Central Sparks vs Southern Vipers on 1 May 2023 – match 10 RHF – at Wormsley, Bucks (Sir Paul Getty’s Estate)
‘Delighted’ Georgia Adams took a ‘4-fer’ and scored a match-winning fifty that saw Vipers ‘back to their winning ways.’ During her post-match interview, skipper Adams added that Sparks total ‘wasn’t big’ and Vipers batters ‘stood-up well’ to Sparks ‘strong bowling attack.’ Separately she paid tribute to Charlie Dean for their match-winning century partnership. Commentators were Georgie Heath (Womens Cricket Chat), Syd Egan (CRICKETher) with Kevan ‘Kev’ James (BBC Radio Solent) & Raf Nicholson (CRICKETher Stats.) Also broadcast via Radio Solent with video highlights from Southern Vipers Cricket via ECB Online (NV Play) – please see below. Match started with ‘gloomy’ (weather) conditions ‘changing by the hour’ until it became ‘a completely different day,’ with sunny spells for the final quarter’s play 15C.
Sparks innings *Skipper Eve Jones. *Chloe Brewer went for a second-ball duck, caught-and-bowled by Charlie Dean. *After ten overs Power-play, Sparks had faced 45 ‘dot’ balls (30/1.) *Two wickets fell nine overs later, firstly when *Eve Jones 34(65) went ‘leg before’ to Georgia Elwiss. *Secondly 2 balls later, Davina Perrin’s (u19 world cup finalist) middle-stump went flying. *After 25 overs, Sparks were 88/3. *Ami Campbell together with Abbey Freeborn 43(96) added 61 runs for Sparks 4th wicket until Georgia Adams took a ‘smart’ return catch from Freeborn, who was caught-and-bowled. *15 runs were gifted by Danni Wyatt’s single over. *Katie George 23(28) played an entertaining cameo until Maia Bouchier took a ‘great (running) catch’ from Alice Monaghan’s first ball. *Ami Campbell went scored ‘fifty,’ said to be ‘a fantastic knock’ in the face of Vipers ‘spin’ *161/4 quickly became 183/9. *Four Sparks wickets fell during their final five overs. *Firstly Ami Campbell 54(76) ‘went aerial’ sending an ‘easy’ catch to Linsey Smith’s at ‘mid-on’ from Georgia Adams‘ spin. *Two balls later, commentator’s curse struck when Issy Wong (0) arrived lower down the batting order ‘for a good finish.’ *No sooner beefed-up by commentators as a ‘bowler who could also bat:’ Issy Wong was ‘out,’ from skipper Adams’ second ball. *Third wicket fell when Emily Arlott (5) snicked an edge from Adams’ bowling to keeper Rhianna Southby from Lauren Bell. *Finally, Grace Potts (7) was clean-bowled by Adams’ (4/30) last ‘death over’ ball.
Vipers innings: *Skipper Georgia Adams. *Emily Arlott (2/23) took two wickets during Vipers’ Power-play [22/2 (vs 30/1)] *Ella McCaughan (0) was caught by Grace Potts for a fourth-ball duck. *Also, Georgia Elwiss (6) was caught by Ami Campbell. *Pace-attack pairing from Arlott & Potts gave way to Issy Wong & Katie George. *Danni Wyatt (4) was short-lived, caught by Chloe Brewer during Issy Wong’s first over. *Maia Bouchier 25(39) was clean-bowled by Katie George (2/31.) *Scores neck-and-neck after 25 overs: 88/4 (vs 88/3) *Chloe Brewer gifted back 18 runs from two lengthy overs. *Century 5th wicket partnership between skipper Adams 50(70) and Charlie Dean 42(55) tipped the balance in Vipers’ favour until Hannah Baker bowled Adams. *Keeper Abbey Freeborn took two catches, when Charlie Dean 42(55) was caught behind from Katie George and Linsey Smith snicked an edge from Issy Wong (2/29.) *Emily Windsor 10(19) struck the winning runs that saw Vipers home, as playing conditions noticeably improved.
Match summary Both sides were level-pegging at the mid-way point. After the match Georgia Adams said that Sparks total ‘wasn’t big’ and Vipers batters ‘stood-up well’ to Sparks ‘strong bowling attack.’ Skipper Adams played a leading role throughout the match, not only by taking four wickets, but also for her ‘fifty’ and century partnership with Charlie Dean that put the match result beyond question. Apart from two loose overs (from either side) skipper Adams added that bowlers ‘didn’t give much away.’
Match Result: Southern Vipers Women 184/7 beat Central Sparks Women 183/9 by 3 wickets with 49 balls remaining
Sparks batting 183/9 (50/50 overs, 3.66 runs-per-over)
Ami Campbell 54(76), Abbey Freeborn 43(96), Eve Jones 34(65), Katie George 23(28);
Georgia Adams 4/30, Elwiss 2/34, Alice Monagham 1/14, Lauren Bell 1/26, Charlie Dean 1/28;
Fow 1-0, 2-56, 3-56, 4-117, 5-161, 6-169, 7-169, 8-173, 9-183.
Vipers batting 184/7 (41.1/50 overs, 4.46 r-p-o)
Georgia Adams 50(70), Charlie Dean 42(55), Maia Bouchier 25(39), Emily Windsor 10*(19)
Emily Arlott 2/23, Issy Wong 2/29, Katie George 2/31, Hannah Baker 1/35;
Fow 1-0, 2-13, 3-31, 4-46, 5-161, 6-163, 7-172.
Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play on YouTube at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#m0e4ef01d-b47b-4dbc-b502-da2f578d190f_~scorecard
NB: Full video starts from 22m06s/with intermittent sound from 33m25s/07h54m08s
Post-match Georgia Adams interview (3m) courtesy of Southern Vipers via YouTube at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZhMkBOFK2s
Vipers awarded 5 points. Latest England and Wales Cricket Board tables at URL: https://www.ecb.co.uk/matches/rachael-heyhoe-flint/tables
