Glamorgan Women vs Sussex Sharks Women at Sophia Gardens (Cardiff) on Sat 19 April 2025 (13h00)
Officially making history to launch league two’s opening day to mark a new era for women’s cricket. Following a rain-delayed start, each team’s innings was reduced by half to twenty-five overs. Once play began, commentators gave opinion the pitch was fair, without offering bowlers unfair advantage. Drama struck when the hosts plundered 23 runs from the sixth over. Visitors replied, taking two wickets in two balls, leaving stand-in skipper Beth Gammon to face seamer Eve O’Neill’s (3/14) ‘hat-trick’ ball. Match-winning fourth-wicket century partnership between Beth Gammon [74 runs (from 57 balls)] and Gemma Porter [29 runs (from 32 balls)]; plus 35 from Daisy Jeans gave Glamorgan a defendable score. Sensing a one-sided match, home team commentators became confident that Sharks were ‘never really in the game,’ faced with mounting ‘scoreboard pressure;’ and the possibility of inclement weather returning. Commentators were Kathryn ‘Kath’ Wilkins (exCoach for Wales Women and former England International & Somerset Women) with Ashley Crichton(?) sports journalist. With rain at first, weather became dry with grey cloud cover 13C.
Glamorgan innings: wearing daffodil yellow over black *Stand-in skipper Bethan ‘Beth’ Gammon (for Laura Parfitt, reported injured) *[Mollie Adams keeping wicket for Sharks]; with Poppy Tulloch loaned from Hants & Erin Vukusic one-day loan from Somerset; *During the seventh over, Bea Ellis was bowled by Eve O’Neill’s off-spin (from the drying surface); *Next ball, Eve O’Neill was on a ‘hat-trick’ after Isla Thomson was caught at short ‘mid-wicket’ by Jazz Westley for a golden duck; *Eve O’Neill took a third wicket from her next over when Daisy Jeanes was caught at ‘in the covers’ by Tia Joseph; *Score 72/3 at midway (12.3overs); *With a ‘tired’ shot, Gemma Porter was bowled top of middle stump by Daisy Gibb who’d returned for a fresh spell; *Playing a skipper’s innings scoring ‘fifty’ and going on to make top-score, Bethan ‘Beth’ Gammon went aerial, caught by keeper running to collect at ‘square-leg’ from Daisy Gibb; Glamorgan batting: Bethan ‘Beth’ Gammon72(57), Daisy Jeanes35(28), Gemma Porter29(32) Bea Ellis11(23); Sharks bowling: Eve O’Neill 3/14, Daisy Gibb 2/16;
Sharks innings: wearing pink over black *Skipper Chiara Green *[Georgia Parfitt keeper for Glamorgan] with Mollie Adams from Vipers Academy (six counties); *Rachel King was bowled by Poppy Tulloch, dislodging her off stump bail; *Jazz Westley was caught aerial by Isla Thomson at ‘extra cover,’ from Eve Jackson; *Score 53/3 (vs 72/3) at midway (12.3overs); *Missing a square-cut, Mollie Adams was stumped by keeper Georgia Parfitt, from Daisy Jeanes; *Chiara Green was ‘run out’ by Eve Jackson’s direct hit, from spinner Nicole Reid’s ‘full-toss’; *Talitha ‘Tia’ Stanley well-timed ‘over-the-top,’ but was caught at ‘long-off’ by Daisy Jeanes, from Nicole Reid; *Lucy Western mis-timed scoop, ramped straight into keeper’s gloves from Eve Jackson’s ‘full-toss’; *Daisy Gibb missed driving a dead-straight ball, and was bowled by Poppy Tulloch; *With four balls remaining, Tia Joseph mis-timed a top-edge to ‘mid-wicket,’ caught at Eve Jackson from Poppy Tulloch; *Anna Lewis mis-timed a top-edge to ‘backward point,’ caught by Bea Ellis, from Poppy Tulloch’s final innings ball; Sharks batting: Daisy Gibb24(21), Mollie Adams19(35), Lucy Western13(21), Jazz Westley12(27), Chaira Green11(10); Glamorgan bowling:Poppy Tulloch 4/28, Eve Jackson 2/21, Nicole Reid 1/20, Daisy Jeanes 1/13;
*Match result: Glamorgan Women 178/5 (@7.1 runs-per-over from 25/25 overs); beat Sussex Sharks Women 125/9 (@5 r-p-o, target 179 from 25/25 overs); by 53 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play at URL: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/#c39cfaf83-ff45-4d8d-8ad8-682869d75201_m6aef25c5-e014-410a-a4f9-e76966b2aeec & Also BBC Sport at URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225576
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Glamorgan Cricket TV (NV Play) via YouTube [starting 03:39:10/from 07h17m45s] @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atG6VDA7NzE
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/03/04/metro-bank-league-one-fixtures-for-2025/
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