A blisteringly hot day and a new bow for lucky mascot Roly saw the Ladies 1st XI travel to Compton and Chandlers Ford for their league away match on Sunday. Compton won the toss and elected to field on a dusty used track that could offer some variable bounce and turn.

Sisters, Izzy and Georgie Russell strode to the crease and immediately took advantage of the fast outfield until Izzy was adjudged LBW attempting a pull shot to a ball that bounced a little higher than she expected for 5. That brought the teams top two run scorers together in Lily George and Georgie Russell. Both ran every run hard despite the heat adding 94 in 11 overs without taking any risks. Despite it being a league match as a team we had discussed retirements and both players were given 42 balls to face, Lily first to retire for 43, Georgie following an over later for 59. Annie Burnell-Nugent departed after displaying her hockey skills once too often and playing across the line to a straight ball and Holly Haynes followed attempting a cover drive to another straight delivery as the Compton bowlers worked hard in the afternoon sun. That left the ever dependable Simone Hellyer and the rising star Fifi Goldsmith to close out the innings as Simone's watchfulness and Fifi's hard hitting saw them to 29 and 16 not out respectively with Petersfield posting 182 for 3 from their 25 overs with Imogen Pond being the pick of the Compton bowlers with 3 overs for 13, picking up the one wicket in the process.

In reply Petersfield rang the changes with Kate Harfield fresh from a 'race for life' in the morning (thanks Kate) opening the bowling with Holly Haynes. Holly struck twice in her 1st four balls with Annie taking a sharp catch at short extra cover and Kate took her first Petersfield wicket in her first over of the day, clean bowling Erin Almond leaving Compton in danger at 4 for 3 after two overs. Amelia Stewart offered some resistance before being bowled by the ever improving Goldsmith before Compton Skipper Sophie Hargrave and Amelia Silson offered some resistance before Sophie was bowled by Lily George for 38 containing 7 boundary four's. That triggered the collapse of the rest of the Compton reply as a direct hit from Lily George and a caught behind by keeper Izzy Russell from the bowling of the returning Kate Harfield brought the Compton innings to a close for 71, a Petersfield win by 111 runs.

Having won all five of our matches and having other sides concede two games against us Petersfield now hold an unassailable lead at the top of the HCL Women's Division 4 South with one game still to play. This young side has only fielded an over 18 player twice all season and has bowled every team out whilst only losing more than 3 wickets once, their closest game was a four wicket win against Wessex. With their 2nd league title in two years now secured (having won the Tier 1 Girls U16 league last season) they await to see what Division 3 looks like next season.

Well deserved all, great stuff.