With the interminable exam season now complete and the weather relenting a little, schools can get back to some cricket fixtures, many having quite a busy programme of cricket weeks and festivals. However, many independent schools finish this week.
The National Twenty20 competition nears its finale (semi-finals and final) at Lord?s Nursery ground on Friday July 8th with quarter-finals being played this week, many having been rained off earlier. At Durham CCC, following the professional Twenty20 match against Leicestershire, Sedbergh batted adventurously and ran well to reach 123 for eight against Durham. They then bowled superbly, particularly Grant Nicholson with five for 11 from four overs bowling quick left-arm. This was backed up by athletic ground fielding to dismiss the North-East winners for a modest 43. Sedbergh are thus the first team to progress to Lord?s. Results from other quarter-finals will be posted here as they come in. Update: in two of the other three quarter-finals Wellington (Berks) beat Millfield, last year’s winners, and Portsmouth Grammar School overcame Hampton. Both were very close games. Shrewsbury, Worksop and Felsted have a three-way play-off on Sunday to determine? the fourth place for Lord’s. Fuller report next Tuesday.
Stowe were involved in two thrillers: on a wet day they batted first against Australian visitors Knox Grammar School. They lost two early wickets, but the ship was steadied by Jake Olley (68) and Liam Gough (44), son of Darren. They eventually reached 169 for eight in 35 overs. Knox were also in trouble, but Tom Drewett (67) held things together. Once he had gone, wickets continued to fall and the visitors fell five short with nine down.
In an even closer game against Oakham, Stowe were inserted. The openers Ben Duckett (135) and Ali Birkby (44) made a fine start with a partnership of 150. Once Birkby was out, wickets tumbled before Henry Woodward (38) joined Duckett and they put on 105, eventually reaching 293 for eight in 50 overs. Oakham too made a fine start, led by the prolific Tom Fell (103 not out), and when the last over started they needed ten to win with only four wickets down. When Oakham needed three from the last ball, Stowe took a wicket with a direct hit run-out to leave Oakham one short.
Son of ex-Worcestershire captain Tim Curtis, RGS Worcester?s captain Andrew went from 90 to 102 with two huge sixes on an excellent batting strip, to take his side to 292 for two in 50 overs. Despite a very creditable reply of 245 for nine by King?s Worcester, RGS extended their unbeaten run in this local derby to nine.
Another Royal Grammar School, this time High Wycombe, took away the unbeaten record of Haberdashers? Aske?s. Led by a superb innings of 185 not out by RGS?s captain David Heavyside, including eight sixes and 19 fours, the visitors rattled up 231 for four in 40 overs. This proved too much for Habs to chase and they were dismissed for 164. Nothing daunted, the Elstree school were next involved in a classic run-spree with their old boys. The latter reached 300 for five in their 50 overs, with centuries from captain Joe Williams (129) and Jonathan Shaw (120). In a remarkable run-chase, the school, led by their captain Tom Edrich of the famous cricketing family with 117, really should have won, but their nerve failed them and they finished 291 all out, nine short with three balls remaining.
Mount St Mary?s had a bit of a nightmare against Ratcliffe?s Tom Smith who bowled fast and straight, and swung it both ways. More than enough for Sir Geoffrey himself to cope with, you?d have thought. The bowler finished with five for eight and not surprisingly Ratcliffe had no difficulty in overcoming the modest score of 32.
It is not that unusual for girls to play for a boys? first team. Wellingborough have two girls in their XI this year, Emily Ablitt and Harriet Leach, and on the occasion of their annual fixture with the XL Club the former captained the side. This is the 75th anniversary of the XL Club. For those unfamiliar with this excellent wandering club (ie no home ground), to be eligible you have to be forty years old. Batting can be formidable, bowling not quite so good and the fielding a poor third. At school I asked the Master i/c whether the XL club had any decent players and he replied ?you?ll see?. I opened the bowling and my first ball went straight over the sightscreen. It was Harold Gimblett, the former Somerset opener. He scored 150, mostly in fours and sixes (he was not too keen on running).
Many apologies to Guy Skinner of Taunton School, whom I mistakenly called Guy Keller, after his remarkable performance last week. This should have read ?After a sound start, Taunton School collapsed to 97 for six but Josh Kelly (30) and Guy Skinner (82 from 55 balls) put on 99 for the seventh wicket in ten overs, with Oliver Kelham hitting the winning runs.?
