The latest league tables for the Under 14s can be found by following this link: Under 14 League Tables. This is in MS Excel format, and it's possible to download a free MS Excel viewer from the Microsoft website if you don't have a full copy of Excel.

vs. Finchley (15th May 2008)
vs. Southgate (22nd May 2008)
vs. Holtwhites (29th May 2008)
vs. Enfield (12th June 2008)
vs. Bishop Stopford (16th June 2008)

Any views expressed in these reports are the views of the author, and may not necessarily reflect the views of Edmonton Cricket Club, its committee or its members. If you find anything offensive or inaccurate in the content of these reports, or if you have any queries reagrding the reports, please contact us via email, stating the report you're referring to and the date so that we can take any action deemed necessary.

Thursday 15th May 2008

Under 14s vs. Finchley

Report by: Nigel Peat

Scorer: Alan, Umpire: Imran, Coach: Tony

Team: Adam, Asif, Ben, Chaz (Capt.), Courtney, Hemel, Henry, James (Wkt), Jamie, Jason and Tim.

As an U14 team in the U15 league we know this season is going to be a good test of the teams development. Playing Finchley would be a guide to how we would fair. After the disappointment of our first league game, away to Enfield U15, being rained off it seemed likely this game would go the same way. However, by about 5:45pm and with the Finchley team on the way the drizzle eased and we prepared to get the game underway.

Finchley won the toss and elected to bat. Opening the bowling were Hemel and Ben and they made a confident start. In the third over, Hemel, took his first wicket, bowling the Finchley No.2 with the score on 10. In the next over Ben bowled the No.3 and it was now 14-2, a very positive start. In the fifth over Jason took a smart catch, head height, to his left at mid on to dismiss the other opener and giving Hemel another wicket. In the next over Ben bowled the No.5 with the score on 22, giving us four wickets in the first six overs; an impressive start given the opposition.

A change in the bowling saw Courtney and Tim introduced to try and keep up the early momentum. The Finchley No.4 started to play some good shots and the score crept up, despite some good fielding by Henry, Asif and Jamie. Tim started the 12th over the score on 57, a wicket was needed to break the resistance. Thankfully it was not long in coming, as Finchley tried to up the run rate, a mistimed shot was caught at mid on by Chaz as it dipped over his head and Tim deservedly had a wicket.

As Finchley moved onto 80 and with Jason in his first over Finchley's No.4 smashed the third delivery over cover for six. Attempting to do the same with the next ball he was caught by Adam on the cover boundary. Having scored 27, the No.4 had looked capable of building a commanding score and this was a key wicket. The innings only lasted a further three overs. Tim ran out the No.7 with a direct hit from cover and Courtney took a good catch off Adam's third over the score on 92. Unbeknown to us, until this point, Finchley had come with only nine players and so the innings was over.

Everyone had played a part in the field. Behind the stumps James had used every part of his body to prevent the ball passing him! Considering the light was not great he did a very good job. Communication in the field was good but needs to be consistent. Backing up had been superb, throwing to the wicketkeeper or bowler was excellent and to keep the score below 100 had been a fantastic effort by everyone.

So all we needed to do was to score 93 runs in 20 overs! We all knew this was to be a real examination of our batting but Finchley were going to struggle with only nine players in the field. Asif and Henry opened the batting in a controlled fashion, but with the field so thinly spread gaps were soon punished. It wasn't until the third over that Asif and Henry started to play more aggressive shots. Asif hit two great fours and the scene was set for some expansive strokes. During the next ten overs Asif and Henry put on an excellent display of attacking cricket. A stumping chance went begging and a catch went down but nothing should detract from the batting performance that Asif and Henry served up, it was fantastic to watch.

Asif scored 44, including five fours and Henry made 34, which included seven fours. Along with the 15 extras they made the total required in just thirteen overs. Finchley were denied any bowling points due to Asif and Henry's stand and only receive 2 batting points for getting passed 80 runs.

So a great start for the team and defeating Finchley was important for morale. The squad need to continue playing in this manor; all the hard work through the winter and recent net sessions paid off during this game. I think the team put in a great all round performance, well done everybody.

