Sevenoaks and Sutton Valence
Date: Sunday 27 April 2008
As St Edmund's Summer sport has become both more confident and competent we have tried to strengthen the fixture list, as well as continuing to play our rivals from the past.
Such it was that last summer we played fixtures against Sevenoaks School for the first time, and, of course, extended the boys' Tennis list to include matches for two senior VIs.
Saturday April 27th was the first day of summer! Sunshine, a balmy breeze, and no threat of rain - and a very traditional Saturday with three cricket matches, and the boys' tennis. No girls' matches, but plenty supporting the boys from the boundary!
The 1st XI, playing their first match of the 2008 season struggled against the strongest Sevenoaks side in a decade or more - according to the Sevenoaks coach, former England batsman Chris Tavare. They reached 250 - 4 in 54 overs before declaring. Our bowling was tidy, concentration levels were maintained, but some slipshod catching did not help the cause. Our top order was blown away in the half hour before tea, and hard though Ben Easter battled, with valiant support from Jack Barwick to take the game into the final hour, 84 all out was the end product. The David Fulton coaching team can take some positives from the afternoon, and will surely use the fortnight before the next match to build on them.
Away at Sevenoaks, the Under 15s lost by four wickets with just a couple of overs left in the game. SES totalled 141 all out, with Penn top scoring with 34; tight bowling - Stone 1 - 8 in six overs - squeezed the opposition, and though George Smith chipped in with a three-for, Sevenoaks had enough strength in depth to get home.
A lone victory was, however, secured by the Under 14s, playing on the Alps. Reinforced by JS Form 8ster Max Bungay, SES bowled Sevenoaks out for 129, with three wickets apiece to Bungay, Naseem, and Stokes-Newens. Bungay then proceeded to dominate the reply, finishing on 77*, with three big sixes, and several other boundaries. Good lad!
The Tennis teams both managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, much to the chagrin and furrowed brow of coach Leigh Millard The First VI, 4 - 2 up after the second round, then lost the final three rubbers against their opposing numbers in 6 - 7 tie-breaks! The Second VI stood at 4 - 4 with all hanging on the final set - which was lost 4 - 6. So two very narrow defeats to Sutton Valence. Both squads are committed to redressing the balance later in the term!
For your diary - the Under 15 cricketers play a side from Walmer Science School on Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the Kent Cup. This is at home, and due to start at 3.30pm.
