​Horley Under-14s – Sussex Junior Cricket Festival Under-14s Shield
Horley Under-14s batsman Harry Grimwood scored his first century during an exciting Sussex Junior Cricket Festival week, making 112 not out at Barns Green.
The Horley team did themselves proud against four strong opponents in the Shield competition, winning one game, losing one and securing two losing draws to end up mid-table.
Harry Grimwood made 86 not out in the win over Burgess Hill (Burgess Hill 194-8 from 42 overs, Horley 198-9, 34 overs) and 61 in the draw with Lindfield (Lindfield 260-6, 35 overs, Horley 152-8, 45 overs) before finishing the week in style with 112 not out (18 fours) in the defeat at Barns Green (Horley 230-2, 42 overs, Barns Green 231-7, 38 overs).
He made his century in partnership with Evan Grimwood (no relation) who scored 78 not out in an incredible unbeaten third-wicket stand of 201. Evan Grimwood had retired hurt in the first losing draw of the week at Ansty (Ansty 262-4, 35.2 overs, Horley 204-8, 44 overs) after being hit in the chest while batting, so to come back and make 17 against Lindfield then 78 at Barns Green was fantastic.
Horley had looked like starting the week with a defeat at Ansty after conceding 262 runs, but under-12s player Luke Smith batted superbly to make his first half-century and finished on 80 not out. He faced 123 balls to see Horley home for the draw, with another under-12s player, Ryan Bunn, making 16 from 35 balls.
Horley’s team was bolstered for the week by three Newdigate players – Oliver Brien, Henry Wells and Thomas Clark – and they all contributed well. Brien took two wickets and two catches, Clark one catch and a run-out, and Wells a wicket, a catch plus 19 and 13 with the bat.
After beating Burgess Hill in their second match, Horley had to work hard to bat out a draw versus Lindfield after conceding 260 runs. Harry Grimwood, Evan Grimwood (17) and Smith (24) all contributed before Bunn stubbornly faced 35 balls for one run while three partners came and went, and saw Horley home.
The Grimwoods’ batting was the headline from Friday’s loss at Barns Green, but two under-11s players, Ali Khan and Henry Grimwood took a wicket each and Alex Field got a direct-hit run-out off the first ball and took two wickets.
During the week, Edward James bowled well to take three wickets, Ben Stewart took two and a catch, Bailey Warren one wicket and two catches, Tommy McKenna a wicket and a direct-hit run-out and Joe English one wicket.

Horley Under-14s 96-8 (16.2 overs), Capel Under-14s 95-8 (20 overs), East Surrey Colts League, Thursday 11 July, Horley Row. Horley won by two wickets.
Horley Under-14s finished their East Surrey Colts League season with a win in an eventful match against Capel.
Horley’s bowlers were on top throughout Capel’s innings. Harry Grimwood took the first wicket, caught by Tommy McKenna, then Luke Smith bowled the new batter for a duck and when Joseph Marshall bowled the number four for a duck, Capel were 30-3 in the tenth over.
Smith took a second wicket and Evan Grimwood, Ben Stewart and Joe English took one apiece while McKenna got a run-out and the visitors made just 95 from their 20 overs, with Fraser Brearley top-scoring on 16.
Horley’s reply had its ups and downs. They were 40-4 when Bailey Warren and Ryan Bunn came together at the wicket and Bunn turned out to be the star batsman, making 24 while Warren made 14. Their partnership took Horley to 87 for five before Warren was out and Horley seemed to be almost home and dry. They took their total to 95, but then gave themselves and their supporters a major fright by losing three wickets while looking for the solitary winning run. Marshall was bowled, then Brearley dismissed Bunn and Stewart from consecutive balls, but bowled a wide next ball to give Horley the win.

​Reigate Priory Under-14s 92-2 (15.5 overs), Horley Under-14s 86-2 (20 overs). East Surrey Colts League Thursday 20 June, Betchworth Red Lion ground. Reigate won by eight wickets.
Horley paid for slow scoring on a difficult, sloping pitch at Betchworth as Reigate passed their low total of 86 with some ease.
Horley opener Harry Grimwood made 25 and Udith Molanguri, batting at three, made 40 not out but only two wickets fell – both to Freddie Carson - and the batters could have taken more risks in pursuit of a higher total as they had wickets in hand.
With four under-12s and four under-13s in the team, Horley were always going to be up against it as Reigate have a far larger pool of under-14s players.
Joe English and Evan Grimwood took a wicket each in the Reigate reply but then Tristan Cossey joined Matt Parish at the crease and they scored 38 not out and 26 not out respectively to see Reigate home at a canter.
English was the star bowler, going for just one run off his two overs and Ben Stewart and Luke Smith were also economical.

