Millfield storm to U15 title

Millfield School triumphed in the inaugural Daily Telegraph/ESCA Schools Under 15 Twenty20 Cup last Friday at Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds.

In its first year, 1100 school teams entered the competition, which is open to any school in the country.

In the final Millfield won the toss and chose to make first use of the wicket.

Millfield: the winners

In spite of losing captain Ross Jenkins - run out for 1 with the score at 6 - Henry Thomas and Chris Haggett put on 75 to take score to 81.

Haggett was eventually bowled for 32 by Jack Oughtred, a fine left-arm spinner, who also claimed the wicket of Thomas after he had reached 56, but Millfield scrambled their resources to reach 160 for 5 and Oughtred finished his 4 overs with 2-23.

Sedbergh felt 160 was obtainable but succumbed to the wiles of Nicky Pang and Adam Le Page, finishing all out for 68.

Wickets fell with regularity - at 13, 17, 31, 44, 56, 56, 56, 58, 68, 68, the Sedbergh batsman unable to break the shackles of Pang, who returned figures of 3-14, and Le Page, with 4-13.

"It was a fantastic competition much enjoyed by everyone. Given the age group and a Twenty20 format, some thought it would be a slogging contest, but it was not at all," said ESCA general secretary Ken Lake.

"There was some quality batting and some high scores, and the teams went away tired but happy. Roll on 2007!"

Lake was keen to point out that any school with an under 15 cricket team is eligible to enter. "We mean any school, public, private, independent, and that includes all-girl schools," he said.

"We are delighted with the facilities and hospitality which were afforded us at Headingley, and the feedback we had from the pupils, parents and teachers involved in the semi-finals and final was that in spite of being a long day, it was a great day!"

Earlier, in the first semi-final between Millfield and Brentwood School, the Somerset school won the toss, batted first, and posted 164 for 4 in 20 overs.

Jenkins, the captain, was run out having scored an accomplished 44, Haggett reached his half century, and an undefeated fifth wicket partnership put on 40, with Pang and Chris Ellison the protagonists.

For Brentwood School, Oliver Lee took 2-21 from his four overs.

Brentwood School set off at a gallop, and reached 52-1 after 8 overs, and at 95 for 1, looked on course for victory.

However, pressure built with some fine bowling and wickets began to tumble - at 95, 106, 110, 110, 126, 126, 127 and 131.

Brentwood ended on 144 for 9, with Aaron West (34) and Ed Nation (31) the major contributors.

For Millfield, Ellison returned 2-23, and Le Page 2-21.

In the second semi-final, between Sedbergh and Loughborough, Sedbergh batted first after winning the toss and Jordan Clark was eventually run out for a magnificent 87 and Nicky Parkin (35) compiled an opening partnership of 73.

Sedbergh lost their second wicket at 162, with Matthew Pimlott out for 38, and ended on 187 for 4 off 20 overs.

In reply, Loughborough were off to a good start, losing their first wicket at 65, but thereafter losing wickets steadily - at 66, 89, 101, 122, 122, 124, 133, 133, 133 - in the face of tight Sedbergh bowling.

Twelve-year-old Shiv Thaker top-scored with 46 and showed great maturity.