Boys' U14A v Malvern

Date: Saturday 24th April

Venue: 2nd XI square, 2.00 p.m.

Team: M.J.I. Goodacre (c),  D. Afoakwah,  E. Ballantyne-Rowland,  C.T. Bell (w/k),  R.L. Binns,  A. Cartlidge,  S.P. Cotter,  J.B.S. Frost,  A.T. Hibell,  S.A. Reynolds,  J. Taft.     

Result: Malvern  168 - 3 (30 overs)

     Repton    170 - 1 (26.4 overs) [Carlidge 70 ,  Goodacre  65*]

Won by 9 wickets

Match Report:  On a blameless wicket in early season the bat dominated the ball.  Only four wickets fell in the afternoon for 338 runs scored - pity the poor bowler.  Malvern won the toss and elected to bat; Repton bowled and fielded well up to the drinks interval restricting the opposition to 57 for 1 in 16 overs, with Cotter being the pick of the bowlers.  However, after the break, the batsmen showed more aggression and the home side's fielding and bowling wilted in the unseasonal April heat.  Malvern's total was probably twenty plus runs above the target that should have been chased.  After the tea-break Goodacre and Cartlidge showed a maturity of batsmanship that is seldom seen at junior level, picking up the singles and dispatching the poor deliveries, so that at the drinks interval (15 overs) Repton were very well placed at 101 -  0.  Malvern, unlike Repton, tightened up their game after the break so that runs were not as easy to come by.  Despite Cartlidge's dismissal, playing across a straight delivery, the home side cantered home with more than three overs to spare.  A good start to the season, but work on fielding and bowling will be the order of the day in the coming week(s).