Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club

Wanstead U11s v Frenford U11s
Sunday 18th August U11 Quarter Final 

On Sunday morning, Wanstead hosted Frenford in the Hayden Davies quarter final on another nice sunny day for cricket. Frenford won the toss and asked us to bat first, which we actually wanted to do as well so we could put on a big total using small boundaries (especially on the off side), and put Frenford under pressure. We decided to attack from the start, so we sent in Henry as a pinch hitter, which unfortunately didn't work as planned, but we knew we had a long batting lineup to play in attacking mood till the last over. Wanstead lost their first 2 wickets within 3.3 overs with18 runs on the scoreboard, but after that, Toby and Samarth built their 3rd wicket partnership until Samarth was brilliant stumped by the Frenford keeper on total of 49 for 3. After that, we had the best partnership of the match when Toby and Zamrez played some brilliant strokes and took the score close to 80 runs in no time. Toby and Zamrez were retired not out on 25 runs each. From there onwards, Eshaan took captain's responsibility and played till the end with the help of Aarav and Shayan.  Wanstead managed to score 133 in 16 overs. 

In the absence of Furqan, Wanstead's boys came with a plan to stop the boundaries so we could put pressure on the Frenford team. Unfortunately, due to a few wide balls, they managed to score 20 runs in 2 overs which pushed us to bring our spinners on a bit early and Shayan brought the first breakthrough when he caught and bowled their opener on the total of 27 runs.  From there, Frenford built up their big partnership (60 runs) which put us on the back foot until both players were retired not out on 25 each. Till 9 overs, the game was in the balance and we took the time out to change the keeper and discuss the last 6 overs with the boys and they responded really well after the break. Toby's 2 over spell during the last few overs was crucial for us, which he bowled brilliantly and gave only 8 runs away. Eshaan and Zamrez also bowled their last 1 overs, each for only a few runs, and put Frenford under pressure. 

Wanstead won the game by only 12 runs. The best players' medal went to Toby, and the best fielder (Wanstead special hat) went to Viraj for the wicketkeeping during the last 6 overs. 

Wanstead's U11 boys are most probably going to play an away semi final against Woodford Wells on Sunday the 1st of September. 

U13G finals day 

On Tuesday 13th August, the U13G team travelled to South Woodford Cricket Club for the County Cup finals day.  The format was four teams playing in semi finals, followed by a final for the respective winners. 

Here we met Hutton in the semi final which we knew would be a tough opponent. Wanstead lost the toss and were asked to bat first, which suited us, but we didn’t really appreciate how challenging a batting wicket this was going to be.  Saanvi was out in the first over to an unplayable delivery which barely left the surface.  A rebuild was needed.  Kiah and Lucinda went about this very watchfully and managed to take the total to 30 before Lucinda was out to another good delivery.  Elsie then joined Kiah at the crease and the pair managed to add another 40 run partnership.  By the time Elsie was out, Wanstead had moved to 73 for 3.  With the help of the other girls, Wanstead managed to post 108 off the16 overs with Kiah top scoring with 43, batting from the first ball till the end of the innings.  The coaches felt this was just about a par score.  We were too harsh.  Or more appropriately put, our bowlers were outstanding. 

Having seen how difficult it was to face a good length delivery on the pitch, the girls went out with a simple plan - bowl full and straight.  Our opening pair (Sienna and Saanvi) did what they’ve done so well all season.  Wicket to wicket bowling.  You miss, I hit.  Sometimes it’s just that simple.  And in just a blink of an eye, Hutton were 13 for 5 with 4 wickets for Saanvi and 1 for Sienna. Scoreboard pressure led to some additional risk taking.  More runs were added but the rest of the bowlers continued where the openers had left off and in the end Hutton were 47 all out with remaining wickets going to Kiah (1), Agatha (1) and a run out.  Not only was the bowling excellent, it was supported brilliantly by the fielding and this was what really separated the teams.  There were very few extras at all from the Wanstead girls and the work behind the stumps by Lucinda was so good that we were able to operate with an extra fielder. 

So part one complete.  Now the wait to see who we would play in the final.  Well not a long wait.  It was Buckhurst Hill who won their semi final against Bishops Stortford. 

So after a short break, Wanstead's U13 Girls won the toss and elected to bat (well did you expect anything else).  The plan was to bat the 16 overs, apply some scoreboard pressure and give our bowlers something to bowl at.  Well that was the plan.  As often is the case, reality has a different look. 

