Rounders Results
Rounders v Brambletye
1st IX Won 27½ – 24
A fantastic last match by this amazing team! The fielding was mainly really slick which was necessary as the opposition were very good hitters and efficient fielders. Laura backstopped well although her throws to 1st post lacked their usual speed. Aimee was catching and moving beautifully around 1st post. Katerina caught every pass that was sent to her and stumped with speed and efficiency. Sophie rarely allowed a ball to pass her on 3rd, leaving Leah only those high balls to deal with. Issy moved well around 4th and took some really good catches. Annabel put in her usual tireless performance at 1st deep and made one superb catch. Leah took one incredible and two great catches at 2nd deep and threw accurately and well into the posts. Gabi moved like lightning at 3rd deep stopping many a rounder. Millie bowled beautifully making the batsmen work hard in the box.
Every girl scored in this match! Today's top scorer was - yes you guessed - Katerina with 7 rounders. Laura made 4½, one of which was the winning run (as befits the captain!), Sophie and Gabi made 3½ apiece, Aimee and Leah 3 each, Issy 1 and Millie and Issy ½ each.
A fabulous team effort! Girls you have been a complete joy to coach this season. 'Man of the match': The INVICTAE FIRST TEAM! PMc
2nd IX Lost 7½ – 8
What a way to end the rounders season. Even though the seconds lost today. They put up an amazing fight against their Brambletye opposition. The exceptionally close score is a testament to how well both teams played. The highlight of today’s game was most definitely our fielding; Dana caught out three girls on the full at third post, as did Jazz on fourth. Thalia, Lily and Vicky also caught out batters on the full in their various positions. We also had several girls stumped out on the posts; thanks to the quick thinking of all the Ashdown girls, Vicky, Alex and Jazz all managed to stump out at least one Brambletye batter. Tilly, Lara and Lily all deserve a special mention for their batting; never before have I seen these girls hit so hard or run so fast. They all aimed for the gaps in the opposition's fielding and ran their hearts out to score as many rounders as they could for their team.
The 2011 rounders season has been an exceptional one for the 2nd team. Every girl who has played a match in this talented team has put her all into it and should thus be very proud. Well done everyone. KM
3rd IX Lost 2 – 3½
4th IX Drew 3½ – 3½
For the final fixture of term there was confusion from Rose Hill about who was playing whom. They did not come; Brambletye did. So, we agreed that their 3rd IX would play an innings against our 3rd IX then the second innings against our 4th IX. Simple!
It was clear that the players were not at the peak of their powers. The fielding was not as sharp as it has been in the past, but some of our batting was not bad. However, all teams found it difficult to grind out those half-rounders which can accumulate to impressive scores. Not today. Doubtless the players tried hard, but at this stage of the term....! EG
Under 11 Won 13 – 9
For this match we played 30 good balls and, after winning the toss, we put Brambletye in to bat first. They scored 2 rounders in their first innings and Ashdown replied with 7 rounders. In the second innings Brambletye scored some great rounders and our girls had to work hard to keep the score down. In the end they managed to add 6 more to their total. This meant Ashdown had to score 2½ rounders to win the game and become Invictae for the season. We did it in some style. Ali M alone scored 2½, with Bota, Helena F, Grace and Helena StJ contributing to a healthy 6 rounders. Ashdown won the match 13 - 9.
Over the last few weeks the U11s fielding has improved beyond all my expectations. In the deep, Inju, Bota and Camilla back up all the posts very effectively, constantly putting up the long barrier to stop the ball. Aiko, Ali, Helena StJ and Sasha efficiently protect their posts and have made numerous brave stumpings. Grace has rarely let a ball go by her and consistently passes the ball to Aiko to dismiss players at 1st post. Our bowler Helena Foord controls the whole outfit in a kind and sportsmanlike manner.
What a magnificent season the U11s have had. I have enjoyed every minute of watching the girls become more confident and mature in their play. Well done U11s! Ashdown is very proud of you. JU
Under 10 Lost 5½ – 16½
The under 10 rounders team’s final match on Saturday ended with a final result of a loss of 16½ to 5½ to Brambletye School. Whilst the result may not reflect the girls ability, I was very impressed with their ongoing energy and their willingness to give each bat all their might. There were some great catches made by Georgie, enabling us to get a few of the opposition out. Once more Chloe and Nurshahar made a great team going after the big hitters' balls in the off third post and second deep positions. I’d like to congratulate Cristina and Estella for their continued dedication to the team as fourth post and third deep respectively. The girls all made me so proud this Saturday as they mustered up the energy, after a long term, to demonstrate high spirits and real enjoyment of the game. Its been a pleasure coaching the girls and I wish them every bit of luck for their season in 2012. EH
Under 9 Lost 16½– 21
The under 9 match against Brambletye was a very close one although unfortunately Ashdown lost. The girls played a very good second innings scoring 10½ rounders, the same as Brambletye; however in the first innings the girls weren't on their game as much and were only able to score 6½ rounders. Annabel did a great job as backstop stopping almost every ball and throwing beautiful passes to second post. Issy got a special mention at the end of the match for the determination on her face when running around the pitch, she also hit an amazing ball and scored the team a rounder. Scarlett did an excellent job on second post, all the better for the fact that it is not her normal position. She kept her eye on the ball the entire game and managed to get a lot of Brambletye's girls out. Elizabeth was another who showed some great batting skills and scored Ashdown a lot of rounders in the second innings. It was amazing to see the difference in the amount of Ashdown girls hitting the ball between the first and second innings: by the second almost everyone hit at least one ball and scored half a rounder. Overall all the girls put in a massive effort and I am really proud of the way they have been playing. OH
Rounders v Great Walstead
Under 12 Won 18½– 5½
It was fabulous to see these talented girls together for a match this term. Lily St John bowled beautifully and accurately. Tilly Butcher and Lily Innes played half a match each at backstop and off third and both grew in confidence in each position as the match progressed. Cosima learnt to move quite well at first post and by the second innings looked very natural there. The triangle dismissed 8 players between them the most notable of these being an awesome catch at ankle level by Lily St John. Katerina was fabulous at second post catching out 3 players and stumping one. Two players were stumped out by Jenna at 4th post and one by Lily I at 3rd. The deeps, Georgie, Annabel and Tilly G backed up beautifully and threw some great balls in to the posts. Top scorers today were Katerina with 4½, Lily I with 4, Lily St.J with 2½ and the Tillys with 2. A great match all round and a pleasure to umpire!
