Sport News - Arnold School

Brilliant performances on final Saturday of the season

The form of our cricketers matched the perfect weather on the final Saturday of the season. The U14A hosted Lisneal College from Northern Ireland whilst the U12A and U15A were away at our close friends Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn.

Having won six of their eight matches this season, the U14A XI have been in fantastic form under the guidance of Mr Harding and Mr McIntyre. Winning the toss against our Irish visitors, team captain, Alex Naylor decided to bat on a good wicket and this proved to be a good decision as Naylor himself put on 40 runs for the first wicket with Andrew Cowburn.

However, 40-0 from eleven overs soon became 47-2 just an over later as Naylor was caught for a good 24 and then Cowburn departed for 13. Matthew Radley now joined Richard Whiteside and they forged a quite remarkable 169 run partnership over 19 overs. Whiteside and Radley hit some brilliant shots on the main wicket as they displayed real maturity and wonderful talent. Richard Whiteside scored 57 not out, which included eight fours. Matthew Radley, who scored 65 not out last week against Cheadle Hulme, now went one better as he smashed 100 not out. Matthew hit 14 fours and two sixes in the highest score of any Arnold batsmen this season. The Arnold boys finished on 209-2 from their thirty overs.

A target of 210 to win was always going to be a challenge for Lisneal College but they gave it their very best. Alex Naylor and Mitchell Bolus put the opening batsmen under huge pressure in their opening spell as Lisneal found themselves on 37-1 after ten overs. Lisneal improved their run-rate over the next ten overs as they progressed to 86-2 with their opening batsman, Hunter, looking very dangerous. The visitors needed 124 from the final ten overs in order to claim a stunning victory and they gave it their very best as Hunter scored 66 before Peter Thompson had him caught by Mohammed Patel. Thompson eventually took 3-18 and Joe Welch 2-46 as the Irishmen really went for their shots. Lisneal College finished on 164-6 as they doubled their score in the final ten overs but Arnold's batting performance was just too good as the U14A ended their season with seven victories from nine matches.

Away in Blackburn, the U15A XI played out a Twenty20 match in a repeat of the Lancashire Cup match, which Arnold won off the final ball. Amazingly, this match proved to be just as close and as thrilling! Arnold batted first and scored 130-5 with McPheely making 23 to show how much he has progressed this season. However, it was the captain, Andrew Walkden, who continued his amazing season with another good knock. His 47 not out helped to accelerate the score from 89-3 off 15 overs to 130-5. QEGS batted extremely well in their first ten overs and they looked to be coasting at 63-3. The match then started to get very interesting; just as he had done last week, Alex Olsson changed the direction of the contest with 3-25, including our opponent's opening batsman for 53.

The home side reached 103-5 with six overs to go, needing just 28 to win. Suddenly wickets began to tumble and 103-5 became 105-7 as Charles Laycock struck and Walkden took a quite breath-taking diving catch. McPheely also took a wicket and then two run outs had QEGS in disarray as, firstly, Hammond and Kenworthy combined and then Laycock made a direct hit. Now on 116-9, QEGS had two overs to score 15 runs but Joe Pennington came on and with his very first ball the batsman tried to hit him over the top and somehow Laycock rose and took a brilliant one handed catch behind his head as the home side were all out for 116 and Arnold had won by 14 runs. Five wickets had fallen for just 13 runs in four overs. After winning no matches at all in 2009, the U15A XI have also won seven of their nine matches and with the Fylde & Wyre Cup Final left to play, they have a chance to be crowned Team of the Year. Well done to Mr Hayden and his team for a wonderful season.

Sadly, the U12A could not quite match the team performances of the two other sides as their fielding cost them dearly in the sweltering heat away at Blackburn. QEGS scored 158-7 with no Arnold bowler really able to bowl consistently well except for Ben Pearson who took 1-21 from his five overs. Year 6 pupil, Peter Walton, took a wicket with his second ball and Year 5 player, James Cowburn, had a caught and bowled from his very first ball as they helped out the U12A.

Dropped catches cost the team and some average fielding helped QEGS to amass a formidable score. The U12A reply started well and Ellis Whorlton-Jones looked in fine form as Arnold reached 23-0 from five overs. Roshan Mohindra was then bowled but the Arnold boys looked well set at 48-1 from ten overs. Sadly, five wickets quickly fell as 48-1 became 69-6 as some rash shots to good balls cost the Arnold batsmen. Ellis Whorlton-Jones scored 35 but no other Arnold batsman could support him until Zach Evans came to the crease. Evans hit 27 and Tom Riley 16 not out, but the overs ran out as Arnold finished on 122-8 to lose by 37 runs. Poor shot selection and fielding was the main difference between the two sides but the U12A should be happy with their efforts this season and they have a lot of potential.

To see a photo gallery from the matches at QEGS, Blackburn, please click 'read more' below.

Posted by: M L Evans
Date: Sunday 27/06/2010