It will be no surprise to regular followers of this column that I favour the longest possible (and subtlest) form of the game. Chess rather than draughts. This year?s and last year?s two-day contest between Shrewsbury and Uppingham prove my point. Last year Shrewsbury declared at 366 for one and then bowled out Uppingham for 103. Uppingham, following on, declared at a mere 483 for five but Shrewsbury won by six wickets. What a game was that?
This year, in the same fixture,? clever declarations produced another extraordinary game. Shrewsbury?s very modest 147 was trumped by Uppingham who declared at 163 for seven. Shrewsbury responded by declaring at 197 for three, and then bowled out Uppingham for an amazingly low score of 41. Bring back two-day cricket! Shrewsbury also had a magnificent win by six wickets against Affies from South Africa, who have produced over 100 Test cricketers. See results below. Shrewsbury will also feature in the National Twenty20 finals day (also see below).
Meanwhile Rugby visited Marlborough for their main fixture of the season, the only survivor of the five two-day matches which used to be played at Lord?s (Eton v Harrow still is, but is now a one-day overs match) until the square was dug up in the late 60s. Marlborough batted first and were all out for 273. In reply, Rugby declared at 419 for seven, Jake Kings scoring a chanceless 215, believed to be the highest-ever score in this fixture. Another clever declaration because, even though the result was a draw, Marlborough finished only 22 short for the loss of just one wicket.
I hope to publish a report of the Eton v Harrow match next week.
At the other end of the time-scale, in a tight quarter-final of the National Twenty20 competition, Millfield ? last year?s winners of the trophy – batted first against Wellington (Berks) and were soon struggling against the bowling of Jack Wood and Chris James, who took the vital wicket of Daniel Bell-Drummond. Wickets kept falling, preventing any partnerships being built until the score was 51 for six. It looked as if Millfield would struggle to post three figures, but Dexter Smith found support from Alisdair Easton to put on 61`and they finished on 112 for six. Wellington got off to a quick start with Angus Boobbyer and Chris James making the most of the powerplay, but wickets began to fall as Ashley Davis bowled with genuine pace and hostility. Nick Hopcroft and Will Leith, the captain, put Wellington in a strong position at 68 for three? before a clatter of wickets left them needing 18 off three overs with only two wickets left and Millfield with their tails up. A cool head was called for and Jack Wood responded with great maturity, supported by Ollie Rendell. With fifteen balls left a no-ball was pulled for four and with two runs off the free hit the target was cut in half. Victory by two wickets was secured with five balls to spare. Wellington thus represent the West and South Central region at Lord?s (Nursery ground) on Friday July 8th. The other semi-finalists are Sedbergh, Portsmouth Grmmar School and Shrewsbury. Admission is free and spectators should enter via the North gate (off Wellington Road). Last year?s finals day was a spectacular event and anybody even remotely interested in schools cricket should make every effort to attend.
Dauntsey?s last week had a pulsating game against their Old Boys. Chasing a total of 200, the boys were struggling and well behind the rate until Ben Hodder hit 55 from 54 balls and Henry West took 21 from 11. Needing 48 from the last five overs and then four from the last ball, with nine down, the batsmen scampered two. At which point the last batsman wandered out of his ground and was promptly run out, one short of the Old Boys? target.
We all know that low-scoring games are often the most gripping, but the contest between Merchant Taylors? (Northwood) and Dr Challoner?s Grammar School was extraordinary. With no serious menace in the pitch, Dr Challoner?s collapsed from 77 for one to 86 all out. This was due to some fine slow left arm bowling by Tom Woods with seven for 17 in 6.3 overs, the other three wickets falling to leg-spinner Rohit Maini. Game over, one would have thought.? Unsurprisingly, Dr Challoner?s opened with a spinner and Merchant Taylors? went from 60 for four to 70 all out to give Dr Challoner?s victory by 16 runs.
John Bowers of Wellingborough earned himself a trip to Lord?s next year as a guest of the MCC having scored his maiden century for the school?s 1st XI against the club at the age of just 15. He will be joined by Norwich?s prolific Sam Plater who also scored a century to bring victory against MCC. At Dulwich, Anthony Alleyne reached his thousand runs for the season at an average of over 100.
Haberdashers? Aske?s had thoughts of victory against a distinguished invitation XI, the Fraser Bird XI, who had seven players with first-class experience and one of whom, Shane Burger, scored a century. Such aspirations were dashed by yet another hat-trick recorded at the school this season, and it was left to Sahil Agarwal to play out the last three overs with his number 11 to finish agonisingly on 98 not out.
Results:
Clifton 228?8 (50 overs), *Sherborne 201
Bromsgrove 113, *Clifton 116-1
Affies (RSA) 238-9 (50 overs),*Shrewsbury 240-4
*Manchester GS 171-6 (50 overs), Shrewsbury 173-7
Colston Basset 212-9 (40 overs), *Ratcliffe 198-9
*Winchester 158-5 (50 overs), Grey High School(RSA) 159-3
Plymouth ?277-7 dec (G Stephenson 100), *Clayesmore 77
*Winchester 193 (50 overs), Abingdon 194-7
*Ratcliffe 90, Princethorpe 91-6
Gentlemen of Essex 280-8 dec ( L Paternott 109), *Felsted 186-7
MCC 211-8 dec, *Clayesmore 110
Bromsgrove 101, *Sedbergh 102-3
*Clayesmore 213-7 dec, XL Club 130 (W Price 5-24)
*Stowe 299?0 )40 overs)(A Birkby 138 not out)(B Duckett 143 not out), Wellingborough 186-4
Radley 253?9 (50 overs), *Stowe 250?6 (B Duckett 100)
*Felsted 351-6 (50 overs) (J Hebron 129 not out, J Wells 113), Framlingham 203
D I Yeabsley’s XI 26-2 v *Haberdashers’ Aske’s (rain)
Haberdashers’ Aske’s 311-4 (40 overs) (N Selvakumar 111), *Berkhamsted 182-8
*Denstone 253 (A Thomson 110), St Edwards Oxford 127 (R Morgan 5-34)
XL Club? 125-9 (40 overs), *Denstone 126-0
MCC 202-9 dec, *Norwich 206-3 (S Plater 103)
Plymouth 158 (O Webb 5-53), *Queen’s, Taunton 79
*Stowe (20 overs) 175-2 (A Birkby 100 not out), Kimbolton 147-6
*Stowe (20 overs) 160-4, St Joseph?s 97
Durham 178-5 (35 overs), Durham VIth Form Sports College 180-5
The Rangers 232-7 dec, *Clayesmore 173-8
Summer Puddings 155, *Dauntsey’s 156-4
*Dauntsey’s 220, Wiltshire Queries 161-9
Fraser Bird XI 299-5 dec (S Burger 100 not out), *Haberdashers? Aske?s 247-9
(Two-day game) *Shrewsbury 147 (R Purohit 6-31) & 197-3 dec, Uppingham 163-7 dec & 41 (S Barnard 5-17)
*Felsted 285-4 dec? (J Wells?129 not out), Felsted? Robins? 258
Dr Challoner?s GS 86 (T Woods 7-17), *Merchant Taylors’, Northwood?70
Tonbridge 263-9 dec, *Dulwich 264-2 (A Alleyne 110 not out, A Sutherland 104 not out)
*Dulwich 347-9 (50 overs) (A Alleyne 139), Waterstone College (RSA) 230
(Two-day game) Kirkham GS 203-7 dec &197 -6 dec, *Rossall 201-8 dec & 171-5
*Sevenoaks 134 (50 overs), Hurstpierpoint 136-9
MCC 204-3 dec, *Sevenoaks 205-7
MCC 126 (R Collins 5-34), *Dr Challoner’s GS 129-3
*Stowe 299-0 (40 overs) (B Duckett 143 not out, A Birkby 134 not out), Wellingborough 185-4
Northants CCC Under-17 120-8 (20 overs), *Wellingborough 119-5
MCC 235-7 dec, *Wellingborough 182-4 (J Bowers 103 not out)
*Wellingborough 185-4 (35 overs), Old Wellingburians 181
*Haberdashers’ Aske’s 142, Bancroft’s 143-6
*Bancroft’s 218-7 (35 overs), Aylesbury GS 170-9
Fraser Bird XI 299-5 dec (S Burger 100 not out), *Haberdashers? Aske?s 247-9
Geelong College (Aus) 184-8 (40 overs), *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 188-4
Free Foresters 231-8 dec, *Rugby 235-4 (J Kings 128 not out)
(Two-day game) *Marlborough 273 & 124-1, Rugby 419-7 dec (J Kings 215)
Trent 139, *Rugby 140-2
* Rugby 207-8 (40 overs), Knox GS (Aus) 143
*Woodhouse Grove 255-7dec, Prince Henry?s GS 230 (J. Atkinson 152no)
Woodhouse Grove 141, *Ampleforth 142-4
*Woodhouse Grove 235-8dec, Old Grovians 122
*King?s, Taunton 293-6 (40 overs) (J Regan 149 not out), Royal Marines 83
*King?s,? Taunton 224-5 (40 overs), Filton College 192
*King?s, Taunton 285-5 (40 overs) (T Barrett 125 not out), Old Aluredians 243
Emeriti 225-6 dec (F Bainbridge 116), *Ratcliffe 149
Trent 140, *Oakham 141-1
*Oakham 236-9 dec, Dulwich 206-7
*Kingswood 167-9, Dauntsey?s 170-6 (J Mynott 104 not out) (Dauntsey?s win the Peak sports league)
Gentlemen of Leicester 158-9 dec, *Uppingham 127-8
Nottingham HS 229-4 dec, *Uppingham 195-7
*Uppingham 313-7 (50 overs), Pembroke (Aus) 130
Caulfield 100, *St Albans 101-8
*Denstone 261 (M Hammond 6-81), St Edward?s, Oxford 127
MCC 202-8, *St Edward?s, Oxford 203-6
St Edward?s Martyrs 193-9, St Edward?s, Oxford 194-9
Queen’s, Taunton 234-7 (50 overs), *Bristol GS 138
*Queen’s, Taunton 188, Old Queenians 194-4 (R Catchpole 111 not out)
Old Ratcliffians 177, *Ratcliffe 124
Barnard Castle 88, Durham 93-1
Durham 138-7, QEGS Wakefield 103
Durham 239 , Perse 79 (J Gaff 5-16)
National Twenty20
Stowe 150-3, Wellington (Berks) 151-5
(Wellington win the South Central section and play Millfield for a place at Lord?s)
Portsmouth GS 141-8, Hampton 131-9
(Portsmouth win the South East region and will represent them at Lord?s)
Millfield 112-6. Wellington (Berks)116-8
(Wellington win the West and South Central region and will represent them at Lord?s)
Worksop 151-9, Shrewsbury 152-6
Shrewsbury 176-6, Felsted 111
(Shrewsbury win the East and Midlands play-off and will represent them at Lord?s)