GEORGE'S GRAND DAY OUT AT THE HOME OF CRICKET

1st Oct 2022

MCC FOUNDATION NATIONAL HUB COMPETITION

Grand Finals Day Sat 30^th July 2022, Lord's.

Background.

To give greater opportunities to play cricket & nurture talent in under represented groups, the MCC Foundation, the charitable arm of the MCC founded in 1990 with a mission to transform lives through cricket, set up 74 hubs in the UK.

The Newcastle Squad sits within the player pathway system to provide opportunities for those outside the full County age group squad who attend state schools to have free access to performance coaching & competitive play. We are very grateful to the MCC Foundation for their funding & support of this programme.

The route to Lord's.

Selection & training for the hub started in January 2022. Training sessions were held weekly on Mondays at the Ashington Leisure Centre from 1800-2000. The journey to the final saw wins against Round 1: York & Leeds; Round 2: Edinburgh. The northern final was held at Queen Elizabeth GS, Wakefield on Sunday 26^th June against Bolton & Bradford.
 

Bolton 120-7 (20o)

Newcastle 122-9 (19.5o)

Match Report

After a solid start from Bolton, Newcastle fought back brilliantly with the ball & in the field to restrict them to 120-7 off 20 overs. In the chase we got off to a fantastic start with David Todd retiring for 50 off 28 balls inside 8 overs. The boys were heading for victory on 111-3 off 16, however some poor shot selection under pressure left us 9 wickets down needing two runs off two balls. No11 Ollie Bremner got Newcastle over the line with a 4 through mid-wicket.

Bradford 137-8 (20o)

Newcastle 122-8 (20o)

Newcastle won on net run rate.

Match Report

The excitement of the finish in game one had its affect, with energy levels dipping slightly. Bradford reached 137-8. With Bradford's earlier loss to Bolton, it meant that net run rate would come into play if Newcastle could not overcome the target of 137.

Before the start of the second innings the calculation left the boys knowing that reaching 105 from 20 overs would be enough to get through to the final. After 5 overs Newcastle were 34-2 with the game in the balance, however, a fantastic partnership of 62 between Captain Charlie Cook (44) & Freddie McGregor (21) lifted the score to 96-3. Needing 10/over for the last 4 overs we fell 15 runs short on 122-8 but this was enough to progress to the national final at Lord's, an outstanding achievement for everyone involved.
 

                                GRAND FINAL AT LORD'S SAT 30TH JULY 2022

                                   NOTTINGHAM U15's V NEWCASTLE U15's.

Newcastle team: Charlie Cook (capt/w/k), (Backworth CC), David Todd (Tillside CC), Will Irwin (Backworth CC), Freddie McGregor (Benwell Hill CC), Warren Poxon (Benwell Hill CC), George Gray (South North CC), Luke McCurley (Morpeth CC), Conn Sullivan (Warkworth CC), Frankie Gibb-Kirk (Alnmouth &Lesbury CC), Andrew Jordan (Bates Cottages CC), Oliver Bremner (Warkworth CC), Max McGee (Backworth CC).

George reflects " What an amazing feeling it was waking up knowing I will be playing at Lord's.

We arrived at Lord's at 0930 & players only were taken through the Grace Gates to the pavilion where we were presented with our match shirts (sponsored by Charles Stanley Wealth Management). We were shown through to the away changing room & then regrouped for a team photo on the balcony.

Walking through the Long Room & stepping out onto the pitch was surreal. We warmed up & then it was time to play. The teams were introduced & we were clapped out onto the pitch by family & friends to field first, as we had won the toss."

Nottingham 88ao (18o) Arnav Julme 16, Charlie Crofts 34: Oliver Bremner 0-8, Frankie Gibb-Kirk 3-23, Andrew Jordan 1-8, Luke McCurley 0-30, Conn Sullivan 3-8, George Gray 2-10.

Newcastle 91-1 (13.5o) Charlie Cook 36*, David Todd 23, Will Irwin 21*: Qaiser Jamal 0-13, Toby Davies 1-30, Ahmed Ali 0-13, Aadam Shabir 0-21, Devesh Upreti 0-15.

Newcastle won by 9 wickets.

A sunny day at Lord's welcomed the U15 boys of Nottingham & Newcastle, both of whom won their semi-final on net run rate. The wicket was towards the Tavern Stand side. Openers Arnav Julme& Swayam Bajpai faced the right arm seam of Oliver Bremner (Nursery end) & Frankie Gibb-Kirk (Pavilion end).

A wicket for Frankie from his first ball, full with some away drift, which bowled Bajpai (0). A second wicket in over 3 as Luke McCurley's excellent direct hit from mid wicket ran out Nottingham captain Patrick Ryan (5), 8-2. A third in over 4 as Frankie again found some away drift to bowl Upreti (4).

Andrew Jordan replaced Bremner but it was Frankie again in over 8 as Aadam Shabir (5) dragged on, 28-4. This became 36-5 as Julme (16) inside edged to Jordan. Charlie Crofts was batting nicely & Luke McCurley's leg spin suffered a little in over 12. But in the next, Conn Sullivan's off spin took two in two as first Harman Khosa (5) was well caught above his head by Freddie McGregor at cover & next ball Noah Beharall (0), on the crease, was bowled, 59-7.
 

Crofts & Toby Davies rebuilt putting on a partnership of 24 until at 87 Sullivan had Davies stumped by Charlie Cook, 87-8 after 17. Conn 3-8 in 3 overs, a reward for nice flight & a full length. George Gray had entered the attack in over 16 & although this went for 9, he had his reward in over 18 as Crofts (34), a good innings for his team, was stumped by Cook via a pad & 5 balls later Jamal (0) was well caught at cover by a diving Frankie Gibb-Kirk. George 2-10, Nottingham all out for 88 after 18 overs.
 

The right-handed Charlie Cook & David Todd faced the seam of Jamal & the leg spin of Davies. 17-0 after three overs & then some excellent placement & running saw every ball scored off in overs 4 & 5, 31-0. After hitting Davies for consecutive boundaries, Todd (23) advanced but was stumped by Ryan via a pad, 41-1.

Left-handed Will Irwin joined Cook & the pair built the total well, Cook finding the gaps for singles & a glorious cover drive & Irwin especially strong off his legs behind square, 60-1 at 10 over drinks. On resumption Upreti's off spin leaked 15 runs in over 11, 75-1.

Nearly there & the winning boundary was delightfully whipped away to backward square leg by Irwin, 91-1 & a 9 wicket victory. after only 13.5 overs. The batters were embraced by their teammates who raced onto the field!
 

George concluded " After the match we lifted the trophy, received our medals from former England captains Mike Brearley & Mike Gatting& posed for numerous photographs. Then we had an amazing lunch followed by a tour of Lord's". Captain Charlie Cook reflected on the importance of teamwork in the build-up to & in the final & player of the match, Conn Sullivan, the fact that everyone had played a part in the win.

Clive Goatman (SNCC Life Member, 1972-present) played at Lord's in 1966 as a 16-year-old for Middlesex Young Amateurs v MCC Young Amateurs.George was 15 on 1^st June 2022 so we can safely say that he is (probably) the youngest South North player ever to play at the home of cricket. A day that he, all the team, their families& friends & the coaching staff will never forget.

Duncan Stephen/Anna Gray