Kent Women vs Derbyshire Falcons Women at Canterbury, The Spitfire Ground St Lawrence (Kent) on Saturday 26 April 2025 (10h30)
Kent women bowled out their visitors and chased down the required runs with ease to win by a wide margin of nine wickets. Astonishingly, the visitors failed to chalk-up a defendable score as they ran out of wickets inside 44 overs. Home team commentators lauded Kent women for an ‘emphatic performance,’ with ‘great captaincy’ from Megan Belt and a ‘scintillating’ all-round performance from Amy Gordon, with bat-and-ball on her home debut. Falcons started well, reaching sixty runs from ten overs power-play; boosted by gifted ‘extras’ that asked questions about bowlers accuracy. As before in Falcon’s previous match, Lara Shaw scored another fifty,’ plundering four consecutive ‘fours’ from Olivia Barnes. Although Barnes was immediately taken off, she returned sometime later to take a wicket-maiden. Undoubtedly this was Amy Gordon’s day, not only mentioned A) for taking four dismissals: one catch and a ‘run-out;’ two wickets during the final over; but also B) for scoring her unbeaten ton [111*not out (from 110 balls)]; C) hitting the winning ‘four’ and D) carrying her bat undefeated. Separately, in partnership with Gordon, Megan Sturge made her inaugural ’fifty’ for victorious Kent. Commentators included Cameron ‘Cam’ Ponsonby (Sports Journalist) and guest. Weather was cloudy and cool 13C.
Derbyshire Falcons women wearing dark blue with light blue leg stripes; *Skipper Adrianna Darlow *[Mollie Davis keeping wicket for Kent] with Lara Shaw (Blaze Academy Loan) & Rhiannon Knowling-Davies (Blaze Academy class of 2024); *Opener Jessica Couser went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Grace Poole; *After 10 overs power-play 60/1; *Critical moment when ’stand-out batter’ Lara Shaw made her back-to-back ‘fifty’ but was stumped by Mollie Davis, from Megan Belt; *Natasha ‘Tash’ Allen went aerial, caught at ‘backward-point’ by Grace Poole, from Isabella James fourth ball on her ‘home debut;’ *Ellie Nightingale was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Amy Gordon, from Megan Belt; *Midway for drinks (25 overs) 136/4; *Taking a ‘high risk’ reverse-sweep, Ella Porter 5(19) went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Isabella James; *Skipper Darlow was caught-and-bowled by Olivia Barnes; *Millie Gray was ‘run out’ by Grace Poole’s throw to Amy Gordon receiving at the non-striker’s end; *Gemma Rose was bowled ‘top-of-middle’ by Olivia Barnes; *Rhiannon Knowling-Davies was caught at ‘deep square’ by Megan Belt, from Amy Gordon; *Caitlin McDonald was caught behind by Mollie Davies from Amy Gordon; leaving *Pagan Hardwick ‘not out;’ *Falcons batting: Lara Shaw65(52), Natasha ‘Tash’ Allen23(36), Ella Porter24(50), Adrianna Darlow28(50), Rhiannon Knowling-Davies17(41); Kent bowling: Amy Gordon 2/24, Isabella James 2/29, Olivia Barnes 2/39, Megan Belt 2/48, Grace Poole 1/19 ;
*Kent women wearing bright-blue with white shoulder trim over dark blue *Skipper Megan Belt *[MM keeping wicket for Falcons] *with Megan Sturge loaned from Hants; *After 10 overs power-play 38/1 (vs 60/1); *Midway for drinks (25 overs) with three wickets advantage 126/1 (vs 136/4); Kent batting: Amy Gordon 111*not out, Megan Sturge 61*not out(78); *Falcons bowling: Rhiannon Knowling-Davies 1/48;
*Match result: Kent Women 190/1 (@5.9 runs-per-over from 35.2/50 overs target 190); beat Derbyshire Falcons Women 189/10 (@4.2 r-p-o, from 44/50 overs); by nine wickets
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via NV Play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m446c48b4-d8b8-4726-af1d-469cf79f1390 & Also BBC Sport at url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225581
SKY Sports @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/kent-women-v-derbyshire-falcons-women/scorecard/786cf1b2-9fcc-55ee-8e77-2f3a14aa1158
*Full match free-to-air courtesy of Kent Cricket (Livestream sponsored by Cluberly) via YouTube [05h01m43s] @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW1uqO-d0xM&t=42s
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