Under 12 1st XI – Playing in the U13 SJCC Tier 1 as Esher U13 Eagles
6th in the league – mid table finish playing one year up beating 3 of the 5 teams ahead of us!
A tough opening fixture against a strong Banstead team who stuck us into bat. Max C hit a swashbuckling 53* off 31 balls including 11 fours. Solid contributions from Ben F, Sam T and Kunsh K were finished off by some 100+ strike rates from Will H and Isaac H to get us to a massive 176 in our 25 overs. Banstead got off to a flyer but were pegged back in the middle with some tight bowling and excellent fielding. Needing 15 off the last over the first ball goes soaring for 6… they only need 1 off the last ball to be run out by Sam T – match tied, not a bad season opener! AJ must have heard how strong we were and conceded which meant we were faced with another U13 powerhouse in Sutton. Sutton must have thought they would easily win after they smashed 183-6 off their 25 overs, Arjun T pick of the bowlers 2-25. However, they were in for a surprise with Max C smashing another 50, this time off 28 balls, ably supported by Sam T with 48 off 40. A quick fire 34 from 15 balls by Will H secured a very impressive win by 4 wickets!
Oxted and Limpsfield next up, 2nd year running we have been drawn away to O&L, sticking us into bat, Esher made 137-6 from their 25 overs. Rihaan and Will H top scoring with 30 and 26 respectively. Ollie D pick of the bowlers 4 overs 2-13 with a special mention for Charlie H with 5 overs 0-8 restricting O&L to 107 and another comfortable win out in the sticks. Esher were on a roll and another long away trip, this time to Dulwich. Dulwich won the toss and elected to bat. Esher bowled brilliantly, Charlie Hulme bowled 5 overs 3-18, Arjun T 3 overs 2-8 and Barney R 4 overs 2-21, bowling Dulwich out for 117 in 23.3 overs. At 0-2 and 19-3 it wasn’t looking good but a dogged 30 from Ben F on a tricky 4 paced pitch, and the form batsman Max C smashing another 11 fours on his way to 48 only to run out of balls for his 50 as Arjun smacked 2 fours off his first 2 balls, taking us past their total in just 19 overs!
Next up were the much revered Wimbledon. A fabulous 51 from Sam T might have been the knock of the season against a tremendous Wimbledon attack. Fine attacking play from Arjun T, 27 and Kunsh K, 32 set a fantastic platform, 148-4. Wimbledon got off to a flyer and were ahead of the rate the whole way. A spirited bowling and fielding display took them to the 22nd over but a step too far for the boys. Not the best evening for the boys against Salford, Esher winning the toss and posting 125-7 off their 20 overs. Arav D, 30 and Max G, 31 both in the runs. Unfortunately, the bowling and fielding wasn’t up to scratch on a fast outfield, losing by 7 wickets with 2 overs to spare.
A wonderful game against table topping Spencer. Esher won the toss and showed no fear electing to bat on a fine day. Ben F, 39 and Will H, 36 batted superbly against some hostile bowling, supported by a stylish and very quick 45 from 33 balls from Kunsh! There is no doubt that we had Spencer rattled at 5-1 and then 13-2 and 13-3! Charlie H, 2-26 and Barney R 2-23 were the pick of the bowlers, with Max G taking 3 catches and getting 1 wicket himself, involved in 4 of the 5 wickets. Alas their power proved just too much on the day but a brilliant game going into the 23rdover, our 3rd game scoring over 175 in 25 overs and we only won 1 of them! We had to concede against Malden unfortunately due to lack of available players which was a real shame but they really wanted the points and didn’t want to rearrange the fixture… must have heard how strong we were…
Old Whits were next and they batted first posting a solid 144-7 in their 25 overs, Max C, Charlie H and Arjun T all collecting 2 wickets a piece. Super contributions from Max C, Zach P, Kunsh K and Max G saw us home with 3 balls to spare. Last game of the season against Old Ruts, looking for revenge for the U12 fixture. Esher stuttered to 125-6 in 25 overs, Kunsh K the only player to look comfortable falling 1 short of his half century. We never got into the game, losing by 5 wickets to a strong Old Ruts team.
A fine season in an extremely tough league, really stretching the boys who benefitted from being pushed in every facet of their game.
Esher U12 Phoenix
A contender for game of the season was first up at Malden Wanderers. Esher lost the toss and were asked to have a bowl. Malden scored a competitive 129-4 in their 20 overs. Esher were cruising at 95-1 and 110-2, Sam Temperley retired, Kunsh Khanna 22 off 18 (had to rush off to the airport!). Esher needed 2 runs, with 5 wickets remaining and 3 overs to get them… with light fading Malden Wanderers bowled their fastest 2 bowlers who managed to clean us up!
East Molesey away is one of my favourite fixtures but this was a day to forget, Esher bowled out for 64, Molesey knocking them off for 1 inside 10 overs! Sutton were next, they won the toss and stuck us in, Rihaan Nair 42 off 46, Max Giles 33 off 33 helped us post a very competitive 141. In response we restricted Sutton to 110, pick of the bowlers was Barney Rawlinson with 2-6.
A chance for revenge vs East Molesey who scored 106-5, Charlie Hulme, 4 overs 1-4. Esher were struggling at 50-4 after 12 overs but a solid 50 partnership by Temperley and Rawlinson brought it home with 2 overs to spare. A 7 wicket win at home to New Malden followed and our tails were up going to league pace setters Old Ruts. Max Chambers retired and Zach Patel 29 had a 78 run opening partnership only to lose with 4 balls to bowl. Special mention to Fredddie C stepping in from the U9’s! Sutton was the final match of the season with Will H and Kunsh K both opened and retiring, wickets shared evenly and a very successful campaign by the Phoenix.
