Runs, Wickets and Team Spirit: This Weeks Cricket Fixtures Review

Tuesday 9th June 

U9/8 Cricket v The Downs 

The U9/8 boys produced another excellent team performance on Tuesday afternoon against The Downs, continuing the impressive progress they have made throughout the season. 

Having lost the toss, we were asked to bowl first and responded brilliantly. As a team, the boys bowled superbly, consistently hitting a good line and length while keeping the ball straight. Their accuracy made scoring difficult and helped restrict The Downs throughout much of the innings. 

The Downs did, however, have one outstanding striker of the ball who played a superb innings, scoring an impressive 31 runs from his two overs at the crease. Our bowlers were clever in trying different tactics to prevent him from targeting the leg-side boundary, but despite their efforts he still managed to clear the ropes on several occasions. 

Chasing a challenging target, our batting once again showed encouraging signs of development. There were some excellent shots played, including several well-struck boundaries, and it was particularly pleasing to see the continued improvement in running between the wickets. The boys are communicating better, making smarter decisions, and showing greater confidence with every game. 

Overall, it was a really enjoyable match and another performance that highlighted just how much this group is improving. The boys are developing into a very strong team and should be proud of the progress they are making week by week. 

A special mention goes to Wilf, who was deservedly named Player of the Match by the opposition. Wilf claimed a superb caught-and-bowled wicket and also played one of the shots of the day, producing a lovely flick off his legs for four runs. 

Well done to all the boys on another excellent performance. 

U9/U8 Cricket v The Downs 

Our U9/U8 team were involved in a thrilling and closely contested match against The Downs, with only 6 runs separating the sides at the end of the game. 

We won the toss and elected to field first. Phoenix led the way with a superb spell, claiming a wicket while keeping runs to a minimum with consistent and accurate deliveries. Hibah also impressed, taking a wicket of her own and conceding very few runs in her over. The fielding effort was strong throughout, with players supporting each other well and maintaining pressure on the batting side. 

When it was our turn to bat, Finley and Phoenix worked brilliantly together, showing great awareness to take quick singles at the right moments. Geoffey provided a real highlight with some superbly struck boundaries, while Sam added excitement with a fantastic six. Every player contributed, backing each other up and keeping the momentum going. 

Although The Downs took six wickets compared to our three, the match could easily have gone the other way without those dismissals. Overall, it was a fantastic team performance in a very close game, well done! 

U9/8 Cricket v The Downs 

The U8/9 C team enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of cricket against The Downs in some much-needed sunshine. Played on an astro wicket, the conditions made for an entertaining match that remained close right until the final stages. 

Batting first, KSA displayed some excellent cricket, with strong hitting and positive running between the wickets. With both teams agreeing that all runs had to be run rather than scored as boundaries. This meant that quick running and good communication were vital. The team responded brilliantly to this showing great energy and teamwork throughout the innings trying to increase our total to as high as possible.  

The bowling innings provided plenty of highlights too. There was some excellent bowling on display, which led to several well-deserved wickets. The Downs also managed to play some strong shots and kept the pressure on, ensuring the game remained closely contested. KSA continued to battle hard, chasing every ball with 100% commitment and never giving up. 

In the end, KSA fell just short but it was a superb effort from everyone involved and a great game of cricket to be part of. Well done to Alice, Leane, Ben, Milan, Mikael, Edward, Molly and Nell for a fantastic display of their cricketing ability and teamwork throughout the afternoon.

U9/8 Cricket v The Downs 

The U8/9 Cricket team produced an excellent performance against The Downs in an exciting and closely contested match. Olivia and Rosa gave the team the perfect start with a strong opening batting partnership, showing confidence and great teamwork at the crease. Luna continued the momentum with some superb batting, playing a range of impressive shots and earning Player of the Match for an outstanding display. In the field, Rory showed tremendous determination, chasing every ball and supporting his teammates brilliantly. Xander also continued to improve with the ball, delivering some accurate and confident bowling spells. It was a fantastic team effort with plenty of encouraging performances throughout. 

 

Wednesday 10th June 

U10 Cricket Tournament at RGS 

The U10 squad enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of cricket on Wednesday as they travelled to RGS to take part in a tournament featuring many of the strongest young cricketers and schools from across the county. 

Whilst the standard of cricket on display was exceptionally high, the afternoon provided a wonderful opportunity for the boys to immerse themselves in the game. With plenty of matches and lots of time spent batting, bowling and fielding, every player gained valuable experience and continued to develop their skills and confidence. 

One of the most pleasing aspects of the tournament was the attitude shown throughout the day. The boys competed enthusiastically, supported one another superbly and embraced the challenge of playing against strong opposition. Experiences such as these are invaluable in helping young cricketers learn the game and improve in all areas. 

A huge well done goes to all of the boys who represented the school: Monty R, Haadi F, Matthew B, Harvey M, Bertie W, Theo B-D (wk), Dylan M and Max C. 

