Southern Vipers vs Northern Diamonds at Southampton (The Utilita Bowl Stadium) on 27 April (delayed start)
During the north-south derby, Ella McCaughan made top-score of 83, more than contributing toward Vipers’ 66 runs winning margin for back-to-back wins. Awarded her professional contract exactly a year ago, Ella McCaughan also chalked-up 1,000 runs for Vipers as defending champions, collectively at both 20 and 50 overs. Separately, Charlie Dean scored a 4-fer with best bowling figures in difficult conditions with floodlights switched-on before rain curtailed the match. After Diamonds batted for 30 overs, Umpires had no appetite to continue as adverse weather precipitated a premature end. Outcome was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
*Vipers innings *Skipper Georgia Adams, with Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Freya Kemp (England), Georgia Adams & Linsey Smith (England A), Mary Taylor (England u19s), Georgia Elwiss (ex-England) & Charli Knott (Australia big bash) *Without Danni Wyatt [*Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for Diamonds] *After 10 overs power-play 67/0; *Next over, Maia Bouchier snicked to Lauren Winfield-Hill from Phoebe Turner; *Drinks at mid-way, 145/1; *Ella McCaughan partnered by Charli Knott added 93 runs over 16 overs; *Charli Knott was caught by Emma Marlow from Sophia Turner; *Next over Ella McCaughan went ‘leg before’ to Phoebe Turner; *Freya Kemp and Emily Windsor added 47 runs over 10 overs; *Emily Windsor went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Erin Burns; *Freya Kemp was stumped by Lauren Winfield-Hill, also from Erin Burns; *Batting down the order, Georgia Adams snicked to Lauren Winfield-Hill, from Phoebe Turner; *Last three wickets fell during the final two overs; *Charlie Dean was ‘run out’ by Hollie Armitage; *Linsey Smith was caught by Phoebe Turner from Sophia Turner; and *Rhianna Southby was caught by Emma Marlow from Katie Levick’s death over; *Vipers batting Ella McCaughan 83(97), Charli Knott 40(40) Charlie Dean29(26), Emily Windsor 28(39), Freya Kemp 27(30), Maia Bouchier 26(29), Georgia Adams 13(18); *Diamonds bowling electing to bowl, Vipers openers faced rotation for 9 overs power-play between Lizzie Scott, Abi Glen and Phoebe Turner. *Phoebe Turner 3/48, Sophia Turner 2/26, Erin Burns 2/52, Katie Levick 1/44; *Misreported elsewhere as 25, Vipers were gifted 16 ‘wides.’
*Diamonds innings *Skipper Hollie Armitage (England & England A), Bess Heath (England & Aus Big bash), Abigail ‘Abi’ Glen, Lauren Winfield-Hill (England, Aus Big bash) Erin Burns (Australia Big bash) Sophia Turner (Thunder loan) & Emma Marlow; *Without Sterre Kalis (NL call-up) & Jess Woolston [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Vipers] *Diamonds openers faced alternating seam (from Freya Davies) and spin (from Linsey Smith); *Emma Marlow was bowled by Linsey Smith; *Hollie Armitage went ‘leg before’ to Charlie Dean’s second ball; *After ten overs power-play, 36/2 (vs 67/0); *Coming down-the-wicket to Charlie Dean, Bess Heath was stumped by Rhianna Southby; *Lauren Winfield-Hill partnered by Erin Burns added 82 runs, until Erin Burns was caught at ‘short-third’ by Mary Taylor, from Charli Knott; *Mid-way 134/4 (vs 145/1); *Two overs later scoring her second ‘fifty’ to date, Lauren Winfield-Hill was caught at ‘deep-midwicket’ by Freya Kemp, from Charlie Dean; *At which point Diamonds needed 138 from 23 overs remaining; *Approaching 30 overs, Leah Dobson was bowled by Charlie Dean’s straight ball and Phoebe Turner was skittled middle-and-off stump, by Linsey Smith. *Rain interruption after 30 overs for adverse weather – as mentioned above. *Diamonds batting Only three batters made double-figures ; Lauren Winfield-Hill 63(62), Erin Burns 45(45), Leah Dobson 13(16); *Vipers bowling gifted 6 ‘wides’ (mentioned elsewhere as 8) Charlie Dean 4/34, Linsey Smith 2/56, Charli Knott 1/24;
Match result: Southern Vipers 287/9 (@5.7 runs per over from 50/50 overs; target 191 from 30ov) beat Northern Diamonds 162/7 (@5.4 rpo target 233 from 30/30 ov) by 70 runs DLS method
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/match-centre/104428#scorecard AppleMac users may need to scroll down left-hand margin
*Video highlights via ECB & courtesy of Yorkshire cricket (via NV Play) @https://yorkshireccc.com/match/southern-vipers-v-northern-diamonds-at-southampton-rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-27-apr-2024/?tab=m_scorecard
*Match (no commentary) free-to-air courtesy of Southern Vipers TV via ‘YouTube’ <6h26m25s> @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKKkrWtWsQE & https://www.utilitabowl.com/cricket/news/live-stream-southern-vipers-v-northern-diamonds,-rhft-2024/
*Post match interview courtesy of BBC Radio Solent with Ella McCaughan via ‘YouTube’: ‘Pleased’ (with) 70 run win against Diamonds <1:58> @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxXJHI3PdVc
