Under 14s take mini league title (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Under 14s take mini league title

4:30pm Wednesday 1st July 2009

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BY winning two games at the weekend, Avoncroft under 14s have won the mini league for the Worcestershire Cricket Board district and will now go forward to the league of champions.

This is the first time the club have achieved this for seven years.

Avoncroft beat Belbroughton by four wickets (Belbroughton 112-8 from 20 overs, Avoncroft 113-6 from 17.1 overs).

As a top of the table clash it was expected that this game would be close fought contest. Belbroughton batted first and some good tight bowling from Matt Duffill (2-11 from four overs) and Ben Hewitt (0-16 from four overs) restricted them to just 42 from the first 10 overs.

But some excellent power batting then rapidly added to the score with a solid middle order partnership.

Croft were fielding well and were able to break through in the 13th over with some sharp fielding from Dan Elliott forcing the run out.

With the score then at over 80, Belbroughton looked like building a large total for Croft to chase.

But an inspired bowling change by the captain Alex Brunt, bringing on Ben Warwick removed two wickets in one over – both caught and bowled with one particularly spectacular diving catch.

Regular wickets followed which restricted Belbroughton to 112 for 8 from the allotted 20 overs.

Croft’s batting then got off to a shaky start with the loss of three early wickets from some fine accurate bowling from Belbroughton’s opening attack.

This slowed the run rate and Croft were only 37 from the first 10 overs.

Realising that the run rate was mounting, Matt Duffill went on the rampage. hitting some 30 runs from two overs with a series of boundaries including one big six into the park next to the ground.

This took the wind out of Belbroughton’s attack and although Duffill was caught on 37 (just three short of a mandatory retirement) his batting enabled Oli Morton and Ravi to ease Croft to victory, knocking off the winning runs with almost three overs to spare.

Avoncroft beat Bromsgrove by 8 wickets (Bromsgrove 118 for 5 from 20 overs - Avoncroft 119 for 2 from 17 overs)

Knowing victory would secure Croft the top spot in the group but a loss could hand this to Bromsgrove, this was always going to be a tough game.

Bromsgrove batted first and as usual Ben Hewitt and Hardeep Hundall kept the initial run rate slow, restricting them to only 37 from the first 10 overs.

But they had many wickets in hand and began stroking the ball around the park well.

Another excellent in swinging yorker from Rob Colmeadow to dismiss a Bromsgrove dangerman and some good tight bowling by Ben Warwick restricted Bromsgrove to 118.

This score was helped by excellent aggressive batting by Billy Skinner at the end of the allotted overs.

In reply, Alex Brunt and Ben Warwick set about scoring the required runs quickly.

Warwick moved to 34 in just a few overs before being run out by some sharp fielding.Dan Elliott then hit a quickfire 22 before being caught on the boundary and Alex Brunt retired on 35 shortly afterwards.

With the score at 105, this left Matt Duffill and Josh Cound to confidently score the remaining runs with three overs to spare.

The under 14s remain unbeaten this season and in the next few weeks Croft will now play the winners of the other leagues.

They also play the semi- finals of the Worcester Cup this week against Coombs Wood tomorrow (Thursday) night.

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