Tomorrow, we have cricket matches with Aldro School, amongst our other activities. We also have U8 and U9 (Years 3 & 4) matches with Elstree (2pm) on Friday, and they are in action again on Tuesday with Stroud, Romsey (2.15pm).
On Saturday, we play Twyford. The start times listed are as we currently stand, but we are seeking a 2pm start for the 1st XI and 2.15pm starts for the rest of the matches. I will confirm this separately.
Good luck to our fencers who compete in the IAPS National Championships at Millfield School on Sunday.
Team
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Opposition
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Venue Details
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Start
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Return
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Wednesday 15 May 2024
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Multi-Sport
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Main School
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14:00
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15:30
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Fly-fishing
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Gater Field
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14:30
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16:30
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1st XI
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Aldro
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Home | Bailey
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14:30
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17:30
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2nd XI
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Aldro
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Away | Main School
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14:30
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18:00
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3rd XI
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Aldro
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Neutral | St Cross Cricket Club, Winchester
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14:30
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17:30
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4th XI
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Aldro
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Neutral | Shackleford Cricket Club, GU8 6AN
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14:30
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18:00
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5th XI
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Cricket Nets
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14:00
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15:30
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Colts A XI
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Aldro
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Home | Wolvesey
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14:30
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17:30
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Colts B XI
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Aldro
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Neutral | Gater Field, Winchester College
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14:30
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17:30
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Colts C XI
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Aldro
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Neutral | Gater Field, Winchester College
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14:30
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17:30
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Foals A XI
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Aldro
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Away
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14:30
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18:00
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Foals B XI
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Aldro
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Away
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14:30
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18:00
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Foals C XI
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Aldro
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CANCELLED
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Foals C XI
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Games - Coaching
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Home | Main School
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13:15
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15:30
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Year 4 Games Group
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Year 4 overnight residential
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tbc
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14:30
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N/A
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Sailing
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Sailing at SWAC
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Neutral | SWAC, Southampton. SO14 3FL
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14:30
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18:30
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Tennis
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Warden's Garden
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14:00
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15:30
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Athletics
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GAMES - Coaching
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14:00
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15:30
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Friday 17 May 2024
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U9A
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Elstree School
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Home
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14:00
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16:00
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U9B
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Elstree School
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Home
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14:00
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16:00
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U9C
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Elstree School
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Home
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14:00
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16:00
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U8A
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Elstree School
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Away
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14:00
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17:00
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U8B
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Elstree School
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Away
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14:00
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17:00
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U8C
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Elstree School
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Away
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14:00
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17:00
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Saturday 18 May 2024
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Multi-Sport
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Main School
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14:00
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15:30
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1st XI
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Twyford School
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Away | 1st XI cricket / Colts football & rugby pitch
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14:30
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17:30
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2nd XI
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Twyford School
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Home | Bailey
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14:30
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17:30
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3rd XI
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Twyford School
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Away | Home Close Field
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14:30
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17:30
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4th XI
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home
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14:00
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15:30
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Colts B XI
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Twyford School
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Home | Wolvesey
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14:30
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17:30
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Colts C XI
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Twyford School
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Away | Home Close Field
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14:30
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17:30
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Colts Games Group
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GAMES - Coaching
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Home | Cricket Nets
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14:00
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15:30
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Foals A XI
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Twyford School
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Away | 1st XI football / 1st XV / Colts cricket pitch
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14:30
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17:30
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Foals B XI
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Twyford School
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Away | Littlebourne Field Pitches
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14:30
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17:30
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Foals C XI
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Twyford School
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Away | Littlebourne Field Pitches
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14:30
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17:30
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U9A
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Twyford School
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Away | Home Close Field
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14:30
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17:30
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U9B
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Twyford School
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Away | Home Close Field
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14:30
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17:30
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U9C
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Twyford School
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Away | Home Close Field
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14:30
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17:30
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GAMES - Coaching
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14:00
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15:30
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Sunday 19 May 2024
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Pilgrims' Fencing Team
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IAPS Fencing Championship
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Neutral | Millfield School
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09:00
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Tuesday 21 May 2024
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U9A
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Home | Main School
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14:15
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17:00
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U9B
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Home | Main School
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14:15
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17:00
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U9c
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Home | Main School
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14:15
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17:00
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U8A
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Away | Wellington Sports Ground
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14:15
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17:00
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U8B
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Away | Wellington Sports Ground
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14:15
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17:00
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U8C
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Stroud School, Romsey
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Away | Wellington Sports Ground
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14:15
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17:00
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Congratulations to...
