CORNWALL YOUTH CRICKET FESTIVAL REPORT 2008

Festival just manages to beat the rain

Despite the persistently dreadful weather, the young cricketers at the Cornwall Youth Cricket Festival got through their finals days last Thursday and Friday in quite fair conditions, though the pitches were, inevitably, rather soft! This was all the more remarkable, as there was a near washout on the Wednesday, with only the evening’s Under 17 matches being played, and a completely blank day in the Cornwall Cricket League on Saturday. On other days games were also played in damp conditions, but the usual Festival spirit again shone through, with teams and their officials prepared to make every effort to play on. However, even then, the organisers and clubs were indebted to the new synthetic turf pitch at Penryn College, with a Flicx pitch to bat and bowl on, which allowed play to take place in otherwise impossible underfoot conditions. Many of the youngsters found this arena to provide surprisingly good cricket and the Under 17s particularly enjoyed playing under floodlights. On the first day, Paul CC won the always popular Under 11 tournament with plenty to spare against Falmouth. There was further local representation in the Plate Final, where hosts St Gluvias went down by just 12 runs to Gorran A in a very close, but sportingly contested affair.

St Gluvias also took part in the Under 13 Plate Final, where Grampound Road beat them by 6 wickets. West Cornwall teams provided all of the finalists in the U13 events, plus the main semi-finalists. Truro completed a Bowl double at U11 and U13, whilst a very strong Penzance outfit defeated a tiring Falmouth B to deservedly carry off the main Under 13 title. Tyler Gendall was the outstanding player here, scoring 114 not out in the final, along with a fifty earlier in the day and wickets besides. Alex Ridd, of Grampound Road, had a remarkable two days, winning the U13 Best Bowling award with 5 for 5, then taking 6-21 in the Under 15s, just losing out on the double, as Bournemouth’s Jake Hurley managed 6 for 6 on the same day!

Oddly, this year saw no close finals, with an outstanding team dominating on each occasion. Margate CC, from Kent, were first time visitors who really showed everyone how to play in the Under 15 tournament, brushing aside fellow tourists Bournemouth by 99 runs in the final. Oliver Robinson scored a century early on Thursday morning against Dulwich Demons, which earned him the Best Batting award, whilst, in the Final, Byron Robinson turned in a fine all-round performance, scoring 75 and taking four wickets for 18 runs. In the Plate, the excellent Grampound Road youth section recorded another double, beating Redruth, also tremendously enthusiastic supporters of the Festival in recent years, by 37 runs.

The partially floodlit (and wet!) Under 17 tournament was won by Grampound Road, a very strong outfit, who saw off the challenge of Londoners Dulwich Demons, a largely Under 15 squad, by 5 wickets, with Tom Hughes being the star performer on the night. In the Plate, last year’s champions Cranmore, from Somerset, were beaten by Redruth.

The 23rd Festival, in 2009, will run from SUNDAY 9th to FRIDAY 14th AUGUST. Information will continue to be available on the Cornwall cricket website, www.cornwall-cricket.org.uk.

CYCF officials would like to thank everyone who helped with this year’s event, particularly Penryn Sports College, Falmouth Cricket Club, The Lord’s Taverners, Share Sports, R Booth Ltd and other sponsors, and the members of St Gluvias CC.

Full results Under 11 (24 teams) : Bowl – Truro B 135, Praze B 108 Plate – Gorran A 115, St Gluvias 103 Final – Paul 143 beat Falmouth A 84 by 59 runs. Player of the Final – Callum Donnelly (Paul)

Under 13 (14 teams) : Bowl – Redruth B 47-7, Truro 48-3 Plate – St Gluvias 64-4, Grampound Road 65-2 Semi-finals – Redruth A 82-1, Penzance 83-2 Beacon 90-4, Falmouth B 91-3 Final – Penzance 198-4, beat Falmouth B 93-6, by 105 runs. Player of the Final – Tyler Gendall (Penzance) Best Batting Performance – Tyler Gendall (Penzance) 114* Best Bowling Performance – Alex Ridd (Grampound Road) 5-5

Under 15 (14 teams) : Bowl – Dulwich Demons 65, Camborne 66-2 Plate – Grampound Road 118-2, Redruth 81 Semi-finals – Penzance 75, Margate 78-1 Bournemouth 99-4, Liskeard 31 Final – Margate 214-4, beat Bournemouth 115-6, by 99 runs. Player of the Final – Byron Gould (Margate) Best Batting Performance – Oliver Robinson (Margate) 119* Best Bowling Performance – Jake Hurley (Bournemouth (6-6)

Under 17 (14 teams) : Semi-finals – Penzance 66-5, Grampound Road 70-1 Dulwich Demons 75-4, Margate 68-2 Plate Final – Cranmore 68-4, Redruth 70-2 Final – Grampound Road 67-3, beat Dulwich 63-3, by 5 wickets. Player of the Final – Tom Hughes (Grampound Road)