Southern Vipers vs Western Storm at Brighton & Hove (The 1st Central County Ground, Hove) on 30 June 2024
Summarizing the match, commentators described Storm’s innings as below-par and Vipers’ run-chase as ‘tricky.’ Batting first, Storm’s innings was interrupted mid-way by brief stoppages for drizzle, necessitating ball-toweling by bowlers for most of the match. When play resumed, two overs were docked-per-side; that reduced the match to 48 overs per innings. Storm’s top five batters all reaching double-figures but their tail-enders were bowled-out. Vipers’ bowlers Georgia Adams (3/17) and Mary Taylor (3/34) both took 3-fers. Between innings, commentators lauded Vipers’ Freya Davies who’d ‘bowled much better than her figures suggest.’ Ground staffs’ frenzy of activity between innings enabled Vipers Batters Ella McCaughan [49runs (from 66 balls)] and Georgia Elwiss [65*not out (71)] to stage their match-winning century partnership during which both batters made ‘fifties’ in ‘tricky’ conditions. Defending champions Vipers remain top-of-table, jointly with Diamonds and Sunrisers: all three teams with five wins from the first seven matches. Earlier, commentators mentioned that two previous Storm-Vipers fixtures at Hove were rained-off, so the result was third time lucky. Commentators were Oliver Shoesmith (Sports journalist) and Toby Reynolds (Sports Gazette’s cricket editor.) Weather was overcast with drizzle 15-17C.
*Storms’ Innings *skipper Sophie Luff with *Niamh Holland & Sophia Smale (England u-19s); plus Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia big-bash) *Without Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson & Heather Knight (on England call-up) [Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Vipers]; *Sophia Smale was spooned to Linsey Smith from Freya Kemp; After 9.4ov power-play 35/1; *Emma Corney was bowled, with middle-stump flattened and bails-sent-flying,’ by Mary Taylor (misreported by non-UK sources as ‘top of off stump’); *Sweeping too soon on 71/3, Sophie Luff went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Charli Knott; *Two rain interruptions during the 23rd over, with two balls bowled in between; *Second rain interruption lasted 20 minutes; *After 24 overs (mid-way) 119/3; *On 122/4, Fran Wilson went aerial, caught comfortably deep of ‘mid-off’ by Georgia Elwiss from Freya Davies; *Amanda-Jade Wellington was short-lived, going ‘leg-before’ to Georgia Adams; *Niamh Holland was bowled through-the-gate by Georgia Adams; *2 balls later, Alex Griffiths was sent back, failed to ground her bat and was ‘run-out’ for a second-ball duck; *Nat Wraith was chipped to Linsey Smith ‘at backward point’, from Georgia Adams; *Chloe Skelton edged ‘wide,’ and was caught by keeper Rhianna Southby, from Mary Taylor; *Next ball, Mollie Robbins was bowled with stumps splayed for a golden duck, leaving Mary Taylor looking for another hat-trick; *Storms’ batting: Fran Wilson 34(41), Nat Wraith 31 (44), Sophie Luff 23(38), Emma Corney 20(34), Issy Wong 10*not out(14), Sophia Smale 10(16); *Vipers’ bowling: Georgia Adams 3/17, Mary Taylor 3/34, Freya Kemp 1/12, Charli Knott 1/22, Freya Davies 1/37;
*Vipers’ Innings skipper Georgia Adams, with Freya Davies & Freya Kemp plus Charli Knott (Australia big-bash); *without Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier and Charlie Dean on England call-up [Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Storm ]; *Charli Knott snicked an edge to keeper Nat Wraith from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *After 9.4ov power-play 51/1; Ella McCaughan partnered by Georgia Elwiss staged second-wicket stand for 73 runs; *One run short of ‘fifty,’ Ella McCaughan went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Georgia Adams steepled a catch to the ‘covers’ where caught by Alex Griffiths from Chloe Skelton; *Finally, Freya Kemp scored ‘four’ followed by the winning ‘single;’ *Vipers’batting: Georgia Elwiss 65*not out (71), Ella McCaughan 49(66), Charli Knott 22(24); *Storms’ bowling: Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/38, Chloe Skelton 1/27;
*Match result: Southern Vipers 157/3; (@5.2 runs-per-over 29.4/48 overs; target 157 from 48/50 overs) beat Western Storm 156/10 (@4.2 r-p-o from 37/48 overs) by 7 wickets with 66 balls remaining
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/match-centre/104444#overview AppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (56) courtesy of Southern Vipers & powered by NV Play @url https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#vd86fa60d-5028-4d0e-8f31-817ed7d76d83
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Southern Vipers (via NV Play) on YouTube<5h18m45s> @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WdqBG7WYx8&t=5s
*Updated fixtures and results @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/05/12/updated-rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-fixtures-and-results/
Footnote: actual match photo