Daniel from Year 5 who has qualified for the IAPS National Swimming Championships at the London Aquatic Centre after half-term. This follows the regional round we attended during the Lent term. Daniel goes to London to fly the Pilgrims’ flag in the U10 50m breaststroke.
Josh O of Year 4 attended Winchester Rugby Club’s U9s annual tour last weekend. Winchester topped their group on the first day and finished third overall. The tournament culminated in a presentation by world cup winning captain Martin Johnson!
Harrison, of Year 6, and his teammates at Sunday’s sponsored Triathlon (Knight Frank /Restless Development) held at Bryanston. Collectively, the four boys had to swim 200m, cycle 4000m and run 3000m.
Phew! Well done fellas!
Well done all of you and if you have any sporting news to celebrate, please share with me at ashort@pilgrims-school.co.uk
Match reports
Wednesday 1 May
1st XI vs Westbourne House
25 Over Match
Match abandoned at 15 Overs
Due to a busy exam schedule, this was a great opportunity for a few of our boys to have a run out for the 1st XI this season. Despite the weather, it was a very promising afternoon. It was a good toss to win, overcast conditions and plenty of grease on the ball! The rain started early on in the innings, Chenhan Z bowled well, backed up by some good fielding. The moment(s) of magic go to Olly P. Bowling spin in junior cricket is never easy, but he had the ball on a shoe-string! He deserved his 2 wickets, and I would have backed him to at least pick up one more. The rain was starting to get heavy, boys were slipping on their run up in to bowl. We took an early tea, with Westbourne on 70 runs after 15 overs. This was poised to be a good game, but sadly we never made it back on to field. MTG
2nd XI vs Westbourne House
20 Over Match
Pilgrims’ 57 for 9
Westbourne House 58 for 1
Westbourne won by 9 wickets
This was a very patched-up team; with many of the 1st and 2nd teams involved in exams, seven boys made their debut for the 2nd XI. The afternoon started with promise. Pilgrims’ won the toss and opted to bat. Despite a couple of early wickets, on a wet outfield which was difficult to score through, the boys had moved sensibly to 24 for 2 off the first 10 overs. However, a batting collapse ensued as we tried to up the pace, and suddenly we were at 33 for 8! Louis M and Tommy Q came to the rescue and some sensible batting, and even more sensibly calling, saw us eek out runs over the last five or six overs, and a total of 57 under the conditions was not too disappointing. Sadly, it wasn’t going to be enough and, despite some good bowling and tight fielding, we just weren’t able to take the wickets to slow Westbourne down, and they made the total comfortably for the loss of only one wicket. Still, for a scratch side, this was a good day at the office. ASD
4th XI vs Westbourne House
20 overs
Pilgrims’ 94 for 3 from 15 overs (Seth T 26)
Match abandoned at tea
What a shame about the weather, given the 4ths had teed this game up for a possible victory. Seth made a glorious 26 before being caught at deep backwards square leg. With James H on 7* and Leo on 12*, we were starting to see a clicking partnership. Then rain was beginning to spit spot and, as we progressed through the overs with it becoming heavier, the litmus test of whether the scorers could make any legible markings on their sheets dictated an early tea and judgement call on how to proceed. With no break in the weather, the match was abandoned at tea. This was a positive batting innings, so well done boys! AJS
Colts A XI vs Westbourne House
20 overs
Westbourne House 148/5 from 18.2 overs (Boris H. 2-23; Archie W. 2-24)
Pilgrims’ 51 all out from 15.4 overs (Elliot N. 21)
Pilgrims’ lost by 97 runs
