Overstone Park were the penultimate visitors of the season to Compton Park, and in true 2016 fashion…it rained, but only for about 5 minutes and the match started on time. Skipper Jake won the toss again and asked Overstone to bat.
What followed next was without doubt the best bowling & fielding performance of the year by the Cook’s U11s. Prashil Chauhan and Aidan Garratt bowled the first 4 overs and each took two wickets, reducing Overstone to 18-4 [net minus-2]. Both lad’s bowling has come on in leaps and bounds this season and there was only one wide in the mix as well. A top effort.
The next Overstone pair consolidated slightly and took the score onto 31-5, but Prashil then got involved again as he made an excellent decision to pick the well hit drive up at mid-on and run the batsman out by beating him to the crease, rather than throwing it. Having taken a ‘worldie’ catch in the Gully on Friday evening, there is no doubt that Prash is going to be a top cricketer and is showing great ability as well as being one of the most enthusiastic players in the junior section.
Jacob Reeve pulled another catch right out of the top drawer at Point, showing that the catching warm up by Coach Garratt was paying dividends [and he would have taken another a few overs later if Coach Morrissey hadn’t moved him 5 yards to his left as the next delivery went straight to where he had been standing]!
At 40-6 [net 10] at the end of 12 overs, the Cooks were certainly in with a strong chance of beating one of the ‘top’ teams for the first time in several years. When we thought it couldn’t possibly get any better it did!
Anya will admit herself that she gets a bit nervous behind the stumps, especially when the bowling is a bit quicker, but she kept fantastically yesterday and topped it off by fielding the drop-down and throwing it to the bowler’s end for Liam to whip off the bails and run out the stranded batsman. Not sure who was more surprised – her or her dad!
The death bowling duo of Liam and Jake then came on and although a bit more expensive than usual, took three more wickets between them to see Overstone finish on 66-9 [net 21].
Sensible batting was required after the break, Aidan and Liam opening with the task of getting us somewhere between 10-15 at the end of four overs. They came back with 15-1 [net 10] on the board, and were saved from another wicket when Aidan was caught from a clear no-ball. Once Charlie explained the rules, the no-ball stood and we breathed a bit easier.
George and Mohit basically had to not get out and George was made for this situation…front foot forward, nothing extravagant and block! However, Mohit set off on a suicidal run and was run out by best part of 10 yards. The jitters in the crowd were back as he was then bowled and we were 25-3 [net 10] still at the halfway point.
Whatever Anya had for breakfast she should make it her regular pre-match meal, as she went crazy and scored a brilliant 10no, by far her highest score. This was just reward for the effort she put in at practice on Friday, and her running between the wickets with Jacob was excellent. Jacob ably supported her by doing his job and not getting out. We were not 45-3 [net 30] and were 9 ahead meaning last pair of Jake and Prashil could afford to lose one wicket and we would win.
I’m pretty certain the kids do it on purpose, as this is the 4th or 5th game this season that has gone down to the last over with either side being able to win. Prashil was bowled in the first over, Jake the second and Prashil again in the third, meaning we still had a slender lead going into the last over, but a wicket would see us probably lose.
Between them, Jake and finally Prash defended the last over well and saw us home by 5 runs. All of the children deserved a big well done, as the performance was excellent.
Thanks to Charlie for umpiring and to Syd and Bec for scoring.
One game left in the season at home to Northampton Saints next week.
#COYC