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| Cricket Colts A Team Diary |
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Colts A Team 2007 Invicta! Played 11 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 0 2007 has been a memorable season and I have enjoyed watching excellent cricket alongside the development of a wonderful team spirit that carried the side through the testing times. It seemed that, whenever questions were asked, the players would stand up and make something happen. It is important to recognise the massive contribution by the three exceptional all-rounders Justin Parvess, Adam Dewes and Michael Wright. Adam and Justin scored over 300 runs each at an average of 54.6 and 41.2 respectively. Michael's total of 214 runs would take the plaudits most years! The statistics listed below speak for themselves. However all the players were able to make key contributions to help win matches when delicately poised. I hope that all the players have enjoyed their season and that they have developed new shots, new deliveries and a better understanding of team work. I hope that they have discovered new strengths and belief in what they can achieve with application, intelligence and concentration. They have been a great team and good company throughout. PFHG Below is a synopsis of the regular season followed by a record of the cup events. Parents may like to print a copy for posterity
Played 11 Won 7 Drawn 4 Lost 0 Runs For 1387 Runs Against 1088 Wkts Taken 87 Wkts Lost 62 Eagle House Average per Wicket Lost 24.3 Opponent Average per Wicket Lost 12.6 Squad: J.T. Manton-Jones+; J.I. Parvess#; A.H.J. Dewes#; M.C.T. Wright*#; S.E. Coop; W.D.C. Fletcher; S.P.Neat#; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten; J.A. Phillips. (+ Wicket-Keeper * Captain # Colours Awarded)
Batting Averages (After 11 matches)
Bowling Averages (After 11 Matches)
Final Match 11 v Lambrook-Haileybury Wednesday 27th June Away Team Selected: J.T. Manton-Jones+; J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; W.D.C. Fletcher; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten. Result - Match Drawn
Lambrook-Haileybury 107 for 8 dec Eagle House 76 for 6 (A.H.J. Dewes 42*)
With so much at stake, the final fixture of the regular season proved to be a tough match against a strong side. Joey graciously dropped out to let Julius keep in practice behind the sticks for the cup matches and to let Will have a final game for the A side. With the weather prospects looking bad, Michael won the toss and chose to field for only the second time this season. The home side had an impressive batting line up and had scored heavily all summer, however a sharp piece of fielding in the covers and a direct hit from Adam accounted for one of the two left-hended openers. The dangerous No.3 fell quickly fending off a length ball from Justin to Michael at cover. A couple of indifferent shots brought wickets for Adam, who wasn't quite at his best with the ball, caught by Michael again and Saxon. At this point Lambrook-Haileybury were struggling, and when Sean Neat took two more wickets things were looking good for the visitors. However, the home side showed strength in depth and two good partnerships took the score to 107 for 8 and a declaration two overs after tea. This didn't leave an awful lot of time for a result, but if our cavalier batsmen got going then it was well within reach. Sadly the Eagle House innings started in much the same way as our opponents and Michael and Justin were soon back in the hutch without making inroads into the target. Adam was at the crease half way through the first over! When Saxon had a brain haemmorage, swiping and missing four balls before getting bowled, things did not look rosy. A partnership was needed and Sean Neat worked hard to stay with Adam for the next nine overs. He only scored one run, but he helped steady the ship and took the score into the forties. Adam and Karim then shared another excellent partnership, taking no risks but creeping the score forward, with the aim to unleash a late assault. They almost achieved this taking the score into the seventies before the experienced leg spinner, who bowled unchanged from one end, tossed up a few tempters and had Karim caught at point for 18 priceless runs. By the time Will Fletcher was bowled first ball the chance of a win had slipped away but Julius and Adam were able to bat through the last three overs untroubled to earn the draw. Adam scored 42 unbeaten runs, batting through 27.4 overs.
Unbeaten 42 at Lambrook-Haileybury Two strong sides with no weak links ended up cancelling each other out in a very even match where runs were hard-earned. Early wickets in both innings resulted in a more cautious approach than either school would have liked, but the threat of one side breaking away was ever-present and kept the game exciting. The draw saw the Eagle House side undefeated in their season. This was quite an achievement, as they faced some excellent opposition and many of the matches were 'must win' limited overs. In the ESCA Lord Taverners Cup matches (details at the end of the webpage) they were crowned Champions of the South of England and will go on to represent the region in the national finals at Oundle School in early July.
Mr Reliable Match v The Beacon Saturday 16th June Away Cancelled - Rain Team : J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten; J.T.Manton-Jones; J.A. Phillips+. Match 10 v Horris Hill Wednesday 13th June Away Team : J.J. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheik; S. McCarten; J.T.Manton-Jones; J.A. Phillips+.
Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 10 wickets
Horris Hill 76 for 8 off 25 overs (T.W.Surrall 2 for 9) Eagle House 79 for 0 off 8 overs (J.I.Parvess 43*, M.C.T.Wright 31*)
The experience gained from bowling in such an intense situation on Saturday paid dividends today as the team carried on where they had left off and put the home side under enormous pressure from the start. It is never easy to deal with hostile accurate bowling and Justin Parvess and Michael Wright bowled with real pace and control. The Horris Hill openers played bravely and tried to work the ball around, but they were simply given no room to manoevre. The fielding was sharp and when the bowlers changed there was no let up to the pressure, with Sean Neat bowling his dangerous leg breaks and Adam Dewes, Sean McCarten and Thomas Surrall maintaining a metronomic line and length on the off stump. The Horris Hill batsmen could clearly play and were not going to surrender their wickets easily, but as the game progressed, risks had to be taken in order to score and wickets fell as a result. A battling innings from the opener who scored 40 runs helped his side to post a score of 76 runs for 8 wkts after 25 overs.
An unbeaten opening partnership of 79 at Horris Hill This appeared a modest total, but no assumptions can be made in Colts cricket. However, a blistering assault by Michael (31*) who hammered 13 runs off a perfectly good, accurately-bowled opening over, calmed any nerves. He continued to blaze the ball to all corners in the next over, leaving Justin (43*) a little shell-shocked. He is not used to being outscored and it took him a few overs to adjust. However, it wasn't too long before he joined in, savaging the eigth over for 21 runs including a huge six off the final ball. Horris Hill didn't do anything wrong in this game. Their bowling was good and accurate, their fielding was alert and they got into line and played correct shots when they batted. However, there are few teams who could have lived with this Eagle House side on the form they showed today.
Match 9 v Moulsford Saturday 9th June Away Team : J.A. Phillips+; J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; J.T.Manton-Jones; J.P.R.O'Kelly. Result - Match Drawn
Eagle House 112 all out (J. I. Parvess 55) Moulsford 101 for 8 (T.W.Surrall 3 for 6; S.P.Neat 3 for 25) This was one of the most fascinating games of cricket I have witnessed at any level and I believe that supporters of both sides drove away from the Moulsford arena with the feeling that they had been at a contest as challenging as a test match. Certainly, when ‘Stumps,’ was called, all the players had developed a healthy respect for their opponents. It was a classic ‘Cavaliers v Roundheads’ match, with much of the stroke play and the bowling 'flair' along with the occasional gaffe in calling and fielding, coming from the Eagle House side, while the Moulsford XI, although less ambitious, were impressively efficient, hardly making a mistake all afternoon. Their fielding was particularly sharp. The beauty of the game was that there was a constant battle between these contrasting sides throughout the afternoon, the balance tilting to one side then the other. The Eagle House team were a little depleted for the first time this season with Sean McCarten and Will Fletcher both missing, however Jamie O’Kelly is a talented and experienced player and he proved himself to be quite capable of stepping up to the mark. Moulsford won the toss and asked the visitors to bat; which is a sign of respect, particularly on a baking hot day. A familiar pattern soon evolved, the second ball heading to the boundary and the third seeing the end of Michael Wright’s innings. He struck the ball beautifully, but the fielder moving sharply to his left, close to the long on boundary, took a very important catch for his team. Adam Dewes has often had to wait over an hour before coming to the wicket at No.3, but this week he has been taking guard in the first over! After an effortless square cut to the boundary, he got the finest of edges and was brilliantly caught, low down, at the wicket. Still, Justin Parvess was building his innings, and the score was moving forward quite steadily. However Saxon Coop, Sean Neat and Karim Sheikh were unable to keep their wickets intact for long and 40 for 5 did not very promising. Julius Manton-Jones was run out quite unnecessarily when a single was very much on, before sensible batting from Thomas Surrall, supported Justin through to another well earned half-century. When Justin was out Thomas martialled the tail and, along with Will Kirk, Jamie and Joab Phillips, the score inched its way to 112 before the last wicket fell. This was not a great total and with the best part of two hours left to play on a relatively small ground, a draw was probably the least likely result possible with the smart money going on a home win. However it was a target of sorts, and with the ball keeping a little low and the wicket taking spin, there was just a chance that Eagle House could bowl themselves back into the game. Moulsford were understandably confident of making that total, and they got off to a cautious but solid start. However, the Eagle House bowling was of the highest standard and while the batsmen were able to survive it was proving very difficult to score. Unexpectedly, time pressure started to come into play and batsmen began to take risks. Wickets promptly started to fall and the leg spin of Sean Neat was highly effective. Thomas Surrall and Adam Dewes tightened a vice like grip and only eighteen runs were scored off the last ten overs with four wickets falling. To win Moulsford needed thirteen runs off the last over. Thomas had only conceded five off his previous seven overs, but this was real pressure! He obviously relishes these challenges as he took two further wickets for one run.
