Lots of cricket for Finchley's youngsters this week, with the U9s, U11s, U13s and U15s all in action. Focus this week is on the Friday ticket, with the U9s away at Hampstead, and the U11s hosting Highgate, fresh off their cup final victory on Monday.

1st July 2022
U9s vs Hampstead CC

Nihal T appointed Captain for the game...decided that while we waited for everyone to arrive he would get a bowling/batting drill going on the outfield. 2 batsmen, everyone else bowling...and his dad at wicket keeper.

..Batsmen protect your wicket....Bowlers bowl straight and at off stump...we don't want to give away wides...were the instructions. 

HCC won the Toss and FCC U9 were put into bat. Thankfully for us as we were still 2 players short.

The batting on the whole was of a good standard......and was matched with some very good fielding from the HCC U9 team. Including a very special one handed catch at point.

As the final pair, Aveer and Ayaan, went in the net score stood at approx 235/240. With FCC having lost regular wickets along the way. Would that  be enough?  After some very nice batting and great running they returned with the net score at 262. A defendable total?

When asked, the boys answer was 100 percent YES...as the memory of the defeat earlier in the season was still fresh.

After an exceptionally quick turn around, Nihal T had set his field and had the ball in his hand. With the extra motivation of knowing the HCC opening Batsmen Zach his best mate from school. The first over set the tone for the FCC bowling / fielding performance. 2 wickets including a caught and bowled....Great energy in the field to stop the batsmen getting any easy runs and lots of backing up.

The next 19 overs of the FCC bowling were a joy to watch and to be honest each over deserves its own commentary...but unfortunately I am limited to 1000 words.

The main highlights were:

Great high catches on the boundary by Uddish and Ayaan

A stunning reaction catch by Nihal T at very short mid-wicket (not sure what he was doing there)

Great accurate bowling ..with every bowler picking up at least 1 wicket..and very few extras...especially at this level.

Some amazing fielding and backing up that lead to at least 5 run outs

Great bowling spells from Ryan and Rahul...Full of wickets and hardly any runs..

A HAT TRICK  from Rahul....which drew a release of emotion from Julian, that i would suggest is normally only reserved for when one of his sons gets a Hundred for the First Team.

With Nihal's constant adjustments in the field you wouldn't have known we only had 9 fielders on the pitch...at times the Hampstead parents were counting to make sure there weren't 15 of them.

The Hampstead batsmen just couldn't deal with the FCC bowling and fielding. After 20 overs their net total was 211...a win by 51 runs for FCC U9s.

Well done boys...a great effort and thank you Julian for all your efforts

U11A vs Highgate

Legoland. A theme park based around small plastic bricks. How – and why? - did that happen? And could they not use some of their 6bn bricks* to build a dedicated bridge over the miserable M4/M40 corridor so we could actually get there without spending hours in traffic? There is simply no good way to get to Windsor from North London by car, ever. Anyway, having spent an entire day waiting in interminable queues of various kinds to experience low-octane rides and food of various grades of junk, we’ve arrived at Arden Field a little late. And it turns out Highgate have already conceded the match, having arrived with insufficient players.

So, it’s very chilled on the boundary, a sense of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ pervades the ground. The League is won, the cup is won, we’re on to the regionals now and this feels like a training session. So, your match report today will be in a similar vein, relaxed and minimalist. We’re going to win and we’re going to have a beer or two. Jason wants to chat about the new Elvis movie – sounds like a must-see but he’s an afficionado apparently. Vegas Elvis, movie Elvis or original Elvis era I wonder? I think he’s a Vegas guy. Also, the new Top Gun movie which sounds like another must-see. Trouble is, when the first one came out, a girlfriend at the time told me I looked just like Tom, which was very flattering and frankly probably true, even if I do say so myself. And now, nearly 40 years later, he looks just the same and so do I – but plus nearly 40 years. That’s not right. Does he keep a portrait in his attic?

Anyway its 98 for 2 apparently. Sachin Tibarewala made 33 off 30 before he was bowled and Jake Schapkaitz 32. Great opening stand of 80. Aarav Patel and Aman Raja in now, and the score’s up to 108 for 2 off 13. But Aarav’s out for 12, bowled, and two catches have been put down in the field. Rayaan Alibhai to the wicket and he’s quickly on fire, pulling to the boundary for 4 and its 122 for 3 off 15. And another 4 from Ray. And a huge 6, wow. It’s going well but as I said earlier, feels a bit anticlimactic on the boundary after so much competitive play recently.

(India finish on 338 for 7 at the end of day 2 I’m told, amazing partnership between Pant and Jadeja, doing an England after being 90-odd for 5.]

Ray’s retired now for a majestic 27 off 16 and its 155 for 3 off 19. And a 6 to finish from Elliott Kennedy - no, its 4, that looked over the boundary from here! 166 off 20 for 3. Great effort. Made that look very easy and though we might be taking it easy, this Finchley side is as fired up as ever for the win.

Right, second innings, and captain fantastic Rishi Mehta to bowl. Death. Taxes. The England top order to fail in a test match. And Rishi to take a wicket first over. Some things are inevitable. He’s unplayable. And a second, 2 wickets in the over. Wow. Nico Ponzoni Kirkham to bowl the second, he didn’t get a chance to bat but then we did arrive quite late. First 2 balls a bit flighted and 2 singles, but a nice over to start. There’s a run out on Rishi’s throw in the next over from Matias Gura and its 6 for 2 off 2. Nico stops 2 fours in a row brilliant fielding and its 16 for 3 off 5. And another run out off Jake’s throw, brilliant. 27 for 3 off 7. Now Aryan Bavishi’s got his wicket, great bowling giving it plenty of air. Another run out? No, a fumble! How did they miss that?

Ray gets smacked for 4 and then takes the middle stump out in response and its 43 for 6 off 9. off 8. Sanchit is doing the scoring now and apparently, he also umpiring tomorrow. A man of many talents indeed. And another one out, caught of Ray’s bowling at slip by Rishi. 7 down. And 8 down already, bowled. Slow down boys, I’m trying to take notes on the phone and every time I squint at the screen** I miss a wicket.

43 for 8 off 10. And the ninth to Aryan. Flight and drift and spin and he’s clean bowled. Elliott takes the last wicket with his first ball. Outstanding display. Win by 119 runs. Awesome. They’re playing on to finish the overs but I’m signing off. Beer O’Clock. And we’re presenting the League trophy to the team later, what a week – League and Cup double!

*Apparently this is the number of Lego bricks that have been manufactured globally to date.

**Note to self to get eyes tested, Woody don’t you have an opticians? Do you do mates rates?