The summer season started off in style for Shiplake’s teams, with the tennis and cricket players raking in some victories in a promising start to the term. Five out of six cricket matches that took place on Saturday were wins for Shiplake. The 1st VI tennis team also started the season well, with two victories already under their belts. Let’s hope that the season continues this way!
Tennis
1st VI 6-3 Pangbourne College
‘Over the spring term the 1st VI players had been able to train under cover in the Caversham Lawn Tennis Club dome and so the winter cobwebs were more than blown away. We came racing out of the blocks with Marcus Hillman and Alex Sutton notching up our first point against a strong second pair. Our captain, Quin Wagner-Piggott, with Alex Gray then followed closely behind with another win. After a solid second round of games we were 4-2 up with 3 to play in the final round. A short rain break and some chocolate brownies delayed proceedings somewhat, but then debutants Miles Firth and Josh Towell battled hard with some excellent serve volley points and secured the all-crucial point to mean that the match was ours. Sutton and Hillman finished the day with a win too. Final score 6-3 to Shiplake.’
Master in Charge of Tennis Mr Adam Mallins
1st VI 4-3 Lord Wandsworth College
‘After the first victory against Pangbourne, we knew that we had to play to a similar standard in order to pull off the victory against Lords Wandsworth College. After their coach gave us four balls per court, we started playing our first matches with Marcus Hilman and Alex Sutton, Josh Towel and Miles Firth, Alex Grey and myself as the pairings. A quick victory by Marcus and Alex gave Shiplake the upper hand right from the start, however, Josh, Miles, Alex and me found it hard to get the rhythm which led to the both of us losing our first games. The second matches started soon after. Marcus and Alex had another 15-minute victory which meant the score was at a 2-2 draw. On the other two courts, there were close matches being played. Alex Gray and I started with three games to love in favour of the opponents. However, we fought through the whole match and managed to bring it back to win the game in the tie break at 7-5. Josh and Miles also played a long match, but unfortunately could quite get the win. After the second matches the score was 3-3. The third match was almost exactly the same, with Marcus and Sutton finished it off with another efficient win. For the other two pairs, we played another long game, Alex and I lost the last game in another tie break on an extremely unfortunate double fault that no one could have avoided. Josh and Miles pulled it out the bag with good win to finish the score at 4-3 to the Shiplake firsts.’
Quin Wagner-Piggott (Year 13)
2nd VI 4-5 Pangbourne College
‘The 2nd VI headed to local rivals Pangbourne for their first match, in fact their first session, of the year. We understandably got off to a slow start and went 2-0 down but gradually pulled it round during the afternoon with some excellent match play from Kieran leach, Hassan Rubbani, Jamie Gibbs, Hugh Rutledge (Captain), Charlie Dodd and Charlie Garnett. In a tense finish it all rested on the final set between the number 1 pairs which we just lost 7-6. Overall then a good match but we lost 5-4 in the end.’
Mr Mallins
Cricket
1st XI 139-3 (24 overs) – Reading School 136-6 (25 overs)
‘After a promising winter and pre-season session Shiplake College's 1st XI opened their season with an excellent win over an evenly matched Reading School team. After being asked to field, Shiplake began well with opening bowlers Lewis Bishop and Callum Creighton restricting the Reading opening pair. However, two missed chances allowed reading to reach 55 before losing their first wicket. Freddie Bowcock having their dangerous opener caught at slip by Captain Miles Bridgman. With Reading's other opener looking to press on the score accelerated quickly with Reading reaching 115-1 off 19 overs. However, when he was caught brilliantly on the boundary by George Gundry off the bowling of Ben Westbrook-Burr, Shiplake fought back. Skipper Bridgman brought back Bishop and Creighton and they restricted Reading to 136 off their allotted 25 overs, with Creighton doing the damage taking 3 for 14 in his second spell.
