At Derby (The Incora County Ground) Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on July 16
Vipers skipper Georgia Adams (pictured) made top score (82); also topping 150 runs in her first wicket partnership with Ella McCaughan. Vipers won by a comfortable margin despite missing players from England call-up. Defending champions Vipers remain top – bagging three wins from the first three rounds of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Match was live streamed by Lightning on ‘youtube,’ with commentary from Dr Jane Powell as ECB’s Performance Manager for England Disability Cricket, Jill Powell (like her twin sister, a former England player); Ellie Indie for Somerset CCC’s Inclusivity in cricket partnership (twitter @fiveforeight) and guest commentator Robbie James (twitter @thatrobbiejames) Also via ESPN-cric-info social media. Weather was a glorious hot sunny day with blue sky.
Vipers innings
Vipers were without Danni Wyatt, Charlie Dean, Maia Bouchier Lauren Bell and Freya Kemp, on England duty. Opening partnership between skipper Georgia Adams and Ella McCaughan chalked-up 37/0 after 10 overs power play and 90/0 After 100 balls (16.4 overs.) *Disaster struck when 3 wickets lost in 3 consecutive overs for just 3 runs: 1) Ella McCaughan, 2) Georgia Elwiss and 3) Choe Hill. *Vipers’ first wicket partnership lasted until McCaughan was bowled through the gate by teenager Josie Groves just after mid-way (25.5 overs); banking 153 runs. *Georgia Elwiss’ (0) off-stump was cartwheeled by an in-swinger from Lightning’s skipper and Scotland International Katherine Bryce, for a second ball duck – A shock dismissal following Elwiss’ ton scored only last week.
*Next over, newbie Chloe Hill (1) found Josie Groves’ leg-spin unplayable after five ‘dots:’ her sixth ball judged ‘leg before.’ *Josie Groves took an easy catch off Kathryn Bryce to dismiss Paige Scholfield 18(17) hitting across the line-of-the-ball. *Making top-score, Georgia Adams 82(93) played a skippers innings until the thirty-eighth over when Adams top-edged and was caught-and-bowled by Australian Piepa Cleary. *Vipers bowlers-turned-batters (Emily Windsor, Tara Norris and Nancy Harman) added another 84 runs during the last 13 overs, losing one more wicket between them. Vipers closed on 294/6.
Lightning’s Innings
*Debutante Alicia Demi Presland was playing her first full match, having substituted for Marie Kelly – still recovering from last week’s injured hand. *Grace Ballinger was absent. *Two wickets fell during the power play. Firstly, Bethany Harmer (15) was ‘leg before’ to Paige Scholfield. *Secondly, skipper Katherine Bryce (1) returned a dolly at chest height, sent back to straight-arm bowler Charlotte Taylor. *After ten overs power play Lightning were 49/2 (vs 37/0); and slipped twenty runs behind 68/2 (vs 90/0) after 100 balls (16.4 overs.) Drinks were taken after 17 overs (72/2.)
*After the resumption (17.1 overs), a high return-throw struck keeper Carla Rudd on her helmet, holding-up play for a concussion check. Fortunately Rudd was OK and continued. *Two wickets fell either side of mid-way (25 overs) at which point Lightning were thirty runs behind: 113/3 (vs 145/0.) Before mid-way, Sarah Bryce 49 (from 76) missed out on her ‘fifty,’ caught by Alice Monaghan, from Nancy Harman. That brought teenager Josie Groves out to bat. Lightning’s average-run-rate was between 4 to 5 runs-per-over.
After mid-way, Bethan Ellis 33 (from 49) was caught behind by keeper Carla Rudd. Paige Scholfield was stood down, after Groves hit two ‘fours’ from one over and ’six’ from the next. *Missing her signature low-sweep, Gwenan Davies (5) lost her leg-side bale to Georgia Adams. *Lightning’s 150 came up at 31.4 overs, at which point their required-run-rate was headed toward eight-runs-per-over. Living dangerously, having been dropped from Elwiss during the thirty-fourth over; top-scorer Josie Groves 55 (from 39) was caught at ‘backward point ‘by Tara Norris from Nancy Harman’s bowling on 204/7.
*Lightning needed to score faster than one-run-per-ball to make 91 runs from their last 13 overs. *Four balls after Groves departure, Sophie Munro (5) stumps were skittled by Charlotte Taylor. *Thereafter, more drinks were consumed at 223/8.; and Tara Norris’ (3/35) in-swingers took Lightning’s last three wickets with six overs to spare. *Firstly, Norris caught-and-bowled Lucy Higham 31(28); top-edging from a third theatrical scoop to the off-side. *Secondly during the same over, Piepa Cleary (5) went aerial and was caught at ‘mid-off’ by skipper Adams. *Thirdly, debutante Alicia Demi Presland (1) overstepped her mark and was stumped by keeper Carla Rudd, promptly bringing Lightning’s run-chase innings to a close.
Summary
Batting first, skipper Adams made stop score (82), setting-up a batting partnership with Ella McCaughan (153) that was nearly doubled by the rest of the team. McCaughan hit a career best 72. Charlotte Taylor took 3 wickets, that not only included Lightning’s skipper Katherine Bryce; but also big-hitting Sophie Munro: both sent back to the dug-out with single figures. Tara Norris’ in-swingers also bagged three wickets as Lightning ran out of wickets going for high-risk shots. Vipers stay top, with three wins.
Result: Southern Vipers Women 294/6 (50 overs) beat Loughborough Lightning Women 228/10 (44/50 overs Target 295) by 66 runs
L’boro Lightning batting: 228/10 (44/50 overs, 5.18 runs-per-over): Josie Groves 55(39), Sarah Bryce 49(76), Bethan Ellis 33(49), Lucy Higham 31(28), Bethany Harmer 15(18); Vipers bowling: Charlotte Taylor 3/31, Tara Norris 3/35, Nancy Harman 2/47, Georgia Adams 1/35, Paige Scholfield 1/43. Fow 1-48, 2-49, 3-109, 4-115, 5-147, 6-199, 7-204, 8-223, 9-224, 10-228.
Southern Vipers batting: 294/6 (50 overs, 5.88 runs-per-over): Georgia Adams 82(93), Ella McCaughan 72(88), Emily Windsor 47*(49), Nancy Harman 23*(12), Tara Norris 21(32), Paige Scholfield 18(17); Lightning bowling: Josie Groves 2/34, Kathryn Bryce 2/55, Piepa Cleary 1/47, Lucy Higham 1/51; Fow 1-153, 2-154, 3-155, 4-189, 5-209, 6-249.
Scorecard and statistics at URL: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2022-1297659/lightning-vs-southern-vipers-1297938/full-scorecard
Entire match, is free-to-view courtesy of Lightning live stream NV play) via Youtube and Smart TV (starting from 38 mins/3h46m05s) at URL https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#mc13526e9-7860-4e1e-a7b9-76a0da10fb3f
