On Thursday 23 March the postponed (from October 2022) cricket match against St Hilda’s Collegiate took place at The Willows Cricket Club in Loburn.

When our newly selected 1st XI team arrived at the ground we found a picture perfect scene with a beautifully prepared wicket, white picket fence and the club rooms looking like a country English club!

The toss was taken by our captain for the day, Sacha Arnold and the St Hilda’s captain, with Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora winning and electing to field. St Hilda’s started strongly with two experienced players in at bat; the first wicket went for 49 runs (bowled by Lily Rumball) and the second for 90 runs, when their batter retired. Finally at the end of St Hilda’s 21 overs, they had posted 151 for 5. This was a huge target for our young Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora team. Elise Dill-Russell (year 9) opened the batting for our team with Alexis Arnold. Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora lost their first wicket at 7 runs and from then on our batters tried hard but could not match the experience of the St Hilda’s fielders; Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora finished at 56 for 9. A well deserved win to St Hilda’s. After the game speeches and presentations took place. All our players were presented with the Willows Club badge and Lily Rumball was chosen by St Hilda’s as our team’s MVP. The team then had a very nice lunch and then headed back to Christchurch.

The Willows match was a fantastic experience for all our players; it was a great privilege to play at such a prestigious club.

The following day the Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora 1st XI was again in action at Hagley Park playing Otago Girls’ High School. The Otago side was a young side like ours and so the match was a lot closer. Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora, batting second, won the match in the last over by 6 wickets.

Thanks goes to the Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora coach Robine Rijke, a Dutch national player. Robine stepped in to coach the team two weeks before The Willows game; she brought a different style and had a great manner with the players. Robine has now headed back to The Netherlands and I am sure our players will be looking out for news of her cricket career over the next few years.

Well done to all the Christchurch Girls' High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora players for their efforts over the two days of cricket.