South Dartmoor Girls carry off national title

TOP of the class! That’s the schoolgirl cricketers of South Dartmoor College’s Under-15 side after they were crowned Chance to Shine national champions.

The girls won through area, district and regional rounds to reach the national finals, which were played on the Edgbaston Sports Foundation Ground in Birmingham.

England ladies captain Charlotte Edwards was the VIP guest for finals days and watched South Dartmoor defeat Shenfield High School from Essex in the semi-final round.

South Dartmoor scored 66 in their seven overs – a competitive but gettable total.

Thanks to some tight bowling and fielding Shenfield were kept behind the rate and ran out of overs six runs short.

Waiting in the final for South Dartmoor were the girls of South Hensley Secondary School in Yorkshire, who had defeated Tudor Grange School from Warwickshire in their semi-final.

South Dartmoor took the game away from the opposition right from the start.

Twenty-six runs were scored from the third over and the rate never really dropped.

The top-four batters - Libby McNally, Jas Dawe, Ellie Ingham-Hill and Jess Cooper - all retired having reached 20.

South Dartmoor’s seven-over score was a hefty 115 for none.

“It was an incredible score in any game, let alone a national final, and by far and away the best batting performance the team had ever had,” said Scott Chappell, who coaches the team along with Becky Mason and Julie Ingham-Hill

South Hunsley never had a chance of reaching the total and finished more than 40 runs short.

Winning the national title so emphatically rounded of a successful season for the girls, who had already finished third in the School Sport Magazine T20 hardball national finals.

In the three years since the team came together, they have gone from strength to strength.

They have been South West Regional runners-up twice, national third-placed team twice, national runners-up twice and now national champions.

All three coaches were unanimous in praising the girls for their achievements.

“They have shown that through hard work and dedication anything is possible,” said Ingham-Hill.

“They are a group of very good friends who challenge and support each other and strive for success.

“We could not be any prouder of not only what they have achieved, but also how they behave on and off the field, and the young ladies they have grown into.”

The team skippered by Ellie Ingham-Hill, comprised Libby McNally, Jasmine Dawe, Olivia Dobson, Jess Cooper, Ellie Snow, Robyn Elliot-Ogden, Caitlin Wright, Libby Ford and Beth Powlesland. They are pictured below with coach Scott Chappell

 
 

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