FOR the first time Mount House School fielded a girls? cricket team. Their first match was away to St Peter?s Limestone, and it proved to be a baptism of fire for the girls. Mount House won the toss and opted to bowl first. They had to assess the shortened wicket and softer ball that?s used in ?Kwick Cricket.? The Mount House opening bowlers struggled to keep the extras down, then first-change bowler Ella Hartley came on and took two wickets for two runs in her first over. Whilst bowling remained expensive, two more wickets fell before the St Peter?s innings ended at 276. The Mount House girls fought hard and were within ten runs of victory with three overs to spare but lost four late wickets and fell short of their target by just nine runs. Suse Hammond, who coaches the girls? U12/13 cricket team said: ?There were some good performances, particularly from Fern Toynton who batted well and Ella Hartley, who took three for three in two overs. The girls have learnt a lot and are now looking forward to their next fixture.? l AFTER their fine victory over Tavistock College in the Devon Cup, the Mount House School Under 12 cricket team beat Blundell?s School in their quarter-final match of the Devon Cricket Cup. Blundell?s batted first, and partly because of some wayward bowling and uncharacteristically careless fielding, were able to reach a respectable total of 118 for 5 wickets off their 20 overs. The Mount house reply got off to a rather shaky start, as opener Rhys Davies fell to a brilliant piece of Blundell?s fielding. An initially measured and later brutal assault on Blundell?s bowling by Michael Cousens and Freddie Jayarajah, who both ended on 53 not out, took Mount House past their target for a nine-wicket win with three overs to spare.