Josh Gorton
Remark & Evaluation
South East Stars start their title defence with victory over Sunrisers; Southern Vipers and Central Sparks additionally prevail on the opening day of the T20 competitors
Final Up to date: 14/05/22 6:53pm
Winfield-Hill smashed 96 in her blistering 51-ball knock
Lauren Winfield-Hill produced a shocking 96 from simply 51 balls to encourage Northern Diamonds to victory over Lightning of their opening match of the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
The 20-over-competition – named after England ladies’s most-capped participant – sees eight ladies’s regional groups battling it out in two teams of 4, and it was Winfield-Hill who claimed the plaudits to steer her facet to a 39-run win.
The England opener smashed 12 fours and 4 sixes in a blistering 51-ball knock, solely to succumb 4 runs in need of an impressive century.
Diamonds appeared poised to publish a mammoth complete after racing to 145-1 inside 15 overs, however Kirstie Gordon (1-26) helped stem the tide, with Kathryn Bryce (2-44) additionally that includes late on because the guests posted 177-5 – aided by an unbeaten 40 from Hollie Armitage.
Marie Kelly (46 off 37) continued her positive kind to provide the Lightning innings early impetus, whereas England’s Tammy Beaumont (59 off 49) plundered eight fours to convey up her half-century.
Beaumont was unable to encourage Lightning to victory regardless of her elegant half-century
However, Beaumont’s dismissal within the seventeenth over sparked a late Lightning capitulation because the hosts misplaced 5 wickets for ten runs, with Emma Marlow (2-12), Linsey Smith (2-18) and Beth Langston (2-22) snaring two wickets apiece.
Within the different Group B conflict, Southern Vipers underlined their credentials with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Thunder at Hove.
Regardless of profitable the toss, Thunder have been restricted to 102-7 by Vipers’ star-studded assault, that includes debutant Anya Shrubsole, who introduced her worldwide retirement following England’s World Cup closing defeat to Australia.
Shrubsole (1-18 off 3) claimed bragging rights by clean-bowling England team-mate Kate Cross, nevertheless it was one other debutant who stole the highlight, with 17-year-old Freya Kemp (2-13 off 4) having fun with a dream begin to her Vipers profession.
England spinner Charlie Dean (2-18 off 4) additionally impressed, whereas Emma Lamb (23) top-scored for Thunder, who have been unable to include the rampant guests.
Cross (1-23) provided the hosts early hope by dismissing Ella McCaughan inside the primary over, however skipper Georgia Adams (34) and Maia Bouchier (48 not out) guided Vipers to victory contained in the 14th over.
In Group A, South East Stars started their title defence with a convincing six-wicket win over Sunrisers at Chelmsford.
Having been inserted by the reigning champions, Sunrisers made a strong begin to attain 35-0, earlier than top-scorer Cordelia Griffith (26) was run out – certainly one of three in the course of the innings.
Mady Villiers (20) struck three boundaries in an enterprising 13-ball knock, however the hosts struggled to construct momentum, ending on 122-6, with Bryony Smith, Emma Jones and Kalea Moore choosing up a wicket apiece.
Aylish Cranstone (56 not out) anchored Stars’ run-chase, registering seven fours and a six to steer the guests residence alongside Kira Chathli (26 not out), with 19 balls remaining.
Within the different Group A showdown, Amy Jones and Abi Freeborn made half-centuries as Central Sparks defeated Western Storm by 20 runs at Sophia Gardens.
Sparks have been struggling at 13-2 halfway by the third over, however a terrific 91-run partnership between Jones (52 off 44) and Freeborn (52 off 48) shifted the pendulum.
Jones steered Sparks to a hard-fought win over Western Storm of their opener
Danielle Gibson (2-37) accounted for Freeborn – having earlier claimed the prized scalp of Eve Jones – just for Ami Campbell to propel the guests to 156-4 from their 20 overs, with an unbeaten 30 from 17 balls.
Storm have been firmly in rivalry at 91-1 within the thirteenth over, however captain Sophie Luff (43) and Georgia Hennessy (27) succumbed in fast succession, and so they have been unable to recuperate.
Issy Wong (2-28 off 4) eliminated Luff earlier than dismissing the harmful Gibson, and regardless of an unbeaten 22 by former England worldwide Fran Wilson, Storm fell quick of their pursuit of a gap day win.
