratch. We will have eight wickets ready for the start of the 2015 season and another five ready for 2016.

The improvements to the club’s facilities don’t stop there. The committee have already raised £4,000 of the £6,300 needed to buy a new roller engine and sightscreens and are hopeful to secure the remaining £2,300 in the next few months.

Thanks to funding from Sport England we will be running our first ‘Satellite Club’ at Brockhill School. The 13 week course will run on Tuesdays from April 2015 and help to build the profile of cricket and Saltwood CC. We’ll also be running coaching sessions at SCC for those that want to progress to playing for the senior teams.

In another first for the club, senior net practice will be run by an ECB L3 coach who can hopefully teach us all how to bat, bowl and field properly!

Despite raising over £27,000 in the last few months for improvement projects, we still need to raise funds to pay the day to day expenses involved in running the club. If you think the committee’s efforts to raise over £70,000 in the last few years is worthy your appreciation then please buy some tickets for the 50 Club. The 20 weeks of free coaching alone is worth at least one ticket from every playing member so please print the form and fill it in. Tickets are just £10 each and there are 13 prizes on offer in December.

Games turn on catch chances

by Ian | Jun 16, 2014

A tale of two catches at the Wood this weekend. A superb catch from Tom Carr to inspire the rest of the Saltwood fielders on Saturday, and a dropped catch on Sunday that proved to be painful not just for the fielder who dropped it.

Saturday’s match against Elham Valley CC was the second of a four match series this year, with Saltwood winning the game and drawing level with two to play. Saltwood batted first, losing two wickets early on before Dan Cowell (61) and Jack Woods (30) steadied the ship. (more…)

Winning weekend for the Wood

by Ian | Jun 3, 2014

A double header at Saltwood this weekend with two victories and league points all round.

Saturdays match against Willesborough ended in a victory for Saltwood thanks to debutant Charlie Englebretson’s batting skills down at number 11. Willesborough were bowled out for 146 off 41.2 overs, with tight bowling from opening duo Owen Reed and Ian Oakes, backed up by spells from Grenville Cartledge and Jack Woods. 146 was 50 runs short of a par score but the Saltwood reply made it look like a winning total at 90 for 7.

A captain’s innings from Teddy Easthope (26) and heavy hitting from Brice Dempster (31) got us close to the 147 required but two quick wickets left the last pair of Owen Reed and Charlie Englebretson to secure the victory. Owen’s huge swipe at his second ball didn’t inspire the home team, but a well hit four and hard run three took SCC to the 147 runs required for victory.

Saltwood CC vs Willesborough CC scorecard

Minster CC provided the opposition for the the second installment of the winning weekend at Saltwood. The Saltwood pacemen ripped through the Minster batsmen for 47 in just 14 overs, with Sean Carey taking 6 wickets for just 8 runs in 5 overs and Rahim Ali taking the other 4 wickets for 21 runs. With 48 runs required you would expect a couple of early wickets to fall when Saltwood are involved, but some big hitting from the openers got Saltwood home in 5.2 overs with 10 wickets still intact. Adam Lamberton ended on 32 not out with 6 4′s off 20 balls and Arthur Leaver on 18 not out with 4 4′s off 12 balls.
Saltwood CC vs Minster CC scorecard

Records tumble at Loose CC

by Ian | May 18, 2014

Two club records fell on Sunday with the highest score by a Saltwood batsman and the highest score by the club. Sean Carey knocked a fine 215 runs (despite being dropped on 0) off 88 balls, with 18 6’s and 17 4s. Assisted by both of our senior team sponsors Grenville Cartledge (from Four Gold Cruises) who fell just 4 run short of his 50 and Teddy Easthope (from Easthope Stained Glass Studios) who had a great knock of 81. Without going through many years of score books, the opening partnership of 151 and second wicket partnership of 181 may also be club records. Saltwood reached a massive 409 off 40 overs, sadly missing out of the KVL record. Scorecard

A slightly demoralised Loose CC went in to bat with a mountain to climb and lost regular wickets to the puffed up Hemang Patel who took the bowling honours with 5 for 15 of 8 overs, assisted at the other end by Ian Oakes with 2 for 25 off 7 overs

Saturday’s result was slightly less impressive with a loss to Canterbury 3’s. Saltwood reached a below par score of 142 with only G (67), Teddy (17) and Brice (20) making decent contributions. Canterbury knocked the runs off with 13 overs to spare for the loss of just one wicket. A leg injury for Barry could keep him out of the team for a couple of weeks.

Elham vs Saltwood

by Ian | May 15, 2014

The first of 3 fixtures against Elham this year didn’t get off to the best of starts with Saltwood loosing out by 6(ish) wickets. Saltwood batted first and never really got going, with wickets falling regularly, racking up around 130 runs in 40 overs. (more…)

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