Colts Match Reports
Under 9
Match Report 12th May RCC v Finchampstead
Adrian Davis reports
Having won the toss, Captain Tom decided to bat. We ended at 215 for 9, against a more experienced bowling attack. Notable innings from Simeon with two boundaries, and Blue with one and not outs for Cameron, Ronnie and Ben.
After squash and biscuits we set about defending the total. A good team effort in the field with some good backing up and boundaries stopped. Contributions of specific note: A three wicket over from Cameron including a caught and bowled, bowled and a catch! Ronnie's two maiden overs, and both Tom and Blue taking a wicket. Both Heather and Shourya bowled an economical over. Two run outs from Simeon and Ben (behind the stumps). Some well held catches from Cameron (2), Simeon (2) and Tom. Well done as well to Anant, and Matthew, I hope you enjoyed your first game.
Thanks also to Robin for umpiring, David for scoring with assistance from Clare and Emma, Anant’s dad as photographer (sorry I missed your name!), Gail for organising this first match, and Joe for the coaching support.
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Under 9
Match Report 16th May RCC v Henley
Adrian Davis reports
LOST by only 9 runs
Having lost the toss Reading were put into bat. We ended at 256 for 4. Notable innings: Boundaries from Blue and Conniah, some brisk running for byes and leg byes across the team and 7 players (Joe, Kieran, Blue, Heather, Rafae, Ben, Coniah) all carrying their bats helping to protect our runs.
After squash and cake (Obviously delicious as they all went! Thanks Emma) we set about defending our reasonable total.
We started well with two caught behinds held by Tom off of Raoul and Conniah’s 1st overs. A couple of run outs, wickets bowled by Raoul and Ben, tight overs from Rafae (including a maiden over) and Heather, and some excellent backing up in the field helped limit Henley’s score, so they only got to our score in the penultimate over, eventually finishing on 265 for 6.
Worth noting that for this, our second match, we had 6 players (Rafae, Raoul, Aryan, Joe, Kieran, Coniah) on their season’s debut, I hope you all enjoyed this very close match. I think as our fielding develops we can look forward to our first win!
Thanks go to Cameron who turned up despite being unwell, but was eventually unable to play. Luckily Conniah was onsite so took Cameron’s place.
Thanks also to Robin for umpiring, Sunil for scoring and Joe again for the coaching support.
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Under 9
Match Report RCC v Littlewick Green
Adrian Davis reports
RCC WON by 94 runs
Simeon won the toss and decided to field in beautiful surroundings with the sun beating down!
Littlewick Green were a younger team, but even so, our performance both bowling and fielding was excellent. Of note with the ball were Umar with three wickets, Cameron and Ben with two, and Simeon and Tom with one. The majority were clean bowled, but also two catches held by Tom and Simeon. As ever most batters struggling to get Heather away! A couple of run outs, in the closing overs also helped. Continued great backing up, and most fielders remembering to walk in with bowler sometimes to Joe’s delight! Littlewick Green eventually finishing on 193 for 11.
Spirits were understandably high as our batting response commenced, and what a performance. Across the team there were 13 boundaries (Umar 2, Joe, Simeon 3, Tom, Kieran 3, Blue, Ben, Aryan), including the team’s first six from Simeon. Much improved calling and running between the stumps also helped. 6 players (Simeon, Tom, Kieran, Blue, Aryan, Cameron) all carrying their bats helping to protect our runs. We ended at 287 for 6.
A fantastic team performance. It doesn’t get much better than this. Thanks also to Sumaan who came along as 11th man, and almost got a game for the opposition!
Thanks to Akeel & Robin for umpiring, David for scoring, and Joe again for the required vocal coaching support.
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Under 9
Match Report RCC v Finchamstead
Robin Ireland reports
Reading 215 for 9, Finch 298 for 3.
Lost by 83 runs
Finch won the toss and chose to bowl. They bowled very well, other than dropping some catches, they fielded very tightly indeed. Simeon top scored for us with a net contribution of 10 runs. Joe, Raoul, Heather and Ben all batted with no loss of wickets.
Finch also batted very well with some big hitters and good running. Of note from our performance in the field Joe took 1 wicket bowling, Simeon took an excellent catch from Heathers bowling and Blue taking a run out wicket. Best bowling performances came from Joe with 2 runs for a wicket in his first over and Blue with 3 runs for 1 wicket against the Finch opening pair.
Points to work on: when batting ensure the front of the crease is between your feet to avoid being stumped. When fielding get down to the ball by bending your legs and not just leaning over to avoid missed balls.
Plus points - some really good team work, a superb catch by Simeon and some excellent stops by several players that prevented boundaries.
Thanks to Adrian for sorting things out in advance and to all who helped on the day, scoring, umpiring, motivating the team and helping them set their field.
U15 Match Report
Morgan Brennan reports
Reading Recovery Hurts Hurst Hurricanes
An intelligent batting recovery, followed by an outstanding bowling and fielding display, ensured that Reading U15 Colts won their first away league match of the season at local rivals Hurst on Thursday 20th May by 30 runs .
The weather conditions were perfect. A breezeless warm summer’s evening, with a cloudless azure blue sky complementing the green and pleasant sward that was Hurst cricket ground (established 1875). The warmth of the Hurst greeting and the ‘ambiance’ of the evening was somewhat marred early on by a barked ‘Get off the pitch!” order from one of the Hurst faithful, as a Reading dad innocently inspected it. This impolite act set some of the visiting spectators on edge, though it has to be said that the players played the actual match, in an extremely good spirit throughout.
