Cox leads Eagles to victory: juniors round-up

Merstham Eagles, one of two U9 sides, produced their performance of the season so far in overpowering Salfords, scoring 335-6 before Salfords replied with 269-8.

Luke Hirchfield opening up set the tone with a classy 25. Solid batting from the next two pairs including 14 from Ben Wright merely laid the platform for a blaze of power hitting from Will John Cox who hit 39 off 13 balls with four sixes and three fours.

The sixes were courtesy of short leg side balls which fed his favourite shot but his best shot was a powerful on drive off a well-pitched delivery showing great technique. Flynn helped finish things off with a well-played 15 as Merstham totalled 335-6.

Salfords did well to respond with 268-8 against a formidable Merstham bowling attack. In the first over alone Max Thomas would have had three plumb lbws (if they existed in this format) as the batter's only answer was to get his legs in the way of the stumps.

Barney Turner would routinely open for many sides but bowled third change and returned great figures with a wicket and two maidens in his two overs.

The bowlers shared the wickets supported by some good fielding and a couple of catches from aspiring new keeper Joshua Kenny plus a direct hit run out from the boundary by Max.

Mention must also go to Hamdam Rashid who at age 7 is already looking a quality all-rounder.

It is so encouraging to see a widening group of players bowling with strong actions and batting with decent technique and plenty of proper cricket shots on display. It augurs well for the move to hardball cricket when technique will be much more important.

Will John Cox was a deserving man of the match for his batting heroics.

The U9 Hawks took on Southern Railway & Kenley in rather pessimistic mood - having already lost to them in the cup and fresh from the one run defeat in the Capel festival.  

But batting first, sensible shot selection and (for once) a lack of kamikaze running saw the Hawks post 286 for 3 - their highest score of the season - all the remarkable given that they lost two wickets in the final three balls of the innings. Ollie Durston top scored with a classy 13, but every pair helped progress the score.  

And the miracles didn't stop there. Having not achieved a run out in any match so far this season, the Hawks managed two in two balls, and engineered yet another three overs later - each one a display of calmness under pressure.

Regular wickets (Jacob Law taking three) and enthusiastic fielding meant Kenley still required eight off the final over to win.  But the Hawks' fielding, which had been so good throughout the innings, crumbled when most needed, and Kenley finished on 289-9, three runs ahead.  

Yet again the whole team acquitted themselves fabulously throughout the game, despite the disappointment of yet another last ball loss.

Merstham U11 ESCL side lost to Capel by 45 runs. Capel scored 274-7, with seven different Merstham bowlers taking a wicket each. Merstham replied with 229 for 10.