Northern Diamonds vs Sunrisers at the Seat Unique Riverside; Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham on September 16
With a handful of points separating the top five teams, both teams remained optimistic about their chances to qualify for the Eliminator/Play-off. For Diamonds, it was unthinkable that as defending champions, Hollie Armitage’s team would fail finish the competition’s group stage below third place. As their opponents, ’Sunrisers’ arrived on the crest of three back-to-back wins with all to play for, having won nothing more than a handful of wooden spoons in previous years. Inclement weather at Chester-le-Street reduced the match to 18 overs per innings, with a two o’clock start. Once play got underway, Eva Gray took carbon-copy wickets, flattening Lauren Winfield-Hill’s ‘leg-stump,’ followed by Hollie Armitage’s ‘off-stump.’ Thereafter, at least an hour’s rain delayed play between 3-4.20pm. ‘Diamonds’’ wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with Bess Heath (England Senior debutante) making top-score. In reply, all-bar-one ‘Sunrisers’ batters made double-figures. Unbeaten match-winning partnership between Jo Gardner and Flo Miller added 49 runs. Video highlights courtesy of ECB (NV Play) & Yorks CricketTV (please see below.) Match was played under grey sky with floodlights switched-on.
Diamonds innings *Skipper Hollie Armitage [*Amara Carr keeping wicket for Sunrisers] *With international player Sterre Kalis (NL) *With Bess Heath (England) & Sophia Turner (on loan from Thunder) *During the first over, Lauren Winfield-Hill 1(3) was bowled, her leg-stump flattened by Eva Gray’s ’nip-back’ in-swing. *During the fifth over, Hollie Armitage 13(11) went for a carbon-copy dismissal; *By mid-way (9 overs) Diamonds were 42/2 *Sterre Kalis 28(39), was caught at ‘long-off,’ by Kelly Castle, said to be a stunning catch, ‘back-peddling’ from ‘mid-off’ and caught one-handed, from Jodi Grewcock (1/15); *Rebecca Duckworth 5(19) was caught ‘in the covers’ by Grace Scrivens from Kelly Castle (1/17); *Hitting ‘Diamonds’ only ‘six,’ Bess Heath 37(21), went aerial, caught at ‘square’ by Flo Miller from Mady Villiers (1/24); *Three balls later, Leah Dobson 16(12), ‘top-edged’ and was caught by Mady Villiers at ‘long-on,’ from Grace Scrivens (1/25); *Sophia Turner was 4*not out (3) & Phoebe Turner 0(0) ‘not out.’ *Best ‘Diamonds’ batter was Bess Heath 37(21); *Best ‘Sunrisers’ bowler was Eva Gray, taking 2/24.
Sunrisers Innings *Skipper Grace Scrivens – England u-19’s [*Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for for ‘Diamonds’] *Without international player Dane v.Niekerk (reported as injured.)*Also without Abtaha Maqsood (Scotland.) *Grace Scrivens 11(16) was bowled, top of ‘middle-and-leg’ stumps, from Sophia Turner; *By mid-way (9 overs) Sunrisers were 54/1 (vs 42/2); *Ariana Dowse 27(24) was caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Sterre Kalis, from Grace Hall’s ‘yorker;’* Mady Villiers 1(2) was caught aerial ‘at square’ by Leah Dobson from Phoebe Turner; *Amara Carr 29(26), played across-the-line, losing her off-side bail to Grace Hall (2/36); *Hitting ‘Sunrisers’ only ‘six,’ Jo Gardner was 30*not out (31), Flo Miller 20*not out(16) played a match-winning partnership of 49 runs. *Match ended in an anti-climax when Lizzie Scott conceded a ‘wide.’ *Best ‘Sunrisers’ batter was Jo Gardner 30*not out (31); *Best ‘Diamonds’ bowler was Grace Hall, taking 2/36.
Match summary: Match that will be remembered for putting an end to ‘Diamonds’ title defence. Reduced to a 18 overs-per-innings, the match was by no means played as a ‘dead rubber.’ ‘Diamonds’’ wickets fell at regular intervals. As mentioned above, ‘Sunrisers” match-winning partnership of 49 runs between Jo Gardner and Flo Miller was key to success. Match ended in an anti-climax when ‘Diamonds’ bowler Lizzie Scott conceded a ‘wide’ when bowling to Flo Miller, handing victory to ‘Sunrisers.’ Chalking-up their fourth back-to-back win under the leadership of England-under 19’s skipper Grace Scrivens, ‘Sunrisers’ (32 points) finish group stage in the top-half of the table (4th place); 2 places ahead of ‘Diamonds’ (30 points.) First time in four years that ‘Diamonds’ (as defending champions) failed to qualify for finals day.
Match result: Sunrisers 126/4 (17.3/18 overs; target 126 from 18 overs) beat Northern Diamonds 114/6 (18/18 overs) by six wickets – DLS Method
*‘Diamonds’’ batting 114/6 (18/18 overs @6.3 runs-per-over) Bess Heath 37(21), Sterre Kalis 28(39), Leah Dobson 16(12), Hollie Armitage 13(11); ‘Sunrisers’’ bowling: Eva Gray 2/24, Jodi Grewcock 1/15, Kelly Castle 1/17, Mady Villiers 1/24, Grace Scrivens 1/25; Fow: 1-4, 2-26, 3-51, 4-73, 5-106, 6-110.
*‘Sunrisers’’ batting 126/4 (17.3/18 overs @7.2 runs-per-over) Jo Gardner 30*not out (31), Amara Carr 29(26), Ariana Dowse 27(24), Flo Millier 20*not out(16), Grace Scrivens 11(16); ‘Diamonds’’ bowling: Grace Hall 2/36, Phoebe Turner 1/16 Sophia Turner 1/22; Fow: 1-20, 2-59, 3-60, 4-77.
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/matches/35838#scorecard
*Video highlights, via ECB (via NV Play) @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/matches/35838#videos
*Match free-to-air courtesy of Yorks Cricket TV (believed to be via NV Play) via ‘YouTube’ @URL https://yorkshireccc.com/match/ndiam-v-sunris-rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-16-sep/?tab=m_scorecard
