Today (17/07/2016) Bushy Park Girls Under 13s forwent their Sunday morning lie-in to play Ickenham CC in the MCA Girls League. The current state of the girls league means that BPG U13 has not even faced one opponent with a full side of girls yet and unfortunately this was the case of Ickenham too. Although the home side conceded the match both sides were keen to play a ‘competitive’ game, and while Ickenham played with a healthy number of under 15s in amongst their under 13s, Bushy Park Girls had one senior player in their midst with Becs Johnson keeping wicket.

BPG captain Abigail Avery won the toss and put Ickenham into bat. The hosts’ batting was strong throughout and several batswomen were retired in their prime. Although Ickenham dominated the BPG attack the visitors bowling was accurate but never penetrating, and Ickenham reached their final total of 89 without losing a wicket. Bowling figures were Jessamy Low (9 runs/3 overs), Erin Goodwin (10 runs/2 overs), Emma Sloan (10 runs/2 overs), Molly Bartlett (8 runs/2 overs), Ruby Wilkinson (11 runs/2 overs), Evie Davies (12 runs/2 overs), Chiara Mildon (6 runs/1 over), Emma Bridge (5 runs/2 overs), Abigail Avery (5 runs/2 overs). A special mention must go to Bridge and Avery who both bowled Maiden overs in the final overs.

Bushy Park Girls immediately came under pressure in their batting reply and the Ickenham opening bowler Domi ran through the BPG top order with a devastating spell of 5 wickets for 0 runs in 2.2 overs. Not all was lost, a resolute stand of 16 runs between Erin Goodwin and Emma Bridge brought the total up to 31 for 7 but it was Jessamy Low and Goodwin who powered Bushy Park Girls to within striking distance of the win. Unfortunately Low fell in the 17th over for a fine score of 17 runs, and Goodwin in the subsequent over for 11 runs. The fire in the BPG innings was eventually extinguished just 9 runs short, not by the tropical rain that swept the ground in the final over but by Storm Domi and her gale force bowling.

Congratulations to Ickenham on their win and Domi on her wonderfully miserly five-for. Well done to all our Bushy Park Girls who were playing way above their age group limit but got within a whisker of the win. Thank you to Mark and Tracey for umpiring and Alban and Anna for scoring. Never forgetting the parents who also sacrificed their lie-ins this morning to get the girls to Ickenham on time.