Looking at the scores compared to this match, one might easily assume that I had merely copied and pasted the scores from last Wednesday’s match against Farleigh. Despite minimal changes in the scores, the attire for umpiring progressed from thermals to waterproofs in what proved to be the wettest completed match I have ever umpired! The Colts bowlers delivered a commendable performance with the ball. However, their downfall came with anything slightly legside or short was promptly dispatched to the boundary with significant power, often without even bouncing! While fielding awareness is on the rise, it remains an area for further improvement in the weeks ahead. In response, Pilgrims' lacked the batting prowess of the Westbourne team. Yet, facing a stronger bowling attack meant there were fewer loose deliveries to capitalise on. Wickets fell at regular intervals, with Elliot being the only batsman to display some credibility in the middle, closely followed by Theo W., who appears destined for a notable score soon. Despite some of the Colts questioning the decision to play through the rain, it was gratifying to receive several positive comments from the visiting Westbourne parents. They appreciated the umpires' affirmative decision to continue the game despite the inclement conditions. AA
Colts C XI vs Westbourne House
Pilgrims – 263/4 (pairs)
Westbourne House – 269/3
Pilgrims’ lost by 6 run
The Colts Cs braved the elements against Westbourne House, and managed a full match in spite of the rainy conditions. Gater Field provided a perfect backdrop, and it was lovely to see our fly-fishermen on the other side of the fence too. Pilgrims’ lost the toss and were put in to bat first. The boys struggled to get the ball off the bat and made 63 runs in their allotted 20 overs. The pair of Alfie O and Oren fared best with the bat and made 28 runs in their 4 overs; however, it was the player named ‘Extras’ who did most of the damage. By the time Westbourne House came in to bat, it was raining steadily. The boys bowled admirably and managed to contain the Westbourne attack. Some good running between the wickets from the opposition saw them pass the Pilgrims’ target set for them. In the end, they made 69 runs to win the game. The standout bowler on the day was Jack E who took 1 wicket for 8 runs off three overs. CXC
Foals A vs Westbourne House
18 Overs
Pilgrims’ 90-1 from 18 overs (Alex S 27*)
Westborne 40-1 from 5 overs
Match Abandoned due to rain
Moving on from last week’s pairs fixture, the boys were set the target, batting first, of defending their wickets and putting the pressure onto the bowling and fielding team by eaking out the dot balls. Openers Alex & Rio both did a fantastic job holding up both ends, with the first and only wicket not falling until Rio was bowled in the 12th over. A fantastically promising start from two players, with particular credit going to Captain Alex carried his bat, securing a mighty 27 not out across the 18 overs, well supported by Rio and then Finlay coming in for the final overs.
With the rain coming down, it made for difficult conditions to bowl in, and with those that had already batted rested for the opening overs, we still had some work to do with the ball. Rafe managed to produce a bit of magic in the opening over with the Westbourne batter holding out a good ball down to Alex at mid-on. However, another fielder failed to hold onto a similar chance off Oscar’s bowling, and a few wides, long-hops and sneeky extras suddenly give Westbourne the edge and meant they looked on course for a first victory before the rain called off the game. A great first game for sure, but there is certainly plenty for us to work on in the nets and practise out in the middle, with bowlers concentrating on delivering their bowling off a full-paced run up, with confidence to aim at the stumps. Well done all. CAL.
Foals B vs Westbourne House
Foals B played away at Westbourne House; their second match of the season. A hard ball/pairs format was chosen. Pilgrims' elected to field and as the match began, a very fine mist of rain had already started, as forecast. The rain then got progressively worse, but not before Pilgrims' had completed 18 overs of bowling.
Match Abandoned. Cricket Gods not playing ball! PDJ
Friday 3 May
U9A vs Farleigh
Farleigh 274
Pilgrims’ 232
Pilgrims’ lost by 42 runs
A great game with both sides showing no fear of the ball and some great bowling on display.
