COUNTY FESTIVAL SUCCESS FOR NORTH LINCS

Back row (l-r) Declan Dunning, Ben Wicks, Jack Waller, Liam Hebblewhite, Liam Parker, Reece Brown (wicketkeeper). Front row (l-r) Ethan Tonks (captain), Kane Brown, Josh Bramhill, Zain Akter, Dominic Bishop.



Report and picture from Patrick Tonks, Haxey CC

The early evening of Friday, 4th June saw eleven young cricketers and their relatives making a triumphant return to North Lincolnshire from the Lincolnshire Cricket Board District Under 14 Festival, held at Boston CC.
Three wins from the three games playable, Tuesday’s match having been lost to rain, secured the Winners’ Trophy as well as The Player of the Tournament Award for Liam Hebblewhite of Alkborough.
The first match against Lincoln District was the closest of the week with over 550 runs being scored in fewer than 80 overs. Lincoln won the toss and asked their opponents to bat. Early successes were blunted by a partnership of 139 by Liam Parker and Liam Hebblewhite with Parker making 132, the highest individual score of the Tournament. Hebblewhite and captain Ethan Tonks continued the momentum and the 40-over innings closed at 279-5, with Hebblewhite 67 not out.
North took their first wicket with the score on 4, but by the time the second was secured a further 168 runs had been scored in 21 overs. Jack Lawson was out for 52 and Jack Willey went on to make 123. The quartet of fast bowlers had gone at ten runs an over and were quickly replaced by spinners Josh Bramhill and Ben Wicks, who kept their team in the contest. The spinners were replaced by the two U13 members of the squad, Declan Dunning and Kane Brown, both medium pacers. Brown took a wicket in each of his final three overs to put his team in with an outside chance of victory. With five of the last six overs to be bowled by the previously profligate fast bowlers, Lincoln needed 29 runs with 6 wickets in hand and appeared confident of success.
A fine interception and calm and accurate throw by Ben Wicks led to a run out with both batsmen at the bowler’s end. 11 runs were now needed from 19 balls with three wickets remaining. Nine balls later the game was won by four runs, with North showing excellent composure under intense pressure.
The second match against North East provided a stark contrast to the first game. North East were put in to bat and this time North’s fast bowlers delivered. The opening bowlers, Hebblewhite and Jack Waller each took three wickets and their replacements Dominic Bishop and Tonks each took two wickets. In 16 overs, North East had tumbled to 44 all out with Kane Brown taking four catches at short cover. The reply lasted just 21 minutes and 38 deliveries with Parker finishing on 42 not out, having brought up the victory with a six over long on.
Friday saw the true final of the competition with both sides having won the two games they had played. South Lincolnshire won the toss and asked North to bat. By their own high standards, 156 all out after 28.1 overs was a disappointment. Bishop played-on when looking well set and an important partnership was forged by Hebblewhite and Tonks after three wickets were lost for five runs. 34 runs were scored for the last two wickets and Hebblewhite was left stranded on 48 not out with the total four short of the minimum agreed target.
Captain Tonks surprised the opposition by opening with both spinners and an attacking field; at the end of the spinners’ overs, South were 63-0. Four catches had been dropped and the left- arm right-arm partnership of Bishop and Hebblewhite was given the task of making inroads into the opposition. A fine catch by Kane Brown at silly mid off took the first wicket at 75 and at 90-3, North were buoyant but there was no indication of what was to come. Six overs later it was all over. Hebblewhite took 7-2 in his last three overs to add to the 2-5 of his first three.
Kane Brown took another two catches at silly mid-off and Liam Parker took two at short point that only someone of his 6 feet 2 inches stature could have achieved.
Squad: Zain Akter (Appleby Frodingham), Jamie Bend (Messingham), Dominic Bishop (Barton Town), Josh Bramhill (Outcasts), Kane Brown (Scunthorpe Town), Reece Brown, wicketkeeper (Scunthorpe Town), Declan Dunning (Normanby Park), Liam Hebblewhite (Alkborough), Liam Parker (Barton Town), Ethan Tonks, captain (Haxey), Jack Waller (Barton Town) and Ben Wicks (Outcasts).
The roots of this success started last October at the St Lawrence Academy under the supervision of Dave Dawson, Oliver Tonks and Patrick Tonks. Much fitness work was undertaken and Dave concentrated his efforts on the spin bowlers, whilst the other coaches spent a lot of time polishing the skills of the fast bowlers. The sessions continued after Christmas with Stuart Airey from the LCB replacing Dave.
For four of the squad, Bend, Bishop, Hebblewhite and Tonks, this is their fourth season of District cricket. For Dunning and Parker, it is their third. All have attended County trials in the past, some more than once, but they have failed to attract the attention of the selectors.
With the announcement at the Presentation that a team is to be selected from the high performers at the Festival to play the County U14 squad, it is to be hoped that a significant number of the winning squad are given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at the highest level that the County can provide.
A league programme commences next Sunday, 13th June with the Districts playing each other over five Sundays.