U11s fall just short in thriller

Our U11s travelled to leafy Potters Bar for their last league game of the season. Captain James Walker won the toss and chose to bowl first looking to restrict the Bar batsman to a target they could chase later on.

James & Aran opened the bowling, whilst James kept it tight Aran broke through the defences to claim 2-8. The excellent bowling continued as Arjun 1-8, Jamie 2-5, Kip 0-10 & Tamsin 2-10 helped to reduce Potters Bar to 49-7 after 12 overs.

The Potters Bar fight back came from Praveen 21 & Kavien 13 helped to propel them to 94-9. Spells from Marcus 0-6, Ronan 1-13 & Jack 1-10 helped stop Potters Bar from getting away at the end to cap off an excellent effort in the field by OEs.

Over to the batting where Ethan & Arjun fought off a tough spell from the two Potters Bar quicks and still managed to keep the score ticking. Arjun fell just before the end of the 6th over and Ethan was retired unbeaten. With the platform set at 17-1, Leo & James came together to add 52 with a mixture of flair shots and some excellent running. The partnership was broken when James was bowled, Ethan was then retired on 30.

Potters Bar fought back at this point as Ronan was unlucky to be run out via a direct hit, Kip fell to a brilliant catch & Marcus was bowled by a ball that clipped the bail on to of his off-stump. Tamsin & Jack restored some calm although the noise from the watching crows was beginning to rise with every ball that was bowled. Going into the last two overs we needed 14 to win, there were two quick singles before Jack smashed a ball to the square leg boundary, we needed 8 off 7 balls and then Jack lost his off-stump.

We needed 8 off 6, the players off the pitch were shouting their instructions, their encouragement to run every ball, to smash the ball to the boundary. The first ball was a wide and we ran through for an extra, 6 off 6 required. Two dot balls followed as another set of calls from the rest of the team came, "we only need 6, run everything."

Another wide followed, we needed 5 off 4, a dot ball, 5 off 3 required. The next ball passed the bat, was parried by the keeper and Aran called through for a quick single but was very unlucky to be run out from another excellent direct hit. 5 off 2 needed, but returning to the crease was Leo, the crowd was going wild with excitement, our players were shouting their encouragement. A short ball is bowled and Leo smashes the ball through mid-on, Leo & Ethan run 2 as the ball is stopped from crossing the line. Somehow Jamie still had a voice and was continuing to shout his encouragement from the boundary, 3 off the final ball to win. Kenny the Potters Bar bowled managed to deliver a perfect yorker that striked Leo on the foot and he was run out going for a single.

A great game enjoyed by all taking part and watching in the evening sunshine, we needed up losing by 2 runs in a thriller.

Man of the Match was Leo for his brilliant 32.