NCU Under-16 Girls completed a superb interprovincial campaign in emphatic fashion, sealing the title with a dominant 10-wicket victory over Cricket Leinster.

The NCU attack set up the win by dismissing Leinster for just 75 in 18.1 overs. Holly Faulkner was the outstanding bowler, claiming four wickets for only two runs in a devastating spell. Ella Naylor struck twice, while Hannah Gordon also collected two wickets for four runs as Leinster struggled from the outset.

The hosts lost their first three wickets with only one run on the board and never fully recovered. Alice Walsh offered resistance with 17, while Sana George top-scored with 22, but regular wickets prevented Leinster from building any momentum.

NCU then made light work of the modest target, racing to victory without losing a wicket - Katie West and Lucie Harper both hit seven boundaries as they each made unbeaten 37's bringing their campaign to a fittingly convincing conclusion.

The result confirmed the NCU as runaway champions, finishing an extraordinary 13 points clear of nearest challengers North West. Head coach Jonathan Waite and his team have been the standout performers throughout the competition, combining consistency, skill and confidence to dominate the interprovincial series.

Their success is further evidence of the rich seam of young female cricketing talent within the region. It also reflects the considerable work undertaken by the Northern Cricket Union to develop girls’ cricket in recent years.

With strong coaching structures and an increasingly competitive pathway now in place, this title triumph represents both a reward for recent investment and an encouraging sign for the future of women’s cricket in the NCU.