Monmouth School for Boys’ U13 cricketers triumphed in The Downs Malvern Six-a-Side Tournament

Captain Toby Smith blasted a huge six into the event director’s car as Monmouth dominated.

They reached the final after four successive victories before defeating the hosts, The Downs Malvern, to win the prestigious title.

Monmouth achieved two excellent wins against The Downs Malvern and also defeated Moor Park, Abberley Hall and Winchester House from Brackley in Northamptonshire.

Each fixture in the tournament on Sunday lasted just five overs per side with batters having to retire after hitting 25 runs.

Monmouth posted 61-3 in their opening match against The Downs Malvern before restricting the hosts to 45.

The Monmouth boys dispatched Moor Park in the second match, limiting their opponents to just 27 and then knocking off the runs without losing any wickets.

They recorded a convincing 23-run win against a strong Abberley Hall side in their third match and then posted 50 against Winchester House in a battling 14-run triumph.

After four successive wins, Monmouth qualified for the final as group winners, facing The Downs Malvern, whom they had already beaten earlier in the day.

The boys reserved their best performance for the final, smashing 62 runs from five overs.

Morgan Boret led the way with a quick-fire 27, while captain Toby Smith blasted a huge six into the tournament director’s car and Olly Collins managed to conjure three runs from the final ball despite hitting it only 15 yards!

Rafe Llewelyn then took two wickets in the first over of the reply before Thomas Vizard put on an incredibly athletic display of fielding to deny The Downs’ batters boundaries. Felix Squirrell was calmness personified behind the stumps throughout the final, preventing any byes.

Osian Jones and Albie Balfour gave vital support and encouragement from the boundary edge; despite their superb contributions to victories in the group stages, there was only room for six players in the final.

The outstanding tournament victory means that Monmouth retained the trophy won last year in convincing fashion by the current Year 9 boys.