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