Trent College hellbent on success

Trent College are a cricket success story after reaching two national finals. JIM HINDSON reports on their match against MCC

The cricket gods were looking down favourably at Trent College for this early-season fixture versus a strong MCC side. The sun shone from flawless deep blue sky as the school’s head of cricket Scott Boswell delivered the now obligatory Covid-19 briefing to ensure the safety of all those participating. 

Trent run an excellent cricket programme which sees 20 boys’ and seven girls’ teams taking to the field and they are seriously competitive to boot. In 2019, the under-15 boys reached two national finals, with many of those involved taking on MCC in this fixture. 

Coaching at the college has been complemented by the recruitment of former England Women’s star Jenny Gunn, who works across all teams and age groups. Gunn replaces former coach Tash Farrant, who became unavailable due to a full-time contract in the new women’s domestic structure. 

MCC batted first in this 40-overs-per-side match, progressing to 49 for 1 when spin was introduced in the form of Notts Academy prospect Fateh Singh. The tall left-arm spinner gives the ball a real rip and was soon fizzing the ball past the outside edge. Fresh from a four-day Notts 2nd XI fixture versus Lancashire, Singh has slowed down his pace following on from conversations in the winter with bowling coach Andy Pick. The result is a more teasing loop and dip as the delivery lands, encouraging the batsmen to drive when the ball isn’t quite there. 

Given an extremely dry spring, it was no surprise to see the straw coloured pitch offering appreciable turn. Singh picked up two quick wickets, first a stumping and then a classic ‘pitch leg, hit off’ slow-left-armer’s dismissal. 

^{Trent College captain Keiran Pell and left-arm spinner Fateh Singh}

At 52 for 4 MCC were reeling and it took a patient knock of 55 not out from the experienced Nick Langford of Cuckney CC and some lusty late blows from former Derbyshire seamer Kevin Dean (27 from 18 deliveries) to see the club to a competitive score of 205 for 8. 

Another Trent player with county 2nd XI experience was opening batsman Mitchell Wagstaff. Earlier in the month he lined up in a fixture for Derbyshire versus Northants 2nd XI, who had one-time England spin bowler Simon Kerrigan in their line-up. Conversely, it was movement in the air that challenged the left-hander’s latest outing, with Dean swinging the ball prodigiously away from Wagstaff, providing a stiff examination of the youngster’s knowledge of his off stump. 

Wickets tumbled for the school side and at 66 for 6 a heavy defeat loomed. 

Fortunately for Trent, skipper Kieran Pell had other ideas and he began to release the shackles imposed by MCC spinners with a mix of sweeps and reverse sweeps. Runs began to flow and well-supported by the tail, Pell launched into the seam bowlers, who had been brought back to stem the tide. He eventually perished an agonising three runs short of a century, his innings of 97 coming from 89 balls, including 13 fours and three sixes. 

Pell’s fireworks made the result uncomfortably close for MCC, who eventually ran out winners by 19 runs. The MCC captain Peter Davies spoke to a socially distanced gathering of players at the end of the game, commending the youngsters’ performance and also the staff at the school for getting the game on safely in these strange times. 

As part of MCC tradition, Davies awarded (via a Covid-inspired throw!) Pell the Spirit of Cricket cap in recognition of his outstanding performance. 

What Davies didn’t mention, perhaps wisely, was that if Pell had made three more runs, his family would have been invited to a day of the Lord’s Test, an offer extended to all schoolboy cricketers who either make a century or take five wickets against the club. 

He will be disappointed to miss out but his demise in pursuit of quick runs in spite of a looming personal milestone revealed the character of this precocious talent. Lord’s will have to wait… for now.

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