It was a night of new records as Bushy Park Girls played their first official Boy’s League match in Division 3 of the Under 12 Middlesex Colts Association West League last night (04/05/2017). On a cold and gloomy evening BPGCC played Teddington Town CC, just a few yards away from their usual training centre in Bushy Park. It was a evenly balanced game that Teddington Town won with purposeful batting and hustling between the wickets.

Made up of girls mostly from the Under 13 squad (apart from Erin Goodwin U11) Bushy Park Girls took to the field first after winning the toss. It was Goodwin (E) and Jessamy Low who had the new ball in their hands for the opening skirmishes. Low was immediately in the wickets and subsequently took a wicket in each of her three overs (3 overs, 20 runs, 3 wickets). Goodwin (E) initially worked as Low’s enforcer, drying up the runs at the opposite end until she too knocked off the bails twice in her final over (3 overs, 2 maidens, 1 run, 2 wickets). With a wicket maiden and a maiden in her spell the ‘Pocket Rocket’ scudded in with pinpoint accuracy.

This was a regular theme throughout the Teddington Town innings, with some fine bowling from BPG. Eve Abbot was second-change bowler and her first over yielded just 2 runs. Lizzie Eakins is a fine prospect, she built upon her performance vs Wembley last weekend with another tight spell. Imogen Higgins (3 overs, 7 runs, 2 wickets) and Paige Goodwin (2 overs, 17 runs, 1 wicket) both waded in with impressive caught and bowled wickets, with Higgins also skittling out the TTCC opener.

Both Iris Saunders and Ruby Wilkinson have grown up playing cricket for Teddington Town, and here they were playing against many of their training partners for the first time. Although Wilkinson injured herself it didn’t curtail her tenacious fielding and enthusiasm. Saunders was on sparkling form, she snaffled a caught and bowled from her first ball and finished with figures of 2 overs, 1 run, 1 wicket, that included a wicket maiden.

It must be noted that this was also the first match for new wicketkeeper Molly Bartlett, who moved effortlessly behind the stumps. With the light fading fast she was nimble and attentive as the BPG bowled hurtled in. Teddington Town finished on 96 for 9 in their 20 overs.

It was a slow and deliberate start to the Bushy Park Girls innings with Kerrie-Ann Dcunha and Paige Goodwin building a solid platform for the girls who followed. With both falling in the 5th over it was left to Abigail Avery (captain) and Molly Bartlett to push on. The Teddington Town bowlers didn’t give BPG much to swipe at, with many balls flying through to the TTCC keeper (who played well). With Bartlett eventually falling and Wilkinson retiring it was left to Jessamy Low to accompany Avery in the crepuscular light. Although fighting valiantly in the gloom they finished 20 runs short on 76 for 3. A special mention must go to Avery for this was a special innings in difficult conditions, she scored 42 not out, her highest score ever for Bushy Park Girls.

Congratulations to Teddington Town on a good win. Thank you to umpires Mark and Justin, also our scorer Alban (and Charlotte who supplied them all with hot drinks).

Check out the BPG stats HERE.