Friday 2nd July 2010
On Saturday 26th June the Tonbridge School 1st XI cricket side completed an emphatic win against Radley College to retain “The Cowdrey Cup”. This prestigious cup is competed for each year, through the course of the school cricket season, by Tonbridge, Eton, Harrow, Radley, Charterhouse and Wellington. Each school plays each other once in a 55 over match and points are duly awarded to the school that wins, or are shared in the event of a tie. This year Tonbridge beat all the other competing schools to win the trophy.
There were some outstanding individual performances including: Tom Elliott’s two centuries against Eton and Harrow in consecutive weeks; Fabian Cowdrey’s century against Eton, 77 against Harrow, and 3-10 in the same match; Josh Payne’s 68 against Harrow; Julius Cowdrey’s 3 for 33 against Wellington; Tom Coldman’s 3 for 45 against Eton and Tom Jenner’s 4-30 against Charterhouse. Overall though, this was an excellent team performance throughout the season – the result of a lot of hard work from the whole squad.
Cowdrey Cup 2010 Results
v Charterhouse - 1st May: Tonbridge won by 6 wickets.
Charterhouse 173-9 ( Jenner 4 for 30). Tonbridge 174-4 (Elliott 50. Cowdrey, F 45 not out).
v Eton – 15th May: Tonbridge won by 98 runs.
Tonbridge 294-6 (Elliott 134, Cowdrey F 117). Eton 196 (Cowdrey F 3-30, Coldman 3-45).
v Harrow - 22nd May: Tonbridge won by 234 runs.
Tonbridge 358-4 (Elliott 124, Cowdrey F 77, Payne 68). Harrow 124 all out (Cowdrey F, 3 for 10).
v Wellington – 12th June: Tonbridge won by 6 wickets.
Wellington 191-9 (Cowdrey J 3 for 33). Tonbridge 194-4 (Elliott 62, Cowdrey 54).
v Radley – 26th June: Tonbridge won by 70 runs.
Tonbridge 229 all out (Elliott 56, Paget 42). Radley 160 all out (Cowdrey F 3 for 31, Cowdrey J 2 for 23).
Tonbridge U14A won the Oliver Cup and earned a placed in the national rounds of the Lord’s Taverners knock out competition as Kent representatives after a successful win against Eltham in the finals of the Kent Schools U14 Cricket Competition.
Facing an unbeaten Eltham side in this year’s final, Tonbridge were put in to bat and reduced to a disastrous 37 for 5 until Harry Fitzgerald (54) and captain Alex Hume (38) put on a superb 90 run partnership. Valuable contributions from Thomas Adkins and Albie Ray eventually saw Tonbridge finish their innings on 183 for 9 from 35 overs. The score was below par on a great wicket and very fast outfield at Tenterden CC, but it was a remarkable recovery that revealed real fighting spirit.
Some tight bowling and superb fielding restricted Eltham College to 60 for 3 from 17 overs. Two key Eltham batsmen were run out and man of the match Fitzgerald’s slow left arm spell (7 overs, 13 runs, 2 wickets) played a pivotal role in tying the opposition down. As the run rate began to climb, Eltham were forced into rash shots and Nick Holder picked up two late wickets. Eltham were eventually dismissed for 110, well short of the Tonbridge total.
Tonbridge completed a very successful season in this age group having won 10 and drawn 2 of their 14 games. The two losses will give the players plenty of motivation for next season.