The aim of GDPR is to give the U15As enhanced lack of control over their bowling. As you would expect, they have been working hard to prepare for this and are committed to messing with the sanity of their coaches and manager.

Thankfully, the boys did enough in their batting and fielding performance to counteract the expensive effects of GDPR. With luck, and a bit of time in the nets over half term, they will click that button to change their delivery preferences. They need to chuck this version GDPR in the skip.

Having lost the toss and been asked to bowl, OEs openers Ewan and Qasim had a decidedly mixed start. In five overs they managed to remove both opening batsmen (who looked dangerous) but OEs conceded 14 extras. First change bowler Sami took a wicket in the 6th but another 10 extras were conceded.

Things calmed down a bit after that and it is no exaggeration to say that it was a relief that only 13 extras were recorded in the subsequent 14 overs. The only blot was the final over, in which Holtwhites scored 20. But that's an occupational hazard for a spinner bowling the final over. The ground fielding was excellent, with Eddie throwing himself in the path of the ball a couple of times, Qasim somehow patrolling a huge section of the boundary, and Sami and Avi holding on to catches.

At the end of the Holtwhites innings, OEs were left with a daunting target of 141. Openers Avi and Sami started cautiously and had managed only 16 runs when Sami fell on the first ball of the 4th over. The new partnership of Avi and Abhivansh picked up the pace a little but were still shy of the required rate at the end of the 6th. Then, a change of bowlers at both ends was just the spur they needed and, with excellent calling, the pair built a partnership of 104 that came to an end when Abhivansh was bowled in the 15th. By now, the target was only 21 runs away.

Fourteen runs were added in the next two overs and, by the end of the 17th, seven more were needed for victory and Avi was eight away from a century. He was facing and two boundaries would complete the job nicely, but it wasn't to be. He heaved the next ball for six, but the umpire had already called a no-ball. So OEs reached their target with Avi one short on 99*.

We've reached the half way stage of this season's league having won three, lost one and had one rained-off. That's a good performance by any measure.

Written by Chetan Shah