The schools cricket season – at least for independent boarding schools – wound up in magnificent fashion with several festivals and final week matches. The only frustration is that the season has to end so early.
Durham entertained The Perse who chose to bat first in their 50-over contest. They lost early wickets which inevitably slowed the scoring so that after 15 overs they stood at 29 for four and then 58 for five. But Henry Howarth led a revival with 98 so that they eventually reached 231 all out. Durham too started disastrously at nine for three but Cameron Fyfe and Will Jewitt rallied the home side taking them to 83, then 90 for five and thence to 187 before the sixth wicket fell. Jewitt was run out for 109 and the visitors were in the ascendant but Will Dexter and Robbie Fyfe steered Durham to victory with 11 balls to spare. A thrilling game where dominance was constantly switching sides.
In the Epsom festival, the hosts’ game against Warwick on the first day was a last-ball thriller. Having won the toss, Warwick built a commanding total with England Under-19 prospect Robert Yates scoring a masterful 114 not out to reach 216 for four from 35 overs. With 10 per over required from the last eight Epsom seemed to be struggling, but a captain’s innings from Liam Head with 71 led them to a last-ball win.
King’s Bruton hosted a “hugely enjoyable†festival played in lovely weather on first-class pitches. All the sides played excellent cricket at times. There was some eye-catching batting, especially the fine undefeated centuries from Toby Rogers of King’s and Charlie Scott of St Albans, and plenty of good spin bowling. It was particularly pleasing to see classy performers bowl long spells. Josh De Caires, an off-spinner from St Albans, bowled 20 consecutive overs in one match and Gus Freeman, Christ’s Hospital’s leg-spinner, bowled 19 in another. Indeed, he was the most successful bowler over the three days, picking up 14 wickets. Player of the festival was probably Ryan Hodgson from Giggleswick, a fine all-rounder, who can generate good pace. He caught the eye with technically correct batting, scoring 90 against Christ’s Hospital, 57 not out against King’s and 84 not out against St Albans. The St Albans side on their debut at the festival boasted eight players who had represented their counties, two having already played for Middlesex 2nd XI. They contributed much with their aggressive, forthright approach.
At the “fairly exhausting†but enterprising Bablake T20 festival, Wellingborough came out on top. Matthew Clarke hit his second century of the season in a superb display of power hitting, amassing 129 not out against John Hampden Grammar School. Over the two days and six matches he finished second-highest run scorer with a total of 303 runs. On day two of the festival, their Under-15 opening batsman James Sales scored 197 runs across the three matches without being dismissed, including 97 not out against the hosts Bablake. Seam bowler Jonny Clarke finished the tournament as “best bowler” which was based on economy rates, his being a measly 5.20. This was an excellent effort given that many of his overs were bowled in the power play or at the death.
Interesting, and telling, that the best bowler was judged on economy rate, not wickets taken. Having watched admittedly just the highlights of England v India on the TV on Sunday, I found it somewhat depressing rather than thrilling. Endless hitting of sixes may be thrilling to the non-cricketer, but what has happened and will happen to the art of bowling?
