Southern Vipers vs Sunrisers at Arundel Castle (W Sussex) on 27 May 2024 at 14h30
Double-defending champions Vipers were said by commentator to have ‘lost their way’ as they slid to their second defeat by Sunrisers. Commentator added that Sunrisers had only ever won one game before in the 20-overs contest. Newly transferred from Blaze, seam bowler Sophie Munro took a 4-fer (4/27) and delivered a ‘big blow’ when coming around-the-wicket to the left-hander (Freya Kemp) who was caught. Three balls later, Sophie Munro’s slower ball (to Georgia Elwiss) was mis-timed and went aerial for another catch; creating a ‘pivotal moment:’ as 101/2 became 101/4. Thereafter, Vipers batters found themselves under pressure to score at around two-runs-per-ball as the match reached a climax with the outcome decided by the final ball. Commentator (unannounced) believed to be Jordan Clark of BBC Radio Solent. Weather: morning rain cleared away, giving way to cumulus clouds and a fine sunny afternoon. 15-20C.
*Sunrisers’ innings: skipper Grace Scrivens (ECB Development Squad & England ‘A’) with Mady Villiers (England ‘A’), Jodi Grewcock (England u19s), Eva Gray (ECB Development Squad) *Also with debutante Sophie Munro; Plus Nicola ’Nic’ Hancock (Australia Big-bash) *Without Ariana Dowse, Amu Surenkumar, Kelly Castle (injured) [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Vipers]; *After 6 overs power-play, 41/0 & 66/0 by mid-way; *Disaster struck new over when 3 wickets fell for one run: 66/0 became 67/3; *Firstly Joanne ‘Jo’ Gardner was caught by Charli Knott from Freya Davies; *Secondly, Grace Scrivens went for a carbon-copy dismissal; *Thirdly, Cordelia Griffith (cursed by commentators as Sunrisers’ ‘batting mainstay’) was ’run out’ by Charli Knott; *Fourth wicket fell when ex-Viper Lissy MacLeod and twice Kia Super-league winner was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Georgia Adams from Charli Knott for a second-ball duck; *Jodi Grewcock partnered by Mady Villiers added what turned out to be a match-winning 51 runs; *During the penultimate over Jodi Grewcock played-on from an inside-edge to Freya Davies’ slower ball; *Mady Villiers and Flo Miller scored 15 runs from the final 8 balls; *Sunrisers’ batting: Jo Gardner 42(39), Mady Villiers 34*not out(27), Jodi Grewcock 22(22), Grace Scrivens 21(24), Florence ‘Flo’ Miller 11*not out (5); *Vipers’ bowling: Freya Davies 3/22, Charli Knott 1/18;
*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]; *Level-pegging after 6 overs power-play, 49/0 (vs 41/0) and ‘looking comfortable’ by mid-way: 69/0 (vs 66/0); *Next over, Charli Knott who’d made ‘fifty’ was bowled top-of ‘middle-and-off’ (gaffed as leg-stump,) by Sophie Munro; *Georgia Adams ‘who’d scored a couple of ‘fifties’ already’ went ‘leg before’ to Eva Gray; *Both Georgia Elwiss and Freya Kemp departed within four balls; *Freya Kemp was caught by Cordelia Griffith from Sophie Munro coming around-the-wicket; *Three balls later, Georgia Elwiss went aerial, caught at ‘long-on’ by Jo Gardner from Sophie Munro’s slower ball; *’Pivotal moment’ with 33 needed from the last 3 overs; *With reputation for ‘scoring winning runs,’ Emily Windsor was stumped by Amara Carr, from Mady Villiers; *Momentum ’shifted back’ to Sunrisers; *Alice Monaghan was stumped by Amara Carr, from Sophie Munro; *Tension mounted when Umpires imposed a fielding penalty, with only three fielders allowed outside the circle; *Vipers needed ‘four’ to tie from Eva Gray’s last ball, but just took a ‘single,’ handing victory to Sunrisers; *Vipers’ batting: Charli Knott 50(14) Georgia Elwiss 33(37), Georgia Adams 11(16), Nancy Harman 10*not out (9), Emily WIndsor 10(7); *Sunrisers’ bowling: Sophie Munro 4/27, Eva Gray 1/16, Mady Villiers 1/20;
*Match result: Sunrisers 134/5 (6.6 runs-per-over, from 20/20ov.) 4 points; beat Vipers 131/6 (@6.5 rpo, from 20/20overs target 135 from 20/20 ov); by 3 runs
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104382#scorecard AppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (42) courtesy of Southern Vipers & NV Play @URL https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v284e491c-4989-47d3-af90-ffa9658e36b9
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Southern Vipers (via NV Play) on YouTube<02h41m49s> @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIDcrbhD8aI
*Actual match photo
