The Eastbourne festival began in 1967 and is thought to be the first of the end-of-term jamborees which blossomed as a result of exam and term date changes at the time. The festival fell away 15 years ago because of term date clashes and other problems. Tonbridge and Felsted were the most consistently strong sides of that festival but have not played since. They renewed their rivalry on Saturday, and it was an excellent advertisement for the declaration game. Tonbridge declared at 261 for seven from 65 overs, the main contributors being two youthful batsmen in Marcus O?Riordan (84 not out) and Zak Crawley (54). Felsted?s reply was hampered by early wickets but Reece Hussain (73) and Joshua Hunter-Jordan (64) steadied the ship. After 125 overs were bowled in the day, it came down to Felsted needing a six off the last ball which did not materialise, and they finished five short with six down.
I have a clear image of the Master i/c at Marlborough, Nigel Briers (former Leicestershire CCC captain) as he watched his side throw away their advantage to lose from the last ball of the game. Marlborough had been restricted to 178 for eight in their 50 overs, largely thanks to Eton?s newcomer Peregrine Mould who recorded the miserly figures of one for six from ten overs with his brisk pace. When Eton in reply were 123 at the fall of the eighth wicket, it seemed as if Marlborough had the game in the bag. However, the ninth wicket then fell at 176 on the first ball of the last over. Needing three more from the over, an unlikely win was sealed on the last ball of the match.
Another game to raise the blood pressure was at St George?s, Weybridge. St Paul?s were in a strong position at 134 for three after 42 overs and the home side did well to restrict them to 164 for nine in their 50 overs. In reply, they lost early wickets. Tom Rowland scored the only 50 of the match but the young St Paul?s spinners, Thomas Powe and Alasdair Dewhurst, kept up the pressure to bowl out St George?s three short of the target.
Yet another cliff-hanger was at Christ?s Hospital where they entertained Worth. The visitors were all out for 120 from their 40 overs, and Christ?s Hospital were coasting to victory at 71 for one after 18 overs. Unfortunately, the momentum could not be sustained and they were bowled out for 107.
Two of 2012?s most prolific batsmen started where they left off last year. Tom Kohler-Cadmore of Malvern, who averaged 87.71, opened his account with 135 against Warwick. Ben Duckett, no stranger to this column over many years, went one further with two centuries in the first week of the season, scoring 134 not out against St Edward?s and 140 against Oundle in the first of two totals of 300 recorded this season, the other being Rugby?s 336 for three against Tamworth CC.
A newcomer who made his mark early is Tom Norman. Still only in Year 11, he made the highest score of the week with 177 from 133 balls, playing for Hymers against Ampleforth. He is in Yorkshire?s sights, having played for their schools side to Under-15 level but strangely missed out for their Under-16s.
Probably the most extraordinary feat of the week was by Ryan Higgins, Bradfield?s captain. In the National Schools Twenty20 match at the weekend, the first round of this competition with nearly 150 schools participating, he rattled up 160 not out in 75 balls to reach a score of 232 for five. He also took five for 17 the previous day in a regular match against St Edward?s Oxford, starting with a spell of five for five in five overs.
Results:
Wellington (Berks) 152-9 (45 overs), *Malvern 113
Ampleforth 255-8 (50 overs) *Hymers 258-4 (T Norman 177 not out)
King’s Taunton 276-6, *Bromsgrove 244 (M Lamb 136)
Eltham 90 (40 overs) (J Murray 5-17), *Dulwich 91-2
King’s Taunton 276-6, *Bromsgrove 244 (M Lamb 136)
Stafford GS 91, *Denstone 92-3
*RGS High Wycombe 70, Dr Challoner?s GS 73-2
Filton Academy 219-7 (40 overs), *Queen’s Taunton 60 -9
*Culford 144-8 dec, Norwich 146-5
Colston’s 256-5 (50 overs), *Queen’s Taunton 107
Hurstpierpoint 166-4 (50 overs), *Cranleigh 168-8.