'Man of the Match' Katerina Mathison PMc
Under 11 Won 32 – 10½
With so many high points in this match, where does one start? Top scorer today was Bota with a massive 8½ rounders. Her decision making with the bat and in the field was outstanding. Alexandra Mathison at second post made four catches, two stumpings and scored five rounders for a brilliant afternoon's work. Helena St John made three excellent catches and scored three rounders. Camilla Wilkins took her first catch of the season. The beaming smile on her face was a picture. Inju scored 3½ rounders. Helena Foord scored four rounders and bowled well, controlling the game in a very professional fashion. Catch of the day goes to birthday girl, Sasha, who ran 50 yards and on bended knees scooped up the ball. All the girls contributed to the superb overall team performance today which resulted in a 32 - 10½ win. This team have won all of their matches so far this season and are looking forward to the last match on Saturday. JU
Under 10 Lost 10 – 19
The under 10 rounders match today ended in a score of 19 to Great Walstead and 10 to Ashdown House. Our girls put in real effort in the first innings with both Ai and Nurshahar scoring numerous half rounders each due to some brilliant runs. I’d also like to mention Estella’s bravery on the rounders pitch as she made various risky runs which ended up paying off and giving us just a few more rounders to add to our score. Our fielding in the first innings was very strong as they scored few rounders and a highlight from the match was Chloe’s incredible catch, getting one of the opposition’s biggest hitters out. I encourage the girls to continue with high spirits in rounders and realise the importance of sticking out a game to the end as every minute counts to the final score. See you all for a great game on Saturday! EH
Under 9 Won 9½ – 9
It was beautiful weather today at Great Walstead, not too hot but still lovely and sunny. The under 9 girls played an amazing game today, most definitely one of the best of the season. They were focused and determined to win the entire time. Their fielding skills were on top form throwing the ball to second post almost every time thus only allowing Great Walstead to score 2 full rounders in the whole match. In the second innings Ashdown was able to get the team out even though the match was running on timed innings. All in all it was a fantastic game with the abilities of each team extremely similar – the score finished at 9½ rounders to Ashdown and 9 to Great Walstead. Elizabeth did a great job bowling. She was also able to score 2 rounders for her team with her great batting skills. The girls did a great job at catching the girls out – especially Scarlett who caught 3 girls out. Cordelia as 3rd deep threw some great balls to second post enabling Emily to quickly stump the post getting many girls out. Overall everyone’s fielding today was superb – I couldn’t have asked for a better played match. Very well done girls. OH
Rounders v Brighton College
1st IX Won 29 – 19
We lost the toss and Brighton put us in to bat today. This we did fantastically well in our first innings making a total of 17½ rounders with the loss of only three players! No great surprise that Katerina made the most rounders in this innings with a total of 4½.
Our fielding was mainly slick and efficient during the majority of the opposition's first innings and therefore we dismissed them for only 8½ rounders. During this innings Issy made three fabulous catches off 4th post and Leah took a good one at 2nd deep.
We put Brighton back in to bat and, although our fielding was a little scrappy on occasions, we still managed to dismiss them for a further 11½ rounders. In this innings Leah took three catches at 2nd deep, the last of which was quite incredible. Aimee also made two really good catches at 1st post.
We only had to score two rounders to win in our second innings and this we did in our first two balls. Brighton kindly allowed us to bat out the remainder of our time and so we managed to make 11½ rounders in the time.
Top batsman today was Annabel with 7½ rounders, Katerina and Aimee 5, Issy 3½, Gabi 3, Katie 2½.
