Well done to all our cricketers in matches with Farleigh, Prince’s Mead and Elstree last week. It has been fantastic to hear the stories coming back from the games, more of which follow in the match reports below.
STOP PRESS: Avoiding the temptation to pass Guildford for the West Surrey Athletics and continue up to Nottingham for the final day of the exciting test match between England and New Zealand, Osamede A and Seb N have qualified for the National Athletics finals at the Pingles Stadium, Nuneaton on Monday 4 July. Osamede won U13 boys’ shot and discus and Seb won the U13 boys 800m to qualify – well done both!
We have also had athletics at Farleigh and Walhampton and swimming at the new leisure centre at Bar End. These were all first editions since the end of the pandemic.
First of all, I just wanted to let you know that Alan Whitman, Head of Cricket, is retiring at the end of term. I will be writing more fully about him, but Alan came to us having run sport at Stroud School for many years. Here, he has coached teams across our main games and, in particular, has been our Head of Cricket and 1st XI coach. His passion for sport and encouraging players in his care is always apparent and his love for cricket, himself a player with St Cross, is hard to rival. He will be sorely missed. Alan is looking forward to travelling, fly-fishing, more time with his wife and three daughters, and I dare say enjoy probably a bit of cricket here and there. We will be sorry to say goodbye to Alan.
Swimming
A team of four Year 6 boys competed with 26 Winchester and district primary schools in a relays gala on Friday morning. Daniel D, Arthur H, Olly P and George S progressed through the heats in both medley and freestyle finals to come third in both events overall – congratulations!
The Pilgrims’ swimmers proudly showing off their rosettes at the sparkly new leisure centre in Winchester.
Athletics
On Friday afternoon, a team of seniors competed at Farleigh. All Pilgrims did fantastically well with standout performances from Seb N in the 800m and Osamede in the 100m and shot.
The following morning, some junior athletes made the journey through the New Forest to Lymington for the Junior Wessex athletics meeting. Teams from 28 schools across the south were present. Archie W (200m), Elliot N (hurdles) and the Year 4 relay team were finalists and Harry C produced a stunning long jump to take 4th place.
Athletes at the Junior Wessex at Walhampton School.
Fencing
In amongst all this, fencers Bertie C attended the English National Fencing Championships. Bertie did really well, beating competitors seeded higher than him but eventually losing to the eventual bronze winner. The following day Leo L, Kevin G, David L and Teddy E were also in action.
All fought well and learned much of value in the tactics and strategies involved in the sport.
Leo, Kevin, David and Teddy at the English National Fencing Championships.
The cricket this week:
Wednesday 15 Jun 2022
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2nd XI
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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Colts B XI
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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Colts C XI
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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Foals A XI
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Farleigh School
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Home | Bailey
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14:30
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Foals B XI
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Farleigh School
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Home | Wolvesey
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14:30
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Foals C XI
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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U9A
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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U9 Sandstorm
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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U9 Seawolves
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:30
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Friday 17 Jun 2022
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U8A
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:45
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U8 Scorchers
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:45
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U8 Storm
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Farleigh School
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Away
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14:45
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Match reports from Wednesday 8 June
1st XI v Farleigh U12A
25 Over Match
Pilgrims’ 140 all out Ollie M 38, Harrison K 30*, Thomas R 27
Farleigh 109-3
Pilgrims’ Won by 31 Runs
After losing a wicket to the first ball of the match the boys recovered briefly as Ollie went about his business with a succession of boundaries. We kept losing wickets, but we maintained a healthy run rate, Ollie (38) perished to an excellent catch in the deep but Thomas R kept nudging and nurdling his way to 27. Harrison K (30*) played an exciting innings as he kept the scoreboard ticking over, including a glorious straight six back over the bowler's head. We lost wickets regularly in the last five overs, which always slows the run rate but posted a total of 140 all out.
Laurie S and James Z immediately put the squeeze on the Farleigh openers only conceding four runs in the first four overs and taking one wicket. George C and Silas K continued the good work as Farleigh struggled to gain any momentum. With the required run rate climbing, Ollie M rotated his bowlers and set attacking fields to encourage more stroke play from the batsmen. Nine bowlers were used, who all bowled tidily and kept the batting effort contained to a total of 109-3 from their 25 overs, falling 31 runs short. AW
What a place for cricket!
