Bushy Park Girls Cricket Club won the Middlesex title yesterday (04/09/2016) at North London CC with a dominant display over the best teams in the county. The Under 13 side who were going for the double after last year’s championship triumph restricted Harrow Alliance CC to only 69 runs in their semi-final before reaching their target with 7 overs to spare. It was a similar story in the final with the bowlers turning the screw on rivals Ealing CC, who scored 89 runs in their 20 overs. The Bushy Park Girls team are unbeaten throughout the 2016 girl’s league season and they didn’t buckle under the added pressure, scoring the winning runs with the loss of just 2 wickets.

The Finals Day pits the top teams from the North and West Middlesex regions against each other in a semi-final and ultimately final (for those that are successful). Despite the long summer break the Bushy Park Girls Under 13 team were ready for action after intensive net sessions with Head Coach Dave Waldren in the preceding week.

Harrow Alliance CC were BPG’s opponents in their semi-final and it only took 2 balls for opening bowler Jessamy Low (2 wickets, 9 runs, 4 overs) to strike when an edge was taken by the ever impressive Amelie Munday behind the stumps. With both Low and her opening partner Paige Goodwin (9 runs, 4 overs, 1 maiden) restricting Harrow they had to take risks with their singles and it was the turn of Munday and Pheobe Head (1 wicket, 13 runs, 3 overs) to shine by running out the their No.2 and No.3 batswomen. Second change bowlers Abi Avery (2 wickets, 10 runs, 4 overs, 1 maiden) and Sadie Day (2 wickets, 13 runs, 3 overs, 1 maiden) were equally deadly, putting Harrow constantly on the back foot. With Emma Bridge (11 runs, 2 overs) chipping in with valuable overs they restricted Harrow Alliance CC to a modest 69 for 9 from 20 overs.

Bushy Park Girls batted with great maturity in their reply and openers Amelie Munday (11) and Molly Bartlett (16) brought the score to 34 as Abigail Avery came to the crease. Avery’s 31 (not out/retired) crushed any hope the opposition had in a sparkling innings that included 6 fours. It was left to Sadie Day (8 not out) and the ‘finisher’ Evie Davies to wrap up the innings. They reached their target of 70 runs in the 13th over, leaving a few minutes for manager Mark Avery to rouse his team before the final.

 

Ealing CC looked formidable in their semi-final against North Middlesex CC and Bushy Park were expecting their closest rivals to give them a stern test in the final. Once again the miserly Jessamy Low (4 runs, 4 overs, 1 maiden), Paige Goodwin (2 wickets, 18 runs, 4 overs) and Emma Bridge (2 runs, 1 over) turned the screw, resulting in wickets and a run out (Avery). Abigail Avery swapped a starring turn with bat for ball as she ripped out the heart of the Ealing batting with a bowling spell of 4 wickets for 12 runs in her 4 overs, devastating! BPG were tight in the field with captain Amelie Munday placing key fielders like Ruby Wilkinson and Priya Chana in the ‘do or die’ positions. Both Wilkinson and Chana have  been with us only a year but have become firm favourites within the team and yesterday they helped keep Ealing CC to 89 for 8 in their 20 overs.

Bushy Park Girls were untroubled in their reply and they quickly reached their total in the 13th over, obviously a lucky number for the team of 2016. Amelie Munday (7) opened with Molly Bartlett (20 not out) and they had already accumulated 25 runs by the time Munday fell. Phoebe Head top scored for BPG with 25 runs which brought the team to the edge of victory. Once again it was the ‘finisher’ Evie Davies who secured the win and the team rushed onto the pitch to celebrate a well deserved Middlesex title. It is the highest accolade that the team can win and to do it in such a fashion shows what a fabulous spirit there is at Bushy Park Girls.

 

It is an apt and tearful goodbye to 4 of the girls who played yesterday and we wish Amelie Munday, Sadie Day, Phoebe Head and Priya Chana all the best with their transition to the Under 15 side.

Thank you to everyone at North London CC who organised Finals Day especially Martin Issett. As a club we really appreciate all the time, effort and commitment to the MCA SEAXE League and we will miss his leadership as he steps down from chairing the league. Thank you to Mark for umpiring, Alban for scoring and Martin Bridge for taking some fabulous photos (full selection is here – https://goo.gl/photos/v69DXY73BzR8DJd37 ). Not forgetting all the supporters on the day who cheered us on, thank you.