Happy Sunday, Mertonians!

After a damp and gloomy April that derailed the pre-season program for the Saturday League teams, the weather has steadily improved into what has now become glorious conditions to play cricket. 

Before we recap on the season to date, it is only right that we explain the lack of emails over the last few weeks. We use Mailchimp to send out our emails to everyone, and they have now limited the amount of emails we can send in a month. Two weeks worth of emails from us uses up our allowance! So we have been unable to send any emails at all while we have been attempting to sort out this issue. This has meant that those of you who do not use WhatsApp have had no information from us for the last few weeks, and we apologise to you for that inconvenience. 

Moving forward, we are looking at alternative ways to get our messages to and from you, including the Saturday 1st XI currently trialling the Spond sports team app. The newsletters will continue to go out, but at the moment the Monday and Wednesday emails will be more sporadic than we'd like. Always contact the team captains, or people you know within the club, if you need more information.

2023 SEASON RECAP

Our four Saturday League teams have had a great start to the season. Top of the pile is the 4th XI, captained by David Floyd, who are top of the Surrey Championship Div 6 East. Five wins on the trot, plus the first game conceded, means they have 120 points, 30 clear of second-placed Chaldon.

The 3rd XI also top their division, Surrey Championship Div 4 East, having also won five games on the spin with the first game cancelled. James Prebble's team have 105 points, 17 clear of second-placed Croydon.

The 1st XI are fourth in the Surrey County League 1st XI Div 1 after a late collapse against Merstham yesterday - for whom the win sent them top. Only 19 points separates Scott Wesselo's team from top spot, after three wins from five (plus one cancelled). They are handily-placed for a second successive promotion assault.

The Saturday 2nd XI are also 4th in Surrey Championship Div 4 2nd XI, after three wins and a winning draw from their five games (plus one conceded). Only 21 points separates them from Thames Ditton in top spot, and just like the 1sts are in good shape with a third of the League season gone.

Our friendly Saturday 5th XI, captained by Bala KM, have won two of their four games, including an enormous 146-run win against Merstham - a day when no less than five batters made fifties before retiring, and the final team score ended on 308/1.

On Sundays, the Eagles and the Hawks have won three of their six games, while the Boars have won two. Also, a word about our T20 Surrey Slam team, the Merton Mammoths - three wins from three, with one to play, sees them progress from their round-robin group. Asrith's team have been devastating at times with bat and ball, and no team will want to face them in the next round!

Congratulations to Iftekhar Muntakim - who was officially named by Play Cricket as the club's Most Valuable Player in 2021 - who, yesterday for the 3rds, scored the club's first League hundred for two years yesterday, just a week after notching a match-winning five-for. Great achievements from a great all-rounder!

There have been a slew of individual achievements during 2023. Asrith Puttaganti and Shash Kularatna have hit friendly centuries, and no less than 36 half-centuries have been notched. On the bowling side, Sujanan Romalojoseph and Brendan du Preez have both taken six-fors, and there have been six five-wicket hauls overall across the weekend. No less impressive, as a companion piece, is the 5/13 Rob Jordan took in a T20 game - not easy when you only have four overs to bowl!