4th XI v Farleigh U12B XI
20 over match
Farleigh 87 for 6 (Matteo L 1-3, Hector W 1-6)
Pilgrims' 90-3 (Giovanni S 15*, Rohan F 10*, Christopher H 10*, Timothée H 8*, Alex H 8*)
Pilgrims' won by 7 wickets
Batting first, the Farleigh XI got off to a steady start. The first wicket came from skipper for the afternoon, Charlie P, bowling full to their batsman who spooned it up to Timothée, waiting at short mid-on. Giovanni took the next with a super caught and bowled. Hector, bowling very economically was next, bowling the next batsman leaving Farleigh on 31 for 3.
They steadied the ship before a flurry of three wickets in five balls: Matteo’s sharp run out, as he fielded his bowling, taking the bails of the backing up non-striker; the next batsman played Matteo’s next ball on to his stumps and the third came from a lovely straight delivery from Timothée.
This proved to be the last of the wickets, though, as Farleigh soldiered on to 87. The 4ths then put in a good batting performance, keeping the scoreboard ticking with quick singles. The opportunity was taken to retire batsmen and work through the batting order, although Farleigh did take three wickets through the innings. Alex H hit the winning runs in style – a 4 pulled to backward square leg. Cue boundary celebrations! AJS
Colts A v Prince's Mead
20 overs
Pilgrims' 118/4 from 20 overs (Aditya S. 32 ret.; Sam Q. 31*; Edward B. 24)
Prince's Mead 70 all out from 12.1 overs (6/7)
Pilgrims' won by 48 runs
Pilgrims' got off to a slightly shaky start against some fast and accurate bowling; however, an excellent 40-run partnership between Edward and Aditya and later with Sam, saw Pilgrims' gain control of the match posting a competitive 118 on a large pitch. Prince's Mead started brightly with the bat, bludgeoning 16 off the first over, but the fourth over saw Pilgrims’ cement control in this fixture with Sam claiming four wickets in the over, including a hat-tick! Prince's Mead did not manage to build on their positive start, which gave almost every Pilgrim the opportunity to bowl an over. This was a convincing win over a talented Prince's Mead team. AA
Colts B v Prince’s Mead
Pairs Match
Match Drawn
Pilgrims’ bowled reasonably well to restrict Prince’s Mead to 272 runs off their allotted overs. Although there were no wickets taken, there were significantly fewer no balls and wides bowled, which augurs well for the remaining matches of the season.
The Pilgrims’ response was swift, but the loss of quick wickets towards the end of the innings caused what appeared to be a sure victory to slip away. And then the rain arrived, which put paid to the match, and left Pilgrims’ needing 8 more runs to win (which never came). The match was declared a draw. CXC
Colts C v Farleigh
Pairs Match
Lost by 27 runs
Pilgrims’ managed very well with a squad of just 6 players! It was agreed that Pilgrims' would bay first, and they chipped away slowly getting the odd run here and there and a few wides in our favour. Alfie W batted particularly well and took our total to 235. After tea, Pilgrims’ bowled well and the scores were close, until a Farleigh batter took to the crease and scored some superb boundaries, easing ahead to take the win. A great afternoon which the boys all enjoyed. Well done chaps. JB
A moment of celebration / anguish from George S in front of the keep – he'll have to let us know which it was!
Foals A v Prince's Mead
Pilgrims' 125-4 (Charles N 32* Freddie S 18*) (20 overs)
Prince's Mead 102 all out (Zach M 3-18, Rian D 2-6) (19.4 overs)
Pilgrims' won by 21 runs
At St Cross we had a great match that went the distance, with a result that was much closer than first thought. Batting first, we played very well with Charles scoring a rapid 32* before retiring. Alfie was also retired, as was Freddie. This gave an opportunity to most of the rest of the team. 125 was a good score, and only losing 4 wickets in 20 overs was a great effort.
Debutant Zach had a great bowling game, taking 3 wickets in his first A team match - super stuff. However, the bowling overall was not as good as previous games, with too many deliveries far too wide of the stumps. This allowed PM to score well and with 5 overs left they threatened to win the match. A good catch by Max and a run out from Charles and Rian really sparked the team who then took the remaining wickets quickly towards the end.
