Southern Vipers vs The Blaze at Southampton (Utilita Bowl) on 18 May 2024 at 14h30
Playing on a ‘difficult pitch,’ commentators expected a short match when Blaze suffered dramatic batting collapse losing five wickets during their power-play, at which point scores were level-pegging with Vipers’ having earned four wickets advantage. Match-winning partnership between top-scorers Lucy Higham (36) and skipper Kirstie Gordon (29) together added 62 runs for Blaze’s 9th wicket. Similarly like their opponents, Vipers only four batters made double figures. By contrast, Vipers lacked fire-power and threw away four wickets during their last three overs. Home-team commentators lauded Vipers as defending champions who’d won back-to-back trophies and had met Blaze in last year’s final. On the day, Vipers were without their match-winning skipper Georgia Adams and missing four players from England call-up. Describing Nadine deKlerk’s final eventful over as Blaze were ‘heading for victory’ were Jordan Clark of BBC Radio Solent, with Phil Green (Hursley Park) and guest player Charlotte Taylor (Vipers.) Commentators added that before the match, Grace Ballinger received her 50th Cap for Blaze and Ava Lee received her 1st 20-overs Cap for Vipers. Weather was dry, 16C with patches of blue sky with ‘unexpected sunshine’ following overnight showers with ball-slowing outfield.
*Blaze’s innings *skipper Kirstie Gordon with Sophie Munro (England A), Tammy Beaumont (England), Josie Groves (England u19s) Kathryn & Sarah Bryce (Scotland) *Also with Nadine deKlerk (from Rep. South Africa) *Without Sarah Glenn or Nat Sciver-Brunt (England) *Georgie Boyce (injured) [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Vipers]; *Described a ‘thorn-in-the-side’ of Vipers for her recent ‘big scores,’ Marie Kelly was ‘brillantly’ caught knee-high at ‘mid-wicket’ by Alice Monaghan; from Freya Davies’ 5th ball; *Introducing ’spin’ during the 4th over, Kathryn Bryce was bowled by Charli Knott’s first full-length ball; *Changing ends, two wickets fell to Mary Taylor: firstly when Sarah Bryce made a carbon-copy departure, ‘trying to step-back to pull a full-delivery;’ *4 balls later, Tammy Beaumont was bowled ‘between middle & off;’ *Next over, commentators gaffed when Nadine deKlerk was caught behind (not bowled) by Freya Davies; *Vipers were ‘in control’ after six overs ‘power-play,’ with Blaze 25/5; *Two more wickets fell within 4 balls when Teresa Graves was bowled ‘top-of-off’ with ‘bails sent airborne’ by Alice Monaghan; *Josie Groves went ‘leg before’ with a ‘bit of turn’ to Ava Lee, for a third-ball duck; *Blaze were 43/7 by mid-way with for lower-order batters facing a ‘tricky situation;’ *In ‘real trouble,’ Ella Claridge was bowled ‘top-of-off’ stump by Nancy Harman; *9th wicket match-winning partnership added 62 runs between top-scorers Grace Ballinger and skipper Kirstie Gordon; *Pushing past 100 runs, Kirstie Gordon was bowled, ‘swinging across-the-line;’ *Two balls later, on four batters had made double-figures and commentators doubted whether Blaze had chalked-up a defendable score; *Blaze’s batting: Lucy Higham 36(26), Kirstie Gordon 29(28), Tammy Beaumont 10(17), Ella Claridge 14(23); Vipers’ bowling: *Commentators said that Mary Taylor was ‘pick-of-the-bowlers;’ *All six bowlers took wickets: Mary Taylor 2/12, Alice Monaghan 2/18, Freya Davies 2/23, Ava Lee 1/9, Nancy Harman 1/20, Charli Knott 1/29;
*Vipers’ innings *stand-in skipper Emily Windsor (for Georgia Adams with injured hand, seen spectating); with Abi Norgrove & Mary Taylor (England u-19) *Also with Charli Knott (from Australia) *Depleted by England call-up, without Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean or Danni Wyatt; [*Ella Claridge keeping wicket for Blaze]; *Charli Knott was caught aerial by Kirstie Gordon, from Kathryn Bryce’s 4th ball; *After six overs ‘power-play,’ 27/1 (vs 25/5); *Promoted to No.3, Sussex opener Mary Taylor was sent back and ‘run out’ from Lucy Higham’s 2nd ball; *During the 10th over, Freya Kemp was caught aerial ‘at catchable height’ by Kirstie Gordon; *Vipers 49/3 (vs 43/7) by mid-way, with pressure ‘back on middle-order batters;’ *’More experienced,’ Georgia Elwiss ‘chopped-on’ with bails flying to Kirstie Gordon; 2 overs later, top-scorer Ella McCaughan stepped across-the-line, beaten by Grace Ballinger; *Emily Windsor and Nancy Harman scampered ‘one’s and ‘two’s when scoring shots were needed; *Four wickets fell during the last three overs; *Nancy Harman was run-out, when sent back by her skipper; *Two balls later, Alice Monaghan was bowled by Kirstie Gordon for a golden duck; *Nadine deKlerk’s death-over ‘yorked’ Rhianna Southby and Emily Windsor was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Kirstie Gordon; *Poised for an ‘exciting finish,’ and facing the penultimate match ball, Ava Lee struck her first ball for ‘four,’ needing a carbon-copy shot to tie, but only managed a ’single.’ *Vipers batting: Ella McCaughan 19(31), Emily Windsor 17(20), Nancy Harman 14(14), Mary Taylor 13(14); *Blaze bowling: Kirstie Gordon 2/13, Kathryn Bryce 2/16, Nadine deKlerk 2/27, Grace Ballinger 1/18;
*Match result: The Blaze 112/9 (5.6 runs-per-over, 20/20overs) 4 points beat Southern Vipers 109/9 (@5.4 rpo, target 113 from 20/20 overs) by 3 runs
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104064#scorecard
*Free-to-air courtesy of Southern Vipers (via NV Play) on YouTube<03h15m02s>@URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emgWC1q9DCQ
*Post-match interview courtesy of BBC Radio Solent via ‘YouTube:’ Emily Windsor reacts to an opening Charlotte Edwards Cup defeat <2m32s>@URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hyw9lx
*Actual match photo
