 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
||
Jump to pages showing scores and reviews from the 2008 season. Staff XI vs Leavers 12 July 2007 - report and scorecard Cricket stars
Chris and Mike Blake (top left): Captain and Vice-Captain of the school 1stXI in their last match for King's after an illustrous 10 years playing for school teams. They have both gained places at Cambridge University next year and may be hoping to emulate the cricketing achievements of Fred Owen. Harry Peel (top right): Harry scored a magnificent 112 not out in a County Cup semi-final against Calday GS on Tuesday 10 July. His innings included an amazing eleven sixes including three sixes off successive balls. He will be awarded a bat to recognise this unforgettable innings. Surprisingly King's still lost the match as they fell 20 short of the opponents' total of 181. You can view all of the results for a particular team. Choose the team whose results you would like to see from the drop-down list.
1st XI against Free Foresters on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 (home) King's lost by 53 runs
King's 115 all out off 0 overs Free Foresters 168 for 8 off 0 overs Mike Blake 4 for 34. This is a new and most welcome fixture for King's, suggested and arranged by Free Foresters' captain and former King's pupil, Garri Jones. He brought a very strong side, which included no less than five OKS, three of whom had captained the school - Messrs. Hawkins, Owen and Owen - and one of whom, Freddie Owen, will next year captain Cambridge University. Free Foresters batted first and it was Freddie Owen and Garri Jones, himself a Cambridge blue, who opened up. Conditions did not favour free-flowing strokeplay and Jones fell after 35 minutes trying to up the tempo. Simon Carter then joined Owen and together they put on 59 in as many minutes, with Owen the dominant partner. With a boggy outfield boundaries were expected to be rare; it is a measure of Freddie Owen's calibre as a batsman that he managed to strike six 4s and one 6. His 50 came off just 61 balls and it was as well from the school's point of view that he was removed by Tom Bellis. His dismisal brought another OKS, Joel Hawkins, to the crease and he and Carter saw Free Foresters through to lunch. After lunch Hawkins soon fell to a catch behind by Alex Powell off Mike Blake and Carter was also caught (by Ben Cooke) off Blake. King's parent, Mike Fearnall, was meanwhile constructing a powerful 28 as his partners came and went. Mike Blake bowled Cameron Oswald for 5; Charlie Wild bowled Ed Owen for 7. A flurry of wickets, including a run out, left Free Foresters able to declare on 168 for 8 - a sizeable total given the conditions and the quality of their bowling attack. As in the game against OKS, the Blake twins saw the school through to tea and looked to be building a solid platform. Unfortunately, soon after the break Mike Blake was trapped LBW by Furnival, bowling left-arm over, as was Jacob Newman the very next ball. Chris Blake made a good and stylish 34 but was bowled by Dhar whose spin also accounted for Bellis. Ed Owen now ripped the heart out of the batting order, capturing the wickets of Greening, Cooke, Fearnall junior and Younger. Fearnall senior's catch to dismiss Younger was impressive but Freddie Owen's to remove Tom Fearnall was exceptional. The tail-enders, Alex Powell, Jonathan Turley and Charlie Wild, all batted with spirit and played some attractive strokes but they had too much to do by this time and the school fell 53 runs short. It was an immensely enjoyable and rewarding experience nonetheless, and we hope that the Free Foresters will want to return next year in what we must all hope will be more seasonable weather. 1st XI against Old King's Scholars on Monday, July 09, 2007 (home) At last a game of cricket! Yes, the match had to be played on the colts' square (because it was a little less wet than the 1st XI one) and yes, there was a 51-minute rain interruption, but at least the game was completed. Well done to Alan Roberts and Tom Ducker, the groundsmen. The OKS batted first on a damp, green pitch. Tom Bellis bowled beautifully and his medium-quick off-cutters soon accounted for Dave Atkin, James Clulow and Neil Pollard, all bowled. OKS: 14 for 3. Meanwhile, at the other end, Jim Evans was going well (including a lovely straight six) and, together with Tony Collard, he moved the score on to 36 for 3. Evans opted for the aerial route once too often, though, and holed out at mid on where captain Chris Blake took a routine catch off Jacob Newman's bowling. Collard soon followed - also caught by Chris Blake, more spectacularly this time, off Ben Cooke. Rob Whittle and Jeremy Brummitt got their heads down and made sure there were no further wickets before lunch; OKS on 82 for 5. In Brummitt's temporary absence after lunch, OKS captain Willy Lamb accompanied Whittle to the crease but it was not long before Whittle was walking back to the pavilion (for 23) after being well caught by Rohit Srinivasan of Ben Cooke. Cooke had bowled well before lunch and was a little unlucky to be taken off. He came back straight after the interval though and justified the decision by removing the dangerous Whittle. Mike Younger came in next, only to fall to a rare bad ball from Tom Bellis , who was now in his second spell. Lamb dropped anchor and waited for the bad ball to punish but he was running out of partners. Brummitt fell to a catch by Alex Powell off Bellis and Tom Fearnall (the school's 12th man, playing for OKS) was adjudged LBW to Bellis. Lamb and last man, John Wainwright, tried to push the score on but Lamb too was castled by an irrepressible Bellis who finished with 7 for 23, the best return by a 1st XI bowler since Nigel Bellamy's 8 for 30 in 1996. 102 to win doesn't sound much but the OKS bowling attack boasted Rob Whittle, Dave Atkin, Neil Pollard and Jeremy Brummitt. Against such quality, discipline and focus were going to be required. Fortunately, the Blake twins got the school off to a solid start, negotiating the 40-minute session before tea without losing a wicket. Resuming on 22 without loss, Mike and Chris Blake proceeded to build well and reached 62 before Mike nicked Dave Atkin to Will Lamb at slip. Chris fell ten runs later, also to a catch off Atkin, but Jacob Newman and Rohit Srinivasan played some lovely shots to keep nudging the total ever nearer the target. Both Newman and Srinivasan fell to stumpings by Mike Younger off Jeremy Brummitt but by now one sensed that the 1st XI were close enough to complete a victory in good time. Characteristically, Tom Bellis flung the bat and there was some concern among his team mates that Bellis would not leave Andy Dyne, in his last game of the season, to score the three runs he required to qualify for Wisden. Fortunately, Dyne dispatched a full toss from Brummitt to the boundary to qualify for Wisden and, more importantly, to win the game. The thanks of all the players are due to the two umpires, Dave Lawson and Derek Pearson, who stood through several showers and who were only driven off by the hardest of rain. They were also keen to get the game re-started after the interruption. Thank you, gentlemen. 