Farleigh won the toss and elected to bat first. Our first bowler was the skipper, Abhinav. The first ball of the game was his trademark straight, pacey bowl, which hit the stumps with a satisfying clatter! Perhaps this was going to be an equally satisfying day. However, Farleigh steeled themselves, and it became clear they were a good team and confident with the bat. Although not heavy scoring to start with, they were building slowly and playing some nice shots. We could not seem to find that killer ball, and wickets were hard to come by.
At the change of innings, we could see that they had amassed a decent total, and we would need to be on our game with the bat. Abhinav faced the first ball, and duly hit it away a four! Confidence up, we set out to chase the total. However, to their credit, Farleigh were brilliant bowlers. They had a consistency of delivery that we perhaps lacked at times, and they soon found the wickets they needed to keep our score down. We chased hard, and by the final pair (Bounds & Bounds) we were still going for it. George and Alfred played as attacking as they could and were brave, running between the sticks. Unfortunately, they had too much of a hill to climb in the end.
Not the result we had hoped for, but a fair result as Farleigh played well and barely put a foot wrong on the day. Great credit to all the boys for a game effort and sportsmanship throughout the afternoon. SXT
U9B vs Farleigh
Farleigh 278
Pilgrims’ 245
Pilgrims’ lost by 33
A great game of cricket, played in fantastic spirit. Both sides had some real moments in this game. Pilgrims’ bowled first and looked really tidy! Each and every boy played their part in a solid fielding display. Pick of the bowlers could have gone to any one of them. Baxter N-B provided a good line and length in his overs. Farleigh had some powerful boys, who muscled the ball over the boundary – which kept the scoreboard ticking over for them. Zachary P was a wall, not letting anything pass him! The boys batted well, and were unlucky not to get more runs for their efforts. Teddy C-H hit a couple of boundaries, showing great power! Winston G looked impressive again, timing the ball well to rotate the strike. We came a little short this afternoon, but some really encouraging signs moving forward. We offered a lot in the field and called well when batting. A couple more boundaries would have made for a tight finish. Well done all. MTG
U8B vs Farleigh
Pilgrims 217
Farleigh 204
Pilgrims won by 13 runs
This was a fun match for the boys with a lot of learning throughout. With umpiring being very lenient when it came to wide balls, the score could have varied. Darcy demonstrated some excellent bowling. Charlie managed to get a four, which really helped with the boys' spirits. We’re going to work on boys fielding with their hands, not feet. AZ
U8C vs Farleigh
Pilgrims’ 277 for 2
Farleigh 313 for 1
Pilgrims’ lost by 36 runs
This was a fun pre-exeat match. We batted first, Isaac and Teddy J making 30 runs with the highest partnership. I was pleased with our bowling, in particular Samuel B who demonstrated super technique in his first over. Overall, I felt our bowling was more accurate which, ironically, didn’t help with the scoring opportunities of the two sides. Nevertheless, we continue to develop our skills and look forward to the next matches. AJS
Saturday 4 May
1st XI vs KES U13A XI
20 Overs
KES 46 A/O (Finn R 5-7)
Pilgrims’ 33 A/O
Pilgrims’ Lost by 13 runs
The first real sunny day of the 2024 season! The wet weather had gone, but had left its mark on the pitch. It was nice to play on a grass track, but it made for a sticky, slow wicket, which evidently was very tricky to bat on. Pilgrims’ bowled and fielded excellently. They stuck to their line and length and made it hard for the opposition to gain a foothold in the match. We had the 13-4 at one stage! Finn R had a great game with the ball! He claimed, what I believe to be the first fifer of the season! He was cutting the ball away to the right hander, and looked very dangerous. An excellent spell. Aditya S chipped in with 2 of his own, so too Barnaby D. A great fielding display saw KES pegged back to just 46 runs. Our reply did not play out the way we wanted. It was a shaky start, losing 4 very quick wickets. Still, time was on our side. Finn R played a patient and sensible innings, understanding the pace of the pitch and when to play his shots. It wasn’t a day to play your shots, it was a day to dig in and nurdle a victory through singles. Even in a precarious situation, I was confident that if we could bat our overs, we would get the win. Sadly, we did not get over the line. More game management and shot selection needed. A tough one to take. MTG
3rd XI vs KES U13B XI
20 overs
Pilgrims’ 68 all out (George Si 9)
KES 69 for 2
Pilgrims’ lost by 8 wickets
The 3rds won the toss and opted to bat. Our batters faced some challenging bowling, a good yorker delivery claiming several wickets. Arthur H made a start but was caught, lofting to mid-off. George Si was looking to progress from a positive start, but unfortunately was run out off a quick single.
