Girls’ High to go national

GIRLS’ HIGH TRIUMPHANT: Northern Districts provincial girls’ high school cricket champions are Gisborne Girls’ High School. They are, back (from left): Neve Loffler, Tegan Hayward, Helen Evans, Grace Kuil, Kayley Knight (captain) and Grace Levy.Front: Talia Chetty, Elenor Walsh, Keeley-Rose Smiler, Jessica Hayward and Silke McNaught. Picture supplied

CRICKET

Gisborne Girls’ High School cricketers, for only the second time, are set to take the national stage.

The Mel Knight-coached GGHS first 11 qualified on Wednesday for the Gillette Venus Cup T20 finals in Term 4.

“I’m so proud of the girls, the efforts they put in and the improvement they showed over the three days, especially after losing what we thought was the most important game first up,” former Northern Spirit off-spinner Knight said.

“We got better and better — with the senior group leading the way as expected — but the younger girls also stepped up and contributed when we needed them to.”

Girls’ High won four of their five games in Counties-Manukau to emerge as Northern Districts provincial champions. After losing the tournament opener to Tauranga Girls’ College by eight wickets, they beat Waikato Diocesan School for Girls by seven runs in Round 2 at Bruce Pulman Park.

On Day 2 at Mountfort Park, GGHS beat Morrinsville College by three wickets in the morning and Waiuku College by four wickets in the afternoon.

In Wednesday’s clash with Whangarei GHS at Mountfort Park, Gisborne captain Kayley Knight won the toss and opted to bowl. Whangarei made 90-8, Northern Spirit pace bowler Knight taking 2-14 in four overs, her ND under-19 teammate Grace Levy 1-10, Tegan Hayward 1-13 and Grace Kuil 1-15. GGHS fielded superbly, effecting three run-outs.

Batting at 3, Knight junior made 31 not out and Grace Kuil an unbeaten 12 from No.5 to steer Girls’ High to victory — 93-3 — in 15.1 overs.

GGHS staged a remarkable campaign: Levy opened the batting, made 41 and Keeley-Rose Smiler took 2-12 in a loss. Knight hit six boundaries in her 61-ball 54 and first-drop Smiler 21 against Dio, the captain then taking 2-16 in the second innings. The skipper took 2-15 and Jessica Hayward 2-23 against Morrinsville, with 35 from Knight and 31 from Kuil to follow. Knight and Kuil took 2-11 and 2-15 respectively against Waiuku before Kuil (29), Kuil (12 not out) and Neve Loffler (unbeaten on nought) batted them through.

Kayley Knight said: “For the girls to come together with a new, young team and pull off a win in my last year is a great feeling. I couldn’t be happier with our results individually and as a team.”