As the old adage says ‘the cream always rises to the top’ and that is exactly what happened last Tuesday 22nd May, when the Lapta Lasses met the Girne Girlies in the Creditwest Ladies Cricket League match at Pia Bella.
Batting first, within 3 overs Lapta’s captain Gina Mapp and Steph Routledge had smashed 46 runs and taken the game away from their larger city rivals. The Girlies captain Lynn Holman’s desperate efforts to motivate her team did finally see some results as she caught Mapp off Sarah Sandford’s excellent bowling, but by then the pair had added 74.
Next in was Julie Birch whose free scoring style was tempered when she hit her own wicket off Sandford and then was bowled by the accurate Sri Lanken, Shiroma Pattiyage, but still leaving her with a respectable 16 runs. Partner, Annie McLoughlin was more circumspect accumulating 21 without loss from their allotted 6 overs, giving a final team total of 108 runs.
Umpire Tom Shirley, said at the half way point, there was only one word to sum up Lapta’s score and that was ‘Mammoth’. The other umpire, Phil Sandford added it was hard to see the Girlies even getting close.
In reply, Holman and Pattiyage opened, adding between them 24 runs, leaving a daunting 85 for the final pairing of Linda Hurley and Sarah Sandford. With their captain’s instructions to attack ringing in their ears they set about their task. Only for Routledge to undo all their efforts as Hurley was caught by Mapp off her cunning medium paced bowling. At the other end, Sandford also found it tough going until the last few overs when her scoring became increasingly free flowing, leading to a team total of 62. Despite the Girne Girlies great determination, the Umpires had been right when saying there was only going to be one winner and that was the Lapta Lasses.
Next Tuesday 29th May there is practice at Pia Bella Stadium, 4.30pm to 6.00pm. Please come along and learn to play, it’s great for fitness and no experience or equipment are needed.
For more information call Gina on 0533 833 2069.
L to R Back
Lynn Holman, Tom Shirley, Annie McLoughlin, Linda Hurley, Sarah Sandford, Basil Pattiyage, Nigel Holman
Front row; Julie Birch, Shiroma Pattiyage, Steph Routledge, Gina Mapp
