Week 33 Sports Report

Merchant Taylor’s Cricket Festival (3rd Place)

The boys walked out the pavilion on to the main square at Merchant Taylor’s to play the hosts in the opening game of the group stage. The Beacon fielded first and managed to keep MTs Prep down to a total of 232 (starting on 200), with some excellent bowling from captain Hanish P, Maxwell S and Oliver F, who took two wickets in his over. With some courageous batting and boundaries from Alex S-W and Zaid M, the boys looked like they had a chance to top the total. The runs slowed down towards the end and MTs took some crucial wickets (-5 runs) to bring us 7 runs short of their total.

The boys did not let their heads drop. The next game against Durston House, in true Beacon fashion, they turned things around. The dot balls from the previous match were turned into quick singles and the scoreboard kept ticking over. Henry Leather hit some brilliant pull shot 4s down leg side, and with some steady the ship batting from James T, the boys pulled together a total of 237 (enough for a bonus point!). With an opening bowling attack of Oliver K and Henry Lawrence, Durston House struggled to get the ball off the square. This early lack of runs continued throughout the innings and The Beacon took the win by 16 runs.

The final group game was a must win, against Claire’s Court. The boys were sent into bat first and with Oliver K and Zaid M opening the batting, they got off to a flying start, scoring 27 off their two overs as a pair. The runs kept on coming and The Beacon finished on 253 (two bonus points). The bowling followed suit, with Henry Leather going for 1 run off his over, making sure the opposition had a lot to do in the last few overs. Jame T kept wicket superbly, making sure no runs were lost to byes and kept the score down further. The boys won by 36 runs. Unfortunately, this was not enough to finish 1st in the group, so the boys qualified for the 3rd place play off against York House.

The Beacon were sent into bat to try to set a total large enough total to seal them a bronze medal. The opposition were strong and run count showed for it. It all changed with the 3rd pairing of Oliver F and Henry L coming in and hitting 24 runs off their two overs, without losing a wicket. This set the tone for the rest of the game. A total of 238 runs was accumulated and the chase was on! The boys felt the pressure early in the innings, but managed to settle the nerves from some excellent bowling by Maxwell S and Alex S-W. York House needed 6 runs to win off the last over. In came Hanish P, who managed to keep them down to 5 runs. The game was a draw… or so we thought. The ruling of the competition stated that the team that scored the most boundaries would win. The Beacon had scored 6 to York House’s 3. The boys had done it, they had finished 3rd out of 8, in a tough cohort.

The boys kept their heads up high through a long, tiring day of back-to-back cricket and managed to come out to win it at the death. A great effort all round. Well done boys!

Reported by Mr Stansfield 

Xander B Secures Back-to-Back IAPS Titles with Stunning U12 50m Freestyle Victory

London, June 8, 2024 — Xander B, representing The Beacon School, delivered an outstanding performance at the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) Championships, winning the U12 50m freestyle final with a remarkable time of 28.21 seconds. The event took place at the iconic London Aquatics Centre, where Xander showcased his prowess in the pool and cemented his status as a rising star in youth swimming.

Throughout the morning session, Xander maintained a relaxed and confident demeanor, setting the stage for his impressive showing. His strong start in the heats, where he clocked in at 28.48 seconds, positioned him as a formidable contender for the final race. This initial performance was a clear indication of his skill and preparation.

As the final commenced, the excitement in the London Aquatics Centre was intense. Xander’s focus and determination were evident as he surged through the water with impeccable technique. He finished the race with a time of 28.21 seconds, securing the gold medal and reaffirming his exceptional talent.

This victory marks a significant achievement for Xander, making him a back-to-back IAPS champion. Last year, he triumphed in the U11 50m backstroke, and his transition to freestyle has been seamless, showcasing his versatility and growth as a swimmer. Winning consecutive titles at such a young age highlights his dedication and potential for future success in the sport.

The Beacon School and its community have every reason to be proud of Xander’s accomplishments. His ability to perform under pressure, coupled with his consistent improvement, is a testament to his hard work and the support from his coaches and family.

The London Aquatics Centre, known for hosting high-profile swimming competitions, provided a fitting venue for Xander’s triumph. The state-of-the-art facilities and the enthusiastic crowd added to the event’s prestige and excitement.

His back-to-back wins at the IAPS Championships not only highlight his exceptional talent but also inspires his peers to keep working hard towards their own personal goals.

Congratulations to Xander B on his phenomenal performance and well-deserved victory at the IAPS Championships! His journey in swimming continues to be one to watch, with many more successes undoubtedly on the horizon. I look forward to seeing Xander compete in IAPS next year and potentially running it back for a third time in a row.

Reported by Mr Harris

Under9B2 Vs Berkhamsted

The England cricket team might well be struggling to score a run or take a wicket, let alone win a game, at the t20 world cup… but it appears the mighty U9B2 cricket team are having no such trouble, following their win over Berkhamsted on Tuesday. Bowling first the lads immediately put Berko under pressure with tight lines from Eshaan M and Arjun S. The good work continued with Harry H who only went for 3 runs in his 9 ball over and Emir D who took two excellent wickets. However, the pick of the bowlers was Bastian B who in his 9 balls went for precisely no runs. His first Maiden? Possibly. His last? Definitely not.

So, the boys target was 32 runs. If they kept wickets in hand, they would be fine.  And they were…

James NS steered the ball to all parts of the outfield, while Sonny M (who bowled well on debut) made some lusty blows. Shayan P batted like an experienced professional toying with an apprentice in the nets, while Dexter R completed a fine game with excellent shot selection and some good running between the wickets. According to my Maths, and there is a good reason I am not a maths teacher, the boys won by 26 runs.

Despite the drizzle, good fun was had by all. Well done, lads.

Reported by Mr Williams 

(U12C’s) Cricket Match Away at MT’s

On Wednesday afternoon, the U12C’s took the trip to MT’s and after making the small trek to the furthest away pitch on their vast series of pitches, we settled into the match. The boys were put into bat first and throughout our innings, the loss of wickets kept our score from building. We finished with 38 runs but the loss of 16 wickets, with each wicket loss taking 5 runs off our total, meant we had our work cut out for us when bowling.

The boys bowled well and got a total of 10 wickets but towards the end, MT’s upped the run rate and finished with 108 runs.

Some of the highlights of the day included Nikolay’s aggressive batting (finished on 16 runs) and his caught and bowled, Patrick getting his first wicket, Tom’s excellent captaincy and Andrey getting a wicket with what might possibly be his last ever ball to bowl for The Beacon – some super memories.

Well done, boys.

Reported by Mr Powell