There is nothing quite like a big match night at Henley's home ground, and Monday evening showcased the very best of the club's junior section. It was fantastic to see an excellent turnout from the wider club, with a great mix of senior players and junior members from other age groups coming down to support the team. Their presence created a buzzy atmosphere that perfectly reflected the club's spirit.

Playing on a pitch and outfield prepared incredibly quickly on the heels of a busy regatta week, the Under 13s delivered a clinical, high-energy performance against Sulhamstead & Ufton CC to secure a convincing 6-wicket win, booking their place in the upcoming County Final.

Having lost the toss and been asked to field, Henley set the tone immediately on their home deck. Up top, Avi Kohli and Fynn Ellison bowled a consistent line and length. Avi made the initial breakthrough by bowling the opener for just 1, ensuring the visitors were under pressure early on. As the innings moved into the middle overs, Harry Ellison and Alexander Jewell maintained the pressure, keeping things tight and refusing to let the Sulhamstead batters break free. Harry's accurate spell was rewarded with a crucial breakthrough. Toward the backend of the innings, Archie Thomas and Alastair Taylor applied the final squeeze.

The standout bowling performance came from Alastair, who turned the game completely in Henley's direction by claiming his first-ever five-wicket haul. Landing the ball consistently in good areas, with heavy revs creating a lot of late dip, he frequently caused the batters to misread length - with all five of his wickets bowling the batters. The highlight of his spell came immediately after being hit back over his head for four; Alastair responded with a beautiful googly that completely deceived the batter as he tried a similar shot, rattling the stumps to rapturous applause from the home support.

The bowling unit was backed up by good, committed energy in the field. While there were a couple of minor mistakes, the overall application was solid. The team chased down everything well and backed up the bowlers with some good stops to cut off potential boundaries - including a particularly acrobatic effort from Alexander to save a boundary. Behind the stumps, Matthew Bollinghaus kept cleanly and stayed sharp throughout, maintaining an alert presence to keep the pressure on the batters. Sulhamstead were eventually bowled out for 92 in the 19th over.

Chasing 93, Henley’s opening pair got the reply off to a flyer, showcasing immaculate timing alongside loud, decisive calling, enabling them to run well between the wickets and take advantage of every opportunity to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Matthew was eventually undone by an excellent delivery that appeared to keep a bit low, but the platform had been firmly set. Skipper Henry Manwaring’s standout innings included a superb straight six back towards the pavilion - which drew a chorus of admiring noises from the crowd. In accordance with the cup competition rules, Henry carried his bat as he retired not out upon reaching 30, leaving the side in a fantastic position.

His retirement did, however, trigger a bit of a wobble as Henley lost a few quick wickets in succession to give the visitors a brief glimmer of hope. Thankfully, Alastair and Alexander combined calmly in the middle, keeping their composure to steady the ship and see Henley safely over the line in 10.1 overs to seal a comprehensive 6-wicket victory.

This was a special, memorable evening for this squad. Huge thanks must go to groundsman Charlie and the team of parents and players, led by Chris the previous evening, who worked tirelessly to prepare the ground so soon after the regatta. Equally, a massive thank you to Nat and Carly for opening up the bar and keeping the refreshments flowing, which contributed to a fantastic atmosphere.

With a great home win under their belts, the team now turn their attention to the the County Final. They will face the winners of the match between Bracknell and Slough at Purley CC on Friday 17th July.