With a stop-start beginning to the season due to exams the U17s finally got going against Astwood Bank at Watery Lane.

Astwood Bank won the toss and decided to have a bat on a lovely summer evening. Things didn't begin well for Earls as Armstrong and Blakemore got off to a blistering start with 27 off the first over of spin from the usually stingy Emily Perrin. Three successive sixes from Blakemore showed his intent. Matt Collins has joined us from Dorridge this season and soon showed he is a good acquisition with a tight opening over as we tried to peg them back. Armstrong demonstrated he can hit the ball hard too in subsequent overs and at 53 off 5 things were beginning to run away from Earls.

The first wicket fell in the 6th over as James Thorne replaced Matt and clean bowled Armstrong before doing the same to Adams in his next over. Will Clews final two overs went for just 3 runs and Josh Craven began well pegging the score back to 76-2 after 12. Blakemore kept playing his shots though and despite one or two lucky escapes with wickets in hand he was able to push on. Earls kept plugging away and eventually got reward when Josh caught Harland from a high ball off Elliot Weir. One more wicket fell in the last over as Blakemore sacrificed Fidler to get back on strike and Elliot ran him out. Astwood Bank finished on 151-4.

The talk at the break was all positive and we knew we had to take advantage of any quick singles available. Amy Weir and Ewan Marshall opened but Ewan was out caught in the second over and was quickly followed back to the pavilion by Elliot leaving Earls on 10-2. Josh Craven settled things back down and ran very well with Amy as the pair got us up to 35 before he mullered a ball straight at the mid-on fielder who took a sharp catch. This brought Joe Pietrafesa to the wicket and after starting steadily he soon picked up momentum and the chase was on. Earls were 71-3 at the half-way stage with both Joe and Amy going well.

Amy was unfortunate to lose her wicket to a marginal no ball which she ballooned up and was caught off Goddard for 22 in a partnership of 45. Joe was joined by James and they continued the chase putting on 38 before James was LBW in the 17th leaving us needing 30 off the last 3 overs. Blakemore showed he is not just a hard hitting bat with a good spell of bowling that only went for 19 off his 4 and with the returning opener Harland restricted Earls to just 12 more runs off the last 3 leaving us 18 short.

Scorecard