Girls Cricket – Abbots Langley U13 – Winners of Soroptimist Audrey Collins Trophy 2016 – for the 3rd Year Running!

A grey start turned into a nice sunny morning as we watched 2 talented teams of U13 Girls battle it out for the Soroptimist Girls Under 13’s Audrey Collins Cricket Trophy. The finalists this year were the holders Abbots Langley and Stevenage. Soroptimist Club President Denise presented the Abbots Langley team with the shield and trophy and in the 2nd picture both teams of girls are intermingled as suggested by the girls’ coaches.

A 20 over game based on the rules of Kwik Cricket, this is enjoyment for, and fair play by, all players in the team. Teams start the innings with 200 on the board and runs are added either by the batting side scoring runs or the bowlers bowling wides or no balls (2 run penalty awarded to the batting side).    5 runs are deducted when a batter is deemed to be out but the batter does not leave the pitch until their allotted 4 overs have been played.    These rules ensure that every player in the team spends an equal amount of time on the pitch regardless of size, strength or ability. Stevenage batted first and after a slow start, due to some excellent bowling from Abbots Langley, started to put some runs on the board. After their 20 overs with the bat Stevenage’s score stood at 250 runs, on the face of it not too high a score to beat. Abbots Langley then came into bat, but again owing to some excellent wickets being taken by Stevenage early on, Abbots Langley score was kept down and it was game on for both teams. By the end of Abbots Langley’s 20 overs with a score of 270, they ran out worthy winners of the Audrey Collins Trophy for the 3^rd year in a row.

This will be the last year that some of the girls from both teams can play for the U13s.   Definitely ones to watch for the future and how lovely if our trophy has helped these girls to one day play for England! The shield was awarded to the winners as in past years by Denise Powell, President of Soroptimist International St Albans and District who have supported girls cricket in the County for six years now.