That?s a bit more like it. At last the grounds had dried out and there was even some sunshine in many places, though it was five-sweater weather in others. There was a pretty full programme of normal matches and the National Twenty20 competition got into full swing (results below).
There was a fairly spectacular example of an early season low-scoring thriller when Dauntsey?s travelled to Hampshire Collegiate. The pitch was green and the outfield slow, and against steady bowling Dauntsey?s struggled to a very modest, not to say paltry, 60 all out. An early wicket gave some hope but at 14 for one, fourth-former Archie Ayling, son of the school?s Pro Jon (the former Hampshire all-rounder) came on to bowl and in his first over took a hat-trick. This was soon followed by a second hat-trick, this time from Noah Cannon, and Hampshire Collegiate subsided to 21 all out, Ayling finishing with four for five and Cannon four for three.
At the other end of the scoring spectrum, admittedly on a very fast-scoring ground, T Banton (134) and E Byrom (112) for King?s Taunton rattled up the astonishing early-season score of 357 for two in their 50 overs. As tends to happen in these circumstances such a huge score killed off the game and Sherborne struggled to get anywhere close, reaching 163 all out.
Menawhile, down the road Taunton (School) and Blundell?s recorded the first tie of the season, both finishing on 259. Rain had threatened the match on the Friday, but Taunton won the toss and batted. Dom Court and Sam Whitefield set a fine platform with 50 by the 12th over, but then Court was out with the score on 79 while Whitefield went on to score 105. Taunton were going strong, Ed Eminson reaching his maiden 50 with a six. However, Blundell?s fought back with tight bowling, taking seven wickets in the last ten for only 41 runs, leaving a tough but gettable target of 259 for nine in 50 overs. Blundell?s replied in style with Jack Lockwood and Ben Olphant-Thompson pummelling early boundaries to put on 75 for the first wicket. Blundell?s captain Dan Pyle piled on the pressure and at the halfway point they were well on target at 137. Runs piled up and wickets fell regularly with neither side able to establish dominance in the next period of play. At 218 for eight Taunton sensed their chance but fine batting from Christian Cabburn who worked the ball into gaps with skill got them to 250 with nine down and an over to go. The crowds of spectators were gathering as captain Nick Crossing started the final over. Number 11 Oli Mitchell got the third ball away for four, leaving the equation three from three and then finally one from the last ball which resulted in a direct-hit run-out and a thrilling tie.
Another cracking game took place at Eton who entertained Radley. After an uncertain start of two for two, the home side led by Al Russell at number four with a magnificent 117 reached 253 for nine from 55 (at least some schools manage to get 110 overs in the day!). After a heroic run-chase, Radley finished just three short at 250 all out, Finn O?Brien taking six for 42 from his 11 overs and bowling the crucial spell leading up to the penultimate over.
A year ago Haberdashers’ Aske’s wicket-keeper batsman Alex Willis reached his maiden hundred against Berkhamsted. On Saturday he repeated the feat, scoring 126 off 117 balls. Some powerful hitting towards the end lifted the total to almost 300, which proved far too much for the opposition, who nevertheless batted out their overs comfortably. Berkhamsted’s captain Charlie Nicholls (also their wicket-keeper) finished on 113 not out.
Results
*Clifton 167-4 (20 overs), Colston?s 136-4
MCC 145 (40 overs), *Bryanston 146-5
I Zingari 226-9, *Eton 227-3
*Woodhouse Grove 182-8 (40 overs), St Aidan?s Harrogate 111-9
*Queen Elizabeth’s, Barnet 107-9 (35 overs), Haberdashers’ Aske’s 110-6 (N Shah 5-13)
Dr Challoner’s GS 105-9 (25 overs), *St Albans 106-4
Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 141-6 (20 overs), Shrewsbury U16 AXI 73
XL Club 93 (40 overs), *Taunton School 94-2
Yorkshire Gentlemen 182-7 dec, *St Peter’s, York 183-5
RGS High Wycombe 139-6, *Aylesbury GS 92 (E Hayward 5-11)
*Shrewsbury 210-6 (40 overs) (H Adair 106 not out), Shropshire CCC Development XI 158-7
*Shrewsbury 120-5 (20 overs), Warwickshire U-17 90
*KES Birmingham 92 (A Jawanda 7-24), RGS Worcester 94-3
*Eton 253-9 (55 overs) (A Russell 117), Radley 250 (F O’Brien 6-42)