1st XI against MCC on Friday, June 29, 2007 (home) Given the weather around this week, it was a blessing that this match was played at all. Huge thanks are due to the groundstaff as always for their hard work in getting the game on. That the match was so enjoyable to watch, with all three results possible until quite late on in King's innings was down to an expertly judged declaration by Jamie Butler, the MCC skipper, and some courageous and determined batting by the 1st XI in reply. Compared with Wednesday, this was a much better performance and although they lost in the end the 1st XI can hold their heads up high, knowing that they competed well and played their best. Mike Blake made a welcome return to the side and bowled superbly, returning admirable figures of 13-4-19-3. All three dismissals were bowled. He was well supported by spinners Ben Cooke and Jon Turley and the medium pace of Jacob Newman, whose one wicket was thanks to a very sharp leg-side stumping by Glenn Coppack, also returning to the side after the Colts' Cricket Festival. All the bowlers must have taken encouragement from the tight and almost flawless fielding, Alex Powell standing out here amid the generally fine performance. MCC declared at the halfway point in terms of time and overs. After Wednesday's collapse within 28 overs, the very fact that we would have about 50 overs to bat in order to make 155 to win was going to present a problem. Fortunately the team almost used up all their batting time and overs; sadly wickets fell too regularly for them to overhaul MCC's total. Skipper Chris Blake made an accomplished 25 and there were useful contributions from Jacob Newman (until his attempted slog-sweep), Rohit Srinivasan, Mike Blake, Andy Dyne, Alex Powell and Glenn Coppack. MCC were delighted by the 1st XI's positive attitude in keeping going for the win despite losing wickets and if those members of the team playing in next week's festival can carry forward this approach, they could do well. 1st XI against Foyle & Londonderry College on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 (home) Credit must go to Foyle and Londonderry for showing some resilience at the crease, enabling them to build what turned out to be a winning total. From 7 for 2 they went to 48 for 3 and then when Ben Cooke had reduced them to 83 for 6 they managed to finish on 136 for 8, the eighth wicket falling only on the last ball of the innings. Essentially, then, we allowed the visitors to score too many runs. 25 wides (!) provided third top score and the last over went for 15. Even so, 137 to win was still gettable. Sadly, a lack of application by our batsmen meant that no one got going and we finished well short. There were really only two partnerships to speak of, that for the first wicket between Ben Cooke (13) and Tom Fearnall (5) who put on 19, and that for the last wicket, when the last pair made 18 (Charlie Wild 7 not out and Josh Hatfield 12). There were two daft run-outs and two batsmen were dismissed caught-and-bowled to nothing shots. With the MCC game imminent, it is vital that the team learns fast the virtue of bowling straight and at the stumps and, when batting, of spending time at the crease and building an innings and a partnership. 1st XI against Rydal on Saturday, May 12, 2007 (away) King's were inserted on a lively surface and, with a rearranged batting order, there were opportunities. Rohit was accompanied out to the middle by Glenn Coppack, his third opening partner this season. Sadly, both received good ones and after three overs King's were 9 for 2. Jacob Newman, however, played it right at no.3 and looked composed. He punished the bad ball, blocked the good one and allowed extras to help the score to rattle up - there were 18 wides. Tom Bellis was too anxious to counterattack and paid the price but skipper Chris Blake never looked in any trouble and was happy to stay with Jacob, who looked on for a another ton. Unfortunately he put one straight down midwicket's throat and trudged off, jug avoided, for 43. Chris took over where Jacob left off, although neither Mike Blake nor Alex Powell could stay with him. He made a very good fifty (four 4s and one 6) and at a good tempo (57 balls for his 50) but Chris too got out giving catching practice (square leg this time) and the scene was set for some fireworks from Oli Greening. He smashed 29 in 18 balls, including four 4s and one huge six. So hard was Oli hitting the ball and with such aggressive intent that it made his partner Andy Dyne appear to be nursing his average (65 after today's game). To be fair, though, Andy's unbeaten 18 came in just 14 balls and included three 4s. 198 off 35 overs looked good enough at lunch. It looked even better after Mike Blake's first over, the last ball of which was knocked up towards mid-on for Rohit to make a simple catch. Mike's next over might have yielded another wicket as Mike's first ball to the new batsman knocked back his off stump if it had not been for the dreaded no ball call. The Rydal pair then set about putting together a partnership, helped by some wayward bowling and throwing. This pair added 45 - half of which must have been extras - before Ben Cooke trapped the remaining opener leg before. The game was well poised: Rydal were 57 for 2 off 15; King's, by comparison, had been 69 for 3 at the same stage. Light showers had come and gone before during the match but soon after the second wicket the heavens really opened and, very reluctantly, 13 players and two umpires left the field never to return. Thanks to George Roberts for scoring so well; as Jacob pointed out, George's 'thanks for coming' fine was meant literally. 1st XI against XL Club on Wednesday, May 09, 2007 (home) King's had a good time with the ball and took all nine Forty Club wickets for just 147. Yes, it might have been less (some catches going down, the 'tail' being allowed to wag too much) but I can't really complain. Bowling out the XL Club for 147 was a major achievement. Mike Blake was the pick of the bowlers, his three wickets including both openers, but he was well supported by Oli Greening (when the radar was on) and Tom Bellis. Jacob Newman bowled for the first time for the 1st XI, and produced tidy figures of 1 for 17 in 8 overs. His wicket came courtesy of a very sharp leg-side stumping by Glenn Coppack - as sharp a stumping by a young wicket-keeper as the opposition had seen. Glenn also took two catches so played a full part in the fielding triumph. Jonathan Turley also deserves mention for his exellent fielding display and five overs for five runs. Already before the end of the XL Club innings rain was falling, a little earlier than forecast. More in hope than expectation our openers put on their pads and knocked up in the outfield but the rain became heavier and the Welsh hills disappeared into the grey. The XL Club felt they had enough runs for their bowling attack to defend; we fancied our chances of notching up our first victory against them for some while. The weather saw to it that we will never know what the result would have been. 1st XI against Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby on Saturday, May 05, 2007 (home) King's just didn't make enough runs against tight bowling and thoughtful field placements. The