Twenty20 Academy edged out in exciting season opener at Guildford

The Twenty20 Cricket Academy were involved in an exciting season opener at the weekend despite going down to a two wicket defeat.

The T20 Academy Under 14 team faced a strong Guildford Under 13 in a 25 over encounter but despite some impressive performances with bat and ball, they were edged out by the home side with 10 balls to spare.

Batting first, the Twenty20 Cricket Academy made a useful 154 for 6 off their allotted 25 overs.

Tiam Afshar and Hemant Ganesh got the innings off to a good start putting on 33 for the opening wicket before Afshar was the first wicket to fall. That brought in Matthew Cormack who with Ganesh took the score onto 60 before the latter departed having made a useful 35 which included six boundaries.

Cormack was joined by Daniel Shepherd and together they proceeded to put on a third wicket partnership of 83, which was dominated by Cormack who having made a 56-ball knock of 68 – including 11 boundaries, saw his wicket fall with just over four overs remaining.

That was the catalyst for two wickets to fall inside six balls as Guildford applied the brakes to any late surge from the T20 Academy. Shepherd fell having made 19 as the T20 Academy closed on 154 for 6. Pick of the Guildford bowling was Lewis Hill with two wickets for 15.

1st innings scorecard here

The Guildford reply got off to a calamitous start as they were soon in trouble at 12 for 1, which quickly became 12 for 2, then 25 for 3 and 39 for 4, largely thanks to Sam Finch taking three wickets of his eventual haul of 4 for 19.

With the T20 Academy sensing victory, Edward Granshaw and Tom Geffen sought to recover matters for Guildford which they did admirably with a partnership of 48. However Granshaw fell having made 12 with the score at 87 and Geffen for 29 two runs later to leave the hosts in a perilous position of 89 for 6.

However Edward Brew was just getting into his stride and with Jared Robinson took the score into three figures before the latter departed, and then with Hill to 128 before he too left proceedings.

Brew however was standing firm and having been joined by Luca La Costa with five overs remaining then set about chasing down the target, which they did to great effect.

La Costa played a fine supporting role finishing with 17, but Brew led the way with an unbeaten 38 in only 28 which included six boundaries as Guildford chased down the total finishing on 157 for 8 with 10 balls to spare.

2nd innings scorecard here

MVP analysis here

Match Statistics here

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