England ‘A’ New Zealand ‘A’ – Second ODI
Derby
Flora Devonshire took England to the wire in a thrilling second ODI.
First, the team changes: England – Hannah Baker replaced Alexa Stonehouse.
NZ – Polly Inglis replaced Izzy Gaze with the gloves; Nensi Patel for Emma Black.
Grace Scrivens chose to bat first again, but she and Davina Perrin couldn’t produce this time. Instead Seren Smale (48), Jodi Grewcock (63) and Freya Kemp (58) all batted aggressively to make New Zealand work for victory. But it was Charis Pavely, coming in at 6, who ensured a respectable total with 74* off 59 deliveries. After she was dismissed by Bree Illing – one of two late successes for the left-armer – England had time for only 18 more runs.
There was drama aplenty in Pavely’s knock, none more remarkable than the skier that swirled straight up in the air. Inglis tried to guess where it would descend, got it wrong, and she fell to her knees as it fell to earth.
More drama when Kemp ran a single, while Pavely was set on two. Her brakes screamed and she got back, flat on her face. Her response was to hook Rowe for six. She continued playing an unselfish innings. It included a nerveless step to the off-side to deposit an Illing ball over the square-leg rope. She tried a repeat, but Illing had her victim.
Hannah Rowe bowled with real pace (10-0-46-2) and Jess Watkin (10-0-49-1) put a brake on the innings with her off-spin. It was Illing, despite inaccuracy (9 fours conceded) who took the wickets (4-64).
A total of 286 is no longer a sure winner these days.
The Reply
Grace Potts made an inauspicious start, bowling three consecutive leg-side wides. By her ninth delivery her radar had located the off-stump. Unlike Grace Thompson in a previous game her line is more off to leg, not wicket to wicket.
She lasted three overs, but Phoebe Turner, replacing her, has a similar off-to-leg action. Despite her two wickets I fear the selectors won’t be totally convinced.
Tilly Corteen-Coleman was posing problems, but couldn’t make a breakthrough. The openers, Georgia Plimmer and Emma McLeod batted so well that they added 132 in under 22 overs. Grewcock, bowling far better than her fellow leg-spinner Hannah Baker in their first spells, finally had McLeod lofting a catch to Scrivens (43/57). But Watkin’s arrival only increased English worries. She added a further hard-hit 47 with Plimmer, and England were staring defeat in the face.
TCC bowled a wonderful over to Plimmer as she started on 97. Three dots, including a great return stop reaching wide, and another on the boundary by Kemp added up to one run off the over.
Eventually the captain offered Baker a second spell. How fortunes can spin. Now her hangdog-look was replaced with a broad smile. She clean-bowled James and Watkin, and Rhianna Southby took a smart catch behind (10-0-69-3).
Plimmer pushed a single off Baker to reach 99, then Izzy James was undone just as Watkin had been minutes before.
Plimmer went to an excellent hundred off a wide full-toss from the leg-spinner. She didn’t give her wicket away (“Let the others have a go”). Instead, TCC beat her with flight and she gave a simple return catch (100/106).
At their best the Kiwis reached 179-1. From there NZ lost 5 for 36, but loose English bowling brought the target ever closer.
Batters four to seven added a paltry 19 runs between them, but Flora Devonshire was made of sterner stuff. She took the brave route, hitting out at anything within reach, and Molly Penfold gave good support.
As Potts and Turner went on leaking big runs, this was where the captain’s calmness and experience paid dividends. Scrivens had sensed that one wicket would likely lead to many more. That is how it worked. The Ferns slipped from 179-2 to 230-8. TCC and Grewcock bowled tight lines.
Trouble came for England with the return of the two quicks; both proved expensive. The 44th over from Turner was poor, Devonshire helping herself to 16 easy runs.
Scrivens was justified in allowing herself a bowl. At this stage NZ were cruising to victory at 6 rpo. She took two crucial wickets, tail-enders certainly, but they had to be dismissed.
The run-rate was checked. but an overthrow kept Devonshire on strike, and she hoisted Potts over her head for four (not 6, as first thought!) 17 off 15 needed. She hooked the next ball for an undoubted 6, then lofted one through the covers for 4 – a remarkable 50 off 34.
Let’s say Potts was looking thoughtful. 17 off the over, and a single to keep Devonshire on strike.
Final Chapter
Rowe hadn’t looked in great difficulty, but hadn’t been able to put the ball away. As Baker started her last over, she edged to the keeper (10/23).
In the most dramatic of circumstances, the game drew to a close. Six needed off two overs; one wicket standing.
Devonshire somehow scrambled a two off Scrivens’ first ball. She and Illing tried the same again, but an athletic leap and shy by Southby gained the square-leg umpire’s verdict for a run-out.
Devonshire lay as if deflated on the ground, but she can be very proud of her performance (54 off 36).
Scores:
England 286-8
New Zealand 284 (48.2 overs)
England win by 2 runs
Teams
England
Grace Scrivens (captain), Seren Smale, Davina Perrin, Jodi Grewcock, Freya Kemp, Charis Pavely, Rhianna Southby (w-k), Grace Potts, Phoebe Turner, Hannah Baker, Tilly Corteen-Coleman
New Zealand
Georgia Plimmer, Emma McLeod, Jess Watkin, Bella James (captain), Izzy Sharp, Hannah Rowe, Polly Inglis (w-k), Flora Devonshire, Molly Penfold, Nensi Patel, Bree Illing
Coverage
Either Derbyshire CCC or the ECB were kind enough to provide moving pictures in full colour, but not a trace of the game was to be found on any ECB page. Nor could it afford to provide commentary.
Of the two fixed cameras, the southern one developed seasickness and had to retire ill for periods.
This England team is one of four (4!) currently in operation. It’s termed the ‘A’ team, but in essence it’s the young thrusters. I’ll leave an attempt at sorting out all four squads to another day.
