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Milton blitz secures 3rd at Tunbridge

Milton blitz secures 3rd at Tunbridge

Antony Ireland17 Aug 2019 - 08:23
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Finlay smashed a remarkable 159 in reduced over plate final. By Jim Harmer

We've been dodging the showers this week at the u/17 Festival, but come away as 'plate' winners after a great knock by Finlay Milton (back row, second from left).

The week started with a win on Tuesday against the host club in a weather-shortened 20 over match. Captain Will Timmons with 21 and Will Hodgson with 40 took us to 118 for 8. Ed Russ reeled off 4 overs for just 12 runs and with 2 wickets apiece for Tom Gregson-Hill, Will Hodgson and late stand-in (in kit 3 sizes too big for him) Henry Russ, we kept Tunbridge down to 108 for 8. Hen was actually on a hat-trick but a very difficult chance didn't go to hand.

Wednesday's game was rained off and Thursday's match again reduced to 20 overs, but what a cracker it was! Timmons 21, Milton 43, Jacob McLoughlin 33 and Ollie Thilo 22 saw us reach 128 - 5 against Bromley. Ed bowled another tight 4 overs, 1 for 10. Late draftee, Will Brewis took 4 wickets and Theo Colvin 2. Bromley were just keeping up with the rate but losing wickets and after the 19th over, they were on 127 for 8 and two needed to win off the last. The ball was tossed to Theo: dot, wicket, dot, dot, dot, then a 1 with a missed run-out chance. Tied game, so we were on equal points with Bromley but they just nudged the place in the final on runs per wickets lost count-back.

So to the amazing 3rd/4th place play off match against Linton Park on Friday, brought forward and shortened to 25 overs to avoid the impending next band of rain. Timmons (19) and Milton opened up again with a partnership of 61 in 8 overs: Finlay was just warming up! With the arrival of Samuel Clark we then started blasting from both ends, Finlay taking no prisoners and Samuel playing some immaculate hard-hitting shots. Samuel was out for 50, but by then the partnership was a hugely impressive 188. Finlay fell a couple of balls later for a magnificent 159 which included 18 fours and 9 sixes. He'd faced just 81 balls (and lost a few of them!). Other young Reigate Priory players have only 3 weeks to top that if they wish to snatch from Finlay the Stewart Surrey Bat award for 2019 and I'd like to be there if they do! Ray says this is our top score at the Tunbridge Wells Festival. Just when Linton Park thought the nightmare was over, Will Hodgson hit 23 in 6 balls and we were 282 for 3. Linton Park had a good go at the target but were never going to get there. Hodgson and Colvin both took 3 wickets and Linton reached 203 for 8.

We had great availability for this popular festival and a strong team, many of the members of which play in our senior teams. We feel that we would have taken the trophy had the weather not restricted our matches, but it was great fun with some wonderful performances. Great support from parents, good captaincy by Will and umpiring from the genial manager Matt Gregson.

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