Bamford-Fieldhouse Junior Cricket - Match Reports

Bamford-Fieldhouse Junior Cricket

Austerlands 64 a.o. - Bamford-Fieldhouse U13s 69-2 (Away)

On one of the highest grounds in the country at 1000+ feet above sea level. Bamford took on Austerlands who won the toss and elected to bat.

A new opening attack of Joe Smith-Butler and Adam Deaville restricted the home side to 11 from the first 4 overs but the introduction of Alex Willis saw both opening batsmen removed in the next over. Debutant Deaville bowled a tidy spell of 3 overs capturing 1 wicket for 12 runs.

Bamford were again able to spread the bowling around with all outfield players bowling at least 1 over. Austerlands innings closed in the 16th over, all out for 64 and special mentions must go to Connor Wright who took 2 wickets for 1 run and leg spinner Adam Ahmed who had figures of 3 overs, 3 wickets for no runs !

The usually dependable opening partnership of Smith-Butler and Willis did not get their team off to a flying start, Willis being dismissed in the 2nd over for 1.

The reliable Danny Matthews was next to bat and he and Smith-Butler put on a quickfire 33 in under 4 overs with Smith-Butler particularly savage, hitting 7 fours before retiring on 33. Matthews made 16 including 3 consecutive boundaries before falling lbw to Joubert. Hamza Mughal and Ahmed saw Bamford through to an 8 wicket victory with more than 10 overs to spare.

This was again a great team performance making it 5 wins from 5 with every player involved, Tom Valentine picked up a wicket, Hamza Khalil took 2 excellent catches and Peter Dalton’s ground fielding was excellent.

Bamford-Fieldhouse U15s 169-3 - Uppermill 151-5 (Away)
The sun and the hard dry pitch helped produce over 300 runs at Leefields but the visitors ran out winners by 19 runs.

After losing a quick wicket, Bamford's in-form batsman Callum Openshaw came to the crease and went on to play another controlled innings. He was well supported by Abbu Alam who scored a quick 40, 36 of which came from boundaries. Ahmed Nawaz was also in big hitting form getting four sixes, one of which cleared the pavilion, in his 46. When Openshaw retired on 50, debutant Sam Halligan joined Nawaz and got a boundary with his first ball.

With 25 extras, Bamford posted what looked to be a very good score of 169 for 3.

On the dry and dusty pitch, Bamford opened the bowling with Abbu Alam and spinner Joe Mitchell. Mitchell got rid of both openers and ended his five overs with 2 for 24.

Crowther and Summerhill put together a superb partnership of over 90 runs before Crowther retired on 50 and Summerhill was superbly caught by Langford off Nawaz for 46. The younger batsmen who followed made a valiant attempt but were unable to keep up to the required rate and the home side ended up at 151 for 5.

This was a good performance by Bamford but they will have to make some improvements in the field if they are to compete with the best sides.