U11 B's GCL Match v Weybridge

The weather forecast was lousy but the iPhone weather app assured me that while it would be cloudy the rain would stay away. So after reassuring the opposition that the match was on I set out for the Parson's Mead ground, only to arrive in the middle of an absolute downpour. The Weybridge coach, a long time friend of mine from the Cobham Rugby Club, and I agreed to wait it out for a few mins and it cleared. As it turned out, we were offered the perfect window as the next shower came down 2 mins after the end of the match - phew!

Captain Matthew Gwyther lost the toss and Weybridge asked Ashtead to bat first. After a slow start the runs started to add up and the team finished with a respectable 312 for the loss of 4 wickets. Congratulations to Jack Goodman for hitting 3 4's in a single over, and Alex Gillespie and Leo Martin for hitting 2 4's in a single over. 4's also from George Sherwin, Joel Harris and Matthew Gwyther. Big congrats to Josh Bates for his second 6 in the GCL!

The boys then set about fielding and did a great job. Not quite as good and tight as the previous match but not far behind - we still gave away 70 extras to mainly wide bowling. Although the boys are beginning to really understand how crucial it is to bowl line and length and so I expect this stat to steadily trend in the right direction next match and next season. On the day it was good enough to clinch victory in a nail biting close finish that saw the lads win by only 4 runs. Wickets fell to the bowling of Jack Goodman, Alex Gillespie, Josh Bates and Matthew Gwyther.

So congratulations boys on your second victory of the season - very well deserved indeed. Great to see a continuity of team spirit - celebrating successes and encouraging each other - keep it up.

Thanks to Mick Harris for scoring the first half after being thrown in the deep end - much appreciated. Thanks to Jon Bates for scoring the second and for warming the batsmen up. Thanks too to Sally Gillespie for doing the half time refreshments.

Simon Horner-Long