Where on earth do I start?! Well how about.......We are the Champions!! I’ve felt we have been the best team for the last two years and this was certainly going to be our year. To finally win Surrey Down League Division 1 title gives me great pleasure but to be the first captain to do it gives me great personal pride and satisfaction.

Honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of lads, we are all in this together and it has been an honour to lead the team on this journey.

I do have to name a few specific people to thank. First of all is my other half Elisha. I literally couldn’t do this without her, she’s been with me on my bad days and good days as captain and I’m so grateful to you. To my Mum, Gran and Grandad, you have come to most of our games come wind or shine to cheer us on and my Gran and Samira who both without doubt, do the best teas in the whole of Surrey not just in the league, so to both of you many thanks.

A massive thank you to Anthony Smith and Dave Hogan for umpiring this season. To have 2 of the best umpires in the league every week makes a huge difference.

Of course, I must thank my VC Chris, he’s been a great bloke to go to and gives some good advice on bowling changes and field placings. I know for sure we couldn’t have won this league without you!

Also, to the VVC Alex, you and Wigs have been a breath of fresh air in the 1st XI and the wider club bringing that competitive streak that we needed to go to the next level. Alex also helps me behind the scenes with pitch prep, that has been greatly appreciated.

I must also thank the outgoing 2s Skipper Jim. You have been a great help by supporting my selection giving the players I needed which at times could have meant you sacrificing your own teams results to strengthen the 1s. Jim leaves the 2’s in a much stronger position than when he took over. The 2’s finished the 2019 season mid table in Division 2, a fantastic achievement given you were without the services of the Vice-Captain and at times given up other players to help the 1’s win the league, for that you should be proud and you are deservedly going out at the top!

This is a fantastic club and everyone from all teams have pulled together to be a part of this project and no one more so has bought into this than Simon. He had big shoes to fill when Alex broke his leg and he has helped drive us through both on the field and with bat in hand. Without you we couldn’t have made this all possible.

That’s all from me, it’s been an absolute blast this year, to win the league and Slam double is more than I could have ever imagined. Here’s to 2020 when a good team can become a great team by defending our title....

SEASON REVIEW (by Simon Marus)

After coming 2nd to worthy champion East Horsley in 2018, South’s expedition team for 2019 was again to be led by Sir Randolph “JB” Fiennes & his trusted righthand man Sir Edmund “Wigs” Hillary as we sought the holy grail of becoming Surrey Downs Division One champions for the first time………………….climbing Everest.

Saturday 20th April 2019 SNCC 2nd’s (home)
The Jack versus Jim game was rejigged this season to 1st versus 2nd’s. In all honesty, it was probably not the match up that both teams needed and I am pretty sure there will be a further change for next year to make sure everyone benefits from the game. For the record, 2’s batting first were 145 all out, new players Soumi 3 & Harshad 2, Samir also picked up a couple, In reply the 1’s amassed 260 with JB & Smithy scoring 60’s and Bobby Wigs 39.

Sunday 21st April 2019
Disaster as news filters through that Smithy has been hurt playing football and is in East Surrey Hospital with a broken leg. This is a massive blow losing arguably the most destructive batsman in the league before a ball is bowled. The prognosis was not good with Alex looking at a minimum 3 month layoff. With Fazzy leaving for Pakistan and missing 6 league games, our batting looks light and a call goes into last season’s 2nd team opening batsman Simon asking him to stand in for Alex until further notice.

Saturday 27th April 2019 – Horley (away)
A friendly away at Horley with no Smithy (see above), Walker, Samir, Fazzy etc. We lost the toss on a bitterly cold day with a north-easterly wind cutting through the layers. BDB borrowed a green skin from Lewy making him look like The Incredible Hulk. KP from the city of Mumbai, on debut for the club did not have a jumper, I think he was a little cold!! Given the conditions, we didn’t do too badly as Horley totalled 200-6 from their 40, Soumi 3, Wigs 2, DG 1. In reply, we were always up against it, Simon with a decent 39, JB 71* and a few other bits and pieces took us to 163 but in all honesty, a decent workout and we were ready for our first league game against Oakwood Hill.
Horley 200-6 SNCC 163-7 Lost by 37 runs