This time Wanstead lost Kiah in the opening overs to a direct hit run out.  So another rebuild needed, and that’s exactly what came.  That was the last wicket that Buckhurst Hill took, with Lucinda and Saanvi batting out the 16 overs, taking the Wanstead total to 132 for 1 and both girls getting super close to the 50 mark.  Batting first in a final, that was a strong total to put on and in this instance the coaches thought this was above par. 

But we knew the opposition wasn’t going to give us the trophy without a fight, so again bowling and fielding had to be tight.   The girls tried to do something different with a bit of spin early on but this wasn’t a spinner friendly pitch so reverted back to the well trodden path. Sienna came on in over 2 with a maiden wicket and followed those up with another 3 very economic overs conceding only 9 off her 4 overs.  There was a bit of a flurry of runs in the middle but Wanstead pretty much kept things in check throughout.  Some fabulous and low risk fielding resulted in four run outs during the innings and the big difference today was the girls throwing into the hands of the bowler or keeper.  Mila’s runout from a throw from the boundary into Lucinda as the opposition tried to convert a single into two was the highlight of the fielding.   All this meant that in the end, Buckhurst Hill fell short of the Wanstead total, finishing on 97 all out.  The other wickets fell to Emily (2) and Saanvi (1).  All three of the pace bowlers were outstanding in their line and length bowling.  And again the fielding remained on point, even after spending 6 hours in the field. 

So Wanstead's U13G finish as champions of Essex.  An absolutely fantastic achievement by all the girls.  It’s been a marathon but the way the girls have grown, developed, played as a team and constantly encouraged each other regardless of the situation has been great to see. 

A huge thank you to all the parents.  We know the fixture congestion has an impact on holidays and the time commitment to get the girls to matches is very much appreciated.  We hope that a day like today makes it all worth it.  A special thanks to Chris, Jon H and Len for also coming down to support the girls and the encouragement through out the day. 
 

Wanstead U14 v Coggeshall Town CC 
Ali Cook 1/4 final Monday 12th 

We travelled away for the game on a scorching hot day and it appears our boys and girl felt the heat. Put into the field, we couldn't contain a strong opening pair who batted the innings, reaching 237 in 20 overs. Poor fielding and wayward bowling contributed to our position, but the outfield was a rocket and they did speed away. 

Our batting showed some glimpses of effort - Jacob (48) was particularly brutal and had some support from Anay (22) and Yuvraj (33). We ended on 177 for 8, quite a bit short. 

A shame the two strongest teams met in the quarters, but on the day the opposition with home advantage were too strong.

Wanstead U11A v Fives and Heronians U11s

Sunday 11th August

Wanstead 141 for 2 in 16 overs   Fives and Heronians 127 for 6 in 16 overs

Our U11s travelled to Fives & Heronians on Sunday to play the last group game.  It was a perfect sunny day to enjoy the cricket in the morning. Wanstead won the toss and decided to bat first. Our openers (Viraj 15 out & Samarth retired not out) gave us a good start of 42 in 6.3 overs, and then a quick knock from Toby (25 retired not out) and Furqan (28 retired not out) gave us the chance to put 141 on the board, and at the end Forest scored 15 retired not out.

Fives and Heronians started their innings against fast bowling spells from Furqan, Toby, and Eshaan, and they lost their first 2 wickets for 21 runs. Fives and Heronians batted really well during the mid innings, but they were always behind the required run rate. In the end, they were 14 runs short with the help of extra runs from our bowlers.  Furqan and Samarth took 2 wickets each, and Henry and Shayan took 1 wicket each. 
Forest won the special Wanstead Hat award from coaches to be the most reliable player on the field during the match, especially whilst fielding, and Viraj got the medal for the catch.

Next Sunday, Wanstead will play a quarter final against Frenford at home.

U13G finals day - Tuesday 13th 

This morning the U13G travelled to South Woodford Cricket Club for the County Cup finals day.  The format was the winners of the  four group playing in a semifinal followed by a final for the respective winners.

Here we met Hutton in the semi final which we knew would be a tough opponent. Wanstead lost the toss and were asked to bat first, which suited us.  But we didn’t really appreciate how challenging a batting wicket this was going to be.  Saanvi was out in the first over to an unplayable delivery which barely left the surface.  A rebuild needed.  Kiah and Lucinda went about this very watchfully and managed to take the total to 30 before Lucinda was out to another good delivery.  Elsie then joined Kiah at the crease and the pair managed to add another 40 runs partnership.  By the time Elsie was out Wanstead had moved to 73-3.  With the help of the other girls Wanstead managed to post 108 of the 16 overs with Kiah top scoring with 43 batting from the first ball till the end of the innings.  The coaches felt this was just about a par score.  We were too harsh.  Or more appropriately put,  our bowlers were outstanding.

