Northern Diamonds vs South East Stars on May 10 – at Scarborough (Marine Road North Ground)
After five rounds, commentators said that Diamonds were back-on-track to defend their title, taking third-place (just one point behind second-placed Stars.) Diamonds bowler Jess Woolston took a 5-fer, that reduced Stars’ batters to 55/5. Dutch international Sterre Kalis (pictured) took two catches and built two key partnerships that added 129 runs. Kalis also ‘carried her bat,’ undefeated until the end (with 66*not out) in a match that went down ‘to-the-wire.’ Commentators were Jonathan Doidge, Jamie Raynor (BBC Radio Leeds); and Graham Hardcastle (BBC Sports online.) Video highlights from Yorkshire Cricket TV via ECB Online (NV Play) – please see below. Cloudy weather with the perpetual threat of rain.
Stars’ innings *Skipper Bryony Smith. Aylish Cranstone’s first new season match, having recovered from injury, replacing Jemima Spence. * Rain-delayed match reduced to 46 overs-per-side, starting from 11h30. *Aylish Cranstone (5) lofted a ‘disappointing shot’ that was caught ‘easily’ aerial by Leah Dobson, from Jess Woolston. *Bryony Smith 13 runs (from 10 balls) was caught inside the boundary by Abi Glen fielding ‘in the deep,’ and a second wicket for Jess Woolston. *Kira Chathli 18(21) snicked a short ball to fellow keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill, a third wicket for Jess Woolston. *Alice Davidson-Richards (5) made a ‘carbon-copy’ of her skipper’s dismissal ’not ten minutes ago,’ caught in the deep by Abi Glen; from Jess Woolston (5/19, closing on 5/37.) *Paige Scholfield went for a ‘ball short of a good length’ (57-58mph) lobbing a return ‘dolly’ to complete Jess Woolston’s 5-fer. *Stars were reduced to 55/5. *England’s Sophia Dunkley, partnered by Phoebe Franklin recovered Stars’ score to 100/5 by the 19th over. *Phoebe Franklin 26(31) was ‘brilliantly’ caught at ‘point’ by Sterre Kalis from Abi Glen (56-59mph) *Drinks were taken at mid-way (23/46 overs) with Stars on 115/6. *When play resumed, Sophia Dunkley forged two partnerships, firstly with Tash Farrant 13(31) until Farrant chopped backward of point,’ to a ‘diving-catch’ taken by Sterre Kalis from Lizzie Scott. *Bess Heath gave Sophia Dunkley a life when she put down a similar diving catch with Dunkley on 75. *Bess Heath took a second diving catch taken at ‘mid-wicket’ from Lizzie Scott, to dismiss Ryana Macdonald-Gay (1.) *Sophia Dunkley’s ‘ton’ came from 100 balls (7 ‘fours,’ one ‘six’) with Stars on 222/8. *Two more wickets fell, firstly when Freya Davies (15) was caught-and-bowled by Abi Glen. *Finally, Danielle Gregory went ‘leg before’ to Katie Levick for a third-ball ‘duck.’ Sophia Dunkley closed 101*not out, banking a half-decent score of 223 but with rain clouds gathering.
Diamonds’ innings *Skipper Hollie Armitage, with Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket without wearing conventional keeper’s pads. *Internationals Sterre Kalis (NL) and Chloe Tryon (Republic of South Africa) *Leah Dobson for Katherine Fraser. *All but four Diamonds batters departed for single-figures. *After ten overs Diamonds were 39/0 (vs 52/3.) *Lauren Winfield-Hill 45 runs (from 58 balls) chopped an ‘inside-edge’ to middle-stump, sending bales flying,’ from Ryana Macdonald-Gay (bowing speeds 43.5-46.2mph.) Opening partnership with Sterre Kalis bagged 88 runs. *Rain briefly interrupted the match mid-way through Diamonds’ reply. *Play resumed on 89/1 (vs 108/6) *Skipper Armitage (8) was short-lived, caught inside the boundary behind by Paige Scholfield fielding ‘in the deep,’ and a second wicket for Ryana Macdonald-Gay. *Bess Heath 33 (22) whose ‘power-hitting’ struck five ‘fours,’ was caught ‘in the covers’ by Phoebe Franklin from Danielle Gregory. Bess Heath’s partnership with Sterre Kalis bagged 41 runs. *Mini collapse as three wickets fell for four runs (when 146/3 became 150/5.) *Thereafter, four tail-enders each departed for single figures. *Firstly, Chloe Tryon was ‘run out’ for her second ‘golden duck’ in-a-row. Secondly, Phoebe Turner 4(5) ‘mis-timed’ and was bowled by England’s Freya Davies. Thirdly, Leah Dobson 7(9) lobbed a ‘dolly’ to Phoebe Franklin, from skipper Smith. *Fourthly, Abi Glen was stumped by Kira Chathli, also from skipper Smith. Opener Sterre Kalis carried her bat with 66*not out (from 98 balls.) *Lizzie Scott hit the winning ‘single’ as Diamonds reached their DLS target. Commentators added that the game would probably have ended three or four overs sooner, had the rain intensified.
Match summary Although Stars did well to recover from 55/5, top-order batters succumbed to playing Jess Woolston’s short balls that commentators said should have been ‘left alone.’ Dropped on 75, England’s Sophia Dunkley persevered to her maiden RHF ‘ton’ with support from England team-mate Freya Davies. By comparison, three Diamonds batters (Kalis, Heath and Winfield-Hill) reached double-figures and built useful partnerships. Dutch International Sterre Kalis – who’s been long overdue for a big score – saw Diamonds to-the-wire, assisted by sensible batters and Yorkshire weather. After five RHF rounds, both teams have won three matches and lost two; with Stars one point ahead.
Match result: Northern Diamonds Women 178/7 (DLS target) beat South East Stars Women 223/10 by three wickets (DLS method)
Stars batting: 223/10 (@5.03 runs-per-over from 44.2/46 overs)
Sophia Dunkley 101*(101), Phoebe Franklin 26 (31), Kira Chathli 18(21), Freya Davis 15(45), Bryony Smith 13(10), Tash Farrant 13(31); *Diamonds bowling: Jess Woolston 5/37, Abi Glen 2/39, Lizzy Scott 2/47, Katie Levick 1/40.
Fow 1-9, 2-23, 3-46, 4-52, 5-55, 6-100, 7-145, 8-154, 9-222, 10-223.
Diamonds batting: 178/7 DLS target (@4.99 r-p-o from 35.4/41 overs)
Sterre Kalis 66*(98), Lauren Winfield-Hill 45(58), Bess Heath 33(22); *Stars bowling: Ryana Macdonald-Gay 2/25, Bryony Smith 2/34, Danielle Gregory 1/27, Freya Davies 1/36.
Fow 1-88, 2-105, 3-146, 4-146, 5-150, 6-167, 7-175.
Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#cfe6ae2eb-42c0-419f-8c45-68f7f498cd51_m386b560e-c14d-4d09-b8af-5297fe7b40f3_~scorecard
Full video starts from 1h12m45s/07h33m33s on YouTube at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBGi7R1iG8w&t=2s
Diamonds awarded 4 points. Latest England and Wales Cricket Board tables at URL: https://www.ecb.co.uk/matches/rachael-heyhoe-flint/tables
