Miller Will Grab the Headlines, but Team is Firing.

Before getting into the action a huge thank you to Pagham for hosting at their spectacular ground and facilities. Our clubs haven’t got together much over recent history and indeed it was a new ground for most of us. Your pavilion and staff are quite lovely, but the outfield and road of a wicket are the star attractions. We wish Pagham all the best for season 2026 and when the time is right you guys will make a welcome addition to the Premier League.  Our Ones will enjoy their trip on 14^th June in the T20 Cup.

Also, a massive thank you to Zuni Ibrahim who continues to support not only her ‘boys’ but is also a huge cog in our wheel. Just for instance Zuni scored for the ones at Bognor last week and then carried on her excellent work at Pagham. No mean feat when you consider that the family live in Eastbourne.  Keep doing it!!!

Readers will know my pride and love of this 2^nd team as we battle some of the biggest names here in Sussex.  It’s always been a case of being competitive and picking up enough points to stay in the division.  2026 might be different!  A quick peek at the table this morning see’s us in 3^rd spot with a nice home game to look forward to.

Pagham slung us into bat on a sunny warm afternoon on the West Sussex coast. A welcome sea breeze lightly keeping the temperatures in the mid-20s. In a well-manicured outfield and on one of the ‘best batting wickets in Sussex’ it seemed an odd decision.  They made small in-roads as J, Muadh and Felix all fell trying uppish drives early in the inns.  Opportunities missed by the trio on this occasion.  However, having learnt a tough lesson at Bognor Adam Ibs (56) is starting to become big news for us Nomads. We have all watched his progress since under 8s as he now becomes a ‘senior’ player here at the SCMG. He calmly saw us through that tough opening and settled to an orthodox and quite brilliant opening chance less knock. Mid way through he even threw everything at a standout straight six to a huge round of applause. He and our star Overseas Matthew Miller batted beautifully together to add 107 runs.  It was at this point Pagham showed their inexperience to level and became ragged in the field allowing us a lot of easy runs.  Two 4 overthrows and 33 wides isn’t gonna get it done.  Miller got off the mark with a trademark six which was hit directly at my head just off the sight screen. I nonchalantly moved to one side. That started a barrage of boundaries as he showed a mesmerising array of shot making.  In the 80s and 90s he was accompanied by school buddy Tate Hector who become the perfect partner as Miller reached a stunning century. (One of three Nomad 100s on the day). Nomads all out for 263 off the 45 overs.

Tea

Pagham’s top order all got starts but failed to go on under some intense fielding and pace/spin combo of Felix and Muadh. Venter looked fit and well to show a good economy rate of 5 over the 5 that he bowled.  Muadh taking out the top order nine overs two for 27.  Young George Sowerby is all about pace and in those warm conditions yesterday his three overs were a joy to watch as he took out the opener LBW.  In the middle overs Jake Vosloo, with family watching on, took vital control of the inns with some fantastic spin bowling.  He became our rock with nine overs 1 for 38 as Nomads neared the line. Kash produced the champagne moment as he trapped the dangerous Smith IBW.  However, Miller stole the show and the MOM award with a stunning hat-trick to bring matters to a startling close.

Miller said later  ‘it feels amazing, to score some runs and get some wickets is a good feeling, it’s a great win here’  As to his ton he said ‘the game plan was to make a good partnership with Adam and once at the half century was to go big if I could!’  Getting that hattrick was ‘the icing on the cake’.  His hi summer plans continue to look set in stone as he explained ‘I really do need to go home (Antigua)at the end of June. There are commitments playing for the Islands later this summer’.  Nomads have Matthew for a few weeks yet let’s make the most of his time with us.

Bowman said ‘I really hope you’re enjoying yourselves !!!  there is a real Nomads tradition of togetherness, hard work and camaraderie in our two’s environment with a pride in that badge very much in evidence when we sung the song together with gusto. It seems there is a real hunger for success so perhaps the Two’s message is changing from one of survival to being one of the hunters. After three wins that prestigious Division Two Title is still very much in our own hands!

Colin Bowman  31/05/2026