The Lemon Cup Final

Date: Thursday 17 July 2008

After an initial postponement from Wednesday July 9th - Wye CC's ground was unplayable - the match against Norton Knatchbull eventually took place at Wye on Friday 11th July, and ended with a Knatchbull victory by just 5 runs!

Knatchbull batted first at reached 118 all out. Extras with 35 were the highest scorer as wickets fell regularly after the Ashford boys had reached a promising 61 - 2. The highest scorer with the bat was Tegg with 21. The most successful of the St Edmund's bowlers were Ben Pape with 3 - 26, and Ben Kemp with 3 - 32 in his eight overs.

The St Edmund's reply collapsed to 62 - 7 with M.Raza and Tegg both producing excellent spells, before a partnership of 50 for the eighth wicket between Kemp (29) and George Smith (19) turned the game on its head. Sadly for the School the last three wickets then fell with the score on 113, and the final was lost by the narrowest of margins.

It was a difficult day all round: less than competent scorers, and the absence of 'official' AKCC umpires, put tremendous pressure on the two team managers, who were compelled to umpire themselves, as well as to try to run their sides. All credit to Antony Jones for achieving all that he did in his first season as Master i/c Cricket, and, one thing is for sure, we will be back next season to try and get the name of St Edmund's on the Lemon Cup!