opposition bowlers gave little away and this forced us into silly mistakes. Rohit was unluckily run out as his new opening partner ran on a misfield but all the other wickets were soft dismissals. Chris Blake, Oli Greening, Simon Younger and Alex Powell all fell to straightforward catches while Ben Cooke, promoted to no.3 today in view of Mike Blake's injured hand, didn't pick a googly and got bowled trying to cut. The ten-over markers for our innings tell an interesting story: 31 without loss after 10; 59 for 3 after 20; 87 for 6 after 30; 148 for 6 after 40. While it is difficult to regain momentum when a wicket falls, Mike Blake and Andrew Dyne both showed the importance of blocking when they had to early on so that they could get their eye in and become more positive in due course. Mike faced 60 balls in total and of the second thirty he faced, he scored off 22. With Andy Dyne going well at the other end, this was all he needed to do. The top order must take note. (Many thanks to Mr Cooke, whose meticulous scoring enables me to make such an analysis.) The bowlers did better than on Wednesday and by and large made MTS work for their runs. Only 9 extras were conceded compared with 17 on Wednesday, for example. Oli Greening picked up the opener caught behind in his first spell and took another in his shorter second. Mike Blake, Ben Cooke and Jonathan Turley all bowled well and all deserved their wickets, Jonathan achieving fantastic economy - 1 for 15 in 8. The fifth bowler's allocation was shared among three members of the team but they proved more expnsive, their seven overs going for 44, although Andy Dyne did pick up a wicket. He also held a good catch in the deep; but an earlier offering - from their opener who went on to finish 89 not out! - was spilled (though not by Andy). It wasn't easy, given the position of the sun etc., but the relief of my opposite numbers was telling. We did not disgrace ourselves and MTS won with only 14 balls to spare - a small margin, really. We showed improvement in some respects compared with previous performances and if we can just tighten up in some crucial aspects we can achieve the success that faces in the dressing room after the game suggested the team so clearly desires. 1st XI against Cheadle Hulme School on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 (home) King's were inserted (although we would have batted anyway) and found it hard to get the ball away in the first half of the innings. Cheadle Hulme bowled a good length and chipped away at the top order so that we were not very many for three with almost a third of the overs gone. Once again it was up to the middle order to break free. Tom Bellis - promoted to no.4 - listened to advice and set about building an innings. His solid 22 was invaluable as it allowed Ollie Greening to chance his arm, hit over the top, and fashion 42 - our top score, as it turned out. This made things easier for the batsmen who followed them, but this is not to take anything away from Alex Powell (20) and Andy Dyne (24 not out) who made very useful contributions at nos. 7 and 8. 155 for 7 looked to be a competitive total. Good fielding (on the whole) was the key to victory. It ensured that Cheadle's batsmen fell behind the required rate and, when pressure forced an error, meant that they lost momentum. That said, Cheadle kept on going and certainly caused us a few worries. Turning points were Ben Cooke's fine throw from the deep, ably taken and carried behind him to break the stumps by 'keeper Glenn Coppack, to run out Langley, the Cheadle no.7 for 21. His partner, Sims, carried on the chase but he, too, fell to a run out. With the slow bowling of Chris Blake on, Sims needed to use footwork and had to force the ball away. A near stumping off the fifth ball of the over was followed by an attempt at tip-and-run. Coppack ran forward, picked up the ball and, while the batsmen dithered, calmly threw the ball up to the bowler's end for the stumps to be broken. Wickets were shared around among the bowlers and there were some good analyses: Ben Cooke's off spin went for just two an over, as did Matt Tate's medium pace. Others, however, are proving too expensive. We need to cut down on the number of freebies (there were 11 wides!) and bowl a good length more of the time. The slower the bowling the more uncomfortable Cheadle's batsmen looked and vice versa (although Mike Blake - 4 overs, 1 for 8 - escapes blame because he bowled only four overs as a result of self-inflicted injury). Essentially, we might take a leaf out of Cheadle's bowling book. It was an exciting game of cricket - closer than the margin of victory perhaps suggests - and it was another good team performance. It is a richly talented side and has found winning ways despite not firing on all cylinders as yet. If it can do so, this side has little to fear from anyone. 1st XI against Stockport GS on Saturday, April 28, 2007 (away) In glorious weather the 1st XI put in their best performance of the season so far. Chris Blake won the toss and elected to bat, our first go at doing this. It was again the right decision but the top order, although scoring at a good rate through a fair number of boundaries, squandered its opportunities and it was only with the arrival at the crease of Tom Bellis and Alex Powell that a platform for victory began to be laid. Tom, at no.5, batted in his usual belligerent style (more like a no.8) but on this occasion his positive, hard-hitting approach was successful and just what was needed. (If you want to cement a place at no.5 Tom, a little more discipline about which balls you have a go at would be useful; it would certainly bring down my blood pressure.) Alex Powell felt afterwards that he didn't score very many but, as I pointed out to him, he did exactly what the team needed: he was a good foil for Tom, staying with him and collecting his runs patiently but effectively. As we kept reminding ourselves, batting is all about partnerships. As long as Tom was at the crease 200 was a possibility; without him we had to revise our hopes downwards but that we got so close was largely thanks to an excellent and unbroken ninth wicket partnership between Ollie Greening (19 not out) and (u.15) debutant Glenn Coppack (13 not out). Both carried out their orders in exemplary fashion and Glenn's straight drive for 4 signalled that he will challenge for a batting place in due course. King's took the field after tea brimful of confidence. Watching them and listening to them, it was clear that they had no doubt that they would win this match. Mike Blake and Ollie Greening conceded a few extras (far too many) but removed the first four Stockport batsmen for 26. Three of these dismissals were bowled and there would be a further three later on. It was also good to see the first chance offered being gratefully accepted on the run at point by ... Tom Bellis. The Stockport middle-order pair of Boddington and Marshall then rebuilt and counterattacked. This was the danger point during the Wolverhampton game, when King's allowed their opponents back into the game. Not so at Stockport. Although a fifty partnership was put on, Chris Blake did not allow his team to panic and astutely deployed his fieldsmen so