Twenty-four months ago, give or take, I was stood on a small hill at Elsecar CC. I was watching a group of our U13 boys take on their National Semi Final against Rolleston. I hadn’t moved for about 10 overs. The spot I was in was working; we were ahead of the game and looked favourites to win. I was ridiculously nervous. Despite watching a magical hattrick from Nikash as part of his five wicket haul, I still couldn't quite get myself to the point where I thought it was in the bag. Not until the final ball was bowled. It was at that moment that it all became quite surreal. A group of Didsbury U13 boys were taking our club to a National Final at Lord’s. A fantastic achievement, and the day out at the Home of Cricket was superb. Twenty-four months later, we were in the same situation. One more win away from getting to play at Lord’s again. It’d been a humbling experience last year, Dorridge putting both our U13s and U15s out of the tournament. It had been a shock to the system, as one-sided as many of the games we had had, but we were on the wrong side of it, as our 15s in particular suffered a heavy defeat. However, it had only made those who had another shot at it this year, even more determined. The journey was fairly straightforward for the U15s but there were many obstacles we could trip up on. Starting in the GMCL cup, it’s always an uncomfortable battle with both the early season weather and pitches combined with the complete lottery of the sides we are playing against. Then, into the Lancashire cup where we’d face the best of the other leagues in the county. Winning that sends you into the national stages. A win at the North Regional Finals would get you to the National Semi Final. It would take ten wins this year. Ten wins to take you into the final. Ten wins on the Road Back to Lord’s.

GMCL Cup

A comprehensive performance against Heaton was the start of the run, a match winning partnership between Nikash (48 off 28) and Krishav (33 from 23) as the pair put on 74 together to lead us to a matching win margin. Edgworth could’ve been a tricky away day, with the side making an early trip on a Sunday morning. Zac’s 4-15 and Tanmay’s 50* off 34 the key contributions in a good win. A strange game vs Prestwich saw them bat out 20 overs for just 60 runs, only losing 3 wickets in the process. We made quick work of the chase, getting it done in the eighth over. That win saw us as GMCL champions as we swiftly moved on to the Lancashire cup.

Lancashire Cup

Blackrod at home. The Best of Bolton coming to Wilmslow Road, the NWCL side had many familiar faces. At 16-3 and 50-4, they had us under pressure. However, some brilliant partnerships from our U14 middle and lower order got us out of trouble. Krishav’s 37, from 32 AB’s 42* from 27, and Ibby’s 33 from 20 saw us recover from a tough spot to a formidable 158/7. Ash picking up two of the key wickets early, and finishing with 4-1-9-2, was the killer for their chase. A 91 win margin. I missed the Newton-Le-Willows game, but the game was decided quickly, with Newton losing their star player early to Aaron and then a terrific five wicket haul for Milan (4-1-12-5) sealed their fate. Milan’s return to bowling having a fairytale start!

The Lancashire cup final. Lancaster away, a sweltering hot morning and an early start was combined with another lost toss, bowling first in the tough conditions. Despite a great performance from our old nemesis E.X. Tras, Lancaster limped to 99. Aaron’s clinical bowling spell at the start picking up the two key wickets, combined with Isaac’s metronomical 3-13. It was an emphatic run chase, with the exemplary running between the wickets from Kush and Tanmay the key. A close-to-100 partnership, with Kush retiring 50* from 39, with only three boundaries, seeing us to a 10 wicket win, and the crowning title of Lancashire Cup Champions. A third successive Lancashire cup win for the age group.

National Cup

630 for 13 wickets off just 84 overs was our tally coming out of the previous games. A quite ridiculous effort from our batting line up. Credit has to go to our opening partnership of Tanmay and Kush, who have ruthlessly cut apart the bowling attacks of our opposition. In our first match of the national stages, Oxton were not exempt from their aggression. Kush blasting four massive sixes to get to 44, and Tanmay rattling the fence five times as he got to 39. Two good cameos from Nikash and AB, the latter adding extremely valuable runs in the last two overs as we posted 144/6. On a small ground, it felt a little short, but our superb bowlers were up to the task. Aaron once again dismissing their key batter, and his second Bunbury festival victim, his four overs only going for 11. Despite a late flourish from the Oxton middle order, they crumpled in the back end of the innings to 114 all out. Last sixteen in the country; It was over to North Finals Day at Neston,where we’ve had some outstanding games of cricket over the last three years. Last over wins seem to be the norm, and this year would be no exception.