Horley Under-14s 111-8 (20 overs), Crawley Down Under-14s 101-8 (20 overs), East Surry Colts League, Thursday 6 June, Horley Row. Horley won by ten runs.
Outstanding bowling and fielding took Horley Under-14s to their second league win of the season.
Horley’s innings had a fast start and finish. Opener Udith Molanguri top-scored with 31, his partner Alex Field scored 10, and down the order Evan Grimwood made 14 (12 balls), Luke Smith 12 (10 balls) and Ben Stewart 12 (seven balls).
Horley reached a total of 111 in their 20 overs, thanks partly to scoring 36 runs in the last four overs when Evan Grimwood, Smith and Stewart were all swinging the bat.
When Crawley Down replied, Joe English took a wicket with the first ball, caught by Evan Grimwood. Both English’s overs were maidens and he ran out one of Crawley Down’s most dangerous players, Alex Barker, with a long throw to wicket-keeper Bailey Warren.
Tommy McKenna also had a great day in the field, snapping up a direct-hit run-out, taking a catch off Field’s bowling and taking two wickets of his own in two balls, through excellent catches from Evan Grimwood and Field, who took a real steepler over his shoulder on the run.
Evan Grimwood took the other wicket, well caught by Harry Grimwood, while under-12s player William Hofmann bowled very well in his first match for this age-group, conceding just four runs from two overs. Crawley Down ended up on 101 for eight, giving Horley the win by ten runs.

​Dorking Under-14s 120 all out (19 overs), Horley Under-14s 173-7 (20 overs). Horley won by 53 runs.
Horley Under-14s had a mixed week, losing to Lingfield in the East Surrey Colts League Cup, but winning a league match at Dorking two days later, when they only had ten players.
At Dorking, Horley batted first and opener Udith Molanguri was the star turn, retiring on 40 from 31 balls. Joe English and Harry Grimwood both made 19, Alex Field 18 and Bailey Warren 11.
Dorking also had an opener retire – Ed Phillips, with 41. Only two of their other batters reached double figures as Field, Ben Stewart and Evan Grimwood took two wickets each and English took one, caught by Harry Grimwood.
Warren kept wicket very well and executed a fine stumping for Field’s second wicket.

Horley Under-14s 207-9 (40 overs), Rottingdean 208-5 (35.3 overs). Rottingdean won by five wickets.

Horley Under-14s were unable to make it a league and Festival Bowl double as they were beaten in the final for the second year in a row, this time by a good Rottingdean side.
Put into bat, Zack Collins and Christian Kelly got Horley off to a good start with a big-hitting opening partnership of 56 before Collins was caught for a swashbuckling 31 in the tenth over (five fours).
Kelly and skipper Aryan Patel took the score past 100 before Kelly was caught behind for an excellent 45 after 21 overs (eight fours), then Patel and Freddie Holland kept up the momentum, putting on 72 for the third wicket. 
Patel played a great innings, making his best ever score for Horley – 74, including 13 fours and a six – before he was bowled in the 32nd over with the score on 180.
Horley couldn’t keep up the momentum in the final eight overs. Holland was run out for 16 and Harry Grimwood made 11 but three other batters were out in single figures as they tried to hit out.
With a total of 207 to defend from 40 overs, Horley really needed some early wickets and unfortunately they didn’t get them.
Rottingdean’s openers put together a partnership of 41 before Ben Cooper bowled Sam Blatchford in the tenth over. Another eight overs went by before Cooper – who the batters were struggling to score from - picked up the second wicket, well stumped by Kelly.
Rottingdean were a little behind the run-rate as the mid point of the innings went by, but Horley knew they needed wickets and Patel brought himself back into the attack early and had Rottingdean skipper and opener Connor Bettsworth stumped by Kelly for 61 in the 26th over.
By then the score was 135 for three and the visitors were picking up the pace of their innings, so Horley’s only hope was to take more wickets. Patel struck again in the 28th over, bowling Luke Twigger for 36, but Rottingdean were looking like hot favourites to win and they reached the target with four overs to spare. 
Patel rounded off an outstanding individual performance by taking a magnificent diving catch off Collins in the 31st over, but Rottingdean were too strong for Horley on the day.
Cooper was Horley’s best bowler, taking two for 25 from his six overs, including a wicket maiden. Patel took two for 27.
Considering Horley have just seven under-14s in their entire squad and always have to call on the best players from the under-13s and 12s, to be champions of their East Surrey Colts League and reach the Festival final is an achievement to be proud of.​

