Wield U9's vs Aldershot A U9's, Sunday 11th May
Aldershot, batting first 247-6, lost to Wield 249-10
On Saturday it rained all day, hard. On Sunday morning the last of it was blowing through as the go-ahead was given for the match but the traditional Wield gale was blowing strongly, ensuring some good swing action for the ball. Aldershot went into bat and Ella and Oli opened the bowling for Wield. Ella bowled a beauty in the first over and Oli did the same in his last. Oli and Wilf pulled off a superb double on the final ball with Wilf holding onto a difficult chance and Aldershot stumbled to 199-3. Millie and Joseph came in to bowl and Aldershot’s nerves were steadied a little but Millie bowled one in her second over and the score crept up to 219-4. The wind was playing havoc with the extras though. Luca and Ira came to the crease, the first time for both of them and Ira officiated over a very quick run out in her first over. The extras were creeping up - a bit of a coaching point there. Jacob and Wilf came to the crease as the final bowling pair and the score was a respectable 237-5. At this point something went off the boil, maybe it was the cold from the biting, unceasing wind, but Wield hiccoughed and Wilf took the brunt of it. His quick bowling rattled through the batsmen...and also through the wicket keeper and fine leg. Six byes later the innings was wrapped up with just one more wicket taken by Jacob at the other end.
The extras highest scored at 28 and Aldershot’s total stood at a challenging (in the conditions) 247-6.
More thankfully than ever tea was presented and we ran to the top of the hill to try and get the blood flowing again! Emma’s flapjacks were waiting, with biscuits, squash, tea and coffee ably organised by Sarah, Iris and Allison all there for the taking. Warmed up and refreshed Wield was ready to chase down the total.
Oli and Ella strode purposefully out to the middle, took guard, surveyed the field and promptly Aldershot took a run out. Nerves were steadied for an over or so and then another two wickets fell, one bowled by Aldershot’s quick and accurate Harvey and another run out. Wield were 192-3 after the first pair. Joseph and Millie arrived and another three wickets fell in fast order, a further two run outs and another bowled. Aldershot’s Ethan was on target and quick, while their field was on the ball, too fast for Wield. Joseph hit a good 4 and the Wield score crept over 202 thanks to the wind and its scourge of extras. Luca and Ira came out and three more run outs tumbled as the ball went straight to the fielders and was whipped back to the stumps...a virtually unheard of 7 run outs in the innings so a definite coaching point there too! Finally Wilf and Jacob arrived at the crease, the score stood on 219-9 but there was still a lot of chasing to do. Wilf opened and the first over passed uneventfully - thankfully no wickets fell! Wield fingernails were starting to be bitten. Wilf farmed the strike and set to in the second over with a 6 and two 4s against some stiff bowling from Aldershot’s Caleb. Jacob lofted one and was caught and the nail biting got worse. Wield’s score crept over the target, just. Desperate not to lose another wicket Wilf took control from his end and the game was over. A Wield win but only just, with ten wickets taken by the excellent bowling and fielding of Aldershot.
The wind was clearly a factor in this game with Wield conceding 28 extras and Aldershot 26. Our bowling was reasonably tight with none of Aldershot scoring over 6 however, Wield was not much better with three 0s and only Wilf cutting loose with a match saving 24. Joseph and Jacob followed after with 5 and 4 respectively, an excellent start to the season for both of them. The seven run outs and bowling (cutting back on the extras) are the take-aways from this game, matters on which the coaching will be concentrating. Hartley Wintney away next week...bring them on!
Rupert Cazalet