Schools have been struggling to fit everything in this year, what with the exceptionally late Easter, the Royal Wedding and then the May Bank holiday. Some enterprising schools have fitted in pre-season matches; indeed, Shrewsbury hosted a pre-season festival.
In an astonishing match last Saturday, Seaford put Christ?s Hospital in and after a steady opening of 41 there was a partnership of 164 in just 20 overs between debutant Alastair Hardy (85 not out) and 15-year-old Luke Hansford (89 in 56 balls). Seaford, chasing 227 in 35 overs began solidly, but then an explosive innings of 82 in just 46 balls from Josh Cowell threatened to take the game away from Christ?s. At this point Stuart Whittingham, who opens the bowling for Sussex Under-17s, took seven for four in a three-over spell, taking four wickets in his fifth over, He actually took seven wickets in the space of 12 balls, hitting the stumps five times and claiming an lbw and a caught behind for good measure, whilst Cowell looked on bemused from the other end. Christ?s thus won by 44 runs.
Leg-spinner Rohit Maini on his debut for Merchant Taylors? (Northwood) took a wicket with his first ball, and went on to take 7-49. Merchant Taylors’ were heading for a comfortable victory when the heavens opened and the match was abandoned.
Alas, poor Jake Kings of Rugby. He is the first player of the season to fall on 99. Looking to turn an off-spinner for a gentle single for his hundred, he missed it and was plumb lbw. His side nevertheless won their quite high-scoring match with St Edward?s.
The National Twenty20 got under way on Sunday. The tightest round was at Malvern where a single wicket determined the group winner in a three-school round-robin. In the opening match with RGS Worcester, Malvern finished on level scores, but had lost one more wicket and therefore RGS won the match. Malvern went on to win another game as did RGS Worcester, but the latter had thus won two games and were the group winners.
I?m delighted to recommend two very helpful coaching aids. The first is Chris Stone?s excellent book on fielding techniques. It contains 105 drills to teach and practise the different skills needed by fielders. Drills are graded so they can be used from players of International standard to the youngest child. It has many exciting and informative photographs, half of which are by Patrick Eagar, one of the foremost sports photographers. Each chapter explains the techniques involved in the different skills (catching, throwing underarm, throwing overarm, stopping etc). Copies are available from the author and cost only ?14.50 (including ?3 P&P): Chris Stone, 15, Court Meadows, Littlebourne, Kent CT3 1XX.
The second is David Cooper?s innovative teaching mat It is a mat that has 39 carefully positioned holes drilled into it. Any one of five colour coded tees at different heights can then be secured from below the mat, footprints correctly placed and every cricket shot can then be taught and practised endlessly. Don Wilson, of Yorkshire and England and the former Head Coach at Lord?s says they are ?marvellous and better than a net for coaching batting?. Go to www.cricketcoachingmats.com for further information.
Results:
*Sevenoaks 211-4 (35 overs)(B Richardson 119 not out), KCS Wimbledon 91
*Sevenoaks 171-9 (30 overs), Old Oaks 95
*Fettes 189-5 dec, XL Club 104-6
Somerset Under-17s 190-8 (50 overs), *Millfield 191-4 (D Bell-Drummond 114 not out)
*Malvern 206-8 (50 overs), Wellington 207-7
Durham 252-6 (45 overs), *Loretto 124
Old Merchant Taylors 161-9 dec (R Maini 7-49), *Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 95-1
*Felsted 280 ( R Howell 122 not out), Bishop’s Stortford HS 103 (J Foley 8-28)
Eton 238-7, *Marlborough 106
St Edwards?s, Oxford 127 (40 overs), *Uppingham 130-3
Uppingham 250-3 dec, *The Leys 138-7
Bromsgrove 204-5 (45 overs) , *Malvern 205-3 (T Kohler-Cadmore 113 not out)
MCC 201, *Arnold 149-8
Filton Academy 216?2 (40 overs), *Clifton 199-4
*Haberdashers’ Aske’s 194, Hertfordshire Under-17s 116
*Denstone 169 (40 overs), King?s Macclesfield 148
Durham League Select XI 212-5 (35 overs), *Durham 216-5
*Kirkham GS 186-8 (35 overs, Arnold 87 (G Brooks 6-24)
*Woodhouse Grove 204-7 (40 overs), St Aidan?s 161
MCC 167-8 dec (J Kings 5-47) *Rugby 170-3
*Winchester 149 (35 overs), Portsmouth GS 150-3
*Eton 249-8 dec, I Zingari 157
*Clayesmore 191?3 (30 overs), Poole GS 171-8
King?s, Chester 173-7 (35 overs), *King?s, Macclesfield 168
MCC 247-6 dec, *Millfield 227-8 (H Ellison 123)
Haileybury 158, *St Albans 100
*Christ?s Hospital 227-2 (35 overs), Seaford College 183 (S Whittingham 7-7)
Dauntsey?s 210-6 (40 overs), *Monkton Combe 154 (Peak Sports League)
Glenalmond 65 (40 overs),*Merchiston Castle 67-1
Hymers 265-6 (50 overs), *Ashville 149 (T Haytack 6-34)
Kelvinside Academy 82-7 (20 overs), *High School of Glasgow 86-3
High School of Glasgow 69 (J Sohail 6-10), *Stewart’s Melville 70-1
*Monkton Combe 251 (M Salmon 103), Bryanston 32
*Kirkham GS 174-9 (30 overs), Longridge CC 111-8
Kirkham GS 158, *Giggleswick 162-7
Dauntsey?s 207-8 (J Mynott 124 not out)(35 overs), *Colston?s 112
*Nottingham High 208-8 (50 overs), Denstone 203
Marlborough 273-5 (50 overs)(U Qureshi 105), *Winchester 227-9
*King’s, Chester 265-5 (50 overs)(A Thomas 110), Bolton 266-4.