​Horley Under-14s will contest the final of the Sussex Junior Cricket Festival Under-14s Bowl next month after earning maximum points from their two Bowl matches which escaped the rain last week – and seeing one of their players score a maiden century.
Horley had been due to play on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday but the last two games were a washout for all 12 teams involved in the competition. However, Horley were top of the table thanks to great wins in the first two games and so qualified to play second-placed Rottingdean in the final, which should have been played on Sunday but had to be postponed due to the rain.
Christian Kelly was the star of the show in Horley’s opening win over West Chiltington and Thakeham on Monday 6 August as he hit 101 not out, becoming only the second player from any Horley team – adult or colts – to reach three figures this season. 
Kelly’s previous highest score was 53, and the 14-year-old’s maiden century was crucial in allowing Horley to build an impressive total of 262 for five declared from 35 overs.
He opened the batting with Udith Molanguri, who was out for 44. Further down the order Ben Cooper made 41 and Zack Collins 20.
When West Chiltington and Thakeham replied Aryan Patel took three wickets for 13 from 4.1 overs, Bailey Warren took two for 12 from three overs, Collins two for 30 from six overs and there was one wicket each for Freddie Holland, Evan Grimwood and Molanguri. 
Having wrapped up that 122-run win, with maximum bonus points, Horley entertained East Grinstead the following day and picked up another 20 points, this time winning by just two wickets.
East Grinstead batted first and were bowled out for 214 in 40 overs. Josh Barrott top-scored with 52, Collins and Cooper took three wickets each for Horley, Grimwood took two and Holland and Molanguri one each.
Kelly made 39 this time before he was run out, Collins top-scored with 58 while skipper Patel made 47. Warren and Shae Meacher saw Horley home under great pressure from a vocal East Grinstead side, with the innings ending at 218 for eight from 36 overs.
This Horley age-group side won the Sussex Festival Shield when they were under-11s, moved up a tier to the top-level Festival Bowl and were the losing finalists in the U13s competition last year and are now through to the showpiece once again.

Horley Under-14s 72-0 (seven overs), Reigate Priory Under-14s 69 all out (19 overs). Horley won by 10 wickets.

Horley consolidated their lead at the top of the league when they bowled out Priory for a low total and passed it in double-quick time.
Only three Reigate batters made double figures as Aryan Patel, Freddie Holland and Udith Molanguri took two wickets each and Zack Collins, George Bowers, Alex Field and Ben Stewart chipped in with one apiece.
Collins and Freddie Holland opened the Horley reply and made 36 and 26 respectively to knock off the runs required for no wickets. Collins hit eight fours and Holland five.​

Limpsfield Chart Under-14s 28 all out (13.3 overs), Horley Under-14s 132-7 (20 overs). Horley won by 104 runs.

Horley cruised to victory over Limpsfield Chart, with Joe English taking three wickets for four runs from his two overs, finishing his spell with two in two balls.
Horley batted first and Christian Kelly top-scored with 31, while Aryan Patel made 21 and Zack Collins, George Bowers and Udith Molanguri all reached double figures.
In the second over of the reply, Freddie Holland bowled a double wicket maiden, English followed up with his first wicket from another maiden and Alex Field then matched him with a wicket maiden of his own.
Zack Collins ended up with the astonishing figures of two wickets for no runs from two overs and for a long time Limpsfield had lost more wickets than they had scored runs.
Evan Grimwood took two wickets for one run and wrapped up the win with more than six overs to spare.​

Horley Under-14s 133-7 (20 overs), Reigate Priory Under-14s 70 all out (18.4 overs). Horley won by 63 runs. 

​It took a real team effort for Horley to win this cup match and progress to the semi-finals. They batted first and Zack Collins top-scored, retiring on 43, while Aryan Patel made 27 before playing on.
Freddie Holland was the only other top-order batsman to make double figures, reaching 14, and number 10 Evan Grimwood struck 10 off just three balls at the death of the innings to take the total past 130.
It looked a below-par total, but batting conditions had appeared to be a bit tricky and so it proved, as Priory were dismissed for just 70 in reply.
Evan Grimwood made the first breakthrough as Patel caught Calum Jordan, the Freddie Holland pulled off a direct hit runout and bowled Alfie Prince for 17 to reduce the visitors to 43-3.
Wickets tumbled after that, with George Bowers picking up two in one over and Harry Grimwood bagging three (two bowled and one caught behind by Christian Kelly). Patel conceded just one run from his three overs and got a caught and bowled, then Bailey Warren, an under-11s player, took the final wicket in his first match for this age-group.