After becoming the first under-9s team to represent Bingham at the Pass Move Grin Centre’s indoor cricket league in the autumn, they followed it up by competing in the winter league from January to March. They matched their third-place finish, improving to win an impressive nine games out of 12, and were only a single point behind second.

This meant that they would have to win all three games of the winner stays on format of finals day to lift the trophy. They faced Papplewick & Linby in the quarter final. Bowling first, Bingham restricted their opponents to just 116 (from a starting point of 100), thanks to some excellent fielding (three run outs and a catch) and tight bowling that forced P&L into third ball situations regularly. However, with each wicket costing minus five runs, the game still needed to be won. The opening pair batted sensibly to take Bingham past their target, the second pair kept it going and the third pair finished the game in style by adding 32 runs.

Final score P&L 116 (1 skin), Bingham 159 (2 skins), Bingham win by 43 runs.

The semi-final saw them take on Bramcote, who had won the autumn league and beaten Bingham twice in the regular season. This, however, was a different story. Bingham got off to the ideal start, Beauden Towers taking a wicket with the first ball of the match. His second over would see another three wickets fall (bowled, caught and run out). Like the previous game, this was a story of tight bowling and fielding as Bramcote faced a third ball situation eleven times in their sixteen overs, managing only a net score of 127. Bingham matched their opponents’ score of 11 from the first pair, and 13 from the second pair meant the final pair came into bat needing to score just two. Despite the loss of three wickets, including two in the last over, Hamish Jacques-Rankin’s 19 runs were enough to secure victory.

Final score Bramcote 127 (1 skin), Bingham 143 (3 skins), Bingham win by 16 runs.

Wollaton had lost just one game on the way to finishing top of the league, although this was against a Bingham team featuring three of the players in the Finals Day team. Bowling first for the third time, Bingham made a solid start, restricting the first pair to just two runs, Towers and Lauren Spencer both registering two wickets in their opening overs. However, Wollaton’s second pair took full control of the game, adding 30, while their third pair added 17 despite the loss of two wickets. Bingham’s first pair made a reasonable start, rotating the strike consistently before being pegged back by two wickets in their final over, but finished ahead of their counterparts. Once again, it was the second pair that made the difference, as two run outs in the first over restricted Bingham’s scoring. This meant the final pair needed 21 to win, and despite their best efforts, could only manage 12.

Final score Wollaton 149 (2 skins), Bingham 120 (1 skin), Wollaton win by 29.

It was a heroic effort by our young cricketers to make the final, and something everyone should be proud of. Well done to you all.

Picture shows Coach Simon Towers with his Finals Day squad