Didsbury U11 v Cheadle U11 3rd June 2018

A humdinger. A glorious crazy topsy turvy run fest. A last ball nailbiter, hope and disappointment, tension and excitement, this game had it all.

The clubhouse boundary, short and perfectly formed, was making eyes at the batsman, an alluring vision for run hungry cricketers. Time and again the ball was dragged towards the short side. But who would crash on the rocks like mariners tempted by the sirens?

Cheadle opted to bat first on a straight up and down pitch and immediately profited from some uncharacteristic waywardness from the Didsbury bowlers. All season the Didsbury bowling has been superb, but for once, the effects of the harsh sun and a lightning outfield blunted the attack. Christian and Zac normally have the opposition at least 2 wickets down after their opening burst, but this time there was no early wicket. Christian struggled a little with line and Zac would have surely picked up wickets with a fuller length. Usmaan created mayhem with his prodigious turn – the batman and fielders were darting around like deflating balloons. No-one was quite sure what was happening and it was amazing that Usmaan didn’t pick up a wicket on his season debut. Jacob bowled a nice line and picked up a wicket with a straight ball that kept low, whilst Arlo courageously tried his experimental spin. Fantastic to see a young player try something new – this stage of cricket is all about developing and refining new skills. This is really exemplified by Alfie, who was brilliant in the field, and then bowled a nice spell steaming in like Stuart Broad. Hard to recognise that this is the same player who was a complete novice just 6 weeks ago. All the while though, Cheadle were capitalising on the one or two poor deliveries in each over. The score was really racing along. 2 run outs from a direct hit from Zac and a sharp pick up and throw from Alfie helped slow the momentum a little. Henry continued to imagine that he was bowling at Cameron and looked really good bowling with excellent pace. Ben strained everything to pick up a wicket and his good deliveries were too good for the batman at the other end. Liam and Dillon bowled the final 4 overs and kept it much tighter with the weaker batsman at the crease. Cheadle scored only 40 runs off the last 8 overs to take their score to 133, so the Didsbury boys really clawed it back. A bottom edge off the last ball sent the ball haring to the boundary – would those 4 runs be important?

Between innings the Didsbury team were commendably undaunted by the large score. They like a fight this team. And so stepping in to the cauldron Liam and Jacob looked to quickly build a Didsbury response. Jacob scythed a couple of fours including a sensational square cut before falling to a spitting off spinner. Ben likewise was quickly into his stride and looked in the mood to stamp his authority on proceedings. Playing positively to the same off spinner, he nicked a fine edge to the keeper and had to depart. This brought Zak to the crease alongside Liam. After maybe 2 circumspect defensive prods, he then dismantled the Cheadle bowling with a Zak Attack. In a brutal display of power hitting, he smashed the ball to all parts including a pull not just over the midwicket boundary but also clearing the pavillion. A less eye catching shot, but maybe more telling, was the straight drive down the ground. An ability to play expansively with a straight bat will open up a world of opportunity for Zak. Liam meanwhile was similarly crashing the ball that had any width and picking up singles from anything straight. Zak retired which then brought Dillon to the crease. For the Cheadle team this was like realising their mum (or dad?) was only providing broccoli for tea today tomorrow and the day after. Liam picked up another 25 (that’s 5 from 6 this season) whilst Dillon continued the assault - his 25 combining some big hits with some sweet timing and hopefully will help him realise that he really can bat. From facing a run rate approaching 10 an over, the target was now down to 24 off 5, but the big guns were now back in the holster and the stronger bowlers were back on. Could Didsbury get this one over the line? How they tried. Usmaan batting for the first time this year was understandably out of touch. Christian and Harry looked likely suspects to guide the team home. Christian hit a fantastic boundary and picked up runs looking unflustered in his most mature innings, but was eventually out to one that kept low. Harry, all bustling purpose and bright thinking was well placed to nudge and nurdle 4 or 5 runs an over but like Ben was out to a fine edge that the keeper did well to snaffle. At this stage it is very difficult for batsman coming to the wicket. The pressure is intense, with only one or two wickets in hand the margin for error is much smaller and of course they haven’t had much batting time this year. Henry held up an end whilst Christian was in command, but with him gone he had to try and force the game. And so it came to the final over. 6 required. 2 wickets in hand. The field came in to stop the singles. One of the Cheadle bowlers that had been marmalised by Zak and Liam was back on and all credit to him, he bowled full and straight – 6 deliveries on the money. The pressure is always on the batsmen in these situations and so first Alfie and then Arlo were bowled trying to find the sanctuary of the short boundary but the sirens had their men and the game slipped away.

Whilst the disappointment feels big (because they care), the best way to develop as cricketers is to play tough games and to learn from areas that can be improved. It is impossible to simulate the effect of nerves on any cricketer without the pressure cooker tension of a tight run chase. And for a fantastic under 11 team, the occasional set back is way more important in their development than steamrolling weaker sides. And consider this, Didsbury conceded 15 wides to Cheadle’s 5. Less charity in the field always makes the batting job easier………