FOUR ELMS SUNDAY XI REPORT 2025. 

Played 23   Won 14   Lost 5   Cancelled 4 

Once again, a most enjoyable season, played generally in good spirits, in a fantastic environment, and with brilliant teas to consume….and beer after! Generally 2025 was most successful and after a slow start where we lost 3 of our first 5 games, thereafter we became a team that was difficult to beat. Below is a brief outline of each of our games.

Vs Bells Yew Green CC        Lost by 86 runs. 

A rusty start to the season, a weak 4 Elms side were well beaten, only Kasi (46) and Alex B (30) with any resistance. 

Vs Waggoners CC        Lost by 50 runs. 

A better effort, but same result. Miles (4-43) and Phil (2-24) saw Waggoners to 202-7 in their 35 overs. A slow start meant we were behind the asking rate and despite 41 from Phil and an unbeaten 54 from Kevin, we came up well short (152-5). 

Vs Ide Hill CC        Won by 23 runs. 

Batting first, The Elms amassed 216-6 thanks to fifties from Joe and Kevin and 39 from Paul. Ide Hill were in trouble at 50odd-4, wickets for Dom and Mason and a couple for Miles (2-8 off 7 overs). An unbeaten fifth wicket partnership made the game more interesting, but I felt we were always in control as we came out victors by 23 runs. 

Vs Cowden CC        Won by 5 Wickets. 

A really good win against a strong Cowden side. Cowden batted first and achieved 193-6 thanks to an unbeaten hundred from their no 3, 2 wickets for Callum and a wicket apiece for Sean, John and Mason. In response, Paul (91) smashed the ball to all parts in an opening partnership of 115 with Alan (34) before a little cameo from Dom (26no) saw us home with 5.3 overs spare. 

Vs Chelsfield CC        Lost by 4 Wickets. 

Another good game. Batting first, The Elms managed 244-6 in 40 overs with fifties for Stan and Kevin and thirties for Sam, John and Sean. Chelsfield got to their target in the last over, 6 wickets down, 2 wickets for Paul and a wicket each for John, Sean, Callum and Mason. 

Vs Linden Park CC        Won by 41 runs. 

Batting first, The Elms reached 221-5 thanks to a hundred from Paul and 49 from Kevin. During tea, John told us that the Park’s overseas player was “a gun bat being paid a lot of money to play”. Needless to say, Callum had his measure, bowling a beauty to have him nicking off to a jubilant captain who managed to hold on to it!! LP never really recovered reaching 180-6, 2 wickets for John which he particularly enjoyed, and a wicket apiece for Lee, Gareth and Paul as well as Callum's “jaffa!”.  

Vs Meopham CC        Won by 5 Wickets. 

Meopham batted first and were bowled out for 166 in 33.1 overs, 3 wickets for Rohan, a couple for Parth and the rest shared out. In response, The Elms got off to a steady start with Aarav (33) and Joe (35) and finished it off with Parth (31no) and Sean (39no). Reaching our target in only 21.4 overs. 

Vs Wickham Park CC        Lost by 2 Wickets. 

On a slow wicket, The Elms reached 127-8, John top scoring with32 and 25 from Aarav. Wickham found the conditions equally tricky as they reached their target 8 wickets down and only 3 overs spare, the wickets shared around. 

Vs Langton Green CC      Won by 5 Wickets. 

Langton Green batted first and reached a respectable 223-8, 3 wickets for John and 2 for Callum. The Elms reached their target thanks to 90 from Kevin and runs from Parth (43), Paul (28) and Ilyas (20). 

Vs Westerham CC        Won by 85 runs. 

4 Elms achieved 261-2, batting first, thanks to a hundred from Aarav and fifties from John and PS. Westerham were never in the hunt, reaching 176-7, 3 wickets for Paul, 2 for Mason and a wicket each for Sean and Kevin. 

Vs Cuckfield CC        Won by 5 Wickets. 

Cuckfield batted first and were bowled out for 162 off 32 overs, thanks to Mason (3-43), Callum (2-27), Sean (2-33), Miles (2-24) and Dom (1-12).  The Elms reached 165-5 in 25.4 overs thanks to 52 from PS and 46no from Joe. 

Vs  Sanderstead CC        Rain 

Vs Vishwa CC        Lost by 3 Wickets. 

Batting first, The Elms reached 198-6 from their 35 overs with Stan top scoring with 66 and contributions from Aarav (37) and Paul (46no). We had them in early trouble, Paul (3-33) and Miles (4-17), but a big unbeaten eighth wicket partnership saw them over the line with their no9 bat getting an unbeaten 50. 

Vs London New Zealand CC        Rain 

Such a disappointment as this is always a highlight of the season. We will have to wait another year! 

Vs Selsdon CC        Won by 147 runs. 

Having missed out on last week, a timed game was decided at the toss, Selsdon admitting that they weren’t particularly strong. We duly batted first, the runs being shared out (PS 52ro, Aarav 40, Stan 36, and Nilesh 40no) in reaching 237-4 declared (31.3 0vers) in order to give ourselves time to bowl them out. We needn't have worried as they were Milo’d with Miles getting the first fivefer of the season (5-18) supported by John’s 3-33. (3 stumpings and a catch for yours truly!!) Selsdon all out for 90 in 29 overs. 