Batting: A-, Bowling: C+. Two more games to really keep the momentum going. MDS
Foals B v Prince's Mead
Prince's Mead (171-4)
Pilgrims' (180-3)
Pilgrims' Won by 7 wickets (Pairs – 12 overs played)
A second home game on New Piece, a second straight victory for the mighty B team. This week’s incredible pairs game saw a great improvement in the team who have been working hard on their attacking shots in the nets and in practice sessions. It was great to see a number of fours hit by Charlie, Chenhan, Ennis and James, as well as great communication between the batters when running between the wickets. This match came with our first run-out for Charlie behind the stumps and special mention should be given to Cole, who was awarded player-of-the-match by the opposition for some demon bowling in the ‘death-overs’. An excellent victory, well done boys. CAL
U9 A v Farleigh
100 balls
Lost by 56 runs
The U9 A’s played their first hardball match for the school on Wednesday afternoon. Farleigh batted sensibly, running well between the wickets and picking off any loose delivery. Pilgrims’ bowled well, Elliot N and Boris H were very economical. Farleigh posted a strong 136 after their 100 balls. I was really proud of each of our batsmen, valuing their wicket and watching the ball well. Edward W and Christian B gave us a solid base as they nudged the score board along. Despite our efforts, we fell slightly short but can take a lot of confidence from that display. Great work, boys! MTG
U9 Seawolves v Farleigh
Lost by 4 runs
A fantastically close game of cricket, that came down to the final ball, was enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, Farleigh pipped us to the post, but this was an incredibly pleasing performance from all the boys. Each batsman contributed to our run total, and our confidence is growing with the bat in hand. There is still room for improvement, especially with regards to calling for runs. Most pleasing was our bowling. Every single player has improved their accuracy recently, with Will W and Alfie H demonstrating that they are dangerous bowler and assets to the team. It was great to see that the boys hard work in games lessons is transferring into our matches. Great work boys! TMH
Under 9 Sandstorm v Farleigh
Farleigh 284 (Seb W 3 for 10)
Pilgrims’ 214 (Harry C 16*)
Farleigh won the toss and selected to bat first, and came out the blocks with a strong start, scoring 33 runs in their first 3 overs between the first pair. Pilgrims' bowling well in the first 9 overs not conceding too many runs and forcing 3 wickets. Within the last 6 overs, Pilgrims' conceded a further 66 runs allowing Farleigh's innings to end at 284.?
The first two pairs of Pilgrims' batsmen struggled to find a sense of rhythm, losing 4 wickets in the first 3 overs and a further 2 in the following 3 overs. Runs came in dribs and drabs, however, not as fast as what the boys would have wanted. Facing a decent bowling attack Pilgrims', from a batting perspective, struggled with poor decision-making between the stumps losing unnecessary wickets from bad decisions, resulting in run-outs and a loss of runs. All in all, a disappointing result, but for some individuals there would be positives to take away from the match. ?JU
Match reports from Thursday 9 June
U9 A v Prince's Mead
Prince's Mead 240
Pilgrims’ 286 (pairs – 16 overs)
Pilgrims’ won by 46 runs
What a performance! Pilgrims’ U9 A’s grabbed the opportunity of another match day and where able to show everyone the hard work they have put in. Pilgrims’ fielded first, giving Prince's Mead very little to work with. Barney S was electric, he had the ball under his spell the whole game; proving very difficult to get away and taking a blinding one-handed catch! Every boy played their part in the field, either stopping the ball or in their over(s). The team went into bat with confidence. We started positively and kept the momentum going. Archie W was the pick of our extraordinary batting display. He played with a good balance of technique and power. A well-deserved victory; on to the next! MTG
U9 Sandstorm v Prince’s Mead
Pilgrims’ 300 (10 overs)
PM 22
Pilgrims’ won by 25 runs
Batting first on Bailey, the Sandstorm team batted consistently well, with all pairs getting positive runs. This, with combined only losing two wickets, meant we posted a good score in few overs. Runs off the bat were scarce as we were helped by a fair number of wides and no balls.
In reply, we were much less generous, and PM found it hard to score. Although their best batters found the boundary, our much tighter lines meant we restricted the run scoring very well, to win quite easily in the end. A great first win. MDS
U9 Seawolves vs Prince's Mead
Pilgrims’ 296
PM 254
Pilgrims’ won by 42 runs
An excellent afternoon's cricket form both sides which entertained and was of a terrific standard. Pilgrims' batted first and got off to a solid start with Daniel and Davis scoring 21 from the first two overs. The match was to take on a more exciting vibe as Sasha and George came into bat and scored 31 of their 2 overs. Mr Rainer decided we did not need to watch 20/20 as this was pure entertainment in itself. Nicholas and Hugo contributed a solid 16 before Alexander and James hit 32 off the final 2 overs.
In some ways a daunting task for the opposition. It was to be made harder with some good bowling and Davis got two wickets in two balls! Nicholas also weighed in with a wicket from his first ball. Overall, a clear win but more importantly an enjoyable afternoon.
