Pre-season game with Thames Valley

The Mavericks and the Bisons played a somewhat curtailed pre-season game at Guildford, with just 5 innings being completed as a result of continuous heavy showers. The pitch held up fairly well, although by the end, there was standing water around home plate. Pitchers on both sides coped admirably with the conditions, and it was only in the last inning or two was control a problem (although some may say that had nothing to do with the conditions). The Bisons had a comfortable lead by the time the game was called, but on the Mavericks side, there were debuts by Phil Nathan and Noel Griffiths, and some good hitting from Jeremy Abel. Owen as always had good control of his pitches, even this early in the season, and the Jazz Brown- Jeremy double play combination, and James Cumper in CF, all contributed with the glove, with a welcome return by Heather behind the plate, although she was probably somewhat glad to be out of there by the time the Mavericks went to the bullpen!

       

Despite the awful conditions, it was a good run out nonetheless, and made a change from being stuck indoors. But this was basically it for pre-season training outdoors in 2008. With an early Easter, and snow last weekend, the Mavericks were only able to squeeze in the game, before the season starts in earnest at Croydon, next weekend. As 2007 got off to a great start weather wise, but was then somewhat of a washout, let's hope the reverse is true this season.
(Sunday, 13th April 2008)

Richmond Riverdogs drop out

The Richmond Riverdogs have announced that they are going to drop out of Division 2 for this season. They don't believe they have sufficient numbers to enable them to fulfill all fixtures for the coming season. They have therefore requested that they play as an independent team, with the aim of returning in 2009. The means that the Thames Valley Bisons, who the Mavericks meet in a pre-season game tomorrow, now move over to the Mavericks half of the Division, and will now travel to Guildford on July 6th, having entertained the Mavericks on May the 18th, in place of the Riverdogs. The original game with Thames Valley now becomes a casualty of this change, but hopefully the Mavericks will be able to schedule a friendly with Richmond at some point in the season.
(Saturday, 12th April 2008)

Friendly with the Tonbridge Bobcats

Now that the new seasons fixtures have been released, the club have been able to schedule a couple of friendlies with the Tonbridge Bobcats, who are playing as an Independent team this season. A trip to Tonbridge has been arranged for Sunday 15th June, and they will visit Guildford on Sunday 29th June, both 2pm starts. As always these are on the proviso that the Mavericks are not required to re-schedule any games rained off, from earlier in the season. Guildford haven't visited Tonbridge since the 2000 season, and haven't played a Bobcats team since 1998 - a game which sticks in the memory as it was played on a diamond that backed onto a field hosting an archery competition. Suffice to say, not too many foul balls were retrieved that day.
(Sunday, 6th April 2008)

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Training for Ripley U-15's

The Mavericks are linking up with Ripley cricket club to help coach their U-15 squad in throwing. Baseball has always developed more advanced throwing skills in players, due to the nature of the game and the need for quick and accurate throws. Many cricket teams in the professional game now use baseball equipment and techniques to aid the development of their players, and indeed countries such as South Africa and especially Australia play baseball to a high standard - the Chappell brothers, for those who know their cricket, were all good baseball players……although the rumours of one being particularly good at slow-pitch softball are not quite true! :-)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkQRERykq5M
(Sunday, 6th April 2008)

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2008 Schedules Announced

The Mavericks will be playing Single-A baseball this season (the new name for Division Two), and will be in Group A of this division, which is basically those teams based south and west of London. The other teams making up this group, will be Bracknell, Croydon, Richmond and Southampton. Each of these teams will visit Guildford once in the first half of the season, with the Mavericks playing a return fixture, also in the first half of the season. Following the break for the London Tournament in July, the Mavericks will play all the teams in Group B, but just a single time each. So this will involve trips to North London to play the Old Timers, also to Braintree to take on the Rays, whilst the Essex Arrows, Thames Valley Bisons and Herts Raptors travelling down to Guildford
(Thursday, 3rd April 2008)

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Pre-season game with Thames Valley Bisons

The Mavericks have scheduled a pre-season friendly with the Thames Valley Bisons at their new ground just outside Reading. It will be the only chance the Mavericks will have for a run out before the season kicks off, as the usual early start, combined with the poor weather has meant this was only date possible for a game. The Bisons and the Mavericks are also due to meet during the regular season with both playing in Div 2. That game will be the first competitive fixture between the two, although they did meet in a friendly last season, and the first game against a Reading based team since 1993, when the Mavericks faced the Reading Royals
(Monday, 31st March 2008)

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