In a match that was billed at being a 6-a-side scorcher, we saw hot sunny weather turn into a freaky hovering rain storm with strong enough winds that ultimately played its part in the end result. Rewind to the toss, and captains Stan for the Hurricanes and Callum for the Scorchers flipped the bat due to lack of an actual coin anywhere, with Stan the winner and electing to bowl.

The pitch started flat, with nearly no bounce, and took its first victim on the first ball with Wilson managing to skid the ball under Elliots bat and take out middle and off. Charlie entered the fray in over 2 and skittled Evan in much the same way, and the Scorchers had lost their openers on the 8th ball, and it looked like it would be a bowlers game.

But Freddie and Callum had other ideas. Freddie let loose in an aggressive batting performance, starting with a four of his second delivery and raced to retirement; 35 off just 16 balls, in some of the fastest scoring we have seen this year. And in a pairing that has been running for around 5 years since the u9s, Callum and Freddie took the game to task with fast running between wickets and regularly finding the boundary. U11 signing, Hugo, joined the crease at the end of the 6th over and supported brilliantly as Callum started to push the ball to the ropes, eventually retiring himself in the 11th.

Crease time for Esme was cut short by a zinger from Alfie which saw Freddie return to the crease as the retired bat, who promptly returned to the pavillion a few balls later after a challenging over of spin by Stan. Hugo managed to remain in the support role for Callum again until the 13th over before conceding to a spinning delivery from Arthur. Callum was last man standing for the remainder and managed to get himself to 48 runs before chipping one short back to the bowling Walter - the psychology of a half century claiming another scalp! Strong batting with the limited fielers set a defendable 145 for the Hurricanes to chase. Great keeping by both Stan and Charlie without a backstop meant it was a target that could be reached.

The Hurricanes took to the crease, and Freddie continued his dominance taking the early wicket of Charlie on the second ball with a slower delivery removing the top of the off stump, as the clouds began to loom overhead. The amount of swing increased as the moisture levels rose, and Wilson fell early to a moving ball from Callum in the 2nd. Freddie then dismissed Stan in the 3rd as the light meters were being reached for and the drizzle started to turn to rain. A short break in the clubhouse to steady the nerves as the rain gave a chance to regroup in the changeroom. Back out, and Callum claimed Alfies wicket at the start of the 4th, and at 12-4 after 20 balls it was looking dire for the Hurricanes. Enter Arthur who headed out with an alternative plan and combined with Walter to push forward until the 8th over, adding 56 runs in a crucial partnership. Sensing a momentum shift, Captain Callum needed to make a change and he brought Freddie and himself back into the attack to try and finish the game. Walter succumbed to some great fielding and was run-out in a close call in the 9th, but he stayed as runner to support Arthur who had a mountain to climb single handedly. And is his last available over Callum managed to take out Arthurs off stump to finish off the match with his 3rd wicket of the day.

The scoreline doesnt show the challenge the Hurricanes faced here - the weather did not favour them today - batting in under a dark drizzle is hard. Combined with superb batting and bowling performances from Freddie and Callum it was a result that the team selections certainly did not predict.

And a special note to our U11 players who grabbed the opportunity with both hands - Esme, Hugo, Wilson, Charlie and Freddie (nearly half of the players!) - all managing to impress and hold their own in the more challenging league. We have some very promising U13s cricket to come this year and into 2027.