QEGS are the inaugural winners of the under 15s Blackburn with Darwen U15 Cricket Festival.

On a beautiful day made for cricket, QEGS joined teams from across the borough to compete in the first festival which was held at Lammack Playing Fields.

In the semi-final, QEGS were up against St Wilfrid’s CofE High School, who set a target of 58.

In reply, QEGS batsmen were in form and easily rearched their target for the loss of two wickets 5to win by eight wickets.

The final, against Blackburn Central HS, was always going to be a tense affair, as finals often are.

However, batting first, QEGS set about the bowlers with confidence. Chris Pearson retired for 35, Will Smith 28, Samyan Patel 27, and Jonathan Smith 23 all contributing to a good total of 146 for the bowlers to defend.

And defend they certainly did, captain Pearson carrying on from where he left off with the bat to take a wicket in the first over.

He ended with 2 for 12, slightly outdone by Charlie Oxley who took 2 for 9.

Overall it was a fine team performance with all players contributing to a great win.

The school will now be hoping to make it a borough double when the play in Under 13s final on Wednesday.

In the first round QEGS played Darwen Aldridge Community Academy. Setting their opponents a target of 136 for 6, DACA could only muster 32 for 8 in reply as QEGS winning by 104 runs.

In round two, Witton Park provided the opposition.

QEGS scored 86 for 8 from their alloted overs, which appeared to be a tricky total to defend but their bowlers came up trumps knocking Witton over for 22 for 8, to win by 64 runs.

n QEGS cricket teams had a block fixture against Kirkham GS recently.

The U14s team continued their good form beating KGS by six wickets with Jonathan Smith hitting 32 not out against his former school.

The U13s were not as successful only managing 40 all out in reply to a target of 137 for 7 set by KGS.

In a closer match the U12s were set a total of 149 to beat KGS but their run rate was not good enough to reach the target only totalling 100 for four in their allotted overs.