Results
South Oxfordshire Amateurs 247-6 dec, *St Edward?s, Oxford 226-8 (J Barrett 104)
Harrow 92, *Malvern 93-2
*Gresham’s 146-9 (35 overs), Norwich 148-1
*Bedford Modern 172-6 v Wellingborough (rain)
XL Club 204-6 dec, *Wellingborough 160-8
High School of Glasgow 160, *Gordonstoun 161-2
Mount St Mary’s 32 (T Smith 5-8), *Ratcliffe 35-0
Myerscough 117 (40 overs),*Shrewsbury 120-4
*Oakham 230-5 (40 overs), Uppingham 175
XL Club 155-8 dec, * Kirkham GS 66-7
MCC 230-7, *Denstone 132-1 (rain ? Denstone win under D/L)
*Stowe (35 overs) 169-8, Knox GS (Aus) 164-9
* Durham 136-5 (20 overs), RGS Newcastle 117-4
*Clayesmore 143-7 dec, The Mandarins 50
Harrow 182 (55 overs)(H Hayes 5-19), Eton 183-4 (at Lord?s)
*Rossall 165-5 (30 overs), Giggleswick 114
*Hymers 237-7 (50 overs), St Peter?s, York 170.
*RGS Worcester 292-2 (50 overs)(A Curtis 124 not out), King’s, Worcester 245-9
Clifton 193, *Malvern 194-7
RGS High Wycombe 231-4 (40 overs) (D Heavyside 185 not out), *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 164
King’s, Bruton 82, *Monkton Combe 84-2
*Cheadle Hulme 223-5 (40 overs), King’s, Chester 209-8 (A Dunbavand 103)
Stowe 293-8 (50 overs)(B Duckett 135) *Oakham 292-5 (T Fell 103 not out)
*Radley 269?5 (55 overs)(W Marriott 129), Tonbridge 255 (Cowdrey cup ? Radley win the tournament)
*Durham 164, Ashville 166-1
*Merchiston Castle 195-8 (50 overs), RGS Newcastle 195-6
Hampton 237-8 (50 overs),*Eton 225-8
Sussex Martlets 151-9 dec, *Christ’s Hospital 147-9
Christ’s Hospital 161, *Reigate GS 109
Old Blues 208, *Christ’s Hospital 212-4
*Bristol GS 132-9 (40 overs), King’s, Taunton 133-5
*Monmouth 196-8 (50 overs), King’s, Taunton 197-6
Free Foresters 232-7 dec, *Rugby 233-4 (J Kings 126 not out)
Old Haberdashers’ CC 300-6 (50 overs) (J Williams 129, J Shaw 120), *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 291 (T Edrich 117)
*Strathallan 269-2 dec (N Farrar 168 not out), Glenalmond 89
*Eltham 242-6 dec, Felsted 218-8
Bradfield 305 (50 overs), *Marlborough 215
MCC 80-3 v *Woodhouse Grove (rain)
*Worksop 254-7 dec (R Sharrocks 6-83), Woodhouse Grove 80
Sevenoaks 163-9 (40 overs), *City of London Freemen?s 167-4
Judd 100-7 (35 overs), *Sevenoaks 101-5
Old Sennockians 76, *Sevenoaks 59
*Blundell’s 86, Queen’s, Taunton 90-0
*Dauntsey?s 245-7 (50 overs), Bryanston 126
Old Dauntseians 200, *Dauntsey?s 199
*Bedford 188-9 (30 overs), Bedford Modern 90 (School Sport Magazine National Schools Under-17 Cup)
Bishop?s Stortford HS 164-6 (40 overs), *Bedford Modern 165-0 (H Thurstance 106 not out)
Warwick 153-8 (40 overs),*Shrewsbury 157-3
Whitgift 158, *Dulwich 160-2
*St Albans 290-8 (40 overs), Aylesbury GS 132-4
UCS Hampstead 196-9 dec, *Merchant Taylors’, Northwood 199-7
National Twenty20 competition
Millfield 159-5, Filton College 131
(Millfield win the West section and play Wellington? for a place at Lord?s)
Stowe 150-3 off 20 overs, Wellington 151-5
(Wellington win the South Central section and play Millfield for a place at Lord’s)
Oundle 183-6, Bedford 158-5
Oundle 90, Worksop 91-4
(Worksop play Bedford to be followed by a play-off with Shrewsbury and Felsted for a place at Lord?s)
Sedbergh 123-8, Durham 41 (G Nicholson 5-11)
(Sedbergh win the North region and will represent them at Lord?s)
Portsmouth GS 141-8, Hampton 131-9
(Portsmouth win the South region and will represent them at Lord’s)
Millfield 112-6. Wellington 116-8
(Wellington (Berks) win the West and South Central region and will represent them at Lord’s)