South-East Stars v Sunrisers
RHF Trophy
Beckenham 11 July 2023
Result:
SES 290-9 (50 0vers)
Sunrisers 262-7 (48 overs)
SES won by 19 runs (DLS method)
The BBC predicted a lot of rain, so we saw 552 runs scored. Thank you, Auntie.
Though both sides reached big totals, they were largely due to the efforts of three batters each. Both opening partnerships flourished. First Kira Chathli and Alexa Stonehouse blunted the visitors’ attack eith a stand of 111. In the process both registered career bests (71 and 51 respectively). Chathli is always an elegant performer, while Stonehouse is rapidly transforming from a left-arm pace bowler who can bat a bit, into a highly promising opener who can turn her arm over. She had shown her promise in the U19 World Cup in Potechefstroom adding vital runs with Josie Groves to save the tightest of games against Australia.
But the bulk of the runs came from the new signing Tazmin Brits who, wearing the whitest of white batting-gloves, scored a brilliant 100, the quickest yet recorded in this year’s RHF Trophy. (112*/ 72; 10 x 4, 5 x 6!) Quite a baptism. With Dane van Niekerk now installed as Sunrisers’ skipper, we’re left wondering how many cricketers are left behind in the republic to keep the pot boiling.
DvN played a lead role in the reply. But by now the predicted rain had arrived. Covers were hauled over the square one by one, then hauled off again. Then on. I won’t repeat myself.
To everyone’s delight the game resumed, Sunrisers with two overs docked and ‘only’ 282 needed. How would the pitch behave now, and would the bowlers be able to control it properly?
For a long period through the second innings, the answer seemed to be no. Now it was Cordelia Griffith and Grace Scrivens who provided the launch-pad, compiling 143, but at around only 4.5 an over. Would that be enough? DvN upped the scoring-rate when Scrivens fell for 59/96, and Bryony Smith went through a cast-list of seven bowlers before alighting on her match-winner, Danni Gregory.
The leg-spinner had that wet-ball to deal with as well as two batters who were more than well set. She produced the goods.
First she snaffled Griffith leg before. Sadly for the batter, she had reached a splendid 92/113, but those last eight runs remained out of reach.
When DvN managed to steer a leg-side gift into Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones’ hands, you sensed the game was altering course sharply. Sunrisers’ run-rate had rarely been enough to concern the Stars, and now they started losing wickets as if it was the final stages of a T20. A promising 214-2 descended to a frustrating 262-7 all too quickly.
Teams:
SES
Bryony Smith (captain), Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones, Tazmin Brits, Kira Chathli, Alice Davidson- Richards, Freya Davies, Dani Gregory, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Kalea Moore, Paige Scholfield, Alexa Stonehouse
Sunrisers
Dané van Niekerk (captain), Amara Carr, Kelly Castle, Kate Coppack, Jodi Grewcock, Cordelia Griffith, Esmae MacGregor, Flo Miller, Grace Scrivens, Amu Surenkumar, Mady Villiers
Missing from the visitors’ line-up were Abtaha Maqsood who rejoined the Scotland team in the Netherlands for a Tri-Series (NL plus Thailand). Jo Gardner had a hand injury.
