Northern Diamonds vs North West Thunder at York (Clifton Park) on 11 July 2023 (10h30)
Billed as women’s cricket’s ‘war of the roses,’ the wicket was said to favour Diamonds, whose Katie Levick was said to be ‘rubbing her hands,’ long before Diamonds took to the field. Debut home-team commentators’ optimism faded when no Diamonds batter scored ‘fifty’ before lunch and Thunder chased-down their target with more than ten-overs-to-spare. Thunder’s ‘All-rounder’ Naomi Dattani (pictured) was stand-out performer for the winning team, taking a 4-fer (4 wickets for 16 runs) Naomi Dattani also scored 46 runs during a match-winning batting partnership of 98 runs; together with West Indies legend Deandre Dottin who made an unbeaten ‘fifty.’ Diamonds’ commentators were Jack Harris (Yorks CCC) and Rebecca ‘Becky’ Garrard (Marketing); with Dr Jane Powell (President.) Match video highlights from ECB online (NV-play) courtesy of Yorkshire CCC (Northern Diamonds TV – please see below.) Weather at York was described as ‘mainly cloudy.’
Diamonds’ Innings *Skipper Hollie Armitage. *[Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder] *Diamonds unchanged. *International players Chloe Tryon (Republic of South Africa) Sterre Kalis (NL) plus Hollie Armitage & Bess Heath (England ‘A’.) *After ten overs power play, Diamonds were 37/0. *Naomi Dattani’s ‘short ball,’ delivered ‘wide of off-stump’ brushed the ‘toe-end’ of Lauren-Winfield-Hill’s bat 33(38); and was caught behind by Ellie Threlkeld (stood back to receive faster balls. *Next over, Laura Jackson, said to be Thunder’s first ‘right-armed’ bowler (following left-armers), clean-bowled Sterre Kalis 21(42.) *After 100 balls (16.4 overs) Diamonds were 70/2. *Commentators curse struck when skipper Hollie Armitage 6(18) was ‘looking to get a big score,’ then clean-bowled by Naomi Dattani for single figures. *Tight-bowling by Emma Lamb paired with Fi Morris made it difficult for Diamonds batters to penetrate the field. *Diamonds twice suffered ‘run outs,’ both staged by keeper Threlkeld, receiving at the striker’s end. *Firstly, Libby Heap’s throw ‘ran out’ Emma Marlow 9(19.) *By mid-way (25 overs) Diamonds were 102/4. *Secondly, Deandre Dottin ‘ran out’ Bess Heath. *Chloe Tryon 14(24) was clean-bowled by Fi Morris (1/27.) *Change-of-bowling paired Deandre Dottin with Libby Heap, the latter taking two tail-enders’ wickets, four balls apart. *Leah Dobson 13(24) was caught by Seren Smale. *4 balls later Lizzy Scott 6(20) was caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Deandre Dottin. *Naomi Dattani returned, her fifth ball caught by Fi Morris to dismiss Katie Levick 11(14.) *Finally, Grace Hall snicked a thin-edge to Ellie Threlkeld from Naomi Dattani: that became Diamond’s final ball. * Top-scorer was Lauren Winfield-Hill 33. *Best Thunder bowler was Naomi Dattani (4/16.) *Thunder bowlers gifted 17 ‘wides.’
Thunder’s Innings *Skipper Ellie Threlkeld. *[Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for Diamonds] *International player Tara Norris (US); Deandra Dottin (exWIndies) & Emma Lamb (England.) *Without Kate Cross & Sophie Ecclestone (on England ‘Ashes’ duty.) *During Power-play, Diamonds bowler Lizzy Scott was paired with Jess Woolston. *Seren Smale 15(16) was clean bowled by Lizzy Scott (5th over.) *After ten overs power play, Thunder were 52/1 (vs 37/0.) *Bowling change brought on Katie Levick, paired with Grace Hall (lauded by commentator as ‘impressive.’) *Diamonds got themselves back in the game when Katie Levick (2/43) took two wickets during the same over. *Firstly, opener Emma Lamb 21(31) went plumb ‘leg before.’ *Three balls later Fi Morris was bowled, with bails sent flying for a third-ball duck. *After 100 balls (16.4 overs) Thunder were 71/3 (vs 70/2) & 93/3 (vs 102/4) by mid-way (25 overs.) *Deandra Dottin *54 not out(86) and Naomi Dattani’s 46(89) batting partnership added 98-runs for Thunder’s 4th wicket. *12 runs short of victory, Naomi Dattani missed a ‘square-cut’ and went ‘leg before to Chloe Tryon (1/29): leaving Deandre Dottin and skipper Threlkeld to see Thunder home. *Top-scorer was Deandre Dottin 54*not out. *Best Diamonds bowler was Katie Levick (2/43.) *Diamonds bowlers gifted 13 ‘wides.’
Match summary As mentioned above, Naomi Dattani put in a match-winning performance with bat-and-ball. Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored (33) but no other Diamonds batter scored ‘fifty.’ Naomi Dattani (4/16) started the match as Thunder’s stand-out bowler. Naomi Dattani also scored 46 runs during a match-winning batting partnership of 98 runs, together with West Indies legend Deandre Dottin; who made top-score with an unbeaten ‘fifty.’ Thunder won by a comfortable margin of 6 wickets with ten overs to spare. At the time of writing, Thunder chalk-up their first 50-overs win this season, to share 6th place with Vipers on 13 points. Defending champions Diamonds share joint 3rd place with Stars with 19 points after 8 rounds (both teams with 4 wins and 4 losses.)
Match result: North West Thunder Women 168/4 (target 168 from 50 overs) beat Northern Diamonds Women 167/10 by 6 wickets (with 68 balls remaining)
*Diamonds’ batting: 167/10 (@3.8 runs-per-over from 43.5/50 overs); *Lauren Winfield-Hill 33(38), Sterre Kalis 21(42), Bess Heath 17(28), Chloe Tryon 14(24), Leah Dobson 13(24), Grace Hall 13(29), Katie Levick 11(16); Thunder’s bowling: Naomi Dattani 4/16, Liberty ‘Libby’ Heap 2/11, Laura Jackson 1/21, Fi Morris 1/27; Fow 1-58, 2-58, 3-73, 4-88, 5-110, 6-117; 7-135, 8-136, 9-160, 10-167. *Thunder’s batting: 168/4 (@4.3 runs-per-over, from 38.4/50 overs); Deandre Dottin 54*not out(86), Naomi Dattani 46(89), Emma Lamb 21(31), Seren Smale 15(16), Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Threlkeld 10*not out(8); Diamonds’ bowling: Katie Levick 2/43, Chloe Tryon 1/29, Lizzy Scott 1/42; Fow 1-32, 2-58, 3-58, 4-156.
*Scorecard & Statistics with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play @URL:https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_scorecard#cfe6ae2eb-42c0-419f-8c45-68f7f498cd51_mb8672eb2-f369-4c39-a463-efb8fff2e0b7 & BBC Sport @URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000558
*Match free-to-air, courtesy of Yorkshire Cricket (for Northern Diamonds) via NV Play on ‘YouTube’ Livestream [starting from 4m20s/05h29m28s] @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKSwOJt0-kM&t=6s