Having seen how difficult it was to face a good length delivery on the pitch the girls went out with a simple plan - bowl full and straight.  Our opening pair (Sienna and Saanvi) did what they’ve done so well all season.  Wicket to wicket bowling.  You miss I hit.  Sometimes it’s just that simple.  And just in a blink of an eye Hutton were 13-5 with 4 wickets for Saanvi and 1 for Sienna. Scoreboard pressure led to some additional risk taking. And some more runs were added but the rest of bowlers continued where the openers had left off and in the end Hutton were 47 all out with remaining wickets going to Kiah (1), Agatha (1) and a run out.  Not only was the bowling excellent it was supported brilliantly by the fielding and this was what really separated the teams.  There were very few extras at all from the Wanstead girls and the work behind the stumps by Lucinda was so good that we were able to operate with an extra fielder.

So part one complete.  Now the wait to see who we play in the final.  Well not a long wait.  It was Buckhurst Hill who won their semi final against Bishops Stortford.

So after a short break,  Wanstead U13 Girls won the toss and elected to bat (well did you expect anything else).  Plan was to bat the 16 overs, apply some scoreboard pressure and give our bowlers something to bowl at.  Well that was the plan.  As often is the case reality has a different look.

This time Wanstead lost Kiah in the opening overs to a direct hit run out.  So another rebuild needed.  And that’s exactly what came.  That was the last wicket that Buckhurst Hill  took.  With Lucinda and Saanvi batting out the 16 overs, taking the Wanstead total to 132-1 and both girls getting super close to the 50 mark.  Batting first in a final, that was a strong total to put on and in this instance the coaches thought this was above par.

But we knew the opposition wasn’t going to give us the trophy without a fight.  So again bowling and fielding had to be tight.   The girls tried to do something different with a bit of spin early on but this wasn’t a spinner friendly pitch so reverted back to the well trodden path. Sienna coming on in Over 2 with a maiden wickets and followed those up with another 3 very economic overs conceding only 9 off her 4 overs.  There was a bit of a flurry of runs in the middle but Wanstead pretty much kept things in check throughout.  Some fabulous and low risk fielding resulted in four run outs during the innings and the big difference today was the girls throwing into the hands of the bowler or keeper.  Mila’s runout from a throw from the boundary into Lucinda girls as the opposition tried to convert a single into two was the highlight of the fielding.   All this meant that in the end Buckhurst Hill fell short of the Wanstead total finishing 97 all out.  The other wickets fell to Emily (2) and Saanvi (1).  All three of the pace bowlers were outstanding in their line and length bowling.  And again the fielding remained on point, even after spending 6 hours in the field. 

So the U13G finish as champions of Essex.  An absolutely fantastic achievement by all the girls.  It’s been a marathon but the way the girls have grown, developed, played as a team and constantly encouraged each other regardless of the situation has been great to see.

A huge thank you to all the parents.  We know the fixture congestion has an impact on holidays and the time commitment to get the girls to matches is very much appreciated.  We hope that a day like today makes it all worth it.  A special thanks to Chris, Jon H and Len for also coming down to support the girls and the encouragement through out the day.

Wanstead U10s v Ilford U10s 
Wanstead's U10s had their final HD Cup match on Sunday away to Ilford.  With some very good bowling and fielding, Wanstead restricted Ilford to 89 for 3 with Sid taking the first wicket and Lewis taking 2 wickets in the final over. 

We started the batting very well with Olive and Zamrez putting on very quick runs, Zamrez retiring on 25. Alex batted well for 9. We then had a little wobble of wickets as the thought of winning their first game dawned on them. However Sid finished on 10 not out, including a 4 that travelled the whole width of Valentine’s Park, taking us to our first victory of the season. A very good display by them all.

Wanstead U12s v Hutton U12s

Wanstead U12s hosted Hutton on Sunday afternoon in the last 16 of the Brian Taylor competition. Wanstead won the toss and elected to bat, with the intention to set the opposition an imposing target, however, a combination of good bowling, difficult batting conditions and three unnecessary run outs left Wanstead in a spot of bother at 101 for 7, despite an excellent 50 from Hayaan. Fortunately this team is blessed with 11 all-rounders and the Wanstead tail wagged impressively to add 70 runs for the last 3 wickets to take us to a much more competitive total of 171. Bodhi led the way with a vital 43 runs, but was ably supported by Leo, before Moosa and Toby added a valuable 32 runs for the last wicket.
The strength of Wanstead’s bowling attack is such that the target always felt defendable, but a good start was required and that was exactly what we got when Furqan took 3 wickets in the first 3 overs of the innings. When Hayaan dislodged Hutton’s captain for 23, the momentum was well and truly in Wanstead’s favour, and Hutton were eventually dismissed for 62 to secure a 109 run victory. Hayaan ended with 4 wickets to cap an impressive day.

