After a start delayed by rain Harrow batted first at St Edward?s Oxford. Rob White knocked a resilient 82, whilst wickets tumbled around him, and finally fell to the leg-spin of Feroz Baig (five for 19). Harrow finished on 155 all out. St Edward?s made hard work of the reply and the game was poised on 126 for seven, and then precariously so on 142 for nine. The last wicket pair for St Edward?s made it over the line to win a thrilling contest. It?s been an impressive season thus far for a St Edward?s side who have beaten Bradfield, Uppingham, Rugby, Marlborough, Radley and now Harrow.
In the National Schools Twenty20 competition, we are getting to the latter stages before Finals Day (semi-finals and finals) at Arundel on Friday July 5th (10am start). On Friday evening it was time to get out the regulations and calculator as Denstone, Shrewsbury and RGS Worcester in a three-way play-off (played on different days) each won one game and lost one. On Friday Denstone lost to RGS having defeated Shrewsbury amid much rejoicing two days earlier. Everything came down to the last three balls. Firstly, RGS lost their third wicket three balls from the end (important for this competition?s brand of Net Run Rate) but won the match from the last ball. Had RGS not lost a third wicket they might have gone through (though still being discussed), but Shrewsbury (semi-finalists for the last three years) now proceed.
Obviously with half-term very few matches have been played. Tonbridge and Bedford continue their tradition of playing a two-day game at the beginning of the break and a play-off in the National Twenty20 competition is being played this Thursday between Manchester Grammar School and Bolton.
Results:
*Felsted 260-6 (40 overs), Bishop?s Stortford College 210-9
Harrow 155 (F Baig 5-19), *St Edward’s Oxford 156-9
Ipswich 177-6 (30 overs) (C Rule 124 ), *Gresham’s 133
Bede’s 215-6 (35 overs) (F Hudson-Prentice 103), *Eastbourne 53
*Eton 134-5 (20 overs), Bradfield 135-0
Beechen Cliff 170-7 (30 overs) (G Simonds 5-31), *King Edward’s Bath 170-6
*Felsted 295-5 dec (R Hussain 181 ), Essex Under-17s 185-9 (C Price 5-32 )
Millfield 273-9 (50 overs), *Eton 140-8
*Lancing 198-8 dec, Lancing Rovers 98
Blezard’s X1 148-7 (30 overs), *Oakham 150-5
Old Stoics 151, *Stowe 152-6
*Ipswich 121, Felsted 122-4
National Schools Twenty20 competition
West Midlands section play-offs
Denstone 147-7, *Shrewsbury 136-7
RGS Worcester 68-6, *Shrewsbury 69-3
Denstone 136-7, *RGS Worcester 139-3
Shrewsbury proceed on better NRR
South West section group 3
*Millfield 124-7, King?s Taunton 64
Winners of the group: Millfield. Runners-up: King?s Taunton
Millfield now play Canford and King?s Taunton play Sherborne