South East Stars vs Sunrisers Beckenham, at Kent County Ground on 14 July 2024 at 09h30
As forecast by a visiting groundsman, the ‘used’ wicket was well-suited to spinners, who took 15 of the 20 wickets that fell, with 8 batters from each side reaching double-figures. Commentators’ curse struck on 159/2, before Sunrisers’ Jodi Grewcock ended Stars’ ‘very impressive’ partnership worth 148 runs, between skipper Bryony Smith [84 runs (111 balls)] and Alice Davidson-Richards. That became not only Stars’ ‘record third-wicket’ partnership, but also the ‘third highest,’ in the competition’s history. Seventh-wicket cameo by Ryana Macdonald-Gay with Kalea Moore added what turned out to be a match-winning partnership of fifty runs in 38 balls. Sunrisers started well, with level-pegging by mid-way. Beyond beyond mid-way the required-run-rate escalated above one-run-per-ball before Sunrisers were bowled-out. Stars leapfrogged Sunrisers into third-place after ten rounds played-to-date. Commentators sat inside a tent pitch-side, were Jamie Reid & Michael McCann (Sports journalists.) Weather started sunny with ‘patches of blue sky,’ clouding over between innings with passing grey clouds but without any rain 20C.
*Stars’ innings: skipper Bryony Smith (England A) with Alice Davidson-Richards (England); Paige Scholfield & Ryana Macdonald-Gay (England ‘A’) *Alexa Stonehouse (former England u-19s), Tilly Corteen-Coleman (England u-19s); *Without Alice Capsey (England call-up) *Without Tash Farrant (England ‘A’) or Alexa Stonehouse (England u-19s), or Georgia Redmayne (Australia big bash); *[Amara Carr keeping wicket for Sunrisers]; *Two wickets fell ’in two balls,’ corrected to ‘three balls apart,’ *Firstly, Phoebe Franklin was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Flo Miller, from Mady Villiers; *Secondly, Paige Scholfield missed a ’square-cut and went ‘leg-before’ for a second-ball duck; *After 10 ov. Power-play, 31/2; Drinks taken at mid-way 122/2; *During the 32nd over, Alice Davidson-Richards was caught at ‘long-on’ by Jo Gardner, from Jodi Grewcock; *After lobbing a return dolly to diving Jodi Grewcock, Emma Jones was caught ‘in-the-deep’ by Jo Gardner taking a ‘regulation catch,’ from Jodi Grewcock; *Cursed as ’16 away from that century,’ and lauded for ‘leading from the front’, next ball Bryony Smith was ‘in trouble’ when stumped by Amara Carr, from Jodi Grewcock; *Diving flat-out, Aylish Cranstone was ‘run-out’ by Flo Miller’s throw to the striker’s end, from Jo Gardner; *After hitting Sophie Munro for 20 runs, next over Ryana Macdonald-Gay went aerial, caught ‘in-the-covers’ by Jodi Grewcock, from Grace Scrivens; *Kalea Moore was ‘yorked’ with leg-stump bail sent flying, by Eva Gray; *Three balls later Danielle Gregory went plumb ‘leg-before’ for a second-ball duck from Eva Gray; *Left-handed Tilly Corteen-Coleman was caught ‘in the covers’ by Mady Villiers from Grace Scrivens from Stars’ penultimate ball; *Chloe Hill remained ‘not out’;*Stars’ batting: Bryony Smith 84(111), Alice Davidson-Richards 70(78), Ryana Macdonald-Gay 37(22), Chloe Hill 21*not out (23), Aylish Cranstone 21(25); *Sunrisers’ bowling: Jodi Grewcock 3/43, Mady Villiers 2/39, Grace Scrivens 2/40, Eva Gray 2/41;
*Sunrisers’ innings: skipper Grace Scrivens (ECB Development Squad & England ‘A’) Mady Villiers (England ‘A’), Jodi Grewcock & Amu Surenkumar (England u19s), Eva Gray & Sophie Munro (ECB Development Squad) *Plus Kate Coppack & *Without Cordelia Griffith (seen in the nets); or Nicola ’Nic’ Hancock (Australia big-bash); *[Chloe Hill keeping wicket for Stars] *Commentator’s curse struck when skipper Grace Scrivens was ‘leading from the front’ but caught at ‘deep square’ by Emma Jones, from Phoebe Franklin; *After 10 ov. 43/1 (vs 31/2); *Lissy MacLeod played all around the ball, bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Dani Gregory; By mid-way 106/2 (vs 122/2); *Left-hander Jodi Grewcock was caught at ‘square’ by Paige Scholfield, from Emma Jones; *Next over Mady Villiers was bowled with both bails sent flying, by Kalea Moore; *Missing a ‘square-cut,’ Jo Gardner went ‘leg-before’ to Bryony Smith; *Amu Surenkumar went for a carbon-copy dismissal: ‘leg-before’ to Bryony Smith; *Flo Miller went aerial, caught at ‘backward point’ by Ryana Macdonald-Gay from Danielle Gregory; *Amara Carr went aerial, caught at ‘mid-on’ by Aylish Cranstone from Danielle Gregory; *Sophie Munro was ‘run-out’ by Kalea Moore’s throw from ‘deep-cover’ to Bryony Smith at the non-striker’s end; *Finally, Kate Coppack was bowled by Ryana Macdonald-Gay; *Eva Gray remained ‘not out’; *Sunrisers’ batting: Lissy MacLeod 44(54), Jo Gardner 39(76), Eva Gray 29*not out(23), Amara Carr 20(31), Flo Miller 14(28), Sophie Munro 12(12), Grace Scrivens 11(17), Amu Surenkumar 11(21); *Stars’ bowling: Danielle Gregory 3/47, Bryony Smith 2/31, Emma Jones 1/13, Phoebe Franklin 1/25, Kalea Moore 1/36;
*Match result: South East Stars 258/10 (49.5/50 overs @5.1 runs-per-over) beat Sunrisers 214/10 (47.5/50 ov @4.4 rpo, target 259 from 50/50 ov) by 44 runs with 13 balls remaining
*Scorecard courtesy of ECB @URL https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/match-centre/104455#scorecard AppleMac users may need to scroll down on left margin to select a match
*Video highlights (67), courtesy of ECB & South East Stars (via NV Play) @URL https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_videos#cff4ce921-ba67-43e4-8045-f15cb3ac842c_m97bc623e-216c-4dfb-a4eb-28f55a46072f
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of South East Stars (via NV Play) on YouTube<5h47m38s> @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMR4y_zxchw
*Actual match photo; *Updated fixtures and results @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/05/12/updated-rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-fixtures-and-results/
