RCC U11A batsmen smash 183 for 2 against Sunbury U11s in comprehensive win

Sunbury U11 v RCC U11A @ Sunbury CC

RCC U11A innings: 183 for 2 off 20 overs
Sunbury U11 innings: 122 for 5 off 20 overs
Result: RCC U11A win by 61 runs

RCC U11A was up against Sunbury U11s today in a West Middlesex division 1 game we really needed to win to keep alive hopes of perhaps winning the league.

Prior to the game we handed out our first baggy maroons to those As who had played 5 or more games, which I was hoping would provide some incentive for them to put in a performance against a side with one of Middlesex’s premier fast bowlers. Oscar Y was handed the captaincy and duly won the toss, opting to bat first.

RCC U11A opened with Hugo K and Jack N, who set about the opening bowlers with some vigour, bashing 23 off the first 3 overs, before an unfortunate run out brought Hugo K back to the hutch for 10 just as he was starting to look in ominous form. Jack was then joined by Leo H and a similarly frenetic partnership saw RCC U11As reach 50 in only the 8th over, before Jack N rode his luck and was caught for a blistering 25 from 14 balls. This brought in Anirudh S, and what followed was the partnership of the season. A combination of deft placement and some smart hitting saw RCC U11As post their hundred in the 13th over, and reaching the 150 in the 17th over. Both Leo and Ani finished NOT OUT having reached their 50s, with Leo bashing 12 fours in a score of 60 off 41 balls, and Ani bashing 9 fours in a score of 53 off 29 balls. Their partnership was worth 137 runs with only perhaps 2 or 3 moments of fortune from missed catches or misfields. RCC U11A finished on 183 for 2 off the allotted 20 overs.

With a pep talk about close boundaries, fast outfield and being sharp in the field ringing in their ears, RCC U11As took to the field to defend their score. Findlay B and Sam G opened the bowling and by the end of the 5th over had pegged Sunbury back to 22-0. James J and Neil P then took the ball, with Neil taking a wicket with his first ball, a neat catch by Sam G at square leg. A few overs later and a couple of unfortunate misfields thanks largely to bobbly outfield and Sunbury had managed to rack up 90 runs after 13 overs. Then in came Nikhil, Finlay, Hugo K and Leo H, with Hugo bowling the Sunbury No2 batsmen, in a second over wicket maiden to finish with rather impressive figures of 2 over, 1 maiden, 1 run for 1 wicket. We then threw the ball to Jack N who bowled 2 tidy overs which should have given rise to more wickets as he foxed the batsmen but still managed a wicket with Sam G duly obliging to take a catch at backward square leg. With only divine intervention a possible saviour to Sunbury, we finished the game with James J and Neil P bowling their third overs, and in James Js over 2 wickets fell, including a nice catch by Neil P and also a run out as Ani’s direct throw had the Sunbury No5 batsman well short of the crease. Sunbury finished their 20 overs on 122 for 5.

RCC U11A therefore won the game by 61 runs, possibly our most comprehensive thrashing this season.

MOTM was tough to give to one person, so I shared the prize between Leo H and Ani for their wonderful partnership of 137 runs.