Well we had to wait a while but we got there in the end!

The U15s travelled the short distance to Tanworth-in-Arden for the final of the Warwickshire League competition. We were facing Studley who'd beat us convincingly earlier in the season and so revenge for that was also in the players' minds.

A beautiful sunny day greeted us which made for a fairer game. Studley won the toss and put us into bat. Dan Dixon opened with Ewan Marshall. The pair have scored over 1,100 runs between them this season and our confidence was high. However, it soon dissipated in just the third over when a mix-up between the two saw Ewan runout. (5-1).

Elliot Weir replaced Ewan and looked in good touch as he hit a couple of fours. They were rotating the strike well and taking advantage of any extras provided by Studley. However, Elliot went for an ambitious single off a shot down past gully by Dan and just failed to get in. 22-2 and wobbling.

The skipper James Thorne replace Elliot looking to consolidate. The pair continued to rotate the strike and we gradually recovered. They'd put on nearly 50 when James tried to take advantage of a short ball and hooked Tolley but it was a long boundary out that way and Amos safely took the catch just short of the rope at midwicket. 69-2 off 14.

With six overs remaining and wickets in hand the batsmen were asked to push on and Will Clews hit a good four before unluckily having one of the few deliveries that misbehaved all day as it kept low and bowled him. 86-4 off 17.

Ollie Simms continued the push and pulled White for four before he too was caught by Amos. Dan Dixon had carried on throughout and was maneuvering the ball around well hitting six fours including an tremendous straight drive back over the head of Fonyodi. He was eventually run out for an excellent 39 as Earls reached 92-6 with one over remaining.

Amy Weir had replaced Ollie Simms and she too pulled one to square leg for four and ran a good two with Dan as we pushed in the last overs. She was eventually caught behind off White in the last over for 6. Will Perrin replaced her and spanked his first delivery for four to get us over 100 before being bowled off the last ball of the innings selflessly trying to murder another one back over the bowlers head!

Earls finished on a competitive 103-8 off 20 overs. A good recovery from a wobbly start.

Wicket-keeper Ellicott and danger-man from the first match Regan opened the innings for Studley. At half time we'd stressed how we needed another strong bowling and fielding performance and that was exactly what we got. Both openers are attacking players and went for their shots which released pressure for them. However, we gave them very little to attack and so they had to take risks.

First to go was Ellicott who firmly hit a drive to extra cover but found the safe hands of James and Studley were 29-1. James had bowled an excellent first spell of three overs for just 10 runs but without success and so decided to bring himself off for Emily Perrin. The thinking was that the players would look to attack her and so the trap was set accordingly. It paid off with her very first ball as Emily's loop deceived Regan and he picked out Ewan who took a great catch low down at cover. (31-2).

The fielding and backing up was excellent especially Kishan Paw who had one of those days when the ball followed him around the pitch but he never let us down. He stopped a number of boundaries at mid-on and mid-off and was unlucky with a sharp catch at square leg. But his head didn't go down and he continued to save runs throughout the innings.

All the players were alert and pressure built. Good stops from Arjun Hayer and Emily Perrin kept the pressure on as Studley got behind the run rate. That pressure told when Tolley tried to hit Ollie Simms and a fantastic inswinging ball clattered into the stumps. (39-3).

This brought Amos and Bass together and both played some good shots but we were restricting the boundaries and letting them have the odd single as it wasn't enough. Ollie and Emily bowled brilliantly with both going for less than four an over off their spells.

The pressure built and paid off when Bass hit a ball from Ewan out towards Dan Dixon off at deep square leg. The batsmen turned for a second but a great throw in on the bounce from Dan allowed Elliot to take the bails off and another wicket had fallen and a good partnership of 40 had been broken. (79-4).

Ewan and Will Clews had replaced Ollie and Emily and the pressure was now building on the bowlers to ensure we didn't give away extras in the last few overs. Amy came back to bowl the 18th and it was an excellent over in the circumstances going for just three. Will Clews changed ends and bowled the 19th as the pressure grew.

Erskine had replaced Bass and continued to push the singles. However, they took on the arm of Ollie Simms who again threw in on the bounce to Elliot from deep mid-wicket and sharp work from El again saw the batsman short of his ground. (91-5). Three quick singles left Studley needing 12 off the last over.

The skipper came back on to bowl it and his first delivery was too quick for the batsman as it reared up and whistled past him. Elliot did well to get a glove on it and Will Perrin ran round from third man to prevent the boundary and save two runs. A single off the next ball and it was 9 needed. However, the next two balls were unplayable as full and straight was the order of the day. Both knocked back middle stump and James was on a hat-trick with Studley still needing 9. Hunt did well to keep out the next ball hitting a single and despite a bye off the last ball it wasn't enough and Earlswood had the victory by 7 runs.

A fantastic team performance by the bowlers and fielders which the umpires told us was the difference between the two sides. All that nagging on a Friday evening has clearly been worth it! They all encouraged each other throughout and their heads never went down even when the openers were looking good early on. They plugged away and eventually got their just reward.

Brian Webb from the Warwickshire Cricket Board presented the trophy and medals.

Man-of-the-Match - a difficult decision with several players vying for it but it was felt James had lead the team well, consolidated the innings with Dan when we had a wobble and bowled excellently, especially the last over when the pressure was on. Just rewards for hard work over the winter.

Fielder-of-the-match - again there were a number to choose from here. Ewan's catch was very good and saw off the dangerman. Arjun, Will P and Emily all made good stops but the man who had the ball following him around all day was Kishan and he never let us down.

Champagne Moment - seeing James knock the middle stump back in the last over when the pressure was on!

A special mention to Jamie Edwards and Qasim Sohail who were the unlucky two to miss out on a final place when all the U15s were available. They played their part in getting us to the final and deserve to the plaudits for that.

http://earlswood.play-cricket.com/view_results_details?id=11835263]Click here for scorecard.

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