Shai Thorne shines in low scoring thriller.

The club needed a good news story and our U15s provided it at St Peters (main square) last night as they shrugged off untidy cricket through out to claim victory in this prestigious National Cup.  After 5 days of intense heat the game was played out in more pleasant conditions.  A cooling and welcome rain shower passed across the ground at half time.  Nomads asked to bat.

On a surface that aided bowling our top order didn’t fire as expected but Joe Scorey contributed 32 off 22 up top.  Shai Thorne added some much-needed sparkle to the mid order with a 20 ball 24 before being bowled. Spinners Max Cripps and Reuben Patel both had excellent days picking up six wickets as Nomads tried swiping across the line. There was a lot to admire about the last wicket stand between Arran Davis-King and Eyaan Khan who took the score from 99 to 113.   14 crucial runs.  Nomads though committing the cardinal sin of not batting out their allotted overs 113 all out in 18.3 overs.

Seymore, Hooley and Stockton-Sutcliffe gave St Peters a comfortable start as they went to 29 for 1 seemly on track.  Our champagne moment arriving in the nick of time.  With just one stump to aim at Davis-King created wild celebration with a remarkable run out.  With little room to manoeuvre Herbie Seymour 27 and a couple of 4 wides (in a total of 23 extras) put the pressure back on. St Peters closed in 85 for 8 with 5 overs to go.  However, it was MOM Thornes’s day (4 for 20) as he took the last two wickets to get us over the line.

Many thanks to St Peters for hosting and contributing to a tense and exciting U15s ECB match. We wish them well for the season.  However, Nomads get the chance to dust down, improve and now look forward to round three.  Congratulations to Manager Ralph and the boys.

Colin Bowman  29/05/26