Apologies for the lack of a match report last week, an 8 wicket loss to Eversley, a special mention should go to Claudia Cottle who scored 63 with a strike rate of over 100 and Lily George who posted another half century, scoring 51.

The last league game of the season saw Petersfield entertain league leaders and champions elect St Cross 2nd XI at the Heath on Sunday knowing that they could finish anywhere between 2nd and 5th in the 8 team league depending on how the last day's results unfolded. Petersfield won the toss and returning skipper, Izzy Russell, elected to field first.

St Cross openers Crute and Davies started brightly against the field opening bowlers of Holly Haynes and Claudia Cottle although they never really broke free with Petersfield keeping the run rate at under 5 an over during the 1st stanza. As has been the case so many times this season the introduction of Simone Hellyer, this week coupled with Anya Holtshausen, turned the game decisively in the home teams favour as Hellyer dismissed Crute caught well at slip by Zoe Stride for a well made 39 from 53 balls and then Holtshausen who clean bowled Davies for 25 in the following over. This seemed to take the air out of the St Cross innings as a further 4 wickets fell for just 16 runs, three taken by Hellyer with simple catches taken by Lily George, Anya Holtshausen and Holly Haynes respectively and one by U12 debutant Grace Foster who clean bowled Hubbard for a golden duck. Simone finished with 4 for 16 from her 7 overs taking her tally to a league tying 19 victims for the season, Grace bowled really consistently on debut finishing with 5 overs, 3 maidens, 1 wicket for 4 runs. Imogen Bell fought back for the visitors scoring 10 but any hopes of a renaissance were quickly snuffed out when she was dismissed by Lauren Foster (4-2-9-3) who then closed out the St Cross innings with help from Kate Harfield and Elouise Yarnley with the score on 110 from 33.1 overs.

With Portsmouth conceding against Cove and Eversley stuttering the team knew that it was now a race between us and Ropley for that 2nd place in the league, win and it was ours, lose and Ropley would take it. Openers Lily George and Lauren Foster took to the wicket after another fine mid innings tea (thanks all for the collective effort every week). Lily George fell early on to a fine running catch from a lofted drive which brought Zoe Stride to join Lauren at the crease. Both batters then set about any bad balls with Lauren especially taking advantage on the leg side taking 16 and then 17 runs from overs 7 and 8. With Petersfield on 80 without further loss from just 10 overs the St Cross spirt broke and it was just left to Lauren to bring up her maiden Petersfield league half century and Zoe to score the winning run as Petersfield reached their target with 9 wickets in hand in just under 16 overs. Lauren finished on 58 not out, Zoe 36 not out.

Overall this was our best win of the season and left us with a record of winning 7 and losing 4 games in a competitive league where we finished 2nd overall, the highest ever finish by a Petersfield Ladies team in the Hampshire cricket league. Well done all, thanks for a great season, see you all at the awards night.