Lancashire Thunder vs Sunrisers at Blackpool (Stanley Park) on 9 June 2024 at 13h00Â
Introducing the match, home team commentators were hopeful that ‘northern weather’ wouldn’t affect the match. All three remaining matches were said to be ‘crucial,’ with both teams ‘on the fringe’ to qualify for the competition’s ‘top four’ play-off spots. Batting first, Sunrisers posted their second-best score this season with 151. Main partnership between Lissy McLeod (twice Kia Super-league finalist) making top-score [60 runs (from 45 balls)] and Amu Surenkumar 32(23) together adding ‘fifty’ in 37 balls. Breakthrough came when England’s Sophie Ecclestone scored a hat-trick. A tense run-chase unfolded after Thunder suffered two ‘run-outs,’ both scored from direct hits (from Jo Gardner and Kate Coppack as substitute fielder.) Following half-hour’s hiatus (reported elsewhere as 25 rather than 33 minutes) play resumed with the hosts needing to score 29 from three overs remaining. Match reached its climax when Kate Cross hit Thunder’s winning runs from their final over. Commentating from a pitch-side tent were Mike Perkins (Sports journalist) and Ellie Indie (cricket content creator.)
*Sunrisers’ innings skipper Grace Scrivens (ECB Development Squad & England ‘A’) Mady Villiers (England ‘A’), Jodi Grewcock (England u19s), Eva Gray & Sophie Munro (ECB Development Squad) *Plus Nicola ’Nic’ Hancock (Australia Big-bash) & Amu Surenkumar who was later substituted by Kate Coppack during Thunder’s innings; [*Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder]; *Mady Villiers was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Dani Collins, from Kate Cross ; *Attempting to scoop, Jo Gardner was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone; *After 6 overs power-play, 48/2; *Attempting to reverse-sweep, Grace Scrivens went ‘leg before’ to Fi Morris; *Five balls later when attempting to ‘square-cut,’ Flo Miller went ‘leg before’ to Fi Morris ; *By mid-way, 72/4; *Next over, Jodi Grewcock caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Emma Lamb from left-arm Sophie Ecclestone coming over the wicket to the left-hander; *As mentioned above, breakthrough came when Sophie Ecclestone scored a hat-trick; *Firstly Lissy Macleod was ‘run-out’ by keeper Ellie Threlkeld’s throw down-wicket to Sophie Ecclestone, rolling over at the striker’s end; *Next ball, Amu Surenkumar was ‘run-out’ by Fi Morris; *Hat-trick ball when Eva Gray went plump ‘leg before’ for a golden duck; *Finally during Kate Cross’s death over, Amara Carr was bowled; *Sunrisers’ batting: Alice ‘Lissy’ Macleod 60(45), Amu Surenkumar 32(23), Jo Gardner 14(15), Mady Villiers 11(7), Grace Scrivens 11(13); *Thunder’s bowling: Sophie Ecclestone 3/18, Kate Cross 2/31, Fi Morris 2/24;
*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 (injured); One change announced: Libby Heap for Sophie Morris [*Amara Carr keeping wicket for Sunrisers]; *Following ‘leg-before’ appeal, Fi Morris was sent back by Emma Lamb and run-out by substitute Kate Coppack’s direct hit’, from Mady Villiers; *After 6 overs power-play, 41/1 (vs 48/2); *Next over, Emma Lamb ‘a crucial wicket’ was caught at ‘deep-mid-wicket’ by substitute Kate Coppack’s diving catch, from Sophie Munro; *By mid-way 69/2 (vs 72/4); *Katie Mack was ‘run-out’, by Jo Gardner’s direct-hit, from fellow Australian Nic Hancock; *Ellie Threlkeld was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Eva Gray; *After 17 overs on 123/4, there was half-hour’s (30-33 minutes) interruption for rain; *When play resumed, Sophie Ecclestone was caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Eva Gray; *Finally, as mentioned above, Kate Cross hit ‘two,’ ’six’ followed by a match-winning ‘four’ runs from the final over with 3 balls remaining. *Seren Smale (England ‘A’) played anchor sensibly and was undefeated.
*Thunder’s batting: Seren Smale 39*not out(33), Katie Mack 28(21), Fi Morris 25(18), Emma Lamb 14(18), Sophie Ecclestone 23(16), Kate Cross 17*not out(6); *Sunrisers’ bowling: Eva Gray 2/28, Sophie Munro 1/26,
Match result Lancashire Thunder 155/5 (7.9 rpo from 19.3/20 overs, target 152 from 20ov.) beat Sunrisers 151/9 (7.5 rpo from 20/20 ov.) by five wickets with 3 balls remaining
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/charlotte-edwards-cup/match-centre/104399#scorecard
*Video highlights (34) courtesy of Lancs TV & NV Play @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#v640a72a5-1d9a-4c2e-ab98-c54fa236a4e5
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Lancs TV (via NV Play) on YouTube<03h56m10s> @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuRe8xxLflg
Footnote: After the match, batting challenge winners met the Thunder Team, as part of Lancashire’s #BatForWomensCricket campaign that aims ‘to get more girls and women involved in cricket’
