Falkland U11 girls travelled to Basingstoke for their latest indoor fixture, with Alex leading the side as captain for the day. After winning the toss, Falkland elected to field — a decision that paid off immediately as the visitors delivered one of their sharpest bowling and fielding performances of the season.

The tone was set from the very first ball. Bella Rose fired in a straight delivery that struck the batter on the hand, signalling Falkland’s intent.

Darcey followed up with a wicket from her first ball, producing a composed run out, while Poppy delivered four dot balls to restrict the opening pair to 25/1.

Momentum continued to build as Imogen produced a maiden over, and Bella Rose struck again with a rapid, straight delivery to bowl the batter. By the end of the second pair, Basingstoke had reached 60/2, but Falkland’s pressure only intensified.

The third pair were immediately under threat. A firm strike off Darcey’s first ball looped upwards and was brilliantly caught by Bella Rose off the ceiling. Another run out followed just two balls later, before Poppy delivered a maiden over to tighten the screws further. Amber restricted the scoring further and Imogen closed the innings with superb control, conceding only two runs and taking another clean bowled wicket. Across the final four overs, only five runs were scored off the bat — a testament to Falkland’s outstanding fielding, teamwork, and backing up.

Falkland’s first pair came out to bat with confidence and intent.

Bella Rose struck 18 from 11 balls, showcasing elegant drives and sharp running between the wickets. Alex supported with a composed 9 from 9, finding the wall with well timed shots.

The second pair maintained the pressure. Darcey opened strongly with six runs in the first over, while Poppy was in superb form, scoring 22 from 10 balls. Her straight bat and excellent footwork allowed her to chase wider deliveries effectively, and she twice found the back wall for maximums.

The final pair ensured the result was beyond doubt. Imogen contributed a confident 16 from 12, using the pull shot to great effect and running aggressively between the wickets. Amber added a steady 8 from 8, also demonstrating clean striking and positive running, including a well executed pull shot to the wall.

Final Thoughts

This was another excellent all round performance from Falkland — disciplined bowling, sharp fielding, and confident batting throughout the order. The Falkland train keeps chugging on.

A huge thank you again to all of the parents for taking time out of their Saturday evenings to support the team.

Match Report - Shaun Eynon