Tag: Soldya

Nets – MASSIVE WINTER TURNOUT

Yuri Beholds Matrix
Yuri Beholds Matrix

Comrades! I stand before you, whilst being sat at my computer, astonished by last week’s turnout at the nets. And the weather, comrades in willow, was far from seasonal. The cold wind that snapped up about our Urals was as bitter as the draft from an Eskimo’s freezer door. More frigid and damp air could not be found in a nun’s pond. I promise there shall be no more similes  Which is a believable as squirrel with three nuts. But it was COLD!

We had an amazing turnout: Ilyeva, Brandonovski, Soldya, Altmananov, Boringski, Samovar and myself, Yuri. Two nets, the side-arm and a suitable amount of kit to keep the frequency of batting practice up. Ilyeva has taken quite a shine to this weapon of bowling and after an hour was getting the ball down the end of the wicket at an alarming pace and thankfully, accurate too. This little device has truly helped us to build on our batting skills.

We were deploying the three hits and swap method so there were nearly always 3 or 4 bats padded up and swapping out after a run of three balls. It works well and also provides a bit of running. Keeps the eyes hungry too as you never get long enough to just smack the balls away. I was lucky enough to return to my first bat which I didn’t use all last year for fear of its weight and grandeur. Fool was I, for this nets it came upon me as an epiphany and I shall hence forth use her wisely!

More nets this week of course and if we get the same turn-out I shall be amazed. But without doubt the turnout was fantastic and I have included a photograph of the usual suspects below. We cannot stress enough, comrades; The nets are completely open. If you ever played and are embarrassed to come back or if you never played and think you will know nobody there – it does not matter. We are all comrades together and it would be lovely to see you all at the nets. Please make it along as it will really help our game and your selection!

Do Svidaniya – Yuri!

The Unusual Suspects
The Unusual Suspects

2012 End of season Awards!

Cobramovich celebrates award

Comrades, dear Comrades!

We have indeed drawn a firm black line under the season’s official events. There may be a net before the year closes but no more games and no further socials either. But what joy was gleaned from Prosecco, good company, awards and merit and the great comradery of the SCC for our end of season drinkums.

Pogo Films sponsored the event with help from The Union Club providing us space to celebrate and cheer! All other contributions were from you yourselves, the finest cricketing comrades to ever walk the streets of Soho. Our home ground may well be the distant pastures of Suffolk or the closer, wild-life and midge infested plains of Regent’s Park, but our stomping grounds of celebration are firmly set in Soho and long may it last.

A turn out of more than a team with Umpires and scorers too, so a great success. Faces in the crowd too many to mention or remember but some new faces and those rarely seen; Looking forward to seeing more of Hudski (Menhaj Huda) next year and some more fixtures with Nickolai Nastarov (John Altman)

“But what about the prizes?” I hear none of you whimper. Here then are the results:

  • Most Runs Scored throughout 2012: SAMOVAR (Sam Kankanamge)
  • Most Wickets taken by bowling 2012: SOLDYA GRANMA FORRAFIVER (Dan March)
  • Most catches by a fielder 2012: SOLDYA GRANMA FORRAFIVER (Dan March)
  • Most catches by a Wicket Keeper 2012: ROBSKI (Rob Dixon)
  • Most Improved comrade 2012: SEWELLSKI (Andrew Sewell)
  • Captaincy Merit awards: COBRAMOVICH, MARX-B, YURI (Tim Graham, Mark Blacklegde, Philip Richardson)
  • And finally, The Soho Cricket Collective’s Comrades’ Comrade Samovar Trophy went to COBRAMOVICH (Tim Graham)

This latter award was richly deserved by Cobramovich, who despite ties in many quarters holds the finest of Collectivist qualities, provided great guidance on the field and is also our most splendid comrade commissar of Cultural Affairs. It was close, may I add, one point each separated the top comrades. But there can be no doubt in Cobramovich’s worthiness and delight in receiving this splendid, if somewhat bloody heavy, award! Hurrah, comrade commissar!

From my humble self, the comrade commissar premier of the SCC to all comrades, to all those who played for and supported us and to all those with whom we battled, my most heart felt of thank you’s and may we all meet, play and celebrate again in the next season – SCC 2013!

Semper Sodales, Fors et Victores

Do svidaniya!

