Organised by Harrow Way Community School, with support from Andover Cricket Club and Hampshire Cricket, seven teams of enthusiastic girls took part in the 2015 Andover and District Girls’ Kwik Cricket Competition recently. With the warm weather arriving, it was a perfect day for cricket!
Teams from Anton, Balksbury, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Knights Enham, Portway, Shipton Bellinger and Vigo Schools arrived keen to bat, bowl and field. Skills sessions expertly led by Simon Hammond (Hampshire Cricket Community Coach), Providence Cowdrill (Hampshire Women’s Team) and Ben Cole (Harrow Way Community School) ensured the girls warmed up well, improved their skills and grew in confidence before their afternoon matches.
Keen to resume playing after lunch, the teams headed off to play in two pools. All matches were very close with some teams only winning by as little as one run! All girls were complimented on their excellent batting, bowling and fielding; Simon Hammond said: ‘This is the best I have seen at any girls’ competition in Hampshire!’
After a total of fourteen matches played, the presentation was held with Anton being declared the Cup winners and Balksbury as runners-up. They will both represent Andover at the County Final at the Ageas Bowl on Monday 29th June. In the Plate Final, Portway showed how much they had improved by beating Vigo, a team they had lost to in the pool games.
Rhonda Salmon (SSCo at Harrow Way Community School) thanked all the teachers and officials, Andover Cricket Club and Hampshire Cricket who supported the event. In addition, a huge thank you went to Providence who was an inspiration to all the girls. She also presented each team with their certificates and the Cup winners, Anton, with their medals.