OAKLANDS School sports partnership refused to let the rain wash out a double sports tournament at University of York last week and Poppleton Road Primary and Archbishop of York CE School reaped the benefits.

A total of 18 junior and primary schools took part in hockey and Kwik Cricket under the watch of junior sports leaders from Oaklands School and other partnership staff in a torrent of rain.

Poppleton Road Primary won all of their group hockey matches to face the winners of the other group, Westfield, in the final, which they also won.

Archbishop of York CE Junior School were crowned the champions of the afternoon Kwik Cricket tournament after another 100 per cent record.

They beat Acomb, Westfield and Poppleton Road to top the group stage and go directly into the final, while the other two pool winners played off in a semi-final for a chance to play them.

Our Lady's RC Primary came out on top in the play-off but proved no match for Archbishop with their 54 runs compared to Archbishop's 86 in their four overs.

Teacher Jonathan Green said: "We weren't expecting to win at all. We just had a smashing afternoon and then after we won the first game we found ourselves building on that success and that snowballed into the final."

All of the games were played with equal numbers of boys and girls on each side and communal warm-ups and skills sessions saw the different teams mingle with each other in the spirit of the London Olympic 2012 bid Friendship Week.

Oaklands partnership development manager Garry Parker said: "Everything went well - despite the rain - and the competition was quite hot."

A similar event with more or different sports is being planned for next year.

Updated: 10:33 Wednesday, July 06, 2005