Results:
Trinity (Aus) 211-7 (50 overs),*Clifton 212-7
Wiltshire Queries 116-9 (35 overs),*Monkton 117-8
*Monkton 138-9 (40 overs), Westminster (Aus) 141-9
Monkton 187-3 (20 overs),*Kingswood 146-9 (Bath Schools’ T20 Cup final)
MCC 192-3 dec,*Clayesmore 193-9
*Invitation XI 227-9 dec,Clayesmore 214
Perse 231,*Durham 232-8 (W Jewitt 108)
*Durham 217-7 (40 overs), Merchant Taylors’, Crosby 213-9
MCC 244-7 dec (J Grant 5-66),*Dauntsey’s 242-8 (G Rickman 6-44)
A. J. Palmer’s XI 253-6 dec,*Dauntsey’s 257-6
*Wycliffe 138-5 (30 overs), Dauntsey’s 141-3 (Monkhouse Intersport League)
Old Peterites 137 & 331-7 dec (P Rivis 101 not out), St Peter’s 223-5 dec & 238-8
*RGS Worcester 337-8 dec, Wolverhampton GS 186
Old Wellingburians 177-9 (20 overs),*Wellingborough 130-9
*Wellingborough 211-6 (40 overs), Brighton GS (Aus) 169-9
Knowle Village CC 152, John Hampden GS 156-5
*King Edward VI Five Ways 155-7 (20 overs), Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 117
*Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 183-4 (20 overs), Adams’ GS 154-5
St Paul’s festival
Monkton 199-8 (50 overs), Fettes 135
Monkton 62,*St Paul’s 64-4
Fettes 105-9 (20 overs) (L Hunnisett 5-19), Monkton 109-3
Monkton 239-4 (40 overs), The Leys 241-8
BOWS festival
*Sedbergh 283-7 (50 overs)(L Milne 5-68), Brighton 106
Wellington (Berks) 295-6 (50 overs),Brighton 242-7
Oakham 269, Wellington (Berks) 198
Oakham 91,*Sedbergh 93-1
Brighton 85, Oakham 86-3
Wellington (Berks) 172,*Sedbergh 175-4
Epsom festival
Repton 194-6 (35 overs), St Peter’s, York 192-7
St Peter’s, York 266-7 (45 overs), *Epsom 174
St Peter’s, York 192, Warwick 131
Warwick 216-4 (35 overs) (R Yates 114 not out), *Epsom 217-6
Repton 194-6 (35 overs), St Peter’s, York 192-7
St Peter’s, York 266-7 (45 overs), *Epsom 174
Warwick 71, Repton 72-4
*Epsom 233, Repton 218
Bablake T20 festival
Wellingborough 247-2, King Edward’s Aston 98
Wellingborough 218-2 (M Clarke 129 not out), John Hampden GS 144-5
Wrekin 146,Wellingborough 147-4
Wellingborough 203-5,*Bablake 98-8
Queen Mary’s GS 130-9,Wellingborough 131-0
Wellingborough 222-4,Wrekin 121
*Bablake 197-4, Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 180-9
Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 135-5, Wrekin 137-5
John Hampden GS 166-4, Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 168-2
King Edward VI Aston 151-7, Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 153-6
Queen Mary’s GS, Walsall 130-9, Wellingborough 131-0
*Bablake 180-6 (D Mousley 101 not out), John Hampden GS 145-9
John Hampden GS 200-4, Wrekin College 202-3
King Edward’s Aston 127-8, John Hampden GS 128-0
Wellingborough win the festival
King’s Bruton Festival
St Albans 271-7 dec, *King’s Bruton 244-7 (T Rogers 126 not out)
Giggleswick 221, Christ’s Hospital 222-8 (R Hodgson 5-54)
St Albans 199, Christ’s Hospital 183 (J De Caires 5-51)
*King’s Bruton 216-8 dec, Giggleswick 217-3
Giggleswick 280- 4 dec. St Albans 281-3 (C Scott 125 not out)
*King’s Bruton 206-9 dec (G Freeman 7-61), Christ’s Hospital 190-7 (40 overs)
RGS schools festival at RGS Lancaster
*RGS Lancaster 245-6 (50 overs) (T Anderton 104), RGS Worcester 189
RGS Guildford 237-7 (50 overs), RGS Worcester 238-8 (49.4 overs)
RGS Worcester 109, RGS Newcastle 95 (B Sutton 5-22)
