Match reports.
Wales U14 202-7 beat Yorkshire U14 Dev 197 all out (Sam Spenceley 42, Alex Wood 26) by 5 runs.
Yorkshire made the long trip down to the very picturesque Brecon Cricket Club for a drizzly day of cricket. Yorkshire skipper Matthew Hood won the toss and put Wales in of a green looking deck. Wales began confidently, seizing on anything short. Despite losing a couple of wickets, the Welsh were steaming along, with the score at almost 100 at drinks. Yorkshire coach Alex Morris challenged Yorkshire to squeeze the scoring rate and spinners Alex Wood and Hood himself were introduced. Both bowled superbly, bowling 10 overs each for figures of 2-18 and 1-26 respectively. After a late flurry of runs in the final few overs, the hosts reached a final score of 202-7 from their 50 overs. This could have been much higher if not for the hard work and discipline of the Yorkshire bowling attack and fielding unit.
After tea, Yorkshire began steadily in reply. Sam Spenceley and Matthew Hood saw off the opening bowlers before Hood sadly fell, caught at second slip, for 18. Spenceley pressed on with new batsman Tom Miller as the score reached 86, before Miller (15) was caught at deep square. Joe Barker (4) and Spenceley (42) fell in quick succession, leaving Yorkshire 110-4. Isaac Light and Alex Wood came to the crease and looked assured as they guided Yorkshire seemingly towards victory. Unfortunately though, Light (24) and Wood (26) both succumbed to the pressure as the run rate began to climb. With these two gone, Yorkshire ultimately fell just 5 runs short as a superb direct-hit run out in the final over sealed victory for Wales.
It had been a fantastic effort by the Yorkshire Development squad, who came so close to victory against a strong Wales A side, who sit atop their regional group.
Full scorecard: https://yorkcb.play-cricket.com/website/results/4068968
Yorkshire U14 Dev 138-3 (Tom Miller 57*, Max Field 31*) beat Northamptonshire U14 137 all out (Alex Wood 3-17, Mohammed Yusuf 3-23) by 7 wickets.
Yorkshire U14 Development's final game of the 2019 season took them to Doncaster Town CC on Sunday. Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bowl first, with a bit of moisture still in the wicket. Hashim Wajid (1-17) and Mohammed Yusuf (3-23) unleashed a devastating opening salvo, which reduced the visitors to 17-4 in no time! Northants dug in and began to rebuild the innings. Hayden Melly (45) and Joseph Bramley (38) built a defiant 78-run partnership to take the score to 95-5 as Melly fell. The introduction of Yorkshire spinners Alex Wood (3-17) and Ollie Walsh (2-34) did for the tail and Northants were eventually dismissed for 137.
In reply, Yorkshire's openers Alex Wood (15) and Tate Miller (15) both began well before each found mid wicket attempting pull shots. Jacob Hunter was in at number 4 but was dismissed for 6 on the stroke of the first drinks break. At this point on Sunday afternoon, England required 21 to win over at Headingley. The umpires called an 'extended drinks break' as players, parents, coaches, umpires and everyone in the ground crowded in the bar to watch Ben Stokes seal an Ashes win they would all likely never forget. As the excitement died down, the Yorkshire batsmen got back to work. It was now red hot out in the middle and the Northants fielders were tiring. Debutant Max Field had joined the squad's leading run scorer Tom Miller out in the middle at 52-3 and, once they had consolidated Yorkshire's position, the two were given the challenge of knocking off the runs within 40 overs, rather than 50. The lads responded superbly, securing the win in 39.2 overs, with Miller unbeaten on 57* and Field 31*.
It had been a dominant performance from Yorkshire and a fitting way to end the season for the U14 Development side; who had been matched against some of the strongest sides around and risen to every challenge. The lads should all rightly be proud of their season, their attitude and how they have developed throughout a very enjoyable 2019 season!
Full scorecard: https://yorkcb.play-cricket.com/website/results/4077535