As we reach the end of the school’s season, I apologise for this column being delayed this week, but I have been on the road watching some excellent school cricket.
As co-organiser, I was present at the National Schools T20 Final in the beautiful surroundings of Arundel Castle, more of which later. The cricket was excellent and while Whitgift won overall. Myerscough College, a tertiary sector college based at Old Trafford, that runs a BTEC in Cricket Studies for 16–18-year-olds, won many admirers with their brand of cricket. Their exciting semi-final win over a much fancied Malvern side, who were going for their 3rd consecutive title, can be seen on the link to You Tube below. A full report on the day will appear next week along with photos.
We would like to thank the Friends of Arundel Castle Cricket Club for their excellent hospitality, our sponsors Gray-Nicholls for supplying polo shirts for the participants and our umpires, Martin Bodenham, Neil Richards, and Jim Lock who enjoyed the day probably as much as the boys who took part.
I was able to take in the Silk Trophy Festival at Shrewsbury that featured the hosts, Eton, Stowe and Rondebosch from Capetown, who concluded their UK tour there. They had a gruelling 18-day tour in which they played a staggering 15 games winning them all! Their fixture list included Whitgift and Malvern, regarded by many as the two strongest school sides in the country this year and it is no wonder that Rondebosch are ranked probably as the best school side in South Africa at present.
The last ever Eton v Harrow match took place at Lord’s last week resulting in a resounding win for the latter. While this is the end of an era, it may provide an opportunity for school cricket in general as the MCC have suggested that they would like to stage national schools’ finals there instead. We also saw the Finals Day of the School Sports Magazine Girls Under 18 T20 won by Bradfield, who defeated Bede’s om the Final.
Next week will be the last column of the season and by then, it may start becoming evident as school’s Wisden reports come in, who the front runners are for the Wisden School Cricketer of the Year are.
Results
National Schools Boys Under 18 T20 (held at Arundel Castle)
Semi-finals
Malvern 158-5 (20), Myerscough Manchester 160-8(19.5) Video
King’s Taunton 122 (20), Whitgift 124-0 (14.4)
Final
Whitgift 126-7 (20), Myerscough Manchester 116-8 (20)
The Cricketer Paper National Under 17 (35 overs)
Semi-final
Canterbury Academy 239-6, Winchester 180
Canterbury will play Shrewsbury in the final to played in late August/early September
Harrow 265-9, Eton 179
*Giggleswick 117-7 (20 Overs), Rossall 118-2
Rossall 235-5 (40 Overs) (H McAleer 115), *Edinburgh Academy 127
Rossall 174-7 (32 Overs) (H McAleer 101), King’s Macclesfield 116
Barnard Castle 268 (50 overs), Rossall 68
- §UCS 146, *Gresham’s 147-3
MCC 193-9, MCS 194-6
MCC 231-9, New Hall 233-9
MCC 218, Reigate 119
Durham Academy 105, *Sedbergh 109-4
Birkenhead 189-5, UCS 185-1
MCC 109, *Bromsgrove 110-0
MCC 207-7 (45 overs), *Clifton 187-9
Denstone 206 (40 overs), *Solihull 207-8
*Hampton 239 (50 overs), Rondebosch 225-9
MCC 303-4 dec., *KEVI Camp Hill 168-5
*Abingdon 213-9 dec., Radley 175
MCC 129, *Reed’s 132-2
Eastbourne 161, Stamford 165-6
Queens Taunton 146 (40 overs), *Bristol GS 150-2
MCC 234-7 dec., *Oundle 229
Uppingham 151 & 176, *Shrewsbury 161-4 dec. & 167-3 (2-day game)
*Whitgift 223 (50 overs), Rondebosch 223-6
*Bradfield 268 (50 overs), Malvern 145
Trinity 206, *KCS 163
*NULS 83, Denstone 84-2
St Georges 201-9 (45 overs), *RGS Guildford 186
*St Peter’s, York 273-3 (H Nixon 100, D Johar 108) (35 overs), Bradford Grammar 138
*Abingdon 92 * (40 overs), Clifton 95-3
MCC 210-2 dec., *KEVI Stratford 80-8
*Worksop 32308 (50 overs), Bloxham 80
MCC 241-5 dec., Whitgift 245-7
MCC 250-4 dec., King’s Canterbury 198-7
St John’s 91 (50 overs), Abingdon 95-5
Hampton 250-8 dec., Dulwich 110
*MT Crosby 182-9 (45 overs), Perse 142
Durham 169-9 (45 overs), *MT Crosby 48
Oakham 193 (50 overs), Sedbergh 197-3
Abingdon 152, Oundle 154-5
MCC 209-6 dec., Bishops Stortford HS 198-9
Hurstpierpoint 292 (50 overs), Worksop 295-7
Cranleigh 273-6 dec. & 223, Charterhouse 223-2 dec. & 232-6 (2 days)
BOWS Festival (50 overs)
*Wellington 148, Oakham 149-9
Brighton 244, Sedbergh 245-9
Oakham 193, Sedbergh 197-3
Brighton 250-7, Oakham 89
*Wellington 195, Brighton 180
Wellington 219-6, Sedbergh 220-6
Sedbergh win the festival
Silk Trophy (50 overs)
Stowe 282-6, *Shrewsbury 207
Rondebosch 208, Eton 178-8
Eton 206, Stowe 171
*Shrewsbury 211, Rondebosch 213-3
Stowe 126, Rondebosch 127-4
Eton 190-9, *Shrewsbury 191-7 Video
Rondebosch win the Silk Trophy
SPREW Festival
St Peter’s 189-8 (35 overs), *Warwick 125
Epsom 193-8 (35 overs), Repton 194-3
Epsom 322 (50 overs), *Warwick 94
St Peter’s 129 (20 overs), Epsom 131-6
Repton 323-8, St Peter’s 206
Repton 250-5 (20 overs), Warwick 114-9
Repton win the festival
RGS Festival (50 overs) Live Video
Guildford 343-8, Newcastle 298
Colchester 165, Worcester 165-2
Worcester 185, *High Wycombe 186-7
Colchester 209, Guildford 214-5
Worcester 202, Lancaster 213-5
Girls Cricket
School Sport Magazine National Schools U18 Girls T20
Quarter Finals:
Shrewsbury bt Repton by 24 runs
Berkhamsted bt Oundle (conceded)
Bede’s 243-1 (M Taylor 102*), Cranleigh 115-8
Bradfield 124-3, Millfield 123-7
Semi Finals: Bede’s 102-3, Berkhamsted 100-7
Shrewsbury 83, Bradfield 87-0
Third Place Play-off:
Berkhamsted 102-9, Shrewsbury 104-4
Final: Bradfield 90, Bede’s 60