The Twickenham CC U10s moved smoothly into the semi-finals of the Middlesex South Cup on 18 June, easing past near-neighbours Richmond (see here for the card). A super batting display by the Ts saw Richmond set 189 to win. The Richmond middle-order gave it their best shot, but ultimately Twickenham got home with something to spare.

Jonty Thornton does a Ricky Ponting
Say it quietly, but the Twickenham U10s were pretty decent on 18 June. Sure, the U10s who generally play for the U11s were there and they made a difference, but it was a definite case of when the sea-level rises so do all ships that are out there sailing. Across the board Twickenham players brought their A games.

That was true right from the get go. Sam Allen (26 from 32) and particularly Jonty Thornton (32no from 25) ran well and hit hard. At one point Thornton appeared to have mutated into Ricky Ponting. Sure, he wasn't wearing the Australian baggy green, but Thornton was pulling with both power and panache. Top stuff.

Harry Breckon (2-11) led something of a Richmond fightback, but Vince Hough then upped the ante for the Ts, helping himself to 30no off just 18 balls. Once he'd left the fray, Gus Joyce and James Petrou were left to add an unbeaten 28 before the curtain came down. 188-5 was a more than decent effort.

Run outs galore as the Ts shine in the field
You sensed that Richmond knew they had a tough task in front of them. And, it didn't get any easier when Vince Hough steamed in and bowled Arthur Donne with just three on the board.

James Petrou then followed that by bowling Zachary Koshy-Baxter. 3-1 became 7-2. With Annie May bowling tightly, the Ts were already squeezing Richmond right out of the game.

Thomas McKeown, batting at three, wasn't going to take that lying down. He led the fight back, hitting 25 off 19 before Noah de Vos stepped up and smartly ran him out. That wasn't the last run out, either. Two more followed, with Jack Baran executing a superb direct hit from a good 20 yards out and Vince Hough smartly hitting the bowler's end stumps from mid on. The Ts really were cooking in the field.

That having been said, a couple of catches did go down and there were a some fielding mishaps, but all in all the Ts kept things together nicely.

Quinn Kedzlie (0-5 off 2) and Jack Baran (0-7 off 2) gave little away, Noah de Vos and Gus Joyce attacked the stumps and looked generally menacing. Jarvis Griffin (31no off 37) nonetheless dug in, as did Alexander Ormerod (22no off 31), but by now the cause was lost. The Ts cantered home with something to spare.

The Ts will now play either Teddington Town or Sunbury in the semi-final. That's likely to be in two weeks' time. Should be an intriguing encounter.