Under 15s vs Ballinger, 15th July 2005

--- A very pleasant way to spend a Friday evening! ---

Ian Walter

With Ballinger having one of the strongest Under 15 sides in the county (and possibly the country on their day) it was very good of them to still be in a position to fulfil a friendly fixture at Ley Hill on Friday 15 July notwithstanding their commitments that week in the finals of virtually every competition imaginable!

So our lads duly took on a Ballinger side of 12 to 15 year olds with the average age probably being somewhere in the middle!

Needless to say complacency soon set in for Ley Hill as, for once, our generally larger boys, were put to the sword by Ballinger’s 12 year old left handed county opener James Wood. He duly made his 30 before retiring without apparently lifting his bat more than six inches and his was a lesson in batsmanship to all. Ballinger were off at 7 runs an over (and not one of the under 15 side we played in the league was playing)!

They eventually closed on 114 for 4 with Hill pegging back some of the younger Ballinger batsmen before the end. Wicket takers were Alex Wallis, Javed Ahmed and Stephen Walter with ‘keeper Richard Falconer and Stephen combining for a smart run out.

In 9 previous games this season our top score had been 104! The omens for chasing 115 were ominous if you know what I mean!

With one or two notable exceptions Hill then duly batted as if trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The principal exception was Paul Boden who hit 7 fours before having to retire. But at the other end wickets kept falling and it was left to Stephen (retired on 24) and Sam Harrison (10 not out) to steady things at the end. Wickets kept falling though and the situation became so bad that, for the first time in my experience, a previously retired batsman had to go back in and this time Paul was dismissed for 35 with 2 runs still needed and 1 wicket left. Stephen duly returned then to accompany Sam but as the game reached a breathless climax Ballinger contrived to concede four byes and we were home by one wicket.

A fabulous game played on a fine evening and in excellent spirit by both sides and which neither deserved to lose. Still, the record books show that for once we have beaten Ballinger, albeit far from their first choice team, and Friday proved that Ballinger’s strength in depth is immense and is something we must strive to emulate if we are to be up there with the best at this level.