Under 13 Border League Division A – Sunday 23 June 2013
Bidborough 113-3 ; BellsYew Green 72-4 Bidborough won by 41 runs
Watching a variety of colts’ games this year you can’t help but be impressed by the quality of performances being displayed by all the teams this year. Success breeding success is a very nice trait and it was displayed in abundance at Sunday’s game.
With the Skinners’ boys away on a school trip and others playing football, we took a team to play Bells Yew Green containing only four Year 8s and thus containing seven who can play next year. I would normally have said this will form the basis of the side next year but knowing the success of the Under 11s being expertly run by Rodger, Simon and John, there will be competition for places so more practice will continue since we know there is more to come from the group. Mind you, the Under 11s pulled off a superb result on Friday beating the previously unbeaten Holmesdale despite a late coach (not Rodger for a change but the motorised variety) and a very unhappy opposition umpire – it all helped to make the victory even more sweet!
Anyway back to the game. Harry and Tom reprised their highly successful opening partnership from last year on a slow, green wicket at Cousley Wood. Although scoring was slow, they played the bowling, outfield and wicket on its merits and brought up a fifty partnership – Tom finally managing to hit a boundary after many stopped short by the long grass. After he was out, Ben came in and tried to hit the leather off the ball but only succeeded in hitting it into the pitch. Following his dismissal, Myles went for the alternative strategy known at one school as being akin to a washing machine ie. he went aerial ! 446 from the first three balls followed by being caught on the boundary. However this changed the whole momentum and with Harry increasingly driving on the up and Mark scampering and hustling like a bookie’s runner we brought up an impressive 113-3 off 22 overs, Harry finishing on an agonising 49 not out but a quality knock in the circumstances.
With no Will in the changing room, there were even some biscuits left over and the team went out with a real sense of purpose. Eight excellent overs from Myles and Ben followed, coupled with a loud and vigorous fielding performance that had everybody exhorting each other to do well and at the end of eight overs, the score was 8-0 so, from a coach’s perspective, almost as good as it gets. Effectively the game was up and there was further good bowling from Georgina, now nicknamed ‘Little Miss Consistency ‘, with a wicket helped by a good catch from Todd; from Jordan who did his round the wicket sliders to great effect; from Cooky once he decided to remove his sweater and sunglasses and from Matt who was very unlucky to finish wicketless.
The only downside was Todd who after some excellent stops and throws from the boundary started bowling but felt his side after three balls … this was a cunning ruse since Tom then proceeded to take two wickets in the three balls that remained, the second a quite stupendous catch above his head off his own bowling. He almost got a second caught and bowled but there then followed the moment that made all the coaching sessions worthwhile.
On Thursday night, we had been practicing trying to hit one stump, then all three but most of the balls went closer to the hedge than the wickets. But on Sunday there was that Reginald Molesworth moment ( for younger readers it is moment Reginald finally learns to park his car ) when Harry fielded the ball at extra cover and a direct hit at the bowlers’ end left the backing up batsman well short of his ground. Eureka! and helps to show it can be done with a little more practice on the schedule.
So Bells Yew Green finally closed on 72-4, 41 runs short so a comprehensive victory so well done to all. Think I have mentioned 10 members of the team – we did have an eleventh, namely Edward who stepped in at short notice so many thanks to him. Compliments too to Myles for handling the team in fine style although sure he would acknowledge the help from his senior lieutenants. However there were only four of them and it was very encouraging to see the seven ‘juniors’ contributing so well and being increasingly vocal… as we say the future’s bright….. the future looks good for Bidborough Colts.