Junior Academies Festival:10-12 August 2009

The three regional academies were joined by Northern Ireland U14s for a three-day festival at Fettes College in Edinburgh between August 10th and 12th.

Day one saw the Eastern Academy (ERA) take on the Caledonian Academy (CRA) with the Western Academy (WRA) playing Northern Ireland (NI). Both games were reduced to 39 overs per side after heavy overnight rain.

On the main square, NI made 223 for 8 after being inserted. Peter Eakin top scored with 89. Harris Choudry was the most successful bowler taking 3/47 off 8. At 77 for 7, WRA were in deep trouble but a 48 run 8th wicket partnership between Andrew Galloway and Harris Choudry made the final total of 133 for 8 more respectable.

On the second square, a damp pitch made batting difficult. When CRA were bowled out for 75 with Gair Currie taking 4 for 7 from 5.5 overs it looked like a one sided contest was on the cards. However, with Nicky Sim taking 2 for 9 off 8 and Matthew Swan 2 for 11 off 6, CRA won a remarkable game by 4 runs. A tenth wicket partnership of 29 between Mark Fleming and Gavin Swan proved crucial.

Day Two saw CRA take on NI on the second square whilst East played West on the main square with both sides seeking their first win.

After winning the toss, Stuart Darroch’s 95 lifted the West to 174 for 9 off 45. Scott Docherty took 3 for 7 from 6 overs for the East. The game see-sawed either way before a run-out with 3 balls to go gave the WRA a five- run victory. Jasim Beg’s 3 for 22 off nine proved the match-winning spell.

On the other field, Aaron Kennedy’s 73 helped NI to 166 for 6 off 45. Nicky Sim was again effective taking 4 for 32 off 9 overs. The Caledonian batting again struggled and a final total of 50 all out meant some remarkable Irish bowling figures. Glen Shimmon took 3 for 3 off 5. Stephen Kennedy took 2 for 0 off 4 overs and captain James McCullum 2 for 1 off 2 overs.

Day Three looked like being a fight between the three Scottish sides for second place but the Eastern Academy, helped by 40 from Will Edwards, set Northern Ireland a challenging 158 off 45. This was later reduced to 123 from 35 due to some heavy showers. Fine spells from Gregor Thomson (3 for 20 off 5), Will Edwards (2 for 13 off 6.3) and Scott Docherty (2 for 9 off 5) saw the Irish dismissed for 104 and restored some pride in the Eastern camp.

The tournament would now be decided on run rate and on the main square the Western Academy did their chances no harm by amassing 227 for 9 off 45. A 79-run third wicket partnership between captain Michael English (79) and Stuart Darroch (50) laid the foundation for the highest score of the tournament. In reply, Caledonian needed 137 off 27 but struggled to 114 for 9 with only Adi Mehta’s 50 troubling the Western bowling attack. Jasim Beg took 2 for 22 off seven and Elliott Spears 2 for 20 off 5.

The calculators came out and Northern Ireland were crowned champions by the slender margin of 0.08 of a run from the Western Academy. Eastern finished third, 0.95 of a run above Caledonia who paid the price for three small totals. Consolation for Caledonia came when Nicky Sim was named player of the tournament.