Clearly, the boys didn’t relish the idea of a long drawn-out match and a fine collective bowling performance, plus some excellent work in the field, restricted the visitors to 51 for 8 in their 20 overs.  Particular mention must be made of Tom Hall’s remarkable figures of 3 wickets for 1 run in his four overs and two excellent catches by Charlie Royle.  The target was soon achieved for the loss of only 1 wicket in 8.1 overs, with Dilan Vithlani scoring an undefeated 26 and Ravi Nathwani contributing a not out 20.

A very promising start to the competition and we now await our next opponents:  the match should be played next week.

With the money raised LGS will be able to pay for three University students, all orphans of the genocide in Rwanda, to complete their degree courses.

After a magnificent March-on and Inspection in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Gretton, and the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, Councillor Peter Lewis, amongst many other distinguished guests, the centre-piece of the parade was the presentation for the first time of the Clive Priestley Sword and Prize to the Contingent Regimental Sergeant Major, Andrew Halliwell.  Andrew was presented with it by Mrs Daphne Priestley, OBE DL, who had donated it in memory of her late husband, a pupil at the school from 1947 to 1953, and who was clearly delighted to be able to present it in person.

After the usual round of cadet activities, the lunch guests and spectators were treated to drill displays by the RAF and Army Sections before revelling in the Annual Inter-Service Field Gun Competition in which Army team triumphed by virtue of an identical time to the Royal Navy, but, having not put a foot wrong, without the twenty second penalty incurred by the Senior Service.

Congratulations to all who contributed to a superb display of esprit de corps.  Especial congratulations to the members of the contingent from the High School who were taking part in the event for the first time.

This victory is the culmination of several years’ hard work which has brought continued success and the lads can now look forward to even greater competition at senior level; they are certainly up for the challenge.

As we reported in our article “Cue to Q2”, a group of Year 8 boys worked tirelessly yesterday assembling news stories to be published on the BBC School Report website.  They were on a strict 4pm deadline to have their stories in place when the site went live.  It was touch and go, with signs of stress appearing and tempers fraying, but they made it with minutes to spare!

The boys reported on a wide variety of topics including the inception of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, the crisis in Syria, England’s chances in the Third Test against New Zealand and the likely impact of the Budget.  The boys produced both written reports and video of their stories:  two of the boys are shown delivering their story in the accompanying photograph.

Exhausted, but very satisfied with their efforts, our budding journalists can reflect on a job well done.  The results of their labours can be seen at:  http://lgschoolreport.blogspot.co.uk

The unfathomable (to a member of the male gender) laws of netball soon began to play a large part in what unfolded and a succession of penalties put the brave lads of LGS on the back foot , but the match proved to be a game of four quarters.  Sadly, all four quarters went the same way:  lots of goals for LHS and not many for LGS.  LGS also tended to give the ball away as the fleet-footed LHS team intercepted ill-directed passes, which prompted Coach, Jack Paisley, to remind the team that:  “The girls are the ones with long hair”!  Thanks, Jack.

Shooting was not LGS’s forte and it took quite a while for one (anonymous) attacker, used to playing basketball, to remark, as another shot sailed over the ring:  “There isn’t a backboard”.  Well spotted, Greg.  However, in the third quarter LGS did score:  the crowd went wild and further goals were added to equal rapture, but LHS were relentless and extended their lead.

The final score was a well-deserved 14 – 4 win for LHS.  Of course, the result was not important, although we suspect LHS might have a different view, and everyone involved must be congratulated on their efforts which raised a significanyt amount for Rebuilding Sri Lanka, the charity with which both schools work, and certainly put a big smile on everyone’s faces.

As we are actually filing this report, Year 8 pupils are compiling news stories with which to populate the BBC Schools Website as part of School Report Newsday 2013.  Working to strict deadlines, intrepid newshounds are sniffing out stories to bring the latest information to the world at large and have already broadcast live on BBC Radio Leicester being interviewed by Helen McCarthy.  Watch this space for more developments as the day unfolds.