NORTH HERTS, containing a number of young Royston athletes, has won the 2008 Hertfordshire Games. The talented squad secured both the overall boys and girls titles, as well as the district title – the first time since the games began 14 years ago. The g

NORTH HERTS, containing a number of young Royston athletes, has won the 2008 Hertfordshire Games.

The talented squad secured both the overall boys and girls titles, as well as the district title - the first time since the games began 14 years ago.

The games, sponsored by the Herts Sports Partnership, attracted more than 2000 young athletes, from all over the county. Broken down into 20 events, the competition ran over two days at the Hertfordshire Sports Village at the University of Hertfordshire.

North Herts won gold medals in the under-12 mixed badminton and the girls under-14 hockey. They also claimed silver medals in the boys and girls under-12 basketball, under-11 girls kwik cricket and rugby, and a bronze in the under-11 girls boccia.

Greneway School of Royston was instrumental in the basketball success, with the boys squad overcoming Watford, Dacorum, and East Herts in the group stages, and Stevenage in an entertaining semi-final.

However, they came unstuck in the final against group opponents Dacorum, and had to settle for the runners-up spot.

The girls team also won through to the round-robin section following victories over East Herts, Hertsmere and St Albans.

However, they too slipped up against Dacorum in a narrow 8-7 final defeat.

The North Herts squad were presented with their medals by former Olympic hurdler and 110m world record holder Colin Jackson and Olympic silver medallist rower Alison Mowbray.

Greneway basketball squads: Boys: Joe Carpenter, Aaron Smith, George Sames, Fergus Campbell, Luke Bailey, Alex Brain, Karl Marriott, Guy Curtis, Joe Walsh, Anthony Lane, Callum Turner, Luke Bunker. Girls: Amy Cooper, Lara Gibson, Megan Pinner, Eleanor Bishop, Megan Kaba, Charlotte Pinner, Christy Stubbs, Chloe Bunker, Chloe Smith, Amber Rivers, Annie Clark, Beth Cooper, Hannah Tofts.

GRENEWAY'S Year 8 cricket team continued their fine North Herts Cricket League form with a valuable win against Highfield School of Letchworth.

On an artificial wicket, the home team had quite an advantage and it showed early on as the Greneway attack took time to find their normal rhthym.

However, superb fielding by Roberto Thomas, Matt Brennan, and Jake Benstead, kept the Highfield openers working hard for every single.

In the third over skipper Jamie Seabrook struck with a good length ball that took out Jones' middle stump, with Kieron Willis-Wright then demolishing the off stump of Smith, leaving the hosts at 22 for two.

Willis-Wright then bowled opener Price with another superb delivery (31 for 3), before some brilliant fielding by Ashley Chapman and keeper Connor Long ran out Andre, leaving Highfield floundering at 31 for 4.

Highfield came back, but Chapman was soon celebrating a hat-trick, as the hosts finished their allotted 20 overs on 81 for 9.

Against the very quick Price, Greneway got off to a slow but measured start, with Willis-Wright and Seabrook leading the way.

Just when Seabrook looked set for another big innings, and after two excellent boundaries, he top-edged to square and Greneway were 19 for 1.

John Middlemas joined Willis-Wright at the crease and slowly they began to build a good partnership with a number of impressive boundaries.

However, consistent line and length bowling by Highfield meant that Greneway had fallen below the run rate and the two batsmen had to increase the tempo with the inevitable risks.

Willis-Wright was bowled and Middlemas caught, leaving Greneway at 49 for 3, which brought Chapman and Purkiss together for a potential match-turning partnership.

Chapman led the way with some intelligent strokeplay, and he and Purkiss also ran expertly between the wickets to put the pressure back on the hosts.

With the finishing line in sight Chapman was well bowled by Crossley leaving Greneway at 80 for 4, tantalisingly close to their target of 82.

Purkiss and Jordan Hall made the winning runs with four balls to spare leaving Greneway in a strong position in the Premier League with three games to play.

Greneway also saw off the previously unbeaten St Christopher of Letchworth, where skipper Jamie Seabrook impressed as his 46 not out helped Greneway home to a seven-wicket win.

GRENEWAY School's talented Year 7 and 8 athletes squad opened their account in the North Herts Schools' League with some excellent individual and team performances at the Ridlings Stadium in Steveange.

Amy Cooper in the 200m broke a 17-year record with her 27.81seconds, while Amber Rivers also set a new record with 12.26 in the 70m hurdles.

A number of other athletes secured new and improved 'PBs' and some moved onto the Schools' 'All-Time List'.

The Year 7s were participating in their first competitive experience of the season, and many for the first time at an athletics stadium.