20:20 vision for Mersey's Magic Boys

Heaton Mersey Magic (U10s) South Manchester League Summer Cup Match 1

So this was it, our first T20 game, versus Cheadle CC, under you're out you're out rules. Not for the faint hearted. Captain Isaac on winning the toss was up for a bat. 

Ben and Freddie were our first gladiators into the arena. The toughest job is opening. At 7 for 2 both openers were back in the hutch plotting their bowling tactics (plot spoiler!). Hugo and Isaac steadied the ship. After Hugo's dismissal Alex got the dreaded run out with a long range direct hit (nothing you can do about those). Tom next and the dream of batting all 20 overs looked distant, especially when the captain fell and our late order "finishers" Thomas and Eisa followed him back. Enter Zack....

There have been some great partnerships over the years, Morecambe and Wise, Torvill and Dean, Lennon and McCartney, Stokes and Leach, Cagney and Lacey, and now we can add Manning and Crockett to the pantheon. 

7 overs later they were still there, with Tom having batted from over 5. Having added 40 they ended the innings on 28 and 22 not out, pushing Mersey to a very defendable 93 for 7.

Hugo led the attack, keeping it tight before the captain claimed our first wicket in this format. Archie stuck next. With runs hard to come by with 11 fielders all dialled in, the match was going our way. Standards in the field were amazingly high, and as we never tire of saying "the better fielding team wins at this level". 3 run outs spoke volumes about how they've progressed in this, with Thomas a linchpin.

Cheadle had wickets in hand, but Ben and Freddie had had the time to plot their bowling come backs. 2 wickets apiece in their final overs was then iced off with a team run out off the last ball.

What a fantastic win. To step up and perform immediately is amazing, but perhaps we should stop being surprised. 11 Heaton Mersey boys should be very proud of themselves tonight (and sleep well).

Thank you to Louis, Huxx, Andrew and AD for marshalling the team, and Steven and Jacqueline for manning the scoreboard.

Moment of the match to T Crockett for his last ball 4 which got us our first "retired out" (you can't score more than 25 at this level), but he wouldn't have been there without the heroics of his partner Z Manning