Swarkestone looked to be our toughest challenge yet, and provided us with some real nerves. Blasting us about in the rain, reaching 50-1 in no time, it looked like we would be chasing a mammoth total. Milan clawed us back from the brink, with an unbelievable 4-21 to peg the opposition back. A late rearguard action got them up to 121 all out, which felt at least 15 short, but would prove to be almost enough. In an absolute masterclass in getting out to the bad ball, our lads found themselves 16-3, 28-4, and 50-5. Victory looked a long way off, but AB had other ideas. Continuing his heroics at Neston from the previous year, he combined with Ibby and Zac to calmly tick the scoreboard over. His 32* off 35 was incredible considering the amount of pressure we were under. A faultless performance, and along with his comrades batting with him, were the epitome of that “engine room” mentality we have tried to create. The lower order performed on demand and saw us over the line in the last over for a 3 wicket win. Last eight in the country.

Aberdeenshire didn’t provide much contest in the North Final, Kush and Tanmay both retiring 50* and cameos from the rest saw us post 158/2. Curiously our third score of exactly 158 this season. Our superb opening pair once again got the job done. With no retort for our impressive bowling attack, they floundered around for 20 overs, a 59 run win being the final margin. North Champions. For most of the lads, their third successive win in a row at North Finals. Last four in the country.

National Semi-Final

From the 1st May to the 11th August, the boys had won nine in a row. Despite the fact that, on paper, we had the strongest side out in all nine games, it’s never quite that straightforward. Nerves and expectations combine with bad luck and moments of madness to create opportunities for anyone to lose in knockout competitions. Sometimes it's things that are completely out of your control. What we have been able to control, we have done very well. Our basics and fundamentals have been solid. Our positivity and body language has been good. Our calmness, particularly in the field, has been superb. We’ve pulled off a couple of magic moments, and worked hard when under pressure. It had all earned the lads another shot at getting to the National Final. Elsecar CC would be the setting once again for the semis; our success at the ground a mixed bag. Some fantastic memories, and some we’d rather forget. Last year we lost both the U13 and U15 semi finals there, on the same day, a difficult day which required a lot of managing of the very upset and disappointed young lads afterwards. The year before that, however, we won an absolute thriller vs Rolleston. Nikash’s 29 off 17 and 5-26 the man of the match contribution in a tight 15 run win. The match was a horrible watch for those invested, it constantly ebbed and flowed; but the outcome was worth it.

It would be an interesting narrative this year. Our opponents were a complete unknown. Lutonians CC. Yes, from Luton. Somehow, representing the “Midlands”. They looked to be a side that would push and challenge us in new and unique ways. It didn’t take long looking into their club to see that they had a strong connection with indoor and tape ball leagues. They didn’t appear to have any major affiliation with a county, or have many players playing at a representational level. This was curious, as previous years had shown that the later rounds of this competition are dominated by the clubs with a good number of County Age Group players, and those with a good history of producing pathway players. They were a community funded club, not an old and established club like most. It was definitely going to be a very different culture than the one we were used to playing against. I got the sense that if this was a hollywood film, they were the plucky underdog, and therefore that definitely made us the bad guys. We couldn't buy into this narrative though. The team that played the best cricket, and performed under pressure would win. It had to be us.

We’d lose the toss. Their captain called correctly, and elected to bat. I think the lads were happy about this, as it meant there could be no repeat of last year, with Dorridge chasing our total down at a canter. A long and complicated meeting with umpires, managers, and captains in which concussion protocols, off-the-field coaching, and even mankads were all brought up. Not by us, I assure you! We’d prepared well, it was a boiling hot day, just get done what you need; hit a dozen or so balls, take enough catches, send a few down, and get some ground fielding and throws in. There was nothing more we could do, it was over to the lads.

