U13's Lose Narrowly to Lindow in Cup Final.

On a balmy summers evening DCC U13 Team hosted Lindow Gold in the u13 cup final. Lindow had only contested the semi final the evening before against Whalley Range, but both teams looked fresh and ready to go in front of a large crowd of friends and parents.

The weather was near perfect with a dry wicket but just enough cloud cover and humidity to assist the bowlers so it was going to be down to who made the most of the conditions, took their opportunities when they came and most importantly held their nerve. James Bidwell won the toss and elected to bat which looked well vindicated when our two form batsmen, Basil Sultan and Max Fisher, strode to the crease and (again) set about dismantling one of the best attacks in the competition. The stats are worth detailing: Basil 30 ret NO off 20 balls with 6 fours and Max 30 ret NO off 16 (4 fours and a six) and a partnership of 62 off 33 balls. Batting of the highest class.

Taha came in as pinch hitter at 3 and fell, as pinch hitters sometimes do, caught on the boundary for 0 and then Dan fell to a second ball 'Jaffa' for another duck. 62-0 had become effectively 65-4 and we were wobbling. Absolute respect to Lindow who despite being flayed earlier regained their composure and bowled a tight line and length backed up by dogged fielding. Meanwhile James coming in at 4 played a sensible captains innings to stabilise the listing ship (eventually bowled for 27 off 40) but the rest of the batsmen struggled against a disciplined attack and at the end of innings we had limped to 120-6 which was probably a little below par but still a goodish total in a final.

James, Max and Ed are amongst the fastest three in the league and with Basil, Zain and Dan to back up you would have put your money on Didsbury to defend 120. Unfortunately on this occasion we got off to a sticky start with some wayward bowling and inauspicious fielding and rather than applying pressure we allowed their openers to get into the game ably assisted by our old foe, 'extras'. A change of bowling did not immediately bring any results and it wasn't until shortly after their opener retired for an excellent 33 that the first wicket fell to Max Fisher (caught Basil); Lindow were 84-1 off 10 and in a commanding position.

As is so often the case with cricket what seems easy wasn't and all our bowlers, starting their second spells, found some rhythm and the run rate slowed as wickets fell, notably 3 to Basil (who had got his second wind): 100-2, 109-3, 109-4! Suddenly our energy levels were up and it was Lindow who looked wobbly; you had to wonder how things would have been with an earlier breakthrough. With Lindow now running for everything Dan Ward came on in the 18th over and the tension was palpable with 12 needed off 18 balls. Off his 4th ball Lindows' set batsman spliced a drive to the waiting Noah Brown at mid on, but agonisingly it cleared him by millimetres and to add insult to injury trickled over the boundary for 4. On another day he would have taken a match winning catch but sadly it wasn't to be. Heartbreak but it typified our day in the field as things didn't so much not stick but rather just not go to hand. Lindow won off the next over with ten balls to spare and well done to them.

Well done boys, you got to the final and just lost out to a very strong and resilient team.

Thanks to all the the U13's, parents and coaches.