U11s Make it Four Out of Four

GREAT MELTON U11s beat MULBARTON U11s by 21 runs at Melton Park in the South Norfolk Community League

The U11s victory over Mulbarton  in the South Norfolk Community League made it four wins out of four this season but the visitors provided stubborn resistance with Rachel Phillips – the only girl playing – scoring an unbeaten 20 as well as taking two excellent catches.  Mulbarton won the toss and elected to field first but Saxon Earley, in his first appearance of the season, and Charlie Green gave Melton a good start with a partnership of 40 that featured some excellent running.  Green (12), Earley (22) and Cameron Graveling (2) were then out in close succession as Mulbarton reduced Melton to 47-3 before Jack Gorman and Olly Leinster added a further 18 runs.  Leinster (5) and Sam Johnson (2) departed relatively cheaply but Gorman scored an very good 18 before he fell to a brilliant one-handed catch by Rachel Phillips leaving Mark Attfield (9 not out) and James Ketteridge (1 not out) push Melton's score to 93-6.  Freddie Paterson was comfortably Mulbarton's best bowler with figures of 3-0-8-2 but there were wickets for Mirza, Puvanchadra, Burton and Johns.

A sharp stumping by Earley off Charlie Green removed Mulbarton's Mirza (4) with the score on 5 and when Graveling produced an superb delivery to bowl Paterson (1) the visitors were struggling at 5-2.  Puvanchandra (3) was bowled by Johnson and Amis (7) lbw to Attfield to leave Mulbarton 24-4 after 8 overs but a spirited 5th wicket partnership between Phillips and Matt Burton frustrated Melton.  Burton looked a little unorthodox but showed an excellent eye for the ball while Phillips played very confidently as the pair featured in a half-century partnership before Burton was bowled by Green with the last ball of the match. Although Mulbarton's score of 72-5 was 21 runs short of Melton's it was a valiant effort and a very good game.  Charlie Green was Melton's top bowler with 3-0-8-2 with Graveling (3-0-15-1), Johnson (2-0-5-1) and Attfield (2-0-11-1) the other wicket-takers.

With two wins in the Terry Moore trophy and two in the South Norfolk Community League the U11s season has started well.