Walkington Playing Fields Association

Walkington CC's first season in East Riding Independent League Division 1 surpassed all expectations, finishing in an excellent second place.  A high standard of play was maintained from the first to the last game of the season, and only two below-par performances against eventual champions Brandsburton got in the way of the title.

Along the way there were some excellent performances throughout the squad, but especially by Matthew Scattergood, who topped and tailed the season with sensational performances.

We started the season with a friendly against South Cave - the team that had beaten us to the 2nd Division title last year.  They were left demoralised by an outstanding spell of bowling by Matt - 6 for 6 from 9 overs!

That match also saw the start of an astonishing run of form from class batsman Chris Cook. His score of 77 not out ensured a 9 wicket win, and was the first of five 50s in a row.  Chris wasn't finished there - against Hornsea he produced an immaculate hundred full of his trademark cuts and drives to ensure we won that high-scoring game.  He was helped that day by Rich Jobling who put on 77 in an opening stand of 189 which put the game beyond doubt.

Rich was in good form throughout the season, and hit 85 in another century opening stand, this time with Matt Scattergood, against Flamborough.  Rich showed a lot of maturity during the season - while he scored big runs on many occasions he also was happy to play second fiddle.  This was especially true against Middleton when, with the score at 89-4 he came together with Rob Scattergood.  Between them they

took the score to 196-5, with Rich getting just 18 of them.  This was because Rob was in belligerent form, scoring a brutal 107 not out. 

Like so many times during the season the batting took the game away from the opposition, but the bowlers also rose to the occasion, demolishing the opposition batsmen on many occasions. 

Craig Ford skittled out Flamborough with a spell of 7-19 from 10 penetrating overs.  And he did for Hornsea with 6-17, which made skipper Ben Gardiner feel guilty for leaving him on and destroying the opposition in a 206 run win.

It was Jamie Elliot's turn to bowl us to victory against Middleton, where took 6-30, and in the high scoring game against Hornsea, where his 5-74 was a great return in the context of the game.  Rob Scattergood skittled out Old Hymerians with 5-20 and his brother Matt took another 5-for against South Cave, a team he must really like playing, and a 6-for against North Dalton.

These match-winning performances ensured Walkington won 13 out of the 17 completed games, a fine performance at this higher level. But the 13th of these wins was sensational, and came at home in the last game of the season - against South Cave.

Matt Scattergood, against his favourite opposition, this time came out with the best batting performance in Walkington's 120-year long history.  Opening the batting he set off like a train from the very first over, driving, cutting and pulling imperiously.  He bullied his way to 3 figures with a chanceless display of orthodox strokes, just hit very, very hard.  After a slight breather he then cut loose in the last 10 overs of the innings, eventually hitting 7 sixes and 32 fours in an incredible 207 not out.  It was a privilege to witness such an awesome innings.