Match reports.
Yorkshire U13A 182-4 (Sabir Mahmood 57*, Rohan Ratnalingam 50, Noah Chapman 28) beat Cheshire U13 177-7 (Louie Owens 4-20) by 6 wickets.
After winning the toss, Cheshire made first use of a decent looking track at the beautiful Stockport Georgians CC in suburban Cheshire.
Cheshire got off to a steady start, with Joe Chapple (son of Lancashire CCC stalwart, Glen) and Will Westerby looking comfortable against the new ball partnership of Finlay Hill and Jack Redshaw. Hill broke through with the score on 15 but thereafter Chapple and number 3, Brad Porter, continued to accumulate as the Yorkshire boys failed to make a breakthrough. Both batters looked comfortable at the crease while never really dominating. With the score on 140, Hamish Firth made the breakthrough taking the wicket of Porter (56) and then Hill, in his second spell, before Chapple for a patient 65. Some late hitting and careless mistakes in the field meant Cheshire finished on 177-7 in their 45 overs. Louie Owen's picked up 4-20, varying his pace well at the death.
In reply, Yorkshire had their third different opening partnership in three games. Noah Chapman and Rohan Ratnalingam got the boys off to a solid start, bringing up 50 in the 15th over. Chapman (28) fell soon after, controversially caught low down at short cover. Jawad Akhtar (20) looked good again until being caught and bowled, bringing Sabir Mahmood to the crease. After a cautious start, Mahmood started to up the tempo. Ratnalingam completed a well made 50 but fell caught behind next ball. Captain, Noah Kelly, came to the crease in an unaccustomed middle order position. Kelly immediately put bat to ball. Both boys looked to be playing in a different game, hitting the bad balls to the boundary and rotating the strike, keeping the scoreboard moving. Kelly fell with four needed for victory, before Mahmood (57*) smashed a six over the sight screen to take Yorkshire to a well deserved victory.
A comfortable win over an improving Cheshire side.
Scorecard: https://yorkcb.play-cricket.com/website/results/4017925
Yorkshire U13A 170-1 (Rohan Ratnalingam 87*, Tom Burton 54*) beat Staffordshire U13 169-9 by 9 wickets.
After heavy overnight rain and thunderstorms, Yorkshire arrived at Stones SP CC, in the Midlands, to find a green pitch that looked like it would favour the team that won the toss.
On winning the toss, Yorkshire inserted Staffordshire and quickly took an early wicket; Jack Redshaw removing opener, Harvey, in his second over. With the weather hot and humid, short spells were the order of the day. Leo Wilson, on first change, nipped out two wickets, while Louie Owen's got the key wicket of Hughes for 23, leaving Staffordshire on 65-4 after 16 overs. Hawkins and Lovatt dug in and moved the score along before the introduction of Josh Hen-Boisen started to cause the batsmen problems. Hawkins batted well for a composed 46, but bowling all-rounder, Jawad Akhtar, bowled 8 tight overs as Yorkshire hurried Staffs through the final 15 overs. Staffordshire finished on 169-9 in their 45 overs.
In reply, Yorkshire got off to a good start with Rohan Ratnalingam and Noah Kelly putting away the bad balls. Kelly was unlucky to be given out lbw to a ball he hit, leaving Yorkshire on 44-1 after 10.1 overs. However, Tom Burton, promoted in the order, played his best innings of the season. In combination with Ratnalingam, who played with freedom, the pair took Yorkshire to a nine wicket victory, with 8.3 overs left to earn a place in the Northern Counties Cup Final on Sunday 25th August at Woodhouse Grange CC near York.
Scorecard: https://yorkcb.play-cricket.com/website/results/3940797