As if to emphasise my point last week in mentioning the strength of King?s Taunton, they rattled up the highest score I can remember in the National Twenty20 competition, scoring 240 for three in a South West section quarter-final contest against Sherborne. This is higher than the 224 for four scored by Millfield in last year?s final at Arundel. Tom Banton (155 from 61 balls) and Will Smeed (50 from 33) put on a double hundred (203) partnership.
Also in the National Twenty20 there was a very tight game in the South Central section final between St Edward?s Oxford and Bradfield, played at the neutral ground of The Oratory. St Edward?s made 122 for five, captain Brandon Allen top scoring with 52. In reply, Bradfield were up with the rate for pretty much the whole of their innings with Imran Malik scoring an entertaining 61. Going into the last over, Bradfield still had wickets in hand and with all results possible, Ben Charlesworth bowled four dot balls which proved to be decisive. With five needed to win off the last ball, Bradfield managed only two, which saw St Edward?s over the line by two runs.
Equally tight was the final in the North East section where St Peter?s entertained Worksop. A hot May evening saw the home side win the toss and elect to bat under the watchful eye of York Minster which was bathed in warm sunlight. The Worksop bowlers never allowed the home side to get a partnership or any momentum to the innings; mixing their attack with left- and right-arm pace. Only 4th former Chris Wood made any advance with the bat with a gritty 33 (proving to be the highest score of the game). Their total of 103 all out ? Dan Harris took a hat-trick in the final over – seemed barely adequate. Worksop set about their chase eagerly with 27 for one from the first four, including three big sixes from Sam Routledge and Nick Hobbs. The four St Peters’ spinners began to turn the screw, applying pressure with mature and calm control, while skipper Ted Patmore marshalled his troops intelligently. Worksop were 75 for nine with six overs remaining, but the last pair Dan Harris and Alex Boyd in a stand of 25 from 23 balls remained defiant and took them to 99, leaving six to win from the final over. After singles from the first two balls, Cameron Burdass held his nerve to take the final wicket with the third ball of the over. A thrilling game.
One of the best bowling performances so far was achieved by a wicket-keeper. Joe Millard in Clifton?s fourth-form (year 10) doffed his gloves for once and bowled for only the second time this term. Bowling medium-paced out-swingers in only a 35-over game against Marlborough he took seven for 38 in his seven overs to bowl out Marlborough for 183. They were chasing the home side?s 244 for two, led by captain and England Under-19 Louie Shaw with 133 not out.
Very few normal results this week, with only a few midweek games and the odd Old Boys game on Saturday, the latter nowadays often reduced to a 20-over thrash. Time was (not long ago at all) when this day was the central spectacle of Commemoration events with a high-profile fixture for parents and other visitors to enjoy. Indeed, in recent years Tonbridge have been playing Bedford in a two-day fixture played on Saturday and Sunday. You might think that with the exam ogre put in its box for ten days this would be the ideal time for some decent cricket. Congratulations therefore to those few schools who have indeed scheduled some cricket during the half-term break.
Results:
*Haberdashers’ Aske’s 175-4 (20 overs), University College School 64
*Milton Abbey 134-9 (30 overs), Clayesmore 135-9
*Clifton 244-2 (35 overs) (L Shaw 133 not out), Marlborough
183 (J Millard 7-38)
Sherborne 117-8 (20 overs), *Bryanston 119-1
Old Dunelmians 134-7 (20 overs) *Durham 138-4
Taunton 121,*Sherborne 122-3
Errantes 179-8 (30 overs)(W Longley 5-25), *Brighton 157
*Royal Hospital School 151-6 (20 overs), Culford 125-9
Old Stoics 117,*Stowe 120-4
Old Oakhamians 106-8 (20 overs), *Oakham 109-1
National Schools Twenty20 competition (cumulative)
Click to see the current state of the National T20.