In reply, the KES team possessed some big hitters. The innings were not without its chances, with several shots lofted in the air. Timothy C did take one of these – a great catch – but it was, unfortunately, off a no ball. Rupert B tickled off stump for the first wicket, with Louis M trapping a KES batter LBW for the second. Nevertheless, with some boundaries and a few sixes, KES reached their target in the 10th over. A good game of cricket – thanks to all involved. AJS
4th XI vs KES U12B XI
20 overs
Pilgrims’ 66 all out (Harry K 11, John G 11)
KES 68 for 1
Pilgrims’ lost by 9 wickets
Having won the toss and elected to bat, we were looking forward to getting a decent score on the Wolvesey pitch that the small boundaries would afford us. We got off to a really good start, too, with openers John G and Harry K looking comfortable early on, running the singles and hitting the occasional boundary to take us to 40 without loss off 7 overs. However, KES had some real strength in depth in the bowling department, with some quick accurate bowling being too much for all of our batters, and we collapsed to 66 all out from 19 overs.
Our bowling response got off to a wobbly start and, having conceded 20 runs off the first over, the writing was on the wall, somewhat. Harry K bowled a peach to get our one wicket with the scores tied, but it was too little, too late. Playing a straight bat to straight balls remains a big target, but the attitude and commitment in the field was encouraging. Well done to all. WD
Wednesday 8 May
Team batting 1st: wins by runs or loses by wickets.
Team batting 2nd: wins by wickets or loses by runs.
Pairs: win or lose by runs.
Example report:
Colts A XI vs Farleigh
20 overs
Farleigh 147/3 from 20 overs (Archie W 1-9; Christian B 1-17; Rufus M 1-25)
Pilgrims’ 55 all out from 14 overs (Theo W 10; Christian 6)
Pilgrims’ lost by 92 runs
Umpiring out ‘in the middle’ give you the opportunity to become to absorbed by a cricket match. ‘Catches win matches’ I could hear myself thinking, as we shelled three simple opportunities. These came at crucial stage throughout Farleigh’s innings, and although the team responded positively, one couldn’t help but think how much they would cost us. Farleigh batted well; decisive quick running to almost anything, whilst having the knack of keep out most probing balls. Given the lack of contact time we have yet had, it was to be expected the boys would be a little rusty, but this was compounded by a handful of elementary fielding mistakes and lots of byes, which, going forward, need to be avoided. One hundred and fifty is a competitive score on Wolvesey but by no means unattainable, but unfortunately the Pilgrims’ batters did not give themselves the best opportunity to succeed with poor shot selection, and far too much playing across the line. A slow start saw the run rate gradually rise to over 11 an over at 10 overs, which is when the wheels began to fall off. One cannot fault the boys as they played the game in the right spirit, and sometimes you need to accept you were beaten by a better team on the day. AA
1st XI vs Twyford
25 Overs
Twyford 173-6 (Aditya S 3-30)
Pilgrims’ 88-8 (Sam Q 47)
Pilgrims’ lost by 85 runs
