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.