Primary School Competitions 2007
2007 again saw a huge Primary School Kwik Cricket Competition programme organised by Sussex Cricket. A total of nearly 300 schools in Sussex took part and for the second year out of three, a Sussex school was crowned National Champions of the Asda Year 6 Kwik Cricket competition. This is a competition in which nationally 12,000 schools take part.
This year saw a change in the structure of the Sussex School Competition Programme.
The ECB have changed the national sponsor of Kwik Cricket to Asda, which has meant that after many years supporting the East Sussex Year 6 Kwik Cricket competition, the Davies & Tate sponsorship ended.
In addition, the establishment of the nine School Sports Partnerships across the county allowed Sussex Cricket to work in full partnership with this network for the first time. Working in partnership with these organisations increases the capacity to accommodate more schools in this programme.
Competitions were held at three levels; Year 5 mixed, Year 6 mixed and Year 6 girls. There were a number of stages to each of the competitions in each School Sports Partnership. Where possible, local cluster festivals were held by the Partnerships with the top two schools progressing to the Partnership finals, organised by Sussex Cricket. Where this wasnʼt possible all schools went straight into the Partnership finals. In either case the winning schools progressed to the County Final.
ASDA YEAR 5 MIXED KWIK CRICKET
Four School Sports Partnerships ran the Year 5 Mixed Kwik Cricket Competition in 2007 with a total of 51 teams taking part. This competition sees schools play with a team of four boys and four girls.
The final was a great day at the SCCC Youth Academy Ground at Blackstone. Not only was there some sunshine at long last but there was some great cricket played and the spirit in which the game was played was fantastic.Seven teams took part in the final and the eventual winners were Stonegate, who beat Parklands in yet another close and exciting final.
Final Placings:
1. Stonegate
2. Parklands
3. West Hove
4. Wadhurst
5. Sacred Heart
6. Balfour
7. Pebsham
YEAR 6 GIRLS’ ASDA KWIK CRICKET
It was the fourth year of this tournament and the number of teams continues to grow each year, with 43 teams involved in 2007.
Many of the games were unfortunately hit by the bad weather and had to be rearranged, including the County Final. Unfortunately this meant that those who had qualified for the final were unable to make the re-scheduled date due to other commitments.
The rearranged County Final was held at the SCCC Youth Academy Ground at Blackstone with the final being a re-match between last yearʼs finalists, Summerlea and Silverdale. The game was full of excitement and some fantastic cricket, and was one of the closest matches played as the winners won by one run.
Summerlea, last years winners, managed to make it two in a row with an unbeaten run. Lets see if they can make it three in a row next year!
Partnership Winners:
Brighton & Hove Woodingdean & Queens Park
Hastings & Rye Silverdale & Sacred Heart
Mid Sussex Birchwood Grove
Angmering Summerlea
Horsham Southwater
Hailsham Grovelands
Chichester Parklands
Beacon Stonegate & Punnetts Town
Final Placings:
1. Summerlea
2. Silverdale
3. Southwater
4. Harlands
5. Ocklynge
6. Woodingdean
7. Queens Park
8. Birchwood Grove
9. Sacred Heart
ASDA YEAR 6 MIXED KWIK CRICKET
A total of 185 teams (1,850 children) took part in this long running competition (previously known as Davies & Tate in East Sussex).
11 Partnership finals took place across Sussex, from which a total of 16 teams progressed to the County Final, held at Sussex County Cricket Club, Hove.
There was some excellent cricket played through all the rounds and at the County Final, with many games very close.
The Final saw Downview, from Bognor Regis - National Champions in 2005, play last yearʼs winners Harlands, from Cuckfield, in a tense match that kept the crowd guessing to the end. Downview took some crucial wickets with some good bowling to help them become Asda Kwik Cricket County Champions.
Both Downview and Harlands made it through to the Regional Final held a week later at East Grinstead CC. This time Harlands were the winners and reached the National Final. This is the third year in a row that a Sussex School has won the Regional Kwik Cricket Finals.
Harlands represented Sussex against other regional winners from around the country in the national final at Headingly Carnegie. An outstanding performance by the ever successful team saw them crowned as the National Champions of the Asda Kwik Cricket Competition.
Huge congratulations are due to Harlands for winning this competition, in which around 12,000 schools take part. Their success makes it two years out of three that a Sussex school has won this competition, a major achievement with so many schools taking part.
Well done to Harlands and Downview and all the teams that took part this year.
