U15 A v Whitgift (St George’s, Weybridge)

Thursday 4th July
Result: Lost by 48 runs
Whitgift 160 for 7 (20 overs) [A. Cox 3/35, E. Potter 2/44]
Felsted 112/8 (20 overs) [H. Hoare 40]

This game was effectively a last 16 contest in the national under 15 20/20 competition, and the draw had not favoured us, as we were playing against the strongest (on paper) of the four sides at the South East finals. When ball four disappeared into the trees over midwicket for six, things did not look good, but Ashleigh Cox produced a peach to dismiss the batsman next ball, well taken behind the stumps by Will Buttleman. Whitgift went hard at all the bowlers, though, and the second wicket developed into the key stand. On the whole the fielding held up well, and with Cox and Potter bowling well at the end, the total was limited to 160 – gettable, but only just.
George Hitchcock started brightly, and after he fell, Ashleigh Cox and Henry Hoare took the score to 46-1 in just over six overs.  If these two could bat together for the majority of the innings, we would be in business, despite a well balanced attack.  Sadly, this was not to be, and it took Charlie Latham, Ned Potter and John Brodie swinging at the end to take us past the hundred.  Despite defeat, the boys could be proud of much of their effort, especially remembering that six of the under 15 squad were busy on manoeuvres with the CCF.

Player of the match: Henry Hoare

U15 A v Warden Park (St George’s, Weybridge)

Thursday 4th July 
Result: Won by 41 runs
Felsted 148/4 (20 overs) [H. Hoare 57, C. Latham 39*]
Warden Park 107/5 (20 overs) [E. Potter 2/12]

Warden Park had reached this finals day by beating Dulwich and Brighton College among others, so boasted some pedigree, but they had lost their first game to Merchant Taylor’s, and lost one of their best players, who had been sent home after an incident in that game.  Enjoying more bright sunshine, we rotated the batting order, and saw John Brodie open up with 13, and Max Boyce make an enterprising 19.  Henry Hoare again held things together, making yet another half century, while Charlie Latham showed real promise in a rapid 39 not out.  Tom Hitchcock batted ahead of his brother, and struck a good boundary in his 6 not out.
Warden Park needed their top order to fire, but Cox and Potter were again on song, and by half way, the game was effectively over. There were some stunning catches, with John Brodie holding a great catch, but Henry Hoare topping the lot with a one handed take diving backwards. In all, nine bowlers were used, and the season finished with a fine win. It has been a pleasure to work with this group of boys, who have shown enthusiasm, competitiveness, and talent at many stages of the season. Last 16 in the country in the Lord’s Taverners, and last 16 in the country in the 20/20 competition are fine achievements.

Player of the match: Charlie Latham

U15 A v Oakham

Saturday 15th June 2013
Result: Match abandoned as a draw
Felsted 30/1 (7.1 overs) [G. Hitchcock 23*]
possible.  Felsted had made a positive start with the bat, despite losing Henry Hoare to a good delivery, and George Hitchcock looked in the mood to make the most of his good form, racing to 23 from just 25 deliveries.  However, when the rain came, it did not stop, and so we look ahead to next week’s final home game against Eltham College.

U15 A v Shenfield - (County Cup Semi Final)

Tuesday 11th June 2013
Result: Felsted won by 24 runs
Felsted 127/8 (20 overs) [H. Hoare 46]
Shenfield 103 all out (19.5 overs) [G. Hitchcock 2/13, A. Jackson 2/8]

Felsted won the toss and batted first, and with Hitchcock and Hoare getting away to a very positive start, there were hopes that we might post 150 plus.  However, Shenfield's bowlers stuck to their task, and although Henry went on to a very good 46, nobody else made many.  Josh King and Ned Potter (up from the Under 14s) both chipped in, but it took a breezy 13 in 5 balls from Alex Gilham to push us up to 127.  Having beaten Brentwood and New Hall with scores of 125, we were confident, but not entirely sure that we would have enough.

At this point, the drizzle set in, not for long, but enough to make the ball slippery, and conditions in the field much harder.  The Shenfield batsmen were good enough to take advantage, and with 6 overs to go, they need 48 with 9 wickets left.  At this point, Alex Jackson came on to bowl, and with Archie Halls holding a good diving catch, he made the breakthrough.  He then bowled their number four, who played an ambitiously expansive slog to his first ball.  Then, in the next over, the number three (a very good player, who could still win the game) was run out for them, by a combination of their new man's calling, and more good fielding from Archie Halls.  Panic now set in, not least with their coach, who was commanding them to charge blindly down the wicket to Henry's off spin, and a collection of optimistic hoiks, and suicidal running, saw their wickets tumble, as they collapsed to 103 all out.

They had run us close, but not close enough, and with this win, we are now through to the Essex final.  In fact, not just that, but we have also been put through as Essex representatives in the first regional stage of the national 20/20 competition.  

U15 A v Oundle

Saturday 8th June 2013
Result: Felsted lost by 13 runs
Oundle 173/9 (30 overs) [H. Hoare 3/19, G. Hitchcock 3/37]
Felsted 160 all out (26.3 overs) [G. Hitchcock 76, H. Hoare 28] 

A trip to Oundle is normal a tough proposition for any side, but we were confident of victory when we arrived, despite Ashleigh Cox being in the 1st XI today.  Fielding first, there was a sense that we were just going through the motions, and ended up spurning at least 10 clear chances, but still reduced Oundle to 145 for 9, before a brave last wicket stand, including a crucial 22 runs off the last over of the innings, pushed them up to 173.  On a good pitch, and small ground, this was no more than par, though, and there was every reason to be confident.  Henry Hoare had been the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 more wickets, while the highlight of the fielding effort was a fine run out by Max Boyce.

