Lancastrian-2015-WEB

SPORT /continued...
U12A CRICKET
At the start of every cricket season
there is always a sense of anticipation,
not only because everyone is keen to
get back into playing again, but also
because there is a new First Year side
which might just have one or two
superstars for the future.
This year’s group of boys were very
definitely a team. There are potential
stars of the future, but this side’s
greatest strength was their reliance
on each other for success. With an
excellent fixture list for the boys to test
themselves against and the Lancashire
Cup competition, which could see
them enter national competition in the
future, all things were possible at the
start of the season.
The curtain-raiser to the season
should have been the toughest game
of the season. Manchester GS have a
reputation as a very strong side but
disappointingly it was rained off. The
actual first game turned out to be
against Blackburn. It went from the
toughest game of the season to the
easiest, as it turned out. What this did
do was give some boys who had very
little experience of competitive cricket
a chance to find their feet in an easy
game; one, which in fact, turned out to
be two games. In the first, Blackburn
were bowled out for 17 and the score
was easily knocked off by Liam
Burns (1T) and Raju Jivitesh (1G); the
second attempt was not much more
challenging. These two games did
demonstrate how effective our bowling
would be throughout the season. Also,
our fielding was outstanding with
Cooper showing in the first game that
he was to be the star in the field.
The first Saturday fixture was against
Bradford Grammar School. This would
be a significant test for the boys.
Batting first, they managed to muster
a respectable total of 94 which was by
no means as high a score as they could
have achieved, but for a first attempt in
a full 30 over game was a positive start.
Burns again batted with composure for
a long period and was the back bone
to the innings. However, the impetus
was initially provided by Daniel Cooper
(1T) and then Malik Hamza (1T) who
finished the innings off with a flourish.
Bowling was again good and was
backed up by some excellent fielding.
One highlight would be Joel Derham
(1T), who, having dropped a difficult
low chance, recovered to pick up the
ball and run out the batter. Derham
will not mind me saying that dropping
catches became something of a
speciality, however his ground fielding
improved immensely throughout the
season. Some of Bradford’s lower
order batters demonstrated more than
sound technique and struck the ball
sweetly. The game was heading to a
very tight finish when a couple of quick
wickets turned the tide in our favour
and the game was won with overs and
runs to spare.
Arnold-King Edward’s were the first
challenge in the Lancashire Cup.
This was again a comfortable win in
glorious weather on an excellent pitch.
The boys bowled and fielded well and
won comfortably. With Bolton rained
off, it was King’s Macclesfield who
would allow the boys to show how
much progress they had made. King’s
batted first and initially dominated.
Their top order had two or three
players who played with excellent
technique, including their opener who
scored a classy and quick 50. However,
the rest of the team found ways to
get out. This was mainly due to very
sensible field placements as well as
excellent catching; again Cooper
taking a skied catch on the boundary
and Anderson taking 3 catches at midon.
Thomas Padfield (1R) showed how
important he would be to the bowling
department as his extremely accurate
medium pace limited scoring and took
wickets. The batting display was where
real improvement became apparent.
All the top order batters played
their part in chasing the 100 runs for
victory. It was the running between
the wickets that made the difference
as Thomas Anderton (1T) and Jivitesh
both scored well and ran excellently.
This was complimented by Cooper
who hit the ball with more force but
continued the outstanding running
between the wickets. This running left
even King’s best bowlers unable to
curb the run scoring and the total was
reached with time to spare. At an older,
more experienced level, people would
describe this as a very professional
performance.
With an easy win in the Lancashire
Cup against Broughton and the game
against Leeds rained off it came to
the next round of the Lancashire
Cup against our old rivals Ripley. The
side line story to this was the U12 B
Team’s dramatic final ball defeat to
Ripley a week earlier which added
a further element of intrigue to the
game. As it was, The A team scored
a commanding 163-2 in their 30 overs
and bowled Ripley out for 64 – a
commanding win which demonstrated
the confidence that was growing
within the team. And so we were off to
the quarter final ... The boys were so up
for this game but knew it was always
going to be difficult. Merchant Taylors’
brought a side which were equally full
of confidence and their batting display
demonstrated why. For the first time
the fielding let the team down, with
balls being missed on the ground and
some catches dropped. However, the
team rallied and despite the weight
of runs kept plugging away. A total of
167 was not insurmountable but would
be too much for the team who battled
hard but could not put together a
partnership which would make the
chase possible. This Merchant Taylors’
team were unquestionably the best
team we came up against this year and
I fully expected them to cruise the Cup,
so it came as a real surprise they had
succumbed to Manchester in the final.
Following this game, the boys
continued to train hard and develop
their skills. Unfortunately they only had
a few games left. The game against
Wakefield would provide the first 50
of the season and another successful
run chase. Kane Donaghy (1G) coming
in lower down the order and at a time
when the team were struggling held
the rest of the innings together to score
a confident half century and prove yet
again that he has the attitude to be an
excellent cricketer.
This season was one which, as I said at
the beginning, brought together a team.
There were regularly performances of
note throughout the season. All the
boys aspired to be the very best they
could be and worked extremely hard.
Patrick Bishop (1T) must take great
credit for both his performances as a
batter and a bowler. He drove the ball
straight down the ground better than
anyone and scored valuable quick runs
whenever required. He bowled with
pace and accuracy often coming on
last change and taking wickets. He also
led the team as captain, something he
initially found difficult but with the
help of Malik and Corey Wilson (1G),
he developed confidence and became
very effective.
I could talk at length about the
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