U12 Indoor Cricket Tournament
Norlington produced an excellent set of performances across the day in the indoor tournament hosted by Robert Clack School, showing strong game awareness, adaptability, and resilience to progress through to the next round.
Norlington made a superb start to the tournament with a composed and clinical run chase against Robert Clack, demonstrating exactly how to manage a target without losing a single wicket. Chasing confidently, the batters showed excellent shot selection and communication, keeping the scoreboard ticking over by over and never allowing the required run rate to become an issue.
The batting display was built on calm decision-making rather than risk, with singles rotated well and boundary options taken when presented. By maintaining control of the run rate throughout the innings, Norlington reached the target comfortably and efficiently, setting the tone for the rest of the day and highlighting the importance of pacing a chase.
The second fixture proved to be a tougher challenge and a valuable learning experience. While Norlington competed well in patches, the team fell behind the required run rate during the middle overs of the chase. Despite good intent, a lack of consistent scoring meant too much was left to do in the final over.
The pressure mounted as the innings progressed, and although the boys fought hard right to the end, the target proved just out of reach. This game reinforced a key lesson of the tournament: allowing the run rate to climb can place significant pressure on the closing stages, even with wickets in hand.
Facing arguably the strongest and most credible opposition of the day, Norlington produced their most impressive performance when it mattered most. With qualification on the line, the team showed outstanding character, composure, and belief.
A standout performance came from Emaad, whose powerful and consistent batting across the day proved decisive. Once again, Emaad delivered under pressure, finding the boundary with confidence and timing. His big hitting in the crucial moments of the final game ensured Norlington crossed the line and secured progression to the next round. His consistency with the bat throughout the tournament was a major factor in Norlington’s success.
The bowling effort was equally impressive, with Ali, Tahaa, Eesa, and Zaeem showing excellent discipline. They bowled tight lines, limited scoring opportunities, and applied sustained pressure that proved vital in restricting the opposition’s total.
Behind the stumps, Ubayd was outstanding, producing nifty, agile wicketkeeping throughout the day. His sharp movement, quick reactions, and safe hands added real value to the team’s defensive effort.
Across the three matches, Norlington demonstrated strong tactical understanding, resilience, and teamwork. From executing a perfect run chase, to learning from setbacks, and finally overcoming top-quality opposition under pressure, the boys showed clear development and maturity.
A fantastic team effort and a thoroughly deserved place in the next round—well done to all involved. An exciting challenge awaits!
Norlington vs Newham College U18's
However, Newham’s experience and consistency with the ball made scoring increasingly difficult, and wickets at regular intervals slowed Norlington’s progress. Further wickets followed as Newham tightened their lines and lengths. Norlington battled hard but were eventually restricted to 80 for 4, falling short of the target.
Although the result did not go Norlington’s way, there were clear positives in bowling discipline, fielding effort, and individual determination. Competing against such strong opposition will provide valuable experience as the team continues to develop.
Newham College won by 96 runs
U13 Essex Indoor Cricket
Norlington took part in the Essex Under-13 Indoor Competition, hosted at St Bonaventure’s School, competing against the hosts and Little Ilford School. Across four competitive matches, the squad showed resilience, tactical awareness, and maturity to finish as overall winners and progress to the next round of the Essex Cup.
Norlington opened the competition against St Bonaventure’s, batting first and setting an excellent total of 57 runs from five overs, with each over consisting of four balls. The innings was built on positive intent and intelligent running between the wickets, with Azaan Ali and Haadi Ali Akbar accelerating particularly well in the latter stages to establish a challenging target, despite losing a wicket off the final ball. In reply, St Bonaventure’s were restricted to 38 runs from their 20 balls, as disciplined bowling from Azaan Ali, Muhammad Talha, and Saim Basharat kept Norlington firmly in control. Azaan Ali was the standout performer, showing a very mature approach to his batting and excellent acceleration through the innings.
