Under 9s vs Enfield

Under 9s Friendly – Southgate CC vs Enfield CC

It’s not often you have 8 players making their Southgate CC debut in one game, however that’s what happened on Sunday when Southgate Under 9s played their first game vs Enfield CC.

Once 20 minutes of rain (the first for a month!) had come and gone we got out there in the glorious sunshine. We agreed not to score the match as the focus was on learning how to play in a game environment. However, one of the Southgate parents (who will remain anonymous…) helpfully, secretly kept score!

Southgate bowled first and got off to a super start with Samrudh steaming in and hitting the wickets with his very first ball! As the Southgate bowlers rotated round they all bowled with accuracy and allowed very few runs to be scored off the bat. The highlight of the innings was Southgate’s catching with 5 brilliant caught dismissals including 2 sharp catches behind the wickets by Seb and a one handed showstopper on the boundary by Pabiru! It was noted that maybe next time he uses two hands, but the cameras loved the style and the crown went wild!

In the end Southgate took 6 wickets and Enfield scored 29 runs from the bat.

When Southgate came to bat Samrudh and Pabiru got them off to a great start taking quick singles from almost every ball. Pabiru clearly inspired, playing on the same wicket his father had struck a mighty 194* only the day before. This pair scored 20 runs and lost 2 wickets.

Then came the twins, Alfie and Leo who both speedy between the wickets made use of good calling and aggressive running. There first attempt to run a 2 was inspired! The second attempt, unfortunately a little too risky and they lost their only wicket to a run out. Thanks to some lovely offside drives, the pair scored 22 runs for the loss of 1 wicket.

Next came the big hitters, Will and Seb. Taking a different approach they didn’t bother to run quick singles. Instead, they each hit a number of boundaries both 4s and 6s. Highlights were Seb’s huge 6 over square leg and Wills exquisite drive over cover point for 4. The pair hit 37 runs for the loss of one wicket.

The final pair were Jivan and Kiaan who, after a couple of early boundaries, again made the most of quick singles for most of their 17 runs. The amazing achievement for this pair was that they didn’t give away a single wicket!

Though scores were not being kept… it was a very impressive performance from this newly formed under 9s team. We can expect great things from this age group as they continue their Southgate CC journey.

A final note. 4 of the 8 children playing in the game had mums who also represented Southgate Women’s Team over the weekend! This bodes really well for the future of Southgate CC as we look to move forward with all sections of this great club!

Under 15s vs Old Elizabethans

With Coach Yo returning to her homeland this week I had the pleasure of looking after the U15s who I haven’t seen play since the start of the season and though they came out on the wrong side of this game the development of the players is clear to see. Against a strong Old Elizabethan’s side who are battling for the title, Southgate won the toss and batted first.

After 2 early wickets Daniel and Rohan rebuilt with a really proactive style. Rohan with some sumptuous cover drives and Daniel with some bludgeoning blows. Rohan retiring on 35 from 37 balls and Daniel being run out for 32 knowing he was about to be retired. Aaron kept the score moving and even though wickets then began to fall Southgate posted a respectable 134/8 from their 20 overs.

Old Elizabethans started well putting on 24 before their first wicket and Southgate needed some inspiration. Unfortunately, earlier in the day Southgate had a last-minute injury drop out. Fortunately, the U11 squad were training over on the other pitch, and we were able to call over U11 Co-Captain Dylan to make his U15 debut. Having already impressed earlier with the bat making 5 not out from 5 balls, hitting his second ball for 4, he was now given a chance to affect the game with his bowling. What happened next was beyond all our expectations. Dylan steamed in from the sight screen and with his first ball decimated the batter’s wickets! This was exactly what the team needed, but surely, he couldn’t do it again…course he did! His fourth ball wobbling though the air at pace, again too good for the batter on strike, sent the bails flying through the air and put Southgate in the driving seat.

The game went back and forth with wickets falling at regular intervals. Unfortunately, Old Elizabethans had an ace up their sleave and the captain batting down at number 6 hit a powerful 46 from 30 balls to get them over the line. Southgate will regret a couple of dropped catches that might have changes the result however all in all a much improved all round performance and a good end to the season.

Scott Ellis

Under 11s vs Mill Hill

Mill Hill U11 v Southgate U11, Sunday 5th July

On a sloping pitch with an incredibly fast outfield, Southgate won the toss and opted to field.

Co-captain Dylan opened the bowling, and the opposition showed their intent with good running taking singles (leg byes) and putting the Southgate fielders under immediate pressure.

Julian took the second over and took a wicket with his first ball clean bowling the opening bat. His second ball also smashed into the stumps setting up a hat-trick opportunity that sadly wasn’t taken. Despite conceding a couple of late boundaries in the over Southgate had reduced Mill Hill to 19-2.