This extremely talented team still has further room for improvement, but if they manage to do that they are serious contenders for the trophy.

Wanstead U13G v Frenford U13G 
Tuesday 16th July 

Wanstead's U13G team hosted Frenford in the Essex hardball league at Nutter Lane for the final match of the group stages. 
Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first (surprise surprise) and once again, there was a very complete batting display from all the girls.  The openers set the platform and the girls that came after continued to push the runs along at a nice rate.  The most noticeable development through the season has been the running between the wickets, and this was on full show today.  After settling in for the first couple of overs and seeing a spread field, the girls were pretty much picking up singles at will.  All this resulted in Wanstead finishing on 133 for the loss of one wicket (Saanvi (32 retired), Sienna (22 retired), Kiah (16) and Arya (14 not out)). 

Over to the bowlers.  Firstly a mention to our two stand-in wicket keepers, Saanvi and Olive, who were outstanding behind the stumps, with only 4 byes conceded in the whole innings.  The bowling itself was spot on from the first ball.  Both Sienna and Olive ensured Frenford weren’t able to get runs away at all and were very economical at the start.  This followed through to the rest of the bowlers, who all bowled very tight lines supported by excellent fielding.  The most notable bowling performance came from Anushka who finished with 2 overs, 1 maiden, 2 runs, 2 wickets.  From an umpire’s viewpoint the line and length were far better than what this umpire ever saw her dad produce.  Other wickets were taken by Kiah (1) and Saanvi(1) and one run out for Sienna, closing out the Frenford innings on 81 for 5. 

So with that win, we conclude the group stages and we look ahead to finals day.  While the result was nice to see, more importantly it was really nice to see some of the younger girls already having an impact in an age category well above them which bodes well for the future.  Thanks, as always, to the parents for all the support and Romit for scoring.

Wanstead U13Bs v West Essex U13s 

The U13Bs travelled to West Essex in their final Len Stentiford match on Sunday morning. Despite the torrential rain on Saturday and the unpromising weather forecast, we managed to get a full game in. 

Wanstead won the toss and made the sensible decision to field.  There was some good bowling from the Wanstead team, with two wickets from Charlie on his debut being the highlights. Unfortunately there was also some less good bowling, with 46 runs being conceded in wides and another 22 in no balls, as West Essex accumulated a daunting total of 167 off their 20 overs. 

Wanstead started well in reply with Moosa and Shaurya giving the innings a solid platform. Shaurya in particular excelled with a fantastic 33 retired. Sebastian carried on the good work with 20 not out and for a while an unlikely victory looked possible, but the team couldn’t quite keep up with the run rate and eventually fell 34 runs short. 

Plenty of positives to take from the performance and also plenty for the coach and players to work on.

Wanstead U13s v Woodford Green U13s 

Wanstead's U13s took on Woodford Green on Sunday in the Len Stentiford Trophy. 

Batting first, Wanstead hit 150 for 2 with impressive knocks from Anay & Hayaan, both 30 retired, Jacob 27, & Jack 23 not out. 

An excellent bowling and fielding performance, including figures of 3-1-8-5 from Bala, including a hat trick, resulted in a comfortable victory, with Woodford Green bowled out for 65.  Victory secured top spot in the group. 

Wanstead U13s v Newham U13s 

Wanstead's U13s played their final Len Stentiford group game on Monday on a drizzly evening. Batting first, despite a slow start, Wanstead posted 157 for 8 with contributions from Anay 30 retired (including 28 from one over), Hayaan 24 & Jack 24 not out. 

Some strong batting from Newham, aided by some below par bowling and fielding meant they were always in the game. 

The die hard fans who braved the weather were treated to an exciting finish, with 40 required off the last 4 overs. 

Skilful death bowling from Hayaan & Toby ensured that Newham fell 5 runs short and secured a 100% record in the group for Wanstead.  A tough Quarter Final tie against South Loughton awaits!