The second match saw Norlington face Little Ilford. Following a confident opening win, the decision was made to reverse the batting order. This backfired, with early wickets falling and momentum never being established, resulting in a total of just 13 runs from 20 balls. Azaan Ali came in right at the end and scored three runs from two balls, but Little Ilford chased the target down comfortably in 2.1 overs, leaving the group wide open going into the remaining fixtures.
In the second round of games, Norlington once again played St Bonaventure’s. This time, St Bonaventure’s batted first and were restricted to 31 runs from five overs thanks to excellent bowling discipline across the team. The standout moment came in the final over, where Zaeem Ali Awan produced a superb spell, taking three wickets in a maiden over. This decisive contribution swung momentum firmly in Norlington’s favour. Norlington then batted with composure, as Azaan Ali and Haadi Ali Akbar guided the team to victory in 4.2 overs, chasing the target calmly and efficiently.
The final and decisive fixture was against Little Ilford. Batting first, Little Ilford scored 26 runs from five overs, losing three wickets, as Norlington once again bowled with control and accuracy. For the chase, Norlington adjusted their batting order, with Muhammad Talha and Zaeem Ali Awan opening the innings. After the early loss of a wicket, Haadi Ali Akbar returned to steady the innings, and Norlington held their nerve to reach the target with one ball to spare, losing just one wicket.
This hard fought and well managed victory confirmed Norlington as overall winners of the competition, securing progression to the next round of the Essex Cup. Across the day, the team demonstrated adaptability, teamwork, and strong decision making under pressure.
Norlington U13 Squad
Saim Basharat
Azaan Ali
Haadi Ali Akbar Captain and Wicketkeeper
Zaeem Ali Awan
Muhammad Talha
Yusuf Iqbal
A fantastic collective effort from all involved.
College Indoor Cricket League Norlington vs George Monoux
Norlington Batting Innings
The innings began in difficult fashion, with Murad caught early and Ayaan bowled soon after. Regular wickets, including a couple of run outs, prevented Norlington from settling or building meaningful partnerships, placing the middle order under real pressure.
Shayaan batted through until he was the last man standing, injecting energy and momentum into the innings at a crucial stage. His aggressive spell included back to back sixes that shifted the momentum firmly in Norlington’s favour. However, a moment of chaos struck at the end of the innings as Shayaan ran out his partner, resulting in Norlington being bowled out with two balls still left. The innings closed on a competitive 136 all out.
George Monoux Run Chase
George Monoux began their reply confidently and kept themselves firmly in the contest throughout. Norlington’s bowlers produced good spells and took timely wickets, but a series of extras allowed Monoux to stay ahead of the required rate for long stretches of the chase. As the match progressed, the pressure on both teams intensified with every delivery.
A Frantic Finale
Monoux entered the final over needing 15 runs to win, a challenging ask but very achievable in the indoor format. They started the over brightly, putting immediate pressure on Norlington. A crucial run out offered a brief lifeline, but Monoux recovered and reduced the equation to just 7 runs needed from the final 3 balls.
With the match hanging in the balance, Shayaan was handed the responsibility of the final deliveries, carrying the weight of both his batting heroics and the earlier run out. Under immense pressure, he responded superbly. He delivered the decisive moment by bowling the last man, sparking huge celebrations and sealing a dramatic win.
Full Time Result:
Norlington win by the skin of their teeth, securing their first victory of the season in this competition.
A match filled with character, tension and resilience. The boys made it difficult for themselves at times but showed tremendous fight and composure to edge out a thrilling and hard earned win.
U15 Essex Schools Indoor Cricket Competition
Norlington School welcomed Chigwell, Redden Court and Langdon for the opening round of the U15 Essex Schools Indoor Cricket Competition, and the boys produced an afternoon of exciting cricket that showed real quality, resilience and learning.
Game 1: Norlington vs Chigwell
Chigwell arrived with a strong reputation and several highly talented players, but Norlington rose to the challenge superbly. After losing the toss, Norlington put in an outstanding spell of bowling and fielding, applying pressure from the very first over.