Thursday 22nd May 2008

Under 14s vs. Southgate

Report by: Nigel Peat

Scorer: Alan, Umpire: Imran/Richard, Coach: Tony

Team: Adam (Capt.), Asif, Ben, Chaz, Courtney, Curtley, Hemel, James (Wkt), Jamie, Jason, Samson

On a cold blustery evening the game against Southgate was going to be another test of the squads ability to perform against older players. Southgate had a team made up of 15 and 14 year olds, several of whom had played at a higher level. Samson and Curtley had come in for Tim and Henry, and the game started with us batting.

We opened the batting with Asif and Jamie and they started well. Early on Jamie hit two fours, one of which was a good-looking cover drive. The next over showed us how good the opposition were. The second bowler who came on was very impressive and bowled a four over spell, which included two maidens. The fifth ball of his first over had Asif trapped leg before, it was high on his thigh, but up went the Umpires finger, 13 - 1.

Chaz was coming in at number 3 and the next two overs were maidens. At the start of the fifth over Chaz, attempting to get the scoreboard moving, went for a cover drive but he caught the ball on the up and was caught at Point. The score was now 19 - 2. With Jamie and Adam at the crease the score had moved onto 23 by the end of the sixth over. However things continued to go Southgate's way as Jamie was then run out.

In came Samson and along with Adam added valuable runs. Adam hit three fours before a risky run, saw Samson run out having scored six. Southgate turned to spin and in the eleventh over Adam hit a full toss straight to deep mid on, 43 - 5. Courtney and James then took the score to 63, Courtney twice finding the boundary.

James was then caught at square leg in the fifteenth over, so in came Jason with instructions to try and get the score past 80. However, the seventeenth over proved costly for us, just as Jason was getting going. Courtney was caught and Hemel harshly adjudged to be run out. Nonetheless Jason and Curtley pushed the score up to 99, for the loss of 8 wickets. Jason finished with 15, including three fours, and Curtley was on 8.

So, after twenty overs, six of which were maidens, we had something to defend but knew we needed to take wickets to stand any chance of victory. Hemel and Ben opened the bowling and by the start of the sixth over Southgate were on 21, our fielding had been good with everyone playing a part. Ben was rewarded with a wicket when Courtney took a difficult catch at mid wicket, 24 - 1. Hemel bowled well, three overs for only seven runs. Jason then dismissed the No.3, lbw, with his third delivery, 25 - 2. Curtley, who was bowling his first overs of the season, then clean bowled the No.4 before he had scored, 30-3.

Jason's second over produced another wicket as he clean bowled the No.6. After ten overs Southgate were 40 - 4, we needed five more wickets from ten overs - this was going to be a very close encounter. The next two overs proved fruitful for Southgate as the No.5 played some good shots and by the end of the twelfth over the score was 60 - 4. Adam joined Courtney in bowling and quickly dismissed the opener for 27 in the thirteenth over, 68 - 5. In the next over Courtney bowled the No.7 for a duck, 72 - 6. For those of us watching it was a real roller coaster!

Southgate, to their credit, continued to score runs, often singles, and our fielding started to look a little nervous. The score crept up, Chaz then came on to bowl the sixteenth over, his second delivery bowled the No.8 and in the next over Adam bowled the brave No.6, he had made 20. One more wicket was needed. A run out chance came and went in the eighteenth over and too many byes meant that by the time we started the nineteenth over the scores were level. For three overs we had been one wicket from winning but now found ourselves one run from defeat. The field closed in but the fifth ball of the over resulted in a single and Southgate had won an extremely tight game.

To be fair the result could have gone either way and whoever lost was going to feel they had missed the chance to gain twenty points. The team will have to learn from this defeat, three run outs is not sensible cricket and some of the fielding in the last few overs showed a slight lack of discipline. We all felt very disappointed for the boys - being so close to winning made it harder to take. On the positive side it should be remembered that we got maximum bowling points, for taking eight wickets, plus two batting points for getting past 80 runs.

So onto the next league match - Holtwhites away, Thursday 5th June. We have to learn the lessons from this defeat and build on the positives. We are currently 3rd in the league with five fixtures remaining, so plenty to play for.

Thursday 29th May 2008

Under 14s vs. Holtwhites

Report by: Nigel Peat

Scorer: Alan, Umpire: Imran/Richard, Coach: Tony

Team: Adam, Asif, Ben, Chaz (Capt.), Courtney, Curtley, James, Jamie, Jason, Sean (Wkt) and Tim.

