Lancashire Thunder vs Southern Vipers at Manchester, Emirates Old Trafford on 7 June 2024 at 14h30 (double header)
Thunder posted their lowest-ever score in the competition’s short history, only 4 runs above the all-time lowest score (by Sparks, 2021.) Exceptionally on this occasion, Vipers used only five bowlers, all of whom took at least one wicket; and no player scored a solitary ’six’ during the one-sided match. With best bowling figures, Vipers’ Linsey Smith (pictured) took a 3-fer, conceding less than ten runs (3/9); with fellow spinner Charli Knott coming close second, also taking a 3-fer (3/15.) For much of Thunder’s innings, commentators agreed that these two bowlers ensured that Thunder’s batters ‘never got going,’ whereas Thunder needed to chalk-up a defendable score for ‘something to bowl at.’ Turning to Viper’s innings, Sophie Ecclestone (often referred to as World No.1 bowler) took two-out-of-three consolatory wickets. Australian all-rounder Charli Knott made top-score [45 runs (from 28 balls)] with best strike rate (160). Skipper Georgia Adams saw her side home five balls later, partnered by Charlie Dean who arrived to hit the winning ‘single.’ Commentators humourously added that Vipers won: ‘even without’ their (England) players. As double-defending champions, Vipers collected a bonus run-rate point and moved-up the table to joint-third place (with Sparks who have a game-in-hand, at time of writing.) Commentators: Scott Reid (Sports journalist), Allyson Byrne (Women’s Cricket Chat, ex Lancs & Cheshire women) with guest Paul Shaw (ex Thunder Coach.) Introduced pitch-side by presenter Fraser Danson, with David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd plus Lancs TV mascot. Weather: cloudy, quite breezy with patches of blue sky 15-18C.
*Thunder’s innings: skipper Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Threlkeld; with Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone & Emma Lamb (England), Seren Smale (England ‘A’), *With Katie Mack (Australia big-bash) replacing Georgia Voll; without Ailsa Lister (Scotland), [*Rhianna *Southby keeping wicket for Vipers]; *Fi Morris was snicked behind to keeper Rhianna Southby, from Freya Davies’ third ball; *Next over, Linsey Smith was on a hat-trick firstly when Katie Mack was ‘well-bowled’ with her stumps skittled; *Next ball, Seren Smale was bowled for a golden duck; *Fourth wicket fell during Thunder’s power-play when Emma Lamb swept but played-on from her bat’s toe-end, from Linsey Smith; *After 6 overs power-play, 29/4; *Next over Ellie Threlkeld was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Georgia Adams, from Charli Knott; *By mid-way 53/6: *Procession of departures continued when both Dani Collins and Kate Cross were stumped by Rhianna Southby, from Charli Knott; *3 balls later, Sophie Ecclestone was caught at ‘cover’ by Emily Windsor from Charlie Dean, followed by five ‘dots’ for a rare ‘wicket-maiden’; *Scampering ‘ones’ and ‘twos’ with Tara Norris for five overs until Phoebe Graham went ‘leg-before’ to Georgia Adams; *Finally, Sophie Morris was bowled by Freya Davies; *Thunder’s batting: Tara Norris 13*not out (21), Ellie Threlkeld 11(14), Emma Lamb 11(10), Danielle ‘Dani’ Collins 10(14); *Vipers’ bowling: Linsey Smith 3/9, Charli Knott 3/15, Freya Davies 2/25, Charlie Dean 1/24, Georgia Adams 1/11;
*Vipers’ innings: skipper Georgia Adams (England ‘A’) with Charlie Dean, Freya Davies (England); Georgia Elwiss (ex England); Mary Taylor (England u-19) *Also with Charli Knott (Australia Big-bash); Ella McCaughan, Nancy Harman, Alice Monaghan; Without Maia Bouchier, Freya Kemp, Mary Taylor or Danni Wyatt; [*Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder]; *Charli Knott was stumped by Ellie Threlkeld from Sophie Ecclestone; *Two balls later, Ella McCaughan went ‘leg-before’ for a 2nd ball duck from Sophie Ecclestone; *After 6 overs power-play, 55/1 (vs 29/4); *During the 9th over, Georgia Elwiss went ‘leg-before’ to Sophie Morris; *By mid-way 80/3 (vs.53/6); No further wickets fell; *Vipers’ batting: Charli Knott 45(28), Georgia Adams 14*not out(11), Georgia Elwiss 10(17); *Thunder’s bowling: Sophie Ecclestone 2/23, Sophie Morris 1/10;
*Match result: Southern Vipers’ 86/3 (7.9 runs-per-over from 10.5/20 overs) 5 points beat Lancashire Thunder 85/10 (4.2 rpo from 19.5/20 ov) by seven wickets with 55 balls remaining
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104393#scorecard AppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (34) courtesy of Lancs TV & NV Play @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v96daeeec-1c9a-4ee3-b680-e56f6ad9e5c8
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Lancs TV (via NV Play) on YouTube<03h11m12s> @url https://www.youtube.com/live/sCtaGq8OjQA
*Footnote: Commentators restrained their unfortunate humour when the host’s camera crew found ‘Lanky-the-giraffe’ mascot, offering to bat.
