Scott looks for knockout inspiration

13 April 2012

Ben Scott has been on the Surrey staff for barely a month but if the young wicketkeeper needs inspiration he need only glance at his County colleague Ian Ward.

Ward's rise from frustrated club cricketer to England batsman was expected to be confirmed at Lord's today with the left-hander poised to make his Test debut against Pakistan.

Rejected by Surrey as a youngster, Ward showed the character and determination to earn a second chance. The launching pad was a prolific 1995 season with local club side Malden Wanderers, his excellent form with the bat helping them to win club cricket's richest prize, the Evening Standard Challenge Trophy, at The Oval.

A few months later Ward was back on the Surrey staff and making his championship debut.

That victorious Malden team also contained a precocious 17-year-old named Ben Hollioake, who has since gone on to play Test cricket. So, too, has Surrey and England's Alex Tudor, who as a raw 16-year-old fast bowler, represented Spencer in the 1994 Trophy Final.

Challenge Trophy tournament director David Willis recalled: "I can remember giving Ian Ward the man of the match award in our semi-final in 1995.

"He made a high-class 80 on a difficult wicket and you could see he had something special about him.

"I would like to think that his performances in our tournament played a crucial part in him being re-signed by Surrey." Now Scott is hoping to use the Evening Standard tournament as a stepping stone to the top, having collected a winner's medal as a member of the Finchley team which won the trophy at The Oval last September.

The 19-year-old from Isleworth, who spent three years on the MCC groundstaff, was nurtured by his Finchley captain, Jason Pooley, who described Scott as "one of the best young keepers I've seen" but was unable to persuade Middlesex to offer him a contract.

Pooley has now rejoined the staff at Middlesex, where he played for 10 seasons. He is the assistant coach under new supremo John Emburey. The demands of his new job have forced him to hand over the Finchley captain's armband but it has only gone as far as his younger brother, Greg.

Finchley, who begin their defence of the trophy with a second round home match against Uxbridge on 17 June, are not involved in this weekend's games.

The 10th season of the £12,000 Sunday tournament to find London's top team begins with 24 first-round matches.

Under a revised format, the first round is split into two groups (Group B takes place on 3 June) and the 48 first-round winners will join 16 seeded teams in round two.

The pick of Sunday's 24 ties is the re-match between Eastcote, from the Middlesex Premier League, and Kent League heavyweights Bromley. The teams met in last year's third round, when Bromley squeezed through by one wicket.

Sunday's 1st rnd games (Group A): Ilford v Beddington, Ickenham v Beckenham, Marlow v Beaconsfield, Reigate Priory v Basingstoke, O Actonians v Buckhurst Hill, Eastcote v Bromley, Bickley Pk v Brentwood, Chipper-field v Brentham, Chingford v B Stortford, Cheam v Dulwich, Radlett v Dorking, RACS v Dartford, Orpington v Cockfosters, O Whitgiftians v S Woodford, O M-Whitgiftians v S Hampstead, Purley v Sidcup, O Emanuel v Worcester Pk, Ashford v Woodford Wells, N Mymms v Wokingham, HSBC Bank v Sutton, St Albans v Shenfield, Staines & Laleham v Hemel Hempstead, Spencer v Hayes (Middx), Hornsey v Hayes (Kent).

First round (Group B): 3 June Second round: 17 June Third round: 8 July Fourth round: 22 July Quarter-finals: 5 August Semi-finals: 19 August Final: 9 September (The Oval)

MORE ABOUT

Cricket

Oval (cricket)

Pakistan

Surrey

Scott looks for knockout inspiration

Read More