Junior Journo: Conor’s Match Report
On Sunday at The County Ground, Beckenham, Kent Cricket welcomed Conor, our first Junior Journo in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.
Under 15s tickets for one-day matches are just £1 in the school Summer Holidays!
Kent Spitfires will defend their title at home matches both in Canterbury & Beckenham:
Buy tickets now
Conor spent the day meeting players and experiencing what it’s like to work as a cricket journalist. Before coming a Junior Journo for the day, he said that he would most like to meet Jack Leaning from the current Kent squad.
As well as getting to interview his hero before & after the Toss, Conor was also there on interview duty with both Simon Cook & Matt Parkinson after the match, as well as ringing the match bell at The County Ground before play.
His other, written task, was to give us a Junior Journo match report. Here was Conor’s take on the match:
It was Kent Spitfires’ first home game of the Metro Bank One Day Cup and having won the toss, they elected to bowl.
Leicestershire Foxes were strong with the bat from the outset and racked up an opening partnership of 80 in the first 10 overs between Patel and Budinger. Matt Parkinson, in the first ball of his home debut, managed to break up the partnership with Budinger going for 67.
Parkinson followed up quickly with his second wicket sending Hill out for 3. Patel eventually fell for 50 being caught and bowled by Qadri and at the halfway point the Foxes were 142/3.
Another partnership formed until Bazley broke the 100 run partnership sending Handscomb walking. Bazley got his second of the day with Mulder going for 67 but with 5 of the Foxes reaching half centuries they eventually finished on 380/5.
The Spitfires had an uphill battle ahead as they went out to bat requiring 381. Things didn’t go to plan when O’Riordan edged one in the second over to be caught by Handscomb. Captain Jack Leaning came in next whilst Mulder bowled a maiden over to slow the run rate further.
Things got worse in the ninth over when the Spitfires lost another wicket with Leaning out LBW by Mulder. Things weren’t looking optimistic and just two overs later we were 51/3 after Compton hit one down the ground into the hands of Hill.
Next in was Harry Finch, could he save the day? We hoped so but Finch went for 2 after he clipped one to the keeper down the leg side. Joey Evison came in next but went for a duck after 3 balls. It was all going wrong for Kent today.
Sadly things just kept getting worse for the Spitfires as we lost our sixth wicket, Bazley, LBW. Soon after, Grant Stewart was caught by Josh Hill as it was all falling apart for Kent.
At the end of the twenty second over, Qadri was caught behind closely followed by Gilchrist. Parkinson was caught by Ackermann to seal the Foxes victory. A disappointing day for Kent who end on 116 all out.
By Conor
Conor & other juniors in attendance all collected the signatures of their Kent heroes, on FREE autograph sheets, after the end of the match.
The Metro Bank One Day Cup is throughout in the school Summer Holidays!
Kent Spitfires will defend their title at home matches both in Canterbury & Beckenham, with Under 15s tickets just £1!
