Trent Rockets vs Northern Superchargers, Nottingham, at Trent Bridge on 9 August (11h30)
An astonishing match unfolded, where ‘Superchargers’ posted a defendable score that ‘Rockets’ openers made light work of chasing-down. Cruising home’ on 92/1 with 9 wickets in hand, ‘Rockets’ reportedly ‘threw the match away’ from (what should have been) their winning position. ‘Good’ spin-bowling from ‘Superchargers’ spinners took five ‘Rockets’ wickets from just 15 deliveries. ‘Scoreboard pressure’ left ‘Rockets’ 9 runs short. Receiving her POTM Meerkat Match Hero award for taking 3 wickets for 29 runs, bowling ‘off-breaks;’ Lucy Higham (pictured) also caught both ‘Rockets’ openers who made top-score. Lucy Higham was ‘pretty nervous’ to begin with, but was ‘proud’ for the girls. Winning skipper Hollie Armitage ‘couldn’t have asked for more’ from her spinners (at closure.) Introduced by Nick Knight, Charles Dagnall and Dominic Cork (ex-England) with Natalie Germanos (Rep. South Africa), & Kumar Sangakkara (ex-Sri Lanka skipper.) Guest commentator Stuart Broad (England Ashes series.) Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports (please see below.) Weather at Trent Bridge had improved after recent rain. ‘Warm afternoon,’ but still cool for August.
NSC-W *Skipper Hollie Armitage [*Lizelle Lee keeping wicket for Rockets] *International players Phoebe Litchfield & Georgia Wareham (Australia) & Jemimah Rodrigues (India) replacing Alyssa Healy (Australia.) *With Kate Cross & Alice Davidson-Richards (England) Bess Heath (England ‘A’) & Grace Ballinger (England u-19’s) *Marie Kelly 5(4) ballooned a catch to ’short-third,’ taken by Fran Wilson from Kirstie Gordon’s spin (1/25) *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ Superchargers were 24/1. *Jemimah Rodrigues & Phoebe Litchfield 2nd-wicket partnership banked 53 runs until Jemimah Rodrigues 33(32), was bowled by Alexa Stonehouse (1/10) missing a short between ‘short-fine’ and ‘backward-square.’ *Georgia Wareham 13(15) was caught behind by Lizelle Lee from Naomi Dattani’s ‘bouncer.’ *Skipper Hollie Armitage played anchor role to Phoebe Litchfield 38(27), who was caught at ‘deep-mid-wicket’ by Jo Gardner, from Alana King 1/3. *Hollie Armitage 12*not out(12); *Bess Heath 23*not out(10) played an entertaining cameo hitting 3 ‘fours’ and 1 ’six’ and scoring what turned out to be ten winning runs from the last 2 balls.*Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield 38 runs (from 27 balls) top-scored for ‘Superchargers.’ *Best Rockets’ bowler was Alexa Stonehouse 1/10, whom commentators ‘would liked to have seen more (use) of.’
TR-W *Skipper Natalie ‘Nat’ Sciver-Brunt [*Bess Heath keeping wicket for Superchargers] *International players Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Alana King (Australia) & Lizelle Lee (ex Rep. South Africa) *With Natalie Sciver-Brunt (England); Bryony Smith & Kirstie Gordon (England ‘A’) & Linsey Smith, Katherine Sciver-Brunt & Fran Wilson (ex England) *Also, Alexa Stonehouse (England u-19’s) *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ Rockets were 33/0 (vs 24/1.) *Lizelle Lee 16(16) was caught ‘against the spin’ at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Lucy Higham, from Georgia Wareham. *’Strategic-time-out’ was called after 55 balls with ‘Rockets’ on 79/1 *Bryony Smith 70(44) who hit 3 ‘sixes’ and 9 ‘fours,’ wet for a carbon-copy dismissal, also caught by Lucy Higham at ‘mid-wicket,’ from Georgia Wareham (2/24.) *Disaster struck firstly when Nat Sciver-Brunt 4(9) ‘played-on’ from Lucy Higham; followed by Fran Wilson who was skittled ‘middle-and-off’ for a 2nd ball ‘duck.’ *Jo Gardner 1(4) lost her off-stump to Linsey Smith (2/17.) Having said that ‘Superchargers’ ‘needed to get some discipline back,’ ‘commentator’s curse’ struck when three balls later, Harmanpreet Kaur 11(12) ’a quality batter who was dangerous’ was bowled by Linsey Smith: a ‘huge’ wicket. *Commentators became animated when after a change of ends, when Naomi Dattani 1(3) lost her middle-stump to Lucy Higham (3/29); with 28 runs needed from 9 balls remaining. *Katherine Sciver-Brunt 15*not out(6), showed spirited resistance, hitting ‘four’ & ’six’ from the last 2 balls, matching Bess Heath’s earlier knock, closing 9 runs short. *Rockets best batter was Bryony Smith 70(44), who hit top score. ‘Superchargers’’ best best bowler was Lucy Higham (3/29.)
Match summary Internationals Phoebe Litchfield 38 runs (from 27 balls) top-scored for ‘Superchargers;’ with Jemimah Rodrigues close behind on 33 from 32 balls. Bess Heath’s entertaining cameo included 3 ‘fours’ and 1 ’six:’ scoring ten runs from the last 2 balls. Rockets openers Lizelle Lee and Bryony Smith first-wicket partnership banked 61 runs. Once another 31 runs were added for ‘Rockets” second wicket, commentators curse struck as the match was though to be ‘dead and buried,’ on 92/1 with 9 wickets in hand. ‘Superchargers’ ‘found their way back into the game’ when ‘Superchargers” spinners bowlers took 5 (gaffed elsewhere as ‘all 7’) wickets with 15 balls (balls 78-91 plus ‘extras.’) Commentators were adamant that ‘Rockets’ had been ‘cruising home,’ until they ‘threw the match away:’ left stranded 9 runs short. Receiving her POTM Meerkat Match Hero I from Charles Dagnall for her match-winning ‘3-fer,’ Lucy Higham (3/29) said that was the first time she’d been awarded a cap-and-medal; adding that she’d been ‘pretty nervous,’ but felt ‘proud’ and was ‘chuffed-to-bits.’
Match result: Northern Superchargers Women 134/4 beat Trent Rockets Women: 125/7 by 9 runs
*Superchargers’ batting: 134/4: (100 balls @1.3 runs-per-ball); Phoebe Litchfield 38(27), Jemimah Rodrigues 33(32), Bess Heath 23*not out(10), Georgia Wareham 13(15), Hollie Armitage 12*not out(12); *Rockets’ bowling: Alexa Stonehouse 1/10, Kirstie Gordon 1/25, Naomi Dattani 1/35, Alana King 1/35; Fow 1-15, 2-68, 3-91, 4-103.
*Rockets’ batting: 125/7 (target 135 from 100 balls@1.2 r-p-b) Bryony Smith 70(44), Lizelle Lee 16(16), Katherine Sciver-Brunt 15*not out(6), Harmanpreet Kaur 11(12); *Superchargers’ bowling: Lucy Higham 3/29, Georgia Wareham 2/24, Linsey Smith 2/17; Fow 1-61, 2-92, 3-102, 4-102, 5-106, 6-107, 7-107.
*Scorecard courtesy of BBC Sport @URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000728
*Match highlights (5m50s) courtesy of Sky Sports @URL https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/cricket/12936727/highlights-trent-rockets-collapse-as-northern-superchargers-prevail-in-womens-hundred
