U13s v Cheam - home and away! Boys rise to new heights

Coach's report (Nik Ilukkumbure)
What was good: In the field some excellent bowling spells mixing pace and spin, good keeping, well held catches and fielding positions starting to be considered better. With the bat, some outstanding performances.
Room for improvement: With the bat against top drawer bowlers (the oppo included 2 'A listers'), developing a solid defence against good on-target balls. In the field, bowling accuracy (30 runs given away in extras), clarity over whether fielders are stopping singles or boundaries (several balls would have made it across were it not for the damp outfield), catching in the deep and sharp collects and returns back to the stumps.

Batting Highlights:
Hugh 54 runs
Jim 10
Alex 8
William P 5
Basty 4
Mihir 4
Tom 3
Eddie 1

Bowling Highlights:
William P 7 runs for 3 wickets off 3 overs
Kyan 7-2 3
Basty 10-1 3
Alex 11-1 3
Badger 13-1 3
Eddie 19-0 4
Mihir 16-0 3
Jim 11-0 2

Roehampton: 5 (x4s) - 30 (penalty runs for wides / no balls)
Cheam: 2 - 14

Match report (Charlie Lovett-Turner)
After 10 days of rain and with a waterlogged Blagdons, the boys headed to Sutton to enjoy a morning of fine weather and fine cricket.

Roehampton batted first and early indications were not good with a lot of balls played in the air and some good catching from Cheam reducing the team to 38/5 off 8 overs.

The shouts of "Keep it down!" from the boundary must have worked though, as the middle order settled in and found some rhythm. But in the end it was the sterling efforts of Hugh that carried the team - an outstanding 54 with some great, and sometimes cheeky, running between the wickets (no run outs) saw the team onto a total of 121.

Cheam set off at steady pace and, at 52/1 off 10 overs, looked set to close in on RCC; but the boys were undaunted and some fine fielding with 2 good run outs, 3 well-held catches, and fine spells of bowling from Will Parkes (3W for 7 off 3) and Kyan (2W for 7 off 3) saw the batting side struggling to maintain composure.

A close field for the last couple of overs failed to produce the final wicket but the result was achieved and well deserved.

Well done boys!