A superb spell of bowling from young Under 11 star Ruby Oakley helped Bushy Park Girls secure a memorable win against Ealing CC today (21/05/2017). Rivals in the MCA West Girls League Ealing are a tough prospect and BPG needed every girl to play their part in a competitive match at Hanwell CC.

Bushy Park Girls batted first with Claudie Dexter and Jessica Spencer establishing a solid base for Lexie Dobson and Grace Lyon to follow. Both pairs batted sensibly until the arrival of Holly Ramsden and Grace Tasker who accelerated the scoring, with Tasker hitting a boundary in the 11th over. This was the most significant partnership of the Bushy Park Girls innings and was consolidated by Maddie Sloan and Sofia Stapleton-Parslow who accumulated runs without losing wickets. Beth Crabtree powered through at the end, pushing the Bushy Park Girls final score to 89.

Ealing’s opening batswomen made a sensational start to their innings and had already hit 45 runs by the time the 4th over was bowled. With a target of 90 for the win and another 15 overs yet to be bowled it looked like the win was theirs. Bushy Park Girls are made of strong stuff and some excellent fielding and bowling put the pressure back on Ealing. Wickets came from Jessica Spencer (2 overs, 13 runs, 1 wicket), Holly Ramsden (2 overs, 9 runs, 1 wicket) and Sofia Stapleton-Parslow (2 overs, 8 runs, 1 wicket) but it was a devastating 3 over spell by Ruby Oakley that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Oakley’s bowling figures of 5 wickets for 6 runs in 2 overs tell their own tale, she is the first Bushy Park Girl to take more than 10 wickets across all the age groups and a real asset to the club.

With Ealing finishing on 82 runs after 20 overs the win was Bushy Park Girl’s to savour. Well done to all the girls on a brilliant win.

Thank you to Ealing CC for their hospitality. Thanks to umpire Alex Oakley (and Ealing’s umpire too) and the scorers Natalie and James.

BPG Stats are HERE