'Man of the Match' : Annabel batting and Leah and Annabel fielding PMc
2nd IX Won 27½ – 3½
Today’s match against Brighton College was an outstanding match to watch. Winning by an innings, it was decided that we would play on, thus gaining an overall score of 27½-3½. Over the course of the match, each Ashdown girl managed to score at least two rounders; a very pleasing result. Our top scorer today was Tilly B, with an amazing 5 rounders. Thalia scored a close 4½ and Lily SJ did very well also, scoring 3 rounders. As well as exceptional batting, the girls wowed the watching supporters with their flawless fielding. Never before have I see this team catch as many balls on the full or stump as many players out at their posts. Both times that the opposition batted, the Ashdown team had them all out before their 15 minute innings was up. Vicky W at first post, and Alex B at second post deserve a special mention, as they played superbly. KM
3rd IX Won 11 – 7½
We lost the toss and Brighton put us in to bat first. Although we started a little slowly, we did manage to put 6½ rounders on the score sheet. Holly, Cesci and Tilly Grace were our top scorers in this innings. I then asked the girls to sharpen up as they all seemed a little sleepy. Well, what a difference this made as they responded by fielding magnificently. Rose-Marie's bowling was steady and accurate. Kate Brockman at backstop did not let one ball pass her. Also, her throws to Holly were spot on, who in turn took each catch with complete confidence and stumped out 8 players. Maria who was off 3rd post took 3 super catches. Our deeps of Cesci, Hatty and Tilly were backing up superbly and stopped any full rounders being scored. We got Brighton all out with 7 minutes remaining on the clock.
In the second innings again we only managed a low score of just 4½ rounders. Rose-Marie, Lusha and Nurshat were our scorers in this innings. Brighton fared a little better in their second innings and scored 7½, but again we fielded ever so well. Cosima at second post took a fantastic catch which drew spontaneous applause from the watching supporters. Ashdown again got Brighton all out before the time and won the game 11-9½. A really lovely game of rounders from both teams and the girl of the match goes to the whole team. JU
Senior Inter-Patrol Rounders
1st Hippos
2nd Eles
3rd Kangs
4th Rhinos
Junior Inter-Patrol Rounders
1st Hippos
2nd Eles
3rd Kangs
4th Rhinos
Rounders v Cottesmore
1st IX Won 20 – 16½ and an innings
The girls made a really good show today on the batting front. We lost the toss and went in to bat first. We slowly but surely added up the rounders to a great innings score of 20 with 3 batsmen still in when we ran out of time. We then fielded quite well against the Cottesmore team to get them out well within their time for only 8 rounders. Therefore we put them back in to bat and this time we managed to again get them out for 8½ rounders. Thus we won by an innings. Dismissals were spread fairly evenly with the triangle of Millie, Laura and Aimee stumping 6 and Laura and Millie taking one great catch apiece. Katerina stumped two players and caught one, Sophie stumped one, Katie made one stump and a great catch and Leah took one great catch at 2nd deep. Gabi, Annabel and Leah were tireless at deep making some lovely throws in and backing up well.
Cottesmore were kind enough to let us have our second batting innings and therefore we were able to knock up some impressive individual rounders totals. Katerina batted like a professional only not scoring on 2 balls that she received to make an enormous 11 1/2 rouinders. Annabel made 6, Katie 5½, Millie 4½, Sophie 3½, Aimee 3, Gabi 2 with two awesome hits and Laura 1. 'Man of the Match' Katerina Mathison. PMc
2nd IX Won 25½ – 6
Today the 2nd team played an away match against Cottesmore. Playing in the beautiful sunshine, all Ashdown girls played a superb game, managing to win the match by an innings with a score of 11½ to 2½. As this victory was played out in less than half an hour, both teams agreed to keep playing the game for the second innings; which is how the girls upped their score to 25½. Vicky’s decisions in the field today were outstanding. She was clearly thinking on her feet as to where to throw the balls she fielded, and it was at her hands that several of the Cottesmore girls were stumped out at first post. Alex on third post stepped up her game even further this week, managing to stump out two girls on the one ball, a fantastic effort that she should be very proud of. So not only did the Ashdown girls play spectacularly today, but they also had a lot of fun, and ensuring that each member of their team had a chance to get in on the fielding action. Well done girls. KM
Under 11 Won 21 – 14
We won the toss and put Cottesmore in to bat for the first innings. Our fielding was mainly very good. Our triangle of bowler, Helena Foord, backstop, Grace, and 1st post, Aiko, dismissed six players. With still two minutes left on the clock we managed to dismiss the whole team. Cottesmore did hit some very good balls though and scored 9 rounders. We then went in to bat, started a little slowly, but then gradually built up a healthy 11 rounders. Inju was top scorer in this innings adding 3½ to our score.
Our second innings fielding was superb. Helena St John made numerous stops off third post to keep the half rounders to a minimum. Grace made a brilliant catch to dismiss their best batsman. The best catch of the season so far was taken today by Alexandra Mathison. The ball was hit straight at her so very hard and fast that her reaction catch was amazing. She then had the presence of mind to turn around quickly and stump out an on-coming player. Cottesmore scored 5 more rounders in this innings. The U11s then went in to bat again and notched up 10 more rounders. Every girl got onto the score sheet, including Ai who was our 10th batsman today. The whole team's performance was so pleasing to witness as they all work extremely hard for each other. We won the match 21-14. Girl of the match today has to go to Alexandra Mathison, who scored 4½ rounders, stumped out 6 players and took the smashing reaction catch, well done! JU
Under 10/9 Won 21½ – 14
Today the under 9s and 10s rounders girls joined to make one team, taking on Cottesmore School. Our girls won 21½ to 14 with some great teamwork especially considering these girls don’t usually play together. There was some great running and very good attempts at batting from Lucy in both the first and second innings. Hatty scored numerous half rounders which were very important to our final team score and she was a great team player. Elizabeth and Georgie were our star hitters belting the ball almost to the other side of Ashdown! The game was very exciting and it was an absolute pleasure coaching all of the girls today. EH
Rounders v Holmewood House
1st IX Won 20 – 18
Today we played a best of 30 good balls match against Holmewood. We batted reasonably well in our first innings to post a score of 9½ rounders. This was soundly followed by an innings with some immense hits (one even soared to the middle of the neighbouring Astroturf) from Holmewood. We fielded well to keep the score down to 14½ rounders, but were definitely on the back foot before we even began our next innings.