Saturday 4th May 2019 – Oakwood Hill (home)
So this is it, base camp is set and off we go. The fixture schedule has been slightly kinder to us this year after being away at East Horsley first up last year although we were not going to take Oakwood Hill lightly given they beat us at home last season scoring over 300 in the process. We got off to a great start, Poenie bagging himself 3-32, Jason 1-24 and Wigs started with a superb 4-17 – OH 109 ao The new partnership of Walker & Marus (some 96 years old) got us off to a flyer with Chris 54 off 42 balls and Simon’s 43* off a Boycott type 37. South 113-1 off 14 overs, 30 big ones in the bank, thanks very much.
Oakwood Hill 109 ao – SNCC 113 for 1 Won by 9 wickets

Saturday 11th May 2019 – Headley Old Freemans (away)
You don’t really know what to expect from HOF except that both of their sides play entertaining and aggressive cricket. This time they got off to a flyer going at nearly 10 an over of the first 6. Lewy bowled a good spell and was unlucky only picking up 1, debutant Jack Farley with 3 wickets & 3 catches and KP got 2. 235 was going to take some chasing and a good start was needed. In reply Walker & Marus got South off to another flyer putting on 97 for the first wicket. Walker went for a well made 47 with Simon & JB keeping the tempo high and being particularly severe on the HOF’s spinners with the skipper flat batting a bomb straight into the clubhouse. By the time Simon went for a well-made 85 there was still work to be done as JB followed and Aussie James got triggered. Enter KP & Wigs who dispelled any nerves finishing the game off at 235-4 with 3 overs left. Another maximum return for South
HOF 234 ao – SNCC 235 for 4 Won by 6 wickets

Saturday 18th May – Tadworth (away)
No Baldwin so Tadworth were missing one of their best players and arguably the fastest bowler in the league. JB won the toss again and inserted Tadworth on a good looking wicket. The Gentles Bros picked up a couple each and although Sander batted well for 75 including 8 massive 6’s, we were always on top with Wigs helping himself to 4-49 and our hosts were all out for 160.
Chris & Simon got South off to another flyer putting on 106 for the first wicket before Simon departed for a hard hitting 60. Walker followed soon after for 53 and it was left to JB & Samir to knock them off with 15 overs to spare. Lovely….yet another 30
Tadworth 160 ao – SNCC 162 for 2 Won by 8 wickets

Saturday 25th May – Capel (home)
A roasting hot day and Capel had no hesitation asking South to bat. Yet again, Marus & Walker got off to another flyer putting on 63 for the first wicket in no time before Walker went followed by Simon for 36. JB & 1st team debutant Bobby Wigley then set about the Capel bowling smashing it to all corners putting on 148 for the 3rd wicket, JB 67, Bobby 68. The older Wigs then came out and hammered 39 from 21 in a mammoth 282-7. We showed we can win games batting first and although Capel got off to a fast start, wickets fell regularly and they were 166 ao. Lewy bowled well for 3-51 including jumping for a c&B in slow motion but the main man was The Mop Extraordinaire, C Wigley with an outstanding 6-16 with drift, dip, turn & bounce. Another maximum 30 SNCC 282-7 –
Capel 166 ao Won by 116 runs

Saturday 1st June – Woldingham Village (away)
After being promoted from Division 2, Woldingham had got off to a good start and were 3rd in the league and we were asked to bat in a wicket that didn’t look great. Bairstow & Roy AKA Marus & Walker got us off to the usual good start, amassing 142 for the 1st wicket. Chris said he though par would be around 200! Simon 77 followed Chris back to the pavilion inside 1 over with Samir not lasting long. Enter KP who played the innings of the season so far for a fantastic 53* supported by JB 55*. KP looked like he was batting on a different surface to everyone else and he smashed the home attack everywhere….a joy to watch. Our 275-3 was way over Walker’s par prediction. JB & Alfie then set about the Woldingham batting line up and dismantled them reducing them to 8-5 then 19-6. Their number 3 got a few and it was left to the Wigs to hoover 3 more victims, Woldingham 62 ao, South win by a massive 213 runs and more importantly a maximum 30 point return. What a great performance boys!!
SNCC 275 for 3 – Woldingham Village 62 ao Won by 213 runs

Saturday 8th June – North Holmwood (home)
It was wet and then it pissed down at 12 15 for 45 minutes. The whole team worked heroically on the square and outfield to get it playable but it was a losing battle.. We tried our best but it wasn’t to be and to be fair, it hosed it down on and off all afternoon. Bizarrely, the 2’s were playing in Sutton around 11 miles away and they did not have a drop of rain!! 12 points. East Horsley were also called off so with a week until we met them, we were tied on points at the top.
Match Abandoned

Saturday 15th June – East Horsley (away)
The BIG one……we knew it and so did they. East Horsley are a very good team and head and shoulders better than anything we played since….errrrmmm……East Horsley last year. The weather was not good, the forecast was for further rain but we had to have the mindset that we would play the whole 80 overs. JB won the toss and asked East Horsley to bat. We started with 9 men due to Mark deciding a tour of the local area with KP was a good idea!!! Our hosts got off to a steady start before JB had Launder caught by the diving (or falling?) veteran DG. A rain interruption brings us off for 20 mins but we get going again and field in some mostly light but constant rain. Bull & Warren struck up an excellent partnership and looked likely to EH close to 250 but were pegged back by an excellent controlled spell from Wigs 4-36 including both set batsman who had got 50. Poenie also bowled an excellent spell as did DG with JB picking up 3.
So to the chase……Our openers did not find scoring easy to come by with Simon cleaned out by Launder. Walker started to hit his stride only fall to a brilliant catch. JB gets 32 but the main man is Ahson who scores a top quality 73*. With the rain falling and getting heavier, EH ask the umpires to take us off but Anthony reminds them that we fielded in the rain and the conditions are no different. EH always had a sniff as well as we needed 22 off 15 ball. Aussie James Hartnell then came to the fore smashing a six of the 38th over to put us just above a run a ball. In the next over, James hits another huge maximum to guarantee us 30 points. The scenes at the end when we won were special and even better that the likes of Lewy were watching on Facetime from South. South 30, EH 7. The ascend for Everest had now started in earnest, a massive win in a great game played in fantastic spirit. Our hosts were most gracious over a few beers after the game which is what it is all about!
East Horsley 221 ao – SNCC 223 for 4 Won by 6 wickets

Saturday 22nd June – Old Woking (away)
We rolled them for 50 odd at home last year……we rolled them 52 away this year, no disrespect but they were poor. After the enthralling game of the week before, this was far from it and it took longer to travel there than to play the game. Well bowled Lewy 4-22, Jack Farley 3-10 & The Mop Wigs 2-1. Walker & Marus knocked them off without breaking sweat.
Old Woking 52 ao – SNCC 54 for 0 Won by 10 wickets

Saturday 29th June – Salfords – (home)
Understrength Salfords inserted us on a great looking wicket with plenty of pace & bounce on a scorching hot day. The relentless Chris & Simon put on 123 for the first wicket, Simon leaving Chris to put the Salford bowling to the sword. Chris made a fine 98 and it took him a couple of hours to cool down. Jack with an excellent 71, Simon’s mates Glen (ran himself out) and Jason Wirtzel who teed off for a fine 53* from 36 balls and Kyle Campbell with 23* from 20 balls. South 280-6. South tore through Salfords who mustered 89 ao in response. The younger Gentles with 4-32 but yet again it was Wigs with a superb 5-19. Another Saturday, another 30 and still 23 points clear.
SNCC 319 for 4 – Salfords 89 ao Won by 230 runs

HALF CLIMB REPORT
A superb start to the season, we played some great cricket, well captained but particularly well bowled and fielded. We had taken 80 wickets in 8 games for maximum bowling points. A quick word about our wicketkeeper Mark who has got better and better as the season progressed. Mark has a very safe pair of hands and catches everything as well as a number of stumpings off Wigs.
The 2nd half of the season will be tougher, we are now the hunted and a big scalp for the rest of the league……..Onwards………..

Saturday 6th July – East Horsley (home)
As the climb of Everest continued, we did not have to wait too long for the return with the visit of East Horsley………..breathing apparatus on…..this match is arguably bigger than 3 weeks ago. EH won the toss and have no hesitation batting and they got off to a flyer! 90-0 off 9 overs made their intentions very clear indeed. Poenie came on a bowled a magnificent spell drying up the runs and claiming the vital wicket of Bull. Rosenegk & Pitout then batted very well putting on 99 for the 2nd wicket before Wigs had the latter LBW. EH were looking likely to score in excess of 300 but then Jack threw the ball to Fazzy. In a quite brilliant spell of bowling, Fazzy tore through EH’s batting line up to return a sensational 6-36. It completely turned the match on it’s head meaning that EH finished 274-9. The wicket was good, the outfield like lightening so it was up to us to bat properly.
The early loss of Walker, Marus & Bukhari was a huge setback but JB and man of the moment Fazzy counter attacked putting on 108 for the 4th wicket and at drinks we were 167-4. After Wigs spent time telling Faz to start again, he promptly got out leaving AP to join Jack. We were on track at 196-4 before JB gets caught at slip by the EH player who had just pulled a hamstring.
Enter Chris Wigley, composed, focused and ready. The next hour was brilliant cricket, Wigs & AP keeping the scoreboard ticking over, then Wigs attacked batting properly with excellent shot selection including 2 maximums. The games was pretty much won by the time AP departed for a well made 34 which held us together and it was fitting that Lewy sealed the win with a huge maximum…….queue scenes…..!!!!! Again, massive credit to the East Horsley lads for another game played in fantastic spirit and their sportsmanship. Both sides shared a few beers after another epic contest…..make no mistake, they are a top quality side but more importantly a great set of lads.
East Horsley 274 for 6 – SNCC 280 for 5 Won by 5 wickets

Saturday 13th July – North Holmwood (away)
Not been there before, beautiful ground and a good side who were hungry to cause an upset. We won the toss and fielded…..Jason’s best spell of the season even though he only picked up 1 wicket. Wigs bowled well 2-28 as did Fazzy with a fantastic spell of 2-15 from 7. The highlight of the innings though was Super Kyle Campbell running out Ian Elliot with only 1 stump to aim at. That kid has a lot of talent and a great future and when he learns to take emotion out of his game he will be some cricketer!! NH 167-9. Walker went in the first over followed by Simon…..14-2 on a surface where the ball was climbing off a good length making it very difficult. That being said, our skipper played a quite brilliant innings, he was superb. He was patient, waited for the bad ball and accumulated very nicely. JB was supported by both Samir & Fazzy and it was left to Wigs to deny the captain a ton!!! Well played JB, that 93* really was a Captain’s innings of the highest quality. Bad news was we dropped a point picking up only 29
North Holmwood 187-8 – SNCC 168 for 4 Won by 6 wickets

Saturday 20th July 2019 – Tadworth (home)
“7 cup finals left” is what the captain said in his selection email and he is right. Being top of the tree makes South a big scalp!! Overnight heavy rain and a thunderstorm at 8am make the game touch and go. Being such a great club man and No1 supporter since his injury, it is no surprise that Smithy is first at the ground helping with the other members of the team getting the pitch playable for the arrival of bottom of the table Tadworth. The ground is almost ready, sawdust doing a great job to get the top payable but there is some reluctance from the Tadworth Captain to play. He says the outfield is dangerous but we had watched his team play football in trainers for 20 mins before the toss……oh well, I don’t think we can blame them and if the shoe had been on the who knows.
Anyway, toss lost….they field and we are in big trouble at 97-5 with everyone seemingly having scored 20 odd. Our lower order has not had much opportunity to bat this year but huge credit to Wigs, Lewy, Josh & Mark for the way they batted and took us to 218-9 DG did not get in and has now not batted for over a year despite buying a new bat this season!!
We were always confident that 218 was enough although Tadworth had a real go. Josh bowled superbly with pace off 3-40 but this week’s star was the veteran legend himself DG with 4-24, very well bowled indeed Dave. News came through after the match that East Horsley’s game at Old Woking was a victim of the weather leaving South 59 points clear with 6 games to go. There is no doubt that the peak of Everest is in sight, but there will be more twists and turns in the final 1/3rd of the season.
SNCC 218 for 9 – Tadworth 144 ao Won by 84 runs

Saturday 27th July – Capel (away)
It lashed it down the night before and JB got a very early heads up that the game was off. Well done to most of the 1st Team who then turned up at South to help try and get the 2’s game on against Cranleigh. Unfortunately the game was also cancelled as was East Horsley’s. As you were!!
Match Abandoned

