Date

Opposition

Venue

Result

28/4/10

Swanbourne House

Home

Won

05/5/10

Wellingborough

Away

Lost

12/5/10

Oundle

Home

Won

15/5/10

Bedford Prep

Away

Lost

19/5/10

Stoneygate

Away

Won

22/5/10

Spratton Hall

Home

Won

26/5/10

Great Houghton

Home

Won

23/6/10

Bilton Grange

Home

Won

30/6/10

Akeley Wood

Away

Won

v Swanbourne House

Maidwell (182 for 9) beat Swanbourne House (172 all out) by 10 runs

This was an exciting match played in a great spirit and a fine advert for 2nd XI cricket. From a Maidwell point of view, it was terrific that we were able to start the new season with a win and that every member of the team contributed something to the outcome with bat, ball or in the field.

I was particularly pleased with the batting performance – even numbers 10 and 11 played some good-looking shots. Much kudos goes to man-of-the-match Charlie Chamberlayne for his 50 which helped to hold the innings together. His was a mature knock, blocking the good ball and punishing the bad one. He was ably assisted by Guy Seddon (18) and Ben Clarke (24) in the middle order both of whom were also going well before being unfortunately run out. There were double figure scores, too, for Edward Spooner, Milo Cook and Kit Robathan, helping us towards a very competitive 182.

The situation looked particularly rosy when we reduced our visitors to16 for 4, thanks in part to two great catches by that man again, Chamberlayne, fielding at point. Max Weatherby took 2 wickets in that spell. Great credit is due to Swanbourne, though, for their response as we rather lost our way for an hour. Harry McGrath’s first ball clean bowled one dangerman but another replaced him as the scoreboard ticked over. I felt that Swanbourne were always behind the asking rate - but only just. More relief when Edward Fenner picked up his third wicket and Spooner his second - we were into the tail. Still our opponents would not lie down. They needed 20 off the last 2 overs but thankfully only managed half of them before Robathan bowled the last man.

Much to be pleased with and things to work on too.

v Wellingborough

After a great start to the season last week, this was a disappointing performance and we were outplayed in all departments by a solid Wellingborough side. Batting first, we gave away too many cheap wickets and never got any partnerships going. Only Edward Spooner (41) and Tom Buxton (19) offered any real resistance and we simply did not have enough runs on the board to put pressure on our hosts who paced their innings comfortably and reached their target with over 5 overs spare. Edward Fenner took three of the five wickets. We will need to bounce back with a win next week.

v Oundle

It was important to get another win under our belts and we did so in a most comprehensive fashion. Batting first, we posted an excellent total of 194 thanks almost entirely to a mammoth partnership of 158 between skipper Edward Fenner and Guy Seddon. Both boys paced their knocks beautifully, playing themselves in gradually and then looking to accelerate the scoring later in the innings. Guy played some lovely shots through the off side on his way to an unbeaten 51. But the star man was Edward who came agonisingly close to a century. Needing 4 off the last 3 balls of the 30th over, he was bowled going for one last big shot. His brilliant 96 included 15 fours – very well done.

We dismissed our visitors without too much difficulty and everyone bar the keeper bowled an over or two. Angus Norman was the pick, taking 3 wickets and there were 2 each for Guy and Ben Clarke. Sterner tests lie ahead.

vs Bedford Prep

The seconds put up a brave show against a very strong Bedford team but unfortunately were taught a little bit of a lesson in cricket.  As always the boys maintained a professional approach throughout, in the face of quite a talkative opposition.  Maidwell took the crease and immediately faced some reasonably fierce bowling.  Unfortunately, despite some brief resistance from Fenner and Norman, wickets dropped rapidly.  A late flourish from Weatherby made the score a touch more respectable but still a very attainable 80 all out.

Bedford's response was encouragingly slow and the first over even saw a catch dropped.  With spirits raised, Maidwell's bowlers started to worry their opposition, Fenner soon taking two wickets in a two balls.  This, in retrospect turned out to be a rather unfortunate turn of events as their No.4 was in a different class and the winning runs arrived rather swiftly,  Bedford finishing 84 for 2.

The lessons to be learnt were mainly regarding the tightness of Bedford's bowling which was very consistent - in length particularly - and varied in line when necessary.  This inevitably frustrated the batsmen and errors in choice of shot followed.

vs Stoneygate

Maidwell (140 for 5 off 22 overs)
won by 40 runs

This was a fairly comfortable win thanks to a decent batting performance. Having been dropped twice early on, skipper Edward Fenner made the most of his two 'lives' and helped himself to 79 not out, his second big score in three matches, enhancing his chances of a first team call-up. 60 of his runs came in boundary fours, including 24 off one over - well done.