Ayaan was the standout performer, bowling with precision and taking a crucial wicket that swung momentum firmly in Norlington’s favour. The tight lines and sharp fielding restricted Chigwell to just 24 from their 20 balls, an impressive defensive effort in the indoor format.
In reply, Norlington batted with confidence and discipline. Murad anchored the innings brilliantly, carrying his bat and guiding the team home comfortably. The chase was completed inside 13 balls, giving Norlington the perfect start to the group.
Game 2: Norlington vs Redden Court
Redden Court chose to bat first, but again Norlington’s defensive performance set the tone. The boys were sharp in the field, intelligent with their positioning and aggressive in their pursuit of runouts and deflections.
Govind delivered the standout bowling performance of the match, consistently beating the bat, creating chances and keeping the scoring rate low. Redden Court finished on 29, another excellent effort from Norlington to limit the opposition.
The chase, however, brought some drama. Poor running between the wickets resulted in two cheap run outs, with both Govind and Azaan falling to miscommunication. Despite the setbacks, Norlington showed good composure and closed out the game to secure their second win of the competition.
Game 3: Norlington vs Langdon
Langdon entered the fixture as the team to beat, having posted scores of 55 and 48 in their previous matches. Norlington won the toss and chose to bowl, knowing early discipline would be key.
What followed was their best bowling performance of the afternoon. Norlington’s intensity in the field forced mistakes, and the bowlers stuck to their plans superbly. Langdon were restricted to 41 for 4, well below their usual standard, setting up a tense but chaseable target.
Norlington’s batting started with intent and intelligence, rotating the strike and immediately getting ahead of the run rate. The pressure began to shift away from Langdon, and a stunning over from Murad, including two straight sixes, put Norlington firmly in control.
However, indoor cricket has a way of shifting momentum quickly. A lapse in concentration saw Govind caught off the wall while trying to score too quickly, followed by Murad and Ayaan falling in similar fashion. Suddenly Norlington were on the back foot, with Langdon energised and the final overs becoming highly tense.
With just 1 run needed from 3 balls, the pressure was immense. Thankfully, Haadi Khan showed great composure under pressure, squeezing the ball past the fielders to secure a dramatic win and ensure Norlington topped the group.
Norlington finish the first round unbeaten, progressing to the next stage with three wins from three matches. The boys demonstrated:
• Excellent bowling discipline
• Sharp, creative indoor fielding
• Some composed batting when under pressure
• Valuable lessons in concentration and game management
This was a strong start to the competition and the team will look to build on this momentum as they advance to the next round.
Well done to all players involved. Plenty of positives, and plenty to take forward.
Norlington vs Newham College Stratford
Norlington School faced Newham Sixth Form College in an indoor cricket fixture that proved both competitive and instructive. After winning the toss and opting to field first, Norlington worked hard to restrict the opposition. However, despite moments of disciplined bowling and some well-taken wickets, the team unfortunately faced the consequences of conceding too many extras.
Newham Sixth Form College capitalised on these additional runs, steadily building their total. Although Norlington produced some strong individual bowling efforts and created pressure in patches, the accumulation of wides and no-balls allowed Newham to reach a total that could have been significantly lower with tighter control.
Chasing 135 to win, Norlington began their batting innings with determination. Several batters contributed useful runs, and the team showed good intent throughout the chase. The scoreboard at various stages reflected that Norlington were still within reach of the target, and with fewer extras conceded earlier in the match, the chase could realistically have been within Norlington’s grasp.
Ultimately, Norlington finished on 108, falling short of the target despite their efforts with the bat. The match served as a clear reminder that while wickets and boundaries influence a game, the discipline of reducing extras is equally vital—particularly in indoor cricket, where every run carries added weight.
Although the result didn’t go Norlington’s way, the team can take encouragement from their batting phases and several strong individual overs by the likes of Ayaan, Ali and Shayaan. With improved bowling accuracy and reduced extras in future matches, Norlington have every opportunity to turn close contests like this into victories.