Saturday 3rd August – Woldingham Village (home)
Your scribe missed this game and enjoyed some Algarve Sunshine and what a thriller it turned out to be. JB won the toss and batted on a two paced wicket where stroke play was difficult. In Simon’s absence it was great to welcome back Smithy to the fold and he renewed his partnership with Walker who made 39. Again we found ourselves in a spot of bother at 136-5 but JB & Wigs put on a rapid 85 with the latter an important 47 off 32 balls and the skipper a patient unbeaten 74. I don’t think we took WV lightly but they seemed a different team from the one we thrashed in June. In fact at 206-7 we were seriously under the pump which then turned out to be 10 required off 2 overs after JB was dispatched for a 6 & 4. Did the boys panic……..OK, a little bit but a bowled Bellars and 2 run outs in the 39th over meant we clinched victory by a mere 6 runs……queue pandemonium!!! Notable wicket takers were Wigs 3 & Josh 2!!! Well done fellas, good sides win ugly said wise owl Ashley Mills.
SNCC 233 for 6 – Woldingham Village 227 ao Won by 6 runs

Thursday 8th August
The Mavericks knocked off 180 against Horley in The Surrey Slam South East Regional final at Outwood. CHAMPIONS and through to County finals day. Well done everyone and a special thank you to the massive support the boys received that night!

Saturday 10th August – Headley Old Freemans (home)
4 more cup finals………but more rain, especially torrential downpours overnight threatened the game. Amazingly, South was pretty dry but again this was due to JB, Wigs and others getting up to the club and getting the wicket covered – great teamwork fellas!! HOF are a good set of lads and it was difficult not to sympathise with them given they had over 40 members unavailable due to weddings & holidays. They won the toss and were all out 69, Josh & Poenie helping themselves to 3 each then brace each for DG & Wigs and the innings was over before drinks. We got them for 4 quite quickly with DG being promoted up the order to have his first bat for 14 months – 5* off 3 balls. More importantly, 30 points. News filtered through that East Horsley’s game at North Holmwood had been abandoned which translated into us needing 11 points to clinch the title.
HOF 69 ao – SNCC 70 for 4 Won by 6 wickets

Saturday 17th August – Oakwood Hill (away)
No Walker, Lewy, Jason…….it doesn’t seem right that we could secure our first ever S D L Division 1 title without these 3 legends who have contributed so much to the club over the years. As fate would have it, we had an off day be it against a decent Oakwood Hill side. They were better prepared than us and batted on a wet wicket and as usual played their shots. We didn’t help ourselves, 4 dropped catches mainly off the very unlucky Poenie – Wigs & Fazzy picked up 3 each but in all honesty, OH got 40 above par. Things looked very bleak at 11-3 with Smithy, JB & Samir back in the sheds then Fazzy 45-4, Simon soon to follow 45-5. Wigs played a gem of a knock for 61 but all others failed to show the same resilience, South 140 ao.
The planned celebrations were put on hold, there was naturally some disappointment but the important is we learn from it.
Later in the evening, news filtered through that Tadworth had beaten East Horsley and that our position was unassailable!! For the first time in our history, SNCC were Surrey Down League CHAMPIONS!! A consensus was quickly made to put all celebrations on hold until the following Saturday where we play Old Woking at home and we could come together as a team and club and celebrate properly and enjoy ourselves.
Oakwood Hill 198 for 8 – SNCC 140 ao Lost by 58 runs

Saturday 24th August – Old Woking (home)
Well most of the regulars played with the notable exception of Samir & DG who was on holiday. DG is a South legend and has played such an important part in the success of the 1st team over the last few year and the name legend is apt for someone who has done so much for the club – DG you were with us in spirit!
As for the game, Old Woking were better than their June performance and racked up 191 after winning the toss. Lewy likes playing against OW and picked up 4-18 (combined 8-40 in the 2 games) in 2 fantastic spells of pace and accuracy. Wigs moved his league wickets total into the 40’s but we certainly didn’t bowl and field as well as we can.
Walker and JB did the hard yards with very good 60’s and it was left to Ben 5* and Smithy 29* to win the game with Alex fittingly hitting the winning boundary with plenty of time to spare.
The Champions were presented the trophy by Edward Walker, our Club President and it was fantastic to see the likes of Samir, Alfie, Dylan, Kyle and the 2nd team come back to the club for a night of fun. It was also great to see so many WAGS there, they have been a huge support to us all throughout the season and we are very grateful. A lot of lager/cider was drunk.
Woking 191 ao – SNCC 196 for 4 Won by 6 wickets