Our fielding display was a little disappointing. Catches went down and overthrows were conceded and we will need to sharpen up ahead of the weekend. However, the bowling was tight to begin with and once we had Stoneygate 17 for 2 off 8 of their allocated 22 overs, they were always well behind the asking rate. Seven bowlers took one wicket each. Toby Duncan was the pick and was unlucky not to finish with better figures than 1 for 10 off his 4 overs. There were also three run outs.

vs Spratton

A second win on the bounce and one we deserved having out-batted and fielded our opponents. After a bad start (5 for 2), Toby Duncan’s patient 27 helped to lay the foundation for the innings, but when he departed at 74 for 6, there was still a lot of work to do. This team’s forte though is its strength in batting depth and a 7th wicket partnership of 63 between Angus Norman (15*) and my man of the match Milo Cook (37) would ultimately prove decisive. These two played very sensibly, blocking the good ball and going after anything off line. With the outfield slow, we were happy with 145 off our 30 overs.

In fairness, our bowling was a mixed bag but we fielded ten times better than in our last game at Stoneygate. Two early run outs and two good catches saw Spratton struggling at 10 for 4. Wickets continued to fall. Milo capped his day with a smart catch behind. Despite some late resistance, we wrapped up the win in the 30th over when Angus took a catch off Toby Duncan who finished with the best figures of 2 for 6. Well done, boys – a good afternoon.

vs Great Houghton

As good as it was to extend the winning streak to three games, this was a rather unconvincing performance and, as far as Twenty20 goes, a bit of a damp squib.

Batting first, the decision to experiment with the big hitters high up the order backfired as we slumped to 22 for 4. It was left to the middle order to repair the innings and set a defendable total of 115. Fresh from his match-winning knock against Spratton, Milo Cook again top-scored with 24. He was given valuable assistance by Tom Buxton (22) and Ben Clarke (15).

In reply, Great Houghton got off to a decent start. Their opening batsman, Edmunds, was one of the best we have faced so far this season and it soon became clear that he had the ability to win the game for them single-handedly. There was a collective sigh of relief, therefore, when he was caught off the bowling of Charlie Chamberlayne for 21. With him went the visitors’ chances of victory, none of the other batters reaching double figures. James Macdonald-Buchanan was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 8.

We have played a lot of cricket recently and the guys will benefit from a month’s well-earned break.

vs Bilton Grange

For the first time all season, we were asked to bowl first, no doubt because of the sweltering early afternoon conditions. It turned out to be a good toss to lose because we were able to pace our run-chase accordingly. We made a good start, Max Weatherby clean-bowling an opener in the first over, but it soon became clear that Bilton had some good batters at the top of the order who would take some shifting. It needed a smart catch behind by Milo Cook to remove one dangerman and some clever bowling from Edward Spooner to dislodge another. The adage “one wicket brings another” held true as 73 for 3 soon became 85 for 6. Sloppy fielding and stubborn tail-end resistance, though, combined to give our visitors a competitive total of 149. Charlie Chamberlayne was the pick of the bowlers taking 2 for 8 off 5 overs.

In reply, I thought we were mostly excellent, although some wickets were given away cheaply, and we were always ahead of the 5-an-over asking rate. Edward Spooner top scored with 33 and played one or two sumptuous drives through the off side, turning the face of the bat to find the gaps beautifully. Tom Buxton (16), Edward Fenner (26) and Milo Cook (26) all contributed handy knocks and despite a mini-collapse, Guy Seddon (7*) and Ben Clarke (12*) saw us home with 5 overs to spare.

vs Akeley Wood

We saved our best all-round performance for the last match of what has been a very satisfying season which reads ‘won 7, lost 2’. It was a game played in a very good spirit and a fitting way to bring the curtain down on several of the boys’ Maidwell cricketing careers.

Batting first on a very slow outfield we quickly had to revise our initial target of 120 off 20 overs. Anything in 3-figures would be defendable. The top order also realised that it would be quick singles as opposed to boundaries which would decide the contest. Toby Duncan and Edward Spooner set the tone with some hard running and I believe it was that opening partnership which would ultimately prove the differenec between the two sides. Spooner went for 16, Edward Fenner hit 23 and there were also double-figure scores for Ignacio Danobeitia (14*) and Milo Cook (18) who accelerated the scoring towards the end of the innings. We were pleased with 102.

Although Akeley Wood were never out of it, I felt that we were the better side and in control of the game. Some middle order resistance followed Max Weatherby’s opening salvo in which he dismissed both openers but our best bowling performance of the summer and some good fielding, notably a terrific Guy Seddon catch restricted the hosts’ run rate. Needing 26 off the last 2 overs they only managed 10 of them. Toby Duncan also took two wickets and Ignacio effected two run outs.

Well done to the whole squad!