Match result
Newham College – 136 for 1
Norlington – 108 all out
Newham College won by 28 runs
Indoor Cricket Match at Leyton Cricket Hub
Norlington played their first indoor College Cricket game of the year at Leyton Cricket Hub with an extremely young squad, featuring Azaan Ali from Year 8, two Year 9s, Govind Virdi and Ayaan Azam one Year 10 Mohammed Murad and one Year 11 Shayan Farhat student and a lone 6th former Mustafa Faizal. Despite the age gap and limited experience at this level, the boys showed excellent character throughout the game.
Batting Innings – Norlington: 89 from 10 overs
We batted first and made a slow but steady start. The NewVic bowlers kept things tight early on, but our batters worked hard to build a platform. Shayan anchored the innings superbly, batting through and providing much needed stability. Around him the rest of the team chipped in with valuable contributions, but we struggled to consistently rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
A late push helped us reach 89 from our 10 overs, a competitive score but one we felt could have been higher with a bit more urgency in the middle overs.
Bowling Innings – NewVic chase the target with 5 balls remaining
Unfortunately our bowling performance let us down. Indoor cricket punishes wide balls heavily, with each one costing three runs, and we conceded far too many. When we bowled straight we caused real problems, building pressure and forcing mistakes, but the extras ultimately became the difference in the match.
There were still moments of real quality. Azaan produced an outstanding catch off Mustafa’s bowling early in the innings, a moment that lifted the whole side. We also created two sharp run outs which kept us in the game deep into the chase.
Despite the fight shown by such a young team, NewVic managed to reach the target with one wicket remaining and five balls to spare.
A brave performance from a very young Norlington side, full of effort and promising moments. With improved bowling discipline and fewer extras, this group will continue to grow and become highly competitive in future fixtures.
U18 Indoor Cricket
Norlington vs Newham College of Further Education
Norlington took on Newham College, the reigning national indoor cricket champions, in what proved to be a hugely competitive and proud performance. Norlington won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Norlington started with real quality. Azaan, our youngest player, set the tone early with accurate bowling that kept the scoring under control and forced Newham’s batters to work hard for their runs.
The bowlers were backed up by sharp work in the field. Norlington claimed five wickets in total, including two excellent catches and a brilliant caught-and-bowled from Shayan. Debutant Yusuf Hanslod was outstanding, fielding like a youthful Jonty Rhodes and showing great anticipation and commitment in the field.
Newham did capitalise on a few no balls and wides towards the end of the innings. In the fast paced indoor format these extras are punished heavily and helped Newham build a strong score. They finished on 145 for 5.
Chasing 145, Norlington suffered the worst possible start. A mix up off the very first ball led to opening batter Mohammad Murad being run out without facing, handing Newham immediate momentum.
To their credit, the boys responded superbly. Shayan batted well and ran quickly between the wickets, keeping us up with the run rate, but wickets fell around him until it was just Yusuf and Shayan left to rebuild.
Hanslod continued his impressive debut by batting with real confidence, scoring quickly and running excellently between the wickets. Norlington showed positive intent throughout the innings and at times put the national champions under serious pressure. The innings closed on 113 all out, leaving Norlington 32 runs short of what would have been a famous win.
Match result
Newham College – 145 for 5
Norlington – 113 all out
Newham College won by 32 runs
Player of the match
Yusuf Hanslod
Outstanding debut with superb fielding and a mature, positive batting performance.
Final reflection
This was a performance full of positives against one of the strongest indoor cricket teams in the country. The boys should be extremely proud of their efforts. Norlington are the only team this year to really test the national champions, asking serious questions and proving they can compete at a very high level.
U15 London Cup Final
Norlington Finish as Runners-Up
After a brilliant cup run, the Norlington U15 cricket team took to the field for the London Cup Final on Thursday 3rd July, facing a strong Eltham College side.
