SUCCESS has bred success for Sandford Cricket Club. The two Saturday teams finished first and second respectively in their Leagues and now the Sunday sides have replicated this achievement but in reverse order.

The Second Eleven winning their league was not on the Club’s radar as this team is used to help develop many of the younger players who will hopefully progress to the adult cricket played on Saturday.

This team is led by a squad of “senior” players who ensure that all 11 players get a game whether batting or bowling and that the game, although taken seriously, is enjoyed by all.

In this side you will see many father and son combinations allowing the Dads that opportunity to play on the same sporting field as their offspring and share in each other’s success.

There have been the Blake’s, the Fawcett’s, the Field’s, the Harris’s, the Small’s and apologies if others. I suspect there have been many cases of the younger member of the family asking about his father’s true ability when he has been outshone on the field of play but it’s all good banter around the family table.

Some of the success of the Second Eleven has come from cricketers who have enjoyed playing in the very successful Community League run by Phil Matten during the summer.

The facilities are second to none in the area so next season if you used to enjoy cricket in your younger days then give it a try. Look out for information on how to make yourself available and look out those old whites that are hiding in the closet.

It could be that Sandford will be the only club in the Crediton area who will be offering competitive cricket on a Sunday as another reason why the Second Eleven won the league was due to the fact that another local club was unable to raise a side for three matches and could be asked to leave the League even if this is not their intention.

The First Eleven will finish runners-up no matter what happens in their last game of the season next Saturday away to North Devon at Instow. They lost once and beat once the champions Hatherleigh but the losing points gained by Hatherleigh will be enough for them to win the league. The team has been very well captained by Shaun Hawkins who has managed to get a blend of senior and junior players together on most Sundays. Sandford does not offer mid week cricket friendlies and it is so important that players use the Sunday fixture to get match practice especially if things have not gone very well the day before. The Sunday fixtures are more local and the match has been reduced to 40 overs a side meaning that it is definitely not a late night back. Unless the social side kicks in!

And so another season ends. Strangely enough the weather has not been brilliant but at the same time there have not been too many fixtures lost to the weather. Sandford Cricket Club can be proud of its achievements in 2017.

Champions of the A Division, Runners up in the Second Eleven A Division, Runners-up in the North Devon League First Division, Champions of the North Devon League 3rd Division, playing hosts to a very successful three-day County match, an excellent Community League and a Friday evening junior section that many clubs would be so envious of.

The future looks bright! The future looks Sandford! Look forward to seeing many of you either playing or watching come next April. Enjoy the winter.

Mike Canning