On Monday, 15 June, our Year 8 girls’ cricket team took part in the South Ribble U13s tournament at Farington Cricket Ground, competing against All Hallows, Balshaws, Worden and Lostock Hall.
It was a fantastic day of competitive cricket, with the team demonstrating excellent skill, teamwork and determination throughout.
Priory started strongly with a convincing win against Balshaws, finishing 80–51. This set the tone for the day, with the girls showing confidence in both their batting and fielding. They followed this up with another impressive performance against Lostock Hall, securing a well-earned victory by 21 runs.
One of the standout matches came against Worden, where Priory delivered an outstanding performance, winning by an astonishing 69 runs. A particular highlight of this game was Freya B’s incredible batting display, scoring 28 runs from just 5 balls, an exceptional achievement that drew admiration from everyone watching.
The final match against All Hallows was a closely fought contest, with Priory narrowly missing out by just one run in a thrilling 75–74 finish. Despite the loss, the girls showed resilience and determination right to the last ball. This result meant that Priory came second overall in the tournament, a fantastic achievement against strong opposition.
Throughout the day, the girls were a real credit to both the school and their families, displaying fantastic sportsmanship, teamwork and positivity. Mrs Bullock was extremely impressed with the attitude, effort and ability shown by every player across the whole day.
Emily G’s bowling was exceptional, consistently putting pressure on opposition batters. However, the standout performance of the day came from Freya B, whose all-round display was outstanding. Her natural cricketing ability was recognised by the organisers, and she has been invited to contact the Lancashire Cricket Foundation to further develop her talents.
We would also like to extend our thanks to Elisha Netherwood, the Lancashire Cricket Foundation staff, and the volunteers for organising and hosting such a well-run and enjoyable event.
Farington Cricket Ground proved to be an excellent venue, with impressive facilities including a central pavilion offering four changing rooms, fitness facilities, and both outdoor and covered net areas. These features make it an outstanding setting that caters for players of all levels and contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable day for everyone involved.
Overall, it was a highly successful and memorable experience, and finishing second overall is something the team should be extremely proud of.