MATCH REPORT: Wellington College vs The Willows – Sunday 26th October ‘25

It was a delight to welcome Wellington College to The Willows after the past two years’ fixtures had been abandoned due to weather. The ground was in superb condition for this much-anticipated encounter. Wellington won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat on what looked to be a fast, true pitch — and so it proved. The Willows’ bowling attack was strong, with impressive spells from Bishop and Stian Pelsar, but the Wellington openers skillfully negotiated the new ball, putting on an opening stand of just over 40 before being joined by their captain, Charlie Jackson. What followed was a fine innings combining aggression, patience, and sound technique. Jackson’s commanding knock of 112 provided the anchor for the innings. Building around their captain’s century, Wellington accelerated towards the end as Bruno Brown unleashed a powerful display of hitting. He brought up his first century for the College 1st XI — appropriately reaching the milestone with the final ball of the innings. Wellington finished with an imposing total of 309 for 6. Despite the size of the score, The Willows bowled well — a testament to both the quality of the pitch and the lightning-fast outfield. The pick of the bowlers was Sam Doig, who claimed two wickets. The Willows’ reply began cautiously against a rapid opening spell from Thurlow and Baker. After a steady 30-run opening stand, captain Steve Murdoch — a former Wellington representative — arrived at the crease. What followed was a masterclass in timing and stroke play. Murdoch’s superb innings of 134 was all the more impressive given that he was said not to have batted much recently. While Murdoch remained, the chase was very much alive. However, with limited support apart from useful cameos from Doig and Pelsar, the Willows ultimately fell short. They were bowled out for 284, bringing an end to a high-quality and entertaining contest. It was a well-deserved win for Wellington College and a thoroughly enjoyable match played in stunning conditions at Loburn. Sincere thanks to the Wellington team, coaches, management, and supporters for contributing to a memorable day of cricket.