Now that the dreaded exams are with us, there are opportunities for younger players to make their mark. At Uppingham, medium-pacer Chris Leonard was drafted in to fill a gap against MCC, took a wicket with his first ball and by lunch had taken five for 39, reducing the visitors to 108 for nine. MCC were one short, so an Under-16B team player, Archie Stroud, was summoned to help them out. At number 11, he scored 13 not out in a partnership of 106 with Geoff Jackson (116 not out), enabling MCC to declare at 214 for nine. Uppingham were going well but wickets started to fall and with two balls to go the scores were level and the home side were nine down. MCC took the final wicket from the penultimate ball and thus the game ended in a tie.
Zafar Ansari?s fine 179 for Hampton against Eton was his fourth century of the season. In six innings so far this season he has scored 653 runs at an average of just over 130. Hampton scored a massive 343 for four in their fifty overs and bowled out Eton for 161. On this rare occasion, Eton?s prolific captain Will Vanderspar failed to make an impression, but Ajay Sangha managed to make 100 in the modest total.
Low-scoring games often produce the most thrilling finishes. In a 35-over contest, Glenalmond posted 130 all out, 40 runs coming from the last five overs. The High School of Glasgow in reply were 95 for three with 15 overs remaining. Wickets began to fall, and the lower order made heavy weather of scraping together the last few runs, even at only two per over. The final pair put on seven but number 11 was bowled on the the first ball of the final over, just one run short.
By contrast, The Royal Grammar School, Worcester enjoyed an epic high-scoring encounter with Loughborough Grammar School in the glorious weather which most of the country enjoyed at the weekend. After some early setbacks, Worcester’s middle order built well with Year 10 batsman Zac Turley scoring 62 and vice-captain Dan Hagger striking an impressive 67. Ali Pollock then hit 41 from 21 balls to produce 100 from the last ten overs of this 50-over match, with a total of 266 for six. Loughborough opener John Orchiston played very impressively but when he went for 90 the visitors were always just behind the rate. Some excellent catching helped to peg back the run-chase and with 17 wanted off the last over, Year 10 off-spinner Ed Pollock took three wickets and Loughborough were left seven runs short at 259 for nine.
Bristol Grammar School scrambled a leg bye to win off the last ball in a game dominated by two all-rounders. Kingswood?s Nick Prettejohn scored an aggressive 58 and bowled well, but more importantly produced three outstanding pieces of fielding: two direct hit run-outs and a diving, one-handed caught and bowled. These feats kept the pressure on the batsmen, chasing a target of 189 for nine in 40 overs, but Bristol Grammar?s Sam Brewer ? after bowling and fielding impressively – responded with a composed 49 to see them home.
In the South London schools 50/40 league, Adam Dyson of St John?s Leatherhead took four wickets in four balls (five for 22 altogether) and then scored 66 not out to overhaul Lord Wandsworth?s 193 in 40 overs.
National Twenty20: see below for scores, but also click here to see the state of the competition.
Results:
MCC 214-9 dec (G Jackson 116 not out, C Leonard 5-48), *Uppingham 214 (A Stewart 5-80)
MCC 237-5, *Dauntsey?s 240-6
*St George?s, Weybridge 220 (50 overs)(W Grant 103 not out), Hurstpierpoint 120
*St George?s, Weybridge 201-4 (35 overs)(T Cross 101 not out), St Benedict?s 181-7
*St George?s, Weybridge 276-6 (50 overs), Lord Wandsworth 192
*Denstone 238 (40 overs), Nottingham High School 232-6
Hampton 343-4 (50 overs)(Z Ansari 179), *Eton 161 (A Sangha 100)
XL Club 147 (S Siddiqui 5-34),?*Glasgow Academy 113
*Cranleigh 247-8 dec, Winchester 220-8
*Glenalmond 130, High?School of Glasgow 129
*Tonbridge 358-4 (55 overs)(T Elliott 124), Harrow 124
*Wellington 158 (55 overs), Eton 161-7
*The Leys 180, Felsted 154-9
King’s Canterbury 81, *Felsted 83-2
Haberdashers? Aske?s 244-3 (40 overs) (KA Patel 107), *St Albans 203-8
*Monkton Combe 225-4 (40 overs), Wycliffe 29 (J Adams 5-17)
XL Club 159-6 dec, *Monkton Combe 160-6
*Prior Park 160 (40 overs), Monkton Combe 161-4
*RGS Worcester 266-6 (50 overs), Loughborough GS 259-9
Monmouth 220-6 (50 overs), *Clifton 224-2 (C Walker 100 not out)
*Haileybury 252-7 dec, Sevenoaks 255-3 (B Richardson 102 not out)
*QEGS Wakefield 161, Woodhouse Grove 163-3
Dulwich 313-7 (50 overs) (A Alleyne 147), *Brighton 97
Hutcheson’s GS 109-8 (30 overs), *Glasgow Academy 113-2
Tiffin 201-9 dec, *Reigate GS 203-4
*Lord Wandsworth 193 (40 overs)(A Dyson 5-22), St John?s, Leatherhead 195-5
*Merchant Taylors?, Crosby?221-7 dec,?Kirkham GS?166
Kirkham GS?251-7 dec,??KEQMS, Lytham?126 (K Marmion 6-26)
Lord Wandsworth College 126 (50 overs), *Hampton 127-3
King?s, Ely 166, *Bedford Modern 167-1 (G Thurstance 112 not out)
Reed?s 233-5 dec, *Christ?s Hospital 210-6
Kingswood 189-9 (40 overs), *Bristol GS 190-8
Taunton 255-5 dec (T Abell 128 not out), *King?s, Bruton 68
Blundell?s 109, *King?s, Taunton 112-0
*Bradfield 276-4, Butterflies CC 146 (J Gaffney 8-54)
*Radley 279-2 (50 overs) (A Hearne 104, W Marriott 99), Bradfield 126 (A Tinsley 5-22)
*Bradfield 143-6 (20 overs), Pangbourne 144-2
*Shrewsbury 254 (A Blofield 100), Sedbergh 190
Berkhamsted 222-5 dec, *Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 174-8
National Twenty20 South London Group 10
*St George?s, Weybridge 129-7, Whitgift 117-8
St George’s win Group 10
National Twenty20 North East section A final
RGS Newcastle 161-3, *Durham 139-9
Durham win North East section A
National Twenty20 North West section A playoffs
Sedbergh 169-8 (20 overs), *Bolton 159-7
National Twenty20 North West section B final
Shrewsbury School? 213-7 (B Price? 101), King?s, Macclesfield 155-9
Shrewsbury win Northwest section B
National Twenty20 South Central group Final
Portsmouth Grammar School 64, Abingdon 65-3
Abingdon win South Central group