Thevin continued the good work taking a wicket in his first over but the fast outfield allowed Mill Hill to add to their total reaching 29-3 off of 3 overs.

A couple of relatively quiet overs followed until Henry Cox, bowling the 6th over, broke the growing partnership, taking a wicket with his second ball and a second with his fifth ball leaving Mill Hill on 52-5 after 6 overs.  The next four overs were wicketless and at the half-way point the batting side had mustered 87 for the loss of 5 wickets.

Switching ends caused the Southgate bowlers some difficulty and boundaries started to accumulate. Henry Cal made a great attempt with a catching chance but it wasn’t until the 15th over that Southgate struck again, Henry Cox coming back to take his third with a good yorker.

Tom joined the party in the 18th over taking two wickets and Henry Cal added to the wicket tally in the 19th over with Aryan taking a good catch.

A good bowling display had seen 9 wickets fall but the run rate had been good throughout allowing Mill Hill to post 171-9 in their 20 overs.

Julian (2-13), Henry Cox (3-8) and Tom (2-7) all bowling two overs were the pick of the Southgate attack.

Facing a stiff target, Southgate negotiated a cautious first over but lost their first wicket in the second, Julian stumped whilst trying to attack and increase the run rate.

Dylan scored Southgate’s first boundary with his third ball and it wasn’t until the end of the 6th over that Southgate lost their next wicket, Thevin lobbing a catch back to the bowler immediately after scoring a lovely boundary. Southgate were 37-2 after 6 and beginning to fall behind the required run rate.

With the two co-captains at the crease, Niam and Dylan set about building a partnership and until retirements broke up the partnership Southgate has mustered 75-2 at the half-way point and the game looked set to be heading to a close finish.

Tom was the unfortunate victim of a direct hit, Aaryan received a good yorker, but the retirement of Dylan slowed Southgate’s run rate with only 11 runs coming from the 13th to 16th overs.

A brotherly run-out saw the end of Arthur and Dylan, chasing a lost cause, was bowled in the final over.

Southgate came up short posting a respectable 121-7, the damage being done in the middle orders where runs dried up and left too big a mountain to climb.

Despite the loss the boys took 8pts off the team top of the league, took 9 wickets and fashioned a reasonable run chase so a lot of positives to take into the final two games of the season.

Report: David Cox

Under 13s vs Mill Hill Village

The Under 13s took on Mill Hill Village at Home this week. These two teams are battling it out for 2nd place of the north area top division.

Southgate's captain Zayd won the toss and elected to bat. The wicket was very uneven and tricky to score on and with a slightly shuffled batting order and some good bowling from Mill Hill things weren't easy. Regular wickets meant that Southgate were under par at half way. However some gutsy partnerships, aggressive running and crisp hitting in the later stages saw Southgate post a respectable yet unimpressive 116 for 8. Batting contributions came from Kushal (21 from 20) and Nikhil (22* from 18).

At the start of the second innings things didn't look to be going Southgate's way. Tomas opened up, bowling like the wind, however a ball took off from a length and flew over the wicker keepers head for 4 byes got Mill Hill off to a flying start. 

What followed was a superb bowling performance from the whole team and to single people out risks missing out a vital contribution. However two impressive performances came from boys who have remodelled their action. Mir Ayaan, a former mystery spinner steamed in from almost the boundary edge with his new pace bowling earning him figures of 1-14. In reverse we were treated to Dylan D's new leg spin action and as the game was getting tight towards the end his miserly figgers earned him an extra over finishing on 0-14 from 3 overs. Finally, anyone who has watched the Under 11s this season will be familiar with their co-captain Dylan T blasting through the opposition batters' defences. However what an achievement to step up and do the same thing in the Under 13s. He finished as the top wicket taker with 2-7 from his 2 overs. 

With one over to go Mill Hill's final wicket pair had clawed them back into the game with a solid partnership that blunted Southgate's juggernaut of a bowling attack leaving them 11 to win with 1 wicket remaining. Jack stepped up to the plate and with precision took down the batters stumps with the first ball of the over to seal a win for Southgate.

2 games to go. Southgate travel next week to play top of the table Old Elizabethans!

Scott Ellis

Under 11s vs Southgate Adelaide

The away game that is oddly closer than the home pitch for the U11 rolled around on Sunday 28 June.

The team appeared relaxed and focussed following the Mill Hill experience and Dylan won the toss and elected to field.

Taking the new ball, he was into his stride quickly and well partnered by Julian who bowled a tidy length and line from the off and was rewarded with a wicket in his first over. Southgate were also markedly improved in the field, backing up well and providing positive encouragement for their team-mates. The bowling remained tight and it was in the 7th over that Dhyaan took the second wicket leaving Adelaide on 42-2.

