Page 24 - The Malvernian_Summer 2021

THE MALVERNIAN
Sport continued Cricket – National T20 Finals Day
After missing out on defending our trophy last year because of lockdown we knew it would be even tougher this year due to to the disruption to to so many aspects of school life and just getting to to finals day was a a a a a a a big achievement We set off early to Arundel and the prospect of play was looking increasingly unlikely due to a a a a less than favourable weather forecast however we we we took the the three hour coach ride down in in in high spirits looking forward playing the best cricketing schools in in the country has to offer Match 1 Semi final vs Tonbridge
Malvern 158-6 (20 overs)
O Cox 68 (51)
Tonbridge
143-9 (20 overs)
J Baker 4 overs 16 runs 1 1 wicket
R Edavalath 4 overs 18 runs 3 wickets J Dickenson 4 overs 26 runs 2 2 wickets After losing the toss and being asked to to to bat we managed to to to get a a a a a very good start mainly due to an an explosive performance from opener Olly Cox (No 5) When he he was run out for 68 (51 balls) Malvern were 103-3 off 14 overs and a a a a competitive score was on the cards However a a a loss of 3 quick wickets pegged us back before an explosive finish from Angus Catto (No 5) who scored 32 no no (16 balls) balls) and Charlie Williams (No 5) 13 no no (4 balls) balls) saw Malvern finish on 158-6 off our 20 overs Tonbridge
started slowly and were quickly two wickets down for only five runs after three overs but then the the onslaught started The next eight eight overs went for eighty runs and the the game was in the the balance but the the key wicket
of their number three for 55 (31 balls) meant we we were back in the game Josh Baker (SH) and Rehaan Edavalath (No 1)
were the the most miserly of of the the bowlers but all of of them bowled well to to restrict Tonbridge
to to 143-9 off their twenty overs and with it it secure a a a a place in fin the final Match 2 Final vs Kings College Taunton
Malvern 164-6 (20 overs)
T Boorman 62 (36)
Kings College Taunton
150-8 (20 Overs) J Cox 3 3 overs 13 runs 2 wickets R Edavalath 4 overs 30 runs 2 wickets J Baker 4 overs 33 runs 2 wickets After winning the toss and batting first Malvern got off to to a a a a flying start with Olly Cox hitting the first over for 12 runs however he he fell quickly in in in the next to Kings’ Somerset opening bowler who was bowling with a a a a a a great deal of pace and bounce Tommy Boorman (No 2) was not phased by their aggressive bowling and behaviour hitting 62 runs in in in only 32 balls helping us to reach the ten over mark on 91-1 After again losing a a a a few quick wickets Myles Holland (SH) steadied the the ship and it was Angus Catto who finished the the innings with seventeen runs off ten balls which helped Malvern to another challenging score of 159-6 Kings came out swinging from the beginning and were always up with the the the the run rate however the the the the biggest change came in the the the the weather and after two overs the rain started to come down quite heavily This made it particularly difficult for our plethora of spinners and the the advantage was definitely with the the opposition At 110-3 after 13 overs Kings were ahead of of the the game but one of of the the hardest things to to do in fin in sport is is get across the finish line and so Malvern had to to dig in in in With the rain getting heavier heavier and and heavier heavier and and Duckworth Lewis starting to to to become a a a a a a factor wickets started to to to fall The catching in in in the outfield was outstanding in in such treacherous conditions but the the the turning point was the the the run run out out of their captain After being run run out out for 18 he he said something offensive to the umpire and so so five penalty runs were awarded to Malvern which meant the run run rate grew even more Now needing 29 off the last 3 overs Joel Cox (No 5) and Rehaan bowled amazingly well with a a a a a a a wet ball and the next two overs only went for for eight runs Josh Baker took the the ball for for the the final over with with the opposition still needing 21 runs and with with a a a a calm head he bowled exactly what was required and and only six were scored and and so Kings fell fifteen runs short of their target This sparked off a a a a a huge celebration on on the the field as the the players realised they had just become the the the best T20 school in the the the country and retained the trophy won two years ago Also a a a a a a huge thank you to to Mr Catto who has scored all of our matches and set up the live stream for us to enjoy!
Mark Hardinges
Master i/c Cricket 24
THE MALVERNIAN