Sunrisers vs Western Storm at Radlett Cricket Club at Cobden Hill (Herts); at 10h30 on 5 September 2023
Sunrisers made another ‘impressive performance,’ beating a depleted Storm side, without England players on call-up. Sunrisers chalked-up their third ever win at 50-overs under their ex-Scots coach; and their first win under England u19s skipper Grace Scrivens’s captaincy. 4-out-of-five of ‘Storm’s’ top-order batters faced ‘much pressure,’ from ‘Sunrisers” strike bowlers Kate Coppack (3/26) and Jodi Grewcock (3/24): who each took 3-fers including two pairs of ‘Storm’ wickets during the same over. ‘Storm’ were bowled-out below the 150-mark. By comparison, although no top-order batter made ‘fifty,’ all ‘Sunrisers’ made double-figures. Lower down the order, Mady Villiers (No.5) made a match-winning 29 from 24 balls with three batters scoring next-best, each with 24. Previously, ‘Storm’ bagged a 6-run win (on July 24th.) Players, officials and commentator (believed to be Kevin P Hand of BBC Sport) did well to compete against the droning sound of light-aircraft heard overhead throughout the entire match. Video highlights courtesy of ECB and NV Play (please see below) Evidently excellent flying weather at Radlett, 18-20C.
‘Storm’s’ innings *Skipper Sophie Luff [*Amara Carr keeping wicket for ‘Sunrisers’] *Debutante Gemma Lane. *Depleted without England call-ups (Heather Knight & Danielle Gibson.) *Alex Griffiths 1(4) was caught by Jodi Grewcock from Eva Gray (1/18.) *Seven balls later, skipper Sophie Luff 1(6) was ’splattered’ between ‘top-of-middle-and-off’ (stumps) by Kate Coppack *Two wickets fell during Kate Coppacks’s unplayable 2nd over, chalking-up a double-wicket-maiden. *Firstly, Fran Wilson 5(11) ‘feather-edged’ to keeper Amara Carr, from Kate Coppack. *Three balls later, Niamh Holland 0(3) snicked to keeper Amara Carr, for a 3rd ball ‘duck’ from Kate Coppack (3/26.) *After 10-overs power play ‘Storm’ were 37/4. *Emma Corney and Natasha Wraith mounted a 5th wicket recovery. *Natasha Wraith 18(18), steepled a catch to Jo Gardner, diving forward from the ‘deep,’ from Mady Villiers. *By mid-way (25 overs) ’Storm’ recovered to 67/5. *Two wickets fell during Jodi Grewcock’s 2nd over, said to be a ‘hammer-blow’ (to recovery.) *Firstly Sophia Smale 11(55) went ‘leg-before’ to Jodi Grewcock’s ‘blockhole’ delivery, said to be ’misjudgement.’ *Secondly Emma Corney 34(82), was clean-bowled ‘top-of-middle-and-off’ from ‘perfect length’ and ‘flight’ from Jodi Grewcock. *Chloe Skelton 4(15) who hit one ‘four,’ missed a second ‘big swing’ across-the-line, and was bowled by Mady Villiers 2/31. *Nicole Harvey 25(37) steepled a catch to Eva Gray, from Grace Scrivens 1/19. *Mollie Robbins 10(32) was caught at ‘cover’ by Grace Scrivens from Jodi Grewcock 3/24. *Gemma Lane 5*not out. *’Storm’s’ best batter was Emma Corney 34(82) *’Sunrisers’’ best bowler was Jodi Grewcock 3/24.
