Esher U11s 2020 – Season Report
We started off the year with great intentions. We had entered 5 leagues and a cup competition in the New Surrey Junior Cricket Championship. We were reigning Surrey Cup and Academy league winners. The U11 year is always a little challenging too, as we move all the age group to “proper cricket’ for the first time. Away from the ‘pairs cricket comfort’ of the inability to fully lose your wicket and always batting and bowling!
The intentions started with Winter nets. No fewer than 37, U11s attended winter nets, honing their technique. ….. which was always going to bode well for the season ahead.
Then Covid struck, so we had a break, a lot of online shadow batting practice, but then a glimmer of hope as we launched into small group training. In the absence of any matchplay we started with gusto – biweekly 2hr small group sessions in order to get the cricket on, as much as we could.
We had to space out more on the ground with small groups, so everyone’s fielding improved and the boys had more attention and batting time. Techniques were being well developed.
Then Boris allowed us to play matches! We started off with some internal games and for some it was their 1st games of proper cricket. Surrey had wiped the slate clean, we had no organised fixtures, all leagues cancelled, friendlies only….but no fixture schedule to go from and many opposition clubs did not have grounds either!
We started on the front foot, organised games with opposition in a self-generated, Esher led, cross Surrey “post-covid friendly playcricket league”. The structure meant we could get the games on for all.
We have ended up playing 48 matches overall across the whole age group, including the early internal ones and a couple of tournaments (victorious at Esher and Ashtead hurray!) So a lot of cricket!
Favourite games are those ones which go close to the wire… and there was a fair few of those. A nail biter against Ashtead, which we really shouldn’t have lost. A superb boundary catch off a ball travelling for 6 by Priyesh, led us to beat Wimbledon. All the fielding training ‘did’ pay off. Very close tournament games, especially a few of the Esher v Esher ones, always fun and all character building. Plus, playing in August means a fair few do overrun into the darkness….it unusually didn’t seem to stop the batsmen scoring in the twilight, seemingly enjoying striking and watching those glowing pink balls travel.
We’ d like to say thanks to Duncan and all of the coaches and the young assistants (from our Senior Academy and a few also play in the 1st XI) who did a fantastic job. Plus, our Chairman, Geoff, who helped us secure grounds at Cobham Avorians CC and Shrewsbury House School enabling us to play a lot of cricket in some rather nice places!
Thank you to all parents, especially the scorers, match managers and umpires. So many of you stepped up this year and the age group has that fabulous cohesive feel to it. Plus, the taxi drivers, kit washers etc….
Prize Winners – we couldn’t hold our prize giving ceremony this year. Covid restrictions came in again. In hindsight, a year of Covid, without league matches being played and small group coaching meant everyone developed. it is actually a more difficult job to choose ‘most improved’. There are maybe one or two players who stood out a little more (they know who they are), but in reality, everyone has and also improved with a smile. We’ll carry forward everyone’s efforts into 2021.
Representative cricket. Surrey also did not play their normal fixtures. Congratulations to the following boys selected for Surrey Performance: Benedict French, Benedict Stuart- Reckling, Dhruv Ganesan, Dilan Guganeswaran, Jack Nash, Joe Pullinger, Josh Kavia, Max Chambers, Rohan De Silva, William Hamilton.