Birmingham Bears vs Lancashire Thunder women (match 16 league one – double header) at Birmingham, Edgbaston Stadium on Sunday, 8 June 2025
Commentators lauded both teams for staging a gripping match: said to be a ‘great advertisement’ for the competition, ‘with superb fielding.’ Apart from the final ball, commentators found it difficult to separate the two teams. When Thunder lost their first four wickets to different bowlers, Aaron Viles said it was the first time in women’s cricket, that four wickets had fallen during six overs ‘power-play.’ Constant ball-towelling became necessary with light drizzle until players were taken off during Thunder’s penultimate over. All six Bears bowlers took at least one wicket, Hannah Hardwick taking her maiden wicket playing her second match for Bears. After fifteen minutes hiatus, Thunder played their twentieth over. Bears replied with a notable partnership of 43 runs between Abbey Freeborn and Davina Perrin.Nat Wraith (pictured) [58*not out runs(from 34 balls)] made top-score with four ‘fours’ and two ‘sixes,’ bagging her second ‘fifty’ since joining Bears during May. An exciting final over unfolded where Bears needed to score an unlikely 14 runs to win. Needing to score ‘six’ to win from the final ball, Hannah Hardwick was left with too much to do; as Thunder bagged the winning points. Interviewed post-match, Nat Wraith said it was a ‘close game’ in which Bears ‘bowled well’ and got ‘early wickets.’ Commentators were Aatif Nawaz (Bears TV host) with Adam Bridge, Aaron Viles (Cricketfanaticsmag.com) and guest player Chloe Brewer. Weather was cloudy with occasional drizzle 14C.
Thunder women wearing rose-red with thin dark blue shards; *skipper Ellie Threlkeld; *[Nat Wraith keeping wicket for Bears]; *International player Alana King (Australia); *with Ailsa Lister(Scotland) *without Kate Cross (England call-up) *with Tilly Kesteven for Eve Jones; *Emma Lamb was bowled with her ‘off-stump cartwheeled’ by Issy Wong; *Seren Smale was stumped by Nat Wraith, from Georgia Davis’ wide ball; *Fi Morris went aerial, caught at ‘backward point’ by Abbey Freeborn, from Charis Pavely; *Ellie Threlkeld was caught aerial at ‘short-third’ by Millie Taylor from Hannah Hardwick; *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 37/4; *Recovering after 10 overs, to 75/4; *Mistiming a ‘square-cut,’ Ailsa Lister went ‘leg-before’ to Hannah Baker;’ *’Double-breakthrough’ when Tilly Kesteven was bowled by Millie Taylor; *Alana King was caught ‘brilliantly’ by Davina Perrin re-adjusting herself forward, from Millie Taylor; *Tara Norris and Alana King were ‘not out’; Thunder women batting: Ailsa Lister39(26), Tara Norris33*not out(24), Tilly Kesteven29(37), Alana King21(13), Seren Smale12(10); Bears bowling: Millie Taylor 2/25, Hannah Hardwick 1/18, Charis Pavely 1/22, Georgia Davis 1/24, Hannah Baker 1/34, Issy Wong 1/35;
Bears women wearing ’sky’ blue diamond cheque with yellow trim over dark blue; with yellow helmets and black caps; *skipper Georgia Davis *[Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for Thunder] *with international players Laura Harris (Australia) & Sterre Kalis (NL); *Without Emily ‘Em’ Arlott for England call-up; *without Katie George; *Mistiming a ‘sweep’ Davina Perrin was bowled by Grace Johnson; *After 6 overs ‘power-play’ 47/1 (vs 37/4); *Sterre Kalis was caught at ‘long-off’ by Grace Potts from Tara Norris; *Missing her ‘backward-sweep,’ Abbey Freeborn went ‘leg-before’ to Sophie Morris; *Laura Harris steepled ‘upwards,’ caught-and-bowled by Sophie Morris at ‘mid-off’; *Charis Pavely caught at ‘long-off’ by Tara Norris, from Grace Johnson; *Level-pegging after 10 overs, to 74/4 (vs 75/4); *Issy Wong was bowled by Tara Norris’s slower ball; *Millie Taylor was caught at ‘deep square’ by Seren Smale, from Tara Norris; *’Needing to score four,’ Georgia Davis was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Fi Morris, from Alana King; *Hannah Baker was caught at ‘extra cover’ by Ailsa Lister, from Grace Potts; *Top-scorer Nat Wraith was ‘not out;’ Bears batting: Nat Wraith58*not out(34), Davina Perrin34(23), Charis Pavely27(20), Abbey Freeborn10(14); Thunder bowling: Tara Norris 3/25, Grace Johnson 2/28, Sophie Morris 2/37, Grace Potts 1/21, Alana King 1/27;
Match result: Lancashire Thunder (women) 162/7 (@8.1 runs-per-over from 20/20overs) beat Birmingham Bears (women) 157/9 (@7.8 r-p-o from 20/20 overs; target 163 from 20 overs) by 5 runs
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m5208e443-e895-4330-8ea9-a8422b9721da
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225305 & SKY Sports@url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/bears-women-v-lancashire-thunder/scorecard/e9a0da98-995a-53ec-860a-4b2a52966743
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Bears TV (Warwickshire County Cricket Club) via YouTube [03h50m33s] @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAPiPiTyd8
*Post match ‘interview with Nat Wraith after Bears Women host Lancs’ courtesy of Warwickshire County Cricket Club (Bears TV/Vertu) via YouTube [01m09s]@url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgZq_scYPWE
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/11/27/vitality-blast-fixtures-for-season-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2024/11/27/vitality-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2025/