Some poor decision in the field was beginning to creep in with overthrows adding to the total, the previous good backing up now beginning to slip a little. However, in the 12th over Dylan returned and prised out two wickets in two balls to leave himself on a hat-trick…. Sadly, not completed but it had reduced Adelaide to 74-4 with only eight overs left.

Julian bowled another tight over finishing with impressive figures of 2 overs, 1 wicket for 2 runs and Zari also bowled a good second over to finish on

The last five overs went for 31for the loss of two wickets leaving Adelaide on 116-7 in their allotted 20 overs.

Unlike the previous few games where the batting was knocked through the loss of early wickets Southgate started cautiously scoring 5 in the first two overs without loss. It was in the 4th over that Dylan started to play his shots scoring Southgate’s first boundary.

The sixth over saw what turned out to be a definite swing in fortunes with Adelaide taking two wickets in two balls (another hat-trick chance missed) to reduce Southgate to 26-2 after five overs.

Although behind on the run rate with plenty of wickets in reserve Southgate were still in the game and with 23 runs coming without loss in the next five, Southgate reached the halfway point on 49-2 and still holding wickets for the last ten overs.

A wicket was lost in the 11th and only 2 runs scored and with Dylan having retired the run rate was slowing too. A selfless attempt to get on strike and push the run rate up saw Henry Cox run out and only one bye was taken from the over.

Two further wickets were lost for the addition of 12 runs and with five overs to go, 68 had been scored and a further 49 required.

Dylan retuning added some much-needed scoring acceleration and at the point of being run out had scored 35 off 30 balls.

A spectacular catch saw off Jacob (on any other day it was a four) and Southgate finished 89-9, 28 runs short.

Overthrows in the field and a lack of urgency at the start of the innings were probably the two biggest contributors to the defeat but a much-improved performance from Southgate none-the-less.

Report: David Cox

Under 11s vs v Mill Hill Village

On the 21 June Southgate U11 hosted Mill Hill Village U11with high hopes of returning to winning ways following the narrow cup defeat at Botany Bay.

Southgate lost the toss and were put into bat and got off to the worst possible start losing a wicket in the first over. The shock of the losing wicket then affected the running with available singles not being taken and despite a period of calm, the lack of runs accumulated took on an ominous feel when a second wicket was lost to a good yorker.  Southgate, in trouble at 11-2, were then further up against it losing their third wicket without troubling the scorer further.

Wickets then fell at a regular pace with only a few boundaries from Dylan and Julian giving hope that a competitive score could be reached.  After 10 overs Southgate had reached 45-5 and a target of 80 or so still seemed achievable.

After the drinks break Southgate immediately lost a wicket and then added to their own demise with a chaotic run-out and when Henry was caught at square leg, playing off his legs, Southgate had been bowled out for 60 in just under 16 overs.

Scott emphasised to the team that low totals can still be defended with early wickets and tight fielding, so Southgate took to the field with a positive attitude.

However, the malaise that had affected the batting also affected the bowling with some unusually wayward bowling, a high number of extras and some average fielding.  Both Mill Hill openers took full advantage and soon ate into the Southgate total.  Only a wicket for Thevin brought some relief in an otherwise one-sided match with Mill Hill chasing down the required target in only 7.2 overs.

Scott held a long debrief with the boys, who were clearly feeling the defeat, the intention being they would learn and progress from a performance that was not quite at the usual standards for this team.  

Under 11s vs Botany Bay (Cup)

Botany Bay CC U11 v Southgate CC U11 (Cup)

There was no rest for the U11s as a second fixture in two days, this one in the cup semi-final, played out. 

Dhyaan won the toss and elected to field, also donning the keeper gloves to cover a late arrival. The team welcomed back a familiar face, Nikhil and featured some new faces.

Nikhil took the first over and instantly found his rhythm. Unfortunately, his pace whilst not allowing for runs to come from the bat, did allow for byes to be conceded albeit the problems his pace was causing gave grounds for optimism.

Julian took the second over and kept it tight and it wasn’t until the third over that the first boundary was conceded, a rather fortunate thickish edge.    

Tom then joined the attack and squeezed the run rate further before Henry took over and claimed Southgate’s first wicket leaving Botany Bay 25-1 after 5 overs, an encouraging start.

A further 23 runs were conceded in the second quarter of the innings leaving Botany Bay 48-1 after 10.  Good fielding and tight bowling had created pressure on the batsmen and even though no further wickets had been taken, the run rate was being contained.

The second half of Botany Bay’s innings saw their opening bat find his stride and boundaries were becoming a little more frequent. A few chances fell just short of or in between Southgate fielders, but it wasn’t until the 15th over that Southgate claimed a second wicket Tom bowling Botany Bay’s No. 3.

The run rate continued to pick up, the opener building a good innings and eventually passing 50, but a third wicket, this time for Zari, put Botany Bay on 117-3 with two overs to go. A late flourish saw a total of 139 posted with the opener leaving the field undefeated on 59.

