Overstone U11 v U11 Rockets

To say it was hot for the visit to Overstone would be an understatement! It was roasting!

Captain for the day, Sam, was unlucky with the toss and we were put in to bat. This was only our second game on grass and the opening pair of Noah and Kian found it tricky against the new, pink ball. Straight bowling resulted in us losing 4 wickets in the first 4 overs which left us with an uphill battle to get back in the game. Sam and Fenton were up against their best bowlers who were very accurate and quick. At this point, the lads could have been very despondent but Jacob continued his excellent form with the bat scoring 20 whilst Jared supported with some sensible shots. Our trusted last pair of Ethan and Alex continued the fight back with vital runs at the end. Alex saved his best innings of the season for the last game scoring 30 not out. Particularly pleasing was the way he looked after his wicket, dispatching one ball for a huge 6 followed by a solid forward defensive shot. Responsible batting!

The boys came out to field knowing that they were still in this game but unfortunately the task was too great. Nevertheless, the boys showed tremendous spirit and didn’t give up until the very last ball. We were unlucky not to get more wickets with the opposition regularly playing and missing but, as we all know, the margins are small in sport and in particular cricket.

Whilst we fell short in the league, we’ve had a fantastic season. The team has really developed showing real fight, spirit and togetherness. They play as a team and share each other’s success which is great to see. The future is very bright for this group and Horton U11s as a whole. James and I are incredibly proud of the team and we’d like to thank all the boys who played for the Rockets this season as well as the parents and helpers who have been extremely supportive.

It’s not over yet, we are planning some “when you’re out, you’re out” matches in the next few weeks to get some practice for what’s to come in the next couple of years, so please keep an eye on Pitchero.