GDST Select XI: The captain’s account

During the Spring term, the GDST Select XI cricket team played the MCC women’s cricket team at Hampstead Cricket Club. The GDST team was formed of the best cricket players across all 25 GDST schools and was selected at a trial in December 2018. 

Captain Hannah Leatham from Notting Hill and Ealing High School shares her account of the match:

 

“We arrived at Hampstead Cricket Club at 9:30 am to warm up for an 11am start. We started by splitting into two teams and playing hand hockey, where we passed a ball between members of our team and scored by hitting a set of stumps at either end of the field. Then we warmed up our fielding before the toss of the coin. The women’s MCC won the toss and elected to bat first.

“GDST bowled very well and limited the MCC’s scoring in the first few overs of the game. However, the MCC finished well, hitting multiple boundaries in the last overs, to post a competitive score of 123 from their 20 overs. 

“The GDST select XI started well in their chase but the expertise of the women’s MCC team prevailed as we were eventually bowled out for 78.

“Despite the loss, the day was a great experience for everyone involved. To play against such a strong opposition, which included the former England Women’s captain Charlotte Edwards, was both inspiring and a great learning experience. It was also good to meet and talk to the members of the women’s MCC team after the game, whilst enjoying a curry, strawberries and profiteroles.

“After the event the GDST team all exchanged numbers and social media details in order to keep in touch. The Select XI team provided an opportunity to make new friends across the GDST network who share the same passion for cricket.”