At Durham (Chester-le-Street SEAT Unique Riverside) Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on July 23
Batting for Diamonds at No.11, Katie Levick (pictured) held her nerve with both scores level, to nudge a ‘single’ to win; with two balls to spare. Earlier, Levick’s spin took 2/40. At one point, Diamond’s bowlers took four wickets for one run, before Lightning were bowled out. Setting the scene, Diamonds won all three fifty-over matches (played between Aug’20-May’21.) Match video and highlights were recorded from fixed cameras mounted on side-screens, without commentary(please see below.) Also available via ESPN-cric-info and other social media. Weather was a fine summer’s day (22C.)
Lightning’s Innings
*After 10 overs power play, Lightning were 48/0; Marie Kelly 37(37) with fastest strike rate. *After running ‘three’ from Tammy Beaumont’s backward-sweep, Kelly came down the wicket to Katie Levick, went aerial, and was caught in-the-deep by veteran Jenny Gunn. *100 balls (after 16.4 overs) Lightning were 82/1. *Tammy Beaumont advanced to 100/1 partnered by Scotland’s Sarah Bryce during the twenty-third over; reaching 106/1 by mid-way (25 overs.) *Tammy Beaumont’s ’fifty’ (from 84 balls) came during the twenty-eighth over (on 118/1.) Next over, Sarah Bryce 21(47) was caught-and-bowled by Diamonds’ skipper Hollie Armitage.
*There followed a Lightning ‘middle-order’ batting collapse. *Firstly Skipper Kathryn Bryce 14(22) spooned to Emma Marlow at mid-off from Hollie Armitage, (35 overs, 153/3.) *Secondly, next over, Tammy Beaumont 70(105) missed a square-cut and went ‘leg before’ to NZ Leigh Kasperek (35.1 overs at 153/4) *Drinks taken. *Thirdly after brief gardening to extend her short stay, Bethan Ellis was trapped ‘leg before’ on her knee-roll, for a golden duck (at 154/5.) Leigh Kasperek was sent dancing backwards in disbelief, celebrating two wickets taken from the same over. *More drinks marked thirty-six overs.
*Change of bowling: Linsey Smith had Bethany Harmer 1(6) chopped an edge, sending the ball aerial (off-side) and was caught by Hollie Armitage (36.2 overs) Four wickets had fallen for 1 run (154/6.) *Linsey Smith (2/37) bagged a second wicket when Sophie Munro 5(13) was clean-bowled, her leg stump flattened (40.2 overs; 162/7) *Leigh Kasperek bagged her third wicket when Kirstie Gordon 8(12) went aerial to off-side and was caught by Phoebe Turner 174/8 (43.3 overs) *Tail-ender Josie Groves 3(6) was bowled, bales sent flying by Emma Marlow (1/29.) *Finally Lucy Higham 27(38) was stumped by Lauren Winfield-Hill coming down the wicket to Katie Levick (2/40.)
Diamonds’ Innings
*Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt were called-up for England. *Diamonds needed to score 200 runs from 50 overs, averaging four-runs-per-over. *During the power play, opener Linsey Smith 2(6) went ‘leg before’ to left-arm Grace Ballinger’s second ball, coming over the wicket to the left-hander. *After 10 overs power play, Diamonds were level-pegging on 50/1 (vs 48/0.) *After Lauren Winfield-Hill slogged Kirstie Gordon for ‘six,’ Gordon’s spin took two wickets. *Firstly Hollie Armitage 20(29) ’played-on,’ chopping across the line. *Secondly, NL’s Sterre Kalis 4(8) received four ‘dot’ balls before going ‘leg before,’ (discretely signalled by Winfield-Hill as ‘plumb.’) Lauren Winfield-Hill chalked-up her ‘fifty’ during the twentieth over.
*Two wickets fell either side of mid-way 122/4 (vs 106/1.) *Before mid-way, Phoebe Turner 11(34) was caught-and-bowled by Josie Groves. *After mid-way, Lauren Winfield-Hill 61(75) was caught by Josie Groves from Lucy Higham. *Josie Groves (2/31) took a second wicket when Bess Heath 14(15) was caught by Grace Ballinger. *Match took another twist when Diamond’s run chase faltered, peppered by ‘dot’ balls from Josie Groves and Marie Kelly (1/24.) *Lucy Higham bagged her second wicket when Beth Langston 6(19) went ‘leg before.’ *With three wickets remaining, Diamonds needed to score sedately at three-runs-per-over. *When Leigh Kasperek 6(12) was clean bowled by Lucy Higham (3/50), Diamonds needed just two runs-per-over, with 2 wickets remaining. With scores level and a peppering of ‘dot’ balls, Katie Levick (1*) nudged a quick ‘single’ to win the match with two balls to spare.
Summary
Lightning’s Tammy Beaumont and Marie Kelly made a good start; Sarah Bryce continuing until the twenty-eighth over when Beaumont reached ‘fifty’ and Bryce was caught and bowled. Disaster struck Lightning’s batters after the 150 mark (36th over) when four wickets tumbled for just one run. Diamonds replied: Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage banking seventy runs for their second wicket. Diamonds remained a nose ahead by mid-way (122/4). Tight bowling by Marie Kelly and Josie Groves reduced Diamonds’ run-chase down to a snail’s pace, for a close finish. Diamonds (17 points) are one point behind Vipers, who are the only other team to have won all four matches played.
Result: Northern Diamonds Women 200/9 (49.4/50 overs, target 200) beat Loughborough Lightning Women 199/10 (49.1/50 overs) by 1 wicket with two balls remaining
L’boro Lightning batting: 199/10 (49.1/50 overs, 4.04 runs-per-over): Tammy Beaumont 70(105), Marie Kelly 37(37), Lucy Higham 27(38), Sarah Bryce 21(47), Kathryn Bryce 14(22); Diamonds’ bowling: Leigh Kasperek 3/39, Hollie Armitage 2/17, Linsey Smith 2/37, Katie Levick 2/40, Emma Marlow 1/29; Fow 1-69, 2-120, 3-153, 4-153, 5-154, 6-154, 7-162, 8-174, 9-191, 10-199.
Diamonds’ batting: 200/9 (49.4/50 overs, 4.02 runs-per-over) Lauren Winfield-Hill 61(75), Jenny Gunn 41*(77), Hollie Armitage 20(29), Bess Heath 14(15), Phoebe Turner 11(34); Lightning bowling: Lucy Higham 3/50, Josie Groves 2/31, Kirstie Gordon 2/36, Grace Ballinger 1/21, Marie Kelly 1/24; Fow 1-5, 2-75, 3-84, 4-115, 5-131, 6-142, 7-162, 8-184, 9-197.
Scorecard and statistics at URL: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2022-1297659/northern-diamonds-vs-lightning-1297942/full-scorecard
Edited highlights courtesy of ECB (NV play) at https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#me633d063-b708-4bd0-87e4-895a2d7858bc
Entire match, is free-to-view from Lightning live stream via Youtube and Smart TV (starting from 0:01mins/6h30m19s) at URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-ZYOrpSrw
