After a long trip up the M42( and beyond ) to Derby, our Under 9 team embarked on the quest for success from the last tournament of the academic year. We arrived with minutes to spare until the start of the tournament and so were straight into our first match. Miss Smirles and I knew we had a decent team but what was to unfold was a surprise to both of us. We strolled through our group winning all 3 games and even managing to score a massive 101 runs off 8 overs in the final game. Captain Yahya, Neil, Areev and Mahdi all shone with the bat throughout the group stages. 

So after lunch we were pitted against an extremely strong Ranby House team. We batted tightly and only lost 2 wickets in our 8 overs and scored boundaries at regular intervals as well as pinching singles whenever possible. We totalled 68 runs off 8 overs. It was going to be a hard score to defend against a strong batting lineup. It was probably our best bowling and fielding display reducing them to only 53 runs off their 8 overs with Mahdi and Areev bowling particularly impressively.And so the final loomed; again we batted first to set a target and again our batting was superb losing only 1 wicket and scoring 55 runs. This time, however, it looked like nerves were going to get the best of us. It was neck and neck to the final over where our opponents OVS needed 6 runs off 3 balls. Up stepped Yahya knocking the stumps over twice in 3 balls to secure a resounding victory 55-41. Areev was given player of the tournament by the other teams so it was a double success for Ruckleigh.Miss Smirles and I were incredibly proud of the boys and the cricket season at Ruckleigh has been a huge success all round.

Mr Whichello

Tuesday, 27 June 2023