Tuesday May 12th 2009
Review by Douglas Henderson
There was another fine advertisement for schools cricket at Clifton, admirable entertainment for a large Old Boys reunion. Two fairly young but very talented sides produced 535 runs in the day with a fine century on each side.Taunton batted first and were led by the excellent Tom Abell, only 15, with a brilliant 100 (then run out). Catches win matches and Clifton missed two crucial ones to allow Taunton to get away from them, especially with 96 in the last eight overs. Taunton?s 278 for six (in 50 overs) was a daunting score on this large ground, but Clifton were ahead of the required rate at 160 for four, despite a stuttering start. Lisle Durrans (106) hit an equally scintillating century but with wickets falling the target was always slightly out of reach and they were all out for 257 on the last ball of the day.
A low-scoring tie at King Henry VIII, Coventry was by definition a thriller. Nobody scored more than Ratcliffe?s Hugh Spillane (39) and every time one side gained an advantage, the game would turn with a wicket or useful partnership. A close finish looked likely throughout the afternoon and it duly occurred when King Henry?s last man was caught behind with the scores level.
It?s very worthwhile to perform well against MCC. If you take five wickets or score 100, you are invited to a day in a box at Lord?s for the opening fixture of the season. This was the reward for Under 15 Jehanshar Akbar of Forest who took five for 35 with what the coach, Stuart Turner, describes as legspin with a wicked googly.
Some Masters i/c feel that a more competitive edge could be introduced to normal school matches by forming a league. Michael Harrison of St George?s, Weybridge has formed such a league involving nine schools playing a one-day format with various points and bonus points on offer. He calls it the 50/40 League, with 50 overs on Saturdays and 40 overs midweek, 20 overs minimum constituting a result in case of poor weather. We?d both be interested to hear of other such ventures and indeed any comments. It is working well so far. During the course of this, St George?s have achieved eight consecutive wins.
Clayesmore made a fine recovery from 22 for three, chasing Dauntsey?s 216 for five in 35 overs, to win by seven wickets. This was achieved thanks to an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 195 between Toby Sutton (111 not out) and Lewis Brown (85 not out).
North London rivals Haberdashers? Aske?s and Merchant Taylors? have struggled to win away for twenty years except once in 1993. Ravi Patel, the outstanding all-rounder at Merchant Taylors?; took seven for 51 and scored 44, the highest score in the match, but he could not save his side from a rare home defeat in this fixture.
Toby Davies, captain of Monkton?Combe at the age of 16,?scored 305 runs in the week without being dismissed. Against Kingswood, Monkton needed 62 in the last six overs and won with two balls to spare.
There was a high-scoring draw at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. The home side was all out for 257. Michael Turns, the Durham captain, included a hat-trick in his four for 37 and then took Durham close to the target with his 89, but eleven were needed in the last over and only five were scored.
We are nowadays used to high scoring, but take a peek at Cheltenham?s extraordinary batting scores in their 20/20 festival (part of the new Western schools 20/20 competition).
Scotland has struggled with the weather, one school reporting that they haven?t played a match since April 25th.
Results (*denotes the home side)
(corrections may be sent to [email protected])
MCC 150 (J Akbar 5-35), *Forest 132
*Catholic University School 228-4 (35 overs) (P.Sheridan 105 not out), St.Columba’s 101 (S Getkate 6-26)
Bancroft’s 213-8 (40 overs), *Chigwell 155
Yorkshire HMC Schools 20/20
Ashville College 102-6 (20 overs), Woodhouse Grove 104-0
Woodhouse Grove 145-7 (20 overs), Leeds GS 86
Woodhouse Grove qualifies for the finals day.
