Brilliant Rebelles finish as runners-up in county finals
It may have been their first indoor cricket season but it has been a sensational one for Royd Rebelles, who finished runners-up in the Yorkshire County finals last weekend.
The Mytholmroyd side travelled to Sheffield to take on the best teams in the county, having booked their place in the finals by winning the Calderdale and West Yorkshire titles.
The finals featured Rebelles, Wickersley Vixens and York University, the three teams remaining from more than 100 teams that entered the regional competitions across the White Rose region.
Rebelles started the round robin tournament against York University, who batted first and their first pairing gave a glimpse of the quality of players on show, rapidly compiling 40 runs from their first four overs.
Mytholmroyd pegged the final two pairings back with Emily Morgan bowling a superb line, utilising her inswing to great effect.
This left the Rebelles needing 276 to win and a steady opening partnership of 25 between Fie Hopper and Emily Morgan's set Royd on their way. The middle pairing of Imogen Henderson and Sophie Gollop produced an excellent partnership of 35, with Imogen top scoring for the team with 18.
Julie Henderson and Gemma Eaton were the last pair in, knowing a steady performance would see the team over the line and careful defence and shot selection meant that Royd prevailed by three runs.
Next up for Royd were the well-supported, local side Wickersley. The Rebelles were put in to bat and from ball one were put under pressure from a talented side.
Fie Hopper top scored with 15, with Julie Henderson, Gemma Eaton and captain Sophie Gollop all reaching double figures but a score of 240 looked under par. Wickersley followed their bowling with excellent batting and despite strong bowling and fielding by the West Yorkshire champions, Wickersley were victors having scored 296 in their allotted overs.
To have any chance of winning the championship Mytholmroyd needed York to beat Wickersley but they settled for runners-up when Vixens recorded a 44run win to clinch the county crown,