MCA Cricket Dorset Cup Final

June 18th 2019

After a season spent working on their ability to bat up and down the order, it took a tremendous fight back from the middle order to give Sherborne a comprehensive victory in the Dorset U14 Cup Final. After losing the toss and being put in to bat on a difficult wicket, a tight opening period by the Clayesmore bowlers saw Sherborne reduced to 14-4 in the sixth over.

Joe Young (12) and Freddie Springett (16) added some respectability to the score before both were caught, and then Ed Ursell (25 from 22 balls) began to turn the tide in Sherborne’s favour. After Ursell was bowled trying to ramp a short ball, Harry Thomas (54 from 60 balls) and Johnnie Lawson Johnston (67 from 53 balls) built a quality partnership of 130 from only 80 deliveries, typified by superb running between the wickets by Thomas and power hitting from Lawson Johnston. This remarkable recovery saw Sherborne post a challenging 211-9 at the end of their 35 overs. In reply, Clayesmore made a steady start, going at 4 an over in the first 10, the lone wicket falling to Tom Stephens (4-1-10-1) thanks to an excellent low catch by Harry Bedford at mid-off. It was then that, once again, Thomas and Ursell changed the shape of the innings, as Harry Thomas (3-1-7-2) first caught the Clayesmore opener before removing the No 3 and No 6 with an excellent spell of bowling. Ed Ursell finished with quite remarkable figures of 4-1-4-5, taking his first four wickets for the cost of only 1 run off the bat as he bowled a consistently great line and length. Backed up by brilliant fielding and catching all round, Captain Cam Golding took the final two wickets in his first over of work, and Sherborne were deservedly crowned Dorset County Champions by 158 runs.

The entire group should be congratulated on their work ethic and positivity across the entire season. They have approached every situation, be it training or matches, with a determination to improve both as individual players and as a team, and this put them in great stead to succeed today under difficult conditions at the start of the match.