Stags Stall Our Stars: U13s Fall Short in Marple Battle

A spirited display at Marple wasn’t quite enough to tame the Stags this week, as our Under 13s found themselves on the wrong side of a 36-run margin. The hosts galloped to a formidable 112 for 4 from their 20 overs, leaving our young heroes with a mountain to climb that was roughly the height of Kinder Scout—only with more midges and fewer sandwiches. To our credit, the Charlesworth response was as sturdy as a dry stone wall. We proved remarkably difficult to dislodge, losing just four wickets across our full allocation. However, the boundaries were harder to find than a parking spot in Chadderton, and we finished our shift on a respectable, if parked, 76 for 4. While the result didn't go our way, the discipline shown by our batters in protecting their stumps was a sight to behold. We might not have chased down the target, but we certainly made Marple work for every single dot ball. We’ll take the grit, leave the disappointment, and hopefully find a few more gaps in the field next time. At least the post-match squash tasted like moral victory!