Rounders: Review for 2004-05

 Statistics show a very successful season, but there were more cancellations than usual due to the wet weather. This meant that many teams did not get as much chance to play as we had planned for. However, the U11 team began the season with a marathon 'two innings or all-out' format in a cup match against Granville. The final score after more than two hours was 29 rounders to Derwent Lodge, but 30.5 declared to Granville. The fighting spirit of those who played set the tone for the rest of the season. Sutton Valence and Holmewood House were the only two other local schools to beat us. The strong central core of players included Isabel McNab, Olivia Rendall, Charlotte Hollingsworlh, Nicola Boulter and Lucy Spence. Emily Wilkes settled at third post and by the end of the term was catching many people out. Nicola Wilkinson, Daina Clifford and Olivia Harbig played up from Year Five in tournaments and added much needed impetus to the deep field. Top scorers were Nicola, Isabel and Olivia Rendall who never failed to impress. Kerry Alton, Charlotte Miles, Alice Barrett and Jessica Hawkes completed the line up for the U11A team whose best effort was finishing 3rd out of 13 teams at the Rosehill festival. The B team only had two matches to show their skills against St Michael's and Holmewood House.

The U10A team won six of seven matches and competition for places was very strong. In addition to Nicola, Daina and Olivia, Sophie Capewell, Amy Sommerville and Lily Richards deserve mention for their consistent play.  Several other girls played at least one match for the U10A team. The U10B team was also strong, losing only one match. This team was not a fixed unit as we could afford to offer other girls who showed commitment to training the chance to play.

The U9A team showed great potential last year particularly for fielding and they developed their tactics and skills this season to build on what they already knew. Consequently, the three 'slips' of Mary Ellis, Natasha Farrant and lmogen Goring, ably fed from second post by Louisa Bryant, caught many unsuspecting batters out. Anna Wetton, Natasha Brandt, Lauren McNicoll, Bethany Freeman and Nia Lewis also played particularly well. Most of the other U9 matches were cancelled, sadly.

The U8A team finally got two games towards the end of the season and it was encouraging to see them work as a team. Our strength at this age seems to be in the giris' ability to score and Rowena Maitland, Amber Hall and Hannah Capewell show promise in this area. Annabel Estlin, Scarlett Sullivan, Grace Paul and Laura Beaman were competent fielders in the matches but there are many other players in this year group ready to push for team places next year, when they consolidate their skills.

Thank goodness that the weather held for the Inter-House matches!  Every girl in Derwent Lodge finally had the chance to play for their Houses in either the junior or senior events. Grasmere emerged as winners in the senior event and, together with Ullswater, shared victory in the junior section. The girls have certainly grasped the intricacies of the game and take every advantage to make the rules work for them either in scoring sneaky half rounders or 'stealing posts', and preventing batters from scoring by always sending a hit ball to second post.

Full Colours: O Rendall, L Spence, I McNab, C Hollingsworth, N Boulter, N Wilkinson, O Harbig, D Clifford

Half Colours: C Miles, E Wilkes, J Hawkes, A Barrett, A Sommerville, S Capewell, L Richards