Intermediate Girls win at LMR cricket

SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA – LODDON MALLEE REGION

CRICKET

Intermediate Girls

On a warm yet overcast day, our Intermediate Girls Team travelled to Swan Hill for the SSV Regional Cricket Finals. With two games to play, the winner of the day would be the best-performed team from the round-robin competition.

In the first game, the girls took on Charlton College, and with their confidence high from last week’s results the girls went into this match with high expectations. The girls won the toss and elected to bowl, and it was a fantastic decision. Madi Best (1/3) opened the bowling and had an immediate impact, taking a wicket with just her third ball. Madeline White (1/3), Dempsey McDonnell (2/11) and Lexie Fennell (1/4) then all chipped in to claim another four wickets to have Charlton reeling. A run-out involving a three-way play that started with great fielding from Chella Fitzgerald, saw Charlton finish their fifteen overs on 6/37.

Madeline White (18no) and Layla O’Brien (19no) then went to work with the bat, putting on a clinical display as they reached the target of 38 in just the fifth over. This allowed Zoe Reynolds and Meg Tyrrel to bat as Charlton gave a number of their girls an opportunity to bowl. After the tenth over, the game was called with CMCB finishing on 1/93.

The second game of the day was against St Joseph’s College, Echuca, and with both teams managing to defeat Charlton, the winner of this match would be the winner of the day. This time, the girls lost the toss and were sent into bat. On the back of her good form from the first game, Madeline White (30) returned to the crease, however this time she partnered up with Madeline Best (26). The two Madis were brilliant against the opening bowlers from Echuca, as they played smart cricket. Isabella Monotti (12), Layla O’Brien (6) Madi Morrison (6) and Chella Fitzgerald all came in later in the innings and capitalised on the brilliant start as the girls amassed an impressive total of 4/94 off 15 overs.

Echuca started slowly, which was due to the brilliant bowling of the entire team. Nine players were rotated through the bowling roster, with all of them either taking wickets or frustrating the batters with brilliant line and length bowling. Wickets to Jemma McDougall, Charli Simmonds, Madeline Best, Madeline White, and two run-outs proved that a real team performance will more than likely win the day. The girls’ fielding was also great to watch as they once again restricted their opposition to 6/62 off their allotted fifteen overs.

It was a fantastic team performance all day, and hence the girls have now qualified for the State Quarterfinals to be played in Bendigo on Wednesday 6 November. We wish the girls the very best of luck.

Once again thank you to Meg O’Callaghan for scoring and to Mrs Holly Speed for driving the bus.

TEAM: Meg Tyrrell, Charli Simmonds-Lucas, Lexie Fennell, Dempsey McDonnell, Zoe Reynolds, Chella Fitzgerald, Isabella Monotti, Madeline Best, Madi Morrison, Layla O’Brien, Madeline White, Jemma McDougall