For the first time in three years, when we have enjoyed fine weather in April and May, the schools cricket season got off to a sluggish start partly because a large number of schools do not return until this week, and partly because of rather frequent and blustery April showers in many parts.
Nevertheless, the conditions didn?t prevent several schoolboys from producing outstanding performances. Chief of these was Lyle Hill of The Glasgow Academy. He captained Scotland Under-17s last year though was prevented largely by weather from making much of a mark for his school. This week he scored an aggressive 179 with 17 sixes and nine fours, threatening the school buildings in the process.
Malvern?s Tom Kohler-Cadmore started his season where he left off in 2011 (scoring over a thousand runs). On Saturday he launched his side to a forceful victory over Warwick with 147 in 50 overs in a total of 247 for four, and the visitors could muster only 128 for eight.
Stuart Whittingham of Christ?s Hospital is better known in Sussex circles as an opening bowler, not least for the county academy for whom he bats number ten. On Saturday for the school he scored a chanceless 107 with four sixes and eleven fours. In the two games over the weekend (40 overs and 20 overs), seam-bowler Oscar Koroska took six wickets in his maximum 12 overs, aided by some fine, not to say aggressive, wicket-keeping by Calvin Williams who, standing up to mostly seam bowling, took six stumpings and two catches.
A very rapid century (106) was achieved by Christian Purchase of Wycliffe in only 41 balls, including ten sixes and eight fours, chasing Prior Park?s Peak Sports League score of 128 all out.
An innovation being used in schools much more widely this year is electronic scoring. If it sounds a shade daunting to anybody over the age of thirty, it is not. The systems (there are three versions we know of) have huge advanages. It is simplicity itself to operate (one tap per ball) and the score can?t disappear into the ether as the information is automatcally updated every ball. For more information on this click here.
Results:
*Christ?s Hospital 186-9 (40 overs) (S Whittingham 107), Hereford Cathedral School 134
Hereford Cathedral School 106-8 (20 overs), *Christ?s Hospital 108-2
*High School of Glasgow 149-2 (20 overs), Kelvinside Academy 15 (G Main 8-4)
Uppingham 98, *St Edward’s 100-2
*Harrow 158-6 (50 overs), Wellington (Berks) 117
*Denstone 238-4 dec (A T Thomson 106), Newcastle RGS 69 (D Burnett 5-16)
Malvern 247-4 (50 overs)(T Kohler-Cadmore 147 not out), Warwick 128-8
*Malvern? 165-3 (29 overs)(Chesterton Cup), Dean Close 72-9 (B Twohig 5-15 )
*RGS Worcester 150-6 (40 overs), Bromsgrove 104
Filton 127 (40 overs), *Queen’s, Taunton 0-0 (rain)
Christ College, Brecon 163-6 (35 overs), *Queen’s, Taunton 147-5
*King?s, Canterbury 174-6 dec, Sevenoaks 62
Prior Park 128 (Peak Sports League), *Wycliffe 129-2 (C Purchase 106 not out)
*Glasgow Academy 255 (L Hill 179),? Lomond 45
Repton 116 (31 overs), *Oakham 117-2