Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy – Match 7

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Sunrisers vs The Blaze on 29 April 2023 – Match 7 RHF – at Chelmsford (The Cloud County Ground, Essex) 

Blaze spinner pairing Sarah Glenn (4/22) with skipper Kirstie Gordon (2/24) took six wickets. With three pairs of Sunrisers wickets falling in quick succession, another disaster struck as three tail-enders’ wickets fell eight balls apart. Ironically, Blaze suffered top-order collapse much sooner, reduced to 40/4 after ten overs’ Power-play. Astonished commentators (believed to be from BBC Radio Essex) described disbelief at seeing reputable batters unwisely edging balls outside their off-stump. Sarah Glenn stepped-up, to score 30 runs from 27 balls, supporting England team-mate Tammy Beaumont; who went on to make top-score 64 runs (from 75 balls.) Commentary was believed to be from BBC Radio Essex with video highlights from Sunrisers TV via ECB online (NV Play) – please see below.

Sunrisers’ innings *Skipper Kelly Castle. *Cordelia Griffith replaced Lizzy Macleod. *Reunited openers Grace Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith banked 42 runs without loss after 10 overs Power-play on a ‘tricky pitch.’ *Spin twins Sarah Glenn (4/22) and Kirstie Gordon (2/24) curtailed the run-rate and took six wickets. *Firstly, Grace Scrivens 39(59) came down-the-wicket and was stumped by Sarah Bryce from Sarah Glenn. *Secondly, Jodie Grewcock (1) was clean-bowled by Sarah Glenn. *Thirdly, Mady Villiers (2) was caught by Kirstie Gordon *Fourthly, Cordelia Griffith 34(65) went ‘leg before’ to Sarah Glenn. *By mid-way (25 overs) Sunrisers were 93/3. *Jo Gardner (7) went ‘leg-before’ to Sophie Munro’s pace. *Commentators reviewed a ‘plumb’ dismissal, ‘middle-and-leg.’ *Disaster struck as three tail-enders’ wickets fell eight balls apart. *Saskia Horley (27) was caught by Nadine deKlerk from Sophie Munro (2/22); *Kelly Castle (0) was stumped for a fourth-ball duck by keeper Sarah Bryce, coming down the wicket to Kirstie Gordon (2/24) *Eva Gray (4) was stumped by keeper Sarah Bryce, from sister Kathryn’s (2/17) bowling. *Bryce sisters similarly stumped their fellow Scots international Abtaha Maqsood 14(18) who struck 3 ‘fours.’

Blaze’s innings Skipper Kirstie Gordon. *Sophie Munro replacing Beth Harmer. *By comparison, Blaze batters suffered carbon-copy keeper-dismissals to top-order batters who played at balls ‘going wide of off-stump’ that commentators said they ‘should leave alone.’ *Firstly, Marie Kelly snicked to keeper Amara Carr from Kate Coppack, for a second-ball duck (1/1). *Secondly, Georgie Boyce launched a vertical catch to keeper Carr from Eva Grey, for a fourth-ball duck (2/9). *Next over, Kathryn Bryce was similarly caught behind from Kate Coppack for a third-ball duck (3/12). *Kate Coppack took a third wicket when Sarah Bryce (4) was caught by Jodi Grewcock (4/22). *After 10 overs of Power-play, Blaze were minus four ‘top guns,’ on 40/4 (vs 42/0). *Change-of-bowling brought a brief spell from spinners Abtaha Maqsood and Mady Villiers, from whom England duo Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Glenn banked 7 ‘fours’ and one ’six.’ *After 15 overs, Blaze recovered to 71/4 (vs 66/1) *Tammy Beaumont was on the verge of her ‘fifty’ when Sarah Glenn 30(27) was caught at ‘deep square’ by Jo Gardner, from skipper Castle. *By mid-way (25 overs) Blaze were 118/5 (vs 93/3) needing 42 runs to win. *Next over, Tammy Beaumont 64(75) was stumped by Amara Carr from skipper Kelly Castle *Six balls later, Lucy Higham (3) went ‘leg before’ to Jo Gardner. *Without further loss, RSA International Nadine deKlerk 25(44) partnered by Sophie Munro 20(38) scored the runs needed to secure Blaze’s second straight-win.

Match summary Sunrisers fell some way short of chalking-up a defendable score. Reunited openers (Grace Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith) made a solid start, but three pairs of wickets fell in quick succession. Bowling for Blaze, England’s Sarah Glenn took four wickets, paired with skipper Kirstie Gordon who took two. Unexpectedly, Blaze suffered batting collapse when four top-order batters were dismissed by Sunrisers’ seam bowlers (Kate Coppack and Eva Gray.) Realising the match could go either way, All-rounder Sarah Glenn stepped-up to support her England team-mate Tammy Beaumont, who’d made ‘fifty.’ Rep.South Africa International Nadine deKlerk and Sophie Munro mustered runs needed to win the match for Blaze with 89 balls to spare.

Match result: The Blaze Women 160/7 beat Sunrisers Women 159/10 by 3 wickets with 89 balls remaining