3 wickets for 6 runs and another half century at Moulsford So this match finished as a very genuine draw and at the close I think both sides were happy with what was a fair result. I certainly don't think either side deserved to lose. I would particularly like to praise the Eagle House bowlers for their stunning effort under great pressure . . . 35 overs bowled conceding just 101 runs is a massive achievement - Thomas gets the plaudits for his figures of 8 overs 3 wickets for 6 runs along with Sean who removed the danger men. However, let us not forget Justin. Without his 55 runs on the board we might all have been home with our tails between our legs before tea! Many thanks to our hosts at Moulsford. We enjoyed their hospitality, a nice environment and a good enthusiastic crowd. We also enjoyed their company on the pitch and the testing challenge that they provided in another match played in the very best of spirits.
Match 8 v St Piran's Wednesday 6th June Railton Team : J.A.Phillips+; J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; W.D.C. Fletcher; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten. Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 82 Runs
Eagle House 171 for 6 (A.H.J. Dewes 62, J.I.Parvess 48) St. Piran's 89 all out A generous mid week crowd enjoyed another glorious day of sunshine on Railton and witnessed another impressive display from this side. St Pirans proved to be a capable and well-drilled eleven and they made the home side work for their runs. Nevertheless, this is a strong line up of players and a good blend of very aggressive shot makers along with the more selective innings builders. The score rattled along at an impressive rate throughout the first eight overs, and I was pleased to see some good sharply run quick singles among the boundaries. Michael Wright hit the first ball of the match to the boundary and was out off the second - never a dull moment - but Justin Parvess and Adam Dewes combined well to take the score into the eighties before Justin was run out on 48, a direct hit depriving him of a well-earned half-century. Adam carried on, taking few risks but, crucially, clipping the occasional off-line ball to the boundary. He struck another fine fifty and held the innings together for his side. Saxon Coop and the later batsman were encouraged to take a few liberties in their approach, in order to capitalise on the good start. Saxon added 13 before he trod on his wickets! Sean Neat took an immense swipe at his first ball and found himself straight back in the pavilion; Will Fletcher lasted marginally longer, unluckily playing on to a widish ball. Karim Sheik, who is a mighty striker of the ball and has an excellent eye, took his chance today blasting an unbeaten 31 off only 18 balls. Adam was more extravagant in the last few overs and pushed his score to 62 before getting out off the final ball! 171 is a formidable total off 25 overs and St Piran's early batsmen were going to have to make a major contribution if they were to stay in the hunt. A 'Hammer Horror' opening two overs of wides, byes and overthrows did not auger well, but when Michael started bowling round the wicket he produced a spell of consistent inswing that would have troubled any batsman. Eventually the St Piran's 'danger man' fell to an absolute beauty that took the edge and the sharpest of catches was well held by newcomer Joab Phillips behind the wicket.
Significant contributions against St. Pirans St Piran's battled on in the face of some very impressive bowling from Michael, Sean Neat and Adam in particular, well backed up by Justin, Thomas Surrall, Will Kirk and Sean McCarten. Indeed their opener played very well through adversity, but with wickets falling steadily at the other end he had to force the pace and was bowled by Thomas for a brave 49. The two stand out features in the field were Joab's excellent work behind the stumps and a simply stunning catch in the covers by Adam. The ball was struck low and hard and looked to be heading to the boundary until Adam, leaping like a salmon, got both hands to hold on to a memorable chance. So, a good win against a competent side who performed well in every aspect of the game. It was a match played in the very best of spirits that did credit to all concerned. Many thanks to our supporters who have turned up in numbers to create a good buzz of interest at these matches . . . and have been thoroughly entertained, I trust.
Match 7 v Aldro Saturday 19th May Railton Team : J.T. Manton-Jones+; J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; W.D.C. Fletcher; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten.
Result - (28 overs) Match Won by 95 Runs
Eagle House 201 for 2 dec. (after 21 overs) (J.I.Parvess 103*; M.C.T.Wright 70) Aldro 106 for 5 (after 28 overs) The momentum of this match was very quickly established through some tremendous early stroke play from Michael Wright (70). Despite the accurate bowling of the Aldro opening attack, he used his feet well to get into attacking positions well and raced into the thirties by the fourth over. At this point he survived when some two difficult chances from steeplingly high shots were missed on the boundary. However he knuckled down to secure a well-deserved half century before being bowled for seventy. Justin Parvess (102*) who had opened with Michael then took command and surged to his half century with some tremendous blows. This gave him the confidence to unlease a host of even more damaging shots which took him to his century. It is not easy to bowl at a player like Justin when he is at the top of his game but you had to credit the Aldro attack who maintained a good line and length. They were rewarded with a wicket when Adam Dewes was beaten by a very special ball that hit the seam and cut back. The aggressive stroke play and good running put the fielders under a lot of pressure and kept the scoreboard whistling round.
101 record opening partnership against Aldro With 201 on the board, unusually, the home side were able to declare in an overs match. Tea was taken and the match resumed with Aldro needing 202 to win off their 28 overs. Sensibly, they chose to take a steady approach and not throw away their wickets in a futile run chase. In doing so they can take pride from their performance, amassing a respectable score of 106 for 5. It is all too easy to surrender in these circumstances but theirs was a very mature response. The major bowlers all had a few overs and performed well. Sean Neat took two wickets with his leg spin and, pleasingly Julius Manton-Jones got a stumping off the bowling of Thomas Surrall. Once the result was assured the 'occasional' bowlers were given the chance to show their prowess and they too bowled very well. The fielding was particularly sharp with the players communicating well and giving nothing away. So, a great day for the Eagle House Colts A side. If Wednesday was a real battle that required courage and concentration, this was a day when the team were in full flow, and it was very impressive to watch. Sean Neat was awarded Colts Colours by the Headmaster after the Aldro match, for his contribution to Colts Cricket over the last two years. He is primarily a leg-spin bowler, but he is an experienced player and his batting has served us well in that time. His was a match-winning knock at Crosfields last week. He joins Michael, Justin and Adam who were awarded the ribbon earlier this term.
Match 6 v Crosfields Wednesday 16th May Away Team Selected: J.T. Manton-Jones+; J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop; W.D.C. Fletcher; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten. Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 58 Runs
Eagle House 107 for 7 (S.P.Neat 25*) Crosfields 49 all out (S.McCarten 4 for 11, A.H.J.Dewes 3 for 10) This was a difficult match played in overcast conditions on an artificial pitch that kept a little low. Michael Wright lost the toss and Eagle House were asked to bat first. It was certainly hard for the batsmen to find any rhythm and to play their strokes, indeed the cream of our top order were back in the pavilion by the sixth over and, at 21 for 4 the visiting team were wobbling. Saxon Coop, Justin Parvess and Michael all played outside the line of balls angling into them and were bowled between bat and pad. Adam Dewes was bowled by a terrific seaming delivery that moved from outside leg stump to remove the offside bail. William Fletcher proved that in these circumstances it is vital to ensure that your team use up the full quota of overs. He scored a total of 2 runs off 12 overs, but in that time his team progressed by over 50, many of which were extras. Thomas Surrall pushed the run rate up a little with a good innings of 12 and Sean Neat's vital knock of 25 not out, accompanied by the stubborn resistance of William Kirk, took the score past the 100 mark to a defendable 107 . This was not a promising position, but the boys had given themselves a chance, and Crosfields would have to face our formidable bowling line up on this helpful wicket.
Top Score at Crosfields The opening spells from Justin and Michael were very accurate and fast. Survival was difficult never mind scoring runs and three wickets had fallen by the time they took their sweaters, Justin having removed the dangerous Crosfields captain and opener with a leg-stump yorker. Sean McCarten then broke the back of the innings with his nagging accuracy outside off stump, taking 4 wickets for only 11 runs. This included two catches from Justin and Julius Manton-Jones. Adam (3 for 10) finished off the tail with some very good inswing bowling as the home side collapsed from 38 for 3 to 46 all out. This was a good win under the circumstances and I was particularly pleased with the performance in the field. The game showed the value of patience and the strength in depth of the side. Most of all it showed that you have the courage to fight through adversity. Well done.
Sad News Barry Ranger, the groundsman at Eagle House throughout my time here, died on Monday 14th May. He was a very dedicated worker and was outstanding at his job. We will all miss his considerable contribution to school life: the beautifully kept fields; his input on soccer and particularly goalkeeping skills; his willingness to help and his good company. Tragically, but fittingly, he died doing what he loved most: playing 5 a side football. He was 52.
Match v Ludgrove Saturday 12th May Cancelled due to Rain Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat. The team did head over to Ludgrove in unlikely conditions, but a further storm ensured that we turned right around.
Match 5 v Cranleigh Wednesday 9th May Railton 2.30 Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat. Result - Match Drawn
Cranleigh 152 for 4 declared
Eagle House 103 for 9 (J. I. Parvess 44) If the season has been one of marked success so far, the performance of the players in the field against Cranleigh was as poor as I have ever seen from an Eagle House side on Railton. There were mitigating circumstances in that the weather was unpleasant and many of the side were exhausted from their tour; some looked like they had only come in because of the cricket match. If most had spent the week-end in Disneyland there was a fair measure of 'Mickey Mouse' in their play. The attack bowled well in difficult conditions, and deserved help in the field to put pressure on two very competent Cranleigh openers. Sean Neat had his best spell of the year, while Michael Wright, Adam Dewes and Sean McCarten also bowled accurately. However, runs were leaked at an alarming rate while players went through the motions. A strong Cranleigh side were gifted approaching forty runs, while simple catches were dropped. Full marks to Will Kirk who bravely hung on to a screamer at square leg and stopped some other mighty blows. In a rain affected match Cranleigh batted for a few overs after tea and set the home side a challenging 153 off 21 overs.
44 against Cranleigh Julius Manton-Jones and Justin Parvess got the side off to a good start, before a senseless call for a run from Julius saw him perish. The experiment of moving Justin to open the innings paid off with his best score of the season (44). Adam Dewes looked comfortable and played some delightful shots before over-reaching for a ball and offering a return catch to the bowler. Michael Wright looked completely out of sorts and survived appeals off his first two balls before tamely paddling a catch to cover. Sean Neat smashed a few boundaries before getting bowled, but Saxon Coop showed the same steely determination to survive as he had at Parkside and he did much to see the side home. I don't think Will Fletcher will ever know why he called Saxon for a rediculous single, with only three overs left. When Will himself was caught next ball it left William Kirk and Karim Sheikh at the wicket. Karim thumped two boundaries and departed but Will stuck it out through the last over until the very last ball. Thomas Surrall was stranded at the non-striker's end under strict orders not to take any singles (harsh!). And so, the moment of supreme drama arrived. Sean McCarten strode to the crease to face the Cranleigh opening bowler with just one ball to survive. Sean is used to this pressure now and he played the delivery with some confidence to ensure the draw. Phew! So, the home side secured the draw by the skin of its teeth. Cranleigh played well and looked a capable side. They were also a fine example to follow in their play and their concentration. The home players must put this match behind them, but that sort of sloppy performance is not acceptable from individuals who want to progress in the game.
Match 4 v Parkside Wednesday 2nd May Away 2.30 Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat. Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 4 wickets
Parkside 112 all out of 23.5 overs (S. McCarten 3 for 10, A.H.J. Dewes 3 for 13) Eagle House 113 for 6 (A.H.J. Dewes 36, S.E. Coop 21*) The Stoke d'Arbenon wicket looked very good and hard, with a baked outfield and a short boundary. The sunny conditions suggested that this match would be another feeding frenzy for batsmen, but the match did not follow that script. Parkside won the toss and chose to bat. The openers batted with courage, getting right into line against some fearsome overs from Justin Parvess and Michael Wright. The raw speed and bounce that they faced made survival the priority and after the first 10 overs Parkside looked like they would struggle to post a competetive score. Adam Dewes and Sean McCarten took 3 wickets each and bowled very well. However, a poor day in the field from Eagle House, with three easy catches going down and a number of expensive misfields gave the home side a platform before free hitting tail-enders added 36 runs for the last wicket and ensured that this was going to be a genuine contest. I was pleased to see that the players were able to put their errors behind them, Will Fletcher and Will Kirk both taking good catches at the end. The Eagle House response got off to a disappointing start, with the Parkside wicket-keeper warned by both umpires for 'talking' to the batsman as balls were being delivered. Clearly affected and upset, Will Fletcher played all around a straight ball and was bowled. Soon after, Julius paddled a tame catch to gully . . . he'll know to walk away when he's not ready next time. Adam Dewes (36) and Michael Wright (18) steadied the innings and batted very responsibly under pressure. Michael wasn't quite as fluent as he has been, but his shots over the close fielders were quite productive, while Adam picked off easy singles. Together they took the score to 60 for just two wickets down and were well up with the run rate required. However, chasing a score adds pressure and Parkside were bowling accurately and their fielding was very efficient. Michael fell misjudging a drive, then Adam called Justin for an impossible single before falling himself, leaving our tail to score 40 pressure-laden runs, on their own.
A brave partnership, in the final pressure-filled overs, took us to victory at Parkside. Saxon Coop (21*), who has been looking more competent and more confident each week, did a great job in holding the innings together at the 'death'. Karim and Thomas helped him briefly, but the real pressure came in the last four overs when Sean McCarten (10*) walked to the crease for the first time this season, with 24 runs still required. In an incredibly tense atmosphere, he struck two boundaries off the penultimate over which left Saxon needing two runs to win off the last six balls. A bye brought the tie and a single brought the win with just two balls to spare. It was a good close game to win and the match presented a number of new challenges, most of which were met; a few of which we failed. It is identifying these challenges and addressing them that will see this talented group develop into a great team. After the Parkside match, Michael Wright, Justin Parvess and Adam Dewes were awarded Colts Colours by the Headmaster, Mr Barnard, for their contributions to Colts Cricket. Adam has played particularly well this season, while Michael and Justin have been important members of the side for two years. Well done to all three.
