Busy summer of action for girls' teams
Shropshire’s Under 15 girls enjoyed a successful campaign in their West Midlands T20 competition this summer – finishing top of the group – whilst there were also some encouraging performances from the Under 18 Girls.
Youth Programme Manager Darrell Corfield said: “It’s been a very positive summer for the Under 15s and Under 18s in terms of results and team/individual goals.
“The players have bought into what we are trying to achieve and are starting to play with a smile and without fear.
"These improvements have happened despite the lack of winter training and we all look forward to having a full winter programme to prepare for 2022.”
The Under 15s started their T20 campaign with victories over Warwickshire and Staffordshire in a double header. They beat Warwickshire by six wickets after bowling their opponents out for 118 and then knocking off the runs with two overs to spare.
Against Staffordshire they restricted their opponents to 104-6 with the wickets shared around, and then reached their victory target in the 17th over with Amy Griffiths hitting 36 and Lauren Kenvyn unbeaten on 31.
In the next round of games, they beat Worcestershire by four wickets – hitting the winning runs with seven balls remaining.
Again bowling first, they restricted their opponents to 108-8 with Freya Jones claiming 3-8 and Esther Hurford 2-18. The star of the run chase was Lauren Kenvyn, who held her nerve whilst wickets were falling around her to hit 61.
Kenvyn led the way with the bat again in the other game on the day when Shropshire were just edged out by Warwickshire – their only defeat of the group stages.
She hit 59 off 49 balls out of a total of 98. In reply, Warwickshire edged home by two wickets with two balls to spare despite Grace Seedhouse taking 2-20 and Jones 2-13.
In the next round of games, Shropshire claimed victory over Staffordshire by nine wickets. They restricted their opponents to 118-8 with Isabelle Honicke, Hurford and Griffiths taking two wickets apiece. Griffiths (50 not out) and Kenvyn (38) ensured there were no alarms with an 86-run partnership in the chase.
In their final group game against Worcestershire, they restricted their opponents to 79-8 off their 20 overs with Shruti Matthew taking 3-9 and Ella Thomas 2-5. They knocked the runs off for the loss of four wickets with Kenvyn again top scoring with 23.
The only disappointment came on West Midlands T20 Finals Day when they lost out to Staffordshire in their semi-final. Batting first, they made 100-4 with Ella Jones hitting 40 and Erin Newey 22 only for their opponents to knock off the runs for the loss of just one wicket.
They then beat Worcestershire in the 3rd/4th place play-off. First, they restricted the Pears to 116-6 with Honicke taking 2-27, then knocked off the runs with nine balls to spare with Newey unbeaten on 34 and Jones hitting 20.
In their West Midlands T20 competition, The Under 18s beat Staffordshire by seven wickets at Moddershall CC after restricting their opponents to 119-3.
They reached their victory target thanks to 34 from Megan Trickett and a blitz from Caitlin Belcher – one of a number this season – who hit an unbeaten 47 from 27 balls.
They were beaten by eight wickets by Warwickshire at Moseley CC despite a defiant 52 from Kenvyn which had helped rescue Shropshire’s innings from 71-6 to reach a respectable 155-7. Warwickshire reached their target for the loss of two wickets.
Earlier they were beaten by Warwickshire at the same venue after posting 98-4 from their 20 overs with Belcher again in good form hitting 35 while Newey made 22. Warwickshire knocked off the runs for the loss of one wicket.
They beat Worcestershire in the next round of games at Wellington CC after restricting their opponents to 83-9 with Trickett, Alice Reade and Honicke all taking two wickets. Eleanor Yates top scored with an unbeaten 16 as Shropshire sealed victory by six wickets with five balls to spare.
They then again lost to Warwickshire, but it was a much closer affair. Batting first, Warwickshire were restricted to 99-8 with the wickets shared around the bowlers. Trickett hit 28 in the reply, but Shropshire fell ten runs short on 89-9 in the chase.
In the next round of games, Shropshire lost to Worcestershire by 15 runs. The Pears finished their 20 overs on 135-7 with Belcher and Lauren Kenvyn taking two wickets apiece. Jones hit 24 and Emily Churms 35 in the reply, but they finished on 120-9
They then lost to Staffordshire by ten wickets. Batting first, Trickett hit 24 and Kenvyn 22 as Shropshire made 113-8, but they couldn’t find a breakthrough in the reply.
Alice Reade took 3-19, Ellie Palmer 2-23 and Kate Brazier 2-7 as Warwickshire were dismissed for 111 in the competition’s Finals Day semi-final at Bromsgrove CC. But in reply, Shropshire were restricted to 78-5 despite Ella Jones hitting 21.
Belcher smashed 60 off 44 balls to help Shropshire Under 18 girls to a 46-run victory over Worcestershire at Bridgnorth in a 40-over game.
Batting first, Shropshire finished on 231-5 with Kate Brazier also hitting an unbeaten half century, Eleanor Yates 21 and Megan Trickett 20.
In reply, Worcestershire were dismissed for 185 with Trickett claiming 2-25, Brazier 2-34 and Amy Griffiths 2-12.
Griffiths led the way when they took on Warwickshire at Shrewsbury in a 40-over game hitting an unbeaten 46 as the hosts were bowled out for 143. Skipper Megan Trickett chipped in with 23.
The visitors knocked the runs off for the loss of three wickets claimed by Trickett, Alice Reade and Esther Hurford.
They then travelled to Kidderminster Victoria CC to take on Worcestershire, and bowled out the hosts for 167 with Trickett claiming 3-29 and Kate Brazier 3-29. But in reply they were dismissed for 75.
Against Staffordshire at Audley CC, it was again Belcher who led the way with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 54, while Trickett chipped in with 25 as Shropshire made 175-9 batting first. Churms took two early wickets, but Staffordshire reached their victory target without losing any more wickets.