As impressive as the result was, the behaviour and courtesy of the Pilgrims’ boys was commented on by our opposition staff. This was evident from the outset. We had 8 players and they had 7. Mr Rainer asked if someone would field for the opposition when we batted, so the sides were of an equal number. Without a moment's hesitation James volunteered and had an excellent day for both sides. This, applauding the team in when they came to bat, and offering commiserations for their loss demonstrated how thoughtful and sporting our boys are. While we may expect nothing less, it was nonetheless encouraging to see. Well done all. TWR
U9 Sixers v Prince's Mead
Prince's Mead 253-3
Pilgrims' 262-1
Pilgrims' won by 9 runs
Prince’s Mead won the toss and chose to bat first. Pilgrims' had a decent attempt at their bowling innings, only conceding 20 runs off extras such as wides and no balls. Ralph M taking two wickets in his over, showing his confidence with the ball in hand, keeping the batting team under pressure, helping Pilgrims’ limit Prince’s Mead to 253.?
With the target set, Pilgrims' came into bat. Alfie H and Ralph M opening the batting innings with a bang. scoring 21 in two overs. Wilfred S came in for the second pair putting on a class act batting performance, scoring 19 runs in his two overs with partner Alfie O scoring 7. Pilgrims' used the slow balls to their advantage, putting away slower deliveries and making accurate decisions between the stumps. With 3 overs, Pilgrims' reached the target of 253 and overall scoring 262 in their innings.?JU?
U8A v Prince’s Mead
Pairs Match
Lost by 27 runs
With much excitement, we rocked up at Prince’s Mead for this carnival of cricket matches, with all the Year 4 and 3 in action, home and away. Galvanizing ourselves for the task in hand (that’s the umpires!), we bowled first, producing some pleasing cricket. Rio was extremely economical, giving away just one run from his over. We didn’t take many wickets and Prince’s Mead progressed to 263, from a 200 run start.
In reply, we enjoyed our batting at the crease. The teamwork in calling a run and actually taking one were tested and this is something we can work on. The partnership of Rio and Finley was highly productive, with the boundary being found time and time again. The difference in the scores being we gave away more wickets at minus five runs a pop than the opposition. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all, not least eating hot dogs for match tea. AJS
U8 Scorchers v Prince’s Mead
Pairs Match
Lost by 32 runs
This was an enjoyable afternoon where the boys learned a lot! Batting first, Pilgrims' got off to a very good start with Jacob S and Harry L scoring well in their partnership. Prince's Mead bowled very well and made it tricky for our boys to score too heavily, however. After a short break it was Pilgrims’ turn to bowl, all boys gave their best and are still learning the game so needed guiding through, but the focus and concentration of the boys in the field was excellent. Edward Z was very close to claiming his first wicket and Jacob S proved he is a god all-rounder with some excellent bowling. Well done to all boys! JB
U8 Storm vs Prince’s Mead
Pairs Match
Lost by 9 runs
The U8 boys spent a lovely afternoon at Prince’s Mead and learnt some valuable lessons about cricket, and the manner in which the game is approached. The pairs format is well-suited to young cricketers and emphasises teamwork.
The Pilgrims’ boys bowled first, and Prince’s Mead set a target of 245 runs for our boys to reach. The runs came steadily, however, the Pilgrims’ boys displayed a lot of bowling potential.
The Pilgrims’ batting pairs exhibited a lot of grit and managed to score 236 runs in response to the hosts’ total. Benjy and Daniel made a commendable contribution of 19 runs in their innings to help the Pilgrims’ boys along.
Although the boys lost this fixture, some valuable lessons about the importance of sustained attention and effort were learnt. Well done, boys. CXC
Match reports from Saturday 11 June
1st XI v Elstree
25 Over Match
Elstree 100-4
Pilgrims’ 101-7 (Ollie M 24, Thomas R 23, Harrison K 17)
Pilgrims’ won by 3 wickets
Our boys gave themselves a foothold in this match and swung the win predictor firmly in their favour with a superb bowling display in the first fifteen overs. Laurie S removed an opener with a swinging delivery that found the edge and was well snaffled at slip by Ollie M. Laurie finished with 1 for 3 from three overs. George C, Silas K and Archie C all bowled excellent spells, and picked up a couple more wickets, restricting Elstree to 40-3 from fifteen overs. Teddy M and Ollie continued the attack, Ollie particularly economic from his five overs, taking 1-13. Elstree did manage to up their run rate to six an over for the last ten overs as they took more and more risks. Excellent intensity in the field kept the lid on their effort to thrash some late runs. Their total of 100 was, we thought, below par.
