U11’s Burbage ‘2’ v Wilcot – 12th June 2022 (League game 1 of 8)
Match Report: 2 lives format, with players returning for their second life after 10 lives have been lost.
10 Wilcot players travelled to Burbage today for our first league game of the season with the team captained for the first time by Bear Scott-Donaldson and Mr Oscar Warburg deputising as Vice-Captain. Under sunny skies Burbage won the toss and elected to put Wilcot into bat.
With Burbage fielding what looked like a very strong bowling attack it was down to our openers, Bertie Perrins and Max Manning, to weather the early storm. Bertie got the scoreboard ticking with a run off the first ball, followed by a 4 from Max and Wilcot finished the over with 7 for no loss, an auspicious start. Unfortunately, the last ball of the following over saw Bertie (3) out to a very rare and unlucky (at this level) LBW. Bear entered the fray and a good second wicket partnership with Max saw the two regularly rotate the strike until the 6th over when Max was bowled for 21. Oscar joined Bear at the crease and proved a steady hand and as they moved the score up to 61 in the 10th over before Oscar (7) was run out by his partner that would have left Usain Bolt shaking his head on the way back to the pavilion…… Bear followed the next over having been bowled for 20 (probably due to encouragement from the coaches to ‘up the run rate’!).
Freddy and Bert steadied the ship over the next 4 overs before Freddy (9) was bowled, shortly followed by Bert (8), again after much encouragement to up the run rate. The final overs saw George (3 no) and Max (returning for his 2nd life) push the score to 103-1 (10 lives lost – I know, confusing isn’t it…). With Burbage only conceding 25 extras and displaying some very tight fielding, the score appeared around 20 runs below par. However, a motivational speech by our Head of Youth and a pep talk from the coaches left the players hollering as they left the changing room!
With Bear and Bertie opening the bowling, they managed to restrict Burbage to just 8 runs from the first two overs before Bear took the first wicket with his first ball of the 3rd over – an LBW (two in one match??!?!). Zeb and Oscar took over the bowling and along with some very tight fielding, both took a wicket apiece leaving Burbage on 35-3 in the 8th over, 19 runs behind Wilcot at the same stage. A run out in the 10th over and the match looked to be swinging Wilcots way! Jasper added another wicket in 13th over (another LBW!) and Burbage were 32 runs behind at the same stage of Wilcots innings.
Unfortunately, the entrance of the second Baldwin sibling for Burbage proved very costly and suddenly the bowlers were being dispatched to all corners of the ground..2,4,1,1,4,2,4,1,2,4… before Baldwin.G retired on 25no. After the penultimate over, Burbage required just 6 runs to win. The captain took responsibility for the final over and proceeded to take another LBW (umpire Andy taking the record for most LBWs given in an U11 match.) with his first ball. 2 dots followed before a 1 was scored and then a wide (all extras were agreed to be re-bowled in the final over), this left the score at 101 with 2 balls to come. The penultimate ball saw Burbage try to snatch a single, only for Max to whip the bails off for a run out and leaving the opposition requiring 2 to draw off the final ball or still 3 for the win. Last ball……dot! A fine Wilcot win and again down to a great Wilcot team effort that for much of the game could have easily gone either way. The match was played in very good spirits by both teams and Burbage were great hosts and gracious in defeat. Well done all!!
Man of the match: Bear did very well to take the most wickets (2-10) and second most runs (20) but Max gets the MOM award for most runs (22), combined with giving away 0 byes as the keeper – I’ve never seen a clean sheet at U11 level previously!!
RSD