Under 15s - 2007 Season

South London Schools' Under 15s 158 for 9 (innings closed)  Croydon Schools' Under 15s 161 for 8 (39.1 overs)

A defiant unbroken ninth wicket partnership of 56 by George Edwards (St Joseph's College) (42) and Elliot McLean (Woodcote)(30) edged Croydon Schools' Cricket Association's Under 15s to victory in the annual Jack Hobbs Challenge Trophy match at The Oval last week.

Croydon - bidding to wrest the trophy back from their neighbours - having suffered ignominious heavy defeats in the last two years - which came on the end of a record-breaking sequence of seven consecutive wins, were struggling in their response to South London's modest total of 158 for 9 off their allotted 40 overs, nose diving to a score of 52 for 5 off 19 overs.

Michael Ridley (Edenham) stopped the collapse with a defiant 23, and Mclean, one of no fewer than six Under 14s in the Croydon line-up - an unprecedented young element for a Croydon side in the 37 years history of the fixture - and Edwards, who had both shone as opening bowlers, knuckled down to their tough task with a sensible, confident approach.

But even so, 49 runs were needed off the last five overs. Maclean played the role of the controlled hitter, even scoring the only six of the match, and the winning runs came off the first ball of the last over, with a boundary by Edwards.

South London - drawn from players in schools in Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth - included six players from established independent schools, Dulwich College and Alleyne's whilst Croydon, probably for the first time ever, fielded a squad of twelve boys from the state sector.

Croydon were unfazed by losing the toss on a fine summer day and having to field at the prestigious Brit Oval, one of the most famous test grounds in the world, where the playing area was one of the biggest ever used for this fixture, on what appeared to be a batsman's paradise.

Edwards struck early in the South London innings, trapping Tom Deasey (Dulwich College) lbw in his second over. Maclean grabbed his first wicket for Croydon and Croydon had their tails up when a calamitous mid-wicket mix-up meant a run-out and South London on 34 for 3 off 10 overs.

When the opening bowlers were rested, Under 14s pair, Jack Johnson (Woodcote) and Aman Shinwari (Stanley Technical) took over, and bowled tidy spells before leg-spinner, Ollie Houghton (Woodcote) and Jack Coles (Archbishop Tenison's) completed Croydon's bowling line-up.

As wickets fell, with outstanding catches being taken by Sujit Dadar (Riddlesdown), wicketkeeper, Omar Green (St Joseph's College) and a stunning one-handed catch off his own bowling by Edwards, Croydon applied pressure and commendable ground fielding prevented South London from upping the tempo beyond acceptable limits.

Edwards returned figures of 3 for 25 off 8 overs, Mclean 2 for 26 off 7, and Shinwari 3 for 20 off his maximum eight.

Croydon Team Manager, David Lomas, back in charge of the squad after a two year absence which had ended his involvement with the team for most of the last 30 years, was delighted with the win.

"There were four main aspects of the day that particularly drew my attention" he said.

"Firstly, the spirit of the game is still alive, with both teams showing exemplary behaviour and sportsmanship. Secondly, the fielding of an all state-sector Croydon team. Thirdly, the way in which Croydon grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat, and finally the excellent way in which hospitality and arrangements were handled by Surrey County Cricket Club, with the luxury of both main electronic scoreboards in use, and the use of a p.a. announcer.

All the players - but especially the Croydon boys, and their relatives and supporters, will have fond memories of this match for many years to come".

• Sir Jack Hobbs (Surrey & England) was England's top batsman for nearly 30 years, making his Test debut in 1905. He scored 197 centuries – 97 after he was 40 and scored 61,237 first-class runs.
• In 1953 he became the first professional cricketer to be knighted.
• The Jack Hobbs Trophy was donated by the "Master's Club" and has been competed for by South London and the Surrey Schools' Peirce Trophy winners - mostly Croydon - every season since 1971, at The Oval, with very few exceptions.

Croydon Schools' U15s 117  -  London Schools' U15s 30 for 1

A mid-afternoon thunderstorm brought a premature end to Croydon Schools' Under 15s prestige match against London Schools' at Trinity School on Sunday.

In a match which followed a similar pattern to the original washed out game on May Bank Holiday, Croydon struggled to make 117 in 36 overs, with their main strike force being George Edwards (St Joseph's College) who was unbeaten and top scorer, with 32.

London - although riding their luck when Croydon put down some catches - looked well place on 30 for 1 off six overs when the rain caused the match to be abandoned.

Waltham Forest Schools' Under 15s 137  -  Croydon Schools' Under 15s 125

Croydon Schools' Under 15s went down by a narrow verdict of 12 runs in a special Dongray Trust Invitation fixture against Waltham Forest Schools at Walthamstow Cricket Club in an interesting match of fluctuating fortunes, last week.

Croydon let their Essex opponents off the hook twice, having them struggling at 48 for 5, permitting the sixth wicket pair to take the score on to 100, but then bowling them out for 137, with pace bowler, Aman Shinwari (Stanley Technical) (3 for 12) and medium pacer-turned spinner, Jack Johnson (Woodcote) (3 for 18) being the pick of the Croydon bowlers.

In reply, Croydon looked well set on 60 without loss, in fourteen overs. Chris Hurrion (Archbishop Tenison's) led the way with an aggressive 33 which included two sixes, but Croydon - not helped by some controversial umpiring decisions - collapsed, victims of some fine spin bowling, losing eight wickets for 48 runs, and falling 12 runs short.

Croydon:  Chris Hurrion (Archbishop Tenison's), Amar Gujral (Woodcote), Aman Shinwari (Stanley Technical), George Edwards, Omar Green (both St Joseph's College), Jack Johnson, Elliot McLean, Ollie Houghton (all Woodcote), Rafiulah Ahmadi (Haling Manor), Aaquib Khan, Tufal Chowdery (both Stanley Technical)

Further information from David Lomas on 020 8656 8857 or email: dalomas@tiscali.co.uk

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Tuesday, 6 January, 2009

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