Boys' U15A v Derbyshire U14

Date: Tuesday 18th May

Venue: Home

Team: Goodacre, Waters, Gough (c), Cosford, Hibell, Cotter, Frost, Hughes, Kavanagh, Moss, Martin

Result: Derbyshire U14s 155 for 9 (40 overs); Repton 157 for 7 (39.5 overs) Repton win by 1 wicket

Match Report: This was a tremendous victory by the narrowest of margins against the Derbyshire U14 side. Having lost the toss, Repton took the field and things got off to the best possible start when Cosford took a wicket in the very first over. Hibell's left-arm seam from the other end yielded two more quick wickets and Derbyshire were 22 for 3 after 9 overs. What a start! Sam Cotter, Repton's bowler of the day, came on first change and immediately bamboozled the opposition batsmen with his highly accurate leg-spin. He eventually bowled 8 overs, 3 maidens, and took 4 for 15, leaving Derbyshire reeling at 70 for 7. There was, however, a terrific fight back from their batsmen, especially the number 8, Mullaney, who scored 50 not out, and this was coupled with some average out cricket from Repton. Final score - 155 for 9 from 40 overs. The Repton reply was superb; after 20 overs we were 77 for 0, with Goodacre and Waters batting sensibly and up with the run-rate. The curse of the drinks break then struck as Waters was bowled for 20. Inexperience showed as we allowed their three leg-spinners to bowl accurately and, as the run-rate increased, wickets began to fall, but not before Goodacre completed a valuable 50. Having required less than 4 an over at the drinks break, the Repton side found themselves 97 for 5 with ten overs to go. Cosford (15) and Frost (16) steadied the ship superbly, putting on 30 runs, but the run-rate crept up to 7 an over. After Frost was run out by a direct hit from long-on, Repton needed 24 to win from the last three overs. Hughes, coming in at 8, scampered superbly between the wickets and ensured that we were always in touch, but wickets fell at the other end and we went into the last over needing 9 to win. A dot ball and a scrambled leg-bye off the first two balls left the equation as 8 to win from 4 balls. Then something amazing happened: Andrew Martin, Repton's number 11, smashed a length delivery for four through mid-wicket! 4 to win from 3 balls. Martin steals a single. 3 to win from 2 balls. Hughes then launches the penultimate delivery over mid-wicket for four runs to seal a most amazing victory with one ball to spare. It was a tremendous victory and one which, on balance, Repton deserved.