NSW Combined High Schools Girls Cricket Carnival 18 to 21 February 2008

Zoe Stephenson and Kate Murphy represented North West Region at the NSW Combined High Schools Girls Cricket Carnival played on superb ovals in the northern suburbs of Sydney. The other girls in the NW team were from Armidale, Tamworth, Glen Innes, Inverell, Warialda and Wee Waa. The carnival was the first opportunity for the girls to play as a team. They played four matches, winning one – against SE Sydney and losing to Hunter, Western and North Coast. The NW team finished 9th overall in the competition.

Zoe opened the batting for NW, in fact faced the first ball of every match. Her defence was excellent as requested by the team coach Richard Rowlings from Oxley HS. Zoe got a start in all matches but found the tight and often fast bowling difficult to score runs. However, in the last match against North Coast and with the 2 top batters from NW out for relatively low scores, the responsibility for holding the innings together fell to Zoe. She responded in magnificent style, scoring 42 including 7 fours. Zoe attributed this fine innings to borrowing Kate’s bat – a ‘Glen Murphy hand built special’. Zoe’s average for the 4 matches was 16. She also bowled twice, with figures of 1/1 off 3 overs and 0/10 off 2 overs.

Kate opened the bowling for NW in each match with a 5 or 6 over spell. She bowled with great speed and not a lot of luck. She was one of NW’s most economical bowlers and fielders especially in the outfield. Kate’s 1n.o. from a fine pull shot through forward of square leg was cause for much celebration.  

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