In the second batting innings we managed another 10½ rounders giving us a total of 20. This left Holmewood with only 6 rounders to win. Having bowled Aimee, our fast bowler in the first innings it was decided that a change of tactics was required. Issy, our slow bowler, then came on in an attempt to keep the massive hits down to a minimum. Holmewood found it very difficult to bat against her as the balls arrived much more slowly. This made them jab at the ball and send much more easily fielded hits. With Leah taking two incredible catches out deep and Laura one fantastic catch at backstop, we managed to come to the end of the innings only having given away 3½ rounders, grabbing a victory from the jaws of defeat. Well done for keeping your nerve girls!
Top scorer today was Katerina with 3½, Sophie who found her form in the second innings to make 3, Annabel with 2½ despite having to retire after being hit in the face with a ball and Katie and Leah with 2 apiece. 'Man of the match' Leah Mellor. PMc
Under 11 Won 19 – 11½ and an innings
Success again for the U11s. We played 30 good balls and the girls now seem to prefer this format and use the no balls to great advantage. Aiko had another good game at first post. With Grace sending some perfect throws to her. She stumped out six players. Alexandra M took two stunning catches and Inju was our top scorer today with 3 whole rounders. All the girls got onto the score sheet again and all those half rounders certainly add up. Although we had won the match, it was decided to allow us to bat our second innings where we scored a further 7 rounders. Holmewood fielded really well in the second innings and stopped many a full rounder being scored with some super long throws to fourth post. A competitive, sporting match played by both teams on a beautiful summer's day. JU
Under 10 Lost 13½ – 24
The under 10 rounders team played against Holmewood today and, whilst there were some promising performances, the score ended up at 24 to 13½ Holmewood’s way. The first innings was a bit of a let down for our girls but they really ramped up their game for our second innings. Claudia has set a high standard of bowling over the past few matches and her skills today were once more very impressive. Georgie played an excellent game and between her and Charas’s impressive running skills we managed not to be bowled out in the last seven good balls with only two players in. Frances and Georgie were a great fielding team - very important for our overall success in fielding. Cristina’s concentration was also very important for our fielding efforts. All the girls played a great game today, I look forward to more to come! EH
Under 9 Lost 7½ – 17½
It was a beautiful day over at Holmewood House today. The girls had a bit of a slow game today only managing to score one full rounder – this by Elizabeth. We need to practice hitting the ball as we are not getting it far enough to score full rounders. As well as this we need to work on our fielding skills as Holmewood had a very strong batting team and Ashdown was not able to get the ball back to the posts fast enough. Annabel did a really good job as backstop making sure almost every ball was stopped. A good effort by the girls, I’m confident that there will be lots of wins to come. OH
Rounders v Cumnor House
1st IX Won 36 – 23
What a fabulous game of rounders! The 1st team went into this duel with exactly the right mindset for a tough game. Cumnor batted first and this they did efficiently and well, slowly but surely adding up the score to an innings total of 12½ rounders. They had some extremely good hitters who sent the ball flying well past the deeps on the odd occasion but our deeps were on great form and saved many a half and full rounder between them. Millie bowled beautifully today and Katerina took every ball coming her way with consummate ease. We managed to dismiss all the Cumnor players with about five minutes to spare. Three great catches were made this innings by Aimee, Leah and Katie. The remainder of the players were dismissed by Laura and Aimee in the triangle and a great throw in from deep to Sophie.
We batted in a slow and deliberate fashion to start our innings and when we were comfortable we began to hit out. Top scorer in the first innings was Katie with 5½ followed by Gabi and Annabel withy 3 apiece. We ended that innings with 3 players still in play and an innings total of 17.
Cumnor's answer in the second innings was a solid performance with 10½ rounders scored making their total 23. In this innings Leah took two fantastic catches and one unbelievable catch at 2nd deep, Gabi took an awesome catch at 3rd deep and Annabel two fabulous catches at 1st deep. The deeps having taken care of six of Cumnor's players, the opposition really did not know what to do next. A great catch by Laura at backstop left them reeling and, with Katie taking two awesome catches from the deeps to stump the players at 4th post and Laura and Aimee dismissing one, the innings was over. This left us with 6½ rounders to win.
A quick team talk ensured that we composed ourselves before this vitally important last bat. Too often matches have been lost by complacency. We determined to keep the half rounders and let the score slowly add up to the required total. This was the plan which was foiled by a fantastic hit from Aimee to take a rounder off the first ball and Kat to follow suit with the 6th ball of the innings. Sophie took the winning rounder with only the 22nd ball of the innings. We then continued to bat for the remainder of our time amassing 19 rounders in the innings!
