WILL HODGSON was responsible for the tournament highlight in Jersey Cricket’s Fairway Super Series for under-16s – thanks to an unbeaten knock of 100 runs off just 58 balls.
Following the U14 event a week earlier, the second round of the now-annual competition returned to FB Fields, with Jersey’s top junior players from the 2022 season being drawn into four squads named after Island charities.
Lord’s Taverners Lightning would end the weekend with the title in their grasp but it was Hodgson’s display in the third/fourth-place play-off that was recognised as ‘performance of the tournament’. Competing for Beresford Street Kitchen Bandits, he registered 15 boundaries, including three 6s, to help his side to a mammoth total of 177 from 20 overs. Jack Stevens hit 92 in reply but Dementia Jersey Dynamos ended their chase some way short.
In the final, Mind Jersey Mavericks got off to a strong start thanks to a promising partnership between Sam Watling and Ali Webster, but three wickets in four overs for Adam Bradbury swung the game towards Lightning, who limited their opponents to 105.
Sam Gott was a mainstay for the eventual champions in their reply, as they reached their target with six wickets in hand.
Lee Meloy, Jersey Cricket’s performance and development manager, said: ‘It was a great afternoon of cricket to finish the 2022 season with some outstanding individual performances. It’s important that our youngsters have the opportunity to put their skills on show, especially after a long season. A huge thank you has to go to our sponsors Fairway for their continued support of local cricket.’
