A landmark day for Outwood and for one of its most prolific batters, J Senneck. Batting first in a 35-over match, The Wood posted a strong 195 for 5. Senneck anchored the innings with a superb 88 not out, and in doing so, reached a personal milestone—his second run of the day marked his 4000th for the club, achieved in just his 116th innings.

Newchapel and Horne made a steady start in reply, and at 100 for 4, the match was still in the balance. But then came a game-changing spell from K Wallis, who ripped through the middle order with a hat-trick, removing batters 6, 7, and 8 in consecutive deliveries. With one player absent hurt, the innings ended at 119 for 9, giving Outwood a 76-run win. Wallis finished with a five-wicket haul, and C Howe added the final two scalps—leaving him on a hat-trick ball for his next outing!

UK Number 1 Single: "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams.
UK Sporting Fact: The Queen’s Club Championships saw Tony Roche win the tournament, defeating a young John McEnroe in a thrilling final.
News of the Week: On June 3rd, 1978, aviation pioneer Freddie Laker was knighted for his contributions to affordable air travel, having revolutionised transatlantic flights with his Skytrain service. (And he once owned the author’s house too!)

Outwood Tour Match vs. Weymouth – June 7th, 1989

A classic tour encounter saw Outwood edge past Weymouth in a thrilling one-wicket victory. The hosts batted first on a moist but sunlit pitch, posting a strong 214 for 5 from their 36 overs. The standout was J Dixon, who compiled a commanding 125. M Winfield was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 for 56.

Outwood’s chase began at 17:08 and got off to a shaky start with the early departures of Vicars and Snelling. But a trio of solid innings from Cox (45), Murray (62), and Kane (54) took the score past 150 with just three down. However, a flurry of wickets saw The Wood collapse from 188-4 to 197-8. When M Winfield was run out, the game hung in the balance with 3 runs still needed and only one wicket in hand. Enter Christie and M Cook, who held their nerve to see Outwood home at 19:40. A memorable win and a highlight of the tour, which continued the next day with a rain-affected 20-over match and a 4-wicket defeat at Beaminster.

UK Number 1 Single: "Sealed With a Kiss" by Jason Donovan.
UK Sporting Fact: On the same day, Nashwan won the 1989 Epsom Derby under jockey Willie Carson, cementing his place as one of the greats of British flat racing.
News of the Week: On June 7th, 1989, the UK was watching events unfold in China, where the Tiananmen Square protests had just been violently suppressed. The British press was filled with shock and condemnation.

Outwood vs. Oxted and Limpsfield – June 5th, 2019

In a memorable T20 Surrey Slam clash, Outwood travelled to Oxted and Limpsfield for a family affair that pitted father and son against another son. Mike Cleaver and his son Ben turned out for The Wood, while Jac Cleaver lined up for the opposition—donning the gloves for Oxted.

Batting first, Outwood built steadily, with no batter quite reaching the 50-retirement mark. Will Blease came closest with a fluent 48, while Matt Norman’s late-innings 44 helped push the total to a competitive 174 for 8. Jac Cleaver was sharp behind the stumps, claiming a catch and two stumpings—with one of the victims his brother Ben!

Oxted’s reply was anchored by Joe Kourea, who retired with a half-century, but tight bowling from Outwood kept the chase in check. Despite not taking early wickets, the visitors’ economy rates were superb. Matt Talbot was especially miserly, conceding just 19 runs from his 4 overs. When Jac Cleaver fell to Matt Norman, the chase fizzled out. Ben Cleaver, Dru Tunstall, and Marcus Malley each took a wicket as Outwood secured a composed win. The Wood would go on to finish second in the group, qualifying for the knockout stages, while Oxted missed out.

UK Number 1 Single: "I Don't Care" by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber.
UK Sporting Fact: On the same day, India defeated South Africa by 6 wickets at The Rose Bowl in Southampton during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 122 to guide India to victory in their tournament opener.
News of the Week: On June 5th, 2019, world leaders including Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Theresa May, and U.S. President Donald Trump gathered on the south coast of England to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.