RGS Colchester 228 (B Sutton 5-33), RGS Worcester 232-7
RGS High Wycombe 198 (W Reading 5-29), RGS Worcester 205-6
Haberdashers’ Aske’s Devon tour
Haberdashers’ Aske’s 98 (40 overs), *Exeter School 104-4
*Devon Dumplings CC 183-4 (40 overs, reduced to 29 after rain), Haberdashers’ Aske’s 185-4
*Exeter CC 235-3 (40 overs), Haberdashers’ Aske’s 217
Haberdashers’ Aske’s 281-9 (50 overs), *Devon Under-16 196
*****************************************
National Schools Twenty20 competition – cumulative
Click on this link (best viewed on a laptop, not iPad or similar) to see the National Schools T20 spreadsheet
North East section group 1
Newcastle School for Boys 111, RGS Newcastle 112-4
Hymers 103-6, *QEGS Wakefield 104-1
Hymers 164-3, Silcoates 138-9
Birkdale 118-4,*QEGS Wakefield 119-1
QEGS Wakefield win the group
North East section group 3
Worksop 163-9, Ampleforth 66
Woodhouse Grove 166, Ashville 153
Woodhouse Grove 71-9, Worksop 77-3
Woodhouse Grove 165, Ampleforth 147
Worksop win the group
North East section group 4
Pocklington 129-4,*St Peter’s, York 132-5
Pocklington 103, Bradford GS 104-1
*St Peter’s, York 155-6, Bradford GS 97-9
St Peter’s win the group.
North East section semi-final
*St Peter’s, York 203-3, QEGS Wakefield 148-4
North East section final
Worksop 138-6, St Peter’s 139-2
St Peter’s now play Sedbergh for a place on Finals Day
North West section group 1
Altrincham GS 114–5, Kings’, Chester 113
Altrincham GS 96–9, Birkenhead 100 – 7
The Grange School withdrew
Birkenhead win the group
North West section group 2
Hutton GS, Audenshaw HS and St. Ambrose all withdrew
Kings’ School, Macclesfield win the group (by default)
North West section group 3
AKS Lytham 86, Myerscough 90–2
Kirkham 59, RGS Lancaster 60–2
AKS Lytham 143–8, Kirkham 146–6
Myerscough 126, RGS Lancaster 73–7
Myerscough win the group
North West section group 4
Cheadle Hulme 174–3, Wilmslow HS 125 – 6
Stockport GS 137-6, Wilmslow HS 94
Stockport GS 130-7, Cheadle Hulme 133
Cheadle Hulme win the group
North West section quarter-finals
Manchester GS 172–7, Kings’ Macclesfield 173-7
Bolton 74-9, Myerscough 78-2
Birkenhead 107-8, Sedbergh 118-8
*Cheadle Hulme 162-4, Merchant Taylors’ (Crosby) 163-8
North West section semi-finals
Merchant Taylors’ 136–4; King’s, Macclesfield 139-6
Myerscough 138-6, Sedbergh 139-2
North West section final
Sedbergh 100, King’s Macclesfield 83-7
Sedbergh now play St Peter’s York for a place on Finals Day
North region final
St Peters York 124-5, Sedbergh 128-1
Sedbergh now represent the North on Finals Day at Arundel
East section group 1
Nottingham HS 124-6, Trent 125-1
Loughborough GS 79-8, Repton 80-3
Trent 139-4, Repton 141-4
Repton win the group
East section group 2
*Oakham 133-6 (20 overs), Oundle 121-9 (H Tyler 5-14)
Leics GS 68, Stamford 69-1
Stamford 137-7 (20 overs),*Oakham 123-8
Stamford win the group
East section group 3
Stowe 117-5, Uppingham 63
Rugby 142-9, Wellingborough 107-5
Stowe 104-6, Rugby 95-7
Stowe win the group
East section group 4
Kimbolton 113-6, Bedford 114-2
The Leys 153-3, The Perse 104-9
Bedford 118-7, The Leys 112-5
Bedford win the group
East section group 5
Gresham’s 110, Norwich 111-1
Framlingham 134-7, Culford 110-7
Framlingham 118-6, Norwich 122-5
Norwich win the group
