A GIRLS’ cricket team from the district has completed a memorable hat-trick.

Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School U15 were crowned Northumberland Lady Taverners champions for the third successive year.

But the girls had to work hard to get their hands on the trophy, during a demanding finals day.

After defeating Ashington Academy and Ponteland High School, the QEHS team edged-out Gosforth Academy in the semi-finals. They faced Ashington again in the final, and won the match by 58 runs.

The winning team will represent Northumberland in the regional finals at Bolton in Lancashire, on May 1.

Last year, QEHS won the regional finals, and competed in the national finals at Lords, the home of cricket.

Tom Cant, cricket development officer for West Northumberland said: “The girls have played fantastically so far, regularly scoring over 100 in their eight over matches with a top score of 155.

“The excellent thing to see is the way the girls all support and encourage each other during the games with all players contributing.

“We’ve been to Bolton before so the girls will be confident but as long as they have fun and enjoy their day out that is the main thing.”

The QEHS girls all play cricket outside of school, for either Corbridge Ladies, Tynedale Ladies or Shotley Bridge Ladies.

QEHS have now won the Northumberland Lady Taverners competition four times in the last five years.

The only time they didn’t win during that period was in 2016, when they lost the county final.