the zambuca tigers

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"In all honesty - I haven't had that much fun with a cricket club before as I did with you guys!......"

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 London, France, UAE, and Australia and New Zealand (sort of). We don't play weekend league cricket (although we were one of the founder members of the evening LMS 8 a-side league in Brighton) - it's 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 out of necessity).

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. Anyone, including their wives and pets, is welcome to join our mailing list currently of near 100 persons, either with a view to turning out for a game, or simply to enjoy some cricket related banter.

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, and another in the rather splendid grounds of Hammerwood House, once owned by Led Zeppelin (top teas that one too). 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.


Latest "Streaming" News Live from the Pub



Nets

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. Other off-season activities for the Tigers include an indoor 6-a-side "giraffes on ice" league, regular attendances at pub quiz nights, and an annual Xmas Dinner, often at Pelham House in Lewes, where we sing some carols and Akshat picks up his Batsman of the Year Award.


Tour

"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......"

Each year the club goes on Tour. This year's tour might be to France, or it could be Ibiza (details to be confirmed). Actually latest missives from fixture sec. Nick Straiton suggest a visit to Majorca is on the cards for the jet setting Tigers this year.


Treasury

"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 £10 and half price for juniors. Guest fees are £10.

Net fees are £5 or £6 depending on numbers.


Usual Annual Fixtures

"Excellent sponge cake and some unusually well welded crispie cakes fortified us before taking to the field....."

See our site at playcricket.com and lastmanstands.com for full statistics 

East Hoathley 
Three Bridges
Streat
Crawley
Hammerwood
Mickleham 
Denton
Newick 
CXH 
Jamaica Inn
Felbridge
Uni of Brighton 
Aldwick
Patricks XI
Pat Richards XI
Bury
Brighton Xiles
The Greys * 
Ditchling
Arundel 
Brunswick Village 
Riviera
Rottingdean 

* Actually we were banned by The Greys at their recent AGM for turning up late (has anyone tried to find the pitch at Bolney?) and "not taking the match seriously enough". Ed-have we got a copy of their official letter of complaint? Would be amusing to post that here, thanks.


The Tiger Tail Hall of Fame

"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

 Harry Pyant, Batting

 Tom Brookshaw, Batting

 Akshat Mehta, Batting

 Zeeshan Ali, Batting

 Andrew Clarke, Batting

The committee is also presently 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. It is probably worth pointing out that there are as yet no bowler tails (Joe Brookshaw says it is because Andy always takes him off when he has 5 or 6 wickets).

Talking of passing motions Aidan has recently proposed to float a Tiger Turd Award for must ducks in a season. However I suspect the committee will resolve toilet this particular suggestion pass there being far too many turds on the pitch at East Brighton already (and in the bushes as Jon will testify).

Finally at the End of Year Christmas Dinner this year there was an extra prize awarded to Akshat and Mrs Mehta for finest delivery of the year, ready made with Tiger Tail!

 


Quiz XI

Throughout the close season, along with occasional nets and ice skating for giraffes (indoor league), the Tigers turn out regular and formidable quiz teams and can often be found towards the top of leader board at the Quiz Kong in the North Laines, The Quiz on my Face at the Dirty Duck, or the Fiveways Quiz at the err Fiveways. Monetary prizes go towards a curry and non-monetary ones are collected for the next Christmas raffle.


Contact

"Superb egg sandwiches from a new receipe were donated by James’s mum involving nutmeg. These went down well and Barry commented that it was probably the most sophisticated egg sandwich that he had eaten for many a long while and we all agreed that, certainly, they were a step upwards from the sterile, tasteless packaged Tesco offerings that we were given at Clayton earlier on in the season."

Please contact jon@netfactor.co.uk or call Nick Straiton on 07910 226839 or visit us below:

zambuca crest

 

 

 

 

 

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