U15's Ruthless on the Road

A big crowd enjoyed a warm evening in Hitchin and witnessed a comprehensive win for the U15's which maintains our aim of making Finals Day in July.

Again our thanks and congratulations go to our U14's and U13's who played and made impressive contributions in the win.

The Hitchin wicket had been used over the weekend and looked tired. With low bounce and variable pace it was not one for the shot makers. Batsmen would need to be patient and it would come down to which bowlers made the best of it.

Hawkins (13) and Fraser-Andrews (7) opened cautiously against a testing opening attack and a well set field. Both perished to catches when trying to force the pace. Ed Catton (11) worked the ball into gaps and ran well before Jake Morris smoked the ball to all parts of the ground for a no nonsense 44 and retirement. Captain Adam Crowther provided good early support in this all important partnership with Jake and eventually went on to score a perfectly paced 40no in later partnerships with Billy Bays (7) and Will Palmer-Fenny (8no).

The boys were a little disappointed to only make 130. They might have listened to the team talk which centred on the bowlers making best use of the slow/low wicket.

Keaton Weeks (4 for 15) may have listened but certainly executed the game plan by bowling wicket-to-wicket and in taking 4 top order wickets (3 bowled, 1 LBW) stopped Hitchin from establishing any meaningful partnerships. Enter Humza Munir who carried on from his impressive bowling performance against Hoddesdon. Humza again bowled an excellent spell and picked up wickets for fun (4 for 13 and was on a hat-trick).

With the Hitchin reply in tatters, Matt Foster (2 for 7) was called up to finish them off. He was confident, accurate and ruthless. Game over.

The fielding again backed up the bowling.

The team did well in all departments but there will be harder tests to come against WGC and Harpenden.

Next U15 match is at home to WGC on Tuesday 21st June - please update Pitchero with your availability.