‘From the depths of despair, to the most improbable of victories… What a great game of Cricket!’
Framlingham College emerged as winners of the Under 15 County Cricket Cup after a nerve-wracking final ball victory over Ipswich School.
Ipswich began brightly with the bat, putting on 33 for the opening partnership, maintaining a healthy run rate throughout which propelled them to a highly competitive 138-4 off their allotted 20 overs. Oscar Baker top scored with a swashbuckling half century, but his contribution was only just beginning. He went on to remove George Jackson with the first ball of Framlingham’s reply, before reducing the hosts to a perilous 11-5 by the end of the 5th over. This was to prove to be a false dawn for Ipswich, however, as Freddie Royall and Ben Smart began the arduous task of rebuilding the College innings with a game changing partnership of 83. Moreover, the fall of Smart’s wicket in the 16th over did nothing to restrict the flow of College runs: Max Thompson and Max Meadows both adding valuable cameos to bring the scores level with 7 wickets down and just two balls remaining. With the likelihood of a ’Super Over’ looming large, Meadows proceeded to hole out in the deep, leaving the hugely impressive Royall (62 not out) to clinch victory with his 9th boundary off the final ball of the innings! Further good news followed for Freddie Royall when the Framlingham College all-rounder discovered that his impressive performances this season had earned him an invitation to join the Northamptonshire CCC Emerging Players’ Programme.
