4th XI Cricket v Westbrook Hay
On Wednesday, the 4th XI hosted Westbrook Hay on a beautiful sunny afternoon. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. Thanks to some disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from The Beacon, scoring proved difficult and Westbrook Hay were restricted to just 39 runs.
After tea, The Beacon began their chase but lost a few early wickets, which kept the run rate under pressure. With only a handful of runs needed in the final over, the match remained finely balanced. However, some quick running between the wickets, combined with an overthrow from the opposition, helped The Beacon reach 42 runs and secure a thrilling victory.
Reported by Mr Walker
Senior 5ths Cricket v Westbrook Hay
On Wednesday afternoon, the Senior 5ths finally got to play some cricket again, following two consecutive weeks where the weather has stopped play. We travelled away to Westbrook Hay, won the toss and elected to bowl first. On a very small pitch, we managed to restrict Westbrook Hay to 67 runs thanks to some fine bowling at the death by Oleg V, who got three wickets in his final over. Kian C and Oliver C also contributed with wickets with Oliver conceding a net total of 0 runs off his two impressive overs.
On the small pitch, our batting really stepped up, and the boys capitalised on the short boundaries, hitting a total of 18 4’s and 16 6’s. Oliver top scored with 34 runs (five 6’s) but everyone contributed by getting into double figures. Our captain for the day – Thomas S, also got in on the boundaries with an impressive three 6’s.
Well done boys.
Reported by Mr Powell
1st XI Cricket v Westbrook Hay
The 1st XI recorded an excellent 30-run victory over Westbrook Hay, although the day got off to an unusual start. After an eventful nature walk in search of the ground, including what was probably the first time many of us have walked across a golf course to get to a cricket fixture, we eventually arrived ready for the match.
The Beacon were invited to bat first on a green top that looked likely to offer plenty for the seam bowlers. Rocco G was promoted to open the batting following some impressive performances in training and repaid the faith with a valuable 16 runs, helping steady the innings after the loss of a couple of early wickets.
The standout performance came from Harry A, who anchored the innings superbly with an unbeaten 46, guiding The Beacon to a competitive total of 106 from their 20 overs.
The bowlers then combined brilliantly to defend the total. With eight different bowlers used throughout the innings, everyone played their part as Westbrook Hay were restricted well short of the target, giving The Beacon a deserved 30-run victory.
Reported by Mr Robinson
U9A Cricket v Aldwickbury
The U9A cricket team enjoyed their first experience of hard ball cricket on Tuesday and produced an excellent performance to secure a thrilling win by just 7 runs in a closely contested match at Aldwickbury.
In the blazing sunshine, we won the toss and elected to bat first. The team showed impressive maturity throughout their 20 overs, losing only four wickets while keeping the scoreboard ticking over consistently to finish on an excellent total of 276. Charlie R and Ollie C led the way with the bat, sharing a superb partnership worth 30 runs, while Dexter B and Hari K displayed great determination and composure towards the end of the innings, finishing with a resolute 17 runs from their 4 overs.
The bowling and fielding efforts were equally impressive. Freddie V-F set the tone early with a wicket and then produced a remarkable diving catch at square leg that would not have looked out of place in the professional game. Behind the stumps, Hugo H and Xander G shared the wicket-keeping duties confidently, conceding only a handful of byes between them.
Aaran A delivered one of the highlights of the innings by taking two wickets in two balls, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick. Khian V also made an immediate impact, claiming a wicket with his very first delivery. Freddie S contributed strongly in the field as well, making an excellent diving stop and taking a fine catch of his own.
Overall, it was a fantastic team performance and a suitable introduction to hard ball cricket for the U9A side. Every player contributed and should be proud of their efforts. Well done, lads!
Reported by Mr Sutcliffe
U10A Cricket v Merchant Taylors
The U10 As produced another excellent performance last Friday afternoon against Merchant Taylors. Batting first, we posted a competitive total of 101 runs. The standout contributions came from Ronan (18) and Teddy (21), but the batting unit performed well throughout. The players ran between the wickets intelligently (mostly!) and kept the scoreboard moving consistently during the innings.
Merchant Taylors made a strong start to their reply and kept pace with the required run rate. One of their batters looked particularly dangerous, playing a number of aggressive shots, until Freddie removed him with an excellent delivery and a fine catch.
Our bowlers then continued to apply pressure and bowled with great discipline as a team. Merchant Taylors were eventually dismissed for 62 in 13.5 overs, giving the U10 As a well deserved victory by 39 runs.
Kian S, Harley G, Milan M, Barney K, Robert P, Bertie H, Ronan W, Aman P, Wilf W , Freddie F, Teddy S-S
Reported by Mr Barnett