On Monday 9th August Knowle & Dorridge CC U15 boys will compete in the national finals day of the ECB Vitality knock out T20 competition. The national finals will be held at Rugby School, with the K&DCC team competing against teams from Yorkshire (New Rover CC), Essex (South Loughton CC), and Devon (Exeter CC).
To reach the final stage, the K&DCC U15 team have played seven games, including beating Walmley CC away to win the County Cup within Warwickshire. After that match, there came a victory against Stone CC, before competing in a regional finals day, with a semi-final against City Academy in Leicester and final against Ombersley. Both matches at regional finals day were tightly contested, but K&D’s victory against Ombersley was sealed with an excellent 50 (retired) batting performance from Amir Khan and an impressive four wicket haul by Ruthvik Morajkar.
Three years ago, four of this national title challenging K&DCC U15 team were playing up a year in the club’s 2018 national title winning U13 team (Josh Reynolds, George Maddy, Umar Shaikh and Hamza Shaikh). Their coach Steve Smith expects this will stand them in good stead for Monday’s finals day.
“That experience will take them forward. They were junior members of that 2018 national title winning team and now they are senior members of this U15 team, which is looking to win another national title for the club.”
Steve Smith has worked as a volunteer coach at K&DCC with the core of this team since some of them were Under 9’s and says, “It’s great to see them progress as a group through from pairs cricket to a national final.”
Asked to describe the qualities of the team as a whole, Steve replies, “They have a great sense of togetherness and camaraderie. They are very vocal in supporting each other on the pitch. Their attitude is tremendous, as is their application in doing everything I ask of them. I really couldn’t ask for more from them as a group.” He adds, “The boys’ parents have also been very supportive. They have been with us every step of the journey.”
Steve has been a club member at Knowle & Dorridge CC for over 25 years. Aged 67, he has retired from work but is heavily involved as a volunteer at the club, not only coaching in the junior section but looking after the club’s second ground at Lugtrout Lane. Steve usually coaches two junior teams a year. For the past few years, he has taken this U15s team through the age groups and also coached the U11s pairs team each year. “I get great satisfaction from seeing players develop year on year, coming through the age groups. It’s good to keep busy now I have retired, and I enjoy coaching. This group of boys have lasted the course and stayed with their cricket through some challenging times with the pandemic. It’s great to see them reach the final stage of a national knock out competition and I hope we can see it through to the end.”
Andy Wyles, WCB Participation and Growth Manager, says
“Everyone at WCB wishes Steve Smith and the K&D U15s team the very best of luck on Monday. We hope to see another national title coming back with a Warwickshire club. Getting to finals day in a national knockout competition is a fantastic achievement and, whatever the outcome, it will be a great experience for some of our talented emerging cricketers in the county.”
The Knowle & Dorridge CC squad for Monday is
Charlie Anthony
Jack Gallagher
Amir Khan
George Maddy (Wicket keeper)
Isaac Maddy
Ruthvik Morajkar
Daniel Palmer
Barnaby Pidler
Josh Reynolds (Captain)
Hamza Shaikh
Umar Shaikh
Will Turner
