Yorkshire’s under-12s recently took on friends and rivals Warwickshire under-12s in the third year of the Al-Murad Cup.
Rayyan, Yorkshire’s captain, won the toss and elected for his team to bat first at New Rover Cricket Ground in Adel, Leeds, on Monday, 12 August, 2024.
Yorkshire batted well with Thomas (46) and Isaac (34) starring, as they came together for a 59-run partnership which helped see the side to a competitive 201-6 off 40 overs.
Yorkshire’s under 12s took on Warwickshire under 12s recently in the annual Al-Murad Cup.
In the chase, Warwickshire got off to a flying start, as their opener smashed 31 from just 16 balls. But when he fell to left-arm quick Jack, Yorkshire quickly regained control.
The introduction of spin, in the form of Yuven, proved too much for the visitors, as the young leg spinner claimed 4-16 from his 8 overs to make a Warwickshire victory all but impossible, before they were eventually dismissed for 90 all out in the 27th over.
The victory saw Yorkshire clinch the title for the second time, after they previously won the competition when it launched in 2022 at Bradford Park Avenue.
The Al-Murad Cup is one of the initiatives between Yorkshire based company, Al-Murad, and Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Performance Pathway.
The partnership aims to ensure that talent from across the county’s communities have an equitable opportunity to shine and remove any economic, social, and coaching barriers to Pathway cricket in Yorkshire.
Jack Stockdale, Boys’ Performance Pathway Operations Manager, for YCCC, said: “We are extremely grateful for the support Al-Murad has given the Performance Pathway in Yorkshire and in the creation of this brilliant annual competition.
“This exciting cup is a great platform to showcase what our Performance Pathway is all about.
“Al-Murad’s support has opened up a lot of doors for us to provide Yorkshire’s young players with more opportunities, not just through this competition but also on the pitch for game days, and in terms of kit, training, facilities and more.”
Abdul A Ravat, a spokesperson for Al-Murad, said: “On behalf of everyone at Al-Murad we are grateful to the squads, coaches and family members for producing a wonderful occasion and we congratulate both teams.
“Cricket has the power to ignite passion, bring communities together and instil values of team spirit and togetherness, which were all on display in abundance.
“The ambitions is to make cricket the most inclusive sport for everyone and the partnership between Al-Murad and YCCC is helping bring about real change and positivity and we can’t wait for the 2025 fixture which is all about showcasing diverse talent.”
YCCC’s young pathway players, pictured at a special pathway celebration at Headingley during Yorkshire Vikings v Durham Jets this season.
The partnership has also helped support the removal of match fees and continue the Club’s pledge of providing free kit for all players on the pathway.
Next year will see Yorkshire U12s travel to Warwickshire in the hopes of retaining the Al-Murad-Cup.
James Martin, Yorkshire’s Head of Boys Performance Pathway, said: “We remain focused on increasing the opportunity for players to move from grassroots through to elite level.
“Our Performance Pathway has been a key building block in ensuring we can encourage greater access to cricket and deliver on our vision creating a Club which is truly welcoming and inclusive for the next generation as well creating an oversupply of cricketers for Yorkshire and England.”
You can see the full scorecard from the game, below:
