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Cricket Colts B Team 'Blog' |
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Unfortunately because of all the recent rain, the Colts B fixture is now off. Railton remains unplayable and has not been able to have any work done on it since last week. This is a great shame as our matches with Lambrook have always been played in great spirit in the way that sport and cricket should be played. It has been a bit of an anticlimax the end of the term, but I would say that this is potentially a very good team, balanced and not without a little skill. My one reservation would be that the whole team must learn to take on board the coaching and advice, and practise, practise and practise until the correct grip, footwork, shot selection, run-up etc etc becomes more natural and easy. There has been a great improvement during the year, and with a little more luck and perhaps a little more determination, the results could have been stunning. Have a good holiday and good luck for next season.
COLTS ‘B’ Cricket team against Lambrook-Haileybury 1. Conor Dickinson 2. Hamza Rubbani 3. Richard Morgan 4. Dominic Hill 5. Nathaniel Hatch-Johnson 6. Toby Barnard (Captain) 7. James O'Kelly 8. Oliver Cook 9. Joab Phillips 10. Thomas Cracknell 11. William Beedham NOTES: Norrmal Lunch. (white shirts, blue tracksuit bottoms, white socks, trunks, hat, swimming trunks etc). YOU MUST HAVE A WHITE cricket HAT OR A SCHOOL CAP, and it must be your own. Meet on Railton at 1400. Horris Hill 122-8 beat Eagle House 96 by 26 runs Winning the toss and electing to bat, Jamie and Conor soon had the opposition in trouble at 27-3, but four and five knuckled down and built an innings despite some better legspin from Toby. The bowlers who had done such a good job on Saturday failed to produce when it mattered. Although we kept our shape in the field too many catches went down or were not made and Horris Hill were able to make a generous declaration at tea. Will should be really pleased with his first outing as keeper and if he stays with us, there is clearly some good potential there. The target was reasonable and Dominic and Toby set off in a promising despatching the bad ball, and when Dominic lost his wicket, Will F showed some good discipline as he and Toby looked at ease to take the score onto 62. With nine wickets left, things were looking quite rosy, but the middle order succumbed to the opposition captain who bowled unchanged for ten overs. William Beedham hit the ball powerfully, supported by Tom, but once he had been caught behind, the tail rather tamely conceded the game. We cannot afford to lose the last nine wickets for just 34 runs. Disappointingly, this was a game that once again we should/could have perhaps won, and which certainly we could have drawn, but we gifted a few too many runs in the field, and did not show the discipline to value our wickets at the crease through to the end of the game. Nobody is to blame, and in a couple of years this is a side that should make a very good 2nd XI. They will have to practise hard, listen to the coaching without the I.., I..., I...., and above all will have to learn that each has a responsibility to the other members of the team especially in the field. They must keep awake and field in the way that they know they can do. The next game is in a couple of weeks.
Eagle House 57 - Match lost by 23 runs. Despite the fact that Conor, Jamie and Julius were unavailable to bowl, others stepped up to the mark and were backed up by an altogether much better performance in the field. Elliott's two runouts were the highlight, but our ground fielding was much better throughout the afternoon, one which was hot, sticky and humid. Wickets for William, Hamza, Toby and Nat restricted the opposition. After tea, few of our batsmen showed enough technique, as only Toby, William and Dominic really got into line on a wicket which probably felt as unloved by batsmen as I did. Dominic especially played straight and behind the ball, after a long day behind the stumps, a task that once again was a sterling, or do I mean stirling, effort. It was game that we could have won, but we did not disgrace ourselves. And now it is time for a long cold beer and a little time with the feet up in front of the All Blacks against France.
