WITH half of the 2018 Sandford Community Cricket League season already over, a few surprising results have made the first half of the season quite interesting to say the least.

Last season’s winners, Crediton Rugby Club, have so far played three of their five matches, and been beaten in two of them by no less than Graphic, who have traditionally been the “whipping boys” of the league, and Sandford Football Club, who also would probably not have been expected to beat the Rugby Club.

As a result of these two strange results, questions are being asked if the Rugby Club boys have been “got at” by a Far Eastern Betting syndicate trying to “cash-in” on making a financial killing.

The leaders at the half-way stage are Crediton Inn who have won two of their three matches. As usual they are a very competitive team, but their one loss was also surprisingly to the Football Club.

In winning this game the Football Club created a league record when they chased down a hefty 147 to win, and finished on 151 for eight. To quote one of the Football Club players,”‘we have no idea how that happened”.

With the Football Club having won these two games, they are sitting in second place. However, as they have only played these two games so far, they have a game in-hand over the two teams above them.

Bearing in mind that traditionally they have already beaten what many would see as the two strongest teams, it can only be assumed that the Football Club must be one of the favourites to make the Grand Final on Friday, August 3.

Having already mentioned that Graphic pulled off an amazing result back in May by beating the Rugby Club, it should also be pointed out that they had already registered a previous win the week before, when they claimed victory over the Sandford Parents and Colts team, who to say the least, have had a disastrous start to their 2018 campaign by losing all three of the games they have played so far.

To be fair to the Parents and Colts team, they have quite a few new members in their team this year, and they’re still trying to find out who can do what.

Apart from their expertise in the bar after the games, they seem to have either left most of their skills in the changing room, or their attention is focused on what they’re going to drink after the match, or wondering what they will have to eat.

The Three Little Pigs make up the six teams competing this year, and as usual they are the “entertainers”.

Unfortunately their “on field” antics don’t always result in victories. So far they have won one game, and lost one game, but once they have no doubt recruited a few more “ringers” for the rest of their campaign, this could easily change, and they could still be the dark horses who may come up on the rails to eventually clinch a place in the Final.

At this stage of the season the only team that can’t make the Grand Final is the Parents and Colts team, but as regarding who else is likely to be there, it’s anyone’s guess.

The main things about this competition, are the facts that not only is it providing a number of people who would not usually be playing cricket on a regular basis, with cricket in an organised fashion, but the great spirit in which all the games are played.

All players can turn up to play knowing that each match is going to be officiated by three Sandford Club members, acting as either one of the two umpires or as a scorer, and this adds to the “fun” of the competition.

After each match all the players and officials can enjoy a meal provided by the Club, and cooked by our resident chef, Nicky Radnor.

The competition is again being sponsored by Sue Sparham, whose late husband Barrie had been a Club member for many years before his untimely death seven years ago.

Following his death, and knowing the Club was starting this tournament in 2011, Sue asked if she could sponsor the event in Barrie’s honour, and in doing so she donated a Trophy – the Barrie Sparham OBE Memorial Trophy – in his memory.

The strange phenomenon is that in the six years the competition has been played so far, we have seen six different winners.

Will 2018 provide another new winner? If so it will have to come from Graphic or the Three Little Pigs, as all the other teams have won it once before.

The league positions as at the finish of the last game played on June 13 is as follows:

Crediton Inn P 3, Pts 4, R/R 8.52.

Sandford AFC P2, pts 4, R/R 8.50.

Graphic P3, pts 4, R/R 7.63.

Crediton RFC P3, pts 2, R/R 7.82.

Three Little Pigs P2, pts 2, R/R 7.68.

Parents and Colts P3, pts 0, R/R 6.81.

There are no Community League games to be played this week due to the Devon v Wales MC Minor Counties game due to be played at Creedy Park on Sunday, June 24, Monday, June 25 and Tuesday, June 26.

The next game will be on Wednesday, June 27 when Sandford Football Club will entertain Graphic – a big game at the top of the league.

Phil Matten