Match 3 v Highfield Saturday 28th April Railton 2.30 Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat. Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 50 Runs
Eagle House 150 for 7 (A.H.J.Dewes 59*, M.C.T. Wright 23) Highfield 100 for 7
This 25 overs match, in blazing sunshine, saw Michael Wright once again win the toss and choose to bat. Highfield enjoyed some early success when first William Fletcher was caught at point and then Julius Manton-Jones was unnecessarily run out. A good partnership ensued between Michael and Adam Dewes, continuing on from their impressive show on Wednesday, and together they took the score past 50 before Michael fell to another poor piece of running judgement.
59* against Highfield Highfield were bowling and fielding well and runs were hard-earned. However, Adam batted peerlessly and his knock cemented the innings through a steady series of partnerships that all contributed to a useful if not unassailable target of exactly 150. Justin Parvess, Karim Sheikh, Sean Neat and Saxon Coop all chipped in with valuable runs while Adam finished on 59 not out. (He has now amassed 161 unbeaten runs in our first three games – an extraordinary achievement) The Highfield innings got off to a disastrous start, as Michael pinned their opener lbw with an excellent piece of bowling. Saxon’s remarkable throw, downing the stumps from the boundary, continued the trend, followed by a great catch from Julius at the wicket. When Justin clean bowled the Highfield captain the visiting team were in deep trouble, but their middle order fought back strongly against the spinners and a series of boundaries including two big sixes quickly brought the game back into the balance. An accurate spell of seam bowling from Adam, incuding four maidens in his five overs, dragged the game back for the home side. He was backed up by tight spells from Thomas Surrall and Sean McCarten.The contest finished with Highfield scoring exactly 100 and the match was won by 50 runs. The fielding has certainly stepped up a level or two over the last few games. There were some important catches from Justin and Julius and some great saves on the boundary by Saxon and Karim. The one disappointment has been that we haven’t been able to give our spinners an extended spell. We will have to work on that.
Match 2 v St Neot's Wednesday 25th April Railton 2.30 Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat.
Result - (25 overs) Match Won by 97 Runs Eagle House 182 for 3 (M.C.T.Wright 58, A.H.J.Dewes 57*) St.Neot's 85 for 7 St.Neot's needed to leave by 5.30 pm and so we opted for a 25 overs match. Eagle House won the toss and decided to bat and after a cautious start against some accurate bowling and good fielding, the innings came to life when the captain came to the wicket. Michael Wright scored freely, hitting some good drives off the front front especially through the covers. He also punished the short ball, sweeping and pulling to the boundary. On 42, his bat which had sounded fragile thoughout his innings, finally split. Nevertheless, he went on to score a good half-century. Adam Dewes backed him up with another fine knock, accumulating 57 runs at the close of the innings. Justin Parvess had a quick blast taking 20 off the last few overs. A target of 182 was set.
A record third wicket partnership of 120 against St.Neot's
St. Neot's started well despite some accurate bowling from Thomas Surrall, Sean Neat and Sean McCarten. However, wickets fell steadily and as the lower order batsmen came to the crease, they were unable to get anywhere near the run rate required, particularly when facing a ferocious spell from Justin. However, they showed courage and good technique, getting in line with the ball and not giving away their wickets. Michael was able to give some of our less famous bowlers a few overs, letting them play a part in the game and they bowled well. So, a good display and a good win. It's very nice to see the runs flowing! After two strong performances, it is important to maintain the good habits. Big scores don't come through luck. They are a result of skill, courage and application. Similarly, containing and dismissing the opposition requires the same qualities. The bowling was much improved from Saturday and it was good to see you applying sustained pressure. We must continue to work on rhythm and accuracy when we practise.
Match 1 v Caldicott Saturday 21st April Railton 2.30 Team: J.T. Manton-Jones; W.D.C. Fletcher; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright; J.I. Parvess; S.E. Coop; W.M.A. Kirk; K. Sheikh; T.W.Surrall; S. McCarten; S.P. Neat. Result - Match Drawn Eagle House 168 for 7 declared (W.D.C. Fletcher 71, A.H.J.Dewes 45*) Caldicott 141 for 6 After a number of net sessions last term and three days of trials this week I selected the above players for this first match against Caldicott. So congratulations to them for making the side, particularly the three yr5 players and the three 'new' boys. There were a few difficult decisions to make but I felt that this group had done the most to deserve this first chance to play in the A side. Eagle House won the toss and seeing the blazing hot day and the iron baked surface, Michael Wright, the captain took the consensus of the side and decided to bat. So, the aim was to post a big score and let the opposition bat under pressure. It would be difficult to imagine a better start! The openers, William Fletcher (71) and Julius Manton-Jones (15) , managed to post a 98 run partnership. With Julius cautiously seeing off the threat of the dangerous strike bowler and William looking to play his shots they managed to set the perfect platform for later aggression.