It is always difficult to single out individuals in such a team effort, but Haadi’s performance against Hill House deserves special recognition. Producing one of the standout spells of the tournament, he bowled two overs and claimed an outstanding five wickets. Even more impressively, in the final over of the innings, he took four wickets to finish with remarkable figures, demonstrating excellent skill, accuracy and composure under pressure. 

The tournament was an enjoyable and rewarding afternoon for everyone involved, and the boys should be proud of the way they represented the school. Most importantly, they gained a huge amount of cricket experience that will continue to benefit them as they develop throughout the season. 

Well done, boys! 

U11/10 Cricket v The Elms 

The U11A team showed plenty of determination and resilience despite falling to defeat against The Elms on Wednesday afternoon. 

After being put into bat, the team found runs hard to come by against some accurate bowling and disciplined fielding from The Elms. Early wickets left the innings under pressure, but Thea H produced a superb knock of 17 runs, striking three boundaries and showing great confidence at the crease. Jack C also made a valuable contribution with 7 runs as the team battled their way to a total of 53. 

With a modest total to defend, the team started brilliantly with the ball. Romi T struck twice in the opening overs, while Nell D bowled with excellent control to claim two wickets of her own. Joshua B-R then helped swing the momentum firmly towards KSA, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries as The Elms slipped to 22-6. 

The team continued to fight hard in the field and maintained great energy throughout. However, a determined partnership from The Elms batters helped them recover from their difficult position and guide their side to victory. 

 Although the result did not go the teams way, there were many positives to take from the performance. The bowling attack showed excellent discipline, the fielding effort remained committed throughout, and the team never gave up despite defending a low total. 

Well done to all involved for their effort, attitude and teamwork. 

 

U10/11 Hardball cricket match vs. The Elms (10/06/26) 

The sun shone through the clouds on Wednesday afternoon as the Year 5 and 6 children made their way to Slingpool Walk for an exciting hardball pairs cricket fixture against The Elms. With warm conditions and a gentle breeze, it was a perfect afternoon for cricket. 

After losing the toss, St. Alban’s were put in to bat first. Eli and Jack C got the innings underway with a steady 7 runs from their two overs, without loss. Daniel and Jacob then produced an excellent partnership, adding 22 runs to the total. George and Oscar faced some particularly accurate bowling but battled hard for their 3 runs, although this came at the loss of 3 wickets. Max and Jack contributed a further 12 runs, for the loss of 1 wicket, while Elodie and Lillianna added a solid 16 runs without losing a wicket. Martha and Jacob rounded off the innings with 13 well-earned runs, with Jacob hitting a well-struck ‘four’ to score the only boundary of the match! 

This left the St. Alban’s team with a final score of 53 runs for the loss of 4 wickets – a competitive, but beatable total that left the team knowing that accurate bowling and taking wickets would be crucial. 

With the bowling order following the batting order, Jack C and Eli opened the attack, conceding 18 runs off their two overs, before Daniel and Jacob bowled particularly well to restrict The Elms to just 7 runs from their two overs. Oscar and George worked hard against some strong batting, conceding 17 runs, while Jack J and Max continued to challenge the opposition and conceded 15 runs. Elodie and Lillianna delivered an economical spell, conceding only 12 runs from their two overs, before Jack C and Jacob finished the innings strongly by limiting The Elms’ final pair to just 6 runs from the last two overs. 

This meant that The Elms finished on 75 runs without loss, securing victory by 22 runs. In pairs cricket, wickets play a significant role in determining the outcome, with teams losing 5 runs for each wicket that falls. While St. Alban’s batted positively throughout the innings, the difference ultimately came from The Elms’ ability to preserve their wickets. Therefore, our focus will now move on to bowling straighter, more consistently, and trying to minimise the chance of being bowled out by protecting the wicket with the bat. 

Despite the result, the match provided valuable experience for all the children, who showed excellent enthusiasm, teamwork and determination throughout the afternoon. They made great progress in developing their hardball cricket skills and gained a better understanding of the importance of accurate bowling, protecting their wickets and taking every opportunity to score runs. 

Well done to all involved and thank you to the parents who came along to support the children throughout the afternoon. 

 

U11/U10 Vs The Elms

Our U11/U10 team faced a strong Elms side in a challenging fixture. 

Batting highlights came from Sophie and Savannah, both of whom struck some excellent boundaries. Their well-timed fours were a real highlight of the innings and demonstrated their ability to find gaps under pressure. While The Elms bowled with impressive accuracy and consistency, our players worked hard to keep the scoreboard moving, picking up valuable singles and showing good awareness between the wickets. 

In the field, Hannah was the standout performer with the ball. She claimed two wickets. One with a well executed delivery that clean bowled the batter, and another through a sharp run out. Her efforts earned her the well deserved accolade of Best Bowler. Becky was recognised as Best Batter for her resilience and contribution at the crease. Although the result did not go our way, the team showed commendable effort and there are plenty of positives to build on for the next match.