On May 30th, 1992, Outwood played their first ever league match in the Kent County Village League against Plaxtol CC. It was a sunny day, though the pitch was described as damp. Outwood batted first and, after losing R Noakes for a duck, R Waller and G Connolly put on 69 for the second wicket before both fell for 46. After that, OCC lost wickets fairly regularly, though 29 from number 8 W Young helped see The Wood to 168 all out from 39.5 overs.

Plaxtol were to bat their full 40-over allocation but never really looked like they would chase the total. The Outwoodians shared the wickets, and Plaxtol finished on 124, meaning a 44-run victory in the club's first ever league match. The game finished at quarter to seven, and the scorebook doesn't record if the team "Went back to The Wood" after the match concluded!

UK Number 1 Single: "Please Don't Go" by KWS.
UK Sporting Fact: On May 25, 1992, the Premier League was officially formed, replacing the First Division as the top tier of English football.
News: On May 28, 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, laying the groundwork for the formation of the European Union.

Outwood vs. Linton Park - May 29th, 2021

On May 29, 2021, Outwood faced Linton Park CC at home. The visiting skipper decided to bat, but Linton Park soon found themselves under pressure from a strong bowling performance. Wickets fell regularly, with 37 runs for the fifth wicket being the biggest partnership. Matthew Norman (4 wickets), Adam Kendall (3 wickets), and Dru Tunstall (2 wickets) kept the pressure on throughout. Linton Park finished 9 down after their 40 overs with just 136 runs, which proved insufficient. Despite losing two early wickets, Ashley Middleton (61) and Louis Russell-Watts (55*) guided Outwood towards a 6-wicket victory in 33.5 overs. Linton Park went on to finish third in the KCVL's top tier while Outwood secured fourth place, with future glory years soon following for The Wood!

UK Number 1 Single: "Good 4 U" by Olivia Rodrigo.
UK Sporting Fact: On May 30, 2021, Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League final, with Kai Havertz scoring the winning goal.
News: On May 24, 2021, the UK government announced the extension of the furlough scheme to support businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outwood Blazes vs. Horley - May 28th, 2022

On May 28, 2022, the Outwood Blazes secured a convincing victory over Horley with an 8-wicket win. Horley were restricted to just 69 runs from their 18 overs, thanks to an exceptional bowling performance by Maz Graham, who returned remarkable figures of 4 overs, 4 wickets for 5 runs. Tina Howard (29*) and Maz (38*) ensured a routine victory for OCC as they headed towards a fourth-place finish and qualification for the next round in their Surrey Slam group.

UK Number 1 Single: "As It Was" by Harry Styles.
UK Sporting Fact: On May 28, 2022, Emma Raducanu won her opening match at the French Open, marking her debut at Roland Garros.
News: On May 26, 2022, the UK government announced a major investment in green energy projects to combat climate change and promote sustainable development.

Stay tuned for more thrilling tales from our club's history, and if you have any memories or matches you'd like to share, please let James Malley know. If anyone would like a colour photocopy of one of Keith Barham's meticulously recorded matches, we would be happy to arrange that for you.
Let's celebrate our cricketing heritage together, one week at a time!