The target felt achievable with the batting available however two early wickets left Southgate with a mountain to climb. Tom joined Nikhil and assumed the role of junior partner, steadying the ship and seeing off the stronger bowlers. This allowed Nikhil to get in and start to expand his scoring options, moving nicely through the gears and keeping the target within reach.  The partnership lasted nearly nine overs and posted 67 runs before Tom lost his wicket.

Whilst Nikhil was batting as he was, the total felt reachable and with his sweetly struck 6 in the 14th over, confidence remained high. Julian ably supported Nikhil and it was only in the 17th over when first Nikhil and then Thevin fell, did the odds lengthen. It was a fabulous innings from Nikhil, he finished on 58 from just 49 balls.

Julian kept the scoreboard ticking over and the boys were taking chances with runs to force the win but two run outs and the overs themselves running out saw Southgate fall 17 runs short of chasing down a stiff target. 

Match Report: David Cox

Under 11s vs Winchmore Hill A

Southgate U11 v Winchmore Hill A

Southgate U11 faced the daunting challenge of going up against undefeated Winchmore Hill A missing a few key players to injury and school trips but positively, this created an opportunity to create history and allowed Southgate to play two girls in a junior fixture for the very first time.

Niam won the toss and elected to field. Southgate started reasonably well keeping the run rate below 7 for the first 5 overs and only conceding 2 boundaries.

The good work continued and Southgate were rewarded with their first wicket in the 7th over, Dhyaan clean bowling the Winchmore batter. Another tight over left Winchmore 45-1 after 8 overs. 

It was in the middle and later overs that Winchmore Hill started to up the run rate and the following 5 overs went for 50 runs and the next 5, a further 58.

The last two overs saw Southgate claim their second wicket but also concede more boundaries allowing Winchmore Hill to finish on 177 – 2 and post a very stiff target of 178 to win.

Southgate put up a spirited effort in reply and whilst losing wickets on a regular basis, gave Niam the platform to play a skippers inning and score 31 off 29 balls an innings that included a number of lovely back foot drives and intelligent running.  Nearly every other batter contributed, including a lovely leg side boundary by Pinidi on her debut, but the illusive three-figure total was missed by the slimmest of margins with Southgate finishing on 99-7 in their 20 overs, enough, however, to gain them 3 league points.

Match Report: David Cox

Under 11s vs Totteridge Millhillians

On another windy and cool evening, the U11 re-engaged with Totteridge having won the reverse fixture a few weeks earlier.

Captaincy was shared between Dylan and Niam and, having won the toss again, Dylan elected to bat first and put faith in the depth of batting available and the incisiveness of the varied bowling options within the side.

Dhyaan took the first ball, but it was Dylan who set out his own, and Southgate’s, ambition by timing a leg side delivery off his legs to score Southgate’s first boundary of the innings. The two opening bats were running well and taking every available single without taking any undue risk and the strong opening partnership put on 14 in the first two overs courtesy of two more boundaries from Dylan.

A straight ball accounted for the first Southgate wicket in the third over taking Southgate to 38-1 but the momentum was maintained even after Dylan retired and Southgate were on 59 when the second wicket fell in the 8th over with Ishaan having first retired.  

The run rate then not surprisingly dipped but the running remained strong and singles were steadily accumulated. Niam played sone good back foot drives before wickets started to fall. First the top of the stumps were clipped to see off Tom, Isaac was run out by a direct hit when taking a quick single and then the first of two LBW decisions went against Southgate with Henry Cox and Ishaan being adjudged to be in line at the point the ball contacted the pads.

The returning Dylan continued his strong form with the bat finishing on 44 not out.  The last wicket support from Henry Cal (8 from 15 balls) allowed Southgate to post 112 -9, a good total with contributions from Niam and Isaac to support the captain.

Taking the first over for Southgate Ishaan started with a good line and length and after conceding only one run on his first three balls, struck with his fourth to give Southgate the perfect start. Dylan then delivered a maiden, with only one bye coming from it, this arising from the good keeping and fielding by Southgate.

Tom then repeated the magic from his debut, taking another wicket first ball, and was supported by Thevin who sent down a tricky over of just short-of-a-length deliveries, one of which forced a Millhillian to retire after taking the ball on the chest.

After 4 overs, Southgate had the opposition 12 – 2 and the good bowling continued from all Dhyaan taking the third wicket and all restricting scoring opportunities, the outcome being after 10 overs, Totteridge had only accumulated 39 runs for the loss of 3 wickets.

Ishaan then returned and despite dropping a difficult return catch made up for it with 2 wickets in 3 balls. Dylan then took another as did Tom and Thevin his first and in the 18th over Henry Cox joined the party with a straight yorker being enough to dismiss the batsman. Totteridge held on (wickets wise) and advanced the score to 93 in the allotted overs, some 20 runs short of the required total.