Saturday 31st August – Salfords (away)
On a tricky wicket and very slow outfield, we managed to get ourselves 182 for 7. JB in a ridiculous run of form from cricket week top scored with 58, Walker 28, Wigs C 27 and Mark P 25* Dylan 12*. Despite a rain delay, we motored through Salfords and bowled them out for 131. The relentless Poenie bagged 4 for 29 with Dylan a brace. The Surrey Downs League Division One Champions aptly finished the season on a high.
SNCC 182 for 7 - Salfords 131 ao Won by 51 runs

Sunday 1st September - Surrey Slam Finals Day
The Mavericks won a close semi against Cranleigh and were very unfortunate to come up just short in the final against Nasir Knights. This is not the forum to go into detail but in summary the boys did themselves and South proud during an unbelievable day and have really put our Cricket Club on the wider Surrey map. The support the team received during the day was absolutely off the scale and a massive thank you from all the players to the family, friends, WAGS who really were our 12th man!!!

THE SEASON
We conquered Everest, the South flag was planted at the top….we did it and boy does it feel sweet. Everybody who played contributed, we played a brilliant brand of cricket, we were fearless and during some difficult moments, we dug in, we believed and we got the job done. We are the best side in the league and are fully deserve being top of the pile.
We have a Captain who has developed into a fantastic leader, he has a great No2 in Wigs and together they made all the right calls. There is a special feeling at South, the 2’s have had a solid year after being promoted to Division 2 (well done Jimbo & Chucky) and many of their players such as Alfie, Dylan, Kyle, Tim Bongers, Soumi etc have stepped up to play in the 1st’s. There is no doubt that there is a one club mentality and for the greater good and continued success, this must continue. It is important to recognise the huge contribution Jim has made in his 5 years at the helm of the 2nd Team and he steps down with the club much stronger which has a lot to do with him……Take a bow Jimbo!!!
An additional plus is the younger players and colts have started to play senior cricket, Alfie, Kyle, William, Kerion, Liam, Joe Q, Robin, Archie, Toby, Freddie, Zac, Joseph M to name but a few, the future is rosy especially when you factor in some of the under 10’s cricketing ability of Bilbo, Charlie W etc. There are rumours of potential new players for next season which along with Smithy’s return to fitness will only strengthen South further.
It would be reminisce not to make reference to the new net facilities at South which have had such a positive impact so a massive thanks to Jan for his huge generosity and Courts for his immense project management.
Finishing off with the Surrey Downs League Division 1 Champions, the statistics tell their own story, 13 times we bowled side out, the other times they were 9 & 8 down. We bowled brilliantly, we caught our catches and were exceptional with our ground fielding. At the big moments, the bowlers stood up and the batsman grafted to get the runs.
#WE PLAY WITH NO FEAR, COS THIS IS OUR YEAR – STOP CRYING…..(YOU FILL IN THE BLANKS) ?

LEAGUE NUMBERS
Played 18 Won 15 Lost 1 Abandoned 2

RUNS FOR 2,869
WICKETS LOST 75
AVERAGE PER WICKET 39.25

RUNS AGAINST 1,929
WICKETS TAKEN 155
AVERAGE PER WICKET 12.44

THE TEAM

Jack Bellars runs 666 wickets 10 catches 10
A brilliant season as Captain, batsman, bowler and fielder. If there is a better batter in the league I haven’t seen them and it is no surprise JB ended the season as top run scorer in Division 1, for the record, his knock at North Holmwood was exceptional, at times he took vital wickets and catches. He has matured into a very good captain, bowling changes at the right time, meticulous field placing and attention to detail. Very fitting that a South Nutfield born and bred lad leads SNCC to its first ever title. Well done indeed JB, this has not happened overnight, it has taken a 3 season plan! You have written yourself into South Nutfield folklore and rightly so.

Chris Wigley runs 271 wickets 44 catches 10
JB’s right hand man, leading S D L wicket taker by a country mile who bamboozled opponents with a 44 haul of wickets and a ridiculous strike rate of a wicket every 13 balls. Revelled in his role as “the finisher” with the bat and scored some critical runs including a match winning 50* at home to EH. Wigs has been such a massive influence since he moved from Priory with the goal of winning the league which we have!!

Chris Walker – runs 587 catches 4
Mr Consistent, impeccable timing and placement and at times makes batting look ridiculously easy. Walker is unflappable, plays the game in a simple way and took games away from some teams effortlessly. Another outstanding season for a true club great, Chris also enjoyed not being the oldest member of the team.

