25 Jun 2008 - The David Rollo Trophy
The David Rollo Trophy match, played between Hillesley and Kingswood for many years in memory of the sadly departed landlord of "The Fleece", has been rained off for the last two years. Both sides agreed to use their 20 over fixture for the contest, and a contest it proved, with victory not decided until the last ball.
It was a game in which both sides` youngsters decided the outcome. Hillesley`s father and son, Gavin Bailey and 16 year old George, set off at seven an over. Bailey Snr., with 19 in five balls off Barry Morgan, was particularly severe on the Kingswood attack and its ten man field, until student Jamie Moran removed him for 27. Bailey Jnr., then delighted his side with neat cuts backward of point and nudges through the onside. Losing five other partners, only one of whom, Jim Mason (19), reached double figures. He carried his bat with increasing ferocity for 63 of Hillesley`s 148 for 6. Removal of his partners was by Steve Moran, returning from a nasty gash heading the ball 40 yards to the boundary to take 2-24 and schoolboys Tom Devine (1-29) and Jay Simmons (2-19).
Kingswood's Morgan brothers, Kevin (30) and Barry (40), appeared to have matters well in hand with 57 in seven overs; with many key players missing much depended on them. George Bailey`s boundary catch of an otherwise brutal flat six from Kevin was the first turning point in Hillesley`s favour. The second was John Hartley trapping Barry lbw. It was now Kingswood`s youngsters` turn. Jamie Moran hit a brisk 11 but his dismissal by young Matt Vaughan`s leg spin left 15 year old Tom Devine and 16 year old Jay Simmons together with 60 needed off eight overs. Tom`s 21 off 14 balls kept up the rate, but his dismissal, plus two more, left Jay with much to do. Starting at the non-striker`s end with 11 needed off the last over from the highly experienced Gavin Bailey, his and his side`s chances looked poor. With an incredibly cool head and swift running he farmed the strike and, with 14 off the over, gained the Rollo Trophy by six wickets off the last ball.