East section group 6
St Joseph’s 99, Felsted 110-3
Shenfield 163-3, New Hall 88
Shenfield 122-9, Felsted 126-5
Felsted win the group
East section quarter-finals
Stamford 203-6, *Repton 160-4
Trent 150, Norwich 151-4
The Leys 122-6, Stowe 123-4
Felsted 133-6, Bedford 137-4
East section semi-finals
Stowe 121-7, Stamford 122-1
Norwich 50, Bedford 56-1
Stamford now play Bedford in the East section final
East section final
*Stamford 215-3, Bedford 216-3
Bedford now play Malvern for a place on Finals Day
West Midlands and Wales section group 1
Newcastle-under-Lyme 101-6, Ellesmere 105-6
*Shrewsbury 105-8, Ellesmere 96-7
Queen Mary’s withdrew
Shrewsbury win the group
West Midlands and Wales section group 2
*Wrekin 112-4, Bablake 69
Bromsgrove 155-5, Wolverhampton GS 34
*Wrekin 75, Bromsgrove 76-4
Bromsgrove win the group
West Midlands and Wales section group 3
Cathedral School, Llandaff 118-9, Dean Close 120-1
West Midlands and Wales section group 3
Monmouth 121-4, Wycliffe 100-5
Dean Close win the group
West Midlands and Wales section, group 4
King’s Worcester 125-6,*RGS Worcester 123-8
Malvern 181-2, Warwick 85
King’s Worcester 66, Malvern 67-1
Malvern win the group
West Midlands and Wales quarter-finals
Shrewsbury 182-3, Wrekin 82-8
Malvern 191-1, Ellesmere 124–9
*Dean Close 101-6, King’s Worcester 105-1
Monmouth withdrew, so Bromsgrove win
West Midlands and Wales semi-finals
*Malvern 153-3, King’s Worcester 104
Shrewsbury 127-9 Bromsgrove 74
West Midlands and Wales final
*Malvern 140-8, Shrewsbury 139-7
Malvern now play Bedford for a place on Finals Day
East and West Midlands region final
Malvern 135-7, Bedford 137-4
Bedford now represent the region on Finals Day at Arundel
South East section group 1
St Lawrence 192-5, *Ashford 128-5
Simon Langton GS 197-3 (E Fox 103 not out), *Kent College 115
South East section group 2 (reduced to 5-over matches)
Charterhouse 43-2, Reigate GS 28-1
Reigate GS 25-5, Cranleigh 29-0
Charterhouse 44-2, Cranleigh 30-4
Kingston GS withdrew
Charterhouse win the group
South East section group 3
*Bede’s 159-5, Brighton College 59
*Bede’s 144-5, Hurstpierpoint 114-9
Hurstpierpoint 144, Aldridge 96
Bede’s win the group
South East section group 4
*Tonbridge 166–4, Skinners 100–9
Eastbourne 102–9, *Tonbridge 103–5
Claremont 131-4 Skinners 98
Tonbridge win the group
South East section play-offs
Charterhouse 164-7, Simon Langton 107-9
Tonbridge 160-5, Charterhouse 162-3
Charterhouse win the South East section and now play the London winners
North London section group 1
NewVic 122-7,*Aldenham 66
*St Albans 160-4, NewVic 113-9
St Albans win the group
North London section group 2
UCS 112, Highgate 92
UCS 65, Merchant Taylors’ 68-0
Moulton withdrew
Merchant Taylors’ win the group
North London section final
*St Albans 139-3, Merchant Taylors’ Northwood 140-4
Merchant Taylors’ win North London
South London section group 1
Whitgift 207-2, Emanuel 71-5
Emanuel 92-8, Epsom 96-2
Whitgift 179-2, Epsom 81-9
Whitgift win the group
South London section group 2
Hampton 143-7, Langley 116
Hampton 188-5, Dulwich 125-7
Hampton win the group
South London section group 3
Wilson’s 106-2, KCS Wimbledon 107-1
KCS Wimbledon 93, Eltham 94-2
Eltham win the group
South London section group 4
Lingfield 99-9, Caterham 100-3.
