STEEP Stoolball Club have played a couple of friendly matches against Northchapel and Lodsworth.

In these two friendlies Steep introduced six new players and although they did not win either match, there were some encouraging performances. Against Northchapel, Jacquie Bowles top scored with 29, and although Jackie Greetham added some useful runs at the end, Steep scored only 84 off the 12 overs. However, the hosts only overtook this score in the last over, Angela Batehup making 30.

The Lodsworth match was reduced to 10 overs by an untimely rain shower, and, batting first, they totalled 123 runs, Mandy Hill top scoring with 35. The inexperienced Steep line up could not keep up with the scoring rate but there was some encouraging batting from Jane Plant (20) and young Eve Oakley (23). Juliet Knight made a quickfire 18, but Steep were well short and finished on 83.