Vs Knockers CC        Won by 1 Wicket. 

Batting first, Knockers were bowled out for 155 in 33.2 overs with wickets for Mason (3-29), Nilesh (2-29) and Miles (2-24). We were cruising at 152-5 with PS scoring 88, but we then contrived to lose 4 wickets for 1 run (it’s not over until the fat lady sings!) and it was left to the last wicket of Mason and Miles to scramble us home (and get that lady to warble a few notes!!). 

Vs New Ifield CC        Won by 6 Wickets. 

Having agreed to a 40 over game, New Ifield duly won the toss and crawled to 137-9 with Mason (3-22), Ollie - playing his one game for us for the year - (2-24) and Miles (2-19) the chief wickettakers, their no11 top scoring with 23! We achieved the target with guest Charlie Clamp top scoring with 31, Stan (22) Ollie (22no) and Paul (18no) with 12.3 overs spare. 

Vs Waggoners        Rain. 
Unable to get our revenge on the early season loss! 

Vs Bardhill CC        Won by 199 runs. 

Runs galore as The Elms, batting first, amassed 318-4 off their 35 overs, Aarav and Paul with hundreds and Nilesh with 50. Faced with such a daunting total, Bardhill succumbed to 119-9 with PS (3-14), Miles (2-16) and Mason (2-24) the main wickettakers (Oh and a wicket for Kevin too!) 

Vs Carlton Sports CC        Won by 15 runs. 

Batting first, Aarav (84) and Paul (77) set us up to a competitive 228-4 off 35 overs. Carlton Sport were always in the game whilst their no3, Khushi, was at the crease, but having got his customary hundred against us he mysteriously walked past one from Nilesh to be stumped by the skipper. The Elms promptly went for the jugular and they lost 6-7 before some late hitting got them closer to our score, Paul the main protagonist with 4-34, supported by Nilesh with 3-41. A great game played in great spirit! 

Vs Speldhurst CC        Won by 97 runs. 

Having been inserted, the runs were shared with Aarav (46),Paul (45), Sinha (39) and Sean (30no) the main beneficiaries! Sinha capped off an all round performance before returning back to India with 5-25, supported by Nilesh (2-28) and Mason (2-3) as Speldhurst were all out in the 32nd over for 121. 

Vs New Beckenham CC        Cancelled. 

New Beckenham didn’t want to face us (couldn’t raise a side!)  

Vs Linden Park CC        Won by 1 wicket. 

And so to the last game of the season! Linden Park won the toss and batted, opening with two young and talented players. We played on their inexperience however and with John getting into their heads and both of them determined not to get out to him, they reached only 164-2 off 35 overs despite wickets in hand. Stan (19) and Kevin (89) put on 56 for the first wicket, but then wickets fell regularly until 6 were wanted with the last wicket remaining. Experience eventually told as Miles and I knocked off the runs needed with a couple of balls remaining. 

So overall it’s been a successtul season, enjoyed, I hope, by everyone who played for the Sunday team. With the gradual decline in standard with Sunday cricket across the board, we have so far bucked the trend, and I believe, have become, if anything stronger. Several fixtures had to be changed the week before (thank you, Bob for sorting these for us!!) as opposition teams failed to raise a team against us. We also didn’t want to play too many one-sided games that were no fun to be part of, and sides that were new fixtures to us were obviously of unknown standard. We are a social side too and it’s always nice to have a catch up beer/diet coke (!) after the game and to make a little money over the bar. This is always a difficult job to guage, but, with the odd exception, I think we got it about right. 

As with every year, there are huge “thank-yous” to dish out. Firstly, to all the ladies (and gents!) that have given so much in the preparation of out teas, THANK YOU! They are simply the best and are gratefully received, even if my diabetic nurse has kittens over my sugar levels! Secondly, to Alan Crowhurst and to Fred and anyone else who works on the ground, THANK YOU! We have the best ground and facility of any club in the South East, but it doesn’t prepare itself! Long hours of work, mostly unseen and unappreciated, go into setting up a game of cricket and we are all guilty, I feel, of taking this for granted. To Chop, a huge THANK YOU also. Your work setting up the bar, your work to get the teams organised during the week and your support to me, both on and off the pitch, is without measure. I couldn’t be the captain of this side without it! And finally, a big THANK YOU to all of you that have played both this year, and previous years under my leadership. I have decided to step down as captain of the Sunday team after too many years to contemplate! It’s time for someone else to take up the yoke and take this team forwards. I will, so long as selected, fit enough, and still wanted, try and be available to play and offer support to whoever does take on the job! 

And finally, to my champagne moment of 2025 and there were many to choose from. In third place was the absolute beauty bowled by Callum to get rid of Linden Park’s overseas player (I was so pleased to hang on to the catch because that delivery deserved to get a top wicket). In second place was Milo’s description of his front foot cover drive in our last wicket partnership against Linden Park….through long on! He certainly middled it, as borne out by the sheer look of shock on silly mid on’s face as it bisected his legs! And so to first place, and I hope everyone will humour me and allow me to savour my moment. First place and champagne moment for 2025 was the satisfaction of hitting my last ball as Sunday Skipper to the boundary to give us the 1 wicket win in our last game with 2 balls to spare!! 

Thank you, one and all. See you in 2026. 

Andy Hills 

Sunday Captain 2025. 

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