Commentators said that this was a ‘vital game’ for Diamonds, with table-topping Vipers ‘well out in front.’
Diamonds elected to bat on a ‘bright morning’ on a ‘chill day for late May,’ with high cloud, some blue sky and occasional sunshine. The match was ‘a great day for spin bowling’ as both sides peppered each other with ‘dot’ balls. Diamonds scored 124 (said to be ‘on the low side of 150’); and were wrongly ‘written-off’ by commentators far too soon.
After the match, commentators said that ‘Diamonds are now second-placed to the Vipers’, after the fourth round of the group stage of the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
*After Bess Heath and Sterre Kalis added an opening partnership of 25 runs, Heath(13) was caught at point by Laura Marshall off Emma Lamb’s spin (46mph).
*Diamonds reached 31/1 after 6 overs; and 58/1 at mid-way without further incident.
*Next over Hartley had Sterre Kalis (28 from 30) ballooned a catch to Georgie Boyce at ‘third man’; quickly followed by skipper Hollie Armitage 17(22) who was ‘clean bowled’ by Emma Lamb.
*Debutante Sophia Turner had a dream start. Turner’s first ball had Leah Dobson (7) caught at mid-wicket by Alex Hartley; and NZ’s Leigh Kasperek was caught behind for first ball duck; placing Turner on a hat-trick.
*Linsey Smith 25(22) replied by hitting Sophia Turner for three ‘fours.’
*By the 100 ball benchmark (16.4 overs) Diamonds were 104/6, losing Smith to Alex Hartley’s spin.
*Hannah Jones’ spin also took wickets during the final over.
*Firstly Phoebe Turner 19(11) was bowled missing a leg-side sweep; secondly Emma Marlow fell for a second-ball duck from a short-pitched ball.
*Thirdly, Katie Levick was bowled by Hannah Jones for a first ball duck, from the final delivery of Diamonds’ innings.
*Thunder’s openers Georgie Boyce and Emma Lamb (15 from 12) made 31 before Boyce repeated the same shot: ‘lofted into the air’ and caught at ‘extra cover’ by Hollie Armitage.
*Thunder reached 39/1 (vs 31/1) – a whisker ahead after 6 overs power play. Bowling to left-and-right handers, Katie Levick’s (3/25) first over claimed two wickets.
*Firstly skipper Ellie Threlkeld (2) was clean bowled, sweeping across the line to ‘cover.’ Commentators added that Threlkeld had ‘tried to put (the ball) out of the park, and missed.’
*Two balls later Shachi Pai went ‘leg before’ for a second-ball duck.
*At that point commentators said that ‘Thunder hadn’t been in trouble until now,’ as three more wickets tumbled.
*After NZ spinner Leigh Kasparek sent Laura Jackson’s off-stump flying, Danielle Collins and Laura Marshall nudged Thunder’s score past 52/5 (vs 58.1) at mid-way (10 overs.) Thereafter, Thunder’s slower scoring rate took their required-run-rate out-of-reach: above seven runs-per-over.
*Top scorer Danielle Collins 26 (33) was caught behind by keeper Bess Heath during Leigh Kasperek’s final over: confirmed by the ’square leg’ umpire as a clean catch.
*Bess Heath also scored a ‘run out’ as Phoebe Graham ‘ran out’ Laura Marshall from a return catch from ‘cover.’
*By the 100 ball benchmark (16.4overs) Thunder had slipped to 82/7 (vs 104/6);
*Next ball, Sophia Turner (1) was ‘clean bowled’ by Emma Marlow.
*Thunder’s last two wickets fell during the penultimate over with the final wicket ‘run out.’
In summary, Dutch national Sterre Kallis top scored with 28 runs and five batters were ‘clean bowled’. Thunder’s spinner Hannah Jones took 3/23. Four of Thunder’s batters were ‘clean bowled’ and three were ‘run out.’ Top scorer was Danielle Collins (26.) Both openers (Emma Lamb and Georgie Boyce) failed to add to their previous bag of double-fifties. Diamonds’ spinner Katie Levick took 3/25.
Result: (Group A) Northern Diamonds Women 124/10 (20 overs) beat Thunder Women 99/10 (target 125, 19/20 overs) by 25 runs
Diamonds: 124/10 (20 overs, 6.2 runs-per-over): Sterre Kalis 28(30), Linsey Smith 25(22), Phoebe Turner 19(11), Hollie Armitage 17(22), Bess Heath 13(14); Thunder bowling: Hannah Jones 3/23, Alex Hartley 2/17, Emma Lamb 2/18, Sophia Turner 2/21; Fow 1-25, 2-61, 3-63, 4-78, 5-78, 6-87, 7-113, 8-124, 9-124, 10-124.
Thunder: 99/10 (19 overs, 5.21 runs-per-over): Danielle Collins 26(33), Phoebe Graham 20(16), Georgie Boyce 16(20), Emma Lamb 15(12) Laura Marshall 11(16); Diamonds bowling: Katie Levick 3/25, Leigh Kasperek 2/16, Linsey Smith 1/15, Emma Marlow 1/20. Fow 1-31, 2-46, 3-47, 4-47, 5-48, 6-74, 7-79, 8-82, 9-99, 10-99.
Scorecard at URL: https://www.espn.com/cricket/series/20568/commentary/1298065/northern-diamonds-vs-thunder-group-a-charlotte-edwards-cup-2022
Full Match on Northern Diamonds TV via youtube (jump to start at 12:45): URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD5ujJuXRgU
