Ealing U10s played Primrose Hill in the final of the Gubby Allen trophy competition, effectively the Middlesex cup, at the Lords Nursery ground on Sunday 19th August. Both teams had reached the final by winning all four of their matches on semi-finals day back in July. It promised to be a close encounter between two strong sides at the home of cricket.
Ealing won the toss and decided to bat first as they had done in each of their matches on semi-finals day. Jake and Easa walked out to open the batting as they have done countless times this season. This time around they were greeted with loud applause from the many friends and family of both Ealing and Primrose Hill who had turned out in support. Jake, who has got us off to so many good starts this season, was out first ball, caught behind off his gloves trying to turn the ball round the corner for a single. In truth it was a bit unlucky and at this point Jake could very easily have let the occasion, and that first ball, affect the rest of his batting performance. However, the batsmen recovered well from the early setback, and with a couple of great shots from Easa in the final over for the pair they took the score to 22 from the first four overs. Noah and Rohan V, then Thomas K and Indi followed by Ryaan and Nathan all kept the score ticking over until we were 87 off 16 overs. The final pair of Rohan P and Amaad took us up to a final score of 102, a competitive total, including an almighty six off the last ball of the innings from Rohan, over the longest boundary on the ground.
We turned around and Rohan and Amaad opened the bowling for an over each before the rest of the team bowled in two over spells. Our bowling has been our strength throughout the competition and we were confident that we could defend our total. We started well restricting the first pair to 15 runs including an excellent first over from Amaad and the first of four run outs, this one a direct hit from Noah at mid-off. The second pair took the attack to our bowlers and with some good clean hitting got them back on track to reach our total despite another run out with a direct hit – this time from Nathan with one stump to aim at from mid-on. At the half way stage they were on 49 and it was becoming clear that this was going to be a very tight game. The spinners, Noah and Jake, came on and restricted them well creating the pressure for a third run out (this time from Easa at point), combined with some tidy work from Ryaan behind the stumps taking a high ball and completing the run out with great conviction. However, Primrose Hill were still in the hunt and a loose over from Amaad combined with some more good batting from Primrose Hill got them back up with the required run rate. It was now down to the final pair who needed 26 from the last four overs and everyone’s nerves were beginning to fray. With 11 runs from the first 2 overs and the batsman playing well the match continued to be finely balanced. In the penultimate over the game moved in favour of Ealing with a second high class bit of fielding from Nathan. Running round from mid-wicket he collected the ball in the deep and threw down the stumps at the bowlers end from just inside the boundary. This was no fluke – it is the fourth time he has run someone out with a direct hit in the last two games. He will be nine years old next week! The last over was bowled by Rohan with Primrose Hill needing 13 from it. Rohan held his nerve and five runs were scored from the first four balls. With Eight runs needed from the last two balls Primrose Hill would need a boundary or two. The fifth ball of the over was knocked into the covers. Thomas picked up and fearing an overthrow, with everyone on the boundary, he decided to run the ball in to the stumps rather than throw it. This was pretty sound logic but he was probably a bit further out than he realised and when he got close felt that he could underarm the ball in and run the batsman out as they attempted an extra run. He tried, missed and there was an overthrow! One ball left and five needed for the win and four for the tie. Could they do to Rohan what he had done to them on the last ball of our innings? No! A quick short ball beat the bat and Ryaan did the rest as they attempted to run. We’d won the Gubby Allen trophy at Lords in a magnificent match that went to the final ball against very good opposition. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Pete
U10's Manager
Scorecard for the U10s