It was a very disappointing season for the FirstX1 that saw Woods register only one win and four winning draws, ultimately ensuring relegation to the Fuller's League, for the first season of the new millennium. Although relegation was not confirmed until the penultimate weekend of the season, this was more to do with inability of other sides to secure their own fate earlier, rather than anything we achieved. Our only win came against local rivals Old Walcountians, which was achieved mostly thanks to a fine spell of bowling from Bill Bessant with 6 for 56, affording Woods our only occasion when we managed to bowl out the opposition, highlighting where part of our problem lay. On the other side of things, when the bowling did set up the chance of victory, the side's inability to score quickly led to wickets being thrown away in a mad scramble to secure even a winning draw. Highlights of the season were Ralph Patel's bowling (33 wickets at 20.2) and batting (295 runs at 22.7, including 114 against Oxshott Village) which rightly earned him the Club's Bowler and Player of the Year awards. Dan Turner took the batting award again (482 runs at 40.2) and only Chris Vagg (319 runs) and Bill Bessant (310 runs) managed to top 300 runs with the bat. Meanwhile Bill Bessant further contributed with 18 wickets (including two 5 wicket hauls), with James Selby bowling well at times being unlucky to capture only 16 wickets, while deserving more.

Despite the prospect of dropping down to the Fuller's Surrey County League, the side is full of optimism and hopeful that the change will rejuvenate the Club and a return to winning ways will ensure promotion back to the Surrey Championship. As always we must say a special word of thanks to Dave Harris and Audrey Winn, for their umpiring and scoring respectively, throughout the season, with Audrey on many occasions scoring unassisted throughout....Thank You.

Chris Vagg

First X1 Averages 1999

Match Record: Played 18 Won 1 Lost 7 Win Draw 4 Losing Draw 6

Batting