County Final Placings:
1. Downview
2. Harlands
3. Summerlea
4. Grovelands
5. Loxwood
6. Greenway
7. West Hove
8. Little Ridge
9. Patcham Juniors
10. Tollgate
11. Copthorne Junior
12. Silverdale
13. Herne
14. Holy Cross
15. St Andrews
NATIONAL KWIK CRICKET FINALS 2007
These were held at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground, Leeds on Friday July 13 2007. Being Yorkshire, it rained all day from 6am to 6pm so the tournament was held at the indoor sports facility which was able to cope with the 16 teams involved. Four pitches were set up for the four leagues. Harlands beat Scotforth St. Pauls, NorthWest Champions, in their first match. This was followed by another easy win over Abbey Primary, Midlands Region.
Harlands third match was a very close game against Archbishop Primary, York, the local favourites,which Harlands won by just two runs with an assured batting performance by last pair Will Glenn and Bill Barker. The 16 teams then had their photos taken with guest celebrity Andrew Flintoff, which naturally caused much excitement. Harlands then beat Dallow Primary, East Region Champions to reach the final against Halesworth Middle School, Suffolk.
Harlands were put into bat and only mustered 225 runs after some smart fielding and brilliant catches by Halesworth. Wicket keeperWill Glenn continued his outstanding performance behind the stumps and pinpoint accuracy from the entire Harlands team ensured that Halesworth just could not score and ended with a total of 201.
ESCA, ECB and Andrew Flintoff presented the huge National Winners Cup to Edward Coombs and photographs followed. A fantastic performance!
HARLANDS ARE ENGLISH AND WELSH CHAMPIONS 2007
SUSSEX PRIMARY SCHOOLS UNDER 11 8-A-SIDE
The eight regional winners met at Horsham CC on June 15 for the Sussex finals. Harlands reached the final after beating Lindfield, St. Giles, Horsted Keynes and London Meed. In the other league, Birchwood Grove beat Mile Oak, Orchards Middle, St. Mary's and Little Common before losing to Harlands in the final.
Final Positions:
1. Harlands
2. Birchwood Grove
3. Orchard Middle
4. London Meed
5. Little Common
6. Mile Oak
7. St Mary's
8. St Giles, Horsted Keynes
South East Regional Finals
Representing Sussex, Harlands beat Dulwich Prep, (London) and just beat Whitgift School (Surrey) in a very exciting match off the last ball. Harlands then represented the south at the national finals.
National Finals
Harlands left school at 5.30am to travel to Oakham, Rutland, the new venue for the national finals. In the first match, Harlands lost by 20 runs to the eventual champions, Chigwell School, Essex. Harlands then won their next two games against Lancashire champions, Salesbury School, Blackburn, and Jesse Gray School, Nottingham. This meant playing for the third place against Solihull Prep School, Birmingham, for the bronze medals. An amazing final over by WilliamWright with two wickets in the last two balls saw Harlands home, finishing the season as the third best school in England, and top state primary school.
BOYS’ INTER-SCHOOL CAFFYNS UNDER 11 FINALS
The four regional winners played 20 over semi-finals in the morning session at Horsham CC, on Wednesday July 18 2007.
Lindfield scored 102-6 in their 20 overs but this was rapidly overhauled by Downview (Felpham) who scored 104 with the loss of just two wickets. Harlands were in big hitting form against Thomas A Becket Middle School, Worthing, and scored 202-5. Harlands then restricted their opponents to 83-7 to ensure a repeat of the last two finals. Lindfield secured third place by beating Thomas A Becket: Lindfield 153-6, Thomas A Becket 120.
In the Grand Final, Downview dominated Harlands bowling to score 149-4 with top scorer Ben Stride hitting 81. Harlands were struggling at 30-4 against accurate Downview bowling until their powerful middle order came in with Sam Palser hitting 75 runs.
Harlands won with a score of 153-7 to retain the trophy for the second successive year.
GIRLS’ INTER-SCHOOL CAFFYNS UNDER 11 FINALS
The Girls Finals Day was held at the same time as the Boys' Finals at Horsham on Wednesday July 18 2007.
In the first semi-final Jessie Younghusband, Chichester, beat Harlands in a high scoring match (Harlands 140-4, Jessie Younghusband 141-3). Dynamic fielding and bowling by Silverdale girls saw English Martyrs all out for 55 runs. Silverdale then powered to 58-2 to reach the final. The afternoons third and fourth place final resulted in Harlands taking third place (English Martyrs scored 78-4 and Harlands 81-3).
The Grand Final was a high scoring affair as Jessie Younghusband amassed 156-6, which looked a good score until the very strong and powerful Silverdale early batters moved into action. Silverdale scored rapidly to reach 157-1 to win the Sussex title for the first time.
Engraved medals were presented to all finalists - both boys and girls - on behalf of our long standing sponsors, Caffyns, by John Maher, Hugh Thomas and organiser, Glynn Turner