Prep School
In beautiful sunshine Year 3 and 4 children went across to the stunning Wells Cathedral School for their first match of the season. The children were grouped by their current level of cricket and some enjoyable matches ensued. The children performed well and began to show off some of the skills they have focused on in lessons. Understanding when to, and when not to run alluded many a player, which led to some interesting runs being made and amusing run-outs! All enjoyed the tasty cookie at the end!
Wells came to Queen’s on Tuesday for the first swim gala this term! There were some excellent performances by both the A and B teams nearly every swimmer gained personal bests in their events which led to a convincing victory by Queen’s. Well done to the capable captains Jasper and Jemima who organised their teams brilliantly. Thank you also to Poppy and Molly for timing the lanes.
Wednesday was another dry day! There were matches against Blundell’s and King’s College for the Prep School. It was wonderful to see so many children playing again. Those who did not feature this week had a great afternoon of strength and conditioning, gymnastics and cricket the envy of some of the cricket players!
Out on the field the boys had some testing matches. In the U10 team Myles particularly impressed his teachers with his run calling and his accurate bowling. Alex stepped up as captain and kept the tempo in the field, took 2 wickets for only 10 runs, and hit some beautifully timed 4’s. Oliver’s double-wicket maiden must also have a special mention. The U11/10B game had a hard game against Blundell’s however some well-hit fours at the end of the innings from Oscar narrowed the difference in scores. The U11A faced a formidable King’s side. We fielded first and bowled well with good accuracy and consistency. However, their batting still lacks consistency and against some fine examples of spin from King’s they struggled to gain momentum.
The girls also played Blundell’s. The U11a team took a number of catches and played positively ahead of their tournament next week. The U10A team faced some great bowling from Blundell’s which they struggled with but they did continue to bowl well and field aggressively. Finally the U11/10B probably had the closest game winning by just one run. Blundells bowled and batted really well but it was the wickets that Yumi took in the attention to the annual Millfield Grand Prix, where Queen’s will be competing against 12 other schools from the county and beyond in what will be a competitive and exhilarating afternoon of athletics.
Senior School
Cricket
By Caroline Foster Head of Cricket
The First XI hosted Wells CS on Saturday and started brightly reducing Wells to to 20/2 after putting them into bat. The Queen’s skipper was flying to his right again as he grabbed another great catch at slip with Henry taking the two early wickets. It was certainly an innings where wickets fell in clusters as Claire took 2 wickets in an over on an impressive debut to help stem the run rate. Then Alex continued his habit of taking wickets for the First team by chipping in with his own double-wicket over. Queen’s had the momentum with the first innings closing after 35 overs on 188/9.
Early wickets fell in the second innings and continued to deprive our plan of a top-four batter batting through. Queen’s run rate would have kept them in contention if not for their double county cricket pedigree taking 7 wickets between them through a seamer (2-11) and a leg-spinner (5-27). It was Alex who top scored with 20 and another impressive debut through Andre who looked at home in the middle adding 14 to our final total of 71 all out. The scores are further apart than our abilities so the loss fuels our batting engine for runs in the next match when we host Downside on Saturday.
The U13/12Bs faced a competitive King’s College U13 at home on Wednesday. There was some fantastic fielding, especially by Harry and Henry, not to mention some brilliant batting by Elie who notably hit a dazzling four with the final ball of the match! Wickets taken, too numerous to count. In the end, a very close game but the Queen’s College spirit shone through and resulted in a splendid win. Sausage rolls were well deserved! The team should feel very proud after that tight game.
U12A Girls played pairs hardball at Millfield on Wednesday. We were put into bat and excelled at keeping good balls out. There were some lovely singles through the covers from the straight bat of Charlotte and Tori to begin with. Our running between the wickets went up a few gears when Mabel and Ella came to the crease. Some excellent backing up and loud calling made their ball striking fruitful. Mabel burst the ring through the covers and mid-on with great balance and bat speed. Indeed everyone looked comfortable at the crease and made our 264/2 possible. Millfield replied with harder-hitting shots and some of their own aggressive running, but it was our wicket-taking prowess that kept us neck and neck. The girls celebrate with the best team huddles and really enjoy each other’s success. Charlotte took an amazing high catch, but off a no-ball, Livi set her mind to catching out a batter that kept lobbing our fielders and grabbed the next chance that came her way. Kara was ever-reliable and busy in the field too. Eva used variation in her bowling with lovely flight and turn for a classic off-spinners clean bowl. Holly clean bowled a wicket too, as did Lola to her own surprise, and Tori got herself a hattrick ball taking two wickets in two balls. It was a really good performance. In comparison, Millfield hit more boundaries, where only Livi found the ropes for us, and despite excelling at taking more wickets than Millfield it was their superior run rate that took the victory, finishing on 289/7.
