Under 15s vs Marlow, 13th May 2005

Under 15s in first ever cup win!

Ian Walter

A week after beating Chenies in a very friendly ‘friendly’ Ley Hill’s under 15s entered the competitive arena for the first time this season at home to Marlow in the County Cup.

An inevitable delayed start brought about by Friday night traffic rather than crowd problems (hardly surprising given that most of the opposition appeared to live in Reading would you believe) made the toss academic and Marlow batted first with their (surprisingly young) players arriving in dribs and drabs throughout the innings it seemed.   

For once, we were, on average, bigger than the opposition (and at least a year older I suspect) and Ley Hill made the extra testosterone count in skittling Marlow for 56 inside 19 overs.

Bowling honours were shared around. Stephen Walter with 2 for 1 and only one wide conceded in almost four overs was only marginally more economical than Ben Ford with 2 for 5 from his 4 overs. Two wickets apiece also went to Alex Wallis (2 for 9) and Michael Shrieve (2 for 17) with Sam Harrison (1 for 19) and a Ben Ford run out finishing things off. Two games in and, tempting fate, we still haven’t dropped a catch! Alex and Ben provided the safe pairs of hands this time. 

‘Pinch hitters’ Ollie Mace and Dan Wilde opened the innings and while Ollie provided his usual entertaining cameo knock (13 this time) at an amazing strike rate all was not well at the other end. Dan skied his first ball of the season back to the bowler and next ball Richard Falconer was adjudged lbw by umpire Harrison. Back in the pavilion the Ley Hill lads thought the ball would have cleared the sightscreen, never mind the stumps!

9 for 2 in the second over brought Craig Peterson to the crease to steady the ship and he batted serenely for his 26 not out with sound contributions at the other end from James Lowe and Paul Boden. Hill finished on 60 for 4 in the 12^th over, with Craig and Paul (7 not out) enjoying an unbroken partnership of 35.

So, for the first time ever, we’d won a cup game!! What happens now….help!