that pressure built. The breakthrough came, just after a field adjustment, when Marshall pushed the ball towards midwicket and called for a single. Tom Bellis pounced and with one stump to aim at, threw down the stumps at the bowler's end. Mike Blake and Ollie Greening were recalled early to complete their allocations and, together with one delivery from Tom Bellis, their bowling was sufficient to mop up the tail. It was a very good TEAM performance. Chris Blake captained the side very well, Mike Blake was a true strike bowler hitting the stumps three times, Glenn Coppack on debut behind the stumps gave the whole team a visible lift through his attractive but unfussy work behind the stumps (some excellent leg-side takes, Glenn, which the bowlers have much to be thankful for) and, of course, man of the match Tom Bellis, who batted and fielded with distinction. These were the stars on the day but they were ably and well supported by others whose names do not appear. There was no-one who did not contribute to this victory in some way. Cheadle Hulme may well ask more searching questions of us on Wednesday but this team possesses the resources to answer them. 1st XI against Wolverhampton GS on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (away) Much was better about this performance compared with the previous game, although in the end the result was the same. Chris Blake won the toss and correctly inserted Wolverhampton on a still damp track. The batsmen found the tennis-ball bounce tricky and Mike Blake and Ollie Greening soon had them in trouble at 17 for 3. When Mike Blake was rested however, the Wolverhampton pair of Parr and Lone took advantage of some short balls to put on nearly 80 for the fourth wicket. This was where the game was lost. Field settings were better - third man making a welcome appearance - but a crucial chance was put down and there were just too many short or wayward deliveries. Even so, a target of 135 in 35 overs was still achievable. Our openers, Mike Blake and Rohit Srinivasan, took us to 43 before Rohit holed out at cover and then Chris Blake fell LBW to a straight full toss. Mike Blake was still there though and starting to look a little more expansive. When he drove uppishly into the covers another two runs looked likely. Instead he found himself trudging off in disbelief, victim of a fabulous one-handed diving catch. Again, the rest of the top order didn't contribute enough. The lower order tried their best to take us home, Alex Powell making an impressive 18 on debut and Andy Dyne a disciplined 15, and, although their scores were smaller, Ben Cooke and Will Wilson-Theaker both tried hard to edge us past the finishing post. It was not to be, however, and we were left to reflect on a better bowling and fielding performance but one which still left us with too much to do with the bat. Things are moving in the right direction, though, and if there is no let up in the next game against Stockport GS that first victory could be ours. 1st XI against King's School, Macclesfield on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (away) It would be too simplistic to say that the difference between the two sides was that Elliot Purdam was playing for King's Macclesfield and not King's Chester. He batted extremely well and we should not wish to take anything away from the enormity of his achievement. But as everyone in the King's Chester side knew, we bowled badly and failed to hold chances or convert half-chances when offered at key times. When a batsman is murderous on anything loose, the old conventions of length and line (bowling at the stumps) must be remembered. And it would be as well to try to bowl as much at his partner as possible, making it hard for him to score runs even if the dominant batsman cannot be stopped. This requires more thoughtful defensive field settings. To the credit of King's Chester the team kept going in the face on an onlslaught. Further pride was restored with the bat. 205-7 was a very respectable score in 40 overs and had we batted first we would surely have thought the total competitive. The two 1st XI debutants, Simon Younger and Tom Bellis, made useful contributions of 27 and 43 respectively. Andrew Dyne made a pugnacious 32 not out and captain Chris Blake struck some sumptuous back-foot cover drives in his 46. Even in the batting, however, there are things to do better: three batsmen got out guiding high full tosses to fielders when really those balls should have been been dispatched a la Purdam. Three of the first four batsmen didn't really contribute and this just won't do against a bowling side as good as King's Macclesfield. More ruthlessness and ambition will be needed from the top order. Overall, we have learned much from this first outing and I am confident that this team can recover and go on to notch up its own emphatic victories. 2nd XI against Wolverhampton G S on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 (away) To go away and bowl out the opposition is a good effort and I congratulate the side on doing this. The pitch was lively and more aggressive field-placings might have brought richer returns early on. So too would the placing of the best fielders square of the wicket,and fielders' focus on the correct distance to stand from the bat. Often, we were too close and chances were spooned over our head. Catchers need to take responsibility by calling. Tom Fearnall was very good at this and his fielding - including a great attempt from a stinging drive -was exemplary. Jack Dawson ran out the opener and later held a stunning one-handed catch so the bowling was often well supported. 24-3 was good for us; 69-4 less so. 69-5 was good for us; 111-5 CRUCIALLY less so ; 127 all out marked a tremendous effort at the last. Consistency of application is crucial and we bowled and fielded tamely in allowing a 43-run stand. In batting, the biggest PARTNERSHIP (23!!) was for the NINTH wicket - well done Messrs Turley and G Roberts who showed PATIENCE, SELECTIVITY and TECHNIQUE . The hook shot cost us dearly and 23-1 to 33-6 was a fatal collapse. Thank you for playing gentlemen. There is much to practise, but much potential to develop. JAH 2nd XI against King's School, Macclesfield on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (home) U15 XI against Hartford on Thursday, July 12, 2007 (away) I have never seen anything quite like the final over of this match. Needing 14 off the last over to win Hartford scored two, then lost a wicket which was crucially a catch at point allowing the batsmen to cross. At this point the game was nearly won. Then the batsman hit three huge sixes to finish off the game. This was an incredible climax to a game which nearly did not go ahead following a sudden downpour just before the start of play. A reduced game of 16 overs was played and we sooon found ourselves on 8 for 3 following some loose shots. Ciaran Willis batted with fluency to make a crucial 37 which helped use to a very respectable total of 93. In the field we bowled well enough and fielded reasonably well but at times we lacked real determination to throw ourselves behind the ball and prevent crucial boundaries. This was the difference between semi-finalists and, probably, cup