Colts Match Reports
Sunday 21 June
The Under 11s headed to the 2nd best ground around (after The Brow!) to take on their Mistley counterparts on Sunday morning. Captain Alex Johnson lost the toss and his team were asked to bat first on the new artifical wicket at Mistley. This was the first time the majority of our team has played on this type of surface and it proved quite a steep learning curve. Batting in pairs Will House and Cameron faced some very good and pacey bowling and despite playing well 3 wickets were lost (two to good catches from the Mistley fielders) in the first 4 overs. Harry and Nick batted next and played extremely well with Nick hitting some powerful sweepshots to hit the sides first boundary of the game. Mistleys follow up bowling added a fair number of extras to the score and Jamie and Jason, batting third, did exactly as they were asked and survived without losing any further wickets. The two Alex`s (Johnson and Pink) batted last to try and push the score up to around 250. They both played some good looking shots and ran well between the wickets. Alex J hit a couple of boundaries and was very unlucky to pull one off his legs straight to the fielder at long leg, who held a very good catch. Adcc ended on 236, perhaps a few runs light. Nick ended with 8 and Alex J on 7.
Mistley got off to their normal quick start with one of the best Under 11 batsmen around hitting his way to a powerful 20 odd undefeated. The rest of their team were intent upon not getting out although several shots landed agonisingly short of our fielders. Alex J bowled consecutive maidens and Harry Rose bowled really well to pick up the only 2 wickets to fall. With only 2 overs left the scores were within 6 runs of each other. However a couple of rather streaky boundaries saw the gap increase and, despite some powerful bowling in the last two overs Mistly were able to survive intact to eventually win by 18 runs.
Special mention must be made for Nick, who debuted behind the stumps, and who was really excellent.
A decent performance on a rather alien surface with some very encouraging signs for the future. J Major
Thursday 18 June
The Under 12s played their first home game of the season on Thursday when they took on their nearest local rivals of West Mersea. Skipper Matthew Johnson won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to set a decent target somewhere around a hundred. Alex Johnson and Matthew Sullivam opened up against a young opposition and the scoreboard was soon moving along nicely. Alex was bowled attempting to hit the ball to East Mersea and when Jason H fell first ball ADCC were 14/2. However, an excellent partnership of 120 between Matthew S (who went on to record a very good 53 not out) and Guy T (who was eventually run out for 32) ensured that the home side reached 149/9 from their 20 overs. This represents the sides highest score of the season to date and was achieved without the regular top 4 batting at all.
Mersea struggled right from the start of the innings against the disciplined Abberton attack. Ali D (3/2) and Matt J (1/6) started the carnage and Scott (3/6), Jason (1/8), Jacob (2/7) and Ben (1/0) ensured that Mersea struggled to 49 all out. There was a great stumping by Callum H making his debut behind the stumps and two excellent catches by Ryan in the covers. Overall a very good win. albeit it a little one sided.
Ashely Edwards umpired in his usual manner and his side remains unbeaten after 3 games of the season. Next up is Long Melford at home on Sunday 28th June so lets hope the side can maintain its winning habit! J Major
Tuesday 26 May
Ashley Edwards' team took part in just their second Under 12s match of the season on Tuesday night, travelling across town to take on their counterparts of Great Bromley. Debuting for ADCC was Jason Hoggarth. Skipper Ali Desborough (debuting in that role too) won the toss and elected to take first use of the track on a brilliantly clear but very windy evening. With a low sun causing some issues to the fielders Callum Harding and the skipper himself walked out to rapturous applause from the bank of travelling fans. Despite some decent shots the first ten overs saw only 44 runs on the board (with extras definately top scoring) but neither batsmen looked in any danger of getting out. Callum started to find his range and was especially harsh on anything two feet down leg side and he started to score freely. At the same time Ali, having got a little bogged down and frustrated, lost his leg stump bail to a four bouce yorker for a rather lenghty 12 in the 15th over. Connor, promoted to number 3 , proceeded nicely to 6 before being caught at cover and was replaced by last weeks top scorer Matt J. When Callum fell for a well struck 41 ADCC were in danger of not getting to a hundred despite some fairly tame bowling. However, Matt J plundered 26 from just ten balls (including five well placed boundaries) and he and Alex Pink (who ended on 5 not out) saw the score reach a very respectable 131.
