Top trio still 100 per cent

9 August 2007

MCC Spirit of Cricket U13 National Club Championship

National Finals Week - Oakham School - Second Day Report

Wednesday August 8 saw the third and fourth round of matches played by the eight clubs involved. At the end of the day’s play there were still three teams with 100 per cent records: namely Bath, Wolverhampton and South Northumberland with Countesthorpe following close behind with three wins.

Some really exciting matches were played with Hastings & St Leonard’s Priory proving to be the most unlucky team on the day as they lost both matches by a combined total of three runs.

Bath Henry Hayes Bowls To Shiv Thakor Countesthorpe Mcc U13 Finals

Freescoring Shiv Thakor of Countesthorpe in action at the crease © MCCNGP

Scholes, another team without a win so far, ran South Northumberland extremely close as they fell four runs short at the end of a pulsating match in the afternoon.

Despite being without a win their batting was a joy to behold as the Scholes players entertained the crowd with some scintillating stroke play as they tried to pass their target - especially Tom Boorman with two leg-side sixes, including one off a shoulder-high no ball.

In the morning matches Scholes had been on the receiving end of the best bowling of the tournament so far when Charlie Willis of Bath returned figures of 5-1 – the only blemish on his account being a wide!

Chesham skipper James Roberts tries to put some runs on the board for his club © MCCNGP

Another fine spell of bowling in the morning saw Edward Robinson of South Northumberland take 5-3 against Northop as the latter were bowled out for 54.

A pleasing fact is that every side has now had at two batsmen retire having reached 30 or a bowler take three wickets in an innings – a sign that every club has had some creditable success in the two days’ play so far.

The top scorers are Shiv Thakor (Countesthorpe), Henry Hayes (Bath) and Harry Rouse (Bath) all of whom have top 30 on three occasions in their four innings.