They finished unbeaten and knocked off last year’s champion in the decider. Now a group of young NSW girls return from Darwin as the best U12 cricket team in the country.
As winter grips the southern states, NSW’s finest U12 cricketers have braved the Darwin tropics in a battle to be crowned School Sport Australia U12 Champions.
After taking guard in the Northern Territory on Sunday 4 June, the state’s best boys and girls brushed aside the heat and all four opponents to make Friday’s grand finals.
Here’s how they finished up.
NSW GIRLS CLAIM NATIONAL GLORY
They’re the NSW primary school girls who headed to Darwin with a mantra and returned home as national cricket champions.
Following a strenuous selection and training process, the best of the state’s rising female cricket stars joined forces to outclass five teams to be crowned School Sport Australia Under-12 Cricket champions.
“At our training camp the week before, the girls came up with a mantra that we lived by during the tournament,” said Kate Owen, the team’s overjoyed coach.
And with the words positivity, persistence and teamwork ringing in their ears, the girls swept aside all comers including last season’s champions South Australia by 52 runs in the grand final.
“To their credit, the girls left Sydney with the title in mind,” said Owen. “I think the big game was the semi-final where they scraped home by one-wicket against Queensland, it just showed the determination and grit of our girls.”
And when opening bowler Ella Cattley claimed the final South Australian wicket, the celebrations began.
Over six days of competition played on the city’s premier cricket facilities, the girls showcased their depth during a comprehensive unbeaten streak.
“They were focused from the start, and adhered to the rigorous hydration protocols we had in place to combat the heat,” Owen said of the consistent 32-33 degree days.
They announced themselves in the opening round when eight of the top-nine reached double figures in a crucial win over fellow heavyweights, Victoria. Charlotte Shoemark hit 46 runs and was joined by another regular contributor with Kaya Kumar scoring 24.
Opening batter Gayathri Naik proved her value throughout, hitting 65 against the ACT and chipping in with regular wickets. Matilda Hayward struck 52 in round three, while skipper Ava Dragovic proved difficult to dismiss at the close off each innings.
Shoemark’s all-round class came in the form of multiple-wicket outings while Cattley was never far off, bagging 3-20 in the decider.
When it came to the golden touch, Bathurst right-armer Poppi Stephen opted for the big stage. First rattling Queensland in the semi with 5/20 which she bookended with an equally stunning 3-17 in the grand final.
But in a memorable campaign, it was Ruby Carlyon’s defiance and maturity with the bat that steered the side to victory in the semi, and in the grand final, wicketkeeper Eloise Lawry’s brisk 26 off 40 balls helped rescue the innings from a perilous 6/104.
With a squad of 12 coming from eight metropolitan and four region schools, Owen and team manager Belinda Allard proved a revelation in bedding down crucial combinations and lifelong bonds.
“We were well assisted by Ava, she did an amazing job and really did drive the team,” Owen said.
“Some of the other girls as well, Ruby was just constantly chat, chat, chat and good fun off the field. But they all really played a role on and off the field.
“They stuck together as a team and a unit and that was evident in how they played their cricket.”
Now with the hard work done, Owen reflected on the role of sport in education.
“School sport ticks so many boxes. It’s great for social well being, building resilience, working together and introducing key life skills that you need as you get older, especially heading to the teenage years,” she said.
“For these girls to be in another state or territory and learning about our country and culture is just phenomenal. They are memories that they’ll have with them for the rest of their life.”
NSW BOYS DO STATE PROUD
Desperate to go one better than last year, NSW fell agonisingly short against Queensland in a thrilling grand final.
Despite the result, coach Jason Ellsmore said the squad can return home with their heads held high.
Led by tournament standout Arjun Singh (50 runs) and Vivaan Kanhe (30), NSW compiled a competitive 9/151 from their allotted 40 overs.
In reply, the Maroons fired out of the blocks before being reeled in by the leg spin of Singh (3/23) and Ethan Natkunamanickam (2/28).
In a tense finish, Queensland eventually snuck home in the final over with two wickets in hand.
“Unfortunately we were probably 20 runs short, which is a shame because we played good cricket all week” said Ellsmore.
“Singh (260 at 65, 8 wickets) and Natkunamanickam (204 at 40.8, 6 wickets) stood out for us all week. Arjun couldn’t have done any more, he probably had more time in the sun than anyone else at the tournament.
“All our spinners performed well and James Sykes delivered some quality with the new ball.”
Despite the final day’s heartbreak, the appearance of NSW Sheffield Shield stars Jason Sangha and Ryan Hackney ensured all the boys left with a smiling face.
Originally published as Sport Schools Australia U12 cricket championships: Unbeaten NSW girls take Darwin by storm