Top scorer today was Katie with 7½, Gabi 5, Aimee and Annabel 4½, Sophie and Katerina 4, Laura 2½, Millie 2 and Leah ½. Every girl was on the score sheet! It would be a huge mistake to award any single player the 'Man of the Match' title: this was a true team performance where every player played a vital role! PMc
2nd IX Drew 14 – 14
I’d like to start today’s match report by congratulating both Ashdown and Cumnor girls; both teams played exceptionally well and both myself and the Cumnor coach were very proud of our girls. From the first innings it was clear that this match would be nail-biting; with both teams scoring 9½ rounders after their first bat. The Ashdown 2nd team welcomed Issy and Vicky to their team today, and what a game both girls played for their new team; both batted well and their fielding was exceptional. Rose-Marie on second post had a spectacular game today, catching several of the opposition out on the full, as well as by stumping out. Lily StJ's bowling was also very impressive. Today’s match also showed a greater increase in our teams communication; both on and off the field the girls were not only encouraging, but giving valuable advice which resulted in perfect catches and stumps. Well Done girls; an amazing game. KM
3rd IX Won 8 – 7 + an inns
Cumnor lost the toss and we chose to field. We began with a few mis-fields, but quickly gained the confidence to hold the catches and start fielding properly. Two impressive aspects of the fielding were making the correct judgement quickly, and the accuracy of the throwing. Cumnor made 4 rounders and were all out.
We batted with real purpose in both our innings. Every player batted with power, but I was particularly impressed with Holly’s and both Tillys’ shot selection – often bisecting the angle between the opposition fielders! We made 8 in our first innings…
Cumnor came in again and we got them out for a further 3: total 7, so Ashdown had won by this stage. We decided to play our remaining innings, because it was a beautiful day. Our overall tally was 18. Top scorer today was Tilly Butcher with 5 rounders, 4 of which were full. EG
4th IX Lost 12 – 15
Under 11 Won 20 – 9½
Another deserved win for the under 11s. This team work so hard for each other and are quick to compliment a team-mate on their good play. It is a pleasure to witness their very mature and confident decision making, and long may it continue!
All the girls got onto the score sheet again. Helena Foord and Alexandra M both scored four rounders. Aiko and Bota scored 2½ and both were also highly successful in the field. Aiko stumped six players at first post and Bota took three catches as well as making a very brave stumping, whilst it was Inju who took the best catch of the game at first deep. Ashdown won this game by an innings and 10 rounders to 9½, but as it was such a beautiful day it was decided to play the Ashdown second innings. So the final score was 20 - 9½. Girl of the match goes to the whole team this time for their superb team work. JU
Under 10 Lost 13½ – 31
Today the Ashdown under 10’s played against Cumnor House and unfortunately lost. The girls used the tough competition as an opportunity to take on new positions and earn greater skills as all rounder players. Frances took on the role of backstop in the second innings, demonstrating her efficiency and concentration which are essential to a player in this position. Claudia was our star bowler throughout the match and was very spot on; these efforts were rounded off nicely in the second innings when she pulled off a magnificent catch. Ellie tested out her skills at third deep, running constantly for Cumnor’s huge hits to get them back to our girls. Not only was Ellie very successful as bowler but she was the bravest girl on the team, risking runs almost every time she hit the ball to get that extra half a rounder. Today’s game was very interesting and was a great learning experience for both the girls and myself as we discovered hidden talents amongst our girls. EH
Under 9 Lost 19 – 22
The girls played a great game of rounders today. The score finished at 19-22 although it was a very close game. Cumnor batted first and did extremely well; Ashdown was losing at the end of the first innings and had to make a big come back. Hatty was performing extremely well at 2nd deep and got to do a lot of running due to Cumnor’s big hitters. Elizabeth did a great job as bowler, throwing perfect balls almost every time. Ashdown scored extremely high in their second innings due to their determination to win. I’m very proud of how the girls performed this week. OH Rounders v St Andrew’s
1st IX 34 – 19½
We won the toss and put St Andrew's in to bat. They were striking the ball well but we were fielding fantastically! In the first innings they scored 5 rounders but we got them out with time to spare. Five players were dismissed back stop to 1st post, one bowler to 1st post, one at 2nd post and one caught at 1st post. The catch of the innings was made by Gabi at 3rd deep. We scored 16 rounders, spread relatively evenly amongst most of the girls in the first innings thus giving St Andrew's a high mountain to climb.
In the 2nd innings we only dismissed 6 of their players thus allowing them the opportunity to get their eye in and start to score with some huge hits. However we did limit them to 14½ rounders thus giving us a target of 4 rounders to win. Katerina took a couple of superb catches at 2nd post. We again batted well in the 2nd innings easily passing the required number of rounders; St Andrew's kindly let us continue until our time was up.
Top scorer today was Katerina with 9, then Leah with 6, Aimee 5½, Annabel 4, Katie and Sophie 2½ apiece, Issy and Laura 1½ each and Millie ½.
A lovely display of mobile fielding was shown by all, in particular Gabi racing after some huge shots, Leah and Annabel throwing accurate and enormous balls into 4th post, Sophie moving fluently off 3rd post and Katerina not fumbling a ball at 2nd post.
