Sports Round Up & Stars of the Week

🏏 A round up of the cricket matches:

• Wednesday held host to fixtures against Cottesmore and Dorset House. The U12 Boys As put in a strong all-round team performance, winning by six wickets after chasing 98. There were plenty of fantastic catches and clean bowling on show from a determined Pennthorpe side who fielded superbly. Felix stepped up to open the batting, and after overcoming some initial nerves, set us up for victory with a resolute display. Despite some solid bowling, Cottesmore’s batting prowess proved just too much on this occasion for the U12 Boys B squad, as they were able to hit fours and sixes galore. Pennthorpe were able to match their batting to begin with, Marcus competing well and putting Cottesmore under pressure, but the unfortunate loss of four quick wickets ensured the total was out of our reach.
• Colts As forced a tight victory of six runs in their match on Wyle’s Field. Spectacular team work and effort saw them over the line as Lucas batted with power and purpose to clinch all important runs.
• Colts Bs had a number of players who were participating in their first ever hardball game, a fantastic step in the development our junior cricketers. On this occasion though, the opposition were well versed with their bowling skills, delivering quick and consistent bowls that troubled our batters and led to some unlucky wickets. Pennthorpe never gave up though, each player digging deep to try their best in a new environment, Freddie in particular showing his growing confidence in batting whilst also providing pace and determination in the field.
• A mixed Colts C team also faced a strong Cottesmore who were able to adapt their game well to the zippy conditions of the sports hall. Pennthorpe produced some tight bowling and strategic fielding, but couldn’t score quick enough to catch the Cottesmore total. Sophie gave another superb batting performance, hitting with power and intent to try and rack up as many runs as she could.
• The U11/12 Girls A took some early wickets, backed up with some stellar fielding from the team to keep Dorset House’s runs low. Tilda delivered a confident over that gave great results, overcoming initial worries with the support of her teammates! Going into batting filled with aplomb, Pennthorpe took to the crease keen to catch the opposition’s total – and did so with ease. Communication was strong throughout, clocking up some good singles and even better doubles. The team were unstoppable and undoubtedly deserved the win!
• A lovely afternoon that showed great camaraderie between a mix of three year groups for the Girls Bs. Pennthorpe came up to bat first, facing more than their fair share of wide and no balls, meaning our chances to rack up some runs were extremely limited. Bowling, the girls showed superb development in their technique since the start of the season, however this ultimately led to Dorset House being able to accumulate plenty of fours to take the lead. Nevertheless, the team stayed incredibly positive and ended the match with smiles on their faces – a result regardless!
• On the other side of the astro, Girls Cs took on another Dorset House side, bowling well to earn themselves a steady collection of wickets. With the bat, Charlotte took control to contribute a triumphant over with accurate batting and considered runs. Despite their best efforts, accumulation of runs came slow and we couldn’t quite catch the total.
• On Thursday, Year 3 & 4 participated in a just-for-fun inclusive athletics event with Farlington School. In mixed groups, the children got the chance to try their hand at five different running, jumping and throwing stations before coming together to compete in a squadron relay. Everyone had a fantastic afternoon, showing excellent teamwork with Farlington pupils and showing off the very best of Pennthorpe.
• The big fixture this week was the much-anticipated County Cup match against local school The Weald. What started as a promising and dominant batting display ended in a heartbreaking loss. We batted first, with Johnny scoring 40 to set us on our way to our total of 135. Lexi held her own when she came up to bowl, making an exquisite instinctive point-blank catch. The bowlers continued to take crucial wickets and we were so close to victory, but it wasn’t to be; The Weald scoring the final 4 runs with only one batter remaining, the game finishing 135-136. The team were outstanding throughout, and should be very proud of their efforts.

Plenty more fixtures and competitions for the upcoming week, with two athletics competitions involving the Prep pupils – here’s hoping the weather stays sunny!