Junior Cricket Round-Up | End of 2024 Season
GIRLS TEAM
The Girls Team were the deserved 2024 Junior Team Of The Year award winners at our Junior Presentation.
With Earsla, Evelyn, Maisie and Lyra all making their debuts this year, the girls section is looking stronger than ever. It’s been a pleasure to watch the team develop as friends off the pitch and as fierce competitors on it.
From a one-off game perspective, undoubtedly the strongest performances have been home fixtures against Didsbury (Iris 25*, Niamh 3fer, Earsla 2fer) and Saddleworth (Kiki 18, LGB 3fer) where the team hit their straps and secured comfortable victories.
Where the season has really lit-up though has the been the girls appearances at Woodford CC’s softball tournament and our own Mottram CC softball tournament.
At Woodford, we were delighted to be able to field two teams (1 x U11, 1 x U13) and demonstrate the depth of talent in the girls set-up now. The U11s team was pleasing to be able to field as it included 4 players relatively new to the MCC set-up and it was excellent to see them falling in love with the game.
The U13s team finished 2nd in their competition with Lucy GB top-scoring with 32 and Megan M and Kiki B both claiming 3 wickets apiece. For a team with 4 U11s in it to compete so strongly in an U13s competition was credit to each of the players.
"Come Bank Holiday Monday and our tournament on home soil, they went one better and secured the trophy. Winning all 4 of their games they were propelled on by LGB’s 37 runs, Iris’ 3 wickets and 38 from newly found big-hitter Lyra."
A brilliant end to a joyful season that we hope will be the springboard to more softball games, the first hardball games and possible league entry in 2025.
UNDER 9s
Another year of U9s at which we have managed to get two teams out each week, a real testament to the work of Mark Hannon, Dave Green and everyone who has helped with U9s Friday nights. It’s a crucial age group and it’s been a real highlight of 2024 seeing the numbers who have made debuts, and the numbers ready to do soon.
The Reds were the more settled and experienced side, which showed as they put on strong performances week to week and lost only 2 games across the summer. Skipper Eggsy hit a frankly obscene amount of boundaries, Kiki took our first ever 9s 5fer and Megan is rapidly becoming the best Push and Run merchant at the club. Thea’s progression with the ball has also been a delight to see.
The Blues has been the place to make your debut this season with Ryan, Lyra, Oscar, Sophia, Saul and Isaac donning the Mottram jersey for the 1st time. Encouraging performances have been aplenty, with the pinnacle being a narrow victory over Dukinfield built on tight lines and good running between the wickets.
The U9s will be in action throughout the winter in the Dave Bardsley Super League at West Hill which stands us in good stead for next season.
UNDER 11s SOFTBALL
With much of the U11s team pressed into U13s action on Sundays, the U11s Softball team has served as an extra development opportunity for lots of our U9s squad.
After high-scoring starts v Stand (Iris 25*) and Worsley (Max 11*) it wasn’t until Weeks 4 and 5 of the season that the softball side got their first two wins on the board.
Both of these games were exciting nailbiters, away to Lindow. In both games Thea A took the wind out of Lindow’s sails, bagging a pair of 3fers. With the bat Kiki did damage on the first trip. On the second, Alec PH’s rapid 13 ensured we set a commanding total.
3 wins out of 10, a respectable return for a largely U9s side that will be a year older and more experienced in 2025.
UNDER 11s HARDBALL
With 17 players selected in 2024, including 5 making debuts, it is the deepest squad we’ve had at this age-group for some time.
In the Regional League, it was 5 wins from 6 as the 11s came out of the traps well.
Fergus took 3fer to blow past Glossop before Kiki (14) and Dan (11) built a total that always looked a tall order for Hadfield to chase. Woodley (Fergus 14) and Denton (Max 2fer) soon followed.
"Haris helped us negotiate a tricky tie v Denton West courtesy of a magical 5 for 6 from his two overs. Props to Dan for a blistering 25 that set our innings up beautifully."
Hadfield Away in some of the Peak District’s trademark drizzle saw George and Oliver both celebrate their debut’s with a wicket apiece, Megan bagged a miserly 2 for 1 and Alec endangered several passers-by with a powerful 15.
The 2nd half of the season brought the Performance League where the 11s won 2 of their 4 games. On a sunny MCC Wednesday eve, William’s 19 and 2fer for Eggsy saw us past Greenfield. Two weeks later, in the pleasant surrounds of Woodhouses, William went even more ballistic for his 33. Eggsy bagged another 2fer.