A record opening partnership of 98 against Caldicott However, Caldicott were not prepared to be rolled over and some naggingly accurate spin bowling paid dividends as Eagle House attempted to accelerate. Unfortunately, our power players fell quite cheaply, and the team relied heavily on a very mature, chanceless innings from Adam Dewes (45*). With wickets falling around him he started cautiously but looked to play his shots as tea approached. A total of 168 for 7 declared is the second highest posted on Railton over the last fifteen years, but with such a fast outfield, it was certainly not a 'cautious' declaration. It was always going to be difficult to take the 10 wickets required to win on this true surface and so a very attacking field was set. This demanded much of the bowlers and although Justin Parvess and Adam bowled with genuine pace and hostility, the odd stray ball down leg side presented Julius and Saxon Coop with great difficulties behind the stumps. This meant that the Caldicott score kept ticking over and Eagle House were unable to establish any consistent pressure. Sean Neat and Karim Sheikh both bowled some excellent leg spin deliveries without much luck and Michael Wright was quick and accurate. I was very pleased with the fielding performance; players kept their positions and Michael monitored the side well. There was a nice enthusiastic buzz between the players and I could feel their concentration and their awareness in the field. William Kirk held a terrific catch low at square-leg and Karim dived full-length to stop a certain boundary. Nevertheless, the Caldicott score was building and it took a fine piece of fielding from Thomas Surrall who combined with Julius to run out their dangerous No.4 when he had scored 44, along with some accurate bowling from Sean McCarten and Thomas to turn the game back in favour of Eagle House. So, a really good evenly-matched game of cricket and a great start to the season. Everyone in the side was able to make a contribution and feel that they have played their part in the team. There is a fair amount of work to be done on individual weaknesses, but there are many more strengths and I think these players complement one another very well. Many thanks to the parents who came to support the side. I hope you enjoyed the day. Many thanks to Caldicott who were good opponents in every way and who also brought a good crowd to add to the specatacle. PFHG
ESCA Lords Taverners U11 Hardball Cricket Tournament. National Finals Tuesday 10th July @ Oakham School Eagle House were present as Champions of the South Region Squad : A.H.J. Dewes; S.P.Neat *; S.E. Coop; K. Sheikh; S. McCarten; J.P.R.O'Kelly; C.L. Dickinson; W.M.A. Kirk+; T.J.N.Barnard. A depleted squad set out at 6.30 am for Oakham missing four key players from the side that qualified for these finals. Two irreplaceable all-rounders missing along with the key 'death' bowler and wicket-keeper meant that we travelled more in hope than expectation. Nevertheless, nine good players headed north with dreams of glory and further medals. The first two games were evenly matched low scoring affairs against Solihull School (West Midlands) and Westville House Primary(North East) that were there for the taking, but this scratch side shawn of its key players lacked the belief to make things happen and the games drifted away. Some very soft dropped catches were the major disappointment. The third group match against Exeter Junior School (West) was a torrid experience where at times we looked incompetent, with players finding a series of 'improbable' ways of getting themselves out. The final match was an encouraging win against Salesbury Primary School (North West) where the side did much to recover their dignity. Another positive note was the performance of the Year 5 players. All three played really well. Adam, as usual, took wickets and batted with class. Will Kirk stood in as wicket-keeper and looked like he'd played there all season. Toby Barnard stepped up from the B side and made a good contribution with the bat and ball. Sean Neat captained the side well. The results were a little disappointing but we have had our share of good times this season. A few reverses keep you humble and freshen up your gallows humour. It's always a good day at the finals and 7th out of 500 isn't so bad after all! Meanwhile, 10 miles down the road after their long day, the boys were all asleep dreaming new dreams.