Mark Periera catches 14 stumpings 7
The unsung hero of the team – Mark’s glove work was top drawer, always caught his catches and took his stumpings but as importantly was tidy and let a minimal amount of byes through (in fact it is difficult to remember if there was more than 3 in any one game!). Ever present but please can we try and improve our timekeeping next season…..

Matt Lewis wickets 14 catches 3
South legend and part of the Division 2 winning side in 2007. No one try’s harder than Lew, he is a brilliant team man and he doesn’t get the wickets he deserves. Some useful runs down the order with limited opportunities and shows how strong the side is coming in at 8.

Simon Marus – runs 459 catches 8
Massive shoes to fill after being called up after Smithy’s injury. Did a good job especially in the first half of the season and at one stage averaged over 100 for the first wicket with Walker and showed there is life in the old dog yet. Finally stopped crapping on about retiring

Poenie Van Der Merwe wickets 16
Wicket machine, 16 in 7 games and did not bowl bad spells and always doing a great job for the team drying up runs or making a breakthrough. Rumour has it that Poenie will play more games for us next year!!

Fazzy runs 151 wickets 15 catches 4
A special talent and a big miss at the start of the season but came back in the nick of time with an incredible spell of bowling against East Horsley and then a big 50. As always, a top team man and gamechanger

David Gentles wickets 11 catches 3
Don’t retire DG!!! Like Walker and Jason, it is thrilling that DG could pick up his first Division One title after so many years loyal service after last being winners enclosure with the Division Two title 12 years ago. Although DG did not pick up the number of wickets of last season, he bowled in tandem with Wigs who will be first to admit the part DG played in his success. Had his first bat for about 8 years

Jason Gentles wickets 11 catches 4
Another club legend, 2007 Division 2 winner who has played for South for nearly 25 years. Solid, reliable and buzzed through his overs in double quick time! Bowled better than his wicket return although his spell at North Holmwood was exceptional.

Jack Farley 6 wickets catches 4
Led the way with wickets and catches when he played. Great addition to the club.

Alfie Wainscoat wickets 5 catches 2
Dependable Alfie, never lets anyone down, bowled well and fielding much improved. Continued his education in the 2’s in order to bowl more overs but at 16 years old, Alfie has a very bright future and will soon be the mainstay of the 1’s bowling attack.

Josh Evans wickets 9 catches 3
Always in the wickets when he played and also a great fielder with safe hands. It is a shame that Josh can only play once his school cricket commitments are out of the way.

Alex Smith
Heart-breaking to pick up a serious injury so close to the season starting. Al was the team’s number one fan and showed what a champion he is always helping prepare the ground, mowing, rolling offering encouragement to all and drinking large quantities of booze. This one is for you mate and your fulltime return next season will only make the side stronger and like Wigs, Smithy has helped take the club to a new level

Samir Acharya
Another excellent team man and whilst he did not get the runs he would have liked, played a very important role in the team steadying the ship at times.

Ben Chambers
Great to see Ben back in August and hopefully he will have better availability next year as he only strengthens the side.

Rob Wigley
Great to see Rob playing league cricket and making a great 50 on 1st team debut. A brilliant fielder and will be a great addition if he can play a bit more regularly in 2020.

James Hartnell
Whilst James only played 4 games, his contribution was immense especially in the final 3 overs at East Horsley. Top bloke (for an Aussie!!)

Kautuk Powale
Our very own KP and his knock at Woldingham was like the great man, class – good fielder, great team man and great bloke. Thanks for the memories KP and come back soon.

The Campbell Brothers
Did not let anyone down when they were promoted, a great club family and both future regular first teamers.

SPECIAL MENTIONS
To our brilliant Umpires Anthony Smith & Dave Hogan who turned out week in week out. You are both top class and the team are very grateful you give up your time for us. Also to Courtenay who scored for us on occasions. To Sylvia Jarvis & Samira Gentles for the best teas in the league and to our No1 supporter Trevor Jarvis, what an absolute legend!

Great teams are judged on consistency so next season we go again, we will have to raise our standards even higher to retain our title.
#COYSOUTH #TIOY #SDLCHAMPIONS #SURREYSLAMSOUTHCHAMPIONS #DOUBLEWINNERS #WHATACLUB