National Cricket Champions for Third Time

The U15 girls cricket squad at Ilkley Grammar School has achieved the unprecedented feat of winning three consecutive national titles with a flawless 100% record over a three year period. Competing in the ECB Lady Taverners national competitions of 2008, 2009 and 2010, the team has recorded 38 successive wins, including 22 against county champions from all over the country.Having won city, county and regional rounds earlier in the season, Ilkley GS travelled to Lord’s to represent The North against other regional winners in the final stages of a competition which attracted over 800 entries. In their first match, Ilkley made 89 for 7 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 78 for 6 and then amassed 118 for 4 before restricting Sussex to 74 for 7. Their third game of the day was the toughest, against unbeaten Warwickshire who set a challenging 85 for 1. The Yorkshire champions were soon in difficulty at 22 for 4, but recovered magnificently to 98 for 6 to secure a vital win. Already tournament winners, IGS wet into the final match against Wales in jubilant mood, easily surpassing their opponents’ 44 for 7, moving onto 92 all out to round off another memorable day. A total of 15 players have represented the School during the 2008, 2009 and 2010 campaigns. Remarkably, Chloe Dinsdale and Ellie Taylor featured in all three. Florence Haines, Brittany Tate, Hannah Screeton, Ruby Parker and Olivia Herbert played in 2008 and 2009 and Lauren Oxtoby and Laura Scarlett in 2009 and 2010.  Players who appeared in just one campaign were Naomi Pratt and Caitlin Williams (2008) and Natasha Sunderland, Hannah Spivey, Beth Ruddock and Anna Ross (2010).  PL Blackwell (School Sport Co-ordinator)   11/05/2010 

Batting