ESCA Lords Taverners U11 Hardball Cricket Tournament Southern Region Finals Squad: J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop+; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; J.T.Manton-Jones+; S. McCarten; K Sheikh. Semi-Final Result - Match Won by 75 Runs
Eagle House (Berkshire) 310 Ryde (Isle of Wight) 235 Final Result - Match Won by 7 Runs to become Southern Region Champions
Eagle House (Berkshire) 263 Portsmouth Grammar School (Hampshire) 256 The team faced a new proposition of playing these cup matches indoors with many new indoor rules to adapt to. It was a good experience for them and they responded very well. They are such a Jack-in-the-Box team, showing surprising initiative and resiliance one minute and then falling to the most childish errors. However, no-one can say that they are not positive, and that is what came across in these finals . . . they were by far the most attacking side and in the end they were rewarded for that. The semi-final resulted in a comfortable win. It was difficult to assess what would be a good score in these conditions, but the early batsmen got the team off to an excellent start with good attacking strokeplay and excellent running. Things slowed down as the innings progressed, but 310 seemed a good target and good bowling and fielding pinned the opposition down effectively, restricting them to a response of 256. The final against Portsmouth Grammar School was full of drama. After a very good start by Justin and Saxon, a few silly run outs (and some very good fielding) pegged back the score before some strong blows from Michael saw it heading back in the right direction. Our last two pairs struggled to get on top of some accurate bowling and when Adam damaged his knee, early in his innings, it looked like the side would need something special to win. The loss of his batting and his accurate bowling was a severe blow. Karim got to sub as a batsman, which was nice for him, but would not be allowed to bowl. Portsmouth were justifiably confident of knocking off this total, and with Saxon having to bowl his first two overs of the season in a regional final, it was a very tense situation. Although there was a good crowd watching, each bowl was delivered in pin drop silence. Justin ruffled the feathers with an excellent first over, followed by an outstanding run out - a direct hit from cover. With his next ball he clean bowled his opponent and a few doubts were established. Julius took a catch behind the wicket from a rank Sean Neat long hop and Saxon bowled his two overs very well. Sean McCarten sprayed a few wides but recovered his composure and bowled tightly. The final dramatic over saw the opponents requiring a very attainable 7 runs to win. A wicket from Thomas' first ball saw that leap up to 12. Amidst great tension, the tournament came down to the last ball - Portsmouth needed 2 runs to win! With the indoor rules if they ran a single they would be home. Thomas beat the bat - the ball was in Julius' hands - the Portsmouth batsmen were running - If Julius hits the stumps Eagle House win by 7 runs - If he misses Portsmouth win by 1 run. Julius hits the stumps! Jubiliation for Eagle House, but heart-breaking for Portsmouth to lose out so narrowly. I have to admire this side for their courage in these tense situations. This is not the first time that serious questions have been asked of them and they have had to face intense pressure. When the chips are down they do seem to respond . . . and that takes courage and belief. Well done! Many thanks to the parents whose support is such an inspiration, and to our opponents for, even though there is a lot at stake, this stage of the tournament always seems to be played in an excellent spirit.
ESCA Lords Taverners U11 Hardball Cricket Tournament Berkshire Final Result - Match Won by 1 Run! to become Berkshire Champions
St Andrew's 72 for 4 (net 52) Eagle House 98 for 9 (net 53) Many thanks to Mr Wright for taking the team and keeping on top of the many arrangements involved in these cup fixtures. By all accounts this was a thrilling and tense finish that the side did well to come through. We have experienced these situations several times this season where a more limited side has forced the Eagle House team to dig really deep to prevail. Once Justin had put the home side so far ahead of the pace, surely the batsmen could have simply picked off the odd single and won at a canter - calm control has been lacking this week. The key areas I would like you to focus on is awareness and communication. Alertness when batting will save the unnecessary run outs and create quick singles. Alertness in the field will eliminate unnecessary runs and result in catches.
Wellington College Six a Side Cricket Tournament Sunday 17th June Squad: J.I. Parvess; A.H.J. Dewes; M.C.T. Wright*; S.E. Coop+; S.P.Neat; T.W.Surrall; J.T.Manton-Jones+; S. McCarten. Played 6 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 2 I think it is fair to say that the team underperformed today. I thought that the balance of the side was ideally suited to this tournament - Two hard-hitting, stroke-playing batsmen, in good form and a third who can score runs all round the pitch, backed up by a decent support outfit - An attack that teams had struggled to score runs off all year and a good, athletic fielding side. The above record does not look bad, and the slow nature of the pitch really did not suit the side. The ball did not come on to the bat and this frustrated the strokeplayers - but the fielding limitations proved especially expensive with the fast bowlers. Every wide effectively cost six runs! The four wins were routine, however the team all but beat themselves in the match with Durston House, eventually losing by one run. The final match with The Beacon, however, was a comprehensive defeat. The early batsmen showed no patience against a tight attack and exposed the tail very early in proceedings. Six of our batsmen, who have been so successful over the season, were unable to last five overs! Full praise to our opponents who bowled really well and took their catches. So, no trees pulled up this year, but it was still a good day. (We aim to develop Test Players- Honest!) Many thanks to the families and the other players who came to support.
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