One success, two fifties and plenty more positives for Hunts Under 11 cricket side
Hunts Under 11s are, back row, left to right, Ethan Rice, Mackenzie May, Callum Yates, Ben Saich, Matt Slack (coach), middle, Joe Notarnicola (coach), Rohan Kundaje, Jack Brumfield, Kye Gilmour, Kaif Iqbal, front, Alistair Clark, Corbin Abbasi, Olly Jefferies, Ben Saunders, Will Paul. - Credit: Archant
Hunts Under 11s signed off on a high with a victory in their final game of the annual Minor Counties Cricket Festival.
A 64-run success over Cumbria brought two days of tough competition to a pleasing conclusion at the Royal Hospital School near Ipswich.
Ben Saunders top-scored with a half-century and received good support from Olly Jefferies (34), Callum Yates (25) and Ethan Rice (24) as the local lads piled up 188-9 in 45 overs before restricting their opponents to 124-8 in reply. Jefferies and Rohan Kundaje claimed three wickets apiece.
Hunts had earlier suffered three narrow defeats, but there were still plenty of fine individual efforts in those games.
Jefferies and Kundaje both took three wickets in a 24-run reverse against Yorkshire B with Hunts being dismissed for 148 after removing the northern side for 172. Saunders led the ultimately unsuccessful chase with 56.
The Hunts lads were pipped by London Schools by two wickets.
Smart knocks from Yates (37), Corbin Abbasi (32) and Jefferies (25) helped Hunts to a solid tally of 166.
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Three Kaif Iqbal wickets and a couple from Kundaje had London Schools in trouble before they scraped home. There were also three excellent stumpings from wicket-keeper Ben Saich.
Hunts suffered a batting collapse to go down to Northumberland by 18 runs in their other clash.
Jefferies was rewarded for some super leg spin with figures of 5-40 as Northumberland reached 142 thanks to a strong, late partnership after earlier finding themselves reduced to 46-7.
Hunts’ reply was going smoothly at 75-2, but their remaining eight wickets tumbled for just 49 runs as they came up agonisingly short. Ben Saunders top-scored with 36 while Jefferies (29), Abbasi (22) and Jack Brumfield (22) all contributed well.
Head coach Matt Slack said: “I’m really proud of the way the boys performed. They could quite easily have come away with four wins.
“They competed well in every game and showed a great team spirit that will stand them in good stead for the future.”
