U16s Bow Out In Semi-Final

 

Match report. Sunday 21/08/22. 12:30pm. Trevor Bailey Match play Knock Out Rounds 2022- (Semi Final) at Drapers.

Sunday saw our Under 16 side take on Shenfield in the Semi-final of the Under 16 Cup at Drapers. Confidence was high following a tight victory over Brentwood in the Quarter Final. Maldon fielded a full strength team and Shenfield were without their county opening bowler Sam Bear due to injury. We knew Shenfield would be a challenge after making the final in 2021 however Maldon were confident that their bowling attack could make the difference.

Maldon lost the toss and were sent in to bat. Angus Beames and Ollie Hull our openers. Following a good start with Beames flaying the opening bowlers, Hull fell for 3 bring Foakes to the crease, unfortunately a similar story for Mason pinching a few singles to keep Beames on strike and finally bowled for 2. Beames, still a thorn in Shenfield’s side having scored 39 of Maldon’s 51 after 10 overs. Fin Jones joined Beames at the crease in what we hoped would be a sustained partnership. Jones and Beames add 68 runs off 84 as Beames racked up a 50 ball 50. Jones eventually falling to an LBW decision that left a little bit to be desired and Jones showed his disappointment at the decision. It was to be a pivotal point in the game. 

With Will Saville and Rufus Miller falling cheaply the innings was teetering with just Beames showing any sort of fluency. Finally after 30 overs at the crease Beames fell for 78 off 79 trying to increase the run rate. His innings included 14 fours. A disappointing end to an excellent innings and opened up the Maldon tail as Shenfield’s opening bowlers returned. At 143/7 we somehow needed a few batsmen to Shepard us close to 200.

A sensible innings of 22 off 32 by Murray Mynard and a quick fire 10 from Xavier Scieller-Giles helped Maldon reach 183 off 39 overs before Charlie Reeve was bowled to close the innings. A defendable total definitely but one we felt was 30-40 runs short particularly after scoring at 5 an over in the first 20 . 

Following a fantastic “old school” tea prepared by the parents, Maldon took to the field to try to defend 183. With Ackerman and Howard on Strike, Beames and Jones opened the bowling and failed to trouble the openers who enjoyed the pace in the first 6 overs albeit at a rate a touch slower than Maldon’s opening 10. A change to Scieller-Giles bought the desired result with a clever slower ball being Howards undoing; falling LBW. 

Ackerman and Tom Arnold kept the scoreboard ticking over at over 6 and over and Maldon needed quick wickets. Finally Ackerman went for one pull shot too many and sent a skier to Will Saville who took a marvellous catch to dismiss the Shenfield opener. At 88/2 off 11 with less than 100 to defend, Maldon really needed to take quick wickets. Theo Robinson, Shenfield’s keeper, caught behind by Foakes off Josh Lawes and Tom Arnold the other danger man, well caught by Ollie Hull off Rufus Miller; another ball that spent an eternity to fall from the clouds. It took another 35 balls and just 20 runs before Josh Servis had Freddie Thorn expertly stumped by Foakes for 6. 

At 145/5 with numbers 6 and 7 at the crease, both yet to score, Maldon felt they were in with a sniff of an unlikely victory. Rufus Miller bowled a miserly spell to go for 25/1 off 7 and Maldon rolled the dice for a final gamble bringing Beames and Jones back into the fray. Despite regularly missing the edge and 2 difficult chances going begging, Max Toolan and Daniel Green faced almost 100 balls between them and slowly chipped away at the remaining 39 runs to take Shenfield to victory in 32.2 overs. Congratulations to Shenfield on their victory and we wish them well in the final v Harlow in 2 weeks’ time.

A Fantastic effort by the Maldon side and a season they can be very proud of. The Shenfield side carried 9 under 16’s in their 11, whilst the Maldon side had just 3 older boys and an under 14 player, so the future looks bright for another crack in the competition in 2023. 

The boys would especially like to thank Simon Hull for all the hard work he does in organising the Colts section at Maldon, Mark Beames for scoring the games, the club committee for all their support over the season, and all the parents for your support, transport, and the teas throughout the season.