Trinity 96, Reed’s 97-0
Caterham 96-7, Reed’s 97-5
*Trinity 152-4, Caterham 129
Reed’s win the group.
South London section semi-finals
*Whitgift 230-6, Hampton 120-5
*Eltham 171-4, Reed’s 153-5
South London section final
*Whitgift 133-8, Eltham 100-8
London final
Merchant Taylors’ 146-8, Whitgift 134-6
Merchant Taylors’ now play Charterhouse for a place at Lord’s
South East and London region final
Merchant Taylors’ Northwood 95-9, Charterhouse 96-8
Charterhouse now represent the region on Finals Day at Arundel
South West section group 1
Downside 98-6 (20 overs),*Clifton 101-2
*Clifton 124-5, Colston’s 42-2 (9 overs); Clifton win on D/L
Colston’s 120-9, Bristol GS 110-5
Colston’s 163-4, Downside 75
Clifton win the group
South West section group 2
Stroud and South Glos 127-6, QEH 99-7
Taunton 102-6, Stroud and South Glos 103-5
Stroud and South Glos win the group
South West section group 3
Blundell’s 70, Plymouth 73-4
Plymouth 85-8 Millfield 86-0
Millfield win the group
South West section group 4
Sherborne 107, King’s Taunton 108-1
Mount Kelly 67-7, King’s Taunton 68-1
Mount Kelly 153-5, Sherborne 105-9
King’s Taunton win the group
South West section play-offs
Colston’s 168-7,*Stroud and South Glos 172-2
*Clifton 189-4 (R Clarke 123 not out),Taunton 152-4
*Millfield 232-2, Mount Kelly 102-7
South West section semi-finals
Clifton 122-5, *King’s Taunton 115
Stroud and South Glos withdrew, so Millfield win by default
South West section final
Clifton 107-6, *Millfield 108-4
Millfield now play Bradfield for a place on Finals Day
South Central section group 1
St Edward’s 175-6,*Dauntsey’s 140-3
St Edward’s 203-5 (H Ward 101), Elizabeth (Guernsey) 149-7
Elizabeth (Guernsey) 112-8,*Dauntsey’s 116-9
St Edward’s win the group
South Central section group 2
Abingdon 106 (20 overs),*Wellington (Berks) 107-3
Reading Blue Coat withdrew
Wellington win the group
South Central section group 3
Marlborough 124-4, Portsmouth GS 125-4
Magdalen College School 245-2, Portsmouth GS 103
*Marlborough 105-8, Magdalen College School 108-6
Magdalen College School win the group
South Central section group 4
RGS High Wycombe 107-8, Lord Wandsworth 109-2
RGS High Wycombe 109-7, Shiplake 110-0
*Radley 181-6, Shiplake 92
Lord Wandsworth 72, Radley 75-2
Radley win the group
South Central section group 5
*Bradfield 140-4, Winchester 68
*Bradfield 166-7), John Hampden GS 90-5
The Oratory withdrew
Bradfield win the group
South Central section play-off and semi-final
*Bradfield 161-4, St Edward’s 135-9
Bradfield 149-5, Magdalen College School 95
Bradfield now play Radley in the final of this section
South Central final
Radley 119 (20 overs), Bradfield 121-4
Bradfield now play Millfield for a place on finals day
South West and South Central region final
Millfield 186-4, Bradfield 136
Millfield now represent the region on Finals Day at Arundel
FINALS DAY AT ARUNDEL
First seni-final: Sedbergh 107, Millfield 110-4
Second semi-final: Bedford 124-8, Charterhouse 128-5
Final: Charterhouse 166-6, Millfield 169-3
Millfield win the National Schools trophy 2018