This was a game that will live long in the memory, played out in the wonderful surroundings of Thursely Road Rec. Its great that the U11s occasionally get the opportunity to play at the Pav, on such great wickets that really allow bowling and fielding to shine.

Today it was Old Woking who came to visit. The top-of-the-table side had beaten us relatively comfortably in the reverse fixture, and had no hesitation in putting Elstead into bat having won the toss. Stan and Lochie both volunteered to open for Elstead, and managed the first over comfortably - both getting off the mark and running sharply between the wickets. Unfortunately things started to go awry in the second over. Lochie took a flat-batted swipe at a straight one and was bowled, and then Coen tried a very similar shot the very next ball - he connected, but could only send the ball straight up in the air for the bowler to take a comfortable catch. Elstead were in early trouble at 5 for 2.

Gabe came out to join Stan, and Elstead briefly motored along thanks to a couple of boundaries, but Gabe soon lost patience and also resorted to a flat-batted swipe to try to score some runs, but the ball was coming straight at the stumps and he was bowled. Elstead were 17 for 3, and all lost wickets were somewhat given away by batters who would be better served defending the straight balls and waiting to hit any loose deliveries. Unfortunately the fourth wicket followed soon afterwards as well, and again to a shot that was a little misjudged. This time it was Stan, who had looked very comfortable, who walked across his stumps and attempted a leg glance. Had it come off it would have been a lovely shot, but the glance was a little too thin and Stan sent the ball crashing into his own stumps. 23 for 4.

Now it was Danny and Charlie at the crease, with Elstead in some bother. Thankfully, this pair batted watchfully and well - and while some of the running between the wickets could initially have been sharper, the scoreboard started to tick up, helped by 4 cracking boundaries from Danny. The scoreboard had moved up to 55 before Charlie got a good delivery that swung in a little and took an inside edge onto his stumps. Danny continued to bat nicely and escaped a couple of tough catch attemps, but at the other end our batters struggled. Felix was bowled for 3 trying to hit out at a straight one, and Danny eventually fell to a catch when trying to hit a boundary on 27. It was an excellent innings that ensured Elstead would at least have a total to defend.

That left Oli, Cillian and Jack to see out the Elstead innings. As the runs dried up, pressure grew, and Oli was out LBW trying to hoick a ball into the leg side. LBWs are rare in U11 cricket but Oli had moved back deep into his crease and was hit very low on the pad, right in front of middle and leg. Cillian lasted a while and scored some welcome runs, but was eventually run out looking for a run that was never really there, and Elstead's innings closed midway through the 17th over on 74. Innings of the day was Danny, while Charlie and Stan also helped Elstead get a total on the board against a miserly bowling attack.

During the innings break we talked as a team about how we were good enough to defend this total, but that everyone had to be really sharp in the field, and we had to bowl excellent lines and lengths. With the team fired up and ready to go, Danny took the first ball for Elstead. It was a cracking over that really set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Danny conceded just one run, but critically really worried the batsmen who went very much into survival mode.

Oli bowled a good second over for Elstead, helping to keep the run-rate down, and then it was back to Danny for one of the overs of the season. He very nearly got a wicket second ball which the batsman edged behind, but Charlie couldn't quite manage to cling on. But deserved reward was just around the corner - two wickets followed, both clean-bowled, and at the end of over three Old Woking were rocking on 7 for 2, and they knew they were in a match. Danny had backed up his 27 with the bat with an excellent 2 for 1 with the ball off his two overs, but wasn't done yet.....

Oli bowled another good over, and then it was Lochie's turn - despite a couple of early wides, he tightened things up nicely, before Stan took the next over. Sometimes in cricket bowlers can be excellent but go without reward, and unfortunately for Stan this was one of those spells. With the Old Woking batters visibly retreating to survival mode once more, Stan bowled with pace and accuracy, unlucky not to pick up a wicket from a ball that was edged behind, but another tough chance for Charlie to take, and this too went down. A priceless maiden over nonetheless. Lochie then bowled his second over and finally the pressure told - the Old Woking batter took a swipe at one, but too close to Danny who plucked a great one-handed catch.

With pressure continuing to build Stan bowled his second over, and twice extracted inside edges that on another day would have smashed into the stumps, but today went for runs. Felix and Gabe were next to bowl, and the tight bowling continued. After ten overs Old Woking were on 33 for 3 - behind the required rate, but with wickets in hand.

After squash and biscuits and a change of wicket-keeper between Charlie and Lochie, the scoring rate accelerated a little as 13 runs came off the next two overs. The introduction of Jack however quickly brought the next wicket, as the Old Woking batsman took a swipe and was clean bowled. Coen came on next, and once again it was a superbly bowled over that deserved more reward. Our 4th maiden over of the day, and pressure was building. Jack's second over wasn't quite as good as his first, but Coen's was better; his second ball was carved into the air but too near to Danny, who took a good catch. Three balls later, Coen sent down a beauty to clean bowl another Old Woking batter, and at 59 for 6, Elstead were starting to believe.

And so it was down to Charlie and Cillian to try to see things home for Elstead. Charlie came on for his spell and the belief grew even bigger as Danny snaffled another amazing one-handed catch off Charlie's last delivery - 62 for 7. Cillian then bowled a really tidy over under pressure, conceding just four runs, and it was back to Charlie. It was also back to wickets, as Charlie got a clean bowled wicket from his first delivery, to leave Elstead one wicket away from an unlikely victory. Try as he might though, Charlie couldn't get the final wicket, and so it was up to Cillian to bowl our last over with Old Woking neededing 6 to draw or 7 to win.

Cillian was outstanding under the pressure, a leg bye was followed by 3 dot balls, before the pressure potentially told and Cillian sent down two wides. That brought the score for Old Woking to 73, and the innings to a close - but then came a moment of controversy. The Old Woking coach was not happy with the game being over and demanded that Cillian re-bowl the wides. Although technically those are the competition rules, this is the first time we have seen that enforced - especially as there was no way that Cillian was trying to gain advantage by bowling the wides. But even though it leaves a slightly sour taste, rules are rules, and Cillian therefore had two more balls to bowl, knowing he couldn't concede a run if Elstead were to win.

At this point, another word on belief. And positivity. And backing up your mates. Every Elstead player was outstanding today at being focussed and positive in the field. They encouraged each other, and the support for Cillian was wonderful. Everyone believed we would do it. And so Cillian came sprinting in for his next delivery, and sent down a lovely ball. The Old Woking batter swiped, but the ball was on him quickly, and that shot went airborne, and ominously out in the direction of a certain Danny McGuinness. There was only one outcome. Elstead had won the game (and the moral high-ground) to joyous scenes.

A one-run win off the penultimate ball. It doesn't come much better than that, and the kids deserve to remember this great victory for some time to come.

Its been a great 3 days for the U11s. Two games against the respective league leaders, and two close victories. This is a team that really can beat anyone. Although our batting could have been better today, our bowling and fielding was outstanding. The Old Woking opener carried his bat for all 20 overs but could only score 12 runs off 55 deliveries, such was the accuracy of our attack today. And of course we had some great numbers too - Danny 2 for 1, Coen 2 for 3, Charlie 2 for 5 - but many others bowled superbly.

This was a great team effort today, where a positive attitude and encouragement throughout (noted proudly by our parents, and enviously by the opposition parents) made the difference. We weren't able to do the man of the match awards today as several Old Woking players had left before the end of the match - so instead a reminder of Danny's performance today : 27 runs with the bat, 2 for 1 with the ball, and 4 catches.