With a later start than normal we are pleased to report that another first for Mackie CC has arrived this season with our first U16 girls team formed and playing matches. This is a further step in our ambition to offer cricket to a diverse range of people throughout our community who want to come together and enjoy cricket!
The girls are competing in the All Girls Cricket Competition (AGCC), the largest girls cricket competition in Australia! Last season (20/21) saw 26 clubs with 57 season teams participate with over 500 players involved. This is the third season that Mackie has fielded at least one team in the competition and four of the girls who started in the first Mackie U13 girls team of season (19/20) are now in this U16 team. Just a few weeks out from the season commencing we were still a couple of players short of forming a team. The challenges of COVID meant we had a very late Come n’ Try day on 30th of October and were able to get some new recruits to join the team.
Round 1 – 21 Nov – Away vs Mt Waverley Brasher
It was a mixture of nerves and excitement that we gathered at Batesford Reserve in Chadstone for our first fixture as a brand new team. A late addition to the group had us with 8 players ready to compete with 4 new players making their debut for Mackie CC. The modified rules of this competition have up to 9 players on the field at anytime, with a minimum of 7 players required to commence a match. The focus is participation with all players having a bowl and wicket keeper duties shared with 10 overs each. The batters also retire after a number of balls faced so everyone gets a go.
The home team won the toss and decided to have a bat.
The Mackie girls put in a great effort in bowling and fielding and restricted the home side to just 69 runs in their 20 overs with a final innings result of 2/69. A great team effort and our debutants playing a part in the 2 wickets taken. A great catch and a very good runout both in the 18th over had the girls restrict the opposition to just 9 runs in the final 3 overs.
A brief break and it was time to pad up and chase the total. A tricky start with a strong opening bowler and a wicket lost on the 3rd ball of the innings! The girls stuck to their task and some good partnerships were formed as they built to 1/52 after 15 overs. The opening bowlers returned and the match tightened up with the girls requiring 7 runs from the final over for the win. The first two balls of the over both went for 2 runs each with some great running between wickets. Three runs required from final 4 balls and the excitement and pressure built. The next 2 balls were dots and the pressure became too much with a runout coming with the penultimate ball of the innings. A single run on the final ball was all we could muster and the girls fell just short of a win in their maiden match.
Round 2 – 28 Nov – Away vs Emmanuel South Oakleigh
With a solid training session under our belts we made the short trip to WA Scammell Reserve in South Oakleigh for round 2. The girls were excited to discover that they would get their first taste of playing on a prepared turf wicket.
Our skipper for the day won the toss and elected to have a bowl. Each bowler had an initial over and it was tight at 0/20 after seven overs. The home team’s no.3 was starting to get going and had moved to 11 runs from 8 balls with two boundaries in the ninth over before being bowled by one of our returning opening bowlers. Returning from the break after 10 overs with a new keeper and another bowler at our disposal the game moved along quickly to 1/59 after 15 overs. Our opening bowlers came back for their 3rd over each and both had success with a wicket each, both bowled. We now had them 3/69 with 3 overs to come. They finished strong and set us a challenging 85 for victory.
The chase began and it was very apparent they had a strong bowling and fielding side. Our openers did a magnificent job to weather the first 4 overs…but runs were tough and we reached 0/10. Their opening bowler returned for her third over and the pressure was too much with a quick single finishing in a close run out after some excellent fielding by the opposition. The Mackie girls dug in again and managed to get to 1/27 after the initial 10 overs. A big finish was required and the girls had a crack scoring at 4 an over to finish at 2/67.
Another great morning of cricket for this new U16 girls team as they come together and learn new skills. Looking forward to seeing them have their first match at Mackie of the season and chasing that maiden win versus Le Page