winners. A dramatic end to a season in which we had not been defeated until yesterday! Many thanks to our scorer James Carr for keeping a calm head when all about were losing theirs. JCH U15 XI against Northern Ireland on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 (home) Defeat at last but there is certainly no disgrace given that we were playing against county standard opposition. A fascinating afternoon of cricket was ultimately won quite easily by our opposition but this was a very valuable experience for many players. We bowled well as a team and early wickets for Andrew Leech helped to restrict the visitors to a reasonable total. In truth our fielding did not reach the heights of yesterday afternoon but some good cathches were taken, notably by Glenn Coppack. Our innings did not get off to the strongest start with some early wickets lost. However, Andrew Leech and Ben WIlliams held the innings together and started to make our total look competitive with some well controlled but confident strokes. We finished well short but a short cameo by James Oldman showed that he has much potential as a powerful batsman. JCH U15 XI against Calday Grange on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 (home) This was a well disciplined and inspiring performance. The impressive thing about this team is not just their skill with bat and ball but their ability to win games. They knew how to win today and followed their instincts with some excellent guidance from captain Richard Sissons. At 20 for 1 off 8 overs we looked set for an uncompetitive total. Calday started with slow bowlers, perhaps sensing as we had that it was going to be a difficult pitch to score runs on given the recent conditions. However, selfless running and some excellent strokes from Glenn Coppack, Ciaran Willis and Marcus Torr helped us to reach a good total. Wise heads on the boundary commented on the competitiveness of this total. The bowlers set about doing exactly what is required on a slow pitch. They pitched the ball up and boweld at the stumps. All four bowlers deserve credit. Richard Sissons contained some of his pace and bowled a consistently good length. Andrew Leech was aggressive as ever but kept the ball pitched up and used the slower delivery to good effect. Marcus Torr quickly adjusted the length of his bowling and made life difficult for the batsmen and Matt Willis bowled steadily to force the opposition into making mistakes. With run outs made and catches held this was a superb team performance. One Calday player was heard to remark that "I could have scored runs today with more wickets in hand and more overs to spare." I must remember that excuse. Semi-final on Thursday! JCH U15 XI against Liverpool College on Thursday, June 28, 2007 (away) View photos This match was, in effect, the final of the Colts Festival as both sides had won their previous two games. Liverpool decided to bat after winning the toss and must have regretted that decision for the duration of the match. Richard Sissons, wild and inaccurate in the previous match, focused on line, length and accuracy and became almost unplayable. He took five wickets at regular intervals, most them bowled. The message is clearly there for Richard, as next season he will move into senior cricket where any loose delivery will be severely punished. He was well supported by the 'whippy' seamers of Michael Dyne, who took 3 wickets, Josh Porter and spinner George Rankin. A total of 77 always looked inadequate, but the wind and rain began to drive in from the Atlantic and the pressure was on the King's batsmen to finish the match off before the weather did. Fortunately Glen Coppack, whose wicket-keeping had been a much admired highlight of the Festival, demonstrated his versatility with a classy innings of 38 not out that included a steepling 6 onto the slate roof of the pavilion. Ben Williams also played an aggressive cameo of an innings to ensure that victory was achieved off just 11 overs. This enabled the rain soaked umpires and fielders to find warmth and shelter from the ever worsening weather. Clearly global warming has not yet reached the Isle of Man. Congratulations to the Under 15XI on winning the Festival so convincingly. Hopefully this success, and the memory of the 3 days spent playing cricket and practising in the nets in such a unique environment will be long remembered by all members of a talented squad. Thanks also to Tony Shillinglaw for his expert assistance with umpiring and coaching. ARN U15 XI against King William's College, IoM on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 (away) View photos When Ben Williams is in one of his ebulliently aggressive moods at the crease opposing bowlers must think his bat is as long and broad as the Isle of Man itself. Entering the arena with the score at 2 for 2, a cautious re-building of the innings would be the first choice of most batsmen. Not so for Ben. Off the 28 balls that he faced before retiring he plundered a majestic 50 runs. No mercy was shown to any loose ball as 4's and 6's were dispatched to all areas of the vast playing field. It must surely have been one of the most entertaining innings ever played at a Colts Cricket Festival. Ben was also superbly supported by Ciaran Willis, who did not play a false shot in a composed innings of 30 not out, as King's passed the target of 99 runs off just 12.3 overs. Accurate bowling, particularly by the fast improving George Rankin and Matthew Willis, assisted by some suicidal run outs had restricted King William's to just 99 runs on a lovely wicket for batsmen. The staff were therefore able to retire early to their deck chairs again, to relax in the idyllic surroundings and do some more plane spotting. ARN U15 XI against Castle Rushen School, Isle of Man on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 (away) (View photos) With the surf gently lapping onto the beach on one side, the picturesque hills rising majestically away from another boundary edge, and the airport runway on a third side this is a truly unique setting in which to play a cricket match. The peace and quiet of this serene venue is alternately punctuated by either the sweet sound of willow striking leather or the deafening noise of jet engines drowning out any attempt at verbal communication. Fortunately the Under 15XI were not remotely overawed by any of these distractions as they set about some friendly bowling to amass 223 runs at a rate of nearly 7 runs an over for the whole innings. Almost everybody made a score including debutants Ben Spaven anf Edward Peel who were not at all phased by facing bowlers who were 2 years older. Josh Porter and George Rankin rarely get an opportunity to bowl more than the odd over in most matches. However they took 3 wickets each to send a pertinent reminder to the team skipper that they are more than capable, if called upon, of dismissing opposition batsmen at this level. A very convincing win to maintain this season's unbeaten run, but the next two days will present much stiffer opposition including the host school and Liverpool College who, it is rumoured, are this season's Lancashire County champions. Meanwhile the staff will will recline in their deck chairs and soak up the sun , sea