The heavens then opened and after a short rain delay Shiplake's chase began in measured fashion. Openers Josh Howard and Sam Neil seeing off the new ball, getting to 8 overs without the loss of a wicket. When Howard departed for 12 it brought Joe Tucker to the crease, with the required run rate creeping well over 6.5 an over for the last 17 overs. Tucker batted superbly scoring 37 off 24 balls to swing momentum in Shiplake's favour. Meanwhile Sam Neil (46) was anchoring the innings. However, with 38 still needed Tucker departed, shortly followed by Neil. It brought together Bishop (17 not out) and Creighton (15 not out) who accelerated the innings and saw Shiplake home with an over to spare in a perfectly timed run chase.’
Master in Charge of Cricket Mr Jonnie Howorth
1st XI 101-4 (24.5 overs) – Churcher’s College 98 all out (24 overs)
‘For the second time in a week Shiplake were asked to bowl first and immediately made headway into the Churcher’s College batting line up thanks to opening bowlers Callum Creighton and Lewis Bishop. Churcher’s were reduced to 6 for 2 after four overs with both bowlers bowling a superb controlled spell. Freddie Bowcock and Joe Tucker were then brought into the attack by captain Miles Bridgman and Tucker immediately struck with his first ball, leaving Churcher’s on 23 for 3. Tucker struck again in his next over and finished with amazing figures of 5-2-5-2. Churcher’s began to recover and after reaching 80 for 4 in the 20th over were undone by some excellent bowling from George Gundry and Ben Westbrook-Burr. Bishop and Creighton returned for the last four overs to bowl Churcher’s out for 98, leaving Shiplake 25 overs to chase 99 runs to win.
The chase started steadily and Josh Howard and Sam Neil saw off their dangerous openers and when Howard departed, Joe Tucker (18) came to the crease and ran brilliantly, getting Shiplake above the asking run rate. However, runs started to dry up and the run rate got above a run a ball for the last seven overs. However, captain Bridgman (17) ensured that Shiplake were left needed seven runs off the last over. With Neil (32 not out) anchoring the innings, Creighton was able to hit a four off the penultimate ball of the match to steer Shiplake home by 6 wickets. The 1st XI’s second win in four days.
Next we face Claires Court on Wednesday, before travelling away to local rivals Reading Blue Coat.’
Mr Howorth
U14B 89-6 - Churcher’s College 33-8
‘A fairly gloomy morning welcomed the 14B team on their arrival at Churcher's College this past Saturday. The first game of a new season is always full of anticipation and this was no different. Churcher's won the toss and elected to field. A few wickets fell early for only a few runs but then a commanding batting display by Luke Roxburgh-Smith steadied the ship with graceful strokes and drives, the likes of which haven't been seen since the days of David Gower in his prime. Luke's 23 runs, accompanied by strong support from Ben Willis, Ben Yeoman and some slightly wayward bowling from the opposition, led to an overall total of 89-6.
The Churcher's opening batsmen seemed keen eyed and iron willed and started confidently, making a few early boundaries. Just when it seemed as if the opposition were getting comfortable, Ben Willis made a breakthrough, taking a wicket with a clean bowl. Excellent fielding work between Max Bromell, Max Way and Ben Ferguson also led to a beautifully orchestrated run out. Then Freddie Diver picked up the ball.
Having already taken a wicket in his first over, Freddie was brimming with confidence. His deliveries were straight and true and too much for the opposition batsmen to handle. Three minutes and six balls later, Freddie had taken three wickets for no runs, an incredible achievement. Will Symons took the last few wickets with the minimum of fuss and Churcher's were all out for 33 runs, meaning that the 14Bs had won by 56 runs; a hugely positive start to the season.
Batting man of the match - Luke Roxburgh Smith. Bowling man of the match - Freddie Diver.’
Mr Marcus Milburn
The Shiplake cricket teams really proved that they were going to be a force to reckoned with on the pitch this season, as five of six teams batted their way to victory on Saturday. See the scores below:
- 2nd XI 105-8 - Churcher's College 63-9 (won by 42 runs)
- U14A 139-3 - Churcher's College 138-5 (won by 7 wickets)
- U13A 79-2 - Churcher's College 76 all out (won by 8 wickets)