Girls' college cricketers shine

The Marlborough Girls’ College First XI Cricket team ensured their debut appearance at the Aimee Watkins Central Districts tournament was a memorable one.

Staged in Palmerston North from 24 March – 26 March the short-format event brings together top college sides from across the CD region.

This was the first time in some years that MGC has been able to field a team and they did not waste the opportunity to test themselves against their peers, finishing the tournament first equal on points and only being relegated to second on net run rate.

The tournament got off to a great start on day one with two wins from two matches. This was followed by a loss (in a super over following a tie) and a win on day two, then a loss and an abandoned match on the third day.

The team was well led by captain, Tyler O'Donnell and vice captain Charlotte Brooke-Taylor, who both made valuable contributions throughout.

Tyler took nine wickets and had the best economy rate of the bowlers with 2.67, she also took the most catches with five. Fenella Cooney bagged the most wickets, taking 14 including a five-wicket bag. Charlotte registered the highest score, with 30 against Iona College, while top overall run scorer was Pippa Yuen with 52.

Another feather in the MGC cap was the fact they conceded the lowest number of extras of any team at the tournament, no small part due to the tight fielding and especially the wicketkeeping of Alice Brown.

Team management stressed that, “it was a truly joint effort with every team member contributing to a successful team result. An awesome result for their first outing at the event”.

The MGC team: Tyler O'Donnell, Charlotte Brooke-Taylor, Filippa Palm, Natalie Ellin, Fenella Cooney, Pippa Yuen, Izzy Vickery, Vespa Duncan, Lizzie Gibbons, Isabelle Brown, Alice Brown, Haley Goodwin-McEntee, Zora Suleiman. Coach Melynda Bentley. Co-Coach Dave Patterson. Manager Becks Brooke-Taylor. Assistant Manager Sherri O’Donnell.