BYCL Girls Blast Finals
It was fantastic to see four BYCL girls’ finals take place on the 12th of September, bringing together some of the best young talent from across the league for a memorable day of cricket. The weather played its part, with a cool start to the day giving way to plenty of sunshine as the afternoon sessions got underway. There was a brilliant atmosphere throughout the day, with players, coaches, volunteers, umpires and supporters all coming together to celebrate girls’ cricket.
Morning Finals – U13s & U19s
Slough U19s vs Falkland U19s
Slough won the toss and elected to bat, with the opening pair Shristi Patil (32 from 23) and Fiza Asif Iqbal (47 from 37) getting their team off to a steady start. There were also notable contributions from A. Sunkersett and T. Ravikumar, helping Slough build a strong total.
Falkland’s bowling attack kept the pressure on throughout the innings, with Anabel Mugford taking three wickets and Grace Gibby taking two, restricting Slough to 167/6.
Falkland began their chase with determination, with Chloe Quaintance-Blackford (16 from 22) and Grace Gibby (13 from 38) leading the way as they looked to build a platform against a strong Slough bowling attack.
However, Slough’s bowlers worked effectively as a team to keep Falkland in check, eventually securing an 85-run victory.
Slough Tigers U13s vs Henley Girls U13s
Henley won the toss and elected to field, but Slough got off to an excellent start. Hasitha Gunda (16 from 20) and Arshia Kapoor (23 from 20) both retired after making valuable contributions, setting the platform for the rest of the Slough team to build on.
With contributions throughout the batting order, Slough finished their innings on 147/4.
Henley began their chase positively, with contributions from their first five batters keeping the game competitive and putting them in a strong position.
Slough’s bowling attack, however, responded brilliantly. Ashna Sahay took three wickets, with Ananya Bhanot taking two and Khushangi Sharma one, helping Slough restrict Henley to 22 runs short of their target and secure another Slough victory.
Afternoon Finals – U15s & U11s
Slough Tigers U15s vs Henley U15s
Slough won the toss and chose to bat. After an early wicket, it was left to numbers two and four to steady the innings and get the runs moving.
Sharma scored 19 from 30, while T. Prakash made an excellent 47 from 30, with both retiring after making significant contributions. Their efforts helped Slough reach 135/3.
Henley’s bowlers worked hard throughout, with G. Grocock taking the first wicket, followed by E. Mills, while some excellent fielding resulted in a run out for the third wicket.
In reply, Henley made a strong start, with P. Kulkarni retiring on 14 from 30. The middle order then continued to keep the scoreboard moving, with H. Robertson scoring 16 from 21 and S. Bowles contributing 26 from 30.
Hammond added a final burst with 14 from 15, but Slough’s bowling attack held firm. H. Arsalan and A. Adhikari picked up a wicket each, while two further run outs showcased some excellent Slough fielding.
Slough eventually secured the win by 28 runs.
Boyne Hill U11s vs Slough Panthers U11s
Boyne Hill won the toss and elected to field, with Slough Panthers making a strong start to their innings.
Akira Kabilshaw scored 25 from 31, followed by an impressive 44 from 27 from Shanaya Gill. Carmen added a valuable 16 from 20 towards the end of the innings, helping Slough reach 123/5.
Boyne Hill’s bowlers produced some excellent spells, with Constance Kitt, Grace Seymour, LM and Avnoor Chalal each picking up a wicket.
The Boyne Hill girls came out with a real fighting spirit in their chase. After an early wicket, Constance Kitt produced an outstanding 55 from 48, providing the backbone of the innings.
With contributions throughout the team, Boyne Hill managed to keep their chase on track and eventually secured a thrilling and closely fought victory.
Looking Ahead – We Want to Hear From You
Our focus is already turning towards how we can continue to develop and improve women’s and girls’ cricket across the BYCL.
If you are involved with your club’s women’s or girls’ section, we want to hear from you. We have launched the BYCL Survey, and your feedback is really important to us. The survey will help us gather a better understanding of your experiences this season, what has worked well, the challenges you have faced and, most importantly, how we can support your club and players better next season.
Whether you are a coach, volunteer, team manager, club representative or someone else involved in your women’s and girls’ section, please take the time to complete the survey and encourage others within your club to do the same.
Your feedback will help shape the future of women’s and girls’ cricket across the BYCL.
Berkshire Youth Cricket League Survey 2026
A Huge Thank You
The BYCL Girls Finals were a fantastic celebration of the progress and development of girls’ cricket across the league. Across all four matches, we saw some brilliant individual performances, but perhaps more importantly, we saw teamwork, determination, sportsmanship and a real enjoyment of the game.
A huge thank you goes to Slough Cricket Club for hosting the finals and providing a fantastic venue for the day, and to all the umpires and scorers who supported the matches and helped make the day possible.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank every club that has been part of the BYCL this season. Whether your club has had a team competing in the finals, taken part throughout the season, or helped provide opportunities for girls to pick up a bat and ball for the first time, your involvement is what makes the BYCL possible.
Most importantly, thank you to the volunteers, coaches, team managers, parents and supporters across the county who give their time, energy and commitment to women’s and girls’ cricket. So much of what happens behind the scenes is driven by volunteers, and their contribution cannot be underestimated. From organising fixtures and running training sessions to transporting teams, scoring, umpiring, encouraging players and simply being there week after week, thank you.
And finally, a huge congratulations to every girl who took part in this year’s BYCL finals. You should all be incredibly proud of what you have achieved. There is clearly so much talent across our girls’ teams, and it has been brilliant to watch you compete, support one another and showcase your skills.
We look forward to following your journeys over the coming years and seeing how you continue to grow as players, teammates and young women within the game.