The U11 softball team have performed admirably all season both in matches and in training on Friday evenings. What has been particularly pleasing as that the fruits of their labour in training is coming through when they take to the field.
This was never more apparent than on Sunday when the squad took part in the annual Magdalen College School Cricket festival, organised as part of the Oxford Arts Week. Contested in the fabulous setting of the school field with the spires of Oxford looking on, the boys played a round robin tournament against 4 other Oxfordshire sides. All teams played as a country, New Zealand being the team we would follow for the day so a chance in the first fixture to avenge defeat for the mens side the day before, facing Australia (Eynsham) in the opening game.
All players displayed great cricketing skills with the bat and the ball, claiming a solid victory by 40 runs against Eynsham, the tone being set by some excellent backing up in the first pair batting, Callum and Freddie. Olly bowled particularly well in this game with 8 deliveries bang on the stumps and with good pace, several right in the spot on off stump (thanks Vinny!)
A real battle ensued in the next match as we faced West Indies (Chipping Norton). Although restricting the opposition to 16 runs Banbury failed to get going and lost a few wickets meaning things were tight right to the end. As the last ball was to be bowled we were 3 runs ahead, with tournament rules being the loss of 5 runs for a wicket, batsman Noah knew all he had to do was “survive’ ….. and that he did with a lovely forward defensive shot. No run but sealed victory. This game showed the boys that they all contribute to the team win, all of them either took a wicket, stopped some runs and scored runs, if one hadn’t done this, with the closeness of the game, there may well have been a different outcome.
The third game of the fast paced day came around and we now played India. Fantastic fielding, plenty of backing up especially, helped us through in this one, the bowling was becoming consistent despite a strong wind and accurate deliveries particularly from Diego and Charlie calmed the nerves.
So, three wins on the bounce and straight onto the last game and what would be the decider. Facing Horspath (playing as England) we batted first. Despite a reduced amount of boundaries the boys played well and took numerous quick singles. A very pleasing feature was that, despite fantastic bowling from the opposition, no wickets were lost and this was to prove crucial! As they took to the feel there was a real positive but competitive edge to the innings. All the boys stood up to it, Zachary took an amazing catch as the inning neared the end and Rudi’s accurate bowling in the last but one over pulled us into contention for the win, England chasing 56, needed 10 of the last 8 balls, with 4 balls to go that had reduced to 5 needed …… what a time through good bowling and energetic fielding for the team to bowl 4 dot balls, absolutely fantastic.
The boys had won all 4 games and so the tournament. Well done to all of them. They then had the luxury of watching the last matches in their rest game, before the end of tournament rituals took place. MCS awarded each team a match hard ball for the parents to present to their own players of the day, parents voted narrowly for Noah to claim this, possibly with the final over in the last match in mind, but well done to all the players.
Thank you to all the parents and supporters that came to watch, there really is a great spirit amongst this group which as well as the results is brilliant to see. Keep going boys, now off to Kidlington next week before a season finale back at the welcoming Freeland.