It was a tough first fixture of the season for the Ripley First XI on Saturday as they ended up losing by two wickets to Guildford City Youth Project.

After losing the toss and being put into bat, openers Jon Primmett and Dave Hughes started well, reaching 41 after the first 10 overs. However, a major collapse then ensued, as Ripley lost 6 wickets for just 43 runs, leaving them 84-6 and staring down the barrel of a low total.

Thankfully there was some rear guard action from Braydon Pink and George Geaves, who amassed 43 from the eighth wicket partnership. But another mini collapse then came, as the last three wickets fell for just 10 runs, leaving Pink stranded at the other end 33 not out.

So with 151 runs to defend, the R’s had a big job on their hands to rescue their first 20 points of the season. After some more heroics from Pink, this was very much on the cards. The Australian bowled one of the most hostile spells seen in recent seasons on the famous old Ripley Green, taking four wickets in his opening spell of seven overs. Shakheel Khan also chipped in from the other end, taking a couple himself to leave GCYP 37-6.

But Ripley were still left to rue missed chances and sloppy errors that ended up costing them the game as GCYP’s seventh wicket partnership ended up being worth 102. A couple of late wickets renewed hope for the home side, but ultimately it wasn’t to be as the winning runs were hit in the 38th over.
George Geaves 1st XI Captain

Following the previous weekend’s washout, Ripley 2nd XI’s league campaign finally got underway with a defeat in a low scoring encounter at a soggy Woodmansterne.
Ripley arrived at Woodmansterne’s bucolic ground to find the pitch predictably damp, and the outfield extremely lush, however rain had evidently leaked under the covers to create something resembling a swamp just short of a length at one end. Faced with the realisation that it would never dry during the day, it was eventually agreed to get the game on. This placed great emphasis on the toss and unfortunately Malcolm Burt’s first act on the field as captain was to call incorrectly, inevitably leaving Ripley to face the massive challenge of setting a competitive total in difficult conditions.
Under these circumstances it was not surprising that Ripley’s innings got off to a terrible start when, after a lengthy period of reconnaissance, a clatter of wickets left them reeling at 14-4 against a disciplined Woodmansterne attack. James Clover and Sam Hoggett slowly mounted a minor recovery, however Clover’s disciplined innings of 11, the only score in double figures, was cruelly cut short by a ball that pitched in the swamp and shot along the ground. After a few sturdy blows from young Oscar Daniels (9), Ripley’s innings eventually folded for a paltry 47, amassed in 29 painstaking overs, the majority of wickets falling to deliveries landing in the swamp.
Although conditions barely eased for Woodmansterne’s batsmen, the lack of scoreboard pressure gave them a big advantage. Ripley opened with the experienced pairing of Richard Zapp and Matthew Cliff and both sustained great pressure on Woodmansterne, backed up by a fine fielding led by Steven Cliff’s splendid wicket keeping standing up to the stumps. Matthew Cliff picked up the first 2 wickets, conceding just 22 runs in his 9 overs, while Zapp enjoyed no luck whatsoever in a superb spell of 1-16 from his 9 overs. Although Woodmansterne reached 31 for the loss of only 1 wicket, 4 wickets then fell for just 8 runs, including 2 in one over for Jack Butler, his day markedly improving after suffering a puncture on the way to the ground. Woodmansterne appeared rattled by the collapse however eventually stuttered over the line for the loss of 5 wickets.
Although this was a disappointing defeat to a side that finished in mid-table last season, the spirit shown in the field was heartening to see and it’s likely that if the coin had fallen the other way round, there would have been a very different result. It showed that Ripley has what it takes to be competitive in this division, but the batsmen have to start firing.

Malcolm Burt 2 XI Captain