Vipers v Lightning – Ageas Bowl 25 July 2018
Snakes bitten
‘This is the strongest batting line-up in the league’ (Wyatt, Bates, Beaumont, du Preez) said the pundits of the Vipers; so of course they flopped – Wyatt, Bates and du Preez totalled 20 between them. This accepted wisdom ignored the facts that Wyatt has had modest success since her stunning 124 in India in March and Bates is in wretched form.
So it’s not very surprising that Tammy Beaumont’s 37 proved to be the biggest score these Snakes could manage. Only du Preez and Arran Brindle followed her into double figures; a total of 105 was unlikely to worry the visitors unduly. A stand of 71 between Jones (35) and Villani (35) broke the back of the target, then Georgia Adams and Jenny Gunn needed only 13 balls to finish the job.
Lightning have a batch of likely young bowlers to support Sophie Devine and Gunn, including the promising Scottish left-armer, Kirstie Gordon (4-0-23-2). After two opening wins, odds must be shortening sharply on them. Lydia Greenway commented on the importance of television cameras in concentrating minds, especially of youngsters appearing on screen for the first time. It really makes them think about their plans pre-match.
Mark Robinson wants English players deciding matches. Not so easy when a batting order reads: 1. Devine 2. Haynes 3. Jones 4. Villani! Fortunately Amy Jones played a full part with her innings.
One set of figures stood out in the second knock: Amelia Kerr confirmed her youthful class with an astonishing analysis of 4-0-6-1. And this with flighted leg-breaks.
The juiciest moment of the game was undoubtedly when Devine had Bates lbw with a huge leg-cutter for 0. She lasted two balls. Such are cricketing friendships.
In dry summers like this one, groundsmen have huge problems. There’s no hose-pipe ban yet, but preparing the perfect pitch becomes almost a matter of luck, rather than the usual scientific wizardry they perform. And most strips in late July are being used for the second time at least. Venues vary from county HQs – excellent – to small town cricket clubs. A major issue is the quality of the tracks played on. Southport was heavily criticised, but what help did the groundsman get in these exceptional conditions.
How nice to see pitches favouring the bowlers for once!
Scores
Vipers 105
Lightning 109-4 in the 19th over
Storm v Stars – Cheltenham 26 July 2018
The Champions feel the Pain
This game highlighted the problem for all short-span cricket matches: how many risks do you take at each stage of the innings? Storm stormed away in a headlong rush: 35 runs were on the board after 4 overs. Nat Sciver and Laura Marsh were both launched into the wide yonder. Smriti Mandhana struck her 39 at 1.75 runs per ball. But, and it’s a big but, this remained the highest score of the innings.
After the front-line bowlers, Marizanne Kapp, Sciver, Marsh and Dane van Niekerk had amassed one wicket between them, on came Sophia Dunkley, top scorer in Stars’ previous game, to claim the wickets of Mandhana, Heather Knight and Fran Wilson in her two overs. This proved another decisive intervention for her. Marsh came back after taking a pasting to pick up two wickets. Then Grace Gibbs was finally allowed to have her first bowl of the campaign in the 17th over of her second match. Almost inevitably, she took two quick wickets. Storm had subsided to 132-9.
Stars began even more thunderously. Lizelle Lee (22) helped herself to three 4s and a 6 in the first over. The contrast in tactics was that the Stars then took a more measured approach to scoring after Lee’s opening strike rate of 244! Sarah Taylor used her experience to stay in fifth gear (she has six at least) while Bryony Smith (33) and Sciver (14) hit about them. She increased her pace commandingly to take the Stars to victory in the 17th over, reaching her 50 at the close (9 fours)
Scores
Storm 132-9
Stars 136-3
Diamonds v Thunder Headingley 27 July 2018
Titans of the North lock Horns
A real thriller took place at Headingley in the latest Battle of the Roses. Lancashire Thunder hadn’t beaten the oldest enemy yet in the KSL and were still without Harmanpreet Kaur, held up at home with visa problems. After their batting folded against Lightning last time round, Lauren Winfield thoughtfully invited them to have another dip. Helen Fenby registered seven dots in her first two overs. You don’t take liberties against Katherine Brunt at the other end.
This cautious start descended into torment. Chamari Athapaththu made the breakthrough; Alice Davidson-Richards claimed two wickets in an over, then Katie Levick had Emma Lamb stumped by Beth Mooney.(24-4). But cometh the hour, come the women. At last Amy Satterthwaite (57*) rediscovered her lost form and wicket-keeper Ellie Threlkeld (53*) took the attack to the White Roses.
Together they put on 109 runs in a mere 76 balls to post the second highest partnership in the KSL.
This was the stuff captains’ nightmares are made of. Every decision has an irreversible effect in so short a game, ‘Do I keep my most successful bowler on, or do I save her up for the death overs? Do I stick to my most experienced bowlers or take a punt with someone less familiar to the opposition?’
From the 12th over, bowled by Brunt, to the 17th, the two Red Roses whacked 70 runs
Was Winfield right to offer Delissa Kimmince a second over? She’d gone for 15 in her first; another 7 came from the second. She achieved one dot in 12.
133-4 wasn’t an away banker, but Lancashire had the wind in their sails. Winfield and Mooney are a redoubtable opening pair; they put on 43 before Danni Hazell called up England’s go-to bowler, Sophie Ecclestone. She saw off Winfield (28) and Davidson-Richards, then, after the skipper bowled some tidy overs, Alex Hartley made it plain she was after an immediate recall to England colours. First she had Mooney (20) caught, then bowled Athapathathu with a peach of a delivery through the gate.
Thea Brookes struck some defiant blows, including the only 6 of the innings (21), but the current was flowing the wrong way. Threlkeld covered herself in glory with four stumpings to add to her maiden 50. All three England spinners helped cause the confusion as the hosts’ innings disintegrated in the last three overs.
Their figures are worth assembling: 11.2 overs 1 maiden (Hazell) 42 runs 7 wickets 43 dots.
Now to find two demon-fast bowlers of the same quality!
Scores
Thunder 133-4
Diamonds 101
