Taming the Lions

Many thanks to Largo Lions who hosted an Under 13 game this morning, with all grateful for the overnight rain not putting paid to the game - though wet socks were a small price to pay!

It was great to see both teams well represented, with a 10-a-side game played as five batting pairs facing four overs each.

For the Gladiators, Karthik was unanimously voted in as Skipper for the day and whilst he didn't have to worry about the toss (Lions offering the Gladiators the chance to bat first) he did do very well in talking to his fellow players throughout.

Alex and Scott opened the batting against Archie and Eilidh, and it was a good match-up across the younger players - honours even at 17 for no wickets lost from the first four overs. Next in was Amy and Muhammed, and each batted well in striking a boundary each and looking to seek singles - though Benjamin was pleased to claim the wicket of Amy (bowled) in the fifth over. The Lions were also unlucky in not running Muhammed out when a direct hit failed to dislodge the bails with Muhammed short of his ground. Gladiators 42 for one from 8 overs.

Lochie and Charlie bowled well as the third bowling partnership for the Lions, though Ben for the Gladiators was able to keep them check with an excellent 12 not out from 9 balls with three well struck boundaries - Gladiators 69 for one from 12 overs.

The relative calm at this point was soon replaced with carnage as Joshua and Sukhpal struggled to get settled. The other Lochie seeing Sukhpal bowled in the 13th over and then same batter again run out two balls later with a great piece of fielding from Lions skipper Harry. The Lions wicket-keeper Finn, who had kept well at this point, then handed over the gloves and turned the game - a wicket (Joshua bowled) with his first ball, then repeated the same towards the end over bowling both Joshua and then Sukhpal in consecutive overs. He then took a further wicket in his second over (Joshua caught well at mid-off by Harry) to finish with excellent figures of 4 for 9 off 2, and Gladiators in a completely different game at 85 for 7 wickets from 16 overs.

But it was to be a fantastic unbroken partnership of 39 runs off the last overs between Anas and Karthik which gave the Gladiators renewed confidence. Karthik the standout batter with 24 not out from 14 balls, taking the Gladiators to 124 for 7 wickets from their 20 overs.

It was to be a match-up of the younger players in the second innings, with Archie and Eilidh for the Lions batting against Alex and Scott for the Gladiators. Alex bowled excellently, mostly outswing deliveries perfectly pitched up and just outside off-stump, and got through his two overs without conceding any runs. But it was to be Scott who took the plaudits with dead-eye bowling, claiming four wickets (all bowled) and a further wicket thanks to a run-out by Muhammed in his first over also. Scott claiming outstanding figures off 4 for 3 off 2 and Lions on 3 for 5 wickets from the first overs.

Next pair Fletcher and Benjamin struggled to get going also, with Amy (1 wicket for 4 runs) and Muhammed (just 4 runs from his 2 overs also bowling well. Amy's wicket was again well judged with good straight bowling to bowl Fletcher. Muhammed claimed his second run out of the day, Fletcher hitting the ball straight back to the bowler and (much to his own verbal disgust) called the single. Lions 11 for 7 wickets from 8 overs.

The remaining Lions batters knew they would have to bat very well to drag the game back, so decided to run as many singles as they could (which was excellent to see) and try to attack any bad balls. Lochie and Charlie added a further 22 runs, though Sukhpal was pleased to get a wicket thanks to a good catch by Joshua - Lions 33 for 8 from 12 overs.

The other Lochie along with Finn perhaps tried to swing too hard, but were gifted some easy runs from a number of wides and no balls bowled within a 33 run partnership (14 runs, 19 extras) to see Lions to 66 for 8 from 16 overs.

Final pair Cameron and Harry were given the same genoristy, scoring just 8 runs between them but 17 runs in extras also. Anas though bowled Harry in the 17th over, and Karthik delighted to repeat that same dismissal with the final ball of the game to see Lions finish on 91 for 10 wickets.

With each wicket gained whilst batting resulting in five bonus runs to add on to batting totals, final scores were Gladiators 174 for 7 against 126 for 10 for the Lions - a win by 48 runs for the Gladiators.

Many thanks to the Lions for hosting the game.