*St Peter?s, York 219?8 (50 overs), QEGS Wakefield 120 (F Adams 5-10)
*St Edward?s 159 (50 overs) (R Higgins 5-17), Bradfield 128 (M Hammond 5-19)
*Bradfield 181-9 (50 overs), Oratory 120-7
*St Paul’s 164-9 (50 overs), St George’s, Weybridge 161
Worth 120 (40 overs), *Christ?s Hospital 107 (Martin Berrill Sports League)
Watford GS 185-3 dec (S Walker 103), *Merchant Taylors?, Northwood 175-4
St Albans 138, *Merchant Taylors?, Northwood 142-4
*Prior Park 196-7 (40 overs), Wycliffe 132 (Peak Sports League)
Monkton Combe 98 (40 overs), *KES Bath 99-6 (Peak Sports League)
Kingswood 139, *Wycliffe 113 (Peak Sports League)
Bedford 143-7 (20 overs), *Stowe 121-4
Bradford GS 274-4, *Hymers 177
*Marlborough 178-8 (50 overs), Eton 179-9
*KCS Wimbledon 196-5 (50 overs), Dulwich 111
*Loretto 170-5 (45 overs), Durham 172-4
*Reigate GS 73, St John’s Leatherhead 75-1
Tonbridge 261-7 dec, *Felsted 256-6
Kirkham GS 54, *Cheadle Hulme 57-0
*Clayesmore 56, Dauntsey’s 59-1
Aldenham 125, *Haberdashers’ Aske’s 112
*St Edward?s 203, Stowe 206-6 (B Duckett 134 not out)
*Shrewsbury 254-4 (50 overs) (J Carrasco 103), Worksop 176-8
*Shrewsbury 299-5 (40 overs) (E Pollock 121), Worcestershire CCC Academy 155
Giggleswick 124-7 (35 overs),*Shrewsbury Development XI 125-2
*Shrewsbury 195-5 (40 overs), Shropshire CCC Under-21 196-6
King Edward?s, Birmingham 115, *Shrewsbury 116-0
RGS Guildford 193-8, *Lancing 113-7
*Stowe 300-5 (B Duckett 140), Oundle 157
Malvern 290-3 (50 overs) (T Kohler-Cadmore 136), *Warwick 196-9
*Wrekin 92, Malvern 93-5
Denstone 172-6 dec, *Newcastle HS 110
Clayesmore 151-9 (30 overs), *Canford Development XI 154-4
*Uppingham 87, St Edward?s 88-2
*St Edward?s 159 (50 overs) (R Higgins 5-17), Bradfield 128 (M Hammond 5-19)
Oxford University 213-5 (50 overs), *St Edward?s School 185-9
*Woodhouse Grove 162-8 (40 overs), Wath 109
*Woodhouse Grove 216-6 dec (D Budge 111), Giggleswick 79
Harrow 182-8 (55 overs), *Wellington (Berks) 183-9
Birkdale 100, *The Grammar School at Leeds 102-1
*Rugby 336-3 (50 overs), Tamworth CC 137
*Sevenoaks 52, King’s Canterbury 53-0
*Wolverhampton GS 136 (40 overs), Ratcliffe 103
Cheltenham 159 (50 overs)(J Truell 5-25), *Winchester 124
Gresham?s 270-3 dec (F Sutton 118 not out), *Wisbech GS 125
*Taunton 286, Bristol GS 101
*City of London Freemen?s 155, Reed?s 122?7
*Lancaster RGS 206-9 dec, Arnold KEQMS 59
Lord Wandsworth 85-6 (20 overs), *Bradfield College 88-0
*Loughborough GS 248-3 (50 overs), Nottingham HS 237-7
Repton 249-9 (50 overs), *Oakham 245-8
*New Hall School 204-9 (40 overs), Ipswich 205-3 (F Ward 100 not out)
St Bede’s 226-8 (50 overs), *Ardingly 88
National Schools Twenty20 competition ? round 1
East section group 6 (played at Northants CCC)
Rugby 193-1, Oundle 111-8
Stowe 126-6, Bedford 143-5
Rugby 131-3, Bedford 132-2
Bedford win the group
West Midlands section group 5
Wrekin 38 (20 overs), *Shrewsbury 38-0
Oswestry 111-6 (20 overs), Wrekin 112-3
Oswestry 41 (20 overs), *Shrewsbury 42-1
Shrewsbury win the group
South East section group 1
*King’s Canterbury 156-5, Duke Of York’s RMS 100-6
*King’s Canterbury 155-5, St Lawrence 96-8
King?s Canterbury win the group
South East section group 2
*Tonbridge 187?2 (J Smallwood 100 not out), Judd 85
Sutton Valence 107, Sevenoaks 81?9
*Tonbridge 193?2, Sutton Valence 82?6
Sevenoaks 118?8, Judd 107?8
Tonbridge win the group
South East section group 4
St Bede’s 130-7, Lancing 102-5
Brighton 126-6, St Bede’s 127-5
Brighton 137-5, *Eastbourne 118-9
*Eastbourne 153-8, Lancing 128-5
St Bede?s win the group
South London section group 2
Caterham 93-6, Eltham 94-2
RGS Guildford 101-8, Reed?s 104-5
Eltham 110-5, RGS Guildford 78
Caterham 83-9, Reed?s 84-1
Caterham 115-6, RGS Guildford 116-4
Eltham 151-3, Reed?s 126-5
Eltham win the group
South London section group 3
* St George’s, Weybridge 168-6, John Fisher 113-6
* St George’s, Weybridge 59, Langley Park 60-1
Langley Park win the group
South London section group 4
*KCS Wimbledon 89, Dulwich 91-1
Trinity 164-9, Epsom 168-2
Dulwich 205-6, Epsom 103
Dulwich win the group
South West section group 2
KES Bath 106, *Monkton Combe 107-3
(Others still to be played)
South Central section group 2
*Bradfield 232-5 (R Higgins 160 not out), Pangbourne 85-7
Pangbourne 132, Lord Wandsworth 138-2
Lord Wandsworth 84-6, *Bradfield 88-0
Bradfield win the group