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"Khan and Andy C were sent out to open with the express instruction to stay in until the rest of the team arrived. This message was obviously not passed on to the Three Bridges opening bowler who proceeded to clean up Andy with the first ball of the innings......"
Despite their name the Zambuca Tigers (estd. 2000) are a cuddly team of part time social cricketers based around Brighton, although drawing players from as far afield as North London. We don't play league cricket - it's strictly village green friendlies only. Batting and bowling orders are flexible and sometimes depend on nothing more technical than who turns up first - this means everyone normally gets a game (we usually bat down to no. 11).
Most of our games are on Sunday afternoons and we have occasional evening games. Many of our players only play a few games each season; there is no pressure to turn out each weekend and age or skill is no barrier.
The Zambucans are a wandering team without a particular home ground but many of our "home" fixtures are played at East Brighton Park or Wish Road, Hove. Away fixtures are usually somewhere in the Sussex countryside plus an annual match against Charing Cross Hospital played in Teddington, Middlesex. Have a look at our fixtures below.
So if you are a budding youngster or a seasoned veteran making tentative steps back into the game after a long lay off ZTCC could be for you. If we sound like your sort of team we would be delighted to hear from you as we welcome new players. Please see the contact details below.
Andy's classic comment - "ahh thank goodness for Jon, he's a man for a crisis", was barely uttered before he was back clean bowled for nought....
Practice nets are at the County Ground Hove and tend to run, subject to demand, from January to April. Times are notified by email.
Each year the club goes on Tour. This year's tour might be to France, or it could be Ibiza or even Brazil (details to be confirmed).
"A barmy Saturday afternoon at an agricultural college provided a lovely setting to ponder many of life's great mysteries. First and foremost of these mysteries is, exactly how many Zambucan Tigers does it need to make a cricket team. The answer, which was a surprise to many of us, turned out to be three, as Andy C, Joe B and new boy Dominic turned out to show the Tigers are by no means extinct."
Annual subs are £20.
Match fees for paid up members are £7 and half price for juniors. Guest fees are £10.
Net fees are £5 or £6 depending on numbers.
"Excellent sponge cake and some unusually well welded crispie cakes fortified us before taking to the field....."
See our site at playcricket.com for full statistics
East Hoathley
Three Bridges
Mickleham
Denton
Ockham
Burki Brothers
Newick
CXH
Belters
Milland
Jamaica Inn Pirates
Felbridge
Uni of Brighton
Aldwick
Patricks XI
Bury
Brighton Xiles
The Greys
Ditchling
Arundel
Brunswick Village
Riviera
Rottingdean
"Closer inspection of the opposition confirmed that it wasn't just that they were standing a considerable distance away either, but that once more we were up against a team of youngsters getting a bit of practice against us oldies. This practice primarily seemed in sledging, but nevertheless the two Nicks went out to open with positive thoughts, especially as Nick S's Tiger Tails had arrived from their sweatshop to inspire us to great deeds.".
One of the most sought after honours in any cricketers' career, up there with an Ashes winners medal, is the legendary Tiger's Tail. This rare accolade presented in the form of a somewhat, it has to be said, short and lank stringey black and orange striped bit of cloth, is bestowed on any player who can achieve one of the following feats in a single innings:
Batting Category: 100 runs
Bowling Category: 7 wickets
Fielding Category: 7 catches
We are pleased to report that the following players have been awarded the coveted Tiger Tail:
Dave Kennington, Batting, 2009
Tom Brookshaw, Batting, 2009 and 2011
Usman Baig, Batting, 2011
Zambuca are delighted to welcome the latest member to the Tiger Tail Club. New signing Usman Baig fell one boundary short earlier in the season with 96 but there was no stopping him against Milland with a massive 141 not out. This was immediately celebrated as the highest score in Zambucan history. But barely days later news was received that Dave K had scored 144 in Ibiza in 2002. Even more extraordinarily Nick Straiton then stepped forward with photographic evidence of his alleged 146 during the same season. The committee are presently examining the evidence pending a final decision.
The committee is also discussing the possibility of expanding the award to include a Hat Trick in the Bowling category although is mindful not to devalue the honour. It is not yet clear whether Rajeev would qualify for this honour post houmously if this motion were to be passed.
The Zambucan Brazilian Sub Committee (Paul Davey) also proposed a lottery type fund to go to the first player to reach 150! Response has so far been muted with only Dave K and Akshat taking up the challenge.
Potentially more exciting than all these awards is a prize for any (Zambucan) batsman who can break one of the windows of Nick's iconic team van (with a cricket shot of course - mindless vandalism excluded). Can anyone notice what is wrong with this picture before it is too late?
Please contact jon@netfactor.co.uk or call Nick Straiton on 07910 226839
You can also find us on Flikr and Facebook and Twitter and in the LMS 20/20 league (Brighton division).
