It was pleasing to see some elements of this approach in the boys play against Surbiton this week. There were some excellent batting pairs, and the most successful were not necessarily the most skilled batsmen, but those boys who worked effectively with their buddy and communicated confidently. In the field, there were some lively, proactive performances. There were also occasions that demonstrated there were still lots of areas for us and the boys to work on, which we will do in the weeks ahead. But overall, there was a good haul of victories for teams in years 3,5 and 6, a positive start to the season.
The standout fixture was the U11A Verney Surrey Cup game on Wednesday. A mix of U11 and U10 boys competed in this game for the prize of a place in the next round against either Rokeby or St Paul’s. Hampton Prep won the toss and elected to field. The boys put in a strong fielding performance and Tom D and Thiyaan bowled effectively to record two wickets each. Surbiton reached 87 for 8 in their 20 overs. Hampton Prep recorded a strong run rate, helped by some extras and Rishaan’s 22. They reached the target with 5 overs remaining and 2 wickets in hand. We look forward eagerly to the next round.