After the narrow defeat to Southgate we needed to put in a good display against a team who had recently beaten Southgate. Sean, making is first appearance of the season, and Tim came into the side for Hemel and Samson. Chaz won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Opening the bowling were Curtley and Jamie and the first over saw a good piece of fielding from Asif at Mid on, returning a weak shot to Curtley to run out the No.2. Jamie started his spell well and with the last ball of his first over bowled the No.3. The next over saw some good fielding by Jason, Jamie and James and after 3 overs the score was 7- 2. Jamie's second over saw some good fielding by Tim followed by another wicket as Jamie clean bowled the No.4 - 8-3.

The next two overs saw some good bowling by Ben and Tim and some excellent fielding by Courtney, Jason and Curtley. Tim bowled a maiden and by the end of the ninth over the score was 18-3. The next two overs saw two more run outs and the first four of the innings, the score had moved on to 28-5. In Courtney's second over Curtley almost held on to a difficult chance, the over finished with the score on 31-5.

Next to bowl were Adam and Jason. Adam started well and removed the leg stump of the No.6, 34-6. Jason followed this with a maiden. Adam's next over was great with deliveries four and five reducing Holtwhites to 35-8 from just 14 overs. During Jason's next over Chaz ran out the No.8 with a direct hit from mid on and it only took Adam 3 more deliveries to wrap the innings.

So Holtwhites were all out for 36. Adam finished with figures of 3.3-0-4-4, whilst Jason and Tim had bowled a maiden each during their spells and Jamie's figures of 2-0-2-2 were very impressive. In all seven of the side had bowled and from just over fifteen overs we had taken ten wickets and only conceded 9 extras. The fielding had been superb and all those who bowled really concentrated on testing the batsmen. Holtwhites didn't help themselves with their running between the stumps, but I wouldn't want to take anything away from the team this was a great all round bowling performance.

With only 37 runs required for victory Asif and James opened the batting. They were under strict instructions to take no risks! They could get the runs by taking their time and this is exactly what they did. Holtwhites tried a range of bowlers but by the time they turned to spin, in the sixth over, Asif and James were looking very assured. The score was 16 without loss. Despite bowling two maidens the score had moved on to 28 by the time the twelfth started. Asif hit a cracking straight drive for four and by the end of the thirteenth over was on seventeen with James on ten.

Holtwhites brought back one of the opening bowlers and with only two runs required for victory James misjudged a full-length delivery and was clean bowled. Sean came in and unfortunately went the same way - 35-2 at the end of the fourteenth over. Asif nudged a single at the start of the fifteenth over and this left Chaz facing, with the scores level. Two deliveries later Chaz sealed victory with a confidant shot, over cover, for four, 40-2, and twenty more points.

A thoroughly deserved victory! One that was pleasing after the narrow defeat to Southgate, and a result that gave Holtwhites a solitary point, for the two late wickets. Our bowling and fielding was excellent and the whole team can take pride in the result.

We are now half way through the league programme and can look forward to the return fixtures, starting next week at home to Enfield. We need to continue to perform at this standard and if we do I am sure the results will keep coming - well done.

Thursday 12th June 2008

Under 14s vs. Enfield

Report by: Nigel Peat

Scorer: Ben/Tim/Alan Umpire: Imran/Richard, Coach: Tony

Team: Team: Adam (Capt.), Asif, Ben, Chaz, Henry, Hemel, James, Jamie, Jason, Sean (Wkt) and Tim.

The day before this match news had come through that Enfield had beaten Southgate at the end of the previous week and that we were two points ahead of Enfield at the top of the league. However, we also knew that Enfield would be our toughest opponents of the season and had posted some good results so far.

Henry and Hemel had returned to the side and on a cold, dull evening Adam won the toss and elected to bat. Asif and Tim and started positively, six runs coming in the first over. The second over did not go the same way as Tim was run out, in came Jamie, 7-1. The next over was a maiden and by the end of the fourth over the score was 9-1.

