Picture shows U19 captain Henry Phoenix
This Wednesday 12 August the GCC U19 Foxes play their last group game at home against Brooke Blaze which will determine whether they progress to be one of the final four teams for the Norfolk t20 U19 finals day on September 6 at the county ground at Horsford. The Foxes are in a pretty good position in their group having won the first two of their three group games against Sprowston and Swardeston back in July but they do need to win this last group game to guarantee a place in the finals so please come along to lend your support and enjoy some fast paced t20 action! If you didn’t see the Foxes hard fought match against Swardeston Sharks the week before last then here’s a reminder of how it played out. Match report by Foxes captain Henry (Henners) Phoenix…
Swardeston Sharks U19s v Garboldisham Foxes U19s 29 July 2015
The U19s most important and difficult group fixture was always going to be against the Swardeston Sharks, but with a good team, the Foxes always knew they had a strong chance if they did the basics well. (Swardeston may be the strongest club side in Norfolk but the Garby lads had beaten them at least twice before in the past including the Junior Carter Cup victory back in 2013). After poor organisation and bad time management by Foxes captain Henry Phoenix, the game was reduced to 15 overs a side. Vice captain Kristian Williman stepped in to do the toin coss but lost and the Foxes were put in to bat first.
Openers Kristian and Henry got off to an okay start but the wicket of Kristian fell in the last ball of the first over for 1, playing a shot only he can describe. In came big hitting Kieran Pask and he lived up to that name by whacking the Sharks’ opening bowler for three 4s in a row and subsequently out of the attack. At the other end, Henry continued to graft away with the view that the team would need to reach a minimum target of 100 off the 15 overs. Kieran was the next to fall on 14, being undone by a shorter ball skidding through on the hard surface’s damp top. Next in was Matt Long and he set about the task extremely well and together with Henry, the pair took the ‘bull by the horns’ as they say and dominated the Swardeston bowling attack. They pushed the score to over the 100 target but Matt was to fall shortly after being stumped for a strong 29 off 23 balls. Callum Olpin arrived at the crease and helped Henry bat on to their next team target of 120. Henry was the next to depart for 48 off 33 balls, being run out chasing another single. Callum and Lewis Taylor continued the hard work, but Lewis was next to fall followed shortly by brother Dan Taylor not adding to the scoreboard; however Dan’s role was to come with the ball. Callum and Sam Baker took the Foxes’ score to the extended target of 120 with Callum being run out off the last ball of the innings for 18. The team had set a great foundation but needed to work hard with the ball in hand.
The Foxes opened the bowling with Kieran Pask who had an indifferent first over; initially bowling too short and too wide and being punished by the Sharks’ opening batsmen F. Ruffell and A. Levinson. However he managed to pitch one in the batsman’s half and Ruffell pulled the ball straight to Olpin to catch at square leg. Swardeston captain Jason Reynolds came to the crease – the wickets of Reynolds and Levinson were crucial in Garboldisham’s chances of winning. Dan Taylor’s efforts with the ball were being unrewarded in his first 2 overs, however with the score on 49 he took the wicket of Levinson for 21 with a caught and bowled. At the other end Olpin continued to slow down the Shark’s run rate which mounted the pressure on the batsmen and this pressure led to the wicket of Reynolds who was caught by Lewis Taylor off Calum Olpin’s bowling for 18 with the score on 58. From here on in, the wickets started to tumble – Olpin took another and Lewis Taylor picked up a couple (2 for 11). Phoenix finished with figures of 3 for 14 off of his 3 overs and Pask picked up the final wicket as Swardeston were bowled out for 95.
This was a very strong performance by the Foxes and it leaves them in a promising position to qualify for the finals day at Horsford. However, first they have the task of beating Brooke Blaze this Wednesday August 12th 6pm start. We hope to see as many people down there as possible to show support for the club. The bar and BBQ will be open also.
Henry Phoenix, U19s captain