'Man of the match' Katerina Mathison. PMc
2nd IX 17 – 9½
I am overwhelmingly proud of the 2nd team girls today who have just finished a superb match against St Andrew's, winning 17-9½. Playing in less than the beautiful sunshine we have recently become accustomed to, the Ashdown girls have improved tremendously since their last game; Maria and Thalia have improved immensely and should be noted for their efforts. Today’s match has made the team realise that the key to the girls getting the most out of their game is to enjoy it and to try and remove any pressure from their play. The moment that the win was assured today, the girls batted with even greater skill and dexterity. With such freedom, all the girls finished the game in fine fettle and high spirits. If they can perform like this from the outset in future matches, this can be a real season to remember! Furthermore, they will continue to push hard for selection in the 1st team. Well done girls. KM
3rd IX 12 – 14½
Ashdown won the toss and chose to field. Surprisingly, after all the practice we have done, we were not particularly sharp in the field: we seemed tentative and uncommunicative. We took far more stumpings than catches. St Andrew’s scored 9½ rounders. We went in and made 7 – a viable total at the half-way stage. We were certainly helped by some dropped catches and mis-fielding…
St Andrew’s came in for their second innings and scored another 5 – total 14½ . The game was in the balance. We ran positively between the posts and made the most of our opportunities, but still contrived to get out for just 5 – total 12. EG
Under 11 21 – 12½
Today the U11 team played the thirty good balls format. They have only played timed innings before so this was a new concept for them and they coped really well. We lost the toss and, batting first, the girls scored a very healthy eleven rounders. It was so pleasing to see every girl connecting with the ball and getting onto the score sheet. In the field the team was outstanding. Inju and Ali each made a high catch, which was not easy on a very chilly day. Ali was extremely brave at 2nd post and stumped seven players out at high speed. St Andrew's did have some good hitters of the ball, but Sasha, who has now taken the roll of 2nd deep, stopped many a full rounder being scored with her safe hands.
In the second innings our hitting was still very good indeed. One of Camilla Wilkins' biggest hits reached the cricket wicket on the next field - the boys, looking stunned, returned the ball. Top scorers today were Grace with 4½, Camilla with 4 and Helena Foord with 3½. Another notable performance was by Aiko who, having been moved to 1st post, stumped out three players. The whole team played a big part today in this U11 victory. All the girls were alert and quick to the ball in the field - two of the opposition's parents complimented them on their fielding. Girl of the match today goes to Grace who, after complaining of feeling very unwell after the long bus journey, put in a superb performance; she was top scorer, taking a magnificent catch and providing solid backstopping throughout. The final score was a win of 21-12½ to Ashdown.
JU
Under 10 11 – 11½
The under 10s rounders team played St Andrew's in a very close match only just missing out on the win by half a rounder. With the final score at 11½ -11 every second was crucial to the final result of the game. We had some incredible runs and an amazing catch right at the end of the game by Chloe who really gave her all every minute of the match. Annabel managed some great runs and scored several half rounders for Ashdown. Cristina’s ever present enthusiasm for the game meant that in fielding we had strong support for both third and fourth post. It was great to see the girls' drive to win throughout the game and, having only just missed out on a Wednesday win, I’m confident in the girl’s ability for our Saturday match! EH
Rounders v Handcross Park
1st IX Won 43½– 10.5
The girls were on fire today! After only 4 balls we had scored 3½ rounders! This continued unabated for the entire innings until the clock ran out on us after 23 rounders. At this stage we had only lost 5 of our ten batsmen. Handcross then went in to bat which they did quite efficiently but our fielding was also superb and we managed to dismiss their last batsman on the final ball of the innings. They had managed to score 6½ rounders.
Normally we would have put them in to bat again but we had decided to play the full second innings so we went back in to bat. Handcross set a very defensive field in an attempt to stop the scoring but the girls were batting like seasoned veterans and, yet again, we managed to score an amazing number of rounders in our fifteen minutes - 20½ to be precise. Handcross batted well again in their second innings but again the girls were fielding brilliantly. This time we got Handcross out for 4 rounders in half the allotted time.
Every girl got on the scoreboard today. Kat 7½, Aimee and Sophie 6 apiece, Laura 4½, Katie and Gabi 4 each, Leah and Issy 3 each, Annabel 2½ and Millie 1½. Dismissals were spread amongst the whole team with Backstop to 1st post claiming 3, Bowler to 1st post taking 3, Bowler catching 4, 1st post catching 2, 2nd post catching 3, 1st post stumping 1, 2nd post stumping 3, 3rd post stumping 1 and backstop getting the team out with 2 at the box.
I have seen the equal of this performance at Ashdown before but I don't believe that I have ever seen it bettered.
'Man' of the match The Ashdown 1st team batters and fielders! PMcC
2nd IX Won 17½-8
I could write on for hours about today’s rounders match against Handcross Park; each girl in the second team has something to be very proud of after the match this afternoon. Winning 17½-8, you could see from the first innings that our near daily practice has had a huge effect in both the girls fielding and batting. The teamwork between Alex at second post and Dana at second deep enabled the girls to first stop the balls flying in their direction and then stump the opposition out before they managed to gain too many half rounders. Tilly, at both third deep and first post, managed to catch two balls on the full, as did Thalia as backstop. Lara once again managed to wow the spectators as she sped around the bases at lightning pace. I am so proud of the girls for their improvement and their efforts today and I can’t wait to see what they all bring to the game next week. KM
Under 9 Won 12½– 10
On a cloudy afternoon fortunately the rain held off for us and we could play our match. Antonia, Mila and Anastasia played in their first Ashdown rounders match today and acquitted themselves really well. Anastasia scored two half rounders and played very nicely in the second deep position. Antonia really enjoyed stumping the first post when possible and Mila made some lovely stops at first deep. Elizabeth's bowling was excellent, giving away only one half rounder and she also made a lovely low catch. Emily was solid at second post, as was Lucy and Scarlett at third and forth. After the first innings Ashdown were narrowly ahead 5½ to 3.
