Western Storm vs Lancashire Thunder at Taunton (The Cooper Associates County Ground, Somerset) on 7 September 2024
Thunder narrowly beat Storm by just two runs in a ‘dead-rubber’ match to decide which team received this year’s wooden spoon. Batting first, Thunder’s Ellie Threlkeld – pictured made top-score with a skipper’s ‘fifty’ [69 runs (from 93 balls).] Storm were level-pegging after 10 overs ‘Power-play.’ After 20 overs, drizzle had evolved into heavy rain that stopped play with Storm’s ‘best batters’ at the crease (Sophie Luff and Fran Wilson): said to have each scored five ‘fifties’ during this year’s campaign. Result was decided by the ‘Duckworth-Lewis-Stern’ method. Previously, commentators had mentioned that ground-staff deserved full credit to enable the match to proceed at all, following three days of ‘Biblical rain.’ Commentators said to be ‘celebrating the life of Western Storm’ throughout the day were Claire B Jenkins (Women’s cricket commentator, senior lecturer & ex-Somerset & Derbys women), Kath Wilkins (Coach and former player Somerset Women) and Ed ‘cricket’ Seabourne (BBC radio Glos. & Bristol.) Guest appearance by Melissa Story (BBC 5Live Sports Xtra broadcaster.) Weather: as mentioned above, inclement weather curtailed the match with Umpires having no appetite to continue.
*Thunder’s innings: skipper Ellie Threlkeld; with Eve Jones (Sparks loan until end-of-season); Alice Clarke (u19s); debutante Darcey Carter (Scotland); Also Tara Norris (former US); *Without Sophie Ecclestone & Emma Lamb (England); [*Katie Jones keeping wicket for Storm, in place of Nat Wraith]; *Eve Jones was caught behind by keeper by Katie Jones, from Ellie Anderson switching to coming around-the-wicket to the left-hander; *After 10 overs Power-play 36/1; *Seren Smale was stumped ‘brilliantly’ by keeper Katie Jones, from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Fi Morris was caught-and-bowled by Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Next over, Dani Collins was ‘run-out’ at the striker’s end by keeper Katie Jones; *After 25 overs on 99/4; *’Calamity’ struck when coming back for a third run, Alice Clarke “who deserved fifty” was ‘run-out’ by Fran Wilson’s throw to Katie Jones, redirected to Chloe Skelton at the non-striker’s end; *Grace Johnson also ‘run-out,’ by Emma Corney, thought to be ’unnecessary;’ *Next over, Darcey Carter was bowled by Mollie Robbins;*Tara Norris was caught behind by keeper Katie Jones, from Mollie Robbins; *Three balls later, Hannah Jones was caught at ‘mid-on’ by Sophie Luff from Mollie Robbins; *Thunder chalked-up 200 during their final over; *Thunder’s batting: Ellie Threlkeld 69(93), Alice Clarke 41(78), Grace Johnson 23(31), Seren Smale 18(25), Eve Jones 16(23), Tara Norris 11(16); *Storm’s bowling: Mollie Robbins 3/28, Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/28, Ellie Anderson 1/62;
*Storm’s innings: skipper Sophie Luff with Sophia Smale, Chloe Skelton (England u19s), Ellie Anderson (England u19s loaned by Sparks); *International player Amanda-Jade Wellington (Aus); *Without Heather Knight, Lauren Filer, Danni Gibson (England) or Issy Wong; [*Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder];*Emma Corney went’ ‘leg-before’ to Grace Johnson; *Level-pegging after 10 overs Power-play 36/1 (vs36/1); *Sophia Smale was bowled by Sophie Morris; *Sophie Luff partnered by Fran Wilson were batting through drizzle (18.4 overs) until rain stopped play eight balls later and Umpires had no appetite to continue. *Storm’s batting: Sophie Luff 16*not out(39), Emma Corney 15(24), Fran Wilson 13*not out(19), Sophia Smale 13(38); *Thunder’s bowling: Grace Johnson 1/14, Sophie Morris 1/18;
*Match result: Lancashire Thunder 216/9 (@4.3 runs-per-over from 50/50 overs) beat Western Storm 69/2 (@3.4 r-p-o target 72 from 20/20 ov) by 2 runs, Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method
*Scorecard and video highlights when available courtesy of ECB (via NV Play) @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy/match-centre/104471#scorecard
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Western Storm (NV Play) via YouTube <07h09m13s> @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNwhDvvWmU
*Updated fixtures and results @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/08/23/updated-rachael-heyhoe-flint-trophy-fixtures-and-results-2/
