U11 Match Report, home v Stokesley

Stokesley were top of the league, but they were beaten by 40 runs in an excellent display of pairs cricket.

Stokesley 61 for 8 (197 net), Ted While 2-20, James Kelly 2-23

Richmondshire 61 for 3 (237 net), Sam Winter 27 not out

Richmondshire won the toss and decided to put Stokesley in to bat. Stokesley started slowly, the first two pairs managing only 13 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Their third pair then made things much worse for them adding 11 runs for the loss of a further 5 wickets. One of their last pair arrived just in time to bat, then Stokesley lost another wicket, so that after 14 overs, when all the home bowlers had bowled 2 overs, they were 34 for 8. Captain Ted then decided to give himself and James a third over, as they had both taken two wickets, but the last pair finally started hitting out, as they had nothing to lose, bringing the score back up to 61 for 8. In retrospect, it might have been better to bowl Sam and Toby, our best containing bowlers, but Sam soon made that irrelevant.

Sam and Jonny opened the batting, with Sam scoring all of an undefeated opening partnership of 27, Jonny supporting Sam very well with responsive running and sound defence. We were now well ahead. Toby and John scored 18 runs with a less than steady approach, losing 3 wickets, but we were still 24 runs ahead at the halfway point. James Irving, Ted, Matthew and James Kelly then all played sensible low scoring not-out innings, described by a frustrated Stokesley fielder as "more blocks than Legoland", as they added 16 runs without losing any wickets.

Well done to the team, a really good victory, in which the entire team contributed and Sam excelled.