U12 Griffins – 3rd
Started the season against old rivals Horsley and Send. Esher won the toss and elected to bat as the game didn’t get off until close to 18:30 – light was going to be an issue! Ben F was the only highlight in a scrappy innings, dragging us to 99-9 in our 20 overs. It looked like H&S were cruising at 41-1 and 60-2 but they were chewing up balls. Will C, Ollie D and Max G bowled some tight overs, causing the rate to rise above 5 with 10 overs to go, and above 6 with 6 overs to go which was when H&S waved the white flag and the match was abandoned due to dangerous light, the points were halved. Esher scored a mammoth 185-2 against Stoke D’Abernon and restricted them to 99/6. Chobham away next and Esher were on the wrong side of a one sided affair, Chobham scored a massive 185-5 in their 20 overs on a lightning fast outfield and tiny boundary. A day to forget for most of the bowlers but not Rihaan, who bowled magnificently returning figures of 3 overs, 2 maidens, 4-5! Will C played the knock of his career, retiring on 40* but unable to get us anywhere near their huge total.
126-6 was never going to be enough against a strong Valley End side, Max C and Armaan N scoring freely but no one else getting in. Valley End made light work of knocking the scores off, not before Max G bowled a blinding spell of 2 overs 4-6!
H&S were back for more, this time in the cup, batting first on a wet and windy morning at IC. H&S scrapped to 107-7 from their 20 overs, Rihaan the pick of the bowlers 4 overs 3-14. The reliable top order didn’t fire but the strength in depth of this team meant batters 9 & 10, Charlie H and Barney R got us over the line with 3 balls to spare, even managing to run a 5 to cover!
Valley End were too strong once again, the highlight for Esher was a powerful 41 from 24 balls from Isaac H. Esher had the chance for revenge over Chobham in the home fixture, posting 127-6 off our 20 overs, Ben F and Sam T both with 28. Our bowlers weren’t going to get carted to all corners again and came out firing, this time Will H doing the damage, 4 overs, 4-9, bowling Chobham out for 106 in 19.2 overs. A tough fixture vs Ashtead in the quarter final of the cup, only Max G with any resistance with a fine 44, saw us lose by 33 runs.
Another nailbiter against H&S, this time Isaac H bowling the tightest, 4 overs 2-8 restricting H&S to 121-5 from their 20 overs. The highlight of the game was Thomas B from the U11’s getting the prized scalp of a Surrey U12 CAG player! Esher knocked them off comfortably with a superb 41 retired by Max G with 4 overs to spare!
Finally Esher would get one over Ashtead, who posted 137-7 in their 20 overs, Max C taking 3-15 from his 4 overs. Max C then turned Ben Stokes and smacked 41 from 37 balls to bring us a 4 wicket victory with 1 over to spare. We were too strong for Dorking unfortunately in both fixtures winning at a cantor by 10 wickets and Sam T 40*, Ben F 25* and 119 runs, Armaan 40*, Ollie D 33, Ben F 3-1 off 3.
Esher U12 Dragons
The Dragons competed in a midweek and a Sunday league, as well as the Surrey County Cup. There was lots of cricket and the Sunday side enjoyed a good season, eventually finishing fourth to a strong East Molesey team. We also reached round 3 of the Cup – a fantastic achievement given the Tier 1 opposition. There were a number of memorable games:
The win against Thames Ditton when one of their players got 6 wickets for 3 runs but we still won, managing to get what seemed a mediocre 106 but then bowling them out for 73! Fresh from a midweek cup win against Hampton Wick, the Sunday would see a repeat fixture. Chasing 138 we needed three from the last ball. A four duly followed to the delight of the travelling support.
The Sheen Park game showed the boys that in cricket, anything can happen. After posting only 62 runs from 11 overs things looked tough. But some fantastic attacking bowling and energy in the field resulted in a 5 run victory.
And finally, who will forget making the trip to Battersea Park for a 9:30 start on a Sunday, only to find the pitch was being used by a dog show. It was so pleasing to see all the boys develop and progress during the season and we are looking forward to watching them enjoy their cricket again next year.
Huge thank you from me to all the parents for all their support throughout the season, we even had a few first time scorers come out of the woodwork which was great to see. Thank you to Duncan and the coaching team and of course Lek and her team serving the Rose/Beers… A big thank you to the U11’s for bailing us out so often to ensure we fielded a full team, I think we had over 15 represent the U12’s during the season, along with some U10’s and an U9! Special mentions to Josh and Neil for their support with the Dragons and to Ali C for her relentless Sponding.
The awards are always difficult as so many boys have done so well. The coaches have picked out the boys who they think have improved throughout the season, contributed to their teams and the club and played the game in the right spirit.
End of Season Awards:
- Player of the Season: Max Chambers – 493 runs @41 and 13 wickets @17
- Batting: Kunsh Khanna – 565 runs @24 with a top score of 49
- Bowling: Ryan Grogan – Took wickets and bowled tight in every match
- All Rounder: Eddie Fulk – Had success with bat and ball and a demon fielder
- Most improved: Ollie Peacock – A brilliant season for Ollie
- Clubman: Felix Downing – Bat or bowl wherever, whenever and always with a smile!