Eagle House 152-6 beat St Pirans 116 by 34 runs. Losing the toss, Jamie and Toby quickly put on 47 before Toby hesitated on a quick single. Both played some really beautiful shots and once they worked out how to take the quick single, they were able to give us a start after which we could enjoy the game. William blasted 19 quickly before he was run out, again trying to take a quick single on a second call. Nathaniel looked comfortable, working one beautiful four to backward square before he retired 'hurt'. Tom scraped together a small contribution before the two late replacements Max and Elliott took us through to the end of our 25 overs and a defendable target. I fear that the crisps had too much salt in them at tea as we almost contrived to lose the game with wides and no balls costing us over 56 runs. There is a simple rule, 'if the batsman misses, then the bowler must hit the wicket' and it was a very simple rule that we did not follow. Our fielding again also left much to be desired. There were wickets for Conor, William, Nat, Elliott and Toby before Jamie was brought into the attack to finish the game in our favour. The pitch was not easy and I am indebted to Dominic who tried so hard to fill Joab's shoes who had been moved to the A team as one of their players was no longer available because of tennis commitments. One moment Dominic was hit on the ankle, the next on the face guard. I think that I played the bowling best and that was because I was standing at square leg. A win, and we did bat well, but just as we batted well, so did we field and bowl badly. Again, it is a matter of self-discipline. Aldro 87 all out drew with Eagle House 61-8 An interesting game, where all results were possible, until towards the end when our il discipline almost conceded the game. There is a saying, that the first aim is to win, but if you can not win then you should make sure that you do not lose. It had started well as Toby won the toss and we reduced Aldro to 12-3 after nine overs, with Jamie and Conor bowling with comparative accuracy. Toby than dropped a simple catch because his hands were too low, Conor and Jamie moved out of the way of balls hit towards them, as did Oliver, Nathaniel and Tom, while Dominic, William and Hamza missed simple run outs because they were not walking in or were not concentrating. Indeed, only Joab deserved to come off the pitch with his head held high, proud of what he had achieved. Our bowlers had bowled some good balls, but with 39 extras in wides and no balls, one has to query the benefits of having ridiculously long run ups, which were even longer than mine when I was a fast opening bowler. Joab and Toby batted with thought and care until Joab was bowled by a ball which pitched half way down the pitch and hit the base of the stumps, Toby was out pulling a ball which hit him on the ankle, Richard spooned an easy catch, Dominic pushed across a straight ball and we were 20-5. Nathaniel and William decided to repay what they owed from the field and took our score along gently, but without losing wickets. There was one embarrassing moment when William's leg bail appeared on the ground after a pull, but as neither umpire had been watching, he was given a chance, which he took seeing the team through to a deserved draw, I suppose, despite the slog and out hoicks by Oliver and Hamza. We started the season with some good cricket, but we have become a little lazy and ill-disciplined. The potential is there clearly, but we must improve upon the effort, commitment and courage, remembering that there is no 'I' in team Eagle House 117-8 decl lost to Crosfields 121-5 by five wickets Their opening bowler was the most hostile I have seen at this age, and he did not need the 'sledging'; in fact most of their bowlers were more than competent and were supported by good fielding. Faced by five under 10 county players(why were our team playing them?)I was delighted by the courage that all our batsmen showed at the crease, getting into line and defending their wickets bravely, as we laboured somewhat to reach a defendable total (their over rate of 31 overs in two hours was ridiculous). It was possible, but as much courage we showed when batting against fast and aggressive bowling as little did we show in the field. Hands must be used to stop the ball preferably in the long barrier unless looking for a run out, rather than jumping out the way or kicking the ball. Above all we must learn to anticipate the ball, trying to watch the shot so that we can move earlier to stop and release for the run out. It was a better performance than last week against a side that had tremendous ability, but even so we could do better with a little more heart and courage in the field.
This match was not rained off; in fact it never even started, and my shoes and socks are soaking. The team will be the same for the next match Cranleigh 113 all out beat Eagle House 52 all out by 61 runs There are some days that are best forgotten and this was definitely one of those. Asking Cranleigh to bat, we fielded so badly that the opposition were bemused. Technical deficiencies in our fielding can be sorted out, but the lack of heart and effort is something that the players themselves have to want to address. There can be no excuse for deliberately moving out of line with the ball so that it does not have to be stopped or the catch taken, nor for not backing up nor for using the feet to stop the ball. Eight catches were dropped from the hand (mistakes do happen, not great but excusable as nobody ever drops a catch on purpose) but six were not even attempted. Too many runouts were also missed and we did well to take the last wickets so cheaply (71-1 to 113 all out) The two exceptions in the field were Dominic who took two really excellent and committed catches and Toby who bowled five really determined overs - there was little else worthy of note. Such can also be said about the batting with six nonsensical run outs, a couple of good catches by the opposition and it was only Toby (again) and Joab who showed any grit and determination at the crease, as if the result really mattered to them. There is a saying that a team is only as good as their last game, and that is definitely not true (perhaps if it was the previous game). This side is much, much better than this and deserve to play better for each other. Cranleigh had a couple of good players, just as many technical weaknesses, but they wanted to win more and wanted to play for each other more than we did.