and stunning scenery. ARN U15 XI against Ellesmere College on Saturday, May 19, 2007 (away) Not a great start today. An already long absence list was extended by sickness this morning. leaving us short of a full team. Arrival at Ellesmere was delayed by roadworks and the start of the match by a sudden downpour. However, we won the toss, were joined by two U13 players who played with plenty of skill and determination and we made a winning total of 142 from our 20 ovres on a rapidly drying pitch. Ciaran Willis made an impressive 39 and if he could relax a little more at the crease (stop going for a walk when the bowler is running in!) he could get bat to ball even more and make the most of his range of scoring shots. Richard Sissons hit the top score with 39 and although we had threatened a bigger total at one point this was clearly going to enough. The stranglehold was applied in the field with Will Goulbourne puncing on a push to extra cover, he staedied himself and hit the stumps from a tight angle to run out one of the opening batsmen in the first over. After this excellent start there was only going to be one result. there were two hat trick deliveries in the same match (one for George Rankin and the other for Will Goubourne) but neither had the desired effect. Cameron Murdoch showed his considerable potential as a bowler with a spell of accuracy and good pace, thanks largely to his stylish method of delivery. A good performance all round. JCH U15 XI against Wirral GS on Friday, May 18, 2007 (home) This was another fine victory and show the very real potential in this team for winning the county cup. Another good total was made with Andy Leech and Tom Pearson-Jones combining impressive strokes with confident running at every opportunity. Richard Sissons was able to maintain the momentum and we posted an impressive total on a pitch that was very slow because of the time it had to spend under covers and was actually quite difficult to score off. Fielding was most impressive with Michael Dyne running out two players, one with a direct hit and, perhaps most importantly, who was on 67 and represented the only realistic chance of a Wirral victory. My thanks to thsoe who joined the team at short notice to cover for absences caused by Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, especially Joe Benson and Arthur Thomas. JCH U15 XI against Rydal on Saturday, May 12, 2007 (home) A few players lost their opportunity to make a name for themselves by not being available for selection today. Invitations go out this week for the Colts festival on the Isle of Man and at least one member of this team took the opportunity to potentially play himself into the squad. I already know that our top players are very talented and can win games for us but there are two problems at present. The first is that we are better suited at present to the longer matches and we have not yet taken apart a bowling side in 20 overs. Secondly we are relying too much on our 'stars' to do everything. A batting order which reflected success against these opponents in previous years never really got going. Ben Williams deserves credit for his assertive 62 including one massive 6 over mid on but he was dropped a number of times, accounting for some of the 8 dropped catches by Rydal (we dropped 2 and these could have cost us the game). Although we had the comfort of big hitters waiting impatiently in the pavillion we must become more adept at using the space to manufacture singles, not always looking to hit boundaries. Tom Pearson-Jones was unfortunate to be removed by a delivery which was one bounce away from being declared a no-ball and George Rankin rode his luck but appears to have a range of shots, mostly working the ball to leg side. In the field we were energetic again and the Rydal opener who batted throughout the innings threatened to win the game on his own with some strong hitting. Fortunately the tight pace bowling of Leech and Sissons had kept the run rate low enough to make the task impossible. I would make three observations about our fielding today. The first is that we should think a little more carefully about where our strongest fielders are placed (where is a batsman who is strong on the leg-side going to work off spin?). Second is that we must think about situations where one batsman is dominant but the other is clearly weaker. There is nothing wrong with defending the boundaries when the opposition have to make 10 runs/over. He can have all the singles he wants. The third is most important. Umpires have a difficult job and when things go against us we must always retain our good humour. This is after all a game supposedly played by gentlemen even though my own observations of league cricket suggest this is under threat. JCH U15 XI against Merchant Taylors Crosby on Saturday, May 05, 2007 (home) U15 XI against Mosslands on Thursday, May 03, 2007 (home) I was not able to see our innings but reports suggest that our impressive score was made thanks to a fluent innings by Andy Leech once again showing his value to the team. He fell on 47 and Ciaran Willis added another valuiable score with 22 not out. 135 was always going to be too many runs for Mosslands to chase and unnerved by the pace of Richard Sissons and Andy Leech wickets began to fall. Fielding was mostly quite sharp but perhaps more discipline will be required as we advance into the next stage of the county cup. U15 XI against Stockport GS on Saturday, April 28, 2007 (away) Another solid victory with a full five overs and five wickets to spare in pursuit of what always looked like a manageable total. This was, in many respects, a clinical victory against strong opposition. Playing on an artificial wicket with no real life in it meant that it was always going to be difficult to bowl out a side with genuine depth to its batting and Stockport, having won the toss, rightly elected to bat. Richard Sissons did get some reward for his pace and aggression removing one of the openers without scoring caught behind by our replacement 'keeper Matt Willis and then another wicket bowling a batsman who was unfortunate to see a short delivery stay very low. At 13-2 Stockport steadied the ship and while they retained most of their wickets they were unable to really break free. When they did threaten to do so I was most impressed by the contributions of Marcus Torr who is now bowling with real pace and accuracy and James Oldman who bowled full and straight at the end of the innings. Tom Pearson-Jones showed his full range of shots to get the innings off to a flying start and there were 60 runs on the board before he played across a full inswinging delivery. Michael Dyne was a nervous opener but seemed more relaxed when he had played a few convinving shots to the boundary for his 19. Marcus Torr and Richard Sissons looked set to finish the game off with at least 10 overs to spare before both were removed in successive overs playing loose shots to wide deliveries to be caught well at point. Andrew Leech steadied any nerves with a superb display of controlled aggression, hitting some huge boundaries (not least the 6 which finished the match) and real leadership in making use of as much time as was required to get the required