After the drinks break ADCC set off to bowl out Great Bromley but found the going difficult. from the off. A rather limp bowling perfromance saw Great Bromley always up with the rate and it was only an exceptional piece of fielding by the debutant Jason that finally saw a wicket fall in the 14th over (a fantastic direct run out from fully thiry yards). Will House and a couple of tight overs from Alex Pink finally put paid to any chance Bromley had and they ended up 25 runs short on 116/4, with wickets to Ali (1/12), Connor (1/16) and Alex P (1/8). Six dropped catchec, over-throws and a plethora of misfields meant that the training schedule for Thursday has already been written by the coaches!! Many thanks to Mandy Desborough for scoring so well and again Ashley deserves a round of applause for letting the players learn the game the right way. Two wins from two matches represents a great start for this squad. Next up is Long Melford away on June 9th. J Major
Sunday 24 May
An epic Under 11s game between ADCC and their close rivals from Eight Ash Green unfurled at home on Sunday morning. Under brilliant blue skies, with The Brow looking a real picture, home skipper Alex "Minor Minor" Johnson lost the toss and the home side were invited to make first use of the facilities. The opening pair of Alex J and Cameron W faced the oppositions best pair of bowlers with calmness and solid defence, putting on 12 runs with no wickets down after the first 4 overs. Next in were Tim S (on debut) and Will House and they both hit two boundaries each in an excellent partnership of 28. Harry and Nick showed that they are both learning quickly and, despite an unfortunate run out, batted sensibly. Alex J and Cameron then came back to the crease and Alex J hit back to back boundaries to see the ADCC score reach a very respectable 259. A really excellent effort against a decent bowling attack. Batting stats, Alex J 11, Cameron 3, Will H 12, Tim 10, Harry 1, Nick 1.
Opening up were Alex J and Will House who bowled tightly, with Tim and Cameron doing likewise. However, the EAG score increased with their batsmen also refusing to give any wickets away. Harry R made the first breakthrough (and his very first club wicket) when he bowled one of their batsmen middle stump. However, with four overs to go and EAG sending their last pair to the wicket the game was still in the balance. However, a returning Alex J claimed 2 wickets in 3 balls (both caught behind by Matt "Minor" Johnson to apparently make the game safe. However 3 quick boundaries brought the sides to within 8 runs of each other with one over left. The responsibilty lay with Will H who, despite being hit for a boundary early in the over,returned brilliantly to take two wickets in two balls (the second an excellent catch at fine leg by Tim) to see ADCC scramble over the line to win by 10 runs. Bowling figures Alex J 3 overs 2/9, Will H 3 overs 2/19, Tim 3 overs 0/8, Cameron 3 overs 0/9, Harry 2 overs 1/15 and Nick 2 overs 0/9.
A greatly improved fielding display and fine cricket played in fine spirit, Good to see so many parents at The Brow! J Major
Thursday 21 May
A keen but inexperienced Under 12s side took on their local rivals at West Mersea on Thursday evening, the first Under 12s match for all of them (this is the level where proper cricket rules apply). Skipper Matt Sullivan won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat, a decision described by their new coach Ashley Edwards as "correct". Matt Johnson and the returning George Louch waded through the outfield and set about the opposition. George struck a sweet boundary before losing his middle stump (4) before Skipper Matt S fell for just 3. Matt J was then joined by Ryan Tuffin and together they batted very sensibly in an unbroaken partnership of 97, with Matt J carrying his bat for 34 and Ryan ending on 23 not out. The total of 114 looked good, especially with boundaries proving very hard to reach.
The new ball was taken by Ali Desborough and Alex Johnson and both proved highly profficient with Alex J bowling their opener with just his 5th ball. With the fielding being of a high standard and all the team keeping their focus all of the team bowled well with George L ending with 3 wickets for no runs, Guy taking 2 for 4 with his flighted leg spin (including a very good catch behind the stumps by Matt J), Will House on debut at this level 1 for 6 and Alex Pink taking a wicket with his first ball, despite a broken toe. An excellent team performance saw Mersea eventually bowled out for 55.
The game was played in the right spirit thanks largely to coach Ashely (who umpired the game) and he was ably assisted by Chris Pettit who scored for both innings.
The Under 12 next play on Tuesday at Great Bromley so good luck to them there. J Major
