Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 2022: All Matches June 1st - Latest News, Scores and Match Reports

Here is all the latest news, scores and match report updates from the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 2022 - Wednesday June 1^st  2022.

 

 

 

Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 2022 - Wednesday, June 1^st 2022 - Fixtures Schedule

Thunder v Southern Vipers (Old Trafford)

The Southern Vipers are the first team through to Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day - and the final - after beating Thunder by six wickets under lights at Emirates Old Trafford, chasing 95 in 15.3 overs.

Vipers have qualified for the Northampton showpiece (June 11) with one Group B game remaining following a superb bowling and fielding display led by England off-spinner Charlie Dean, who returned three for 16 from four overs to limit their hosts to 94 for six.

Thunder included England trio Emma Lamb, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone - the latter pair only just back from IPL Challenge commitments in India. But they were unable to break the shackles imposed on them by a team who have now won all five games in the competition named after their head coach.

None of the Vipers’ five bowlers conceded more than 20 runs in their four-over spells, with left-arm seamer Freya Kemp also impressing with two for 20 before Georgia Elwiss top-scored in the reply with a measured 38 not out off 35 balls.

The Vipers have also qualified direct for the final a week on Saturday as the best of the two group winners courtesy of a five-point, bonus point win here. 

They sit on 23 points, while Group A leaders Central Sparks have 17 with only five more points to play for.

This was a display from the Vipers which had all the hallmarks of a team who reached last year’s Charlotte Edwards semi-final and are back-to-back Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy champions. 

Thunder, who elected to bat, lost in-form openers Lamb and Georgie Boyce for five and nine as the score slipped to 44 for three after 10 overs. 

Kemp had Lamb caught at mid-on and bowled Boyce. Sandwiched in between, Cross, promoted to bat at three, fell victim to a combination of England team-mates Dean and Danni Wyatt for 18.

Cross hoisted Dean out to deep midwicket, where Wyatt took a fine low catch on the run.

Ecclestone was also promoted to four in a side who have struggled for middle order runs through the competition.

She demonstrated her power by pulling her fourth ball for six over backward square-leg off Kemp as the score moved to 41 for two in the 10th over - shortly before opener Boyce’s dismissal.

Unfortunately for Thunder, playing in the primetime slot on a T20 double header day with Lancashire’s men, there was no more acceleration.

While Ecclestone made 28 not out off 32 balls, she was unable to find the boundary again and saw canny Dean trap Danielle Collins lbw and get Thunder captain Ellie Threlkeld caught and bowled cheaply.

In all, Thunder only hit four fours and that Ecclestone six, while 21-year-old Dean has now taken eight wickets in her first three games of the summer. This was her best haul so far.

Determined to complete the chase in 16.1 overs to secure the bonus point win which qualified them direct to the final, visiting openers Wyatt and captain Georgia Adams were busy from the off. 

Wyatt slog-swept Ecclestone for six over midwicket to advance the score to 22 without loss after three overs.

But there was a stumble as both openers fell in the space of four balls as the score slipped to 34 for two in the sixth over. Wyatt was stumped for 13 by Threlkeld sweeping at ex-World Cup winning spinner Alex Hartley before Cross had Adams caught at cover for 17.

Another left-arm spinner, Hannah Jones, had Maia Bouchier caught and bowled before Threlkeld superbly stumped Kemp stood up to Laura Jackson’s seam as the score fell to 75 for four after 13 overs.

But the presence of Elwiss ensured they were only minor blips, hitting five fours in her match-clinching innings.

Thunder bowler Kate Cross said: 

 

“We knew going into the second innings we were 30 or 40 runs short. It was a bit of a difficult one when you’ve seen the lads go and smoke 220. But it was quite a difficult pitch to score on when you bowled back of a length, and I thought they did that quite well.

“We actually competed really well in the second half, and had we had those 40 runs you never know.

“We had an opportunity to headline tonight in front of a decent crowd, and we just didn’t get the game that we wanted. It was a shame.”

 

Southern Vipers batter Georgia Elwiss said: 

 

“We knew coming here would be tough because Sophie and Crossy really strengthen them. But it’s all about focusing on us and do what we do well. And the bowlers were outstanding.

“To see two men’s teams share 400 runs and for us to restrict them to 94, I thought was outstanding.

“When you played your shots, it was still a pretty nice wicket.

“It was important to get the bonus point for us, and we’re absolutely delighted to qualify for Finals Day.

“In every game, someone steps up. The competition for places is driving us forward and keeping our standards high.

“We have a big game on Saturday (Northern Diamonds, Ageas Bowl) because we want to go through unbeaten and take momentum into that final.”

Western Storm v South East Stars (Bristol)

 

Alice Davidson-Richards held her nerve to usher South East Stars to a hard-fought three-wicket win over Western Storm in a thrilling Charlotte Edwards Cup contest at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.

Chasing a modest target of 110, Stars squeezed home with three balls to spare thanks, in large part, to a pugnacious innings of 35 from 25 balls from Davidson-Richards, who mustered five boundaries to help the visitors recover from 76-6 in the 16th over.

