A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

Welcome to Palm Tree Cricket Club.

LATEST INFORMATION

14.06.09

HADLEY WOULDN'T AGAIN

Palm Tree failed to press home their advantage after scoring a massive 246 for 8 from 38 against HADLEY WOOD. Leaving the Woods 42 overs to score their runs, the opposition would only muster 122 for 3, showing little or no intent to score the runs. Having said that, their grit in avoiding defeat was admirable in the face of a pretty decent display from the PTCC bowlers, including the excellent debutant RICHARD KEEP (1-4). Elsewhere Daniel STOCKILL was out after a dashing 98, and new guy KYLE SNOOKES showed he knew what he was doing.

13.06.09

SCRATCH & PATCH

A scratch Palm Tree side put in a patchy performance today as they went down by 74 runs to Strongroom. More soon.

8.6.09

ONE-SIDED CONTEST

The weather relented, the rain boiled away and sun streamed down on Highgate Woods yesterday. Unfortunately, scheduled opponents TOTTERIDGE MILLHILLIANS evaporated like the water that steamed from the surface of the nets. Due to some drop outs they pulled out at the last minute, leaving 11 trees to entertain themselves in the Woods.

This we did with an impromptu single-wicket competition which was all very good fun but really isn't what we signed up for (the victor is not complaining though). This weekend we face a double-header in the form of STRONGROOM (Sat) and HADLEY WOOD (Sun). Please let Bill know which days you can play to give us the best possible chance of turning out two teams!


31.05.09

THORN IN THE SIDE

Palm Tree played disappointingly to be beaten by Black Rose yesterday. Despite fielding an impressive batting line up, the team failed to post a defendable score, limping to 104 all out.

In response, early pressure from the opening bowlers, especially the excellent Ben Tanner, saw the Rose stuck on 17-2 for a while, but with such a small total to defend, the team could not sustain the pressure, and the Rose eventually cruised home to win by 7 wickets.

26.05.09

BLACK ROSE REMINDER

A littl nudge for the membership that this weekend sees the first leg of the BLACK COCONUT CUP against Arch-Rivals BLACK ROSE. Please do everything you can to make yourselves available for this fixture so that we can turn out a Palm Tree 1st XI for this crucial game. Remember we have to win both legs to get our hands on the elusive trophy.

Ben Tanner is in charge of selection duties this week - give him a shout.

24.05.09

After the disappointment of last week's Garsington wash out, Palm Tree play The GARDENDERS today for the first time - the last two attempts have themselves been wash outs. But the day is set fair, and we look forward to relating an exciting (and hopefully winning) tale later...

And this just in: Palm Tree snatched a remarkable 1 run victory a fine Gardeners side. After a good batting performance - based around Rob Hemsley's excellent 72, the Trees initially looked to have things well in hand as the oppo faltered in their attempt to reach 208. But in the end it required excellent death bowling from Tanner and Neville and excellent support fielding that stopped the Gardeners getting the 7 runs they needed from the last two overs

12.05.09

Another disappointing end to an otherwise rollicking match saw Palm Tree lose by one pesky wicket to rivals MILLFIELDS on Sunday. After a good team performance (WATSON 28, BINDER & RUSSELL 26) had seen the Trees to a decent 170 for 8 (topped by a monster 6 from Ruan PHEIFFER), MILLFIELDS were pegged back early by TANNER (2-17) and PHEIFFER. But a succession of dropped catches - including two in two balls - off the bat of Tom COLLIS (65) allowed the visitors to build a big enough base for their intrepid tail-enders to squeak home amongst the steady fall of wickets.

03.05.09

GOODNESS

Palm Tree opened their win account with a good 5 wicket win over BEAMERS (AKA New Statesmen) at Ferme Park today. Choosing to bowl first, the Trees bowled their oppo out for 164, SEAN BINDER taking 4-30, with SPEEDY taking 3-28 and RUAN PHEIFFER setting a fine standard with 8 miserly overs off the reel on a tiny ground.

In response, PALM TREE wobbled to 1-2, before DAVE WATSON (26) and BILL WOOD (34*) offered the necessary support to the impressive BINDER, who followed his bowling display with an assured 74*, the target reached with almost 10 overs to spare. All concerned with relieved with the size of the win, since one more wicket would have exposed an unusually long tail!

26.04.09

BADNESS

PALM TREE got off to a bad start to the season as they failed to defend 158 against OC TRADS at home.

After ROB HEMSLEY's excellent 44 and a flurry from DAVE WATSON (21 from 14) had helped the Trees to a respectable total, the bowlers struggled to find their line, wides helping contribute 42 extras! A fight back late in the game almost facilitated a miracle escape, but it was not to be as the OCT's got home with two wickets to spare.