In the second innings Handcross were hitting the ball better and we made a few mistakes in the field. So Handcross scored a very healthy seven rounders. So we needed five to win. With Emily, Charas and Annabel scoring and quite a few no balls we managed to score 7. Our girl of the match goes to our captain today, Annabel, who connected with two lovely big hits for two rounders and for her excellent backstop skills. JU
Rounders v Cranleigh
1st IX Won 20 – 18½
This was an extremely close match from start to finish. In our first batting innings Sophie was on fire scoring 3 rounders. Hot on her heels were Annabel and Millie with 2½ each, Katie with 2 and Laura, Kat and Leah with one apiece. We finished that innings with 14½ rounders. Cranleigh then came in to bat which they did very efficiently and with some force. We fielded well below par but that does not take away from the great strikes that Cranleigh were making on many occasions. They finished that innings with 14 rounders scored.
In our second batting innings Leah was the top batsman with 3, Katie made 1 and Annabel, Millie and Laura ½ apiece. This left us with much to do during our second fielding innings as Cranleigh only required 6½ rounders to beat us. Leah is now much more confident in her own ability and was therefore willing to try the important role of second deep. This she played brilliantly stopping many half and full rounders with her immense and accurate throws. Katie and Aimee played superbly dismissing 4 players at first post due to accurate passing and speed of reaction. Laura was incredible at third post making 2 catches and a stumping. A much improved fielding performance from all concerned pulled a victory out of almost certain defeat!
'Man' of the match: Leah and Annabel first class all round performances! PMc
2nd IX Lost 5 – 7½
Today’s rounders match against Cranleigh proved to be a very challenging one for our seconds. Although the girls lost the game marginally, 7½ - 5, every girl showed excellent sportsmanship towards each other and their opposing team. Every parent should be very proud of their daughters for their superb efforts in today’s match; since Wednesday’s opening match of the season, the girls' batting and fielding have already improved rapidly. Gabi deserves a special mention in today’s write up for her speed when running from post to post (she was the one to score a full rounder today) and for her excellent eye when catching balls on the full from out deep. Maria’s ability to throw the ball harder than I have seen before also deserves a special mention, as out deep she played a vital roll in catching several of the opposing team out. Overall, a great game. KM
3rd IX Won 14 – 12½
This was a good, close match played on a lovely day at Ashdown. We batted first and scored 6½ rounders, with Vicky Watson and Holly Allen scoring full rounders. Most of the score comes from chipping away at the half-rounders, though – as I am discovering! Our problem was spooning the ball up with the bat - most of our batters were caught out. In the field we were erratic: a couple of catches were held but we did need to sharpen up. Cranleigh made 8½ rounders.
We then made 7½ in the second innings, including two full rounders from Tilly Grace. The difference when we fielded was that a distinct sense of purpose and cohesion had developed; we looked like a team. Catches were taken and communication was improved between players, so stumpings-out were much more positive. Cranleigh made 4. EG
4th IX Lost 10-11
Ashdown played a great game of rounders today. The score settled at 11-10 to Cranleigh although it was an extremely close game. All the girls did an awesome job at fielding. Ailsa deserves a special mention for how well she performed on 2nd post having never played there before. They were all very careful with their passing and were always calling out positively. Nurshat also did an excellent job as 2nd deep not letting the ball get past her. The girls will have to work on the batting skills as this is the only thing that is holding them back. Georgie was awarded girl of the match by the opposition for her excellent bowling. All in all a great game. OH
Rounders v Rose Hill
Under 11 Won 19½–9½
Today we played an A and B team from Rose Hill. In the first match against the A team we won the toss and went in to field. Once again the girls were very impressive with their fielding. Helena Foord's bowling and control of the game is very good indeed. Ali at second post is totally focused, managing to stump out three players and make a good catch. Aiko also played very nicely today as she stumped two players at fourth post and by doing so stopped two more rounders being scored. We came out on top in this match, winning the game 9½ - 5½.
In the second match we won the toss again and put Rose Hill in to bat. They only managed to score four rounders which was due to some more excellent fielding. Helena F caught out two players, Bota stumped and caught a player, Aiko made a super catch to dismiss a very good hitter and bizarrely Grace stumped a player out at 3rd post from her backstop position. Sasha and Helena StJ were super in the field, stopping many well hit balls. We went on to score ten rounders and so also won this match. Girl of the match goes to Alexandra Mathison for both her fielding and the six rounders she scored. JU
Under 10 Drew 11½–11½
Today the under 10 rounders team demonstrated their skill against the tough competition of Rose Hill coming out of the game with a draw. The final score ended up at 11½ each- this was a result of our girls' focus in both batting and fielding. I have already seen a great improvement in the girls since our last game on Wednesday as they get back into the swing of rounders and improve their teamwork skills. With a difficult first innings I was very glad to see the girls take on my advice and that of their fans (aka the parents), and really pull through and even out the score in the second innings. Some standouts today were: Claudia whose commitment as backstop and willingness to take a risk when batting really paid off and she was an important asset to the team; Ailenor has vastly improved in fielding and as she continues to develop her reflexes I think we could have a very strong first post guard; lastly Tori’s efforts in fielding enabled us to get a few Rose Hill girls out of the game and gave us a great advantage. All in all, I am thrilled that the girls are steadily improving and look forward to our next game. EH
St Bede’s Under 13 Rounders Tournament
1st IX 2nd in group
This year's St Bede's tournament was blessed with beautiful weather which made it a joy. Our pitch had many interesting features such as rabbit holes, brambles and stinging nettles but we made the most of these features by hitting balls into them to foil the opposition!
