South East region final: St Albans v Bede’s at Bromley CC
Patrick Scott (St Albans) fends off a short pitched ball but is caught at slip via the wicket-keeper
This column is forever extolling the virtues of The Spirit of Cricket and rather wishes that MCC would come off the fence and make it part of the Laws rather than a pre-amble. In practice it is part of the Laws, because Law 42 specifically says:
The responsibility lies with the captains for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit and traditions of the game, as described in The Preamble ? The Spirit of Cricket, as well as within the Laws.
And there it says:
It is against the Spirit of the Game:
To dispute an umpire’s decision by word, action or gesture
To direct abusive language towards an opponent or umpire
To indulge in cheating or any sharp practice, for instance:
(a) to appeal knowing that the batsman is not out
(b) to advance towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing
(c) to seek to distract an opponent either verbally or by harassment with persistent clapping or unnecessary noise under the guise of enthusiasm and motivation of one’s own side (my emphasis).
Thus, the ghastly ?make more noise? culture of the last ten years or so is against the Laws of the game, albeit expressed in a rather roundabout way.
In that context, I quote verbatim from an interesting account of an incident which happened in the match played between MCC and The Glasgow Academy, as written by their coach Vedam Hariharan
MCC batsman Fergus Black (as the non-striker) was not quick enough to get back to the crease at the bowler’s end after backing up and was rightly run out at the bowler’s end in an unfortunate manner as the striker hit the ball hard and the bowler managed to get his finger tips to the ball before it hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. The bowler appealed spontaneously and Black was given run out. However, the bowler (Cameron Russell), very quickly said to me (I was the umpire at the bowler’s end), that he was withdrawing his appeal (after discussing with the Captain) as he would not like the batsman out that way. He requested myself and the other umpire to re-consider our decision, which we did. The batsman, who was on 97, reluctantly agreed to continue and went on to complete his hundred. The bowler thought that as it was an accident (the ball touching his finger tips and then going on to hit the stumps), he did not agree with the rules. The MCC players and all the rest in the ground applauded this wonderful gesture from a schoolboy. MCC captain Douglas Lockhart after the match came and spoke to the Glasgow Academy boys and applauded them for the way they played the game. He gave The MCC Spirit of Cricket Cap to Cameron Russell.
Incidentally, if one were to believe in the doctrine of ‘Karma’ , it was Cameron Russell who remained not out to the end with 12 (and batted for about 20 overs), saving the match for The Glasgow Academy.
On May 14th I mentioned a most promising youngster at St George?s Weybridge, Will Jacks, who scored 114 for the Under-14s against Hurstpierpoint and was then promoted to the Under-15s where he promptly scored 221 from 111 balls. A week later he scored 166 not out (again for the Under-14s) from 68 balls and I asked why he wasn?t playing for the 1st XI. This week he did play for the 1st XI, against the Old Boys. The latter having declared at 241 for eight, which eventually left the school needing 140 from the last 20, during which? Jacks appeared. He started quite modestly with 34 from 38 balls, but then accelerated rapidly to take 69 off the next 31, reaching his century in 69 balls altogether in an innngs of 110 with ten sixes (three of them in one over) and seven fours. There are still several games left and he has already scored 924 runs for the school (in three different teams).
The exam season, if one can call it a season when it takes up most of the summer term, gives opportunities to younger players to stake a claim in the absence of some older ones. George Panayi of Shrewsbury seized his chance eagerly, taking four wickets in his first 19 balls against Myerscough and finishing with four for 15 overall from six overs.
As last week with King?s Taunton and Canford, we are getting to that stage of the season where two sides meet both of whom are previously unbeaten (except in T20 matches) and are probably keen to preserve their record. Wellingborough and Stamford achieved that with a little assistance from the weather, Wellingborough finishing at 98 for nine in a declaration game chasing Stamford?s 144. Another school which is almost unbeaten is Repton who have won twelve of their 14 matches, losing to deadly rivals Malvern and having one rained off as a draw.
Elsewhere, the heavy showers put paid to many a game which even if it started at all had to be called off at quite an early stage; hence the relatively brief selection of results below.
