Kent Under 11 Girls  109-7 (25 Overs)
Ella Clifton 21
Maddie Hughes 13
Rochelle Beeson 11 not out

Essex Under 11 Girls 93-9 (25 overs)
Morgan Freeman 2-11
Rochelle Beeson 1-3
Run outs:
Bobbie Haywood - 2
Catches: None

Result:  Kent Under 11 Girls Won by 16 Runs

This was great win to start the 2010 season.  Essex were a useful outfit.  They had some good top order bats and their all round fielding was sharp.  They had already played five games and they had us struggling at 54 for 6 at the half way stage. However, a superb partnership of 47 for the 7th wicket pushed our final total just past the hundred mark, which we were able to defend for a notable victory.  

Kent won the toss and elected to bat.  Youngsters Ellie Harbourne and Molly Davis made a steady start before the latter was well caught low down at mid wicket.  Ellie was bowled soon after pulling at a good length ball.

Lizzie Neal look solid and ran well but then was out bowled missing a straight pitched up one.  The same couldn’t be said about Maddie Hughes, who rode her luck with swings and misses and being dropped. She ran out Morgan Freeman with a bad call, but remarkably hung around at the crease hitting the odd lusty blow.  She could have had more runs had her running between the wickets been more urgent, and eventually she got her comeuppance with Ella Clifton running her out!

Izzy Cloke went back without getting behind the line and was out first ball.  We had lost all our top order before drinks and we were in danger of not batting out our overs.  Rochelle Beeson joined Ella and they added 47 in ten overs.  Their late order partnership was a highly unusual feat in girls cricket but proved to be match winning in the end.

Stella Gowans came in at the end, but although we still had Emily Bennett, Bobbie Haywood and Georgia Moore to come in, we failed to take risks and only scored 8 runs in the last three overs.  This is something that we must work on as a team.

Essex started briskly, typically taking quick runs with their push and run tactics.  Our field was set too deep which made it even easier for them to score!  We had a bit of luck with our first wicket when Bobbie’s direct hit from long stop hit the wicket to run out their opener with novice keeper Molly not even looking for the throw!

Credit must go to our first four bowlers Rochelle, Izzy, Lizzie and Ellie who kept things tight.  There were only two wides in the first 8 overs and Essex were behind the asking rate at 24-2, with Ellie removing their other opener with a good fast pitched up ball.

In giving everyone a bowl, and also trying Lizzie and Grace as keepers, we were in danger of letting Essex back into the match.  Fortunately their lower order were not as good as ours and although the bowling was more erratic, the home side found runs hard to get. We continued to take wickets with Stella, Maddie, Morgan and Ella taking one each, and Georgia, Grace Emily contributing well.

With Essex needing 36 from the last five overs, we found ourselves in the driving seat.  Our better bowlers came back and Rochelle duly delivered with a wicket maiden.  In the end they could only reach 93.  We had managed to turn things round and win a remarkable cricket match at our first outing.

It was nice to win but there are things that we need to work on.  Our close in fielders need to get on the loose ball and attack it to stop quick singles.  We need to work better as a team when backing up in the field.  Having said that, there were notable exceptions.   Stella chased the ball and flicked it back from boundary to Lizzie who threw in and hit stumps.  Bobbie Haywood laid an early claim to the season’s fielding award.  She was absolutely fantastic at long stop; she dived and chased everything and had two direct hit run outs.  She has set the standard for everyone to follow.

Our running between wickets needs to be quicker and more urgent.  We could have scored more runs by turning 1s into 2s, and 2s into 3s.  Calling also must be precise - we ran each other out on two occasions.   

On the other hand, if we have wickets in hand in last 5 overs we can afford to take more risks with our running between wickets.  The 23rd over of the match was a maiden! This is ridiculous.  Wickets left are not as important as runs on the board.  If we take risks, it tends to panic fielders into making mistakes, and so in the end we can often make runs out of nothing.

Nevertheless, this was a very good win because we turned it round from a losing situation.  Well done to you all.

Off to a winning start – the team who played against Essex