Junior News

A really gutsy batting effort from the middle order, two clinical efforts with the ball and at least one moment of magic in the field resulted in a well-deserved League title!

Going into Finals' Day, only Ferguslie CC and Poloc CC had beaten the U13s this year - but the combined record of matches played against today's opponents read: Played 3, Won 0, Lost 3!  There was, however, the feeling that the losses owed more to the U13s not performing as well as they could rather than a case of being totally 'out-classed' in the three matches - and a feeling that the squad definitely had the skills within them to have a realistic chance of winning the league title.  Fast-forward10 hours and it was another pizza party to celebrate a great league win!

Game 1
The semi-final was against hosts Ferguslie CC.  Batting first, the U13s early overs were definitely a story of 'ups and downs'!  16/0 off 2 overs, 17/1 off 3, 26/2 off 4 and 28/4 off 5!  Ferguslie might have been thinking of ending the innings quickly - but Saifullah Ahmadzai, Anne Sturgess, Shahan Raja and Sonny Cunningham  had other ideas.  Sai and Anne formed a crucial 5th wicket partnership of 35, Sai and Shahan added 30 before Sai had to retire - and then Shahan and Sonny added a further 20 runs.  Suddenly, 28/4 had become 116/7 off the 20 overs - a pretty mammoth score on a slow outfield.  Sai's 31* will rightly take the main headlines - but Shahan picked a great time to produce his best constructed innings of the season, Anne's 10 showed a much-improved application in the middle and, although he only scored 1, Sonny provided good valuable support at the end.    

If the early Clydesdale overs hadn't been a simple affair, the early Ferguslie overs did their best to beat it.  Things didn't get off to the best start (from a Clydesdale point of view) when Sai bowled the first ball straight passed wicket-keeper Owen Gould, for 6 wides!  At 16/0 off 1.5 overs, the start was in danger of getting totally out of control.  But Shahan then struck with a lbw, to leave the scoreboard looking slightly better - at 16/1.  By the end of over 4, it was 33/1.  The fifth over then summed up what can often happen with young fast bowlers - as Sai bowled two wides (both so wide that Owen couldn't get near them)...but also picked up the crucial wicket of Ferguslie talisman Uzair Ahmad.  Ferguslie 41/2.  Skipper Nikhil Koteeswaran then bowled a maiden - before it became a case of 'blink and you'd miss it'!  Ferguslie's 42/2 almost unbelievably became 51 all out, in just 24 balls.  (Not quite as dramatic as Finlay Walker and Lyle Hill taking 8/0, in 12 balls, against the same opposition, in 2010...but not far off!)  Today it was Ibrahim Faisal (3/3), Nikhil (2 wickets in 2 balls) and two run outs which did the damage...and it displayed a really impressive ruthless streak.

With Glasgow Accies appearing to be a really strong position before losing, the 2017 U13 League Final would be a 'Southside Derby', with the trophy destined to end up and one end of Shawmoss Road!

Game 2
Bowling first, the U13s needed to make in-roads into a potentially very dangerous Poloc top order - and quickly.  Sai's first over saw only one single given away - before Shahan (more of him later!) continued a really impressive day's work.  By the time he bowled his 8th ball of the final, he had 3/1 and Poloc were 11/3!  Nikhil then added a wicket maiden and Ibrahim took a wicket with his second delivery.  Poloc 13/5!  However, the Poloc order has more depth than most U13 teams, so it wasn't a case of 'game over'.  Nabeel Khan and Momin Rafay added 25 for the 6th wicket - before a mix up, and a good throw from Sonny (more of this to come too!) led to Zain Rashid completing a run out at the bowler's end before throwing to Owen to complete a 'double-play' that Mike Stanger and LMS would have been proud of.  (Unfortunately, it only counted as one wicket!)  Rafay then struck two sixes to long on - and he found some support from James Cathcart.  The 21-run partnership was just threatening to develop into something more sizable when Sonny decided he'd put an end to things with a truly outstanding direct hit from the third man boundary.  Nikhil then bowled Rafay (15), Sonny added yet another run out (another direct hit!) and the innings finished with a smart stumping from Owen off of the bowling of Robin Ferguson.  Poloc 67 all out.

The loss at the start of the season has seen the U13s fail to chase 86 against the same opposition.  Therefore, 'patience' and 'having a plan' were the order of the day.  Losing Nikhil (0) early on was a blow - and although Owen looked fluent, hitting two 4s in three deliveries, when he was bowled it was suddenly 18/2 off 3 overs.  The next 10 overs saw batting which wouldn't please the modern 'T20' spectator, but might have a appealed to the more traditionalist watcher...and, more importantly, it was 10 overs which kept vital wickets in hand.  By of the 10th over, Ibrahim (who had opened) was on only 3 - but, in what surely must be some sort of record, he had only faced 10 deliveries out of the 60 bowled!  At the other end, Zain had hit one boundary and a few 2s - and with the addition of a few extras, the score had crept up to 38/2.  Overs 13 saw two wickets fall (Ibrahim bowled and Zain caught).  The dismissal of both batters who were 'in' suddenly opened the door a little.  Sai scored 6 before being getting out LBW.  Anne then added the next 6 runs to the total before being bowled...and Sonny just survived his first delivery with a great diving effort at cover being initially held before being grounded by the fielder while he completed his dive and roll.  With a few extras added in, it was now 63/6 off 16 overs.  Given his innings with the bat the semi-final, and his 3/9 which destroyed the Poloc top order in the final, it was somewhat fitting that it was Shahan who sealed the title with guide through backward point for 4.  U13s 69/6 and league winners.

On the day, it was a simply outstanding effort - or, more accurately, two efforts.  It was two efforts which all 11 players can feel they contributed to in some way - and two efforts built on some moments of individual brilliance and some on displays real grit and determination when it was needed...and a lot of guidance, commitment and support from all the coaches, Junior helpers and parents who have been involved throughout the year - but particularly U13 Head Coach Steve Taylor and Club Head Coach Con De Lange.