An impressive fielding and bowling display had seen 9 batsmen bowled – testament to the straight bowling – and only 4 boundaries conceded over the 20 overs. Extras were still probably higher than Southgate would have liked but none-the-less a convincing win again for the U11s.

David Cox

Under 10s vs Old Elizabethans (Cup)

An inexperienced Southgate side took to the field with a Finlay making his debut in hard ball cricket and Sam, keeping for the very first time.

OE won the toss, elected to bat and started strongly taking 16 from the first two overs. Ishaan then calmed the run rate only conceding 2 off his first over but the runs were thereafter being accumulated quickly and seeing OE batsmen retire.

Whilst boundaries were not being conceded too often, singles were being allowed and extras crept into the bowling to allow the total to advance without any deductions being applied for wickets.  Run out opportunities were missed too with the wrong end being targeted or attempts at direct hits rather than returns being selected.

The change of wicket keepers allowed Scott to speak to the boys and the second ten overs saw a much better fielding performance with the right decisions being taken with ball in hand.

Ishaan did make a breakthrough in his third over and some late wickets assisted however but OE posted 131 (net 296). Extras assisted the OE total but bowling was tricky on a cold and blowy evening.

Chasing a formidable target and with an inexperienced batting line up Southgate struggled to make in-roads into the total losing wickets at regular intervals, direct hit run outs not helping, Tight OE bowling also kept progress at bay and was supported by good fielding, a four being stopped on the boundary on more than one occasion.

Southgate managed to post 81 (net 227) and thereby lost by 69 runs.

A good learning experience for the boys and one that can be built on with better awareness and decision making in the field and more consistent batting,

David Cox 

Under 15s vs Enfield

The Verdict: Southgate falls just 6 runs short in a clash of styles.

🏆 Honours Board

Player of the Match: Harshil Shah (43 runs & 2 clinical overs)

Runners Up: Hugo Kearns & Tomas Leal

🛡️ THE FIELDING INNINGS: "The Squeeze"

Enfield won the toss and chose to bat, but they didn't count on the Southgate discipline. Captain Aaryan rotated the strike bowlers masterfully—everyone but the keeper had a go, keeping the batters perpetually off-balance.

•⁠ ⁠The man, the not so myth, the legend: Krish Depala (4-1-5-3). A "line and length" masterclass that proved why he’s the backbone of this attack.

•⁠ ⁠The Cheat Code: Alex Lowndes delivered a "cheeky" slower ball to dismiss the Enfield Captain just 11 runs shy of his 50. (We weren’t sorry!)

•⁠ ⁠The Magnet: Hugo Kearns was everywhere. If the ball was hit, Hugo was there to stop it. High-tier run-saving.

•⁠ ⁠The Wall: Tomas Leal showed why he has the safest hands in the club, snagging 2 catches, including the dangerous opening bat.

•⁠ ⁠The Giant Killers: Siddarth Santharam and Tomas Leal proved age is just a number, with Sid cleaning up Enfield’s second-highest scorer. From a wide to a wicket the statement is true…. Wickets really do follow wides, who knew?!

⚔️ THE BATTING INNINGS: "The Chase"

The intensity moved from "U15 League" to "The Ashes at Lord's" really quickly.

•⁠ ⁠The Anchor: Harshil Shah was immense. 43 off 52 balls meant he accounted for nearly 50% of the total. A true captain’s-style knock.

•⁠ ⁠The Spark: Krish added a rapid 5 off 9 before the Enfield captain managed to break through.

•⁠ ⁠The Tale of Two Brothers: Daniel and Tomas Leal both fought hard to close the gap, racking up crucial runs before both falling to the same fielder (he who shall not be named…. Chanel A).

•⁠ ⁠The Final Stand: With the light fading and the tension at a breaking point, Hugo and Sid stepped into the cauldron. Two overs left, high pressure—they gave it everything. We finished just 6 runs short, and what an effort till the very end!

🧠 REFLECTION: Team vs. Army

The scorecard tells one story, but the game told another…

"There is no 'I' in Team (apparently Enfield forgot that)."

Enfield relied on a two-man army (Rayan and Chanel A) to carry them. Southgate relied on the squad. Every single player contributed, backed each other up, and played for the badge. When a team relies on two people, they crumble when one is missing. When a team plays like Southgate, they are resilient.

The Takeaway:

The scoreboard says we’re down by six, but in my mind, the mini-wins outweighed the final tally. I saw a team that hunted as a pack, a bowler who outsmarted a set captain, and a batting lineup that fought until the light faded.

Champions aren’t built in the easy 10-wicket wins; they are forged in the close losses that test your heart. Enfield might have the runs, but we have the culture. They have an army of two; I have a squad of eleven warriors who have each other’s backs.

