Team Manager - Lionel Harrison
Assistant Manager - Graham Withers
Coach - Ralph Mitchell
Team sponsored by Mike James and MJT Controls

The re-introduction of an U13's team including 10 players from our U11's Championship winning squad of 2000 gave us a very positive feeling about our chances of being successful in this league too. We found out though that we were being a little too optimistic as the standard of cricket proved a bit more demanding. The final league table below shows that although we finished in joint 6th position we suffered as many defeats as victories and so were never really in a challenging position for league honours.

Our first encounter was with Failand & Portbury but in a closely fought finish with our last pair at the crease we lost by 4 runs chasing a target of 92-3. At 51 -1 we appeared to be well on course for victory, after a typical innings of 23 from Ben Lyons to add to his 2 wickets for 5 runs (the only bowling success we had in their innings), but we lost wickets rapidly in the closing overs , despite a valiant effort by Jenny Withers (6no)

Spirits were lifted the following week though as we ran though a strong W-S-M side - all out for 61, Archie Stead taking 4 wickets to decimate their middle order and a show stopping 3 wickets in 1 over from Jenny Withers wiped out their tail. We coasted to victory in 13 overs with Ben Lyons scoring 31no. Another impressive victory followed at Cleeve, Garth Tiley retiring with a top score of 36no as we reached just over the 100 and ran out winners by 51 runs, with some very tight bowling and fielding.

In a lower scoring game against Uphill Castle, without 4 key players, we nevertheless bowled very well to keep their score down to 64-3. Again at 41-3 with 12 overs to go victory seemed a formality. Garth Tiley's dismissal for 17 then turned the game and against some first class bowling our inexperienced batting collapsed to 51 all out in the space of 4 overs. Our next game, was the first of two without 11 of the squad being available, against a strong Cheddar team. Although they ran out winners by 9 wickets we had batted determinedly only losing 6 wickets and restricted Cheddar to 24 runs in 10 overs. Fielding much the same team the week after against Claverham we totalled 73-5 thanks to Richard Veater (15no) his best knock of the season and Adam Crooks (19). It took Claverham until the 17th over to overhaul this score and we could consider ourselves unfortunate not to have run them a little closer.

A return to winning ways was heralded by our game against a surprisingly weak Clevedon team as we posted our highest league score to date of 130 with an opening partnership of 60 between Archie Stead (37no) and Rhys Davies (23). Clevedon's response fell well short by 90 runs. The weather as much as Wrington posed a few problems in our next game as the majority of our bowlers lost their accuracy in the cold/blustery conditions. Not so Jenny Withers as she returned an analysis of 4 - 0 - 11 - 2 and restricted their score to 109. After another good opening partnership of 70 from Archie (36no) & Rhys (28) we managed to falter and in a nerve racking final few overs it was Alistair Palmer (10no) & Tom Williams (9no) who had to steer us to victory with 3 balls to spare. Our visit to Congresbury provided our highest league total of 156 and our biggest winning margin of 106 runs which could have been even greater but for stand of 28 by their last pair.

At this stage we had become league leaders but were soon brought down to earth at Portishead where poor fielding and bowling lost us the game as we gifted them too many runs and in turn failed by 2 runs to reach their score of 107, after contributions of 33 from both Garth Tiley and Adam Crooks had taken us to the brink of victory.

It was a month before we were able to play again this time at Optimists where we restricted them to 91. Rhys Davies anchored our innings and batted throughout it for a technically faultless and undefeated 40, which enabled our victory with 2 overs to spare.

The final league game against Nailsea proved to be the League title decider as far as they were concerned as the win they achieved against us gave them the two points to take them clear of Cheddar. The strength in depth of their team in both batting and bowling showed. We found it difficult to contain their runmaking, with the exception again of Jenny Withers who took 1 - 6 off 2 overs, as they otherwise scored seemingly at will and set an imposing total of 123. When it came to our turn to bat their bowlers exercised a real strangle hold on proceedings and with two exceptions none of our batsmen managed double figures. The main opportunity we had to turn the game our way was provided in a remarkable innings by Garth Tiley (48) as he belligerently set about their attack but when he was out, just short of a deserved 50+ and possible match winning score, in the 18th over the task was insurmountable although Alistair Palmer (10no) - playing for his average again!!, took us to 102.

In the U13's Sabaru NCA Cup KO we had a preliminary round walkover against Claverham which gaveus a first round game against W-S-M. Their earlier league defeat at our hands set-up what proved to be a tense struggle for supremacy in a game which both sides had points to prove. Each innings bore mirror reflections of the other. We batted first and were comfortably placed at 49-2 by the 11th over. W-S-M were 40-2 at the same stage. At the 16th over we were 64-7, W-S-M 68-4. With Ben Lyons (27) almost carrying his bat for the innings, we finished 84 all out. W-S-M went into their last over needing 6 runs for victory. We restricted them to 3 runs with one ball to go. Instructions were flying everywhere to set field placings to stop them getting a 4. In the action that followed they just scrambled 2 runs as the shot went between fielders, so drawing the game. KO rules are such that in the event of a tie the team losing least wickets wins and so W-S-M went through but each team had established a healthy respect for the other.

All in all, bearing in mind we were without 11 players for two weeks in June and had another 2 close games which we lost by our own actions the story could have been much different. Nevertheless, we played some very entertaining cricket and the team performed well on most occasions. It was particularly pleasing that having started the season with a bare minimum number in the squad come June there were some 20 genuine U13's to select from and this, therefore, still enabled us to play the scheduled games in June despite the absence of so many players. It was just as satisfying to see the determination of the other players in those two games to do well and they gave a good account of themselves and were not too far away from winning one of the games.

Given the same enthusiasm and commitment next season then the prospects look even more encouraging. We still retain the majority of our squad (5 shown in red in the table below will be too old) whilst other of the stronger clubs this season will lose a larger number of their more accomplished players. Roll on 2002 !!

In conclusion I would like to express my gratitude to Graham Withers for his assistance in running the team and support in other ways, Ralph Mitchell (Coach), Jan Lyons for her administration behind the scenes and to all the parents who helped with the refreshment duties, transportation & scoring, not forgetting Fid for the ground preparation and of course our youth sponsors as shown above. A word of praise too for our statistician Matt Colwill who does a remarkable job in maintaining our website in such a brilliant fashion for all our teams.

Awards:

Young Player of the Year - Garth Tiley
*Top Bowling Average - Jenny Withers

*Just a word about this special award. To come into a supposedly male dominated environment, be accepted as one of the 'lads', even captain the team on one occasion as she did, play every game and then top the bowling averages ahead of some of the best bowlers we have seen for a long time speaks volumes as to how unique an achievement this has been by Jenny. It is equally unique as to my knowledge she is the only female player in our league at this level, let alone one of this ability. Unfortunately, we lose her services next season as she will be too old for this age group but I hope she will be still be as keen to join our Under 15's, to be started in 2 years time, when she will be eligible to play again. I am sure she will in the meantime continue her involvement at other levels in the Club, 2nd and Sunday XI's, which she has already been doing this season as well and had her talents recognised and respected by both senior club members and opposition alike!