Anwar won the toss for Reading and elected to bat. Unfortunately there was the early clatter of wickets as they were reduced to 20 for 3 with Pranav 0, ‘Tom 11, and Dom 0’ all gone to indifferent shots, against some accurate Hurst bowling and well drilled fielding. The home crowd could scent a quick victory, and Reading was staring down the proverbial barrel of a heavy defeat. Cue rescue act. A superb 4th wicket partnership between Martin, 43 not out and Philip, 29, pulled Reading back from the brink, and with some lusty late hitting from Faraz, 11, the team somehow got the score up to 119. However, it was still felt that despite the heroic comeback, we were still 15 to 20 runs short of a winning total, bearing in mind the good batting conditions, and Reading’s sometimes generous bowling and fielding displays.
We could not have been more wrong. Reading’s bowlers hit their straps from the off and the Hurst reply was constricted right from the start. They were made to work for their runs and were soon under scoreboard pressure. All the bowlers performed well with Dominic recording the stand out figures of 4 overs 1 wicket for just 7 runs. The bowling was brilliantly supported by the Reading fielding throughout, with all catches taken, and some great stops in the field. Hamza and Faraz in particular adding some much needed athleticism in the field. Hurst never gave up, but steadily lost wickets after some early partnerships were broken, and thereon subsided to 89 all out.
Reading had done their talking with their cricket, as it should be. All in all, this was one of the best all round U15 Colts performances for sometime, and much improved on the cup defeat against Binfield. It wasn’t just the result, but the manner in which it was achieved that was most important. The boys should take great confidence from their performance as a team, but also challenge themselves now to build on it at the next match, at home to Waltham St Lawrence on June 10th.
Reading U15 119 for 8 off 20 overs Hurst U15 Hurricanes 89 all out off 20 overs.
Reading Team: Martin Andersson, Faraz Akram, Pranav Bharahwaj, Dominic Boyce, Philip Brennan, Hamza Butt, Tim Fitzgerald (wicket keeper), Hassan Lone, Zain Raja, Tom Walden-Bye, Anwar Wight (captain)
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U15
Reading Runs Wipe Out Waltham
Morgan Brennan reports
A strong second half innings batting performance from Reading took the game away from a young Waltham St Lawrence side resulting in a comfortable 84 run victory at Sonning Lane on Thursday 10th June.
The contrast in weather could not have been much greater. From hot sunshine at Hurst it descended to sombre at Sonning with a murky cool evening at constant threat from the rain.
Anwar won the toss and elected to bat. Tim partnered Pranav as Martin was delayed, and a solid start was made. Unfortunately though, due to a combination of steady bowling and over cautious running and batting, the scoreboard ticked over slowly. The spectators must have thought they had stumbled on a 5-day test match with Geoff Boycott in his prime, batting on a sticky wicket. As a result, the score limped along to just above 40 after the first ten overs, as Waltham stuck manfully to their task. Tim 22 and Pranav 31 though did eventually manage to throw off the shackles and hit out towards the end of their knocks. However, it was only with the introduction of Martin, 40 not out, and Philip, 20 not out, that Reading really put their foot down, and with around one 100 runs off the last ten overs, took the game away from Waltham.
A comfortable win then for the Reading Colts against a very young side that was unable to stretch them. There will be much tougher games to come, so the boys just need to guard against complacency.
Reading 144 for 3 off 20 overs - Waltham St Lawrence 60 for 9 off 20 overs.
Reading Team: Martin Andersson, Pranav Bharahwaj, Dominic Boyce, Philip Brennan, Hamza Butt, Tim Fitzgerald (wicket keeper), Hassan Lone, Zain Raja,Ruaridh Scott, Tom Walden-Bye, Anwar Wight (captain)
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U15
Reading KO Kidmore Kids
Morgan Brennan reports
An impressive all round performance from the Reading U15 Colts ensured a comfortable victory by 84 runs against a young Kidmore End side at Sonning Lane on Tuesday 15th June.
Conditions were much improved on the last game, with a bright and clear, though fresh, early summers’ evening.
Anwar won lost the toss, and Kidmore decided to bowl first. With Martin missing, an opportunity was taken to shuffle the Reading order around, and the new opening pair of Anwar and Philip started proceedings. Unfortunately, this did not last long as Philip played around a full-length delivery, and was adjudged lbw by the opposing umpire. However, Tom produced a typically belligerent innings, hitting a rapid 47 before one skied shot too many was finally taken. Hamza with 27 energetic runs took full advantage of his move up the order though it was Anwar who took the batting honours with a captain’s knock of 50 retired. This enabled Reading to finish on a commanding total of 173 with the loss of only 4 wickets.
The Kidmore reply was immediately strangled by Dominic thundering in and bowling straight to remove their first three batsmen. With the result now a foregone conclusion, the bowling was spread around the team and all ten Reading outfielders managed to turn their arms over. The Kidmore team battled away gamely but they were never able to threaten the big Reading total, and their innings finally ended on 89 for 6 wickets down.
So another comfortable win for Reading against another youngish team. The performance though was a step up on the previous game, giving the boys a confidence boosting fourth consecutive league win.
Reading 173 for 4 off 20 overs - Kidmore End 89 for 6 off 20 overs.
Reading Team: Martin Andersson (wicketkeeper) Pranav Bharahwaj, Dominic Boyce, Philip Brennan, Hamza Butt, Tim Fitzgerald, Jamie Inns, Faraz Akram, Zain Raja, Tom Walden-Bye, Anwar Whight (captain)
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