Eagle House 176-7 dec beat Parkside 59 by 117 runs
A lot of people tend to forget that the most important person on the cricket pitch is not the high scoring batsmen, nor the wicket taking bowlers, but the wicket keeper whose thankless task it is to take catches, make run outs and stop the ball every ball. We have a wicket keeper, who, though not as vociferous as Gilchrist, has a heart that is as big and the courage to go with it. I just wanted to say that it is appreciated and essential to the team. Losing the toss, Dominic and Tom took us through to 69, a great opening stand upon which the others could build, with Toby, Will, Hamza, Richard and Nathaniel all contributing positively. Perhaps, Oliver with his very special cross batted straight six, deserves the greatest commendation, as he brought an urgency that took the score to a declarable 176-7 at tea. Conor and Jamie produced some great balls to reduce the opposition to 24-4 and Toby used his quicker ball with great effect to be replaced by William who took the last three wickets. A good win, but there is still much that technically we must improve over the next few weeks. Oh yes - I also forgot to mention Oliver's two good catches and Hamza's exquisite late cut........
Eagle House 116-8(25 overs)beat Highfield by 4 runs (22.2overs) I am not a great believer in limited overs cricket at this level, but I would say that despite the effects that the game had on my general health and mental well-being, every single person did something that affected the overall result of the game. It might have been taking a wicket, holding a catch, making a run out, scoring four runs or just as Thor did save three certain boundaries with sliding and fully committed slides (ask his knees). For that reason and for the reason that they did not give up when there was no light at the end of the tunnel at all, pitch black, not a glimmer, until one wicket fell, and another, and with four required another three and the game was ours, perhaps given by a very competent top six opposing batsmen. It was not a great performance by us at the crease, although Toby, William, Conor, Jamie and Oliver all made double figures, and on that pitch, my money was on Highfield, especially when the score stood at 36-1 after four overs. Catches went down and our ground fielding again became a little scruffy. Toby bowled particularly well, as did Oliver, and William and Hamza at the end. It's a funny old game. Highfield were 103 for 5, and it was very dark and gloomy, but somebody, perhaps Nat or Oliver with their first ball wickets, or Conor with his catches, or Elliot with his catch, turned the light back on and the children saw what they could do. And they did. Still much to work on, but a good result.
Caldicott 107 all out beat Eagle House 97 all out by ten runs. (A great shame) Wow - now that was a good way to start the season (we mustn't back away and leave our stumps open) and a good game played in the spirit and with the decorum that the game deserves. Put into the field, all bowlers bowled well, putting good spells together, Jamie taking two wickets, Connor three, William three, Oliver one and Toby one as Caldicott were restricted to 107 all out (we mustn't back away and leave our stumps open). The fielding was generally sound with a couple of good catches taken, a couple dropped and with some good ground work. However, just as each bowler put four or five good balls together in the over, they were all guilty of offering a free hit to the two batsmen who looked like they knew what they were doing (we mustn't back away and leave our stumps open). Chasing such a target should not have been beyond our means (we mustn't back away and leave our stumps open) but though good partnerships between Tom and Hamza, Toby and Hamza, William and Hamza and finally William and Harry(we mustn't back away and leave our stumps open)took us close, nine wickets were lost as we backed away to leg, leaving our stumps open if we missed the ball which we did nine times to concede a good game. Losing by 10 runs is no disgrace, but................................... COLTS ‘B’ Cricket team against Caldicott(away) on Saturday(210407) 1. Conor Dickinson (captain) 2. Hamza Rubbani 3. Elliot Hunt 4. Dominic Hill 5. Harry Gaff 6. Toby Barnard 7. James O’Kelly 8. Oliver Cook 9. Joab Phillips 10. Thomas Cracknell 11. William Beedham NOTES: Early Lunch. Change at 1300 (white shirts, blue tracksuit bottoms, white socks, trunks, hat). YOU MUST HAVE A WHITE cricket HAT OR A SCHOOL CAP, and it must be your own. Meet by bus at 1315. We should be back by 1815, but you must know your phone/contact number off by heart. This is the first game, and if you have fun, then we should have played well. Concentrate and play for each other
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