A good start was needed to settle the nerves, and skipper Aarron provided a calming first over. Only one coming off it, Only three coming off the second over, Ash steady as always, and it was clear the Lutonian pair were not going to take early risks. Only three boundaries, and remarkably a maiden, in the opening six overs. A very cautious approach from Lutonian quickly became a very curious one. Dot balls dominated the scorecard. If the plan was to see off our opening bowlers, and go from there, it wasn’t working as they couldn’t even rotate the strike, and it certainly wasn’t working when our first change bowler Zac took the first wicket; a good catch by Aarron. At 35-1, with already 8.1 overs gone, we were completely in control. Nikash would come on the over after and immediately strike as well, Kush taking the catch. A third wicket would fall, Zac again, this time a towering catch pouched by Milan, safe as houses. Despite the efforts of their remaining opening batter, Lutonians were going nowhere. Dot ball after dot ball. A scrappy 39 off 47 from the opener provided us with some nerves, but with wickets falling at the other end steadily, and his eventual demise to a brilliant boundary catch from Aarron off Milan’s bowling, brought an already stalling innings for our opposition to a complete standstill. We were bowling well, and taking all our chances, but the lack of intent from their batters was doing the real damage. Despite losing wickets, you have to keep looking to score. Be busy between the crease. Take a risk here and there. Even at 60-4 from 15 overs, a good finish here could get them into triple digits and at least put us under some sort of scoreboard pressure. Nikash castling one of their batters off stump wasn’t helping them. A quick delivery, uprooting the stump. A panicked run-out, Nikash cool under pressure. A sharp stumping from Ibby off Milan’s bowling, and the inevitable run-out off the last ball, Milan smartly handled the situation, and just like that, it was all over. A surreal watch, as our total in the Semi Final, to win and go to Lord’s, was only 81. We hadn’t even bowled them out.

A good pitch, a fast outfield, and small boundaries straight. It was absolutely a below par total. We had said 140/150 would be a comfortable chase with our batting in these conditions. If we kept them to around 120, we’d be far ahead of the game. 81 was almost hard to believe. We’d have to be sensible though, we couldn't get too excited, and we shouldn't underestimate our opposition. All it would take was a few mistakes, and those first thoughts of doubt would come in. Kush almost provided the early panic we were all dreading. Chipping a short ball, thankfully into no-mans-land. After that, it was business as usual. The Kush Show. Two fours off the first over. Two fours in the second. Off to a flyer. Tanmay, his trusted partner, joined in himself, dispatching one of his first few balls to the fence. It was in the fifth, that we could all begin to relax. A four and an almighty six off successive balls by Kush meant we were already on 46/0 from 5. It was just a matter of seeing it home from here. It would’ve been fantastic for those two to walk off, a ten wicket win, with how well they have batted as individuals and as an opening pair this year. So many outstanding performances, so many match winning partnerships. This was another one, but we’d sadly lose both in one over, with only a handful of runs to go. Tanmay 21 off 23, and Kush 45 off 27. Nikash wouldn’t take long to hit the winning runs. A straight six back over the bowler's head, was immediately followed by crunching a four. A four that would win us the game. Win us the National Semi-Final, and get us to Lord’s.

The National Final

Twenty-four months later. We’re going back. It was one of the most memorable experiences I will ever have, taking a team of Didsbury lads to the Home of Cricket for a National Final. I thought, at the time, it was going to be a one of a kind memory to hold onto. Now, we get to go again. Twice in three years, it’s unbelievable. It’s completely thanks to a set of boys who are, yes, very talented cricketers each and every one of them, but as a team are just absolutely superb. They are so supportive and appreciative of each other, and each other’s successes. Practically every run has been clapped and cheered, and every wicket has been celebrated like it was one of their own from start to finish. They’ve played some amazing cricket, dominated games, and performed under pressure when it mattered most. They fully deserve to be going to their second National Final and it will be amazing to watch boys from our club play on the greatest stage. I am forever grateful to them for the experiences they have given me, and for being a pleasure to coach and spend another fantastic season with.

We’ll share details of how you can come and support them down in London soon. For now, the date; Sunday September 14th. The place; The main square at Lord’s, St John’s Wood. The Home of Cricket.