Worth 197-8 (40 overs), *Christ?s Hospital 200-5
Sedbergh 238 (M Biddlestone 5-57), *Durham 149
Eton 219-9 (50 overs), *Dulwich 220-5
*West Buckland 200-5 (50 overs), Exeter 178-5
Repton 255-7 (50 overs), Malvern 220
*King’s Worcester 225-6 (40 overs), Wrekin 197-9
Haileybury 168 (40 overs) (F Cowdrey 5-27), *Tonbridge 169-3
*Tonbridge 312?7 (55 overs) (F Cowdrey 130, Charterhouse 234 (T Harvey 5-68)
Rossall 221-4 (40 overs)(P Rimmer 103), *Sevenoaks 43
*Sevenoaks 117-4 (20 overs), Reigate GS 121-5
St Edmund?s Canterbury 248-5 dec, *Sevenoaks 85-8
*Merchant Taylors?, Crosby 197, Ellesmere 203-3
Gloucestershire CCC Academy 193-9 (50 overs), *Millfield 194-8
*Felsted 257-9 dec ( R Howell 124), Brentwood 216-6 (J Wells 3-26)
Essex Under17 214-3 dec, *Felsted 161-4
Filton 183-7 (40 overs), Queen’s, Taunton 184-8
Wellington, Somerset 73 (40 overs), Queen’s, Taunton 77-1
Gresham’s 201-2 (35 overs), *Norwich 205-2 (M Plater 100)
Norwich 240-6 dec, *Culford 182-5
*Manchester GS 233 (50 overs, Stockport GS 70
*Manchester GS 171 – 7 (50 overs), RGS Lancaster 80
*King?s,Taunton 261-5 (40 overs) (R Davies 98*), Exeter VI form College 161-9 (40 overs)
*Sherborne 237-6 (50 overs), King?s, Taunton 226
Berkshire Under-17 157 (50 overs), *Bradfield 160-4
Bradfield 212 (50 overs), *Cranleigh 213-4 (O Davies 105 not out)
*Bradfield A XI 141 (20 overs), MCC Academy (Women) 104
MCC Academy (Women) 68, *Bradfield A XI 69-1
Oratory 167 (50 overs), *Bradfield 171-4
*St Edward?s 234-7 (55 overs), Rugby 235-3 (J Kings 99)
*Rugby 249-6 dec (T Clarke 103), Radley 251-6
*Winchester 149 (35 overs), Portsmouth GS 152-3
Canford 109 (50 overs), *Portsmouth GS 113-1
*Stowe 191-8 (35 overs) (C Roberts 5-21), Buckinghamshire Under-17 145
*Stowe 147-3 dec, Uppingham 146
Clifton 262-8 (50 overs), *Bristol GS 77 (R Miller 5?17)
*RGS Worcester 219-4 (40 overs), Bromsgrove 172-7
*RGS Worcester 236-4 (50 overs)(E Pollock 104 not out), KES Birmingham 237-3
The Grammar School at Leeds 257?6 (50 overs), *Woodhouse Grove 198?6
Shrewsbury pre-season Festival
Millfield 305-8 (50 overs)(D Bell-Drummond 120), Worcestershire CCC Academy 156
Millfield 249-8 (50 overs), Worksop 183 (D Hancock 5-39)
Shrewsbury 240-6 (50 overs), Millfield 242-1 (H Ellison 129 not out)
National Twenty20 competition
Langley Park 86, Colfe?s 87-3
St John?s, Leatherhead 116-9, Colfe?s 118-2
Colfe?s win the group
Tonbridge 202?1 (F Cowdrey 100 not out, T. Harvey 51*), Sevenoaks 77
Tonbridge 170?5, Judd 144-5
Sevenoaks 141-2, Judd 142-2
Tonbridge win the group
*Stowe 184-5, Berkhamsted 89-6
*Stowe 144-6, St Albans 94
Stowe win the group
RGS Worcester 140-7 , Malvern 140-8 (RGS win having lost fewer wickets)
RGS Worcester 144-7, Monmouth 136-7
Malvern 147-6, Monmouth 123-7
RGS Worcester win the group
Portsmouth GS 170-6, Reigate GS 107
Portsmouth GS 150-5, Reed’s 129-8
Portsmouth GS win the group
Milton Abbey Twenty20 competition
Clayesmore 149-4, *Milton Abbey 152-3
Clayesmore 166-5, Ryde 136-7