Magnificent Barnard Castle U17s end Richmondshire dominance

Magnificent Barnard Castle overcame a quality Richmondshire side in the U17 Junior Division (West) this week.

The visitors arrived at Vere Road on Monday boasting the enviable record of having lost only three league games in the last nine years in the U17 age group.

Barney captain Jack Dalton won the toss and instantly elected to bat on what looked a belter of a pitch.

The skipper led the charge with a quickfire 40 and Will Poole’s more sedate 26 paved the way for some swashbuckling late hitting from Jack Bailey, whose 35 came off 23 balls including three splendid sixes.

A magnificent late cameo from Rory Metcalf featured an array of sweeps and scoops that wouldn’t have looked out of pace in the IPL.

His knock boosted the 20 over total to 163-6.

The key to victory was getting Richmond’s top four out cheaply. First up was Durham prospect Kian Hutton, who was out first ball for the second time in ten days at Vere Road when he was bowled by the ever-reliable Finlay Kirkup.

The opposition’s other opener, Will Fudali, of Australian heritage and a Yorkshire County Junior, lasted longer and was beginning to flow before being cleaned up by Toby Gent’s rarely seen pace.

A 68-2 Richmond were still in it, but then Leo Rokk’s left-arm spin worked its magic.

Gone in quick succession were Raam Raj, batting at three, and the dangerous Jake Wright, both to excellent catches by Metcalf, who was exceptional with the gloves all evening.

With the game all but secure, there was an opportunity for the captain to have a bowl.

Dalton’s little seen right-arm-over-the-wicket varieties brought him three wickets in two overs and he was unlucky not to have a fourth.

There were two excellent outfield catches taken by Kirkup and Fairfield as Barney wrapped up a 46-run win.

Report: Ian Rutherford