BELHUS juniors won all three matches on their youth tour of Norfolk, but their final two matches were cancelled due to rain.
Belhus 237-5
Topcroft 166-7
Belhus were invited to bat in the opening match of their eleventh youth tour on a gloriously hot Norfolk afternoon. Robert Healy (52 with 9 fours and 1 six), Alex Blake (53 with 9 fours) and Teddy Waters (50 with 6 fours), all retired not out with fine half centuries. Henry Overy added 22 before retiring and Callum Constantine mustered twelve runs as Belhus totalled an imposing 237-5 in their allotted thirty overs. The young Topcroft side toiled hard in the hot conditions and there was some reward as five bowlers claimed a wicket each.
Henry Overy (two wickets for eight runs) and Alex Blake (two wickets for 14) led the way with the ball and there was also a wicket apiece for Charlotte Waters, Callum Constantine and a rare victim for regular wicket keeper Robert Healy. Overy added a run out to his fine all round display while Alex Blake also tacked on a catch to his runs and wickets. Other catches were snared by Tyler Robertson, Aidan Fourie and Charlotte Waters. The Topcroft batting effort was led by an excellent knock of 52 not out by James, who made his maiden half century, as the hosts totalled 166-7 from their thirty overs.
Belhus 161-4
Old Buckenham 95-6
The second match of their summer tour took Belhus to Old Buckenham CC. Due to severe heat, the match was capped at 25 overs per side. Belhus batted first after winning the toss and lost their first two wickets with only ten runs on the board before Teddy Waters and Callum Constantine added 45 for the third wicket. Constantine was dismissed for 18 and Waters was joined by Alex Blake. Teddy went on to make a second successive 50 on the tour retiring on 56. Alex Blake scored quickly making 33 in just 18 balls before he too retired. Lewis Blake rounded off the innings with a quick fire 24 not out from just nine deliveries as Belhus totalled 161-4 at tea. The host wicket takers were Nathan Muggeridge, Charlie Upright, Ria Wallbank and Peri Hayes who all took one apiece.
Belhus enjoyed their tea with such a fine total on the board but they were initially made to work hard as Muggeridge and Walker added 40 for the first wicket. But when Alex Blake removed Walker, the visitors began to make inroads. Wickets followed for Lewis Blake, Aidan Fourie and Ethan Barnett. Charlotte Waters who removed the stylish Muggeridge for a fine 46 – thanks in the main to an excellent catch by Aidan Fourie. Charlotte ending up with fine figures of 2 for 5. Will Waller was the next most successful home batsman with 22 but Belhus restricted the home side to 95-6.
Belhus 162 all out
Garboldisham 141 all out
A 105-run eighth wicket stand took the Belhus score from 50-7 to 155-8 at The Langley. Contributors in the partnership were Alex Blake and Ethan Barnett, while Teddy Waters also contributed after Alex retired on reaching 50. Alex hit eight fours in total and he found strong support from Ethan who reached his highest individual score to date with 45 until he was caught and bowled by Will Wright. Barnett struck seven boundaries. When Ethan retired, Teddy contributed a further six runs to the same partnership. An earlier 18 runs from Tyler Robertson put Belhus on the road to recovery after the tourists found themselves tottering at 26 for the loss of five wickets. No other batsman reached double figures against a keen home attack for whom Wright went on to claim three wickets for seven runs in 2.1 overs. Other Garboldisham wicket takers were Cunningham, Worby, Southgate, Button, Harris and Harte with one victim apiece.
Opening batsman Cunningham led the hosts’ reply, retiring with 50 runs after striking nine fours. He received good support from Harte with 40, but then only number ten batsman Harris reached double figures with 13. The stand-out Belhus bowling performance came from Charlotte Waters. Her three overs cost just one run and included the wicket of Oliver Lambert, bowled for two runs. With ten bowlers each having three overs in this thirty overs per side match, Tyler Robertson claimed two wickets for eight runs. Alex Blake, despite conceding 20 runs in his first over, then took a double wicket maiden to finish with 2-30 while Ethan Barnett, Tilly Barnett, Lewis Blake and Henry Overy joined Charlotte in taking one wicket apiece.
The match was scored by eleven year-old Libby Worby from Garboldisham, who was recently featured in an England and Wales Cricket Board magazine for recently passing the scorer’s examination. The Belhus tour party would like to thank their Norfolk hosts for the warm hospitality received during their visit.
