WAVERLEY Cricket Club, the nomadic local side, had a mixed 2016 season, winning just one more game (10) than they lost (9), with four drawn.

The draws represent a gentle change in the ethos of the game, with more home teams opting for timed matches and accepting that a draw can be absorbing and not necessarily boring.

Waverley fielded 33 different players and at some point 31 got to the crease and 23 bowled. The aim is to get all players involved in these friendly fixtures, although winning remains the driving force.

There was a wide variation in total aggregates, with the highest at Hambledon (Surrey) – a mammoth 552-14 – and the lowest at Binstead – just 190-17 in an afternoon.

Jim Wright was top scorer with a magnificent 977 runs, including four hundreds and eight 50s. He is now Waverley’s most prolific scorer of centuries with no less than 15.

Simon Brewer amassed 755 (one hundred, seven 50s) and after a lean start to the season, Chris Beanland found form with his first half-century (76 not out) and totalled 266, closely followed by Adrian Day with 251. Skipper Matt Du Gay scored 167 and Will Knox, back after a three-year absence, managed 137. Joe Morse scored 64 not out at Hambledon and there was a first 50 for Marcus Carmichael.

The most bowling was done by old stager Peter Brewer who picked up 40 wickets (avg 17) from 171 overs. Matt Du Gay bowled 118 overs for 25 wickets, Sam Tempest 101 for 20 and Will Knox 87 for 20.

Newcomer Toby Elborough often opened the bowling with scant reward. Adam Carmichael moved away from the area, but still managed to top the averages with a fine haul of 22 wickets at 11.64 from 69 overs.

Malorie Short, in her first Waverley season, claimed nine wickets, while Sam Tempest gave the best individual performance with 5-17 in 10 overs at Medstead.

Of Waverley’s 92 catches, Simon Brewer held 13 (plus 3 stumpings), Matt Du Gay 12 and Jim Wright 10.

The Player of the Year award went to outgoing skipper Matt Du Gay for his overall contribution and Batsman of the Year was Alexander (Jim) Wright. Bowler of the Year was Peter Brewer who also received a plaque and trophy to mark his 1,000th wicket for Waverley.

Jim Wright will captain Waverley this year.

Through various means, Waverley raised £115 for their supported charity, Help for Heroes.

Waverley CC will always welcome new players. View the Waverley CC website (www.pitchero.com/clubs/waverley) for details.

Waverley averages:Batting(qual 8 completed innings) I NO R HS AvgA Wright 21 2 977 111* 51.42S Brewer 22 4 755 108* 41.95A Day 16 4 251 57* 20.92C Beanland 19 2 266 76* 15.65M Du Gay 13 2 167 39* 15.18W Knox 11 1 137 41* 13.70M Carmichael 9 0 100 52* 11.11Bowling(qual 5 wickets or more) O M R W AvgA Carmichael 69 15 256 22 11.64A Day 34 3 151 12 12.58P Brewer 171 17 673 40 16.83S Tempest 101 24 395 20 19.75M Du Gay 118 18 511 25 20.44W Knox 88 13 451 20 22.55M Short 39 1 224 9 24.89K Moxham 40 4 177 7 25.29T Elborough 61 3 278 9 30.90Catches: S Brewer 13, M Du Gay 12, A Wright 10, T Elborough 6, P Brewer 5, C Beanland 4, A Day 4, A Du Gay 4, J Harris 4, S Tempest 4.Stumpings: S Brewer 3, An Minshaw 1, A Wright 1.