Requiring four runs an over we just needed to occupy the crease and bat the full allotment of overs. We lost George in the first over chasing a wide one and edging to the keeper. Frustrating, as we had scored seven already from the over and didn’t need to take risks. We had 45-2 after 10 overs, and ground our way to 71-2 after fifteen as Ollie and Thomas R batted sensibly together. Needing thirty runs from ten overs with eight wickets in hand, the equation seemed straight forward. However, in sport, nothing can be taken for granted until you’ve got over the line. We then lost five wickets for twenty-five in five overs; with the score on 71, Ollie went for 24, unfortunate playing on to his own stumps. Ten runs later, Thomas departed for 23. Two more wickets went down cheaply, however Harrison K was scoring freely with a breezy 17. He was bowled playing a rash shot, but he had got us to 95-7 leaving us five overs to score six runs. Enter James Z and Laurie, who, without any further scares and impressive composure, nudged the remaining runs to secure the win with three overs to spare.
2nd XI v Elstree
20 overs
Elstree 101 all out (Mayin D 14 for 4, Ollie R 8-2)
Pilgrims’ 104 for 1 (Rory K 34, Henry S 33no, Jinmo K 24no)
Pilgrims’ won by 9 wickets
What a strange, but ultimately very satisfying game! The flow of the game seldom seemed to make much sense; whenever one side seemed on top, the game seemed to flow in the opposite direction.
Elstree won the toss and elected to bat. Their strong opening partnership began well, but they were greatly helped by some dozy fielding, and after 8 overs Elstree were 48 for none - a mammoth score seemed on the cards. However, our bowling was good and the introduction of Ollie R (8 for 2) and particularly Mayin D (14-4) checked Elstree, and despite some lusty hitting, we managed to restrict them to 101 all out.
In reply, things looked comfortable for a while, Henry S (33no) and Rory K (34) were running along nicely at 45-0 off 8. However, some tight bowling saw the pair only get to 54 by the end of the 12th over; and then disaster, a wicket! Might the game turn? There certainly were some nerves. Jinmo K (24no) and Henry’s start was not auspicious, but after Jimmo survived being out off a front foot no ball, the pair settled well and saw us home easily in the end with two overs to spare.
A wonderful win, but a curious performance! Entertaining stuff. ASD
3rd XI v Elstree
20 overs
Elstree 145-7
Pilgrims’ 110-4 (Ray C 46*, Charles L 20)
Pilgrims’ lost by 35 runs
In many ways, this was a fairly untypical Pilgrims’ 3rd XI performance! We lost the toss and were asked to bowl first which typically suits us well. However, we were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field from start to finish and failed to take any of the chances that came our way. There were some good bowling performances in patches, but we were too wayward, too often and leaked runs at quite a rate. Chasing 145 was always going to be a big ask, but the boundary was short and the outfield was quick, so it was a good day to go for it. Openers Charles L and Monty W started briskly and the run chase looked momentarily on, until Charles got a good ball to be bowled out for 20 and Monty was caught for a belligerent 13. We then had some fireworks, and special mention must go to Ray C who came in at 3 and played a magnificent innings, defending the good balls and letting his hands go if the ball was there to be hit. By the end, Ray was seeing it like a beach ball, hitting three magnificent 6s along the way to finish with a mighty 46*. Sadly, it was too little, too late, but the boys made a really good fight of it. It does, however, highlight the importance of taking your chances when they come and fielding sharply, as this was one we could have won had we been a bit more switched on at the start. Lots of positives though and a keenly competed game – well done to all. WD
Colts A v Elstree
20 overs
Pilgrims 109 all out from 20 overs (Sam Q. 58*)
Elstree 110/8 from 20 overs (Sam Q. 2/7)
Pilgrims' lost by 2 wickets
Pilgrims’ start was considered in this match, with both openers happy to get their eye in and see of the opening bowlers. A flurry of wickets between the 4th and 7th overs, saw some pressure build on Pilgrims', but the in-form Sam batted brilliantly with Edward B to eek out a hugely valuable 44-run partnership, with Sam going on to make an unbeaten 58. A series of unnecessary run-outs thwarted the Pilgrims’ charge, but 109 seemed just about defendable. Elstree came out of the blocks quickly, but some tight bowling from Sam tightened things up. From here on, this was a match which ebbed and flowed with Elstree always just in touching distance of the gradually increasing run-rate. There were some missed chances along the way, but Pilgrims' remained positive and managed to take the game into the last over, with Elstree needing 7 runs for victory, which they just managed with a hastily run single off the last ball. A spectacular match, which was a shame not to win, but credit to the team for managing got make Elstree fight right to the end. AA
Colts B v Elstree
Elstree 175/1 (William I. 1/12)
Pilgrims’ 81 all out (19 overs) (Neil C. 28 & Ben A. 9)
Despite the result, the Colts Bs can feel very proud of their efforts against Elstree this past week. Elstree elected to bat first and set a formidable target of 175/1. William I (1/12) took the only wicket of the innings off a fullish slow ball. There were some fine examples of stroke-play, and our opponents are to be commended for a fine performance.
