Congratulations to the school’s First XI cricket team on a stunning victory against the MCC. The match was played on Wednesday 19 June 2013 at the Isleworthians ground in Wood Lane, and it was the boys who got off to a strong start in the day game.
Bowling first the school team quickly set about their more senior opposition. Strong and tight bowling restricted the MCC batsmen who never really managed to gain any fluidity in their scoring. Ishwarjot Sohi and Ashleigh Armel-Close were especially effective taking two wickets each and troubling the batsmen with their pace and there was a good spell from Shane MacDermott. By the twenty-third over the school had reduced the MCC to 113 for 5.
However, batsmen 6 and 7 – Steadman and Hamilton – managed to rally with a strong partnership before the MCC confidently declared on 204 runs for 6.
Batting second the school team lost their first wicket with the score on just 13. Mr Gibbons’ confident prediction of a first victory for many years looked a touch optimistic at this stage!
Ishwarjot Sohi came in at number three joining opener Daanyaal Khan and the two boys struck up a magnificent partnership scoring freely and moving the score into the seventies for the loss of just one wicket at tea.
The break did not suit Ishwarjot who departed just after tea without adding to his score of 35. This was a great shame as up until this point he had looked untroubled. Daanyaal then came to the fore and when skipper Ashleigh Armel-Close came to the crease, with five wickets down, the win was very much in sight. A marvellous partnership of 59 moved the school team to 154 before Ashleigh was caught for a quick-fire 27.
The balance of the game seemed to have tilted back in the favour of the MCC but it was Daanyaal’s calm and mature innings that was to be the deciding factor. When the last batsman came to the crease, 37 runs were still needed for victory. Brandon O’Neill managed to keep Daanyaal company and remained not out having scored 5 runs. Daanyaal moved magnificently through the nineties and secured another century for the school, eventually ending up hitting the winning runs to finish on 121 not out and of course gaining the man-of-the-match award.
Our thanks to the MCC for their sportsmanship and to the Isleworthians for hosting the match.
Team:
H Alam, A Anwar, A Armel-Close, T Gittins, J Grewel, D Khan, S MacDermott, B O’Neill, A Patel, U Shafeeq, I Sohi.
Tags: 2012-13, Cricket, Isleworthians, MCC, PE
