A great all round performance saw the U15s hold off a late Linton challenge and win by 18 runs.
Batting first Sam Phelps and Luke Eades set off purposefully, taking the score to 24 in the 5th over before Sam was bowled for 10.  Lucy Duncan joined Luke and these two pinched singles and picked off the boundaries to great effect, Luke particularly being very quick to pull short balls to the leg side boundary.  Having put on 67 together, Luke was bowled for 47 with the score at 91, agonisingly one good shot away from his half century and Lucy was then run out for a very solid 26, her on drive down the ground for four being the shot of the day. After a flurry of running from Will Anderson and Rachel Howe in the final over Thriplow finished on 108 for 4, a good score on a dampish wicket.
Trinity Hales (3-0-12-1) and Zoe Barkes (3-0-22-2) both took wickets in their opening over (good catches by Tom Hawthorn and captain Freya Watrasiewicz) and Linton were rocking at 3-2.  However Cropper led the recovery and although wickets fell at the other end (Sam Phelps 3-1-6-1), whilst he was there Linton looked ominous at 69-3.
However, the switch to a pink ball to help the players – and spectators! – see the ball in the gathering gloom triggered a change. After Cropper confidently hit the first five balls of Freya’s opening over for 14, she cunningly slipped in a full fast straight one to york him for 40 and Thriplow were home and dry.  Torin Phelps (3-0-6-3) and Freya (3-0-16-3) cleaned up the tail (a good low catch by Ted Blackbourn-Maze helping) and 10 minutes ahead of a rain deluge, Linton had collapsed to 90 all out and the quarter final place was sealed.