Results:
*Shrewsbury 164-6 (40 overs), Myerscough 100
Radley 196-7 (50 overs), *Winchester 116
Dollar Academy 211-8 (30 overs), *High School of Glasgow 82
*Eton 135-6 (20 overs), Bradfield 136-0
Eton Ramblers 143 (50 overs), *Eton 144-3
MCC 253-3 dec (F Black 105 not out), *Glasgow Academy 172-9
Brighton 99 (E Hooper 5-27), *Bede’s 100-3
*Denstone 201-5 (40 overs), Bishop Vesey 123 (R Williams 5-19)
Dulwich 134 (A Gilbert 5-24), *Charterhouse 135-6
*Monkton Combe 177-3 (35 overs), Dauntsey’s 178-3 (J Mynott 101 not out) (Peak Sports League)
*Manchester GS 144-7 (40 overs), Shrewsbury 148-2
*City of London Freemen’s 217-7 (40 overs) (G Macdonald 103 not out), Caterham 208-5
*Bradford GS 175-9 (55 overs), Durham 178-6
*Prior Park 209-6 (40 overs), King Edward’s Bath 183-9 (A Dalrymple 106 not out)
*Bedford Modern 155 (45 overs), Haberdashers’ Aske’s 156-6
St John’s, Leatherhead 162-9 (50 overs), *Hurstpierpoint 163-5
XL club 131-7 ( K Moir 5-27), Glasgow Academy 0-0 (rain)
Stamford 144 (J Staughton 5-54), *Wellingborough 98-9 (C Page-Morris 5-26)
MCC 202-4 dec, *St George’s, Weybridge 131
Hampton 235-6 (50 overs) (C O’Brien 108 ), *St George’s, Weybridge 95-5 (St Geroge?s win on run rate)
Old Georgians 241-8, St George’s College 244-6 (W Jacks 110)
*GSAL 196-7 (50 overs), Bolton 197-3
*Nottingham HS, 1st XI 183-8 (45 Over Match) Repton School, 1st XI 187-5
Rugby 266-2 dec, *Uppingham 152
MCC 123-4 v *Stowe (rain)
*Tonbridge 88, Wellington (Berks) 91-2
Wellington (Scotland) 45 (M Forbes 5-9), *Glasgow Academy 46-0
*St Peter?s York 95-1 (10 overs), Ampleforth 74-3
Barnard Castle 69 (20 overs), *St Peter?s York 70-6
High School of Glasgow 173, *Strathallan 135-7
*Gordonstoun 307-5 dec (A Holdsworth 119 not out, R Vasconcelis 109), High School of Glasgow 219-6
High School of Glasgow 74-8 (20 overs), *Gordonstoun 76-3
*Glenalmond 75 (20 overs), High School of Glasgow 78-4
MCC 169-6 dec, *Bradfield 171-4
*RGS Worcester 183-8 (40 overs), Magdalen College School 170
*King?s Taunton 263-8 (40 overs), Taunton 165
*Eton 293-4 (50 overs) (E James 133), Winchester 192-8 (Eton won by 70 runs under D/L)
Woodhouse Grove 165-8 (50 overs), *Worksop 166-5
Oakham 222-5 v *Felsted (rain)
National Twenty20 competition:
North West regional final
*Manchester GS 72, Bolton 73-2
Bolton now play St Peter?s York for a place on finals day
East and West Midlands regions finals
*Felsted 167-2, Bedford 166-3
Shrewsbury 105-6, Bromsgrove 93-7 (played at KES Birmingham)
Bedford now play Shrewsbury for a place on finals day
South East region final
Bede’s 126-9, St Albans 75 (played at Bromley CC)
Bede?s reach finals day at Arundel July 5th
South West region semi-finals
SGS (Filton) 131-7, Clifton 135-3
*Millfield 126-7, King?s Taunton 129-2
Clifton now play King?s Taunton to determine the South West region winner
South Central region final
*Bradfield 124-8, Portsmouth GS 125-1
Portsmouth GS now play Clifton or King?s Taunton for a place on finals day