After tea, George Hitchcock set about their task with great purpose.  After 10 overs, we were 68 for no wicket, and Oundle looked lost.  Then, after 20 overs we were 111 for 7.  What happened?!  Unfortunately, our worst ten overs of batting of the year saw us throw away a winning position, while Hitch looked on from the non-strikers end, not quite sure what to make of it.  Josh Wisbey got stuck in, and the score crept up, including a 5 run penalty for hitting the helmet, but he fell for 10, to the disease of wanting to smash it across the line.  Then entered Archie Halls, who played a gem of an innings, with Hitch continuing well, and we were suddenly 158 for 8, with four overs left to get just 16 runs, and Hitch on strike.  Sadly, having played beautifully for his 76, he fell leg before, and finally Halls was bowled by a good ball, to leave us all out 13 short.  A game we should have won by a distance!

U15 A v St Paul’s - Lord’s Taverners, last 16

Tuesday 4th June 2013
Result: Felsted lost by 121 runs
Felsted 150-7 (30 overs) (H. Hoare 53, G. Hitchcock 22, A. Cox 44)
Tonbridge 151-3 (29.2 overs) (H. Hoare 2/37)
Unfortunately, we came up short on Tuesday against a strong side from St Paul's.  After a two hour bus journey, we arrived to find a used pitch, that was going to make the toss an important factor in the game, especially as we saw them warming up with four spinners.

The toss went against us, and we were in the field, and when Ashleigh Cox bowled one of their openers in the third over, hopes were high.  We continued to apply pressure, as they struggled to reach four an over for most of their innings, but having kept wickets in hand, they were able to put the foot down in the second half, and with the other opener making 81, and others chipping in with useful runs, they drove their total up to 207 in 35 overs.  The other wickets went to Henry Hoare, George Hitchcock, and Josh Wisbey, with Josh coming on to bowl the 34th over, when the umpires had a bit of a mix up over bowling allocations.  Ned Potter also bowled well without much luck.

Although the interval chat was positive, stressing that this was a good pitch, the outfield was not that quick, and the pitch was starting to turn, and lose pace.  Someone was going to have to play out of their skins to get us close.  Sadly this did not happen, as their opening bowler, who delivered a mixture of off-cutters, and the odd quicker one, with the keeper up, and a well set field, demolished our top order.  He took five wickets in his seven overs, and we collapsed from 11 for 0 to 38 for 6, with only Ashleigh Cox making double figures.  He was backed up by three spinners, and a good unit in the field, who held every chance.  Max Boyce made 15, and Archie Halls and Ciaran Johnston enjoyed a first real bat of the season, but we never threatened to reach the target, and wish St Paul's luck in their quarter final against Eton, being played today.

The season is certainly not over, though, and we still have the 20/20 cup to continue, hopefully next week. We also have three more Saturday fixtures, starting with Oundle away this Saturday.

U15 A v New Hall

Wednesday 22^nd May
Result: Felsted won by 74 runs
Review: Felsted 125/7 (20 overs) [H. Hoare 53]
New Hall 51 all out (18.5 overs) [A. Halls 3/10, H. Hoare 2/5]

New Hall arrived early for the quarter final clash, and with high hopes of turning over Felsted on home soil.  With our warm up limited to a few minutes, winning the toss and batting was a big bonus, and Henry Hoare and George Hitchcock got us off to a very bright start, taking 38 from 4 overs.  Then, Hitchcock fell hitting across the line, Ashleigh Cox was caught off a full toss, and Alex Jackson and Ned Potter were not able to give Henry the support he needed.  The run rate began to slow, but with John Brodie chipping in with a breezy 14, and Alex Gilham displaying an assortment of shots in making 13 not out, a reasonable total of 125 was posted.  Henry made 53, his sixth half century in eight innings - a remarkable return, while Max Boyce hit the last ball of the innings for four.  Given the start, and a good pitch, this was below expectations, but gave the bowlers a chance to win the game.  New Hall can be proud of their effort in the field, holding on to all their catches, and bowling competitively.

In the field, it was great to see Archie Halls charging in with the new ball, and his spell of 3 for 10 in 4 overs meant that the game was over as a contest, as New Hall collapsed to 14 for 5.  Two good run outs, and wickets for Hoare (2), Wisbey, Hitchcock and Gilham meant that there was no come back, and it was only a total of 21 extras that allowed New Hall to scrape to 51 all out, for a very comprehensive victory.  The team should be proud of their efforts, and while we still need to be more ruthless with the bat, and cut back significantly on extras, there is some quality coming through in this squad, built around good team work, and a sense that individuals are working for one another.

Player of the match: Archie Halls

U14 B v Bishop's Stortford College

Tuesday 21st May 2013
Result:Lost by 8 runs

Ronan Willis won the toss and elected to bowl first on a grey and overcast afternoon. With the Stortford openers proving difficult to shift it took the introduction of Tom Carrington’s pacers into the attack, to stem the flow of runs. With Tom having removed one of the key Stortford openers with a delivery that pitched on middle stump and hit the top of off, Ronan then brought himself on to bowl. He bowled quick and straight and the Stortford batsmen had no answer to his pacy outswingers. His figures of 5-8 were the best of the season so far but nevertheless, the Stortford total of 117 off 30 overs was an imposing one. Felsted made a brave attempt to chase down the runs with Angus Muir scoring a gutsy 30 and being particularly severe on any short-pitched deliveries. Fergus Cock played some bold shots and both Ben and Tom Carrington contributed good cameos lower down the order but in the end, Felsted fell just 8 runs short of overhauling the Stortford total.