The fifth over saw Jamie caught trying to get the score moving, Henry joined Asif at the crease. We needed to up the run rate and both Asif and Henry played some very good shots during the next nine overs. Asif hit a fabulous six over mid-wicket, along with five boundaries, and Henry found the boundary on three occasions, taking the score to 65-2 by the end of the thirteenth over. Attempting to keep up the run rate eventually took its toll and Henry was caught having scored sixteen vital runs in a 55-run partnership.

Next in, with instructions to keep the runs coming, was Chaz. Another seventeen runs were added before Asif was caught at midwicket, 84-4. Chaz had helped to push the score on and hit two good fours between square leg and deep mid wicket. James was due in next but I suggested that Adam might be a better option, James agreed. I feel this is typical of our team spirit and shows how the squad think - the result is all-important.

Adam started with a cracking four and topped it with an almighty sweep for six! Sadly he didn't last much longer dropping another shot to mid off, 93-5. Desperate to get the total past the hundred-mark Chaz top edged and was caught. Unfortunately Sean was clean bowled and we finished the nineteenth over on 99-7. James came in and contributed two valuable runs and along with Jason took the score to 101 by the end of the innings.

Although Enfield had a target of 102 we felt this should have been another fifteen or so runs higher. The early run out seemed to hinder our running between the stumps, understandable but costly in terms of the total we achieved.

As usual, we set out to bowl in a positive frame of mind and Hemel was rewarded when his third delivery was caught behind by Sean. However, the Enfield No.1 and No.3 took the game forward with some confident and aggressive shots and by the end of the sixth the score was 42-1. This was a harsh lesson for the lads but to their credit they kept going and everyone was working hard in the field.

Hemel was rewarded again, in the last of his four over spell, with the wicket of the Enfield No.1 as Asif took the catch. Hemel finished with 4-0-15-2, great figures considering the strength of the opposition. Ben and Jason bowled diligently, but without return as the Enfield No.3 played some fine strokes. By the end of the tenth over the score had moved onto 66-2.

Adam started well and got the wicket of the No.4 in his third over, 85-2. Chaz's second over was a maiden, and along with Adam continued to frustrate the batsmen, but the score crept up. As Jamie started the seventeenth over Enfield only needed eight runs for victory and decided to go for it, as they knew the overs were running out. They finished the over with a single to secure victory and inflict our second defeat.

So although disappointed with the result, we do collect four more points. We should take a lot of positives from this game and deservedly got three batting points - Enfield had bowled consistently and fielded very well, so to reach hundred runs was a real achievement. Tim was unlucky and did not have the chance to get going and Jamie had a delivery squirt up off his handle but with our strong batting line up - Asif, Henry, Chaz, Adam and James made sure a good score was posted.

We took one bowling point from the match, but facing such confident batsmen was a test for all our bowlers, one form which they can all learn. Enfield now lead the league and we need to look ahead to the challenge of Finchley away in our next match. I felt this was a good team performance against strong opponents.

Monday 16th June 2008

Under 14s vs. Bishop Stopford Year 9

Report by: Tony Kershaw

Scorer: Richard Hawkins (ably assisted by Kerry Hawkins responding quickly to the Umpires signalling on behalf of the scorer! & Kevin Manning on the score board), Umpires: Tom Hawkins & A Kershaw

Team: Asif, Henry, Jamie, Bharvesh, Courtney, Samson, James, Curtley, Jason (Capt.), Sean (Wkt), Charlie M.

Skipper Jason Manning lost the toss and ECC were put in to bat. Batting in pairs for four overs we got off to a good start with Asif (19) and Henry (6) scoring 32 for the first four overs. Steady progress thereafter with all the boys contributing runs off the bat; Jason (13), Jamie (11), Samson (10) and our guest U13 player James Nadeen scoring 15 during three appearances at the crease all reached double figures.

The umpires were very lenient with the wides & no-balls for the visitors; conversely they were hard on the home team when they took to the field and ECC conceded 21 extras out of the 34 scored by the visitors; that said everyone bowled at least one over reasonably well as they also had instructions to "slow" down their pace. The bowlers were well supported in the field with four catches being comfortably taken. Special mention must go to Courtney Brown who bowled a hat-trick maiden with all his wickets being bowled.

The boys will meet much tougher opposition in the weeks to come but enjoyed this friendly which was played in good spirit and sportsmanship by both teams.