True Blue - end of Season Report

Blog Plummer Parsons  |  18 November 2009

Stoolball Season Report 2009

After last years promotion from Div 5 as division winners the team approached the new season with the main aim of making sure they avoided relegation.

After the annual pre-season friendly v Seasiders and a good all round performance the team were in good spirits as they entered the first league game v Jevington. Over the years matches against Jevington have always traditionally been tough ones and PP ended up playing them three times during the season after drawing them in the first round of the cup.

[Nigel Parker, Kieran McCurdy, Steve Thomson, Jon Haddock, Pete Watters, Phil Harper, Chris Flynn Mockett, Colin Dadswell

Pippa Mockett, Sarah Flynn, Kit McCurdy, Michelle Lamm, Sally Attrill, Kerry Coates, Sara Dadswell, Conor McCurdy]

[Chris Flynn Mockett, Nigel Parker,Nick Fradelos, Jon Haddock, Phil Harper, Kieran McCurdy

Sally Attrill, Lisa Strudwick, Kerry Coates, Pippa Mockett, Clare Haddock]

In the opening league match an inspired fielding and bowling display by PP resulted in Jevington being bowled out for 63. One of the highlights was Kerry Coates, taking her first competitive catch off their star batsman. Despite captain Phil Harper being bowled out of the first ball of PPs’ innings (platinum duck!); early wickets falling, PP managed to sneak home with one ball to spare thanks mainly to the batting of Steve Thomson and ex PP employee Pete Watters. In the cup match after good bowling by Nick Fradelos & Clare Haddock restricted Jevington to 110 Phil made up for his infamous duck by recording an unbeaten 81 and seeing PP home again in the last over! Sadly in the second league match Jevington got their revenge by comfortably beating PP.

[Left to Right: Kerry Coates, Phil Harper, Steve Thomson]

At the half way point of the season PP had exceeded expectations and were sitting proudly at the top of Division 4 with only 1 defeat which itself was by only 1 run. PP tactics of Phil winning the toss and inviting the opposition to bat first paid dividends as Nick and Clare’s bowling combination kept opposing teams to low scores – DPB Wombles being bowled out for just 38! Steve Thomson showed his experience by scoring good runs to ensure PP reached their target with ease. Pip Mockett, Sarah Flynn’s sister and a product of our youth system, was given extra responsibility by opening the batting and showed how much she had improved by often scoring good runs early on in PP’s replies.

[Left to Right: Nick Fradelos, Clare Haddock, Pippa Mockett]

Unfortunately the second half of the season did not match the first half as PP struggled with injuries (Sara Dadswell) bad luck and unavailability. After being knocked out of the cup after a miscalculation in the score PP started to lose games that normally they would have looked to win. There were positive results against bottom sides DPB Wombles and Central with stand out performances from Pete Watters and Jon Haddock scoring 94 and 63 respectively.  A special mention should go to Carla Candido who in the game v DPB Wombles clung on to her first ever match catch!

[Left to Right: Jon Haddock, Carla Candido, Steve and Nick striking a pose]

Sally Attrill who after making her debut last season was now an important part of the squad also managed her first catch in the game v Dark Horses. Lisa Strudwick performed well in her first outing in the PP colours and the team will hope to sign her up to play more games next year…! Unfortunately the game will probably be most remembered for Phil getting hit in the face first ball off their ‘very fast’ girl bowler and having to retire hurt due to a bloody swollen lip and an uncanny resemblance to either Kermit the Frog or the Sloth off the Goonies depending on what his so called team mates could come up with!  

[Kermit, Sloth, or is it Phil?]

PP ended up well short of the total after a batting collapse and will go down as another one that should have been won. After a mauling from Holywell the final game was against the eventual division winners Deutwag Chargers. After bowling them out for 85 PP should have walked it but again with unavailability effecting the batting order PP managed only 71 from their 12 overs despite having 4 wickets left. The game though did show that Stevie Thomson can be useful with the ball after some hostile bowling and that Pip after scoring her highest ever score of 25 is going to be a star performer for the team next season. Indeed all the girls deserve a mention as they all improved their batting averages especially considering it was a step up from last year.

[Left to Right: Kieran McCurdy, Nigel Parker, Sally Attrill]

Overall it was another enjoyable season and ended up with the usual meal and presentation night with award winners being Pip Mockett & Phil Harper. 

[Our very own Captain, the Platinum duck winner!]

A special thank you to Sarah Flynn for scoring and Lavanya for her umpiring both of whom are an important part of the team.  Next season will hopefully be another good one for the team but much will depend on if PP have enough girls left to play after the current PP trend of pregnancies….!

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