*Bedford Modern 143, Northampton School for Boys 144-2
*Winchester 201, Cranleigh 132
St Paul‘s 184, *Cranleigh 185-8
Reading 128, (N Watkins 6-20), *Abingdon 129-4
Woodhouse Grove 149, *Worksop 152-3
Wrekin 229 (J Hammond 101), *Denstone 159-5 (C J Beech 5-44)
Stowe 62, *Oratory 63-1
*King Edward?s, Birmingham 226-4 (40 overs)(J Cornick 138 not out), Old Edwardians 127-8
Dr Challoner?s GS 143 (35 over), *St George?s, Weybridge 144-9
Western Schools 20/20 (Bristol group)
*Clifton College 151-5, QEH 123-9
Bristol GS 173-6, *Colston?s 157-5
MCC 260-3 dec, *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 218
*Repton 193-9, Wellingborough 96
*Wellingborough 197-4 (40 overs), Lord Williams?s, Thame 135 (A Price 5-33)
Oundle 203-9 (40 overs),*Uppingham 148
*Shrewsbury 175-7 (50 overs), Oundle 132
*Dauntsey’s 217, Beechen Cliff 168
QEGS Wakefield 197 (A Bhogal 5-56), *Leeds GS 127-7
*Wellington (Somerset) 84, West Buckland 87-4
*West Buckland 158, Exeter 137
Haberdashers’ Aske’s 145 (R Patel 7-51), *Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 104
Dauntsey?s 216-5 (35 overs), *Clayesmore 217-3 (T Sutton 111 not out)
Ratcliffe 169 (40 overs), *King Henry VIII, Coventry 169
*Bancroft’s 244-6 (40 overs), St Albans 165
Brentwood 282-2 dec,*Forest 169
Denstone 133,*Newcastle HS 44
*RGS Newcastle 257, Durham 250-5
*Culford 194, Perse 195-1 (B Creese 106)
Shrewsbury 240-9 (50 overs), *Trent 138
Worcestershire Cricket Academy 250-3 (50 overs)(M Pardoe 105)(N Pinner 104), *Shrewsbury 247-5
*Rossall 98-8 (20 overs), Arnold 101-7
*Tonbridge 252-5 (55 overs)(J J Payne 104), Whitgift 156
*Birkenhead 190-8 (45 overs), Ellesmere 191-6
*Ellesmere 288-4 (40 overs)(J W Evans 120), Old Ellesmerians 225
King?s, Canterbury 152-8 (35 overs), *Sevenoaks 110
*Uppingham?312-6 (50 0vers)(S J Thakor 124), Bedford 176
Taunton 278?6 (50 overs)(T Abell 100), *Clifton 257 (L Durrans 105)
*Seaford 113 (40 overs), Caterham 114-4
Millfield 231-8 (50 overs), *King?s, Taunton 237-3 (C Meschede 100 not out)
Filton 206-7 (40 overs), *King?s, Taunton 197
*Warwick 176?(50 overs), RGS Worcester 177-3
*Kimbolton 142-8 (40 overs), Bedford Modern 143-1
Sevenoaks 125-8 (40 overs), *St John?s, Leatherhead 126-4
Judd 106-7 (40 overs), *Sevenoaks 105-9
*Sevenoaks 171-7 (35 overs), Vine Old Oaks 111 (E Woodhouse-Darry 5-22)
Rossall 79 (40 overs), *Sevenoaks 80-1
Sevenoaks 111-8 (20 overs), *Caterham 108-8
St Edmund?s, Canterbury 87 (E Woodhouse-Darry 5-13),*Sevenoaks 88-5
*Oundle 183, Rugby 160
Rugby School 20/20 Festival
Oundle 188,?Uppingham 88
Rugby 130-8, Oundle 131-8
Oundle 138, Loughborough GS?125-7
Rugby 117-5, Loughborough GS 118-5
Rugby 130-8, Oundle 131-4
Uppingham 129, Rugby 128-7
*Hurstpierpoint 137 (45 overs), St George?s, Weybridge 139-2
Frogs CC 171-8 (50 overs), St George?s, Weybridge 166
Prior Park 210-8, *Monkton Combe 211-3
*Monkton Combe 184-3 dec (T Davies 102 not out), Wiltshire Queries 185-4
*Kingswood 201-7, Monkton Combe 204-5 (T Davies 109 not out)
*Wellingborough 217-2 (35 overs) (Z Harvey 101 not out), King?s, Ely 126
Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 265-5 (35 overs), *Enfield GS 159-8
Magdalen College School 96, Abingdon 97-0
Western Schools 20/20 (Gloucestershire group)
King?s, Gloucester 226-3, Wycliffe 199-8.
Cheltenham 323-4, King?s, Gloucester 60.
King?s, Gloucester 123, Dean Close 124-1.
Dean Close 96, Cheltenham 99-1
Wycliffe 161-9, Dean Close 162-3.
Cheltenham 292-4, Wycliffe 129-7.
Cheltenham won the group
*Cheltenham 243-7, Wellington (Berks) 189