On Monday 20 May, Carisbrooke College’s Year 7 cricket team played their first ever competitive matches together at the iconic Newclose Cricket Ground, and what a debut it was! The team showed grit, teamwork and flair across four exciting fixtures, eventually finishing 5th overall in a closely fought tournament.

The opening match saw Carisbrooke narrowly edged out by Christ the King College 43-48. Despite solid efforts from the batters and some tight bowling, it wasn’t quite enough to seal the win. However, the team bounced back in spectacular fashion in their second game, dominating Priory with a convincing 79-46 victory. The batting lineup clicked superbly, with big scores and confident running between the wickets.

The third match was the most dramatic of the day, a last-ball thriller against The Bay. In a tense finish, Carisbrooke fell just one run short, scoring 61 to The Bay’s 62. It was a heartbreaker as the win would have seen Carisbrooke into the 3rd vs 4th match, but the performance showed real character and fighting spirit.

Determined to end on a high, the team regrouped for their final game against Ryde Academy. With renewed energy, Carisbrooke produced their best performance of the day, cruising to an 81-54 win.

Batting Highlights:
Logan led from the front with a commanding 58 runs across the day, retiring three times after reaching the retirement threshold, a sign of his consistency and control. McKinley was a brilliant surprise package, also retiring three times on his way to a superb 58 runs. Taras added 26 valuable runs, Mason contributed a solid 17, Archie chipped in with 9, and Jimmy added 2. William H and William M supported well, completing a strong and balanced team effort.

Bowling and Fielding:
Logan and McKinley were again central with the ball, taking the majority of Carisbrooke’s wickets and keeping pressure on opposing batters. In the field, William H pulled off a spectacular catch, one of the highlights of the day demonstrating the team’s growing confidence and awareness in the field.

Although the team finished 5th overall, the margins were tight, and the performances hugely encouraging. This was a debut to be proud of and a clear sign of exciting things to come for Carisbrooke College’s young cricketers.

Well played, Carisbrooke!