A great effort by everyone who broke into their weekend and helped with the dozens of jobs we started. Special mention to Terry for a great Shepherds Pie. It goes without saying that we didnt achieve all the jobs we hoped to get done I have been informed by Terry due to the snow etc! so please if anyone who can make it in the coming weekends before the season starts please do and bring a friend.

Antoher Strong batting perfomance chasing Nutfield 107-4, kept Merstham top of the league. In the field tight bolwing from Bobby Sharp 3-0-7-0 and good variation from Kent 3-0-23-1 had help to restrict Nutfield to a managible target. This Target was made to look comfortable though with Merstham top 4 batsman all retiring leaving Kent to hit the final runs and help Merstham to a bonus point after chasing the total within 10 Overs.

Team Rich Feist, Steve Bennett, Peter Freeman, Kent Tristan, Bobby Sharp, Herschel Pant.

Merstham made the most of batting first with it's strong batting line up, to post a competitive total of 128 - 3 with Rich Turner 31, Ed Loader 30* and Jo Shinners 26*.

In reply Merstham bowling was a little wayward but cool heads in the field led to four run outs and Black and Veatch were eventually all out of 105.

In what was a top of the table clash Merstham putt in a strong batting display, Top scorers in their innings were Peter Freeman 25* and Rich Feist 20* who showed how easy the game is with good positive running. Their was also a usefull contribution by the returning Jo Shinners 14* the MCC finishing up with 110-2

Merstham knew they needed a tight start with the dangerous Morgan always likely to give the grammar school a strong start, but with James and Jo both getting sharp bounce and Jo bowling at Good pace it was hard work for the Grammar school, and a sharp catch by Rich Feist in the corner got rid of Morgan and the Grammer school never really recovered. In the end they were bowled out for 73, with both Richards picking up 2 wickets each.

CRICKET FORCE WEEKEND 5/6 APRIL

All members over the weekend of the 5/6 April the club will be preparing its self for the new season as well as making some long term improvments to the ground by being part of the ECB Cricekt Force Weekend.

GODSTONE CRICKET CLUB

TWENTY 20 CRICKET KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENT
THE DRAW & LOCAL RULES

Merstham put in another strong performance last night, with the help of 4 sharp chances being held by Freeman and Pant as well as sharp work in the field by the rest of the team, helping to reduce Horley to 84-5 from their 12 Overs. Herschel 3-0-15-1, James 3-0-16-0, Rich T 3-0-23-2, Rich F 3-0-23-2.

In reply after the early loss of Bennett two strong partnerships from Turner & Freeman and Feist & Freeman saw Merstham safely to their target. Turner 20, Feist 18 Not Out, Freeman 17 Not Out.

Merstham were back to winnning ways in the indoor league last night. Merstham batting first found it hard to score runs of the slow pace bowling of Salfords with the top 3 batsman all back in the hutch after trying to hit the back wall. James Vincent helped get the score board moving in the middle order, but it was left to Rich F 34Not Out to give Merstham a reasonable score to defend.

In reply Salfords set of for the required target with a tactic of hit and run, this put Merstham under pressure in the field but composure was kept and 5 Run Outs led to Salfords being all out for 59. Once again tight bowling from Herschel and Trigger plus the return to bowling of Rich F and natural keeping of Steve 'no byes' Bennett also gave more positives to the Merstham display.

As we fast approach the season, we can now inform you that Indoor nets will be held at the Hawthorns School (http://www.hawthorns.com/default.asp?id=65)

Nets will be from 5-6pm on March 30, April 6,13 & 20, when we will move to Outdoor Nets on Friday evenings at the club from 6-8pm so you can get rid of the stress of a week at work and get ready for that game on a Saturday or Sunday, with on and off field preparations as the bar will be open too.

Merstham lost their first game in this years indoor competition against current league holders South Nutfield, Fielding first Merstham found it hard to break through a confident South Nutfield batting line up and some under parr fielding ment that South Nutfield were always likely to set a good total.

Chasing 135 was always going to be a hard task and opening pair of Rich F and Steve B though batting well found it hard to find the gaps, and in the end Merstham fell well short of the Target though mention must go to the team for not losing a wicket and Steve Bennetts 28 Not out.