South East Stars vs Southern Vipers – match 8 RHF – at Beckenham (The County Ground, Kent) on 29 April 2023
Commentators reassured viewers that Vipers were ‘back on track,’ after last week’s shock defeat by Sunrisers. Posting a defendable score against Stars, three Vipers batters scored ‘fifty.’ Given the benefit of intensive fielding practice between matches, Vipers were noticeably sharper in the field. Stars suffered top-order collapse when England seamer Lauren Bell (4/37) twice threatened ‘hat-trick’ balls. England spinner Charlie Dean (3/18), sealed Vipers’ win by a wide margin(158 runs.) After the match, Kev James quizzed Lauren Bell about ‘hat-tricks’ and ‘5-fers.’
Commentators were Kevan ‘Kev’ James (BBC Radio Solent) and Phil Green (Hursley Park); with video highlights from Southern Vipers Cricket via ECB online (NV Play) – please see below. Weather: early rising mist gave way to a bright sunny day, 20C.
Vipers innings Skipper Georgia Adams. *One change: straight-arm bowler Charlotte Taylor for ‘Mary T’ (no relation.) *After ten overs Power-play, Vipers were 40/0 *Openers banked 117 runs without loss. Maia Bouchier 59 runs (from 69 balls) was dropped short of ‘fifty,’ but clean-bowled by Paige Scholfield, fielding at ‘cover.’ *By mid-way Vipers were 124/1. *Paige Scholfield caught Ella McCaughan 67(95) from Ryana Macdonald-Gay. *England’s Danni Wyatt 22(26) was caught at ‘backward point’ by Ryana Macdonald-Gay, from Alice Davidson-Richards’ (2/30) first over. *Former England All-rounder Georgia Elwiss 59(57) also scored ‘fifty,’ partnered by skipper Adams 31(37); during their partnership of 76 runs. *Vipers defendable score set-up their first win for this season, boosted by 27 gifted ‘wides.’ *Of Stars 9 bowlers, only skipper Smith bowled her full-quota of ten overs.
Stars innings Skipper Bryony Smith. Changes: Alice Capsey, Tash Farrant and Alexa Stonehouse. *Without Emma Jones, Bethan Miles or Jemima Spence. *Disaster struck when England’s Alice Capsey (18) was ‘comprehensively bowled,’ with her off-stump flattened by Lauren Bell. *Next ball, Ryana Macdonald-Gay (commentator’s gaffed as ‘RMT’) went ‘leg before’ for a golden duck. *Skipper Smith (7) survived Bell’s ‘hat-trick’ ball, but departed two overs later ‘driving to ‘extra cover,’ and caught by Charlie Dean.’
*Commentator’s curse struck when Stars were ‘in much trouble’ on 36/3. *Next ball, Alice Davidson-Richards ‘waived her bat’ outside her off-stump and was caught by Maia Bouchier, fielding at ‘second-slip.’ *Commentators added that it was ‘quite unusual’ to see a ’second-slip’ catch. *At 36/4, Lauren Bell was once again set-up for a hat-trick. *44/4 (vs 40/0) after ten overs Power-play. *Opener Kira Chathli 20(33) went aerial during the 15th over and was caught by Linsey Smith from Alice Monaghan. *Paige Scholfield and Tash Farrant staged a 6th wicket partnership, adding 42 runs in 12 overs, the progress halted when Paige Scholfield 31(63) was clean-bowled by skipper Adams. *Charlie Dean (3/18) took a 3-fer by taking out three tail-enders *Firstly, Dean’s ‘full delivery’ coming around-the-wicket to left-handed batter beat Tash Farrant’s 21(43) ‘sweep-shot,’ skittled her leg-stump. *Secondly, going for the big shot,’ Alexa Stonehouse was caught ‘simply’ by skipper Adams, when back-peddling from deepish ‘mid-on.’ *Thirdly, Phoebe Franklin 9(14) was caught by Ella McCaughan, reaching to her right-hand side. *Finally, Freya Davies 7(29) was caught at ‘long-off’ by diving skipper Adams, from Alice Monaghan (2/19.) Vipers gifted 11 wides (vs 27.)
Match summary Three Vipers batters posted ‘fifties’ (Ella McCaughan, Maia Bouchier and Georgia Elwiss); compared to all but four Stars players failing to score double figures.’ Vipers’ Lauren Bell (4-fer) was the stand-out bowler: twice on a ‘hat-trick,’ taking two pairs of Stars’ top-order wickets. That resulted in a one-sided match played-out during the closing stage as Charlie Dean (3-fer) took out Stars tail-end. Vipers move up the table to joint second-place with three other teams, after two rounds.
Match result: Southern Vipers Women 287/6 beat South East Stars Women 129/10 by 158 runs; target 288 from 50 overs
Vipers batting:287/6 (50/50 overs, 5.74 runs-per-over)
Ella McCaughan 67(95), Maia Bouchier 59(69), Georgia Elwiss 59(57), Georgia Adams 31(37), Danni Wyatt 22(26), Linsey Smith 13*(10).
Stars bowling: Tash Farrant 1/32, Paige Scholfield 1/38, Freya Davies 1/50.
Fow: 1-117, 2-157, 3-170, 4-246, 5-260, 6-285.
Stars batting:129/10 (36.5 ov, 3.5 r-p-o)
Paige Scholfield 31(63), Tash Farrant 21(43), Kira Chathli 20(33), Alice Capsey 18(16)
Vipers bowling: Lauren Bell 4/37, Charlie Dean 3/18, Alice Monaghan 2/19, Georgia Adams 1/12.
Fow: 1-26, 2-26, 3-36, 4-36, 5-60, 6-102, 7-109, 8-111, 9-119 10-129.
Scorecard with Video-highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV-Play on YouTube at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#mcc0abc57-4078-448a-ae11-713dceedaf6e_~scorecard
Match free-to-air (starting from 07:05/06h28m431s) courtesy of Hampshire Cricket TV (with BBC commentary) on YouTube at URL: https://www.ageasbowl.com/cricket/news/live-stream-south-east-stars-v-southern-vipers,-rhft/
Post-match interview by Kev James with Vipers’ Lauren Bell (2:22) at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOPkSXEWf7A
Vipers awarded 5 points. Latest English Cricket Board tables at URL: https://www.ecb.co.uk/matches/rachael-heyhoe-flint/tables
