Heavy rain on Friday evening, mainly on the Eastern side of the country, caused widespread cancellations or made batting very difficult on Saturday. Many schools also had an exeat weekend, with no matches.
There are alarming instances nowadays of schools not being able to raise even a 1st XI, let alone 2nds or 3rds, owing to revision mania. If you did not see my Thunderer piece in The Times last Thursday (on this topic), here is a link to it. All work and no play is not the way to revise for exams
There was an interesting response, one of which you can see here
There was a distinctly breathless hush in the Close (Clifton’s famous ground immortalised by Henry Newbolt) on Saturday. Clifton won the toss in lovely conditions and elected to bat but were soon under considerable pressure, losing early wickets to the impressive new ball attack of King’s Taunton and then to Jacques Banton’s left-arm spin (5-33). Captain Dom Goodman then batted impressively making 67 and, with valuable contributions from the tail, the home side posted at least a defendable target of 182 all out, finishing on the last ball of the 50 overs. The response of King’s was initially destructive but as wickets began to fall, some panic set in, leaving King’s on the verge of defeat at 106 for eight, largely as a result of tight bowling from spinners Ollie Meadows (3-28) and Ryan Kilmister (2-28). King’s then rallied brilliantly thanks to a very sensible partnership of 71 for the ninth wicket by Max Meizner (42 not out) and Harry Ascher (26). With only six needed from the last two overs, the game seemed won, but then Harry Ascherl bowled a wicket maiden. With six still required in the final over and nine down, Tudor Hurle held his nerve with the ball and when two were needed from the final delivery King’s scampered just a single to tie the game in a thrilling finish.
Nails were even more chewed to the cuticles at Wellingborough in rain-affected conditions after heavy overnight downpours. Stamford had posted only 117, but with 24 still needed Wellingborough were nine down. Cameron Blake (number 10) with 18 not out and Joshua Griffiths (number 11) 8 not out squeezed their side to a win from the penultimate ball of the match.
In a Twenty20 against Leicester Grammar School, Wellingborough’s Year 11 opening batsman James Sales recorded his maiden 1st XI hundred, reaching the milestone off 63 deliveries and eventually finishing on 110 not out. Having already picked up one wicket earlier in the innings Sales then took the ball for the last over of the Leicester Grammar School innings and took a hat-trick to win the game.
Jono Conolly of Brighton also turned in a virtuoso all-round display, hitting 138 from 100 balls, with thirteen fours and eight sixes. He then followed this up with five for 24 from 9.3 overs to seal the game with nine balls to spare. Four of his wickets were bowled and one LBW.
St Albans have started their season impressively with seven wins on the trot and an impressive win against local rivals Haberdashers’ Aske’s though it was a game where batting was difficult early and much easier later; the toss was vital. Dauntsey’s have also started impressively with five wins, led by Jack Butler’s fine off-spin in his first season.
Results:
MCC 237-7 dec,*Bede’s 154-9
Dr Challoner’s 121-5, *St Albans 125-9
*St Albans 188-8, Queen Elizabeth Barnet 141
Portsmouth GS 161-3, 128-9
Oakham 129-9 (20 overs),*Uppingham 83-9
Sussex Martlets 189-7(30 overs),*Brighton 191-6
Eastbourne 140-8 (20 overs),*Bede’s 143-2
Wellingborough 199-2 (20 overs) (J Sales 110 not out), *Leicester GS 113
*Tonbridge 176-6 (20 overs), Bede’s 141-9
Cathedral School, Llandaff 122,*Monmouth 123-0
*Haberdashers’ Aske’s 171, St Albans 173-0
*Eltham 44, St Lawrence 48-0
Merchant Taylors’ Northwood 208, *Berkhamsted 209-2 (S Rolfe 107 not out)
Framlingham (girls) 129-2 (20 overs). *Culford 55
Framlingham 311. Suffolk Under-17 140
Alleyn’s 104 (35 overs),*Emanuel 105-5
St Joseph’s 158,*Gresham’s 162-6
*Clifton 182 (J Banton 5-33), King’s Taunton 182-9
*Brighton 296-9 (50 overs)(J Conolly 138 not out), Portsmouth GS 224 (J Conolly 5-24)
*Denstone 174-9, Bromsgrove 175-5
*St Peter’s, York 156, Durham 157-7
Hurstpierpoint 161,*Eastbourne 163-2
Eastbourne 140-8 (20 Overs),*Bede’s 143-2 (Langdale Cup)
Stamford 117 (45 overs),*Wellingborough 118-9
*High School of Glasgow 95-9 (20 overs), Hutchesons’ GS 84-6
*St Peter’s, York 133-7, GSAL (Leeds) 79
Sedbergh 146 (20 overs),*Lancaster RGS 118-7 (G Hill 5-13)
*Sedbergh 195-6 (45 overs), Shrewsbury 181
QEGS Wakefield 58,*Woodhouse Grove 62-2
*Shrewsbury 203-4 (50 overs), Warwickshire Under-17 147-7
*Shrewsbury 103-8 (15 overs), Shropshire cricket board 89-4
Repton 151-7 (50 overs),*Shrewsbury 152-1
*Dauntsey’s 190-7 (40 overs), Colston’s 28 (J Butler 5-9)
*Durham 206-5 (S North 106 not out), Ashville 202 (T Reynolds 5-19)
*Kelvinside Academy 33, Glasgow Academy 34-3