This was a tough afternoon. Pilgrims’ bowled well throughout a very warm afternoon. We picked up a key early wicket, but were unable to turn the screw. Twyford’s middle order were composed in the middle. The outfield over at Winchester College was lightning fast. Anything that got past the infield raced away to the boundary. A couple of drop catches could have changed the momentum in the match. Twyford’s star batsman, who racked up 50 runs, was dropped twice early on in the innings. At this level, it really does make a difference! Our reply started well. Some sensible batting, rotating the strike well and putting away the bad ball. A flurry of wickets sadly made this a proper task towards the end of the innings. Sam Q batted brilliantly for his 47. It was cruel to see him caught at gully, just 3 runs short of a half century. A real positive for us to build upon. I am looking forward to watching the boys against each other at set cricket this weekend. MTG
2nd XI vs Twyford
20 Over Match
Twyford 126 for 9 (Sammy P 19 for 3, James P 15-2 Jake H 11 for 2)
Pilgrims’ 58 for 8
Twyford won by 68 runs
A strong Twyford side won the toss and opted to bat. A strong top order made a flying start and at 52 for one after 6 overs, it looked like Twyford might make a huge total. However, some disciplined bowling, and some good fielding restricted Twyford’s progress. Sammy P was instrumental and the three wickets he picked up in his first spell of three overs were crucial. He was backed up by some super bowling, particularly from James P and Jake H, with two wickets each, and restricting Twyford to 126 felt like a mini victory. Our reply was severely hampered by losing Ben A, Zach M and Jake H, our best three batsmen, for a combined total of 4. However, Fraser N (13) and Seb B steadied the ship to take us from 21 for 5 to 51 for six, and some late hitting from Seb ensured we made the 50!
A good performance and a good afternoon of learning for the boys.
3rd XI vs Twyford
20 overs
Pilgrims’ 40-9
Twyford 43-1
Pilgrims’ lost by 8 wickets
In perfect cricketing conditions, we welcomed Twyford to Bailey, keen to test ourselves against traditionally strong opposition. We won the toss and elected to bat. This was a bold move, but we wanted to try and get runs on the board and get Twyford to chase a target. Unfortunately for us, we struggled to do this. A slow outfield didn’t help us in our build, but it’s the same for both teams and we didn’t manage to hit a single boundary in the whole 20 overs. And therein lay the problem; we batted for our full allocation of overs, but were unable to hit the ball with any degree of accuracy into the gaps, or with power, up, over or through the outfield. So, dealing exclusively in singles, we eked our way to 40, but, barring a spectacular Twyford collapse, it was never going to be enough. And so it proved; we did manage to keep them honest, and Jayden L bowled well, picking up our one solitary wicket, and Hobart Y got some lovely flight and shape on his leg spin. However, it was easy in the end, and Twyford chased our total down in 8 overs. Hitting the ball assertively is the big target going forward, because without any meaningful runs, it’ll be hard to win matches! I thought our attitude and commitment was excellent – heads didn’t drop, and we’ll look to improve at the next opportunity. WD
4th XI vs Twyford
20 overs
Twyford 125 for 3 (Thomas K 1-15, Ennis 1-15, Yashk 1-13)
Pilgrims’ 86 for 5 (Leo L 8)
Pilgrims’ lost by 39 runs
Lucas B won the toss and put Twyford into bat first. With the third delivery from Thomas, Bertie at wicket keeper took a lovely caught behind. We had to wait a little longer for the next wicket, and another 60 runs for the third, both wickets taken with bowling from Ennis and Yashk. The fielding was generally pleasing although we did give away too many in wides.
