CCJB vs Ealing CC
Ealing CC 47-3
CCJB 49-0
CCJB won by 10 wickets

On the seventh ball of the day wicket keeper Oscar had to leave the field due to a knee injury leaving Toby to take over the duties behind the stumps. The team rallied around bowling tightly, restricting Ealing to 47-3. They reached their total with the assistance of some stern ‘club’ umpiring with regards to wides. Ealing only scored 15 off the bat.

CCJB scored the winning runs from 5.2 overs without losing a wicket. Toby, George and Oliver all reached double figures before retiring. It was over to Joseph to look into what CCJB believed was a ‘par’ score for batting for ten overs. It was decided that it was between 70-80.

CCJB vs St Benedict’s B
CCJB 93-0
St Benedict’s 32-8
CCJB Won by 61 runs   

In our second match we played St Benedict’s B team and we racked up 93 runs without loss. With each batsman allowed six deliveries each, Finn (11*), Billy (8*) and Dylan (12*) cashed in.

Haider-Ali and Prabhan (the spin twins) took the bulk of the wickets with their variation and turn from a dusty pitch. Five catches were taken during the innings, Joseph with a brace at gulley.

CCJB vs High Wycombe CC
CCJB 86-2
High Wycombe CC 45-8
CCJB Won by 41 runs

As they won the group, CCJB were through to the finals.. having caught the last few overs of their previous match, it was evident that a tough High Wycombe Cricket Club (HWCC) U11 side stood between our boys and the trophy. The HWCC coach was ‘bigging up’ their main strike bowlers as Toby and George walked out to bat, saying “he’s one of the quickest I’ve seen at this age group”. He was quick, but this didn’t phase the CCJB opening pair. George’s first shot was a delicate uppercut to the third man boundary as the boys rotated the strike. George batted on with some fearsome cover drives and pulls to reach 20. Finn (26*) was next in and he soon found his rhythm. Amongst his fine stroke play, the pick of his shots was one of his own invention; a reverse-reverse sweep. Dylan (7*) played an excellent supporting role as the pair took our total to 86-2 from ten overs (slightly above ‘par’).

HWCC started strongly but excellent CCJB fielding kept the runs down. Direct hit run outs from Haider-Ali and Finn and tight bowling from Nayan, Joseph, Billy and Haider-Ali saw the challengers lose wickets at regular intervals. This set-up Alastair perfectly for the last over. He took 3 wickets, 2 bowled and a stumping to close the HWCC innings. A fine victory and a real team effort. Toby won Player of the Day and Dylan won the Unsung Hero award.

Perhaps the best moment of the day was not a cricketing one. In a tense period during the final, a HWCC batsmen looped a catch up to square leg. The catch was dropped and the CCJB fielder was devastated. The other CCJB boys stopped the match and they all came over to their teammate to console him. All players were excellent ambassadors for the school.