North East section group 1
*Silcoates 61-8, Worksop 62-0
Birkdale 108-9, *QEGS 112-4
*Silcoates 126-7, Birkdale 131-2
Worksop 152-6,*QEGS 146-6
Worksop win the group
North East section group 2
Pocklington 166-6, *Hymers 123-9
Woodhouse Grove 114, Pocklington 114-8
(Pocklington win by losing fewer wickets)
Woodhouse Grove 125-7, Hymers 70
Pocklington win the group
North East section group 3
Ashville 145-6, *Bradford GS 150-1
St Peter’s York 185-5, Ashville 67
St Peter’s York 179-5, *Bradford GS 71
St Peter’s School York win the group
North East section group 4
Barnard Castle 90, RGS Newcastle 91-6
Durham 138-7, RGs 141-5
RGS Newcastle now play St Peter’s York
North East section semi-finals and final
Pocklington 83-9, Worksop 85-3
St Peter’s York 156-6, RGS Newcastle 89
St Peter’s York 103, Worksop 100
St Peter’s York win the North East section and now play the winners of the North West
North West play-offs
Birkenhead 158-5, Manchester GS 151-6
Birkenhead 136, King’s Chester 135-7
Birkenhead now play Sedbergh or Bolton
North West section group 1
Merchant Taylors’ (Crosby) 140-7, King’s Chester 142-3
King’s Macclesfield 173-8, Grange 88
Grange 143-6, Merchant Taylors’ 148-0
Kng’s, Chester 120-8, King’s, Macclesfield 104-7
King’s, Chester win the group
North West section group 2
Birkenhead School 290-2, Wilmslow HS 48
Birkenhead School 237-2, Liverpool 50
Birkenhead win the group
North West section group 3
Bolton 203-1, *AKS Lytham 121-8
*AKS Lytham 244 -4, Kirkham 220 – 6
Altrincham GS 91, Bolton 95-1
Bolton win the group
North West section group 4
Manchester GS 185-4, Stockport GS 111-5
Audenshaw 72, Cheadle Hulme 73-0
Audenshaw 160-7, Stockport 129-8
Cheadle Hulme 84, Manchester GS 86-5
Manchester GS win the group
North West section group 5
Sedbergh 235-3, Myerscough 114-9
Sedbergh 195-5, Lancaster RGS 97
Sedbergh win the group
East section group1
*Trent 186-3, Nottingham HS 107-8
Trent 197-4 Repton 87
Trent win the group
East section group 2
Oakham 99-9, *Oundle 95
Stamford 101, Oakham 105-3
Oakham win the group
East section group 3
Stowe 146-8, Rugby 150-1
Stowe 131-6, Leicester GS 134-2
Rugby 168-7, Leicester GS 120
Rugby win the group
East section group 4
*Kimbolton 125-6, Wellingborough 129-2
*Bedford 174-4, Wellingborough 106-7
Bedford win the group
East section group 5
The Perse 92, *The Leys 95-1
Felsted 160-4, The Perse 154-8
*The Leys 188-5, Felsted 141
The Leys win the group
East section group 6
Gresham’s 69-8, Norwich 70-4
Gresham’s 138-3, Framlingham 141-2
Norwich 175-5, Framlingham 152-7
Norwich win the group
East section group 7
Shenfield 174-6, Brentwood 113-6
Ipswich 171-8, Brentwood 123-8
Shenfield 100-2, Ipswich 96-8
Shenfield win the group
East section quarter-finals
*Shenfield 156-7, Leicester GS 136-5
*The Leys 140-3, Norwich 94
Two others still to be played
West Midlands and Wales section group 1
Wyclffe 37, Dean Close 38-0
Monmouth 155, Llandaff Cathedral 133-6
Dean Close 113-5, Monmouth 114-4
Monmouth win the group
Dean Close runners-up
West Midlands and Wales section group 2
Malvern 149-5, RGS Worcester 150-4
Bablake 94-6, RGS Worcester 98-2
Malvern 188-4, Bablake 75
RGS Worcester win the group
Malvern runners-up
West Midlands and Wales section group 3
Wolverhampton GS 126-6, Wrekin 114-8
Bromsgrove 166-4, Wolverhampton GS 133-4
Wrekin 107, Bromsgrove 109-1
Bromsgrove win the group
Wolverhampton GS runners-up
West Midlands and Wales section group 4
Shrewsbury 176-3, Oswestry 67-6
Ellesmere 109 (Owens 5-12), Newcastle Under Lyme 113-1
Shrewsbury 157-7, Newcastle Under Lyme 55-8
Shrewsbury win the group
Newcastle Under Lyme runners-up
West Midlands and Wales section quarter-finals
*Shrewsbury 145-6, Woverhampton GS 87-9
*Bromsgrove 149-6, Newcastle Under Lyme 142-7
*Monmouth 108-2, Malvern 109-5
RGS Worcester 98, Dean Close 100-7
West Midlands and Wales section semi-finals will be
*Shrewsbury v Dean Close
*Bromsgrove v Malvern
