Sunrisers vs Northern Diamonds on May 1 – match RHF11 – at Chelmsford, Essex (The Cloud County Ground)
England hopeful Bess Heath 32*not out (pictured) was the only player from either side to score ‘six,’ launching her second ’six’ to decide the match outcome. As defending champions, Diamonds batters scored consistently at a faster rate; with a higher proportion of batters reaching double-figures. Former England player Lauren Winfield-Hill made ‘fifty.’ Commentators who recognised ‘positive moments’ followed by ‘nervous moments’ were Kevin Hand (from BBC Sport for radio Essex) and Danni Warren (Director of Sunrisers Women’s Cricket.) Video highlights from Sunrisers TV via ECB Online (NV Play) – please see below. ‘Cloudy’ overcast (weather) conditions with the perpetual ‘threat of rain.’
Sunrisers’ innings *Skipper Kelly Castle, with Scots international spinner Abtaha Maqsood. *Cordelia Griffith (1) was bowled, off-stump flattened from Jess Woolston’s sharp in-swing; coming over the wicket. *Grace Scrivens 11 runs (from 23 balls) was bowled ‘looking to drive,’ Jess Woolston, who sent her off-stump bail flying; coming around the wicket *Mady Villiers (0) ‘flipped aerial,’ caught by Katherine Fraser at ‘mid-wicket,’ from Lizzy Scott’s sharp in-swinger; for a second-ball duck *After 10 overs’ Power-play with right-and-left hander batters still at the crease, Sunrisers were 24/3. *Saskia Horley (8) was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Hollie Armitage, from Abi Glen *At mid-way (25 overs) Sunrisers were 76/4. *Main batters partnership between Jodie Grewcock and Jo Gardner added 65 runs for Sunrisers’ 5thwicket *With 30 overs gone, Jo Gardner 32(62) was bowled, coming down the wicket to Chloe Tryon’s ‘faster’ ball. *Commentator’s curse struck as beefed-up Amara Carr was ‘about to go through the gears’ *Instead, Amara Carr 12(22) edged to keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill, from Lizzy Scott’s (2/27) last ball. *No sooner had Jodie Grewcock 50(93) chalked-up ‘fifty:’ she was caught behind by Lauren Winfield-Hill; from Katie Levick, coming over the wicket to the left-hander. *Two balls later, commentator’s curse struck again as Eva Gray (1) ‘who hit the ball hard,’ went ‘leg before’ from Katie Levick’s ‘brilliant’ over, that swung match advantage by removing two talented batters. *Having lost four quick wickets, Sunrisers had slid from 97/4 to 129/8 *Skipper Castle 9(21) went ‘leg before’ to the last ball of Katie Levick’s 8th over. *Finally, Abtaha Maqsood went aerial and was caught at ‘square leg’ by Jess Woolston, departing with a second-ball duck from Abi Glen. *Kate Coppack was 16*Not out.
Diamonds’ innings *Skipper Hollie Armitage, with Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket without wearing conventional keeper’s pads. Internationals Chloe Tryon (Rep. South Africa), Sterre Kalis (NL) and Katherine Fraser (Scotland u-19 skipper.) *During the Power-play, Sterre Kalis 14(30) went ‘leg before’ to Kelly Castle *After 10 overs, Diamonds were 57/1 (vs. 24/3.) *After fifteen overs, Lauren Winfield-Hill 51(43) went ‘leg before’ to Mady Villiers. *During the 20th over, Phoebe Turner 13(18) was clean-bowled by Mady Villiers. Hollie Armitage 30(32) went ‘leg before,’ also to Mady Villiers (3/42.) *At mid-way (25 overs) Diamonds were 138/4 (vs. 76/4) *Chloe Tryon 12(18) was bowled by Eva Gray *Bess Heath 32*(25) launched her second ’six’ to win the match by a comfortable margin-of-safety, inside thirty overs.
Match summary On paper, both sided looked evenly-matched, each side with batters who scored ‘fifty’ and bowlers who took ‘3-fers.’ Sunrisers lost six batters to single-figures whereas no Diamonds players departed for single-figure scores. Two wickets fell during a ‘brilliant’ over from Katie Levick (3/23); as Sunrisers’ score slid from 97/4 to 129/8. Undoubtedly, that swung match advantage in Diamonds’ favour. By comparison, Diamonds batters lost half the number of wickets, hit twice as many ‘fours,’ and two ‘sixes.’
Match result: Northern Diamonds Women 160/5 beat Sunrisers Women 157/10 by five wickets (with 129 balls remaining.)
Sunrisers batting: 157/10 (@3.41 runs-per-over from 46/50 overs)
Jodie Grewcock 50(93), Jo Gardner 32(62), Kate Coppack 16*21, Amara Carr 12(22) Grace Scrivens 11(23); Diamonds bowling: Katie Levick 3/23, Jess Woolston 2/18, Lizzy Scott 2/27, Abi Glen 2/37, Chloe Tryon 1/37.
Fow 1-11, 2-16, 3-17, 4-32, 5-97, 6-116, 7-128, 8-129, 9-149, 10-157.
Diamonds batting: 160/5 (@5.61 r-p-o from 28.3/50 overs)
Lauren Winfield-Hill 51(43), Bess Heath 32*(25), Hollie Armitage 30(32), Sterre Kalis 14(30), Phoebe Turner 13(18), Chloe Tryon 12(18); Sunrisers bowling: Mady Villiers 3/42, Kelly Castle 1/26, Eva Gray 1/37;
Fow 1-53, 2-88, 3-105, 4-120, 5-139.
Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#mf969b7d1-c813-4446-9a18-f012711f92de_~scorecard
Full video starts from 06m46s/05h09m51s on YouTube at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItVSp7jwjlA&t=10417s
Diamonds awarded 5 points. Latest England and Wales Cricket Board tables at URL: https://www.ecb.co.uk/matches/rachael-heyhoe-flint/tables