‘Sunrisers’’ innings *Debutante skipper (replacing Dane v.Niekerk) Grace Scrivens (also England u-19’s skipper.) [*Natasha Wraith keeping wicket for ‘Storm’] *Debutante Ariana Dowse; without Abtaha Maqsood (Scotland.) *Ariana Dowse 19(20), went ‘leg-before’ to Mollie Robbins 2/23. *Grace Scrivens 12(26), lobbed a ‘dolly,’ caught by Nicole Harvey, from Sophia Smale 1/29‘. *After 10-overs power play ‘Sunrisers’ were level-pegging but with 3 wickets advantage 38/1(vs 37/4) *Jodi Grewcock 24(53) went ‘leg-before’ to a ‘full-delivery’ from Chloe Skelton 1/42; who came ‘around-the-wicket’ to the left-hander. *By mid-way (25 overs) ’Sunrisers’ had edged ahead by thirty runs 97/4 (vs 67/5) *Amara Carr 24(34), who’d ‘run-the-first-run-too-slowly,’ was ‘run out’ by Sophia Smale, with keeper Natasha Wraith receiving at the striker’s end. *Mady Villiers 29(24) played a match-winning innings for an ‘early finish,’ until caught by Sophia Smale, from Alex Griffiths 1/16, *Eva Gray 6(8) was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Alex Griffiths, from Mollie Robbins 2/23 *Without any run pressure, Jo Gardner 24*not out (38) finished ‘with a flourish;’ Amu Surenkumar 0*not out *’Sunrisers’’ best batter was Mady Villiers 29(24); ‘Storm’s’ best bowler was Mollie Robbins 2/23.
Match summary: ‘Storm’ lost 4-out of their first five batters to single-figure scores, reducing their ‘Power-play’ score to 37/4 (after 10 overs.) ‘Sunrisers’ bowlers Kate Coppack (3/26) and Jodi Grewcock (3/24) were pick-of-the-bowlers, each taking ‘3-fers.’ When a second pair of ‘Storm’ wickets fell during Jodi Grewcock’s 2nd over, commentator mentioned a ‘hammer-blow’ to ‘rebuilding’ (‘Storm’s’ innings.) Despite Nicole Harvey’s 25-run cameo, Storm’s were bowled-out prematurely, with almost five overs to spare. As mentioned above, although no ‘Sunrisers’ batter made ‘fifty,’ all reached double-figures, making light work of their run chase. As mentioned above, Mady Villiers scored a match-winning 29 from 24 balls (faster than one-run-per-ball); with Jodi Grewcock, Amara Carr & Jo Gardner jointly next best with 24. ‘Sunrisers’ placed 7th (20 points.) Following their unexpected defeat, ‘Storm’ are placed 8th, at risk of receiving their inauguaral wooden spoon.
Match result: Sunrisers 144/6 (target 144 from 50 overs) beat Western Storm 143/10 by four wickets (with 97 balls to spare)
‘Storm’s’ batting 143/10 (45.1/50 overs @ 3.1 runs-per-over); Emma Corney 34(82), Nicole Harvey 25(37), Natasha Wraith 18(18), Sophia Smale 11(55), Mollie Robbins 10(32); ‘Sunrisers’’ bowling: Jodi Grewcock 3/24, Kate Coppack 3/26, Mady Villiers 2/31, Eva Gray 1/18, Grace Scrivens 1/19; Fow 1-3, 2-5, 3-18, 4-18, 5-46, 6-88, 7-89, 8-107, 9-131, 10-143.
‘Sunrisers’’ batting 144/6 (33.5/50 overs @ 4.2 runs-per-over); Mady Villiers 29(24) Amara Carr 24(34), Jo Gardner 24*not out (38), Jodi Grewcock 24(53), Ariana Dowse 19(20), Grace Scrivens 12(26); ‘Storm’s’ bowling: Mollie Robbins 2/23, Alex Griffiths 1/16, Sophia Smale 1/29, Chloe Skelton 1/42; Fow 1-33, 2-38, 3-81, 4-82, 5-130, 6-148.
Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/matches/35806#scorecard
Video highlights, via NV Play @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/matches/35806#videos
Match free-to-air courtesy of Sunrisers (believed to be via NV Play) on ‘YouTube’ Livestream [starting from 11m12s/5h27m28s] @URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0j0PChgPIs
