Northern lights shine bright

New Williamfield, Stirling was the venue for Day One of the Caledonian Northern Cricket Academy's tour to the central belt. The Caledonian Regional Academy is divided into two sub-academy regions, Tayside & Fife and Northern. Their opposition were Western Academy U15 XI, this is the only occasion WCA are fielding an XI at this age group this season.
 
CNRA U16 won the toss and elected to bat. The Northern openers saw off a good opening spell from Elliot Speirs (Ayr) and Scotland U15 opener Haris Chaudhry (Clydesdale). Sam Hicks was first to depart but Jack Mitchell was not phased and amassed 55. Mitchell Rao (Prestwick), who also bowls medium pace out swingers, was bowling his canny off breaks and bowled Mitchell through the gate.

Stoneywood Dyce's Omar Afridi kept the run rate high in the middle overs before Dhruv Satpute (Glasgow Accies) induced a leading edge to the safe hands of Lyle Hill (Clydesdale). Fraser Proud's 38 saw CNRA to a formidable 255-8 in their allotted 45 overs. Although Rao and Chaudhry bowled well, it was captain Michael English (Ferguslie), who last week ended up with four wickets for Scotland U15 against Shropshire, finishing today with the best figures of 3-42.
 
Western Academy opened with Abdul Sabri (Drumpellier), fresh from two good displays on the U17 tour to Ireland, and skipper English. Sabri was first to depart run out after a mix-up which brought left-hander Nick Pyne (Drumpellier) to the crease. Pyne was top-scorer on the successful Junior WCA (U14) tour to Jersey last week but he was run out by a poor call and an excellent piece of fielding without facing a ball.

Seb Stewart came in to bat and immediately settled in. He and English built a partnership of 44. When English departed, Hill came in and played some clinical shots but was clean bowled by Afridi trying to pull a ball that was to full to do so. The lower middle order had a collapse after Luke Speirs was well caught behind by wicketkeeper Calum White and it was left to all-rounder Rao to partner Stewart. The pair eked the innings out to the 38th over when Stewart cut the ball to gully.
 
CNRA U16 were worthy winners and several of the youngsters having played the day before in Huntly's SCU Trophy Final victory over Glasgow Accies. It was the second taste of success there in consecutive days.

The Northern Head Coach Neil Nicol said "It was a good win for our lads against a strong Western side with several Scotland U15 caps."
 
CNRA U16 now move on to play Eastern Regional Academy in Edinburgh as well the other Caledonian Sub academy, Tayside & Fife in a double header.
 

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