runs. This was another enjoyable afternoon in the sun and I have very great hopes for this season. My thanks again to James Carr for his excellent scoring and for those who did not get a mention - this was a real team effort. JCH U15 XI against King's School, Macclesfield on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (away) It was a genuine pleasure to play on a good dry pitch at such an early stage of the season and having won the toss Glenn Coppack made the right decision in deciding to bat. Although their communication and running between the wickets offered some clear run out chances early in the inninngs Coppack (34) and Tom Pearson-Jones (69) batted with solid technique and some considerable style to put on 79 for the first wicket. the rest of the team batted selflessly after this and although there were some run outs (including Pearson-Jones) taking half chances was quite acceptable given the platform which had been created and depth of batting in the side. Richard Sissons added a useful 21 and just when the innings seemed to be losing some of its momentum Ciaran Willis added a stylish 19. We had been helped out by a number of extras and at times we had clearly threatened a score in the range of 210-220 but this was a very solid performance with the bat and most players looked in good touch. After tea we were quick to take control of the match with our energy in the field and the accuracy of our bowling. Matt Willis bowled like a seasoned pro - no wickets but only 12 runs from his 6 overs. The damage was done by Sissons, realising that both openers were looking to play across the line and one of them was removed by a quick, full and straight delivery. Macclesfield certainly had the supporting cast in terms of batting and three of their players got scores over 20. Other players were given a chance to bowl when the result was beyond doubt, Josh Porter was perhaps a little expensive but was pleased to get the overs in and deserved his wicket, Srinath Ranjit had a superb running catch at mid-on by Sissons to thank for his wicket although he bowled with great accuracy. Andy Walton was cruelly denied a caught and bowled wicket, after taking the ball Ciaran Willlis ran into him causing it to spill before it could have been considered to be under full control. However, the pick of the bowlers in terms of wicket was Ben Williams with his off breaks causing more damage in the flight than perhaps due to anything off the pitch. He was denied a good LBW shout by the umpire (JCH) before taking two wickets clean bowled and although he had to wait to the next over for a hat-trick delivery which was something of an anti-climax he did take another wicket, this time with a delivery which did turn. I hope the players enjoyed this fixture, this was an excellent result against a strong opposition. Claims for 1st XI were certainly made. My thanks to James Carr for his excellent efforts with the score book at his first attempt. JCH U14 XI against King's School, Macclesfield on Monday, June 04, 2007 (away) Having already played King's Macclesfield this season, and beaten them, King's Chester went in quite confident. Chester knew their oppositions strengths, particularly an excellent opening bowler. Having decided to bat, it was important that wickets didn't fall early. George Johansen and Ollie Thompson batted with care and skill - and scored runs - in the first few overs, seeing off their strongest player. They got into flowing stroke play quickly and scored at a good rate, until Ollie was well caught. Phil Rimmer came to bat, determined to make the most of one very short boundary. From 30 for 1, they took the score to 143 in only 12 overs with confident and strong play. Both George and Phil played King's into a very strong position, each adding to their ongoing competition of "the most 6s". George eventually was bowled on the return spell of their opener, with Phil a couple of overs later. Harry Peel and Joe Benson helped the score to 152. Macclesfield knew that to score at this run rate would need consistent scoring from the beginning. Chester's bowling was good, forcing them to take chances, but they were able to make the most of the short boundary and took themselves to a respectable 61 without loss at the halfway stage (incidentally Chester were 51 for 1 at this point). But wickets began to fall, the two openers being run out (an excellent one from Ollie Thompson) and the new batsmen found that they didn't have time to play themselves in. George Johansen took two quick wickets, and the Macclesfield batsmen began to struggle. With 26 needed off the last over, it was too much and Chester earned another well deserved win. Next, the semi-finals. U14 XI against West Hill School on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 (home) West Hill School were last year's U13 county winners, so King's knew that this would be a tough match. Opting to bat, King's found scoring difficult, and the excellent West Hill fielding made it more so. Ollie Thompson played fluently, taking quick singles and trying to push the score along. At 10 overs, King's were only 24, having lost George Johanson to simple catch where he played a little early, and Phil Rimmer to LBW. Joe Benson steadied at a difficult patch, and when he was out Harry Peel came in with desire to push runs along. He and Ollie played with skill and Ollie was bowled with the score moved on to 61. Harry and Arthur Thomas held on until the last few overs, with Arthur playing some aggressive strokes. He fell having scored a quick 155, and the King's final score was 90 for 9. Not a great score, but one they have the ability to defend. King's needed to bowl and field their very best - and they did. Not until the fifth over could West Hill score a run, and great credit to the energy of George Johansen and Phil Rimmer who bowled King's into a potentially winning position in those first overs. Wickets fell regularly, and with good fielding and keeping, very little was given away, as ahould be the case. West Hill has a string batsmen at No 7, who hit several boundaries quickly (without a great deal of finesse) but moved them to 67 with 5 overs to go. At that point it was finely balanced, but the return of Phil Rimmer saw his wicket fall, and it was realy a case of taking out the tail end. West Hill lost their last wicket in the final over, with 79 on the board. An excellent match, against a quality opposition, but King's showed their ability to defend a small target superbly, and played superbly as a team. U14 XI against Christleton High School on Monday, May 21, 2007 (away) King's batting first having lost the toss with Ollie Thompson and Harry Peel opening. Christleton bowling was good, and on a slow artificial wicket, Ollie was caught third ball playing a shot too early. With Joe Benson given LBW (to one that looked a little high and down the wicket from square leg) two overs later, King's were in trouble at 4 for 2. Adam Dunbavand came in and steadied Kings, but their consistent bowling meant that Kings were on less than three an over at the half way point. The run rate was pushed along, and although both Adam and Phil Rimmer were bowled, King's ended on a creditable 98, helped by a fine rapid 15no