Thongsbridge U11s secure second win of the season

A welcomed reprieve from what had been a fairly moist week, as bright skies and a sun filled forecast welcomed players and parents on Wednesday evening, where Thongsbridge welcomed Holmbridge to Miry Lane for the second instalment of the Under 11s 2021 season.

Buoyant from the previous week’s victory against Armitage Bridge, Thongsbridge had set their eyes on doubling their points in securing another win with the energy in the Thongsbridge camp certainly running high.

Holmbridge, winning the toss, elected to put Thongsbridge into bat; a decision which Thongsbridge’s captain, Theo, admitted he would have made the same call.

Led out by Theo and Max, Thongsbridge’s openers were able to accumulate a respectable 12 runs from the first four overs, and with only losing one wicket. Turning up the pressure on Holmbridge, Noah and Solomon set about notching a further 31 runs on the board for their four overs, finding the boundary on no less than seven occasions, including a splendid, lofted drive from Noah, looping over deep mid-wicket for a one-bounce four. A few maverick, unorthodox shots were required to get some runs off the middle overs, with a number of deliveries struggling to find their way to the batter's crease.

Similarly, Finnan and Bryn found the boundary on a further ten occasions. Both boys made good use of their feet skipping down the track to meet the ball when required, the partnership saw an additional 39 runs being added to the growing Thongsbridge tally. With runs being scored from both ends, both boys batted well with some textbook cover drives and pull shots. In their final over, having executed a full-faced cover drive, Finnan found himself caught at cover, who judging by the fielder’s reactions was as surprised to have caught the ball as the batsman!

Lilly and Ethan faced some top end bowling from Holmbridge, with both batters having their forward defence tested, they performed magnificently and protected their respective wickets with great verve. Whilst Holmbridge picked up two wickets during their partnership, some of the stroke play and determined batting by Lilly and Ethan, especially when it came to picking the length of the ball, helped Thongsbridge grind out a further five runs.

Ben and Mason closed out the innings in style, with some impressive running in between the wickets and good clear calling. Ben unfortunately falling just short of his crease, returning for a quick second, was run out with the last ball of the innings. That aside, both boys showed tremendous determination with the bat and ensured their side managed to creep over the 300 mark.

Thongsbridge 302/6

With the elongated shadows now stretching across the square, Thongsbridge took to the field hopeful they could defend 302. Was the kindly reminder from Noah to their opening bat that he may wish to go back to his kit bag and put on some batting gloves, a sign of things to come...
Theo’s opening spell proved vital in getting Thongsbridge off to a great start, picking up a wicket maiden in the first over. The delayed cheers, as all eyes went to the square leg umpire to see if a no ball on height was going to be called, followed the fullest of deliveries as the ball clattered into off stump dismissing the opposition’s opening batsman for a fourth-ball duck. Max contributed superbly with the ball, restricting the Holmbridge openers and, like his bowling partner, also picking up a wicket maiden in the fourth.

Noah wasted no time at all in ensuring he too was in the wicket’s column, with his first delivery dislodging the middle stump with an in-swinging full toss. Solomon also picked up a further two wickets in the sixth over, with two good length deliveries hitting middle stump. Both boys ensured their express pace continued to apply pressure to the visitors, whose second pair managed to add a further 14 runs.

Setting his eyes on challenging his father’s own impressive figures from the previous weekend (7-26 if you were wondering), Bryn displayed great discipline with the ball. Bowling wicket to wicket, his left arm over proved to ensure the opposing batsmen were unable to score a single run from his two overs, whilst picking up two wickets in the process. In addition to the control of his deliveries, Bryn showed an increasing speed as he worked over the Holmbridge middle order, with one delivery wrapping their batter on the glove requiring her to sadly retire hurt. Finnan too showed great control with the ball, a well-timed change in length led the way to a further wicket for Thongsbridge as he castled the Holmbridge batter mistiming a cover drive. By the end of the tenth over Holmbridge were nine wickets down, and Thongsbridge had firmly set their eyes on victory.

Lilly continued in the same fashion, providing Holmbridge with some testing line and length deliveries. Ethan, on debut for the Thongsbridge Under 11s showed real promise with the ball, finding the stumps on three occasions including a glorious outswinger clipping the top of off stump.

With the earlier shadows all but gone and the fading memory that the sun did indeed shine, Ben set about closing proceedings. Operating with great economy only conceding four runs of his two over, Ben held his nerve testing Holmbridge’s last pair until the end. Called back in for a further over, both Theo and Ethan helped see Thongsbridge home to victory.

Holmbridge 122/13

Thongsbridge secured a further four points, winning by an impressive 189 runs. Another glorious evening of cricket, with boys and girls from both teams playing hard and enjoying themselves along the way. A very well-deserved Player of the Match was awarded to the debut wicket taker Ethan, for very impressive figures of 3-10 from his three overs.

As eyes are cast forward to next week’s cup match against Meltham, Thongsbridge Under 11s should be proud of what they have achieved so far; it was encouraging to see the team continue to bond and support each other in all aspects of the game, firm foundations are certainly being laid.