Petersfield U9 Panthers Secure SEHCA U9A League Title

Petersfield U9 Panthers Secure SEHCA
U9A League Title
Final Win caps great season for Panthers
Petersfield Panthers U9s went into the last game if the season against Purbrook needing a win
to guarantee them the champions spot in the SE Hants U9A league. The Panthers gave debuts
to William Osbourne and Finn Robersen and the two showed no signs of nerves as they opened
the bowling and took 3 wickets in their opening spell. Purbrook fell further behind as Louis
Wadsworth took 20
and Sam Paul (219)
turned the screw and as the final pair came to the
wicket it looked as though the visitors would struggle to raise a defendable total. However a flurry
of boundaries raised the final Purbrook score to 246. Petersfield made steady progress when
they batted and ended up comfortable winners finishing up on 299.
This marks the second year of success for the team, who added the U9A title to the B league
won last year. The final analysis read won 8 and lost 2 games and included wins over top
Southern League teams Portsmouth, Hambledon and Burridge. Top run getters for the season
were David Evans (124 runs) Jack McKechnie (66) and Fergus McClean (63) while Seb
Browning (11 wickets) Tom Griffin (9) and Zac Franklin (9) toped the bowling averages. Together
with a semifinal
place at the Hants CC Ageas Bowl U9 tournament this capped a great season
for the team where every player has contributed to the teams success.
With victory over Purbrook in their last match of the season, the Panthers won the U9A title,
finishing with 8 wins and two losses from their 10 games played. It was a great performance by
the squad, with every member playing their part.
The season started brightly with two wins over Purbrook, a win over Portsmouth and (my
personal favourite) a win over Hambledon – where some excellent bowling restricted Hambledon
to a mere 214, taking 12 wickets in the process.
Even a midseason
blip, with away defeats to Hambledon and Portsmouth, couldn’t stop
Petersfield’s march for the championship. A doubleheader
against closest challengers Burridge
ended in two crushing victories for Petersfield, setting up the titleclinching
finale with Purbrook.
Special mention to David Evans, whose 124 runs led the league, and Seb Browning, who topped
the league bowling averages with 12 wickets (ahead of Zac Franklin, David Evans, Tom Griffin
and Sam Paul, with 10, 9, 9 and 8 wickets respectively, which meant that Petersfield had the
league’s top 5 wickettakers).
Thanks go to the parents and, of course, the brothers and sisters who supported the side so
well.With several members of the squad still being U9 next year, there is a good chance that,
with a lot of hard work over the next year, the boys can retain the title in 2014.
Petersfield U9A Panthers Squad 2013:
Seb Browning, Mark Butcher, David Evans, Zac Franklin, Tom Griffin, Fergus Maclean, Hamish
Maguire, Tom Mason, Jack McKechnie, Tom MorganRush,
William Osbourne, Sam Paul, Fin
Roberson, Theo Truss, Louis Wadsworth.
Well done lads!

Back row l-r Seb Browning, Zac Franklyn, David Evans, William Osbourne
Front row l-r Finn Roberson, Sam Paul, Fergus Mclean Louis Wadsworth