from Arthur Thomas and with Harry remaining at the crease on 56. This relatively small target would need top quality bowling and fielding. Phil Rimmer and Luke Robinson opened the bowling with aggression and pace. Phil took the key wicket of their strong opener, and a double wicket maiden from Joe Benson put King's in a good position. Christleton's run rate slowed considerable and with a Hat Trick from Ollie, there was only going to be one winner. Luke Robinson took a well deserved wicket on his return, leaving Christleon needing 34 in the final two overs, and managing only 9. A very good and well deserved victory for King's. (Particularly given the consistent unpleasant sledging that the King's batsmen put up with). U14 XI against Ellesmere College on Saturday, May 19, 2007 (home) King's batting first allowed George Johansen and Harry Peel to get us off to a very good start. Not the easiest of wickets - a little low and skidding - yet they took on the Ellesmere opening bowlers well. George striking hard and fluently, well backed up by Harry. Harry played along the wrong line to good ball and was bowled, allowing Adam Dunbavand to the crease. He showed excellent timing (commented on by the Ellesmere staff), with him and George continuing to push the runs, they managed a 90 run partnership, broken when George was caught. Phill Rimmer came out for the final few overs. 154 looked a good score on that wicket, and was acheived through skilful batting. The Ellesmere batsmen looked uncomfortable from the start and found it difficult to score at any rate. Phil Rimmer bowled the first four batsmen, with two others each (again all bowled) for James Goulbourne and Ollie Thompson, with James Ellis picking up number nine (yet again bowled). The final wicket fell to a run-out, saving them from all batsmen bowled out. It was overall as easy a victory as the score suggests. George captained very well and fairly gave many of those who didn't bat an opportunity to bowl. I am grateful for the support of all the team, particularly as there are inevitably some who don' t bat or bowl. We do try to cycle it around as much as possible, but not at the expense of losing matches. I am also grateful for the support of the many parents who regularly offer their support. U14 XI against Rydal Penrhos on Saturday, May 12, 2007 (away) A very high scoring match on both sides, helped partly by a short boundary, but also by powerful hitting. Electing to bat, King's took control early with a 71 opening partnership from Ollie Thompson and Joe Benson, both playing with skill and care. Captain Phil Rimmer came in a number 3 and showed his batting strength, hitting a fairly rapid 54 (of which 49 were from boundaries) with several "outside of the ground" - apologies to the owner of the parked car. A clever change of pace from their spinner saw him caught and bowled. Ollie and Harry Peel continued to push on the runs, and with Adam Dunbavand coming to wicket late in the innings, saw King's finish on a strong 234 runs. U14 XI against Merchant Taylor's, Crosby on Saturday, May 05, 2007 (away) A match we lost rather than they won. A change to the normal batting order, done genuinely to allow lower order batsmen an innings, didn't pay off this time. Merchant Taylor's opening bowling was a little too good for us to use this tactic. George Johansen batted very well for 47, eventually being stumped while pushing on the run rate. Wickets fell regularly, with only Adam Dunbavand (22) providing much other support. Ollie Thompson had put himself at number 11, and we could have done with him in the final few overs. With a low target, it needed our bowling and fielding to be very tight. And it was. As we tried to restrict their scoring, wickets fell regularly, two for each of Phil Rimmer, Peter Johnstone and Ollie Thompson. But leaving them only around three an over for the last few overs proved to be too much, and the scored the winning run off the first ball of the last over. It is disappointing to have a loss on our figures, as we should have comfortably won. U14 XI against Tarporley on Friday, May 04, 2007 (away) A much easier win than the result suggests. King's batted first, with Ollie Thompson and George Johansen opening. Fluent batting enabled us to score quickly, and it took a very accurate throw to run Ollie out. Joe Benson came in and played steadily for 10, being caught. Phil Rimmer only had 6 overs to show his talents, but strongly supported George and they put on a tremendous stand of over 80 in that time. George was caught out with one ball to go. The same partnership opened the bowling against two good Tarporley batsmen. Phil went for only 17 in his four overs, and George for 7 runs in two over, as the Tarporley batsmen attempted to push along to the required run rate of over 7 and over. Ollie Thompson eventually made the breakthough, and as the second opener fell to an excellent catch by Matthew Harle off Joe Benson, it was clear that they had little left to threaten us. Other more "part-time" bowlers came on, and although wickets fell regularly, there was careless bowling and sloppy fielding and we didn't do ourselves justice in this stage of the game. However, a win in the first round of the county cup match is always welcome, and we now look forward to the second round with confidence. U14 XI against Mosslands School on Monday, April 30, 2007 (home) A change to the usual batting order allowed some of the less regular batsmen to show their skills. Arthur Thomas opened and played solidly for 15 overs, scoring fluently for his 37. Joe Benson was superbly run out for 7 (by a nameless member of the King's team, kindly fielding for the 9-man opposition). James Ellis and Harry Peel scored quickly for 25 and 14 respectively, and generously retired in the last couple of overs to allow the heavy hitters of George Johansen (29no) and Phil Rimmer (6no) to take King's to a tremendous score of 152 in 20 overs. Dominic Thurlow-Wood and Luke Robinson opened our bowling. With a tight and careful line, they restricted Mosslands attempt to follow our run rate, despite some aggresive play. Dominic finished with 0 for 13 in his four over allocation, and Luke 0 for 23 in his, while Matthew Harle kept well stopping any byes. Phil Rimmer and Ollie Thompson had two overs each - Phil getting a good LBW, and Ollie taking two wickets in his second over. Mosslands were only able to play 10 overs before they had to leave, so forfeited the remainder of their innings. With only 9 men and their six and seven just come in, it is unlikely that they could have scored around nine an over, and so I think we can confidently declare a fairly easy win. U14 XI against Stockport GS on Saturday, April 28, 2007 (home) Type your report here and use the buttons above to do your formatting U14 XI against King's School, Macclesfield on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (home) An encouraging first match for a talented team. U13 A XI against Calday Grammar School on Thursday, July 12, 2007 (away) After 4 postponents the weather still contrived to enforce a bizarre end to the fifth attempt at playing this cup fixture. King's batted first on a wet, slow wicket w | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