Wanstead U11Gs v Woodford Wells U11Gs
On Sunday 30 June, Wanstead’s U11 Girls team travelled to Woodford Wells for their first match in the Kelly Castle Cup. Wanstead were asked to bat first in this pairs cricket, 12 overs a side contest. Losing only one wicket, Wanstead scored 76 with Saanvi and Olive top scoring with 16 and 20 runs respectively.  Woodford Wells in response fell short, scoring 35 for 6 from their 12 overs, with Olive, Erin and Anushka taking 2 wickets apiece.
A great overall team performance, with the next fixture on Sunday against Upminster.
Wanstead U13s v Loughton U13s
Wanstead's U13s played Loughton in the Len Stentiford cup on Sunday.  After winning the toss, Wanstead decided to bat and made a solid start. Anay made an aggressive 30 before having to retire, dispatching any short deliveries into the bushes.  A cluster of wickets fell, leaving us in a precarious position, but an assured 29 not out from Nihal anchored the innings and got us to 118.
This was always going to be a tough score to defend against a strong batting side. Excellent bowling from Jacob, Rafe and Nihal upfront kept the scoring to just under the required 6 an over.  Loughton were really well set with 6 overs to go, still requiring only 6 an over with 8 wickets in hand. Some impressive, disciplined bowling backed up by excellent fielding led to a flurry of wickets and Loughton needing 9 off the last over.  Up stepped late replacement Toby, conceding only 4 runs and wrapping up the victory for Wanstead.  Rafe took  3 for 10. Jacob only conceded 5 runs off his 3 overs and it was a good bowling performance all round.
The match was a lot tighter than it should have been had we performed better with the bat, but a great experience and confidence booster for the players to get over the line in such a close game.


Wanstead U16 match play v Orsett CC U16
In our second outing in this competition, we travelled to Orsett CC on a damp and overcast morning.  Wanstead won the toss and decided to field . Orsett got off to good start, scoring 92 off 21 overs before losing their first wicket . Orsett scored 166 off 30 and added only 37 runs in their last 10 overs to get to 203 off 40. We could have been better in the field, with misfields and dropped catches, and we also conceded 38 extras. The best of the bowlers were Owen Humphrey with 2 wickets  for 31 off 8 overs and Tarun Sharma with 1 wicket for 17 off 5 overs.
We soon made up for our below par first half performance. Sulayman and Tarun opened the batting and Sulayman got off to an amazing start, scoring 50 in 39 balls and sharing a partnership of 95 before we lost our first and only wicket. Sulayman went on to make a brilliant unbeaten 132 off 85 deliveries and Ibrahim finished on 37 off 32, with us reaching the target in 22.4 overs.




Wanstead U13B v Fives & Heronians  U13s
Our U13Bs travelled to Fives & Heronians on Sunday in the Len Stentiford cup. In overcast conditions, it would’ve been a good toss to win, but luck was against us and Fives predictably invited us to bat first.
Against tidy bowling, Wanstead’s batting line-up played some good shots but had a tendency to follow those up with some bad shots, and wickets were falling too frequently to build a convincing score. Heath top-scored with an entertaining cameo, scoring 18 before falling to an excellent catch at cover. The Wanstead innings eventually ended on 84 all out.
The Fives openers then got off to a flying start, racing to 31 for 0 off 3 overs. With rain falling steadily, the slippery ball made life even harder for the Wanstead bowlers and fielders. An excellent over from Moosa saw him bag 2 wickets and give brief hope to his teammates, but unfortunately it was not to be and Fives reached their target with 10 overs and 7 wickets to spare.
The team stuck to their task well in difficult conditions and played the match in the right spirit. No doubt they will take the lessons from this result and come back stronger.
Wanstead U11A v Buckhurst Hill U11B
Sunday 30th
Wanstead's U11A team  travelled to Buckhurst Hill for the Hayden Davies group stage game after a long gap of nearly 2 months.
Wanstead's  boys won the toss and decided to bat first against the less stronger U11B team.  We chose to bat first so the boys could have the match practice and try to spend  time at the crease. Viraj, Furqan, and Toby scored 25 retired not out, and the team managed to score 153 for 2 in 16 overs.
Buckhurst Hill's team struggled against the Wanstead strong bowling attack and were bowled out for 32 runs in 9.2 overs. Wanstead won the game by 121 runs.
Wanstead U15 Girls v Buckhurst Hill U15 Girls

Monday 24th June

Wanstead's U15’s Girls travelled to Buckhurst Hill’s picturesque top ground on the edge of the forest. After losing the toss (once again) we found ourselves in the field. It soon became apparent that pace-off would be a more appropriate strategy, as numerous edges flew to the boundaries in the first few overs. Agatha & Farah stemmed the flow of runs before Kiah put on a leg spin clinic finishing with the outstanding figures of 3 overs, 1 maiden, 5 runs for 5 wickets! Buckhurst Hill were bowled out in the final over for 75 runs.

Batting wise, Deetya and Clementine broke the back of the run chase putting on 48 in 5.5 overs. After Deetya again retired not out on 51 we had had a slight wobble before Sienna and Mila got us over the line for the second game running with plenty of overs to spare. A comprehensive win that put us in the box seat to qualify for finals day. Well done to all the girls.