Having already overcome high-performing teams such as Westminster College and Robert Clack, the boys went into the final full of confidence and belief. The match started evenly, with both teams on near-identical scores at the halfway mark — Eltham at 60/3 after 10 overs, and Norlington replying with 50/4.
However, Eltham began to take control in the later stages. Their batters showed discipline and composure, accelerating well in the final overs to post a total of 156/4 from their 20 overs. In reply, Norlington struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals, eventually finishing on 110/9.
A standout performance came from Shafiq Molvi, who opened the bowling with great control and economy. His spell of 4 overs, 1 wicket for just 10 runs helped put Norlington in a strong early position and was a real highlight of the day.
While the final result was disappointing, the squad can be extremely proud of their achievement. Reaching the final of a prestigious competition like the London Cup is a significant milestone and reflects the growing strength of cricket at Norlington School.
U13 Cricket Team
Our U13 cricket team represented Norlington at the LSCA Finals Day, finishing 3rd overall – a strong showing at a competitive event featuring top schools from across London.
Semi-Final vs Wren Academy
A nervy start led to a below-par 89/6. Wren chased it down with ease, finishing on 90/4.
Batting: Azaan (23), Ayaan (10)
Bowling: Azaan, Ayaan, Govind and Yahya all took a wicket.
Fielding lacked intensity and pressure was minimal.
3rd Place Play-Off vs Kingsdale
Much improved second match. Kingsdale scored 114. We chased confidently and secured 3rd place.
Bowling: Ayaan 3-31, Azaan 2-13
Batting: Yahya 20*, Azaan 21
Reflections
- Excellent overall result, but we let ourselves down in the semi-final.
- Key takeaways: composure under pressure, fielding urgency, batting intent.
- Lots of promise in the squad – a valuable learning experience.
Photos from the Day
Team huddle before the semi-final – focused and ready.
Fantastic hospitality – thank you to Latymer for hosting so professionally
Proud representatives of the Norlington Cricket Academy.
Celebrating a top-three finish in London – well done boys!
Thank you for your continued support. We are incredibly proud of the team and look forward to building on this success moving forward.
Mr Abhay Bygott
Head of PE
Norlington School & Sixth Form
Waltham Forest U12 Champions
Norlington U12 vs Walthamstow Academy U12
Date: 14th July 2025 | Venue: Leyton County Ground
Norlington U12 were crowned Waltham Forest U12 champions in dominant fashion, chasing down a target of 65 runs without losing a single wicket against Walthamstow Academy in Monday’s final.
After winning the toss, Norlington elected to bowl first and immediately made an impact with the ball. Opening bowler Saim Basharat struck twice in the first over, leaving Walthamstow reeling at 5 for 2. Tight bowling spells from Yusuf Iqbal (2 wickets for just 3 runs) and Muhammad Hasnain Aziz (1 wicket) ensured that wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. The Norlington bowling unit remained disciplined, backed up by sharp fielding, restricting Walthamstow Academy to 65 for 5
In reply, Norlington’s batters showed their class and composure. Haadi Ali Akbar starred with the bat, retiring not out on 25 runs from 18 balls, including four boundaries. He was supported superbly by Muhammad Hasnain Aziz (19 not out) and Azaan Ali, who closed out the match in style with a brisk 8 not out from just 4 balls.
Norlington raced to 67 without loss in just 5.3 overs, sealing an emphatic 10-wicket victory and lifting the Waltham Forest U12 trophy in style.
Standout Performances:
- 🏏 Haadi Ali Akbar – 25* (18 balls)
- 🏏 Muhammad Hasnain Aziz – 19* (16 balls), 1 wicket
- 🎯 Yusuf Iqbal – 2 wickets for 3 runs
- 🎯 Saim Basharat – 2 wickets in opening over
Final Result:
🏆 Norlington U12 won by 10 wickets
A dominant all-round performance that reflects the hard work, discipline, and talent in the Norlington Cricket Academy setup.
