OLD BOYS
M.T.E.PIERCE SUSSEX JUNIOR SQUADS 1984-1991
UNDER 11 Manager Pat Cale
PLAYED 15 WON 7 DRAWN 1 LOST 7

UNDER 11	INNINGS	NOT OUT	HIGHEST SCORE	RUNS	AVERAGE
1984	11	2	53*	194	21.6
	OVERS	MAIDENS	RUNS	WICKETS	BEST	AVERAGE
1984	71	17	168	12	3-16	14.00

So many boys with obvious potential appeared at the trials that it was decided to select an exceptionally large squad of 23 players.The Annual Report revealed that " Toby Pierce is another talented all rounder whose fast left arm bowling will prove a real problem to many sides when he acquires the necessary belief in his own ability. His best performance with the bat was in the return game with Essex. Chasing 130 we were 53 for 5 when he went in. The next 40 minutes saw him destroy the Essex attack with a succession of magnificent drives and pulls as he raced to 53 not out, which enabled us to win the match by 4 wickets"

UNDER 12 Manager Derek Semmence
PLAYED 13 WON 6  DRAWN 6 LOST 1  

UNDER 12	INNINGS	NOT OUT	HIGHEST SCORE	RUNS	AVERAGE
1985	12	4	107*	309	38.50
	OVERS	MAIDENS	RUNS	WICKETS	BEST	AVERAGE
1984	113.3	6	260	24		10.20

" The highlight of the season was a brilliant century by Toby Pierce against Kent. Toby played a number of good innings and was our most consistent batsman." Toby was presented with the Under 12 Mead Trophy

UNDER 13 Manager Derek Semmence
PLAYED 19 WON 8 DRAWN 5 LOST 4 CANCELLED 2

UNDER 13	INNINGS	NOT OUT	HIGHEST SCORE	RUNS	AVERAGE
1986	12	2	64*	308	30.80
	OVERS	MAIDENS	RUNS	WICKETS	BEST	AVERAGE
1987	105.4	25	232	15		15.70

" Toby Pierce had a good all round season, although he perhaps will be disappointed not to have done better."
Toby represented Sussex at the McAlpine Coaching Course at Exeter in April and received an extremely good report.

UNDER 14 Manager Derek Semmence
PLAYED 19 WON 8 DRAWN 6 TIED 1 LOST 1 CANCELLED 3 ABANDONED 1
The results include a Tour to Barbados. One mother claimed that her son went away a boy and came back a man.

No averages provided in the 1987 report but the following extracts record some of Toby's results.
v Eastbourne College 4 for 27
v Hampshire 17*
v Kent 48*
v London 5 for 46
v Essex 42
v Coleridge & Parry School, Barbados 5 for 6
v St. James, Barbados 3 for 6
v Foundation School, Barbados 3 for 10
In the batting "Toby Pierce played with great flair . He scored well early on but had a disappointing time in Barbados where luck really did not go his way."
In the bowling "Toby Peirce was the most improved and produced some very good spells."

UNDER 15 Manager Derek Semmence
PLAYED 20 WON 8 DRAWN 11 LOST 1
The results included a tour to Northumberland where the Manager had played as a professional with a local side.

UNDER 15	INNINGS	NOT OUT	HIGHEST SCORE	RUNS	AVERAGE
1988	11	1	100*	318	31.80
	OVERS	MAIDENS	RUNS	WICKETS	BEST	AVERAGE
1988	130	32	380	10		38.00

Derek Semmence had a squad of 27 players but in all 34 players played one or more games.
The highlight of the season was beating Yorkshire - in Yorkshire- inflicting the 4th defeat in 17 years for the northern side. On the way home Derek Semmence and the late Stan Berry entertained the boys to a couple of bottles of champagne to celebrate the famous victory.
"Toby scored a magnificent 100 against Hertfordshire and played a number of fine innings, being more willing to play his shots again, but he will be very disappointed with his bowling with the exception of a fine spell against Yorkshire."    

SOUTH OF ENGLAND
Click on photo 
SOUTH OF ENGLAND 1988
Back row D.J.Linford; Alex Planck; Toby Pierce; Ashley Giles; Matthew Luckhurst; Richard Yeabsley; Darren Robinson; Matthew Miller; Matthew Walker
Front Row Richard Ayres; Gary Pooley; Mark Semmence; Keith Dutch; Ben Walters
When Sussex nominated Toby and Mark Semmence for a South of England trial at Haileybury School, Hertfordshire I remained neutral in the selection meeting at the end of the trial and the two players obtained their places on the ability shown in the game.
We travelled to Beckenham, Kent for the Under 15 Bunbury Festival at what for us was a "home" tournament.
In the first match Darren Robinson scored an excellent century and skipper Semmence showed immense skill by bowling our 2 spinners - Keith Dutch and Ben Walters in tandem. His field placements were fascinating in that he operated with a short cover and a short extra cover and gave both bowlers very little protection on the leg side. The bowlers bowled to their fields and the North struggled to hold on - 50 runs behind with only 2 wickets standing. Against the West rain stopped play as we were 138 for 2 chasing 233 for 6 declared.
On the final day the Midlands had only to draw to win the Festival. We needed to win. The Midlands won the toss and batted. They clearly were not going to declare and we had to bowl them out. The slow bowlers bowled over 50 overs in the 82 overs that it took to bowl them out for 212 runs. Mal Loye - now with Northants made 72. Chris Sutton - now with Chelsea and soon to be transferred to Celtic- played for the Midlands. I issued instructions to chase until the last man was out. In an excellent chase lasting just 39 overs we failed by 20 runs to beat the opposition. So pleased were the opposing staff that they occupied our dressing room congratulating the players for their approach to the game. Alas Toby tried but was unable to continue the momentum of the charge to the required total.
Although Toby did not have " a great festival " he was able to gain experience with players who also now occupy their places on the County circuit.
DARREN ROBINSON   ESSEX    
MATTHEW WALKER KENT    
KEITH DUTCH MIDDLESEX   
ASHLEY GILES WARWICKSHIRE and ENGLAND

UNDER 16 Manager Derek Semmence
PLAYED 7 WON 3 DRAWN 1 LOST 1 ABANDONED 1 CANCELLED 1

UNDER 16	INNINGS	NOT OUT	HIGHEST SCORE	RUNS	AVERAGE
1989	7	1	111	283	47.1
	OVERS	MAIDENS	RUNS	WICKETS	BEST	AVERAGE
1989	45.1	8	170	7		24.20

" Of the season itself Toby did extremely well scoring 283 runs in only 7 innings. He is certainly fulfilling the great promise he showed as a 12 year old, and considering he only started to bowl slow this season , he shows a good deal of promise in this field"

UNDER 19 1990 Manager Bill Blackshaw
PLAYED 5 WON 2 DRAWN 2 LOST 1
Toby played in one match v Surrey scoring 73

UNDER 19 1991 Manager Bill Blackshaw
PLAYED 5 WON 2 DRAWN 2 LOST 1
No mention is made of Toby's batting but he bowled 25 overs 6 maidens and took 2 for 54 with an average of 27.

So Toby's career in the Juniors had come to a close. He had been part of a squad which in the five years between the ages of 12 and 16 had played 75 matches, won 33, drawn 31, lost 10 and tied one. He made 2 tours Jersey, one to Barbdaos and one to the North of England.
He accepted a place at the University of Durham and on completion of his degree joined Sussex CCC as a professional cricketer.
Toby left Sussex in 2000 and retired from cricket for the 2nd time

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