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Almost bowled over! The Duchess of Cambridge narrowly avoids getting hit in the head by a ball as she plays cricket in heels and a suit during game against husband Prince William
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The Duchess of Cambridge gamely played a game of cricket against her husband on Monday in New Zealand and had to duck when he almost bowled a ball into her head.
The couple were at an engagement in Christchurch to publicise the Cricket World Cup, which comes to the city in 2015, when they were roped into an impromptu knockabout.
Dressed in a scarlet skirt suit and vertiginous black platform suede heels, Kate, 32, stepped gingerly onto the grass at the city's Latimer Square and took up her yellow plastic bat.
Cricket in heels: The Duchess of Cambridge played a game of cricket in high heels during a 2015 Cricket World Cup event in Christchurch on Monday
Her husband was clearly keen to offer her no quarter as he took a run up and bowled, according to onlookers, 'a wild full toss' past her head.
Undeterred, the Duchess stepped up again only to be bowled one off-stump by her husband. Fortunately she managed to strike it to mid off.
Unfortunately she managed to miss two further balls, before handing the bat over in favour of watching from the sidelines.
Her husband, a keen player in his youth, struck several balls bowled to him by local schoolchildren fairly impressively - once one again sailing close to his wife's head.
Tough competition: The Prince pulled several faces as he squared up against his wife
Keep your eye on the ball! The Duke and Duchess really got into the game
The prince also got the chance to bowl to a number of schoolchildren, teasing them: 'Watch out, this will be a blur.'
Jamie Elley, 11, who faced two balls from William, said: 'He was rusty. He does too many full tosses. But the second one was good.'
Zachary Gimblett, 11, said: 'He played a nice drive.'
When Timothy Cross, 12, bowled William he was hit for four with a cover drive. 'I was a bit gutted but I will get him next time.'
Jodie Dean, 11, was unimpressed with Kate's high heels. 'It wasn't very realistic,' she said.
Refreshing: While she may have been wearing a pristine suit and heels, Kate wasn't afraid to show her fun-loving silly side
Catch it Kate! The young Royals played the game of cricket with some local children
She's got good aim: As well as batting, the Duchess threw several cricket balls throughout the match
She bowled two balls to William. 'The first ball was too high, a lot too high. My second ball was much better. He hit it, someone fielded it, no runs. I felt a bit better after that ball.He was pretty good.'
Former New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley, 51, gave the Duchess a few tips as she stood at the crease twirling her bat.
She said afterwards: 'I told her don't worry about technique just smash it.
'She was quite nervous but she kept her eye on the ball.
Sporty: Kate is no stranger to the sport, playing the game in her school days
Watch your head! However, She did narrowly avoid getting hit in the head by ball during the match
Having a ball: Prince William, a keen player in his youth, struck several balls bowled to him by local schoolchildren fairly impressively
'I thought they were great sports to take part in it. I couldn't bat in high heels.
'She's not played before so it's a pretty good effort and she did the best she could.'
Lee German, Chief Executive of the New Zealand cricket association and former New Zealand cricket captain said: 'People involved in cricket have been looking forward to this day for a long time.
'Catherine and William were superb.'The way they spoke to the children was fantastic.
Putting on a show: A rather large crowd came out to watch the couple play cricket
'I talked to them about the cricket world cup and how it was important for us as a city to have a major world cup and we're in the process of building an English-style cricket ground.
'Catherine told me she played cricket at school which was pretty interesting, she didn't say when.'
On an earlier walkabout in the city centre the couple met five sets of twins who had been taken to the event by their mothers.
Nicola Burton, 38, mother of 21 month old twins Lucas and Oliver, said: 'Prince William was just a little overwhelmed with how many babies there were. He said he hoped we weren't going to ask him to baby sit.'
A few pointers: Former New Zealand batswoman Debbie Hockley, 51, gave the Duchess a few tips as she stood at the crease twirling her bat
She said the five mothers - the others all have boy-girl twins - had met through the Christchurch multiple birth club.
'We meet every Monday, and we thought that rather than destroying someone's house with climbing children we would bring them along,' she said.
She said that the Duchess was 'very friendly', crouching down to play with her children's toys. 'Someone joked that they might have twins next time. They just laughed that off,' she added.
Jen Howell, 32, mother of Lexie and Jaelan, 22 months, said: 'They could not believe how chilled out the twins all were. Kate said she might have to get some tips about how to chill George out. Apparently he is a busy boy.
'They said how calm all the kids seemed to be, and said they could not imagine doing it with two.'
During the day, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also officially opened the visitors centre of the Botanic Gardens.
'Great with children': Several onlookers marvelled about how great Kate and William were with the children at the game
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