As a brief addition to Julian Thompson’s ongoing run-down of Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy matches this summer, [http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2023/07/25/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-2023-group-stage-matches/], here are the current best two in four categories of batting and bowling:
Most runs:
Lauren Winfield-Hill 461
Paige Scholfield 331
Highest batting average:
Tazmin Brits 107
Sophia Dunkley 103
Most wickets:
Georgia Davis 19
Katie Levick 18
Lowest bowling average:
Alice Capsey 4.66
Cassidy McCarthy 8.50
If you guessed any/all of them correctly, well done! I certainly didn’t. The list contains names both familiar and new. And only one overseas star, Tazmin Brits. That’s encouraging.
Reminder: there are more games to come, but we must wait till 5 September as The Hundred has to take front of stage for the next month, otherwise all the ECB’s expensive publicity campaign will be frustrated.
As we praise the gold and silver medal winners listed above, we can pause to ponder the ongoing weaknesses of cricket averages.
A tail-end batter might get to the crease a few times, remain not-out all but once, and finish higher than a top batter who battled through many innings without once remaining unbeaten.*
On the bowling front the trick is to complete only one spell, preferably near the end of an innings and take a bagful of wickets as all the batters close their eyes and aim across the line.
None of the names listed above stand accused (though the odd one may feel a tad embarrassed)
*The classic case of this happening goes right back to the 1948 Ashes tour of England, when the left-arm bowler, Bill Johnston, born to bat No 11, finished top of the batting averages with 102. He was dismissed only once. He saw the joke.
And those were the days when the Aussies were really strong, known as The Invincibles (34 matches unbeaten all season).