In reply, we just couldn’t match the run rate. So, whilst we batted the 20 overs, losing five wickets, several players were retired and not out, suggesting we could take more risks. Nevertheless, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon, and this was a good match-up. AJS
Pilgrims' Colts A v Twyford
20 overs
Twyford 144/3 from 20 overs (Archie W 2-31; Boris H 1-16)
Pilgrims 53/5 from 20 overs (Elliot N 18*; Christian B 16)
Pilgrims lost by 91 runs
Pilgrims' stifled the scoring initially, holding Twyford without a boundary until the 8th over. Despite this tight start, a crucial moment in the match occurred when a single loose over from the Pilgrims' bowling attack conceded 16 runs, from which point the "wheels came off". This lapse in control allowed Twyford’s batters to capitalise fully, particularly exploiting any leg-side deliveries as the Pilgrims' bowlers tired. Theo W’s solid wicketkeeping was a notable highlight, keeping the batters in check and contributing significantly to the defensive effort. However, the 3rd wicket partnership for Twyford, which could have been broken immediately, instead cost Pilgrims' over 100 runs due to missed opportunities and lapses in fielding strategy, as the fielders still showed a lack of positional awareness. On the batting front, Pilgrims’ efforts were hampered by poor footwork, and their innings was characterised by a lack of quick running between the wickets. In stark contrast, where the Twyford innings progressively accelerated, the Pilgrims’ batting decelerated, unable to build momentum or pose any real challenge. AA
Colts B XI vs Twyford
Pilgrims’ 49 all out from 15 overs
Twyford 52 for 3 from 7 overs
A tough afternoon for Pilgrims' who struggled to make a real impact with the bat. Twyford were too quick with their deliveries, giving Pilgrims’ very few chances to get the bat on ball. Harry C showed glimpses with a boundary or two and Harry C also managed to score well, but just the odd single here and there meant, at tea, Pilgrims’ had only managed a total of 49 all out.
Pilgrims’ bowled well with consistent line and length, but Twyford were able to time their shots and build a score. Reaching their target within 7 overs. Anton bowled a super wicket to add to some Pilgrims’ highlights and the boys all enjoyed playing in the summer sunshine.
Colts C XI vs Twyford
Pilgrims’ - 269/4 (pairs)
Twyford – 300/6
Pilgrims’ lost by 31 runs
A gorgeous afternoon for cricket on New Piece! The boys were excited about their fixture against Twyford and made a real effort to improve their fielding. Our boys lost the toss and went in to bat first. A very sticky, unmown wicket and an unkempt outfield made the going tough and the boys could not get the ball off the pitch. The highest score came from Alex L who made 6 runs with the bat. Pilgrims’ were all out for 69. Twyford replied with 100 runs in their 20 overs, and the best bowling figures came from Albert F, who took 3 wickets for 11 runs off 3 overs. Wilfred S also took an amazing catch at mid-on to the delight of his team. A tough day out, but still very enjoyable cricket to watch. CXC
Foals A vs Twyford
Pilgrims’ 71-7 from 20 overs. Twyford 73-3 from 12 overs.
Twyford won by 7 wickets
Being the strong opposition that Twyford are, it’s always impressive to put on a decent performance and give Twyford a challenge. Pilgrims’ managed to do just that with the bat and, just as with last week’s fixture against Westbourne, a strong opening partnership between Alex and Rio meant that the first wicket didn’t fall until the end of the sixth over. Alex and Finlay continued to battle for another five overs against some fast-paced bowling, with the scoreboard creeping up and the pressure building on Twyford. Unfortunately, Captain Alex, who had fought so bravely for over half the innings, then held-out a tough chance to the fielder at silly mid-on. A mini collapse then followed, before a late partnership between Cameron and Rafe meant that Pilgrims' managed to bat out their 20 overs – an impressive feat against a strong opposition.
Our bowling innings got off to a flying start, with Finlay taking a wicket clean bowled in the second ball of the game, followed by a Herculean run out, direct hit with the batter way out of his crease in the second over. However, our professionalism as a fielding team then started to drift a little as the game wore on, with the chatter starting to turn a bit negative and fielders not supporting each other. Another wicket, straight clean bowled from Rafe to remove their number 3 did little to stop the Twyford captain steering his team over the line. Targets going forward for us to reflect on are how we conduct ourselves in the field, making sure we are supporting our bowlers and not saying or doing anything that may distract the batters. We will work more on how the game looks from a fielding perspective as we move towards the next match. Well done all. CAL.
