Match report.
Yorkshire U14 Development v Norfolk U14, held at Castleford CC on Wednesday 22nd August 2018.
Norfolk 272-3 beat Yorkshire 268-5 (Jack Oakley 78*, Jasper Male 71*, George Barden 35, Jack Brady 32) by 7 wickets.
Yorkshire U14 Development concluded their excellent 2018 campaign with a game against the relatively unknown Norfolk U14 side. Norfolk traveled north with a lot of promise with the team going unbeaten throughout the 2017 season but posting more modest results this year.
Yorkshire captain Lewis Hogg won the toss and elected to bat on a pristine Castleford track. After the fall of an early wicket, George Barden (35) and Jack Brady (32) worked hard to take the score to 81-2 when Barden was dismissed and then 103-3 before Brady fell, caught trying to go over the top. Yorkshire number four Jack Oakley batted through a mini-collapse before he was joined by keeper-batsman Jasper Male at 141-5. Oakley (78*) and Male (71*) batter superbly, taking the score to 268-5 at the end of the first inning - sharing a 127 run partnership at better than a run a ball.
Norfolk's reply began in a brutal fashion as the openers Fairley (77) and Kannan (54) shared a stand of 128 in good time for the first wicket. Fairley fell to a rapid Mansoor Shinwari bouncer before spinner James Blackburn had Kannan out caught. However, Norfolk number three Ben Wilcox saw the tourists home with a stunning 83*. Skipper Lewis Hogg was the pick of the Yorkshire bowlers with his very economical and disciplined 10 overs, 0-22.
Thanks to Castleford, who were excellent hosts as always, providing a beautiful playing surface.
A disappointing end to 2018, but it's be a terrific season for the U14 Development - who have come a very long way and exhibited some fantastic cricket in just a few short months - as well as managing to claim an impressive 8 wins from their 11 games along the way!
Full scorecard available HERE.