Wanstead U13 Girls v Upminster U13 Girls

Wednesday 26th June

Wanstead's U13G team hosted Upminster in the Essex hardball league on a sweltering summer evening at Nutter Lane. Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first (rinse and repeat) and put on a very complete batting display.  Both the openers, Kiah and Lucinda, were retired after reaching 50, the first wicket stand taking the girls firmly past the 100 mark.  Post the openers, both Emily and Sienna came in pushing the accelerator to ensure there was a strong finish, and it wasn’t until the final over that we actually lost our first wicket with Sienna commendably sacrificing her wicket pushing for the extra run.  In the end Wanstead put on 138 for the loss of 2 wickets from the 16 overs.

Over to the bowling. There were some claims from the parents that the evening was getting a bit cooler.   Unsure about those claims.  But what was certain was how excellent the bowling and fielding was, and again excellent keeping behind the stumps.  All the bowlers kept tight lines and the fielders all supported, with the stand out moment being the excellent flick of the wrist run out by Sienna. In the end, it was a comfortable win with Upminster finishing on 82 for 4 off their 16 overs.

So with that win we are officially winners of the group and now go to finals day. A great outcome for all the girls involved. Thanks to Chris for helping with scoring and umpiring and all the parents in supporting the girls.

Wanstead U15Gs v Woodford Wells U15Gs

Thursday 20’th June

Our U15s Girls hosted a strong Woodford Wells side at Overton Drive. On a “bat first” wicket, we duly lost the toss but were somewhat surprised when the opposition chose to take the field. The M.O. was to see off their opening two pace bowlers and at all cost bat the overs.  Partnerships galore ensued Deetya & Kiah expertly navigated the new ball to put on 44 before Kiah fell. Clementine along with Deetya (50 retired not out) racked up a quick fire 43 together. Equally important was Mila and Sienna's stand of 19 at the back end, taking 13 off the final over, with 127 for 4 the end result.

Over to the bowlers.  Sienna and Keya, both ever reliable, scored early breakthroughs and at 12 for 2 all was rosy, Fast forward to the tenth over and at 82 for 2, momentum had shifted. With 3 overs left and The Wells needing 27 to win, the skipper made the gutsy decision to unleash the “spin twins”(Elsie & Kiah). Never fear - 8 balls and 3 wickets later, the win was secured bowling Woodford out for 101. Once again these girls displayed a super exciting brand of cricket with perhaps the highlight being Deetya dispatching their quick bowler into the tennis courts.

Wanstead U14s v Woodford Green U14s
Alistair Cook Competition

Our first outing in the Alistair Cook Competition this year led us to Woodford Green, and barring an early rain shower we managed to get a full game in.

Having been put in on a sluggish two paced track, we managed to reach 176 for 5 from our 20 overs. George smashed a destructive 59, ably supported by Yuvraj, Omer and Ayan. Props to Keya who stepped up and opened the batting.

In reply, the opposition reached 79 for 6. Impressive bowling from Jacob (2 wickets) and Hamza (1 wicket) and general discipled bowling from the rest.

Wanstead U13G v Billericay U13G

On Sunday morning, Wanstead's U13G team travelled to Billericay for the 3rd round of the ECB T20.

Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first.  We wanted to apply the same target, which was to try and bat the full 20.  Again the openers, Kiah and Saanvi saw off the first string bowlers and had put on 29 for the first wicket, but trying to grab a second run resulted in a run out.  With some interruption for rain, wickets continue to fall at short intervals.  Wanstead managed to get to 77 all out in 17.2 overs, Saanvi top scoring with 22.

Knowing that the total was below par, the girls needed to be exceptional in the field, and this aspect they did very well.  Fielding was really good and the bowlers made Billericay work for all their runs.  There was a mini collapse for Billericay, but they still managed to knock off the runs for the loss of 4 wickets.  There were 2 wickets for Kiah and a run out, and the other wicket was picked up by Saanvi, but all the bowlers bowled very tight lines with few extras.

A good effort by the girls but it was not to be.  Thanks to Romit for scoring and all the parents in supporting the girls.  A disappointed group, but plenty to be positive about.

Wanstead U13G v Woodford Wells U13G
Monday 10th June

A bit of “should we, shouldn’t we” all day with rain and dark clouds through the day.  Girls making their way from all parts. But the final decision made right at the last moment was to play on.  The Wanstead U13G team travelled to Woodford Wells in the ECB T20 Cup.  Given how tight the friendly was a few weeks back, it was fair to expect a close match.

Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first.  The plan was again to ensure the girls batted the full 20 overs, and this time they did exactly that.  Kiah (41) and Lucinda (43) opened the batting and were just 6 runs short of a hundred wicket opening partnership.  Both batted very intelligently, dispatching the bad balls and watchful on the good ones.  Having a platform set, the next two, Elsie (13 not out) and Saanvi (21 not out) pushed on, taking the total to 144 for 2 off the twenty overs.  A pretty respectable total.

Over to the bowlers.  A great couple of overs from Sienna really set the tone with two quick wickets.  With Wells feeling the scoreboard pressure, they increased the risk taking but some great fielding and work behind the stumps led to 3 run outs, including a particularly strong contribution from Lucinda who was involved in all 3 of the runouts and also took a high catch off Sienna's bowling.  Emily and Agatha rounded up the last two wickets.  The spin twins didn’t get a look in, and Wells were bowled out for 36.  Onto Billericay next.  

Great to see another all round team performance from the girls.  Well done to all the girls and thanks to Romit for scoring and all the parents in supporting the girls, and extra thanks to Justina for bringing the forest girls from another fixture.

Wanstead U13G v Frenford U13G

Tuesday 11th June

Two matches in two days.  Girls starting to look a bit tired. Parents out with blankets again.  But we keep going.  On Tuesday, we travelled down the road to Ilford to play Frenford in the U13 league.  Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first again.  Why change?   16 overs today but the goal was to bat it out again.  Again the openers, Kiah and Saanvi saw off the first string bowlers.  And the girls made it through the 16 with a couple of wickets in hand.  A strong partnership at the top with Kiah (36) and Elsie (12) again set a platform to push on from. And that’s exactly what happened with strong contributions down the order from Sienna (12) and Emily (22), taking the Wanstead total to 147 for 6 off 16 overs.  

As the clouds gathered, on came the bowlers.  Frenford got off to a lightening start, putting on 30 runs in a couple of overs, but that pace was going to be hard to sustain.  The girls knew they just needed to break the partnership.  A great over from Sienna saw two quick wickets and then the gates opened.  Wickets then fell very quickly with Kiah (1) , Arya (2) and Elsie (1) picking up the remaining batters.  Frenford were all out for 52.

Great volume today in the field which was great.  Even some appealing from the crowd.  Well done to all the girls and thanks to Romit for scoring and all the parents in supporting the girls.  

Wanstead U9 VS Ilford - Don Coates League:

Wanstead U9 A 354 : Ilford U9 220

Wanstead's U9 A team were facing Ilford U9s at home on a beautiful Sunday morning, kicking off at 8.30am and coming away with a comfortable win.  After winning the toss, Wanstead chose to field first and wickets were falling regularly, with us taking 9 in total.  It was great to see the boys backing each other up in the field, limiting the oppositions' scoring potential. Special mention to Prajin, Atharv and James who took wicket maidens. Prajin and Atharv did not even give away single runs to opponents from their 2 over spells. Robert and Sebastian both took two wickets each.  

When it came to our turn to bat, the boys showed great discipline and hustled to take advantage of any mis-fields as they occurred.  All boys added to the score sheet, despite some wayward and unorthodox bowling from the opposition.  A call out to Atharv, who scored 24, and it was great to see Prajin making his half century with a last ball six.

Wanstead U12s v Walthamstow U12s

Wanstead's U12s took on Walthamstow in the Brian Taylor competition on Sunday morning. Having lost the toss and been asked to bat, Wanstead put on 134 for the opening wicket before Hayaan departed for an excellent 73. When his opening partner Anay retired shortly afterwards for 51, Wanstead suffered a bit of a middle order wobble, but Rafer kept his head with 29 not out to see us to an imposing 211 for 5 off our 25 overs.

Walthamstow dug in admirably against the pace of Eshaan and Furqan, but succumbed to some excellent off-spin from Riyan (2 for 2 off 3 overs) and some tidy ground fielding from the team accounted for 3 direct-hit run outs. Great to see the practice paying off! 

Walthamstow continued to battle gamely to make it through their 25 overs on 47 for 8, but Wanstead nevertheless enjoyed a comfortable 164 run victory margin. The team has certainly started the competition in dominant form, and will be hoping to maintain their momentum against the tough opponents to come. 

Wanstead U15b v South Loughton U15s

Wanstead's U15bs took on South Loughton at Nutter Lane on Sunday in the Cox and Kings. South Loughton reached 118 for 9 with wickets for Shayan, Yuvraj, Latif and Jacob. Wanstead coasted to victory in 15 overs for the loss of 4 wickets, with Yuvraj, George, Haaris and Hamza doing well.