Foals B vs Twyford
Foals B travelled the short distance to Twyford to play their U10B team in a soft ball/pairs format. With both sides fielding 10 players, Pilgrims' batted first. Kimi and Nicholas were instantly facing straight and fast bowling, conceding 2 wickets and lots of 'dot balls' in the first 4 overs. Casper and Daniel then batted and managed to get the score rising as the Twyford bowlers weakened in ability a little. Marek and Ryan then batted and struggled to progress the score due to 2 wickets in their innings. Jacob and Jacob also struggled to score but fortunately were able to watch on, as Twyford conceded numerous 'extras' in the field. Connor and Lucus formed the final pair with Connor playing the shot of the innings by beautifully deflecting a full toss outside off stump down to third man. Pilgrims finished on 52 for 7.
Following tea, Twyford's batters made fast progress, passing the Pilgrim's total in just the 7th over, but not before Marek had caught and bowled an opening batsman. Pilgrims' struggled to make solid decisions as to when to throw at the stumps and when to simply hold the ball and allow the opposition to complete a run, something we will work on again in games. Lots of overthrows led to far too many unnecessary extras!
Twyford continued to bat strongly and finished on 125 for 5. Thanks to all the parents who came to watch, including Mrs Harvey who drove all the way from Bath!! PDJ
Foals C vs Twyford
Lost by 1 run
An excellent day with some wonderful cricket. Pilgrim’s batted first and got some decent runs reaching 91 by the end of their innings. Some excellent batting and running got us there and the boy’s focus was hugely improved from recent weeks. Two excellent catches, on run out and two wickets being lost from some terrific bowling kept the score down.
Following tea, Twyford started well and, with only two wickets taken, managed to get home by a run in the end. We were grateful to Twyford for their sportsmanship in giving us some extra fielders as the numbers weren’t even and this was a hugely competitive fixture. More importantly, it was a game played in exactly the right spirit and the boys have shown how quickly they can improve in a short number of weeks. TWR
Sunday 12 May
Colts A at Winchester College U11 7 a-side Tournament
4 Matches
8 Overs
Pilgrims' 71-4 v Cheam 72-5
Pilgrims' 48-5 v Lambrook 48-6
Pilgrims' v 42-3 v Farleigh 43-0
Pilgrims' 56-3 v Twyford 86-3
A lovely occasion and our thanks goes out to Winchester College for hosting us. What a wonderful festival of cricket! Sunday was a great experience for our Colts A side. We played on two grass tracks, with a lightning outfield. This allowed boys to get real purchase for their shots. Our first game was against Cheam. It was a nailbiter! Pilgrims' played some excellent cricket, led by Elliot N on the batting front. He retired with his 20 runs, giving us a real platform. 71 was a high score and one, on reflection, that should have seen us notch an early win. Cheam scrambled their way to 66 with one over to go. The odd misfield drew them closer to our score as the final over played out. The scores were tied with one ball to go... they ran a bye! Gutted for the team, who played so well. A cruel game sometimes.
Lady luck was not on our side for the second game either. Lambrook were a very strong side and made it hard for us to score runs. We felt our 48 would not have been enough. The boys did amazingly well to contain Lambrook. Eddie Q was everywhere in the field and made some important stops. Some excellent line and length bowling from Archie W, Patrick B and Elliot N gave the opposition very little to play with. Once again it came down to the final over... With the scores tied, 3 balls left and Lambrook's star batsmen on strike, you would have been forgiven to think this one was over. Think again! Rufus M's shorter ball was not picked up and was chipped to Patrick B, who made no mistakes! Caught out, scores tied, and points shared. Farleigh played well in our third game. We were a little starved on runs and struggled to build momentum. We hadn't scored enough and this time our bowling attack could not pull in out of the bag! After a fabulous lunch, the boys had one more game to go against Twyford. Twyford batted first and capitalised on some tiring fielders. Theo W worked hard behind the stumps - it was a hot day to wear a helmet all afternoon. 86 was a strong score. Elliot N and Austin S opened up and gave us a positive start. Archie W and Patrick B dug in, but ultimately, we fell a little short.
The seven boys who represented the school should be so proud of their efforts. The first two games on another day would have gone our way, resulting in a very different looking final table. Heads held high and plenty of positives to take back for the rest of the season! MTG
Andrew Short
Director of Sport