Future of cricket and cricket teas alive and well in Calverhall
On a blustery spring afternoon in Calverhall, Calverhall Cricket Club took to the field against Ellesmere Cricket Club in the Shropshire Cricket League with more than just cricket on their minds—it was family, community, inclusion and the future of the game in action.
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As the Calverhall eleven warmed up with purpose, practising fielding drills and loosening limbs, the team sheet told its own powerful story. It wasn’t just a match—it was a statement. Three talented U15 players, a female cricketer, and two overseas players.
The three brave U15 players, stepping up to senior cricket with enthusiasm; a female cricketer, proving once again that the game is for everyone; and two players from proud test-playing cricketing nations proudly donning the Foxes’ whites and showcasing cricket’s power to unite across boundaries.
A Chill Wind and Missed Chances: The Foxes Fall Short as they are put into Bat
Calverhall Cricket Ground felt the bite of a cold north wind—and it blew straight through The Foxes' batting line-up. After a decent batting performance last Saturday in Wales, hopes were high in the Foxes’ camp. But those hopes were soon tested.
Millard and Rowe made a steady start, notching 26 and 15 respectively, but early momentum fizzled under tight bowling and biting conditions. Despite a valiant 52 from Cantwell, the rest of the line-up struggled to dig in. Zaman showed glimpses of last Saturday’s half-century grit with 21, but too many batters got in and got out, leaving the crowd wrapped in coats and frustration.
Wickets fell too regularly, with Upton, Newton and Applegard doing the damage for Ellesmere, and the extras column offering some charity—but not enough. The Foxes were bowled out for a disappointing 152, at least 48 runs short of expectations, in a match that felt winnable from the outset.
It wasn’t the start the Foxes wanted, but with Cantwell firing and teas being served, given it’s a home match, and the crowd of supporters building there’s plenty of cricket left in Calverhall —and warmer winds, we hope, on the way.
Long live Cricket Teas!
There’s nothing quite like cricket teas—that magical interval where heroes in whites transform into grazers at a banquet!
After 40 overs of toil, the pavilion turns into a five-star buffet: mugs of steaming tea, towering sandwich stacks, pasta bake that deserves its own fan club, cakes that disappear faster than wickets in a collapse, and sausages that surely count as protein recovery.
Cricketers, scorers, umpires, and loyal supporters unite in glorious, carb-fuelled harmony—chatting, laughing, and eyeing the last Rocky Road like it’s the Ashes. Then, recharged and slightly heavier, it’s back out for another 40 overs of blood, sweat, and damaged bodies.
Foxes Set for the Chase After Cantwell’s 50!
Cricketing drama returned to Calverhall as The Foxes took to the field to see if they could restrict Ellesmere under clearing skies and returning spring sunshine. After losing the toss, the visitors opted to field—and came out flying in the field. But just as they looked set for a big total, The Foxes struck back with ferocity.
After the first 10 overs the Ellesmere batsmen were beginning to find their rhythm, The Foxes' captain, Griffiths, gathered his team in a huddle. His message was clear, loud, and full of fire: “If we want to win this, we put our bodies on the line—stop the fours, take the hits, back the bowlers!”
The energy shifted instantly. Fielders flew to the ball, diving, sliding, and throwing themselves into the effort. The bowlers sensed the lift and kept the pressure high. But cricket, as ever, has a sense of humour—moments after his impassioned war cry, Griffiths took a thumping drive straight to the knee. True to his word, he wore it like a warrior... then turned his back on the team to quietly grimace through the pain.
Leadership in action—and a bruised knee in the name of glory!
Inspired by both the leadership and the courage of the youngsters on the team’s bravery first change bowler Reynolds found a way through the top order with variation and a "you miss, I hit strategy", finishing with a needed 3 for 29. Then up stepped the Man of the Match: T. Cantwell. With flight, guile, and ongoing classic Foxes grit in support, Cantwell weaved his spell and bagged a sensational 5 for 29, flattening the middle and lower order, including bagging the final wicket. The crowd roared as wickets tumbled, and The Foxes restricted Ellesmere to 140 all out!
Honourable mentions go to Griffiths and Rowe, each securing a wicket and keeping things tight and the pressure on the visitors.
As the season gets underway, what’s shining brightest for The Foxes is the growing confidence and fearless contribution of the younger players and our brilliant female cricketers. Their energy, commitment, and enthusiasm are infectious, lifting the older, more rotund, slower members of the team!
The Calverhall team is gelling beautifully, playing hard, laughing louder, and proving that cricket really is at its best when everyone’s in it together, and has teas to enjoy between the 80 overs of fun in the sun.
