St Edward's School 29 June 2021

Manager Andrew Smith

SOA Won by 4 Wickets

St Edwards 219 for 9

SOA 220 for 6

Despite the miserable forecast, summer relented enough to enable the School to get the game on. Heavens, it was cold though.

Die-hard traditionalists would have been dismayed that the all-day time-game scheduled to take place, had been replaced with a 40 over a side bash to accommodate the England football match starting at 5pm. Those with an eye on keeping the game relevant to the younger generation were pragmatic about it. Declaration game next year however.

The Teddies pitches have been a bit up and down this season. The weather hasn't helped, but winning the toss enabled the SOA to put the boys in and exert a degree of control over events.

Teddies got off to a fairly ordinary start. The sweep shot often being their undoing on a pitch offering variable bounce. Old boys Rory Hipwell and Tom Powell, bowled excellently with figures of 5-0-12-2 and 8-0-37-3 respectively. At 73-5 from 17 overs, the SOA were firmly in command.

The spin of Alex Davies, Max Mannering and George Sandbach offered St Edward's an opportunity to take advantage of a short southern boundary; Horton (57) and Luke Charlesworth (37) scoring at more than a run a ball to help Teddies to a decent 219-9 from their 40 overs.

SOA bowled and fielded expertly and were charming (as you would expect) when things didn't go their way.

In reply, despite the early loss of Russell Beckett (a class bat nonetheless), SOA were always in control. Aayaz Malik (54) and Will Bull (61) took us to 123-2 with 17 overs remaining. A swashbuckling 32 from George and 27 from the excellent Jimmy Lee kept the initiative firmy with the visitors, before the Match Manager and Tom Powell took us to our front door with 2 overs to spare.

They boys were, as always, a credit to the school with their behaviour, and they never gave up.

This is one of the SOA's premium fixtures, and we need a strong side to do the school justice. So, thanks go to all the new and old SOA members who played.

We are always grateful for the School's hospitality, and this year for accommodating the change of format. I hope that we can play an all day declaration game next year. Teddies are keen.

Miles Hedges - the epitome of SOA class in blazer and tie - scored expertly for the SOA. He didn't dash off afterwards to watch the football.