In our first match we batted beautifully; Leah and Laura scored 2 rounders each, Annabel 1½, Sophie and Aimee 1 each and Kat and Cesci ½ apiece. Thus we ended with 9 rounders. Skippers Hill only managed
2½ rounders. We dismissed six of their players Leah catching two, Millie and Kat one each and Kat stumping two at second post.
In the second match we very narrowly lost to Holmewood House 6½ to 7½. In this match we forgot the important rule that you must keep any half rounder you have scored! This was our downfall. Sophie scored
2½, Laura 1½, Aimee 1 and Kat, Katie and Leah ½ each. We dismissed 4 of their players: two caught by Kat, one by Millie in an awesome reaction catch and a good stumping at first post.
The third match was a batting and fielding masterclass by these talented girls in which everyone scored! Annabel, Laura and Gabi 1½ each, Leah, Aimee, Sophie and Katie 1 each and Laura, Cesci and Kat ½ each. The fielding was slick with Katie and Aimee combining at backstop and 1st post to dismiss 5 players, Millie and Aimee dismissing 1 with Millie's speed of reaction and Aimee's determination making it a forgone conclusion. Laura dismissed the last three by stumping the box.
Unfortunately our slightly lacklustre batting performance against Holmewood put us second in our section and so we were unable to progress in the tournament just when we had got into our stride.
We have plenty of time and much to work on to hone our considerable skills!
'Man' of the match: Batting - Laura and Sophie; Fielding - Leah PMc
Rounders v Vinehall
2nd IX Won 13½ – 3
Today’s opening match of the season against Vine Hall proved to all girls on the team the potential they have. Starting off slowly in the first innings the girls soon found their feet and excelled in the second half. Our fielding today was highly commendable, with Thalia as backstop catching several balls mid air, and Alex on second post doing the same. The batting throughout the game improved tremendously as time went on, with the girls hitting the ball harder and further in the second half as their confidence increased. Lara deserves a special mention for her speed and strength when batting, in the second innings alone she managed to score an amazing 4½ rounders. The girls should be very happy with this start of the season, and with more coaching and practice I look forward to seeing each girl reach their full potential in this summer sport. KM
3rd IX Lost 6½ – 19½
I discovered this afternoon that rounders is a game that can look more even than it in fact is. Nurshat and Annabel were able to strike the ball with a fair degree of force; Annabel scored the majority of our rounders. Some of the other players showed potential in this area, although they batted in a very dainty, lady-like manner this afternoon. Our batters were evenly split between being caught and stumped – which shows the importance of communication around the pitch. Vinehall made all their catches; we did not, and that was the key. The adage is true: catches win matches – or don’t!
Much to work on with this very good-natured side… EG
What a beautiful day to start off the rounders season. We lost the toss and were put into bat first and the girls managed to notch up a super first innings total of 15. Ali, Helena SJ and Sasha were connecting solidly with the ball and scoring whole rounders whilst the other girls all added to the score with half rounders. Vinehall then scored 9.5 in their first innings. Our fielding was steady and on the whole I was pleased with the girls decision making.
In our second innings we added 9 more to our score. Helena Foord found her hitting boots and scored 3 rounders and Ali added 2 more to her tally. What was most pleasing was that all the team got onto the score sheet. Vinehall came out very determined in their final innings and scored very quickly. We then seemed to realise that they could catch us up so our fielding suddenly got a whole lot better. Grace made a smashing running catch from backstop. Sasha was extremely brave off third post and stumped out three players whilst Bota stumped three players at first post. Girl of the match today goes to Inju for her constant backing up of first and second post which crucially stopped those half rounders being scored. This was a lovely first match with both teams playing very well. Ashdown managed to maintain their lead and won 24-21.
Under 10 Lost 15 – 22
Today the under 10s played their first match against Vinehall, losing 22½ to 15½. The win may have been snatched from us, but we showed excellent sportsmanship and some great skills throughout the match. Chloe was our star player; as bowler her aim was very impressive and she hit several rounders between the two innings. Other key players to today’s game were Estella with some great hits and a few good catches, Georgie’s quick reflexes also played a crucial role in preventing the opposition from scoring all important half rounders at the second post. I was very impressed with everyone’s efforts today, they gave it their all and with a bit more training I look forward to developing the under 10s into a stella team! EH
Under 9 Won 17½ – 8½
It was a beautiful afternoon and an excellent start to the season. Ashdown had a win against Vinehall with a score of 17½ to 8½.
The girls all put in a massive effort and did a really great job at both batting and fielding. They kept their eyes on the ball the whole time and made sure they made quick decisions as to which post to stump.
Elizabeth had some great hits and managed to score 7 rounders. Hermione also batted well with some rounders scored. Annabel did a great job as back stop with her eye always on the ball.
Emily was amazing on second post almost always catching the ball and stumping her post. Overall a great first game. OH
