Royston Cricket Club - The Home of the Crows

A new feature for 2007, every week across the club, including youth cricket a player who has performed outstandingly will have their picture posted on this page and in the newsletter, the person with the most Crow of the week nominations will become Crow of the year and will have an article published in the RCC Yearbook!

Paul Miller- scored his maiden 1st XI 50, to provide a bright spark of hope at the end of a dismal season for the team. A spring board that Paul and the team can use for next year.

John Adler - for producing the highest score by a 1st XI batsman in 2007, a lovely innings of 79 at home to Barrington.

Paul Harris - scored a blistering 72 and then took 3 wickets to cap a fine all round performance for the 2nd XI, but it was not quite enough to save the team from Relegation. Richard Temple took 4-44 in the 1st XI's washed out match, with Simon Seabrook 32* also looking good before the rain washed away any hopes of a result.

Mick Miller - Inspired the 2nd XI to victory with an amazing knock of 82 from just 68 deliveries, all done with a pulled muscle, all Crows take note as this is a performance fully worthy of the award. Other notable performances were John Bason's fine supporting 60, Dave Isherwood's controlled and cool under pressure 4-44 and finally for the 1st XI a welcome return to form for Ken Graham who scored 57.

Richard Temple - A fine allround performance from Richard Temple (except perhaps in the field) was not quite enough to achieve the win that the 1st XI desired on Saturday. Coming to the crease at 75 for 5 with his team in grave danger, Dickie dominated a partnership of 75 with Matt Graham (25), in scoring 43*. Then on a track suited to his hostile bowling, Dickie emerged with figures of 3-50.

Matt Graham - Judged by captain Craig Holson in an excellent team performance against Stapleford. Struggling at 70 for 5, Royston were indebted to a 60 run partnership between Graham and Leary, who scored 33 a piece to rescue Royston to 157. Graham nudges the award due to his previous ineptitudes with the bat and apparent 'Harry Potter' like transformation. Credit must also be given to Richard Temple's best bowling performance of the season with 3-30 and an Alan Hootton spell that rolled back the years (3-27). In the 2nd XI on an otherwise disappointing day Ben Warren smashed a typically gung-ho 45.

Martin Leary - scored a big hitting 57* batting at number 5 for the Under 15s, an extremely notable achievement. Rory Harper scored 55 a couple of days later to have multiple half century scorers in youth cricket for the first time in 5 years. Royston 2nd XI's bowlers also deserve a mention after leading their team to victory, particularly Paul Harris and Craig Jackson with 3 wickets a piece.

Naveed Ahmed- Led Royston 2nd XI to their first victory of the season with a stunning allround performance, 6-30 and a brutal 30 not out off few deliveries to lead them to victory. On any other week the winner of Crow of the week would have been U11 star Josh Hughes who took the best Youth figures for 10 years, 7-10 and led the U11s to the title.

Mark Harper - On debut in an extremely taxing experience against Foxton with an extraodinary amount of regular players missing managed to hold his head up high and be the only Royston player to emerge with some credibility with figures of 8-1-64-2.

Craig Holson - Scored a sparkling 63 in vain against Barrington for the 1st XI, captain Craig took the sword to the opposition, but holed out in the 60s again and didn't quite inspire his team to victory.

'Miserly' Alan Hootton- Making his return from retirement this Royston legend put in a performance as if he had never been away, taking 4 wickets and bowling economically as ever, unfortunately the rain spoiled his day as Royston did not have enough time to take advantage of his fine display. Mentions must also go to Craig Holson, who scored a quick fire 49 in the Keatley Cup, and Martyn Tokley who took 2-13 in 3 overs in the same match.

Dave Sladen- In a forgettable weekend for the senior sides Dave 'Hoggy' Sladen showed character after a horrendous bowling display on the Saturday and being hit for 5 6s by a batsman on his way to 206* on Sunday he fought back to score 43 and restore some respectability. Mentions must also go to 14 year old Rory Harper who scored 26 for the 2nd XI and John Adler who score 44 from 40 balls.

Craig Holson- The Captain put his heart and soul into achieving a first victory for the Crows this week. Determination and quality stroke play (the image above a rare lapse in the pleasing to the eye stakes) took the captain to 68 until his innings was cruelly ended (See 'Richard of the Day'...)

Martin Leary- the 15 year old showed the rest of the first team batsmen some backbone as his patient and mature 45 not out on debut rescued Royston from a perilous position at 77 for 6 to a respectable 179 for 7. Spin twins Graham (4-35) and Gillham (3-45) again weighed in, but could not quite twirl the team to victory.

Richard Temple - Richard Temple recovered well against Horseheath to mop up the tail with figures of 3-44 and give the 1st XI a sniff at Horseheath's target. Mention must also go to the two Matt spin twins, Graham (2-35) and Gillham (making his debut with 1-55) who hauled Royston back from a inauspicious start..

Mick Miller- Mick restored some pride into Royston 2nd XI in scoring 83, the highest score by a 2nd XI batsman for 2 years, a promising start for the 2nds which they can hopefully use as a platform to springboard from. A special mention must also go to Ben Warren, who stepping up from the second team managed to return good figures of 4-37 for the 1st XI, with some disciplined and hostile bowling.

Matt Graham & Paul Miller- Due to no impartial manager being present at the first game of the season 'Crow of the week' has to be awarded jointly. Paul Miller scored some typically lusty boundaries in his well constructed 48 and then proceeded to keep extremely well in difficult early season conditions. After having put on 65 for the first wicket with Paul Miller, Matt Graham started his season with the ball by ripping out the Hatfield Crusaders middle order with a good spell of left arm spin bowling to end with figures of 5-4-2-3, also claiming a catch.

Joy Skinner - The only bowler to hit the stumps at the Royston Sports Fayre Try-outs, ahead of such luminaries as Chris Hootton 1st team opening bowler. Says her cricketing hero is Matt Graham and has to find 10 more good women cricketers to create an inaugral Royston women's cricket team.

Special mention also goes to a galant painting effort by Zac Holson, watch out for yellow paint in the pavilion!