The Queen’s U12B softball team took to the crease first to open the batting. Once in the swing of things the girls settled and managed some lovely singles. A few mistakes led to some wickets taken but a lesson was learnt they scored 235 from their 20 overs. Millfield were strong with the bat and the Queen’s side had to stay alert and work hard to field the ball in. Some excellent bowling from Aurelia, Cora, Sophie and Pixie led to some wickets or dot balls. Well done girls.
The U13B Girls played a lovely afternoon fixture against Exeter Cathedral School.
We won the toss and chose to bowl first. Hannah, Ava and Mariella all took great wickets and our fielding restricted quick singles. Our team then came into bat and showed great positivity with lots of running between the wickets. A few miscommunications led to a fall of wickets but we were still able to win the game, with Ava winning batter of the match and Harriet bowler.
We then went into a mixed match of Queen’s and Exeter Cathedral which was great fun and enjoyed by everyone involved. Well done to all involved!!
Queens College U12 Cricket Team Shine in Thrilling Match Under the Sun
Under the radiant sun of a splendid afternoon, the cricket field at Queen’s witnessed an enthralling battle between aspiring young talents. The U12 cricket team showcased a remarkable display of skill, determination, and team spirit in a match that will be remembered for its intensity till the very last ball.
Tom emerged as a standout performer, crafting an exquisite innings filled with finesse. His four boundaries were a testament to his batting prowess, adding crucial runs to the team’s total. Meanwhile, Captain Oli exhibited resilience and composure, retiring with a well-deserved 15 runs to his name, setting a solid foundation for his teammates to build upon.
However, it was not just the batsmen who stole the spotlight; the bowlers too left an indelible mark on the game. Charlotte, with her expert bowling prowess, claimed two vital wickets, putting pressure on the opposition. Furthermore, the collective effort of Barney, Nick, Ben, Tom, and Claudiu saw them all clinch their first wickets for the season, a moment of immense pride for the team.
As the game approached its climax, tension gripped the atmosphere. The match stretched to the final ball of the 20th over, with both teams locked in a fierce contest. Queens, displaying grit and determination, fought till the very end. However, despite their valiant efforts, they fell short by a narrow margin, running out of ideas in the face of an equally determined opposition.
Although the result may not have favoured Queen’s on this occasion, the match was a testament to the team’s resilience, unity, and unwavering spirit. Each player contributed their utmost, embodying the true essence of teamwork and sportsmanship. As they regroup and prepare for future challenges, the U12 cricket team of Queen’s can take pride in their performance, knowing that they left nothing on the field and inspired all those who witnessed their remarkable display.
Senior Athletics
On Saturday, the Queen’s athletes took to the track for the final open meet of the season, hosted by Taunton School. Again, some promising results from all that took part. On Tuesday, it was the ESAA Track and Field County Cup – round 1. This time, athletes from Year 8 had their chance to compete with the older age groups and all strived to contribute to the team total scores – results to follow. Some impressive individual performances from Kamto (100m), Oliver (high jump) and Megan (javelin). On Wednesday, the Taunton Area Athletics Squad was selected, ready to compete at the Somerset Championships. Queen’s have managed to secure a huge 16 places on the squad! We look forward to the athletes being named in due course. This weekend we turn our attention to the annual Millfield Grand Prix, where Queen’s will be competing against 12 other schools from the county and beyond in what will be a competitive and exhilarating afternoon of athletics.
Swimming – Meade King Cup
The Meade King Cup is in its 99th year of running and is still the longest swimming competition that runs in the country between more than two schools. The Meade King Cup started in 1925 and comprises of 25 swimming events for U14 pupils upward from Queen’s College, King’s College, Wellington School and Taunton School. To date, Queen’s swimmers hold 8 of these records (Wilde and Greenow), one of which was taken by DuPont at Taunton school who completed his 50m backstroke in 28.00, just 00.17 quicker than Queen’s Greenow in 2015.
This years’ MKC was hosted by Queen’s, at Taunton School. The Headteachers watched eagerly as the swimmers took to the blocks. The boys teams were impressive, narrowly missing out on 2nd place overall, and Oliver taking gold in 50m breaststroke. Oli came 2nd in both his individual events U14 50m backstroke, and 100m individual medley. 2nd place was also achieved by the U15 boys relay team. Well done to all competitors, and particularly those who went straight onto the Ten Tors base camp ahead of some big miles on the moor!
Tennis
Queen’s Senior and Inter teams travelled to Blundell’s on the weekend to play a series of matches. In the soaring heat Queen’s produced high-level skills throughout each match, competing well against their counterparts with some fine wins and narrow losses in each age group. Overall it was a great afternoon of tennis enjoyed by all.
