Second Round of the Cricketer Cup

The possibility of rain across the south persuaded some captains to opt for shortened games in the second round. At Cranleigh, a T20 match was agreed with Stowe Templars. Stowe won the toss but could only make 116-8, Jack Keeping top-scoring with 49. After 7 overs Stowe were 63-0, but then lost 7 wickets for only 20 runs before an 8th wicket partnership gave the innings some respectability. Old Cranleighans had no problem chasing down this score to win by 7 wickets with more than 4 overs to spare, Jack Scriven making 71 not out off only 42 balls. Old Cranleighans will now play Oundle Rovers who won at home against St. Edward’s Martyrs. The Martyrs made 210-6 in their 50 overs, Will Bull top-scoring with 65. Oundle gradually took control in a second wicket partnership between George Johansen 57 and Harry Ramsden 65, before Greg Smith with 39 not out saw them home by 7 wickets with 22 balls to spare.

There was another shortened game at Eton, where the Ramblers made 219-6 in their 30 overs, and then bowled out Old Brightonians for 88 in 25 overs. The Ramblers collapsed to 5-3, but a partnership of 152 off 136 balls between Al Russell, who made 127 off only 85 balls, and Will Vanderspar 77 took them to a big total. Vanderspar then completed a good all-round day with 3-6 and Freddie Fox 3-20. Eton will now travel to Tonbridge as the Old Tonbridgians crushed the Radley Rangers at Radley. Fabian Cowdrey continued his prolific form with his second century in successive games, this time 170 not out, off 157 balls, in a total of 324-4 off their 50 overs. Anthony Bissett, playing his first Cricketer Cup game, was out for 99 in an opening partnership of 226. Alex Hearne made 61 for Radley, but wickets fell regularly in a forlorn chase, Kent’s Marcus O’Riordan taking 2-28 and Harry Thomson 3-20.

Old Malvernians made short work of Harrow Wanderers at Malvern. Harrow made 190 off 48 overs, Rahul Wijeratne top-scoring with 54. In reply Malvern lost an early wicket but Josh Haynes 99 not out and Callum Lea 51 not out put on an unbeaten 119 partnership to win by 8 wickets with 17 overs to spare. Malvern will now host Old Cheltonians, who won a tight 35 over match at Haileybury against the Hermits. Cheltenham made 157-8 in their overs, J. Palmer making 53 and A. Mason 50, and the Hermits were then bowled out for 134, Rhys Carter making 58 and J. Jameson-Black taking 4-22 .

The highest scoring match was at Marlborough where the Blues posted a challenging total of 286-9 in their 50 overs. Billy Mead played his second good innings in successive matches with 89, J. Butler 56 and Charlie Hartley took 4-66. Millfield lost 2 early wickets and were 134-4, but David Scott with 90 not out, Harry Ellison with 49 and N. Pang with 42 saw them home with 12 overs to spare. Millfield will have to wait to know their quarter-final opposition, as Bradfield Waifs and Old Merchant Taylors were thwarted by rain. Bradfield were all out for 132 in 42 overs, Harry Came holding the innings together with 59. Dylan Amin took 3-27 in his 10 overs. OMT were 6-2 but Omar Karim with 38 helped them to 69-3 in steady drizzle. Two more wickets fell to leave OMT at 79-5 after 18.2 overs when the umpires deemed the conditions unsafe, so a replay will be held at Merchant Taylors next Sunday.