Central Sparks vs Northern Diamonds at Edgbaston, Birmingham on 8 June 2024 (11h30)
Diamonds opened their account with their first win-to-date from six-rounds played so far. With three wins, Sparks suffered their third defeat. Playing a skipper’s ‘knock,’ only the Diamonds’ skipper scored ‘fifty.’ Hollie Armitage also made top-score [62 runs (from 49 balls)] in a match-winning partnership with Dutch international Sterre Kalis, together adding 45 runs (from 37 balls.) Thereafter, commentators remained optimistic for Sparks who made a ‘real comeback’ by taking six wickets in four overs. Sparks bowler Hannah Baker took a 3-fer on a ’spinner’s wicket.’ By comparison for Sparks, England’s Amy Jones was the only batter to score ‘six’ and chalked-up Sparks’ top-score 39. Commentators optimism faded to disappointment when all six Diamonds bowlers bagged at least one wicket each. As the match reached its climax, it became clear that Sparks’ tail-enders had been tasked with ‘too much to do’ with slim chance to score two ’sixes’ required from their last two balls. Separately, Diamonds have a slim chance of reaching finals day if they can muster four back-to-back wins from their remaining matches. Commentators: Polly Starkie (Noughtie Child PodCast social media) with Claire B Jenkins (women’s cricket commentator, senior lecturer, former player for Somerset & Derbys women) and Dr Samara Afzal (Cricket Wales independent director and Commonwealth Games 2022 baton-bearer.) Weather, cloudy and breezy as elsewhere, with patches of blue sky 17-20C.
*Diamonds’ innings: *skipper Hollie Armitage, Bess Heath & Lauren Winfield-Hill (England & England A; & Aus Big bash), Erin Burns (Aus Big bash), Katherine Fraser (Scotland), Sterre Kalis (NL); ‘One change’ with Sophia Turner for Grace Hall; [*Abbey Freeborn keeping wicket for Sparks]; *Only two batters made double-figures; *’Big blow’ when Lauren Winfield-Hill played a slower ball ‘too early,’ caught at ‘mid-off’ by Eve Jones from Charis Pavely’s third ball of left-arm spin; *After 6 overs power-play 42/1; *Partnership between Hollie Armitage and Sterre Kalis added 45 runs from 37 balls; *Mid-way 63/1;*Commentators’ curse struck when Sparks ‘desperately’ needed a ‘quick’ wicket, triggering two wickets that fell either side of the 16 overs marker; *Firstly when Sterre Kalis was bowled by Emily Arlott; *Next ball, Hollie Armitage was bowled by Georgia Davis; *Thereafter, during the last three overs with a procession of four batters departed for single-figures: *Erin Burns was bowled by Hannah Baker; *Bess Heath was caught behind from the toe-end of her bat by Amy Jones, from Katie George; *Leah Dobson was ‘spectacularly’ caught inside the boundary by Katie George from Hannah Baker; *Next ball, Katherine Fraser was caught by Emily Arlott, also from Hannah Baker; *Diamonds’ batting: Hollie Armitage 62(49), Sterre Kalis 43(39); *Sparks’ bowling: Hannah Baker 3/24, Charis Pavely 1/13, Katie George 1/17, Emily ‘Em’ Arlott 1/24, Georgia Davis 1/27;
*Sparks’ innings: *skipper Evelyn ‘Eve’ Jones (England, Englands ‘A’ & Australia Big bash); With Amy Jones (England), Grace Potts & Hannah Baker (England A); *Courtney Webb (Australia Big bash); Charis Pavely & Davina Perrin (England u-19s); [*Bess Heath keeping wicket for Diamonds]; *Abbey Freeborn swung across-the-line, bowled by Rachel Slater; *Level-pegging after 6 overs power-play 48/1 (vs42/1); *Commentator’s curse struck when Davina Perrin was caught at ‘mid-off’ by Lauren Winfield-Hill, from Hollie Armitage; *Mid-way 68/2 (vs63/2); *Left-hander Eve Jones played anchor, partnered by right-hander Amy Jones adding 31 for the third wicket; Missing a slog-sweep, Amy Jones went ‘leg-before’ to Sophia Turner; *Ten balls later, commentators felt that ‘frustration’ got the better of skipper Eve Jones, when she took a ‘swipe’ and was caught by Leah Dobson, from Katherine Fraser; *Katie George was beaten beneath her bat, stumped by Bess Heath, from Katie Levick, *Next over Charis Pavely was ‘run-out’ by Hollie Armitage, from Erin Burns; *Penultimate over, Courtney Webb was caught ‘short-of-third’ by Emma Marlow, from Katie Levick; *Finally, during Erin Burns’ death over Georgia Davis was caught by Sophia Turner; *Sparks’ batting: Amy Jones 39(30), Courtney Webb 23(21), Davina Perrin 21(20), Evelyn ‘Eve’ Jones 13(23); *Diamonds’ bowling: Katie Levick 2/32, Sophia Turner 1/11, Katherine Fraser 1/12, Hollie Armitage 1/20, Rachel Slater 1/24, Erin Burns 1/25;
*Match result: Northern Diamonds 137/7 (6.8 runs-per-over from 20/20 overs) 4 points, beat Central Sparks 124/8 (6.2 rpo, target 138 from 20/20 ov) by 13 runs
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104394#scorecardAppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (44) courtesy of Central Sparks TV & NV Play @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v3f39f20a-34a7-4203-8b97-aa9c14a017ba & https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/womens/central-sparks-vs-northern-diamonds-saturday-8th-june-2024/
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Central Sparks (via NV Play) on YouTube<02h53m12s> @url https://www.youtube.com/live/tkIa-v40TiE
