Cricket is about ebb and flow as momentum swings change the direction of the game and Sunday's ladies league match was a great example of this as Petersfield, shorn of a few regular players due to the impending heavy exam week, took a side with five of the girls U13's team to St Cross to play the league leaders.

Field skipper, Izzy Russell, won the toss and elected to field on another cold and breezy day. Lily George partnered Georgie Russell with the new ball and the pair quickly put St Cross on the back foot with Russell consistently beating the bat and George pinning the St Cross openers to their crease. George got just rewards for her accuracy bowling opener Miller for a duck and number 3 Walter for 2 early on leaving St Cross wobbling a little at 15 for 2 from the 1st 5 overs, momentum was going Petersfield's way. St Cross skipper Trueman then steadied the St Cross ship and as Petersfield brought on Holly Haynes in her return from her side strain and Simone Hellyer, St Cross soon found themselves on 68 for 2 as we neared drinks, the momentum was firmly with St Cross at this point. Cue Sophia Gubbins, the 1st of the U13's to enter the attack, who tempted skipper Trueman into a lofted drive that was pouched by another U13, Emily Heapy, at mid wicket and when Simone spun one through Hubbard in the next over St Cross were suddenly 68 for 4 at drinks and Petersfield were back in the driving seat. Davenport then counter attacked well but Gubbins picked up her 2nd wicket on debut, this time to a good catch from Haynes at mid on with the score on 87 for 5 - could Field press home this advantage?

Alas momentum was to swing once again as Wilson and Davies for St Cross worked the ball well against the younger Petersfield bowlers until Wilson was run out by a direct hit from the boundary by Martha Ferguson. George (7-0-18-3) and Russell (7-1-16-0) then returned to stem the flow of runs as St Cross posted 175 for 8 from their 35 overs, thanks once again to Rachel Heapy for filling in as our last player and saving many runs in the deep. Sophia Gubbins was the pick of the youngsters bowling her 3 overs for 8 runs and taking two wickets.

After tea the Petersfield top order knew that they needed to build partnerships and initial signs were good as Lily George and Georgie Russell worked the slow but accurate St Cross bowlers around and were sitting comfortably on 19 for no wicket from just 5 overs until the final momentum swing took place. Russell missed a ball that drifted down the St Cross slope and took her off bail and just 5 balls later George caught an under edge which was neatly taken by keeper Wilson to leave Peef 20 for 2. From here on in everyone got a start but couldn't build on it as skipper Izzy Russell played across the line for 7 and Holly Haynes followed a lovely shot over the top with a misjudged sweep to the leg side to be bowled for 4. Simone Hellyer played her trademark defensive innings and U13 Martha Ferguson attacked with intent for a team high 14 runs. Emily Heapy faced 24 balls for her 5 and Isabelle Masterson who had played solidly all day supported her well but wickets continued to fall. Final pair Elouise Yarnley and Rachel Heapy tried their best with Elouise especially looking very solid against the returning St Cross opening bowlers but the end was nigh and Petersfield were dismissed for 89 runs.

There was no disgrace in this performance and had a couple of things gone our way we may have made the game closer than it was but this young team learnt a lot against an older and much more league experienced side.

We go again on Sunday.