20.04.09

A beautiful spring day with wasted criminally by ELSTREE as they called off the game because it rained the day they wanted to mow the pitch. Thanks a bunch.

Instead, we turn our attention to season's opener MkII, as we take on The OC Trads at home (a game that will only be rained off if there's actual rain). The OCTs gave us a bit of a kicking first up last year, so the Trees will be hoping for revenge and a more positive start to 2009.

NET NOTE

For those of you champing at the bit for news of nets, the first one will take place at 9pm, at Lord's on Monday 2nd MARCH. Contact a committee member for more details.

NEW COMMITTEE - AND OVER AND OUT FROM THE MIGHTY CHIP

The Palm Tree AGM took place last night with a wind shaking the fronds.

Palm Tree legend CHIP HAMER stood down from the captaincy with an emotional (though tear-free)speech. Chip has led Palm Tree with extraordinary skill and dedicated for 12 seasons, and in 2001 led us through the season without a single defeat.

The new committee is:

Speedy Russell (Captain)
Richard King (VC)
David Wood (Treasurer)
Ben Tanner (Secretary)
David Tossell (Fixtures)
Bill Wood (Selection Coordinator)
Adam Rolston (Assistant Treasurer)
Mark Troman (Secretary's Assistant)
Jon Tennison and a number of other committee members all pledged support for Bill n his selection work.

The winners of this year's trophies are:

Batsman: Rob Hemsley
Bowler: Speedy Russell
Fielder: Rob Hemsley
Players' Player: Speedy Russell
Champagne Moment: Dave Watson (catch at Hainault)
Comedy Moment: Dave Watson (aquaplane and bat throwing)
Chip's last act as Captain was to award the Palm Tree cup to Bill Wood for his dedication to the club as a player and as a selector.

AGM

The AGM will take place this Thursday (4th Dec) at 7.30pm. The venue is the Crown and Goose in Camden Town. Food will be available at £10 a head.

We look forward to seeing many of you.

CURRYING FAVOUR

If you want to come to the team curry on Sunday night (Kiplings of Highgate) please let Bill know asap.

1.10.08

OUT ON TOP

PALM TREE hit the off season by pressing the on button against ENFIELD CC today, as the selection travails of Bil Wood turned to triumph.

Despite fielding 10 men for the match, PTCC responded to a brutal Enfield opening stand of 106 by bowling them out for 172, Speedy's season's best 6-24 backed up by Pat Hayden's excellent 3-29 and solid bowling from Heavy ROLSTON and HRH KING.

Chasing this tantalizing target, the Trees lost both HAMER and TENNISON after a stolid opening stand, but Kirit KOTTAM (49) on his farewell performance, Hayden and Rob HEMSLEY with an excellent unbeaten 36 saw the Trees home with 3 overs to spare.

We'll be off for a curry at Kiplings next Sunday, which will be perkier because of today.

28.09.08

WONDERLAND

Palm Tree BEAT (yes, you read that right) rivals the CHARLATANS today after a late rally helped them but an impressive 187 on the board. Wobbling at 56 for 5, ROB HEMSLEY (49) and BILL WOOD with an unbeaten 64 flayed the bowling to all parts of the ground.

The Charlatans bright response was stymied by good bowling, especially from RUAN PHEIFFER, and a great piece of fielding by Hemsley. DANIEL STOCKILL then made sure that there was no recovery by snapping up 4-13 with his leg-break-and-searing pace mixture, the winning margin 73 runs. Hurrah!

TALK ABOUT HAINAULT

PALM TREE lost yet another squeaky-bum thriller, this time by 3 runs against new oppo Olympians CC out in Hainault. A fine bowling & fielding performance carrying on from recent matches saw the OCC restricted to 147, with Adam Rolston amongst the wickets with 3-20.

The Palm Tree reply revolved around the strengths of the middle order, with Rob Hemsley's 40 the centre piece, but once the tail was exposed the OCCs chipped away, leaving the Trees just too much to do.

Next week the Trees travel south of the river to take on the challenge of the Charlatans.

BAD SASTARD: 2000

Statto here has been home sick for a couple of days, and to relieve the boredom (and yet depress himself thoroughly) he has entered the scores from Y2K on this very site. It wasn't one of Statto's better seasons, but the longer standing amongst you might enjoy a trawl through them and see a few old names and memorable matches.


14.03.06

Statistics and scorecards for Palm Tree matches all the way back to April 2001 are now available on this site.

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Palm Tree are based in Highgate Woods - one of the nicest grounds you could imagine existing in a public park in London - and the crowds of Sunday picknickers are treated to our own brand of spirited cricket. If you live in the area, and play (or have played) the game and fancy joining a fun local team, drop by the scorebox on one of our home fixtures (see Fixtures) and ask for Bill or Chip.

SR

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