South East section group 1
Bede’s 126, *Eastbourne 127-3
*Eastbourne 140-6, Brighton 102
Bede’s 115-7, Aldridge Cricket Academy 94-8
Eastbourne 127-3, Bede’s 126
Eastbourne win the group
South East section group 2
Cranleigh 175-6, *Reigate GS 90
Cranleigh 207-2, St Lawrence 62
Reigate GS 166-3, St Lawrence 125-9
Cranleigh win the group
South East section group 3
Claremont 107-3, Ashford 91-8
*Hurstpierpoint 161-4, Claremont 137-2
Hurstpierpoint win the group
South East section group 4
Tonbridge 242-6, Kent College 52
*Tonbridge 235-4 (J O’Riordan 121), Simon Langton 100
Tonbridge win the group
South East section semi-finals
*Tonbridge 163-8, Eastbourne 119-7
Hurstpierpoint 118-9, Cranleigh 121-3
South East section final
*Tonbridge 128-7, Cranleigh 123-6
Tonbridge now play the winners of the London section for a place on finals day at Arundel
North London section group 1
UCS Hampstead 95,*Merchant Taylors’ 98-1
Aldenham 141-7, Forest 144-6
*Merchant Taylors’ 214-2, Forest 118
Merchant Taylors’ win the group
North London section group 2
*St Albans 183-2, Bancroft’s 163-7
St Albans win the group
North London section final
*Merchant Taylors’ 150-6, St Albans 132-7
Merchant Taylors’ win the North London section and now play the winners of South London
South London section group 1
St Benedict’s 82-8, Whitgift 85-1
Whitgift 192-5, Reed’s 163-6
Whitgift win the group
South London section group 2
Dulwich 178-8, Caterham 131-6
Caterham 142 -6, Eltham 135- 8
Eltham 130-6, Dulwich 134-2
Dulwich win the group
South London section group 3
Epsom 124-7 Hampton 125-5
Trinity 179-5 Langley Park 126-8
Trinity 156-6 Hampton 103
Langley Park 105-5, Epsom 106-2
Trinity win the group
South London section group 4
*Wilson’s 73-7, KCS Wimbledon 74-3
*KCS Wimbledon 167-5, Kingston GS 142-7
John Fishers withdrew
KCS Wimbledon win the group
South London section semi-finals
Whitgift 173-0, Dulwich 151-7
KCS Wimbledon 140-6, Trinity Croydon 141-7
Whitgift now play Trinity Croydon
South West section group 1
Clifton 156-8, *Downside 74
Colstons 104-8, *Clifton 105-1
Clifton win the group
Colston’s runners-up
South West section group 2
Bristol GS 108, SGS (Filton) 109-4
Bristol GS 112-9, Taunton 116-5
*SGS (Filton) 140-7, Taunton 136 (M Omar 5-17)
SGS (Filton) win the group
Taunton runners-up
South West section group 3
Mount Kelly 148-3,*Clayesmore 95
Mount Kelly 178-5, Blundell’s 182-5
Blundell’s 84-9, King’s Taunton 85-1
King’s Taunton win the group
Blundell’s runners-up
South West section group 4
South Dartmoor 81-9, Sherborne 83-2
*Sherborne 149-6 (20 overs), Millfield 150-7
Millfield win the group
Sherborne runners-up
South West section quarter-finals
Taunton 90-6, Clifton 91-3
*King’s Taunton 240-3 (T Banton 155), Sherborne 107-8 (J. Clark 5-10)
Millfield 188-5, Blundells 52
SGS (Filton) v Colston’s still to be played
South Central section group 1
*Oratory 133-6, RGS High Wycombe 137-5
Radley 160-4, RGS High Wycombe 161-3 (E Casterton 109 not out)
Radley 179-4, Elizabeth Guernsey150-6
RGS High Wycombe win the group
South Central section group 2
St Edward’s 154-4, Abingdon 107-9
Magdalen College School 211-5, Reading Blue Coat 70
*St Edward’s 128-5, Magdalen College School 106
St Edward’s win the group
South Central section group 3
Wellington (Berks) 198-6, Dauntsey’s 93
Wellington (Berks) 93, Bradfield 94-1
Lord Wandsworth 91-9,*Bradfield 92-4
Dauntsey’s 153-6, Lord Wandsworth 130-8
Bradfield win the group
South Central section group 4
Portsmouth GS, 174-5,*Winchester 130-8
Portsmouth GS 153-6, Marlborough 145-7
Marlborough 147-3,*Winchester 111-5
Portsmouth GS win the group
South Central section semi-finals
*St Edward’s 177-7, Portsmouth GS 111
RGS High Wycombe 103-4 (20 overs), *Bradfield 106-4
South Central final
*St Edward’s 122-5 (20overs), Bradfield 120-6
St Edward’s now play the winner of the South West section for a place on finals day
*St Edward’s 122-5 (20overs), Bradfield 120-6