The U11s travelled to Poloc and won with 78/7 (NET 243) being chased down and beaten by 107/7 (NET 272).
Meanwhile at Titwood…which, for once, could genuinely be labelled “Toytown” (but a game, which is fair for both sides, is better than no game) Lyle Hill won the toss and chose to bat. The revolving opening partnership plan continued with Scott Turnbull and Haris Chaudhry opening. Not the worst plan – 75/1 off 8 overs, with Haris out for 30! Then 81/2 with Scott out for 43 (with his last three scoring shots being 6s…and Poloc’s match ball still, to this moment, lodging somewhere on the roof of the Hutchie Sports Hall!). And this was how things continued. Lyle also hit three 6s…before shock horror – he top edged one…and Oli Raine held a very easily droppable catch comfortably. Lyle out for 33. Saif Ali marked his return from Pakistan by launching a couple of 6s of his own, in his 27. Sheryar Awan finished 34 not out (one 6), Ilan Selby was bowled playing for the team (10) and Suhaib Siddiqui finished 4*. U15s 194/5 off 20 overs.
In truth, the small boundaries had helped the score, but the Poloc bowlers struggled to find the right length on a pitch that was definitely offering some assistance to the seamers. While Haider Akram picked up 3/44 from his 5 overs, the pick of the Poloc bowlers was Saif Sajjad (and he was the roughest treated by the small boundaries as a couple of miss-hits resulted in 6s) with 5-0-38-1.
In reply, Poloc had to get off to a flyer. Ball #2, Keshav Kanabar found the length to bowl on the helpful pitch – chip shot, Lyle, short cover, wicket. Poloc 0/1. And from there on it was a simple game for the bowlers. Bowl a decent line and length and get rewarded. Bowl short or wide and struggle. KK got a second. Aymen continued to display his Jekyll and Hyde nature in the one spell – 10 off the first over, before bowling much better overs 2 and 3 and bowling a good ball to find Rousen’s outside edge and pick up the wicket. Lyle finally bowled a decent spell in the league (2-0-4-2). Ilan got a wicket, thanks to a good stumping from Ahmad Chaudhry who was standing back! Calum Stout (deputising for the injured Andrew Hume) even got a bowl (well, he had to after his 5-for at the weekend) and the U13 wicket-keeper picked up his first U15 league wicket as KK held a juggled catch. By this point Poloc were down to their last wicket…but the pair showed that run scoring was still easy when the bowlers didn’t hit their areas. The pair put on 21 and took the innings to the second last ball before Scott found a decent length and an easy chip was offered up to Suhaib at cover. Poloc 79 all out.
Toytown it was, but the U15s dealt with the outfield size (and the pitch which was very, very bowler friendly) far better than the opposition. The batting was set up by a good, aggressive start from Scott and Haris and 9 maximums helped the score along. With the ball, KK was back to his wicket-taking form of last season and the early overs ensured that there would be no miracle chase.