August began with a thrilling tie at home to High Lane. Wickets from Leo, T Fletch and Oliver K had set the tone with the ball. With the bat things were a struggle before 3rd pair, Niamh and Kiki, put on a much needed 32 to set-up a thrilling chase. 22 needed, and 21 scored with Dan thrashing the final ball through midwicket.
All in all another season of progress with promising debuts and a number of players breaking into the team and making a real impression.
UNDER 13s
2024 was always ear-marked as a transition season for the U13s with the team including at least 6 x U11s each week. With that in mind, it was extremely pleasing to see the side qualify for Division 1 of the Performance League courtesy of 2 wins from 2 in a rain-affected Regional League.
Up against Glossop at home, the U13s were under the pump early on with their opener retiring on 30* and their #4 getting a quick 28. An excellent opening spell from Jack and 2 wickets for Niamh slowed their scoring, but they still reached an imposing 113.
"In response, Patrick retired 32* and new signing Taylor showed real power enroute to an impressive 33* on MCC debut. Isaac, also on debut, provided a vital 13 runs at #7 that left William and Eggsy requiring 5 from the last over. Courtesy of a truly heroic dive we got there on the last ball."
A week later, having dismissed Stayley for 49 courtesy of Niamh (3 for 9), William (2 for 4) and Iris (1 ball, 1 wicket) we contrived to make hard work of the chase. 4 quick wickets got nerves jangling before Tyler and Niamh saw us home, 6 wickets to spare.
In hindsight, Performance League 1 was always going to be a tall order for an inexperienced side, but it was pleasing to secure a tight and tense win away to Saddleworth.
Jack (3 for 13) blew away Saddleworth’s key batters and left us chasing 74. After an early race to 40, our scoring slowed as tensions rose, but thankfully Foxy (16*) steered us over the line with 5 balls to spare.
The side will remain fairly consistent in 2025, so we have a strong platform to build on. If it will stop raining.
UNDER FIFTEENS
The U15s too found that their biggest battle was often not with their opponents but with precipitation. At least 5 games falling foul of Mother Nature’s cruel disregard for junior cricket.
The three Regional League games were full of potential but saw Mottram just lack the nous required to get over the line.
After a tough start at Glossop (Callum 3 for 19) came a closely fought 17 run defeat to DSL.
Thomas N (33) and Thomas H (11) put on 35 for the 3rd wicket chasing 107 but in failing light we couldn’t quite get over the line.
A similar story at Dukinfield where James H took a majestic 4fer to restrict Dukinfield to 85. Our innings though struggled to ignite apart from Stanley T’s studious 13.
Come the Performance League though and it was all systems go as 2 wins from 2 turned fortunes round.
"At 20 for 5 v Woodhouses we were bang in trouble until Patrick (26*) and James H (14) offered the resistance need to take us to 78. Jack H and Harry AT took wickets at regular intervals during the Woodhouses chase with Dan D and Thomas N keeping things super tight to keep Woodhouses to just 62."
A 9 wicket win at Thornham further built momentum. Thornham’s 87 (Tom N 2fer and Patrick 3fer) was comfortably overhauled courtesy of Captain Stan’s 36* and Tom N’s 33*.
The final league game saw defeat at Saddleworth. Lucas F (1 for 14) and Taylor W (1 for 11) the only wicket takers as Saddleworth laid on 125. In response a final score of 90 for Mottram built around 23* for Jack H and 30* for Patrick H.
With rain washing out the final expected league game, it was 4th in the Performance League for the 15s.
UNDER 18s
A frustrating 2024 for the U18s who repeatedly faced weather and opponent concession based disruption. Their busiest month being June where we got 2 games on tells you all you need to know about the issues faced.
When we did get on the pitch it was a case of good individual performances not quite adding up to enough to secure the 3 points.
Against Ashton Ethan’s 31 held the innings together well but was not enough to challenge our host’s 130.
Against Glodwick, a fine 40 stand between Will D (19) and Jake (34) took us to 98 from our 20 overs but despite a fine wicket from Jack to remove the opener, we came away empty handed.
Chasing 127 v Heywood, Jack (31) and Harley (16) offered us the perfect opening to build upon but despite a late flurry from Oliver B (15* from 15) a middle order collapse had slowed the run rate irreparably.
Against DSL it was James S (2 for 21) and Henry D (2 for 19) that did the damage with the ball as the hosts got home by 6 wickets.
