Schools match of the week: Whitgift School v Wellington School

Whitgift School 237-7 (Sewell 58, Cleaver 50, Donelon 3-30) bt Wellington School 49 (Donelon 7, Sewell 5-16, Gilbert 2-9) by 188 runs

As part of The Cricketer's expanding schools' coverage we will be covering a match of the week throughout the summer term. In our first game Whitgift School began their season in dominant fashion, beating Wellington School by 188 runs.

Billy Sewell did the damage, scoring 58 with the bat then taking 5-16.

Wellington never got going on a tricky batting wicket, as they were bowled out for 49 after Whitgift posted 237-7 from their 50 overs.

Whitgift won the toss and decided to bat first. The home side were missing a couple of their top-order batsmen due to the Easter holidays but this provided opportunities for other players to prove that they deserve a place in the side.

One such player was Jac Cleaver who scored a measured 50. While others threw their hands at the ball on this slower wicket, Cleaver accumulated runs through singles and twos and was rewarded with a half-century.

He put on 87 with Sewell, but it was the contribution of Rory Low at No.5 that ensured Whitgift posted a competitive total. One of the younger members of the side, he played an effective, risk-free innings, rotating the strike regularly and capitalising on the poor deliveries to end unbeaten on 35.

Wellington didn’t make it easy for Whitgift, however, and bowled with precision. Donelon showed particular control, placing his slow deliveries on a length that Whitgift struggled to get away. He ended with impressive figures of 3-30 off his nine overs.

Whitgift were slight favourites at the interval on a wicket that was slower than expected.

The Wellington chase got off to a poor start, however, as Sewell removed opener Brooks and No.3 Naylor in quick succession. Nobody from the Wellington side spent any sort of time at the crease and they were bowled out for 49 in 16.5 overs, with Sewell taking five and Felix Gilbert and Sebastian Eyre also contributing.

Whitgift coach, David Ward, was pleased with his side’s performance.

“We probably scored 20 over par on that wicket and we bowled really well. If you bowl back of a length and try and hit the splice it is always going to be difficult to get away.

“Innings of the day was certainly Low. He played the wicket brilliantly, running the singles hard and hitting the bad balls. We could have been 180-9 but he made sure we posted something defendable.

“He has worked really hard over the past two seasons and is now one of the first names on the team sheet.”

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