Tuesday June 30th 2009
Review by Douglas Henderson
It was heartening to see so many results flooding in midweek. With the dreaded AS and A2 exams over, more and more schools are using the opportunity to have fixtures on almost any day of the week. Gone, too, seem to be the worst excesses of post-exam-exeat syndrome, whereby it seemed to be essential for our young to recover from their stresses by making a nuisance of themselves in Cornwall.
Archie Gravell of Ipswich was one of the top three in the country in 2008 who all scored 1072 runs and he averaged 107.20. This season he looks like improving upon that: he has currently scored 813 runs at an average of 135.50, including six centuries. In his four seasons in the 1st XI, he has now scored an outstanding thirteen centuries in total.
Put in to bat by Aylesbury Grammar School, Bancroft’s openers Anand Patel (67) and Nigel Jacob (64) put on 129 for the first wicket in 13 overs. Whilst the momentum did not quite continue at that rate Bancroft’s ended on 270 in their 30 overs thanks to a quickfire 59 in 32 balls from Rahul Patel. Aylesbury batted steadily but they were never able to match the rate required and finished at 172 for five. This was Bancroft’s twelfth victory in 12 games.
Ross Burdon of Durham aged 16 chose an impressive game to record his maiden century. Against Kent Street Senior High School from Australia, he scored his hundred off 107 balls to post a total of 259 for four in 40 overs, a target which proved too much for the visitors. Meanwhile, Ben Creese of The Perse School hit his third century of the season in nine innings and has now scored 613 runs at an average of 68.
Confusion reigned at Manchester Grammar School as Denstone pursued a 50-over total of 227 for five, led by a fine innings of 107 by Elliott Bullock. With seven down, Denstone needed two from two balls. Jack Warren ran the ball down to third man and his partner Ed Smith called for two. Thinking he had made his ground and won the match, Warren went to greet his partner in the middle. Meanwhile the umpire had called ?one short? and the keeper took off the bails; Warren was given out. With scores level, number ten facing and ten men round the bat, he was stumped off the final ball of the match.
St George?s, Weybridge have enjoyed their best season in recent years, winning 14 matches out of 18; three were lost by tiny margins. The league they set up with other local schools has worked extremely well with Hampton emerging as the inaugural winners.
Additions to the vocabulary of the ghastly “make more noise” culture (see last week): “good areas” (why plural?) and “like the thinking”.
Results (*denotes the home side)
(any corrections may be sent to [email protected])
*Barnard Castle 146-7 (20 overs), Durham 55 (G Upton 5-6)
Colston Bassett CC 218-5, *Ratcliffe 149
*Dauntsey?s 170-8 (20 overs), Summer Puddings 166-7
Dr Challoner?s GS 227-4 (40 overs), *Berkhamsted 75
*Dr Challoner?s GS 221-2 (30 overs), John Lyon 150
*Bancroft’s 270-7 (30 overs).? Aylesbury GS 172-5
MCC 221-4 dec, *Caterham 222-6
*Caterham 108, Hurstpierpoint 111-9
*Durham 194-8 (40 overs), RGS Newcastle 154
MCC 235-3 dec, *Denstone 198-8?(C J Beech 125)
Watford GS 154, *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 155-4
RGS Lancaster 285-6 dec (J Hirst 122), *Merchant Taylors?, Crosby 111
Saints CC 222-6 dec, *Woodhouse Grove 223-3 (D Allen 111)
*Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 199-8 (40 overs), Mill Hill 191-9
National 20s semi-final:
Millfield 194-7 (20 overs), *Shrewsbury 154
Uppingham 102 (D Lloyd 5-17) & 134 (J Leach 5-33), *Shrewsbury 411-2 dec (D Holden 132)(D Lloyd 102)
*Durham 259-4 (40 overs)(R Burdon 113), Kent Street Senior High School, Perth (Aus) 171
*Manchester GS 227-5 (50 overs)(E Bullock 105), Denstone 227-9
Gentlemen of Leicestershire 350-3 (40 overs) (A Cherry 157), *Ratcliffe 229-7 (M Phillips 134)
Perse 282-7 (40 overs) (B Creese 120), *Oundle 209
MCC 190-7 dec, *Woodhouse Grove 193-3
*Wellingborough 199-5 (40 overs), Oakham 169-7
Wiltshire Queries 151, *Dauntsey?s 155-3
Yorkshire 20/20 semi-final:
QEGS Wakefield 84, *Woodhouse Grove 85-3
*Oundle 155-5 dec, Oakham 153
Stamford 236-3 (40 overs), *Oakham 142-7
*Wellingborough 199-5 (40 overs), Oakham 169-7
Kirkham GS?247-9 dec and 214-6 dec,?*Rossall 173-9 dec and 197
Kingswood 232-5, *King?s Gloucester 115 (N Prettejohn 5-15)
Band of Brothers 242?9 dec, *Tonbridge 243?3 (T Elliott 102, F Cowdrey 108)
Tonbridge 325?8 (55 overs)(T Elliott), *Radley 157
D I Yeabsley’s XI 172, *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 16-0 (rain)
Western Schools Twenty20
*KES, Bath 93-9 (20 overs), King?s, Taunton 95-3
King?s Taunton play Clifton in the final
*Monmouth 162 (50 overs), King?s, Taunton 165-4
Trinity GS, Melbourne?230-6 (40 overs), *Christ?s Hospital 234-6
Sussex Martlets 222-9 dec (A R Nichols 5-62), *Christ?s Hospital 214
*Caterham 159 (S G Whittingham 5-30), Christ?s Hospital 160-5
Dauntsey’s 209-8 (50 overs) (O Alsop 100), *Colston’s 210-8
Perse 282-7 (40 overs)(B Creese 120), *Oundle 209
*Perse 174 (40 overs), Old Perseans 147
Trinity?182 (50 overs), *Whitgift 184-4
Old Haberdashers’ CC 115 (A Parekh 5-20), *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 116-6
MCC 239-5 dec, *West Buckland 240-1 (T Mitcham 139 not out)
Kent Street Senior High, Perth (Aus) 131-9, *Bedford Modern 87
*Ratcliffe 158 (50 overs), Loughborough GS 159-4
Old Ratcliffians 247-5 dec, *Ratcliffe 62-4
St George?s, Weybridge 232 (50 overs), *Reed?s 233-9
Wellsway 121 (40 overs), *Christ?s Hospital 123-3
Queen’s, Taunton 214-7 (50 overs), *Blundell’s 82 (S Alcock 5-20)
*Durham 144-4 (20 overs), Old Dunelmians 145-7
*St George?s, Weybridge 223-9 (35 overs), Headmaster?s XI 188-7
UCS 189-8 dec, Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 190-5
Malvern 306-8? (50 overs), *RGS Worcester 225
*RGS Worcester 250-3 (50 overs)(O Flower 129), Victoria, Jersey 199
*RGS Worcester 154-9 (50 overs),?King’s Worcester 103
*RGS Worcester 230-6 (50 overs), Old Elizabethans 82