 

Match Report: SCC v BOL 27th July 2012

SCC win with 5 balls remaining
105 runs over BOL’s 104

Patchy sun

Olympics 2012… Even if I am not allowed to even think those words outside of copyright, I have! It was the night of the opening ceremony and a night of cricket. The SCC versus Breath Of Life, kind of at home at Regent’s Park, the Hub for a 20-20. The weather was bruising but on the whole it held out. Okay, there was some rain, but not much, comrades!

Yuri [aka Philip Richardson] had his first outing beyond just being the Premier to being Captain too. Frightening and involving a lot of paper gazing and scribbling in the field. He and Sam took the toss and Yuri won, electing to field first. The ground was firm but yielding a little and the light dark and fading – so a brilliant decision, Yuri – 2/10. However, field depth placement was about right throughout the evening even if my positions were poor!

Marie and Nicole

BOL’s Rob and Alex opened the batting and were faced by Chipmonski the bold and imperious [aka Tim Richardson] and Deanov [VCC guest]. The unusual wicket – pacey but not bouncy – was utilised by Chipmonkski with a lovely swerving ball to take BOL’s Rob for 6. He was replaced by BOL’s Oli who also fell to Chipmonkski for 6 – a pattern and happy one too for the field echoed with our signature chirrup “Nib Nib, Nib Nib”

Meanwhile Alex of BOL was putting up a good stand and kept on finding holes in my field. So much so it rather clouded my sense of fair play and I some what densely surrounded new-girl Mary who was fresh to cricket from BOL. Apologies to her, but let’s have a look at the card; although her wicket was expertly taken by a swinging ball from Andropov Sewelski [aka Andrew Sewel] she did face off a dozen balls and I think with some style! Well done, Mary!

We call him Cobramovich

Finn was knobbled for 16 by Deanov’s arm then Sam Kan Kan Captain of BOL and VCC all round fame was next in and he and Alex were together until the latter fell to Chris Curtis – SCC visitor and comrade to be! Sam retired not out after 25 and the latter to batspeople of James and Nicole made 5 and 9 respectively for the last of the 20 overs. This left with the SCC with a target of 104.

The air was squealing with distant shouts… For the Olympic 2012 opening ceremony not us. The sky was darker than dawn and the rain was spitting. So perfect for our innings. Yayyy. Comrades play better in adversity… Good decision, Yuri. Not.

Hatter [aka Dan March… Shall I just write a glossary?] [aka Soldya, yes. I shall write a glossary] opened the batting with Deanov. There was still enough light to make out the glimmer of the approaching bowler and we were off. BOL’s James opened and was followed at the other end by Captain, Sam. Hatter made a Stirling score of 5 before yielding to James but Deanov was away with some solid opening rounds.

James’s next conquest was Andropov. But not for a duck, a rigorous single. Bennettov steps up. He has all of the demeanour of a fine collective adjutant and as such, settled in for a bloody good knock. Despite spells Nicole and Rob, Bennettov got his 25 and was retired to Nib Nib Chipmonkski in. A fine 4 before tempted into LBW off The Cobra, SCC’s Cobramovich.

SCC guest Christ Curtis made a valiant and useful 8 before bowled by James… Familiar pattern. By which time your premier Yuri had scrambled to the crease, this time with his box in the Umpires pocket. Nads too big.

Comrade Jontin joined me at the wicket and we were popping along until I was run out. hat was needed was runs and not my superb test match dotting of the ball. I strolled to the rope with a contented 3.

Now we were down to the last few balls off the last over and a half. Comrade returning Guyev Wilsontin joined Jontin and between them, brilliantly smacked balls about the park from Sam, James and Ollie.

Yuri’s Fly Past

On the first ball of the last over the ball was put into the boundary and Jontin came in with 14 and Guy with 7.

This is the SCC’s first ever victory. It may not have been a two day trial, a one day, slog or a forty over timed match. But it was a 20-20 and it was a victory. Comrades, our motto is now confirmed, Semper Sodales, fors et Victores; Always comrades, maybe occasionally victors!

Thank you, comrades one and all. For details and images of the evil Peppa Pig of losers, please watch this space!

Yuri

All photographs courtesy of Jontin Savittski copyright 2012

bol score

scc score