Awesome school and lots of fun

Rounders Triumph

Nail-Biting Finale for Girls                       

Last Saturday saw the U13s engage in their closest contest all season as the final of the Hampshire Collegiate School U13 Tournament went to the rounders’ equivalent of extra time not once, but twice!

FSM qualified top of their group and beat King Edward’s School 19 – 4 in the semi-final, to meet Portsmouth Grammar School in the final. We had beaten them 16 – 9 at the group stage, but they had clearly ‘warmed up’ by this time and had our deep fielders in trouble. Our second innings saw us facing a target of 9½ rounders to tie; not easy in just 18 balls. From somewhere, FSM’s girls found the wherewithal to fight – and made it... on ball 18, to the detriment of supporters’ and coach’s nerves! The tie-break was one delivery each. We tied again. A second tiebreak. 9 balls. PGS batted first and scored 5. A challenging target. FSM’s 9 balls: Henny – 1 rounder; Hannah – 1 rounder; Maddy – 1 rounder; Olivia – ½ rounder; Lizzy – 1 rounder; Julia – ½ rounder. Tied, 3 balls to go. TC – ½ rounder; Rebecca – ½ rounder; Ella – ½ rounder. Final result: FSM 25½ , PGS 24. VICTORY!

Henny scored a whopping 20 rounders during the afternoon, with Maddy and Lizzy taking 6 and 7 catches respectively. FSM put out 20 opposition batters at 1st post. Truly spectacular.

 

Meanwhile, on the neighbouring pitch FSM’s U12 team had reached the final of their tournament, having won their group and beaten Ryde in the semi-final. Their opposition? PGS U12s! This was again a tight game, with cracking hits from both teams bringing out the best in the fielders. FSM were behind at half time. Their response: dig deep and up the ante. The score crept ever closer as the balls were counted down. Heart rates accelerated; adrenalin pumped – and that was just our parents! Agonisingly, we ran out of balls just ½ a rounder shy of our target, to collect the Runners-Up Shield. But a fantastic performance from FSM’s Year 7 girls.

Thank you to our many supporters, both on Saturday and throughout the season – and sorry for the tense finish!

 

30/06/2010