U11 Stingers v Finchampstead Girls U11 Robins

Stingers Sting Finchampstead as Chloe Dawes and Charlotte Hickman Star in Away Victory

Sonning U11 Stingers travelled to Finchampstead Leas on 18 June for a BYCL Girls U11 Challenge fixture and returned home with a well-deserved victory, chasing down the hosts' total of 101 to finish on 109 in an entertaining pairs contest.

Finchampstead won the toss and elected to bat first, but their top order struggled to find fluency against disciplined Sonning bowling. Dulcie Douglas top-scored for the home side with 7 off 24 balls, including one boundary, while Lexi-Rae Teague contributed 4 from 16 deliveries. The remaining Finchampstead batters found runs difficult to come by, with captain Suchi Rao managing just 2 and Jessica Hutchins unable to trouble the scorers from her 16 balls faced. Extras played a significant role in the innings, swelling the total considerably beyond what the bat produced.

The standout bowling performance of the match came from Chloe Dawes, who delivered a superb spell of 2-2 from her two overs, including a maiden — a remarkable achievement at this age group. Dawes was the only Sonning bowler to concede no wides and no no-balls, demonstrating outstanding control and accuracy. Captain Megan Symes also bowled tidily, claiming one wicket for just 7 runs from her two overs, while Charlotte Hickman and Sophie Hickman each picked up a wicket apiece.

In reply, Sonning's chase was built around a brilliant innings from Charlotte Hickman at the top of the order. Hickman struck a fluent 18 off just 11 balls, dispatching three boundaries in an innings that immediately put the Stingers on the front foot and set the tone for the run chase. Her aggressive approach at the top ensured Sonning were always ahead of the required rate.

Ruby Cross added a useful 5, including a four, while Florence Alden chipped in with 4 and Isabella Partridge contributed a patient 3 from 18 balls lower down the order. Finchampstead's bowlers worked hard to stem the flow, with captain Suchi Rao the pick of their attack, taking 3 wickets from her three overs, and Dulcie Douglas claiming 2 for 10 with a maiden in her spell. Lexi-Rae Teague also picked up a wicket.

Despite losing six wickets across the innings, Sonning's total of 109 was enough to overhaul Finchampstead's 101. The extras column again featured prominently in both innings, a common feature of youth cricket, but it was the key individual contributions that made the difference. Dawes's exceptional control with the ball restricted the opposition, while Hickman's explosive batting ensured the Stingers were never behind in the chase.

The victory earned Sonning three league points and underlined the growing confidence within this young side, with several players making important contributions across both disciplines on a productive evening in Finchampstead.