Young cricketers at English Martyrs’ Roman Catholic Primary School in York have finished fourth in the 2011 Drax Cup, the country’s biggest competition for under-9s, writes Rob Ellis.

The mixed team of boys and girls, led by captain Thomas Brown, were narrowly defeated by nine runs in a close third/fourth-placed play-off match against Snaith Primary School at Headingley in Leeds.

Despite five sixes from Joe Hickey, the York school were unable to force a victory, falling just short of their 266-run target.

Teacher Catherine Johnson, who accompanied the team to Headingley, said: “The team spirit was wonderful.

“All the team left the field with big smiles, really enjoying their opportunity.

“We played our best cricket of the entire tournament on the day, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to win.”

The competition’s eventual winners were Alwoodley Primary School, from Leeds, who won the competition for the second year running after beating Wickersley Northfield Primary School, from Rotherham, by six runs in the final.

The Rotherham school had earlier beaten English Martyrs in a close semi-final.

All four teams took to the pitch prior to the Yorkshire’s Friends Life t20 match against Nottinghamshire, with the players eager to emulate the batting and bowling skills of their idols.

One such idol, the Tykes’ York-based wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, presented the Drax Cup trophy and medals to the budding young cricketers.

The finals were the culmination of a three-month competition which attracted more than 200 schools from across Yorkshire and Teesside, involving around 2,000 children.