This loss doesn’t define our worth—our response to it does. I’m behind you on your best days and your worst, and I can promise you this: we are building something that a scorecard can't capture.

Keep your heads high. We don't just come back; we come back stronger.

UTG — Over and Out. 💙🐊

Yo Mackie

Under 13s vs Winchmore Hill

Southgate Under 13s continued their great run in the league making it 3 wins from 3 games and securing their spot at the top of the league.

Having lost the toss and been put in to bat Southgate accumulated well building strong partnerships throughout the innings. Nikhil anchored the innings scoring 22 from 28 balls before being retired to give others a bat. Kushal played a more expansive role hitting 34 from 30 before also being retired. Tomas then upped the run rate with 18 from 15 balls, only being run out selflessly, as he was about to retire next ball. Anay hit 2 sweeps for 4 in the final over bringing Southgate’s total up to an impressive 147/6 from their 20 overs.

Winchmore Hill batted well never losing touch with the required run rate. They were also a little more…let’s use the word “tactical”…with their retiring. Leaving their strongest batter at the crease while retiring others around him. All credit goes to their young opening batter who scored a superb 51 from 42 balls before eventually retiring.  At the halfway point Winchmore Hill had scored 70, with 78 required from the remaining 10 overs. The game could have gone either way. But with some tidy overs from Southgate’s seam heavy attack, 15 was required from the final over which always felt out of reach for the lower order batters. Every player on the Southgate team bowled making this a true all-round team effort. The pick of the bowlers were Tomas (1/11 from 3) Ishaan (1/9 from 2) and Nikhil (1/7 from 2) all bowling with pace and accuracy. Special mention to Kiyansh for an incredible fielding performance in the covers stopping 3 or 4 fiercely hit shots from reaching the boundary as well as reacting quickly to achieve a well worked run out.

Winchmore Hill finished 7 runs short and Southgate move forward with more confidence and belief that they can achieve something special this season.

Under 11s vs Southgate Adelaide

The Under 11s are starting to build momentum, and with a second league win the joy and confidence around the group is really beginning to grow.

This week we took on local rivals Southgate Adelaide. We lost the toss and were put into bat on a tricky pitch that didn’t bounce much and the whispers went quickly round the waiting batters “go on the back foot at your own risk!”

Often at under 11 cricket the team who bowls fewer wides and no-balls tends to win and Adelaide bowled with great accuracy limiting the extras well. Southgate batted smartly, taking minimal risks but running well between the wickets. Captain Niam set a great example scoring 8 singles from his 12 balls before retiring ready to come back in later. Southgate batted solidly with 8 out of 11 players not being dismissed. Dhyaan’s 13 from 13 balls was the standout performance in the middle order as Southgate worked their way to a well earned 99/3 from their 20 overs.

Like Adelaide before them Southgate limited the extras well. The coach’s challenge to the team was “how many times can you hit the wickets” and they did not disappoint. 6 out of the 10 Adelaide wickets were clean bowled. The Champaign moment came as debutant Thomas stepped up for his first ball for the Under 11 team and managed to produce a fast yorker clean bowling Adelaide’s star batter before wheeling off like Ronaldo scoring a free kick!

Fans of the Under 11s and followers of these match reports will be well aware of Ishaan’s penchant for a run out. Today was no exception, teaming up with wicket keeper Niam for the first and hitting directly for the second. He rounded off his top fielding performance by clinging on for a catch off his own bowling from a strongly hit drive. Zariyan was the pick of the bowlers, clean bowling 3 Adelaide batters on his way to 3/8 from 2 overs.

Some rear-guard action gave Adelaide some hope but, in the end, they were bowled out for 70, giving Southgate a 29 run win. That’s now 7 league wins out of 8 for the juniors so far this season. Let’s hope the men’s teams can take some inspiration for their opening weekend!

Scott Ellis

Under 11s vs Totteridge Millhillians

Totteridge & Millhillians v Southgate U11

A warm, sunny Friday night could not have provided a bigger contrast to the U11s first, cold game of the season as the boys took on Totteridge away.

Dylan won the toss for the second time in succession and this time elected to bat first in a shortened 18-over match (to offset the fading light).

Southgate got off to a confident start with a new opening partnership of Niam and Julian looking untroubled by the Totteridge opening bowling, taking sharp singles when available and Niam scoring the U11’s first boundary of the game in the first over.

The pair continued to put bat to ball and take the singles on offer and with confidence building Niam tried to force a short ball through mid-wicket but top edged to the grateful wicketkeeper.

Julian and Jacob then batted solidly before retiring and although Southgate lost a quick wicket to a good straight ball, the captain steadied the ship, playing strongly through the leg side and, with Ishaan, put together a solid partnership.

Unfortunately for Dylan he was then yorked on what looked like the second bounce to curtail a spritely innings with 12 runs off 10 balls.

After making 32 – 2 off the first six overs and being 53 – 3 at the half-way point, the rest of the boys batted well with four of the next six batters retiring after putting runs on the board.

A great straight drive (Ishaan) and a strong pull for four (Henry Cox) and two handsome fours (Zari) looked to take Southgate to a big total however Totteridge had other ideas with the pick of their bowlers appearing at the end to dampen the run rate, posting miserly figures of three overs for eight runs with one wicket thrown in.

Still a respectable Southgate score of 115 – 5 off the 18 overs seemed a total that could be defended.

Southgate took to the field and displayed the same positivity as at Winchmore and got the ideal start with a wicket in the second over, a good delivery beating the bat and taking the stumps.

What was evident was the alertness in the field, with good backing up, strong throwing and a really good line being found by most of the bowlers.

The second wicket was coming and another straight ball crashed into the stumps to leave the home side 16 – 2 after 3.5 overs. Isaac then bowled his first over for Southgate keeping it tight, conceding only five runs.

A sign of things to come shortly after with some good work in the field nearly delivering a run out before an actual run out coming from sharp work in the field by Ishaan and a good take from Niam. Eight balls later Ishaan was at it again fielding sharply once again to create a second run out.

At the halfway point, Totteridge were 43 – 4.

Southgate applied the pressure now, through alert fielding and good bowling with Julian taking another wicket from his next over whilst only conceding three runs.

The good fielding continued with Dylan taking a good catch for the fifth wicket, good backing up saving runs and, yes again, a third run out and yes Ishaan again, this time with a direct hit.

After 13 overs, Totteridge were reduced to 56 – 6.

That was not the end of the run outs however with another coming after a shy at the stump narrowly missed and the cheeky second run that the batters assumed would be available was, as a result of excellent backing up, not there with the batsman failing to make his ground before the return was gathered and the stumps broken.

Isaac’s good debut continued with his first wicket for Southgate and Zari took his first of the match in the 16th over before a final run out claimed the last Totteridge wicket at the end of the 17th over. Totteridge making 86 in reply off 17 overs.

An excellent all-round display by the boys, both with the bat and, as a team, excelling in the field to record the first win of the season.

Under 13s vs Totteridge

A strong second performance for the Under 13s in their league campaign winning convincingly against Totteridge at home. All the batters chipped in on the way to their total of 132/3 from their 18 overs. Hugo top stored with a brutish 29 from 21 balls before retiring. Max, Dylan, Jack and Kushal also retired not out as the team learned the value of protecting their wickets. The Hollywood moment came from Sash batting down the order when he pumped a short-pitched ball over mid-wicket for a huge 6!

Everyone had a chance to bowl, and consistent lines and lengths made it difficult for the Totteridge batters to score, and they never looked like getting near the home team’s total.  Sash starred with 2/6 from his 2 overs of leg spin. And Max’s miserly 0/5 from 2 overs was key in restricting the visitors’ total.

In the end Totteridge were bowled out for 79, more than 50 runs short. A convincing performance for Southgate Under 13s who are establishing themselves as the team to beat in Division 1 this season.

Under 15s vs Southgate Adelaide B

Southgate CC U15 vs Southgate Adelaide CC U15 B

Southgate CC U15 faced off against neighbors Southgate Adelaide in a league fixture that saw clinical batting backed up by an aggressive and disciplined fielding display.

The Batting Masterclass

After being put into bat, Southgate made the most of the opportunity. The innings was headlined by a powerhouse performance from the top order. Aaryan was the mainstay, anchoring the side with a superb unbeaten 58 off 61 balls*. He was joined in a match-defining partnership by Rohan, who played a fluent and aggressive knock of 51 off 46 balls. A quick-fire cameo from Daniel—which included a towering six and a strike rate of 127.27- added the final flourish to ensure Southgate set a formidable target.

The Bowling & Fielding Blitz

During the Adelaide innings, Southgate’s bowlers ensured the hosts never found their rhythm, sharing the wickets in a total team effort. 

Achintya was the standout with the ball, claiming 3 wickets, including a sharp stumping by wicketkeeper Aaron to dismantle the middle order.

Dylan provided the most intense moment of the day; after being hit for six, he responded the very next ball with an epic delivery to remove the Adelaide opener, who was caught out by a sharp Harshill.

Daniel and Dylan showed great hands in the field, taking lovely catches off Alex and Achintya’s bowling to keep the pressure mounting.

Krish and Anay were vital in the final dismantling of the opposition. Anay was nearly impossible to score off, finishing with remarkable figures of 1 wicket for just 5 runs, including a crucial maiden over to dry up the scoring.

Resilience & Reserves

Special mentions must go to Augustia, who stepped in last minute and performed admirably, keeping the energy and pressure high in the field. 

A massive shout-out also goes to Harshill, who, despite picking up a minor injury, came back in the fight and proved he is a true force of nature on the pitch.

The Verdict

With wickets shared across the attack and a dominant display with the bat, they secured a comprehensive 71-run victory, taking maximum points and the local bragging rights back home.

Yolanda Mackie

Under 13s vs Southgate Adelaide

Expectations are high for the Under 13s this year and they got off to a great start with a 1 run win against neighbours and rivals Southgate Adelaide.

Southgate lost the toss and were put into bat but made a good start with opening partnership Zaid (21) and Sash (18) putting on 37 for the first wicket. Though wickets fell, the run rate never slowed. Noticeable contributions came from Kushal (16 from 14 balls) and a late flurry of boundaries from Jack (19* from 12 balls) with Southgate closing on a respectable but not unchasable 131/8.

Through the Adelaide Innings the game went back and forth, with both teams on top at different times. At a point when the batters looked to be getting on top, Siddaarth bowled a tidy spell with his 2 overs only going for a single run and helping his Southgate team get their noses back in front. Captain Kushal took the final over having impressed early on with the ball. From the final 3 balls Adelaide required just 7 to win and when a streaky drive crept through the fielders and over the boundary for 4 the nerves from players and parents alike were palpable. The skipper didn't let it affect him. The penultimate ball pinned the batter on the toes plumb LBW with a speedy away swinger, and the final ball went away for a single leg bye to give Southgate their first win of the campaign. Tomorrow sees a cup game away at Winchmore Hill. Can they repeat the heroics...

Scott Ellis

Under 15s vs Holtwhites

The Under 15s got off to a winning start with a tight 2 run win away at Holtwhites. Openers Aaryan (18) and Daniel (10) set a solid platform however, Holtwhites bowled very accurately and Southgate struggled to get out of 2nd gear. Aaron, playing 3 years up, batted well in the middle order scoring a solid 14 from 21 balls and a couple of late boundaries from Krish and Dylan got them up to an under par yet defendable 106 for 6.

Southgate bowlers would need to be on the money from the start and unfortunately struggled to control the new ball, giving away too many extras in the first few overs. At 70 for 2 after 10 overs a Southgate win felt incredibly unlikely. However, some inspired bowling and the dark brought on by the setting sun made it increasingly hard for the Holtwhites batters. The highlight of the blowing came from Anay finishing with figures of 4 wickets for 9 runs from 4 overs. Other bowlers did their part as Southgate battled back into the game with tight bowling and aggressive fielding. Hugo went for just 1 run in his only over Jack and Aaryan going to 1/8 and 1/7 respectively from their 2 overs.

With 7 required from the last over, Southgate held their nerve to register an amazing comeback victory winning by just 2 runs. Areas to work on for new coach Yolanda but amazing to get an early win under the belt with some spirited resilience the club should be proud of.

Scott Ellis

Under 11s vs Winchmore Hill

Southgate U11 v Winchmore Hill A U11

A new and fresh looking U11 Southgate side started their first game of the season with a few debutants, not only for Southgate, but to competitive hard ball cricket. To add to this the starting 11 included two players under the age of 9.

A bright but fresh and windy afternoon set the scene for this away fixture and Dylan started his captaincy with a toss win and elected to field.

In tricky crosswind conditions the opening bowlers for Southgate were unfortunate to encounter a left-handed opening bat who showed no sign of winter rustiness and set about some pretty good bowling with gusto, scoring 48 off 17 balls, punishing anything not straight or slightly short. Southgate were also denied a wicket, a no ball being given, which would have broken the opening partnership.

This rapid start was, however, then countered by Southgate who bowled steadily, pegging back the run rate, but failing to find a breakthrough even though the ball passed the edge on a number of occasions.  Having conceded 102 off ten overs, Winchmore Hill only scored 71 from the next ten with one catch being put down. Bowling performances of note included Ishaan and Aryan, both bowling two overs for nine runs, Henry Cal, one over for six runs, and Arthur Ellis, on debut, one over for six runs.

This solid bowling was backed up with a strong fielding display with the boys stopping boundaries and chasing everything down.

Despite this, and a sharp run out, Winchmore Hill A set a formidable target of 173.

Realising the difficulty of the run chase the boys were tasked with using the game to gain batting experience and retain their wickets as a primary objective.

A strong bowling attack got off to an ideal start, taking a wicket with a fast, straight delivery, first ball, however then Southgate showed good resilience and determination with nearly all of the boys seeing out their first 12 balls and retiring. Whilst never getting close to the required run rate, the focus showed by the boys hinted at better displays to come with five of the boys retaining their wickets and not getting out.

A total of 61 – 5 was made in reply to the 173 – 1 set by Winchmore Hill A. Despite the size of defeat the boys remained positive throughout, encouraged each other and fielded well and, importantly, responded well to the challenge of retaining their wickets.