KECC Results [6th - 12th May]
Monday 6th May - U15 v Peppard Stoke Row… (away) CANCELLED
Saturday 11th May TVL Week 1 - KECC 1st XI 79 ao LOST v Burnham 1st XI 80 for 0 by 10 wickets (a) Scorecard
In a highly anticipated clash marking Kidmore End's debut league fixture, the team faced off against Burnham, a formidable opponent boasting a reputation as one of the strongest sides in recent seasons. The match, played at Burnham, unfolded as a stern test for Kidmore End, ultimately culminating in a bracing defeat.
Kidmore End, perhaps feeling the weight of anticipation, faltered early on, with Fahad Anwar departing for a duck in the opening over, courtesy of a dismissal by Salman Choudhry. This set the tone for a challenging innings, as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Despite valiant efforts from Daniel Middleton, who managed to notch up 15 runs, and Olly Dugdale, contributing 17 runs, Kidmore End found themselves bowled out for a total of 79 runs in 27.3 overs. The bowling attack from Burnham proved to be a formidable force, with notable performances from Salman Choudhry, Mishen Silva, and Jenson Philip, who claimed two wickets each, restricting Kidmore End's scoring opportunities.
In response, Burnham approached the chase with confidence, as Hamzah Afzaal and Muhammad Ammar Arshad exhibited composed batting displays. Hamzah Afzaal remained unbeaten with a resilient 20 runs, while Muhammad Ammar Arshad showcased his prowess with an impressive 57 not out, guiding Burnham to victory without losing a single wicket.
Conclusion:
While the result may be disheartening for Kidmore End, it serves as a wake-up call for the team to sharpen their focus and strategise effectively for future encounters. Despite the defeat, there were glimpses of promise, with individual performances demonstratingthe team's potential. However, Burnham's clinical display underscored the level of intensity and mental sharpness required to compete at this level of cricket.
Looking ahead, Kidmore End must regroup, refine their game plan, and cultivate a higher level of intensity to thrive in Division 2 cricket. This defeat, albeit challenging, presents an opportunity for growth and development as Kidmore End seeks to bounce back stronger in the upcoming fixtures.
Saturday 11th May TVL Week 1 - KECC 2nd XI 200/2 WON v Bracknell 1st XI 196 ao (h) Scorecard
Saturday 11th May TVL Week 1 - KECC 3rd XI v Thatcham 3rd XI CONCEDED (a)
Saturday 11th May TVL Week 1 - KECC 4th XI 62 ao LOST v Binfield 4th XI 194 (h) Scorecard
Sunday 12th May - KECC U11 208 Net Score LOST v Wargrave Net Score 316 (h) Scorecard
The sun was already toasting the ground this Sunday morning as Kidmore End's U11s met the Wargrave Wombats for their greatly anticipated initial game of the 2024 season at Crowmarsh Gifford. With a new team of mixed Years 4, 5 and 6 and several players cutting their teeth with this being their first experience of a match or hardball pairs play, we knew we had a challenge ahead against the more seasoned Wombats, but the team showed impressive spirit from the get-go. With Wargrave having won the toss and electing to bat first, our U11s under the captaincy of Nikhil showed great focus and it didn't take long for the first wicket to fall after a solid delivery from Ambrose in the first over. He added a second in the third over but by this time Wargrave were starting to find their stride, and occasionally find the boundary. Explosive wickets from Mabel and Barnaby in overs 12 and 14 were followed by equally sublime wickets from Arthur and Mylor in the 17th and 18th. Nihar got to work immediately on his first ball of the 21st over with a smashing dismissal of F Shaw. Not content with that, he served up two more zingers in the 23rd over and Wargrave ended their innings on a score of 316.
With a smallish mountain to climb, Kidmore End's batters found Wargrave's bowling and fielding to be strong, and scoring was tough. Gains made were eroded by a series of wickets from Wargrave, but that doesn't detract from some glorious runs from Barnaby, Arthur, Ambrose, Aaryaa, Nihar and Kairav. KECC ended on 208 but the superb spirit of this fledgling team led to smiles all round and an acknowledgement from our U11s that the best is yet to come this season.
Sunday 12th May - KECC U13 76 ao LOST v Goring 126/4 (a) Scorecard
Goring won the toss and put themselves into bat on a glorious Sunday morning at the Goring Recreation Ground. KECC were strong with ball in hand and showed Goring just what progress they had made since their last visit 2 years ago. Consistently sharp in the field , the pressure was kept on the batting side as KECC’s bowlers moved from pace into the seamers. With the ball pitched up, Sumay, the two Harrries, Freddie, James and Ashlesh dampened the Goring run rate to earn their run outs and a wicket. At their innings close, Goring were at 126 – defendable but also attainable.
Goring set a tight field and the quality of their bowling attack conspired with some erratic pitch performance to see a number of KECC bats go too cheaply. Digging in, Harry D and Sam R stabilised with a partnership of over 40. At 10 overs in, KECC were 63 with 63 to go. We had kept up with the Goring run rate. Following Sam’s early retirement, Ethan and Theo gave hope that we could build on the progress, when luck turned against them both. Ashlesh, James and George performed well in the tail, but by then the runs had petered out and on Sam’s return, KECC were all out for 74.
KECC in the field were a match for Goring and for half of the game in bat, we were evenly matched. Goring select from a squad of 50 and have a high proportion of county level players, but KECC was far from being outclassed. The key lies in developing our batting. Improve shot selection and shot play down through the order - our next visit to the Recreation Ground could well be a win.
Sunday 12th May - KECC U15 171/ 3 WON v Wokingham 58 ao (h) Scorecard
Sound victory against a weak Wokingham side who filled in after the late concession by our cup opposition meaning we progress to the next round.
Good batting performances from Shaurya, Nandan and Sanay in particular. The bowling unit performed well but the accuracy and pace of Noah and Aaursh was particularly impressive - both finished with 2 wickets.
