Sunrisers vs Southern Vipers at Chelmsford, Essex (The Cloud County Ground) on 24 May 2024 at 18h30 (night match)
An unbeaten match-winning century partnership for Vipers’ third wicket between Georgia Elwiss and Freya Kemp, gave Sunrisers little chance of recovery. Together the pair scored 66 runs from their last 30 balls, the final ball chalking-up Freya Kemp’s ‘fifty’ by a whisker, with a towering ’six’ down-the-ground that struck the side-screen. Sunrisers’ batters matched their opponents until half-way, both teams playing in ‘more difficult conditions,’ as natural light faded. Commentator lauded Sunrisers’ Jo Gardner who ‘played impressively’ with the bat, when passing ‘fifty.’ Jo Gardner also played a key role, making top-score and closing undefeated 79*not out (from 61 balls). That narrowed the run deficit to 19 runs, but handed victory to the double-defending champions. Commentator Nick Alliker (BBC Essex) with guest Danni Warren (Middx regional director of women’s cricket) for Sunrisers.’ Floodlights switched-on. Weather: ‘forecast OK,’ mild evening, evolving into dense cloud at dusk, with patches of (dark) blue sky 10-15C.
*Vipers’ innings: *skipper Georgia Adams (England ‘A’) with Freya Davies & Freya Kemp (England); Georgia Elwiss (exEngland); Mary Taylor (England u-19) *Also with Charli Knott (Australia Big-bash); *Depleted by four players on England call-up; [*Amara Carr keeping wicket for Sunrisers]; *Early breakthrough during the 6th over, when Charli Knott was caught by a diving catch, Cordelia Griffith ‘hanging-on,’ from Mady Villiers; *After 6 overs power-play, 47/1; *Approaching midway, commentator’s curse struck when Georgia Adams’ ‘mistake’ saw her caught at ‘mid-off,’ ‘well-held’ by Grace Scrivens, from Nicola Hancock; *Match ’nicely poised’ at mid-way, 63/2; *Thereafter, Vipers batters Georgia Elwiss and Freya Kemp ’took the game away’ with a match-winning century partnership, plundering 66 runs from the last 30 balls; *As mentioned above, Freya Kemp made her ‘fifty,’ by scoring ’six’ from the final ball, making Nic Hancock’s death over ‘expensive.’ *Vipers’ batting: Georgia Elwiss 73*not out(57), Freya Kemp 55*not out (35), Charli Knott 22(18); *Sunrisers’ bowling: Mady Villiers 1/20, Nicola Hancock 1/34;
*Sunrisers’ innings: skipper Grace Scrivens (ECB Development Squad & England ‘A’) with Mady Villiers (England ‘A’), Jodi Grewcock (England u19s), Eva Gray (ECB Development Squad) & Nicola ’Nic’ Hancock (Australia Big-bash) *Without Naomi Dattani & Sophie Munro (both newly signed); [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Vipers]; *Commentator’s curse struck when Sunrisers were ‘looking for a good partnership, just as Grace Scrivens was caught by Charli Knott falling into a backward somersault, from Freya Davies’ 2nd ball; *Next over, Cordelia Griffith ‘played down the wrong line,’ bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Linsey Smith *After 6 overs power-play, 46/2 (vs 47/1); *Level-pegging by midway: 69/2 (vs 63/2); *Main third-wicket partnership between Jo Gardner and Mady Villiers gave assurance that Sunrisers’ run-chase was ‘attainable,’ needing another 103 runs to win; *Short of ‘fifty,’ Mady Villiers ‘came a long way out’ and was stumped by Rhianna Southby, from Charli Knott; *Next ball, Lissy MacLeod went aerial, hooked a short-pitched ball and was caught at ‘long-on’ by Freya Kemp from Mary Taylor; *With ‘added pressure’ (51 needed from 19 balls remaining) Nicola Hancock went next ball for a ‘carbon copy’ dismissal, for a golden duck; *Left with ‘too much to do,’ Joanne ‘Jo’ Gardner ‘played impressively’ and carried her bat; *Sunrisers’ batting: Jo Gardner 79*not out (61), Mady Villiers 44(33), Alice ’Lissy’ MacLeod 19(16); *Vipers’ bowling: Mary Taylor 2/29, Linsey Smith 1/23, Freya Davies 1/25, Charli Knott 1/31;
*Match result: Southern Vipers 171/2 (8.5 runs-per-over, 20/20overs) 4 points; beat Sunrisers 152/5 (@7.6 rpo, target 172 from 20/20 overs); by 19 runs.
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104379#scorecard AppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (57) courtesy of Sunrisers & NV Play @URL https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v421bf513-ce5f-476e-ab0a-808c1543b5a6 & https://www.sunriserscricket.com/match-centre
*Edited match summary free-to-air courtesy of Sunrisers (via NV Play) on YouTube<08m26s> @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RrPeCa0Nn8
*Footnote: Return match fixture played on Bank Holiday Monday 27 May, at Arundel (W Sussex.)
