The CJCA Girls team (pictured below at the Airport) had a very successful trip to Auckland at the end of the season to win the Tournament organised by the Cornwall Cricket Club.
As well as the hosts, Bay of Plenty sent a team to the event with 3 games played each of the two days of the event. The CJCA Girls accounted for BOP relatively easily each day but had great matches with Cornwall. It was great to see Bay of Plenty as a new team involved (both teams pictured below).
In the Cornwall matches both games went down to the wire with the Christchurch girls holding their nerve on both occasions.
In the first game the CJCA batted first and scored 103. Cornwall steadily wore down the total but the CJCA kept fighting and Cornwall needed 21 off 21 when their 5th wicket fell. Needing 6 to tie and 7 to win, the final over saw 1 wicket and 5 singles scored to leave Cornwall 1 run short.
In the final game of the Tournament the match almost replicated the earlier match. The CJCA Girls again batted first and scored 92 for 6 in their 20 overs. Cornwall again kept pace with the required run rate but again CJCA fought for every run and believe it or not fell 1 run short when Cornwalls last wicket fell off the last ball.
Many thanks to Glen Hotton (Coach) and Janine McNicholl (Manager) for looking after the team and for so many parents going up to support the team. We also appreciate the organisation of the Cornwall Cricket Club who regularly attend our South Island event in late January and we reciprocate by attending their event. We hope that Bay of Plenty might be enticed to also participate in our event in January 2019 and also that the Cornwall Tournament can attract more northern teams next year.
Finally a big congratulations to the team who showed excellent on-field decision making in both games to defend so well. It is great to see these girl mature as cricketers and it was fitting way for many of these girls to finish their CJCA careers.
Good luck and lets hope we some of them wearing Magicians colours (or higher) in the future.