1st XI Cricket Tour

Published: 08 July, 2011

With day one of the tour at Bryanston, The Leopards from Cape Town was the first tour T20 match.  The College took a wicket in the first over when a great throw and direct hit by Pavi, fielding in the covers, ran out one of their openers. Henry Bennett bowled the other opener in his first over and then Matt Kidd took a wicket too. The Leopards' were 3 wickets down in the third over and only had 11 on the board. They have a mini recovery then in the 8th over Pasi took the first of his 2 wickets. Pavi's took 2 wickets and Will Chapman and Chris Head one a piece. The Leopards who clearly had not played much T20 were all out for 83 in the last over.

84 should be no major problem but good bowling by The Leopards and perhaps over confidence crept in and the College, after the 3rd over with the score on 19, lost regular wickets and the pressure mounted. George Stephenson and Matt Kidd steadied the ship before Kidd was out in the 8th over, Callum Cload's wretched luck continued and then Pavi and George put on another 19. They both got out, as did Alex Hill, leaving Will Dickinson supported by Will Chapman to smash the winning runs. The College won by 3 wickets in the 14th over.

The second T20 match was against Bryanston - the College's third meeting with them this season. Ben Ladd scored 57 to give them the base for a reasonable score 133-8 off their 20 overs. With injuries mounting, George Stephenson took 2 wickets as did Henry Bennett and Pavi. The fielding was good but not quite as good. After a few words, normality resumed to the batting. Henry Bennett and Pasi put on 60 in 10 overs before Bennett was well caught, Pasi and Matt Kidd scored 68 before Pasi was run out. Kidd finished 45 not out and George Stephenson 5 no, the College winning in the last over. A well paced chase.  After the first of our three BBQs in 24 hours it was off to Devine House and Clayesmore.

Day 2 Clayesmore. Nets and a warm up, there are a few injuries and tiredness after a late night. Clayesmore have indicated that they are not strong and so we bat in the first of our two declaration tour games. The players decide to change the batting order, never a good idea and on a slow low wicket on which the ball has to be watched, played forward and straight, some players' technique is found wanting. The first two wickets are LBWs then Matt Kidd plays at a wide one and is caught behind and Henry Bennett is bowled. 100 - 4 off 21 overs. Alex Hill, at last finding some touch is then out with the score on 106 and Pavi doesn't bat to orders and follows shortly. All the time George Stephenson bats very sensibly, watchful and accumulating runs and with Pasi's help they take the score to 222 off 44 overs when Nelson strikes. During their 117 partnership George completes his 50 as does Pasi who is then out for 56.  George Stephenson completes his second fifty to end up 100 not out, with Will Dickinson looking on, in 17 balls and Alex Hill declares in the 47th over with the score on 277-7. It was a super knock; very mature and typical of George. 277 very challenging if the College bowl well.

The first few overs are not particularly eventful.  The score is 25-2 with Chris Head having taken the wickets. Leg side then off side wides follow and then a straight one and Chris gets a wicket and more wickets. Alex rings the changes. Alex Meredith has no luck but the introduction of Pavi and Henry speeds up Clayesmore's decline as they bowl really well in tamden. Pavi finishes with figures of 6-5-4-4 and Henry 5-2-1-11. However the star man who did the initial damage was the Iceman, with the cool figures of 10-1-5-32, his best bowling figures for the school. The College won by 200 runs.

Day 3 at Queens Taunton. Merrick Steward ties Henry down and eventually bowls him, and Matt Kidd miss-times a shot and is caught. 31-2 off 13 overs. George Stephenson the batter of the day before is then LBW on the back leg to Queens' leg arm spinner who bowls 20 overs, and he also bowls Will Chapman's and ends his patient innings. Alex Hill however looks assured and assisted by others scores an excellent 69 to give the College the basis of a decent score on this type of pitch. At lunch, most welcome in the pavilion the in demand Alex Hill nips off to have a telephone interview with the BBC. So 183 off 58.1 overs, slow by the College's standards but there was some grafting for a change and it is a difficult pitch.

With bowlers injured and Alex Meredith losing his shoes, Chris Head opens with Pasi who struggles again with his back. Fourth ball Chris gets Lintott to skew a pull and Luke Dickinson takes a good catch over his shoulder at mid on. A good wicket and everyone is elated. Will Steward bats aggressively, too so on this pitch, and he takes another Head short ball on and pulls it to deep square leg where George takes a great diving catch very low down in his finger tips. Soon Bennett and Pavi are introduced and Henry probably bowls one of his best spells for the College as does Pavi.  In 23 overs they take 8 wickets, 4 each and bowl 13 maidens for 31 runs and Queens innings expires on 79. A fantastic performance and a brilliant end to a fabulous tour; The College won the intense match by 79 runs.