Repton School’s Girls’ U15 cricket team has won the National T20 Cup for the first time.

The championship semi-finals and final took place at Rugby School on 3 September 2023. The team faced off against Gresham’s School in the final, culminating in an eight-wicket victory for Repton.

The girls’ cricket programme at Repton School started in 2018. So far, the programme has seen teams reach six national finals and place second in the cup twice. The programme has also enabled many of the School’s young cricketers to play at county and regional levels.

Repton’s Impressive Championship Performance

The Repton Girls’ U15 team put on an impressive performance throughout the entire national competition. Their efforts resulted in the girls winning their semi-final match against St Lawrence College by nine wickets.

The team then moved on to the final against Gresham’s. The Reptonians displayed strong bowling from the start. Repton’s captain and vice-captain then formed a partnership of 100 runs for the first wicket, diminishing Gresham’s chances of success. The final score was Repton’s 126-2 and Gresham’s 125-5.

A Successful Season for Repton Girls’ U15 Team

Securing the title of national cup champions makes a fitting end to a successful season for the Repton team. Repton’s Girls’ U15 squad also achieved second place in the equivalent indoor cricket competition.

Olivia K is the U15 side’s captain, lead wicket-taker, and second-highest run-scorer. She also plays for the Yorkshire U15 team and is a member of the U18 Northern Diamonds Emerging Player Programme. In addition, she holds a position on the Girls’ Cricket Club 2023 Advisory Board, where she hopes to bring about positive change for the girls’ sport.

Annie W is the U15 squad’s vice-captain and top run-scorer. She also plays for the Nottinghamshire U15 team and the U18 Blaze Academy team.

Some of the team’s standout performances from the year include:

• Mim A’s 62 not out against Wilmslow High School (Repton 126-4 beat Wilmslow 34 all out by 92 runs).
• Annie W’s impressive score of 126 not out against Cheadle Hulme School (Repton 225-1 beat Cheadle Hulme 149-7 by 76 runs).
• Olivia K’s 64 not out against Gresham’s in the national cup final.

Cricketing Excellence at Repton School

Repton School has a rich history of cricketing success. The School has produced over 150 top-notch cricketers, including three Test captains and C.B. Fry, one of the UK’s greatest-ever sportspeople. Canadian international player Nitish Kumar and Worcestershire County Cricket Club (CCC) player Ross Whiteley are also Old Reptonians (ORs).

Repton offers boys’ and girls’ cricket programmes, which nurture players of all abilities. Repton teams enjoy a diverse fixture list, which includes a challenging school circuit and national competitions. Repton cricketers also compete in games against county age groups and academies.

The winter cricket programme starts in October each academic year and includes boys’ and girls’ indoor competitions. The programme encompasses:

• Skills development.
• Mental preparation.
• Tactical awareness.
• Strength and conditioning.

Repton also has links to Derbyshire CCC and other county cricket clubs like Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire. Many Reptonians have places in these clubs’ performance pathways.

The School’s cricket programme provides an integrated development plan in collaboration with external performance managers. The plan includes regular use of Derbyshire CCC’s indoor facilities during the winter months. This supports pupils’ training sessions in the School’s sports centre, which has indoor nets and bowling machines.

Repton’s cricket programme runs regular one-to-one sessions throughout the academic year. This frequency allows the School’s aspiring professional cricketers to hone their skills through practice and quality coaching. In addition, video analysis software provides individual player feedback packages to support performance enhancement.

Whether they wish to play cricket at the highest level or simply compete in House matches, Repton’s pupils make the most of the School’s cricketing experience.

About Repton School

Repton School is an award-winning independent day and boarding school in Derbyshire. The School offers pupils aged 13-18 an exceptional education that marries a modern outlook with traditional values.

At Repton, pupils balance their academic studies, sports, and extra-curricular opportunities with social activities. This conscious, balanced approach sees each Reptonian flourish in their learning journey and leave the School as a well-rounded individual.

Repton has won several awards. In 2022, the Muddy Stilettos Best School Awards crowned Repton the UK’s Happiest Boarding School. Repton’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programme also won the Education Business STEM Award.