Northern Diamonds vs Central Sparks at Leeds (Headingley Stadium) on 27 May 2024 at 14h30 (delayed start)
Yet to open their account, Diamonds faced top-of-table Sparks in a rain-affected match. That started around two hours late and was reduced to 11 overs per side. Batting first, the hosts took ‘big swings’ without reward and ‘lost their wickets at the wrong time.’ Scotland’s Katherine Fraser ended Diamonds’ innings with ‘four,’ immediately followed by ’six.’ Eve Jones played a skipper’s innings for Sparks, with an unbeaten 26*not out. The match reached a climax with Georgia Davis needing to score two runs with three balls remaining. Winning two runs came from the final ball when Georgia Davis found a gap between fielders ‘saving-the-one.’ With their third back-to-back win, Sparks remain undefeated and top-of-table thanks to their first-round ‘run-rate’ bonus point. Sports commentator: Chris Mallaband, with Matt Jones (BBC radio Leeds) and Dr Jane Powell (President, Yorks CCC; former England & Yorks women); plus guest between innings Courtney Winfield-Hill; Weather: overcast with persistent’ showers and ground-staff ‘busy with mopping-up’ equipment.
*Diamonds’ innings: *Skipper Hollie Armitage, Bess Heath (England & England A), Lauren Winfield-Hill (England, Aus Big bash), Erin Burns (Aus Big bash), Katherine Fraser (Scotland), Sterre Kalis (NL); With Grace Hall, Emma Marlow & Rachel Slater (for Rebecca Duckworth, Abigail ‘Abi’ Glen & Jess Woolston); [*Abbey Freeborn keeping wicket for Sparks]; *Leah Dobson was caught aerial at ‘mid-wicket’ by Charis Paveley, for a second-ball duck from Emily Arlott; *Next over Lauren Winfield-Hill was caught aerial ‘at point’ by Davina Perrin, from Grace Potts’ third ball; *Hollie Armitage was caught by keeper Abbey Freeborn, for a third-ball duck from Emily Arlott’s ‘good delivery’; *After 3.2 balls power-play, with ‘plenty to do,’ Bess Heath missed a cut, bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Katie George’s third ball; *Commentator’s curse struck when ‘putting together a nice partnership,’ Sterre Kalis came down-the-wicket, stumped by Abbey Freeborn, from Georgia Davis’ second ball; *Stepping back for a ‘huge amount of room,’ Emma Marlow was bowled ‘top-of-off’ stump by Georgia Davis; *Erin Burns steeped a catch to ‘cow corner’ to Emily Arlott ‘who nearly ran past it,’ from Grace Potts; *Three balls later, Grace Hall chopped, missing a full-length ‘yorker,’ with bails sent flying by Grace Potts; *Next over, Katie Levick was caught aerial from her bat’s ‘toe-end’ by Davia Perrin ‘who’d made-up ground,’ but handed Georgia Davis her 3-fer; *Finally, Katherine Fraser ended with ‘four’ followed by ’six’ ‘for a good finish.’ *Diamonds’ batting: *Erin Burns 30(18), Sterre Kalis 17(14), Katherine Fraser 12*not out(5); *Sparks’ bowling: Grace Potts 3/15, Georgia Davis 3/23, Emily Arlott 1/10, Katie George 1/14;
*Sparks’ innings: *skipper Evelyn ‘Eve’ Jones (England & Australia Big bash); Grace Potts & Hannah Baker (England A); Davina Perrin & Charis Pavely (England u-19s); *Courtney Webb (Australia Big bash); *Without Amy Jones (England) & Ami Campbell; [*Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for Diamonds]; *Chloe Brewer went plumb ‘leg before’ to Katie Levick’s fourth ball; *Next over, Davina Perrin (lauded as ‘very exciting’) ‘went back, not forward,’ and was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ with bails sent flying by Rachel Slater; *Three balls later, Abbey Freeborn was stumped with ‘not the best piece of batting’ by fellow keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill, also from Rachel Slater; *At which point commentators felt it was ‘anyone’s game;’ *Beefed-up as ‘not yet dismissed’ on English soil, Courtney Webb was caught aerial at ‘mid-wicket’ by Sterre Kalis from fellow Australian Erin Burns; *Katie George was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Leah Dobson, from Grace Hall; *Charis Pavely steepled caught-and-bowled to Erin Burns *Emily Arlott was caught at ‘deep-square’ by Sterre Kalis from Katie Levick; *Skipper Eve Jones made top score; *Facing the final three balls, Georgia Davis faced two ‘dot’ balls before ‘chipping down-the-ground’ for the winning two runs needed to win; *Sparks batting: ‘Eve’ Jones 26*not out (18), Chloe Brewer 14(12); *Diamonds’ bowling: Rachel Slater 2/10, Erin Burns 2/22, Katie Levick 2/14, Grace Hall 1/17;
Match result: Central Sparks 81/7 (7.3 runs-per-over, from 11/11 overs target 81 from 11ov) awarded 4 points, beat Northern Diamonds 80/9 (7.2 runs-per-over, from 11/11 ov) by three wickets
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104380#scorecard
*Video highlights (39) courtesy of NV Play & Northern Diamonds @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v3457888c-bea3-48a2-83fa-6a6d111bb9db &https://yorkshireccc.com/match/northern-diamonds-v-central-sparks-at-leeds-charlotte-edwards-cup-27-may-2024/?tab=m_scorecard
*Match free-to-air courtesy of Northern Diamonds (via NV Play) on YouTube <starts at 02h40m54s/04h30m28s> @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knw3KL680zA&t=2s