The Pilgrims’ boys put on arguably one of their better batting performances on the day, with notable contributions coming from Neil C (28), who struck four beautiful boundaries as part of his knock; as well as Ben A (9). Ben played a very sensible innings and was a key anchor for the Bs. Wickets fell at regular intervals though, and our opposition were just a bit too strong on the day.
Our boys were tenacious and did not simply roll over to a stronger team, and some valuable lessons were learnt about keeping your chin up in tough situations. Well done, boys. CXC
Foals A v Elstree
20 Over Match
Pilgrims’ 137-3 (Rian D 31*, Freddie S 32*)
Elstree 106-6 (Freddie S 3-2)
Pilgrims’ won by 31 runs
A fine innings by Rian opening, and Freddie ay number 3, saw Pilgrims’ reach a very healthy score by the half-way point. Both boys with a lovely straight bat and looked the real deal. The boys after them kept the scoreboard ticking over with a few big shots, and we reached out highest score of the season. A real team effort.
In reply, Elstree openers looked to smash the ball to all parts of the park. We didn’t panic though, knowing that one wicket would make a difference. Sure enough, Freddie took two in one over and after that the rest of the team kept matters under control. Some good fielding and taking regular wickets meant we squeezed and squeezed until Elstree ran out of puff.
A great result and another indicator of how far the boys in Year 5 have come. MDS
Foals B XI v Elstree
Pilgrims' 107-2
Elstree 98-3 (18 Overs, Hardball Pairs)
Pilgrims' won by 9 runs
A new-look Foals B Team welcomed some new players this week, with Jago, Yashk, William, Johnnie and Rafael all putting in strong performances from the off. Pilgrims were put in to bat and looked confident with the hard ball after the last couple of games with the softer version. Particularly strong batting shots put us in a commanding from the first 6 overs, and credit should go to the first 2 pairs: Elijah and Ennis (26) and Ike and Seth (27). Defending a total of 107 the bowlers also stepped up to the plate, with Zachary, Elijah and Jago particularly impressing with accurate their accuracy and pace. It was excellent to see both teams clapping in new batters, unprompted and the backing up in the field has also improved (although Ennis didn’t miss too much behind the stumps). The highlight of the game came in the last two balls where Elstree, unknown to anyone had past Pilgrims' total, only for their score to be deducted by 10 runs in 2 balls, mainly down to an excellent direct hit that resulted in a run out from Cole, eagle-eyed and alert in the field, that resulted in a run out. An excellent game, third win on the trot, well done boys. CAL
Foals C XII v Elstree
Pilgrims' 272 – 0
Elstree 258 – 2
Pilgrims’ won by 14 runs
Playing against a mixed team consisting of 5 Elstree players and 5 Pilgrims' boys, the boys seemed rather excited. Elstree won the toss and elected to bat first, Charlie S volunteering to join the Elstree girls, came in and scored a healthy 14 runs in just 6 balls. The Pilgrims'/Elstree side batted well, with good communication between the stumps. Harrison E, bowler of the day, had shown huge improvement with the ball in hand over the last few weeks. This was again shown in his over against Elstree, and taking 2 wickets for only 1 run. With good pressure from the bowling attack, Pilgrims' limited Elstree to 258.
With the target set, the Pilgrims' boys went in to bag. Travis S, opening the batting order, played a very confident and controlled game his strong communication, smart shot selection, and the added awareness of his surrounding fielders, helped him on his way to score 16 runs in just 7 balls, batsman of the day for sure. All in all, Pilgrims' went on to score 272 in their innings, winning the match by 14 runs.
A good outing for all involved resulting in the boys getting ample opportunity to experiment with the bat and ball in hand, while enjoying a good, competitive friendly match. JU
Andrew Short
Director of Sport