Wanstead U10s v Woodford U11As

Wanstead U10s played a very strong Woodford Wells U11A team on Sunday. Wells scored 127 for 7, and our bowling was hugely improved from our last outing. We gave away 33 less extras than last time, with Arnav being our stand out bowler with 1 for 5. Our fielding was also much improved with 2 run outs, nearly three, due to excellent fielding by Sid and wicket keeping by Arnav.  Alex (25 not out) and Olive (20) batted really well against a very good bowling attack. A great all round display by the team.

Wanstead U15s v Aztecs U15s

Wanstead's U15s played their first Cox & Kings match on Sunday. We lost the toss and were asked to bowl first. Aztecs scored 105 for 8 from their 20, aided by far too many extras, but there was a fantastic spell of bowling from Tarun Sharma with 4 for 14.

In reply both Tarun (30) and Pranav (33) batted beautifully and retired their innings. We won, scoring 106 for 0 from 13 overs, and the player of the match was Tarun Sharma.

Wanstead U13G v Bancroft Lions U13G

Wednesday 15th May

The Wanstead U13G team travelled to Woodford to face Bancroft Lions in the Club T20. As the days get longer it was a lovely evening to kick off the tournament. Wanstead won the toss and chose to bat first and the plan was to ensure the girls batted the full 20. After another platform set by the top order, wickets did start falling relatively early on. The innings went from 26 without loss to 68 for 4, so a bit of a rebuild was necessary in the middle. And that’s exactly what happened with a great partnership between Agatha (23) and Lucinda (22) taking Wanstead past the 100 mark and then a last wicket flurry with Olive coming in to join Agi took the total to 127 all out off just over 18 overs. So we didn’t quite make the 20 overs but had put up a very respectable total.

Over to the bowlers. A really good start by the openers Emily and Saanvi with some early break throughs and keeping things tight. This took Lions to 10 for 2 with the two early wickets going to Saanvi. Then a bit of a rebuild for Lions and some good hitting by them started to gain some momentum. Enter the spin twins with the score now at 32 for 2. As Carl said as we left the match, it was unlucky that so many balls turned so much. But nonetheless from 32 for 2, Wanstead got through the remaining wickets with the opposition total on 54, Elsie picking up 3 of the 4 wickets and Kiah the other.

Kit Kats in the intermission and Jammy Dodgers post match provided the perfect recipe for the girls to get through to the next round. Great to see another all round team performance. Well done to all the girls and thanks to Romit for scoring and all the parents in supporting the girls.

Wanstead U12s v South Loughton U12s

Wanstead U12s took on South Loughton at Overton Drive in their first match of the Brian Taylor group stage. South Loughton won the toss and elected to field, presumably hoping to benefit from the morning dew. However, the Wanstead openers, Anay and Hayaan, were in no mood to let that affect them, putting on 67 for the first wicket. After Hayaan departed for 23, Anay was given able support by Rafer, before Bodhi came in to hit a quick-fire 37 off 22 balls. By this time Anay had moved into his 80s, but was struggling to get on strike as the overs ticked down. Thankfully he finally managed to get down the right end to earn the century he richly deserved, finishing on 113 not out as the team posted 225 for 5.

South Loughton’s batters tried manfully, but with the team on a deadline to finish before the 1st XI needed the pitch, Furqan stepped up to take 5 wickets for 11 runs and decimated the opposition top order. From there, Eshaan, Sebastian and Shaurya all chipped in with wickets to bowl South Loughton out for 46, with 45 minutes to spare.

It was a very dominant and mature performance by the whole team, who bat, bowl and field all the way from 1 to 11 and are capable of going all the way in this competition. We are very excited about the season ahead! Pictured below are the centurion and the leading wicket taker of the match.

Wanstead U15B v Bancroft Lions - Cox and Kings

Winning the toss, we put on 175 for 3 in 20 overs, with 30-odd retirements for Ayan, Yuvraj and Haaris with others chipping in. We were then able to bowl all 11 of our players, with wickets going to Haaris, Miten, Yuvraj and Hamza. Bancroft Lions finished on 91 for 8.

Wanstead U9 Lions v West Essex U9s

For the Don Coates league, Wanstead U9 Lions hosted West Essex at Overton Drive. After winning the toss, West Essex asked us to bat first. Our young players contributed considerably to our 126 for 3 total, especially superb batting from Prajin (28), Atharv (25), and Huddah(13).

West Essex began their innings with a wicket loss and finished on 70 for 10. All of our Lions bowled quite well, particularly Sebastian, who used his slow pace to take three wickets while conceding only eight runs. And well done to Atharv for causing opponents to lose two wickets with his brilliant stumping.