*Malvern 248-7 dec, *Bloxham 68
Worth 170-7 (35 overs),*Sevenoaks 168-6
Milton Abbey 60 (30 overs), *Clayesmore 61-2
*Taunton 259-9 (50 overs) (S Whitefield 105), Blundell?s 259
Bradford GS 187-7 (50 overs) *St Peter’s, York 188-5
*Haberdashers’ Aske’s 292-7 (45 overs) (A Willis 126), Berkhamsted 184-4 (C Nicholls 113 not out)
Ashville 189-9 (40 overs), *Hymers 104
*Sedbergh 197 (50 overs), Shrewsbury 200-4
*Seaford 103 (40 overs), Christ?s Hospital 105-6 (Martin Berrill Sports League)
*St George?s Weybridge 263-8 (40 overs) (W Jacks 149, B Cole 5-35), Reading Blue Coat 217
*RGS Worcester 197-2 (20 overs), Wycliffe 96-4
Dauntsey?s 60, *Hampshire Collegiate 21
*Wellington (Berks) 206, Free Foresters 207-6
*Bede’s 187-3 (20 overs), Seaford 114-4 (Langdale cup)
Bede’s 210-8 dec, Lancing 120
*Bedford Modern 121, Stamford 122-3
*King Edward VI School, Southampton 236-5 (40 overs), Halliford School 83
*Culford 184-4 (40 overs)(C Holt 63), St Joseph?s 108
*The Leys 250-3 (40 overs) (A Bramley 104), Wellingborough 166-8
Woodhouse Grove 188-7 (45 overs), GSAL (Leeds)139-7
Worth 170-7 (35 overs), *Sevenoaks 168-6
*Hampton 287-6 (50 overs)(C Campbell 118), RGS Guildford 276-8 (A Sweet 101)
*Eton 253-9 (55 overs) (A Russell 117), Radley 250 (F O’Brien 6-42)
MCC 255-8 (50 overs) (A Curtis 113), *Shrewsbury 211
Bradfield 197-9 (50 overs), *Oratory 82
Reigate GS 85 (28 overs), St John?s 87-3
*Merchiston Castle 156-1 (20 overs), Glasgow Academy 135-5
*Eastbourne 210-8 (50 overs) (G Robinson 111 not out), Cranleigh 211-7
“Oakham 156-7 (40 overs), XL Club 157-8
Trent 118, *Worksop 120-4
*King?s Taunton 357-2 (50 overs)(E Byrom 112, T Banton 134), Sherborne 163
*Sherborne 237-7 dec, Free Foresters 158 (B Heber 6-34)
Reed?s 136 (35 overs), *Tiffin 136-8
*Eltham 215-6 dec, Reed?s 216-1 (N Tilley 119 not out)
Oakham 262-6 (50 overs)(L James 108), *Repton 155
St Edward?s 222-8 (50 overs), *Rugby 216-8
National Schools Twenty20 competition
To see details of the 2016 competition, click here. This comprises six linked spreadsheets. Click on the tabs at the bottom. During the season this will be updated every week.
East section group 1
Repton 135-6 (20 overs), *Oakham 136-5 (18.5 overs)
*Oakham 222-4 (20 overs), Trent 166-8 (20 overs)
Leicester GS 90, Repton 93-4
Oakham win the group
East section group 3
Wellingborough 187-3, *Kimbolton 110-5
*Bedford 137, Stowe 108
Finals of this group still to be played
West Midlands section group 1
Denstone 98-9, Bablake 99-2
Bablake 134-4, Warwick 138-2
Bloxham withdrew
Warwick wins the group; Bablake runners-up
West Midlands section group 2
*RGS Worcester 197-1, Wycliffe 96-4
Monmouth 130-6, Dean Close 131-8
Monmouth 154-7, Wycliffe 153-8
*RGS Worcester 154-5, Dean Close 112
RGS Worcester win the group; Dean Close runners-up
West Midlands section group 3
Bromsgrove 200-6, Queen Mary?s GS Walsall 40
Malvern 138-8, Wrekin 139-5
Queen Mary?s GS Walsall 111-9, Malvern 114-3
Bromsgrove 155-7, Wrekin 110
Bromsgrove win the group; Wrekin runners-up
North London section group 1
Forest 83-9, *St Albans 84-1
North London section group 2
*Mill Hill 79, Berkhamsted 77-8
North London section group 3
*Merchant Taylors’ 214-4, Aldenham 104
South East section group 1
Bede’s 125-8, Aldridge 116-7
Ardingly 162, Brighton 89
Ardingly, *Bede’s 103-2
Bede?s win the group
South East group 2
Eastbourne 132-8, *Cranleigh 133-4
Lancing 107, Hurstpierpoint 111-2
Eastbourne 123-6, Lancing 84-9
Hurstpierpoint 112-8, *Cranleigh 116-2
Cranleigh win the group
South London section group 1
RGS Guildford 169-5, Trinity 171-4 18.3 overs
KCS Wimbledon 142-9, RGS Guildford 144-5
KCS Wimbledon 121-7, Trinity 110
RGS Guildford win the group on NRR
South West section group 1
King Edward?s Bath 146-7, *Beechen Cliff 147-4
Others still to be played
South West section group 2
Taunton 190-5, *Downside 99-5
Others still to be played
South Central section group 1
*Winchester 133-9, Abingdon 99
Elizabeth College Guernsey withdrew
Winchester win the group
South Central section group 2
Lord Wandsworth 80 (20 overs), *Bradfield 84-0
Lord Wandsworth 132-9 (20 overs), Radley 118-8
*Bradfield 146-5 (20 overs), Radley 104-8
Bradfield win the group
South Central section group 3
*St Edward?s 104-7, Wellington (Berks) 107-1
Ryde withdrew
Wellington win the group
South Central section group 4
*Oratory 79-9, Portsmouth 80-3
*Oratory 126-8, Marlborough 127-3
Portsmouth 152-4, Marlborough 156-6
Marlborough win the group