Woodbridge School Hosts U12 County Cup Finals Day
On Tuesday 18 June 2024, Woodbridge hosted the U12 County Cup Finals Day.
On the main square, Woodbridge hosted St Joseph’s College, whilst Tollers saw Framlingham College play Ipswich High School. Woodbridge Year 7 students won the toss and elected to bat with Alfie and Otto opening up. Both played with great intent and got off to a fast start taking the score to 40-0 at the end of the powerplay. Otto was the first man to go, courtesy of a wonderful one-handed grab at mid-on. Dexter came to the crease and batted aggressively, taking the score to 71 at the halfway stage.
Alfie, the mainstay, batted superbly and alongside Griff continued to hit boundaries and rotate strike with ease. He also brought up a brilliant 50 whilst striking at 120. Griff made a run-a-ball 36 and saw Woodbridge compile 148-4 in their 20 overs.
Olly and Griff opened the bowling and took three early wickets. The visitors put together a couple of partnerships, but Woodbridge’s barrage of seamers continued to toil away picking up wickets regularly. In the end, Woodbridge restricted St Joseph’s to 108-6, with Olly and Giles taking two wickets a piece. Framlingham were victors on Tollers, so that set up Woodbridge versus Fram for the right to win the trophy and a place at nationals next year.
Woodbridge lost the toss in the final and were sent into bat. Alfie and Otto set about setting the total with great intent once again before the latter was dismissed in the powerplay. Dexter came to the crease to join Alfie, and as they had done in the previous games, they got straight to work.
Rotating the strike brilliantly, whilst being able to put bad balls away to boundary, Woodbridge began to compile another big total. At the halfway stage the hosts were 72-1 with both Dexter and Alfie going at better than a run-a-ball.
Both continued after a drink in the same vein before Alfie was eventually dismissed for a well-crafted 37 from 28. Dexter began to put the bowlers under real pressure and brought up an excellent 50 from 44. He was then dismissed but some strong lower order hitting from Olly, Dylan and Joseph saw Woodbridge amass 149.
An imposing total in the final but the opening bowlers still had to come out and hit their straps from the get-go. Olly and Griff did just that picking up some early wickets which put Framlingham on the backfoot. Giles came on first change and bowled beautifully, picking up a couple of wickets. Joseph, Thomas and George all bowled well through the middle period to continue to restrict Fram, whilst Woodbridge’s fielding remained superb throughout.
The fielding efforts were epitomised by an incredible bit of work from George, who chased the ball down to boundary, picked up and threw a perfect throw where Alfie whipped the bails off. Woodbridge ended up restricting Fram to 78-9 and winning the final by 71 runs.
An excellent all-round performance with contributions throughout the team with both bat, ball and on the field across both matches. This earns Woodbridge a place in the national competition next year!