Bryony Smith contributed a useful 24 at the top of the order, but spinners Sophia Smale and Claire Nicholas claimed 2-18 and 1-19 respectively to ensure Stars did not have things all their own way.

Intent upon maintaining pressure on Group B leaders Central Sparks, Stars staged an impressive bowling performance, Kalea Moore producing a startling burst of three wickets for two runs in eight balls to put the skids under Storm, who came up short on 109-8 after being put in. The teenage off spinner was backed up by England international Freya Davies, who bowled superbly with the new ball and at the death to finish with figures of 2-17, while leg spinner Danielle Gregory kept things tight in a disciplined spell of 1-17 from three overs.

Only Georgia Hennessy, who made 27, and the experienced Fran Wilson, who contributed 33 not out from 30 balls, enjoyed any success with the bat as Storm struggled to build momentum in an innings that yielded a mere eight boundaries.

Just as they did when defeating Storm by seven wickets at Beckenham last month, Stars elected to field and immediately applied pressure, new ball bowlers Davies and Alexa Stonehouse adhering to the tenets of line and length to nullify a powerplay that yielded just 24 runs and featured a meagre three boundaries. Eager to impress against former team-mates, Davies struck in the first over, inducing Fi Morris to nick behind without scoring, and she might have had a second wicket when spilling a tough return catch off Hennessy, who was afforded a life on nine in the fifth over.

Taking the pace off paid dividends on a characteristically slow Bristol pitch, Bryony Smith and Gregory frustrating the second wicket pair of Hennessy and Sophie Luff, who were forced into taking risks against the spinners in an attempt to provide the innings with much-needed impetus. Dropped on 10 by Capsey at square leg in the previous over, talismanic Storm captain Luff succumbed to Gregory's leg breaks in the ninth, next over, skying a catch to Alice Davidson-Richards at long-on and departing for 13 with the score on 33.

Understanding the importance of finding the gaps and running hard, Wilson called Hennessy through for a second run, only for the opener to be run out by Phoebe Franklin's throw from deep mid-wicket as Storm slipped to 46-3. Hennessy had scored a battling 27 from 31 balls with three boundaries and her departure sparked a mini-collapse during the crucial middle overs.

Called upon in the 13th over and deployed from the Ashley Down Road end, Moore single-handedly dismantled the middle order, striking with her third ball to bowl hard-hitting Danielle Gibson for six before making a mess of Nat Wraith's stumps and having Katie George held at mid-off as the home side lurched to 57-6 in the 15th.

Thereafter, Wilson and Alex Griffiths were at least able to score at a run a ball to stage a partial recovery in a seventh wicket alliance of 31 in 4.1 overs. Griffiths offered a return catch to Capsey in the penultimate over and went for 16, while Niamh Holland was bowled by Davies, leaving Wilson undefeated on 33.

Determined to make a fight of it, Storm reduced the visitors to 43-4 inside nine overs. Claire Nicholas induced Aylish Cranstone to hit to mid-off and then held a catch at backward square off the bowling of Smale to remove Sofia Dunkley, while Smith, having harvested a quartet of fours in making 24 from 28 balls, holed put to Gibson at long-off in the act of driving. Smale struck again in her next over to account for Capsey, at which point the game was in the balance.

Requiring 58 runs off 10 overs with six wickets in hand, Stars were in need of a steadying influence. Instead, Franklin lost her off stump to George to further sow seeds of doubt. 

Moore and Davidson-Richards then staged a restorative stand of 21 in 4.2 overs to help calm any nerves, only for the former to be run out for 13 by Hennessy just when she was beginning to find fluency. When Davidson-Richards was run out by Wilson in the 18th over, Stars still needed 15 runs from 16 balls. 

Meeting the demands of the day in fine style, Stonehouse and Kira Chathli plundered 11 runs off the penultimate over, sent down by Gibson, to take the heat out of the situation.

Stars captain Bryony Smith said: "It was a really difficult pitch to play on and I found it hard out there myself. Chasing 110 might have looked straightforward, but it was anything but, and we had to hold our nerve. We always try and put pressure on our tail-end batters in practice and that paid off today. Alexa and Kira went out and played their shots at the end and showed no nerves. I thought we bowled and fielded really well and Kalea Moore and Freya Davies really deserved their wickets. As regards the top of the table, it's really out of our hands and all we can do is make sure we win the last game against Sunrisers and see where that leaves us."

 

Storm vice-captain Fran Wilson said: "We came up just short with the bat, especially in the power-play. I thought 120 would have been a par score on that pitch, because it was sticky and the ball wasn't coming on, especially after it went soft. In the end, we did quite well to get up to 109 and give the bowlers something to defend. We bowled and fielded really well and, at one stage, I actually thought we would go on and win the game. We're not the finished article, but we put up a great fight and refused to give in.  We were in control, but they just managed to get away from us at the end."

 

Northern Diamonds v Loughborough Lightning (Chester-le-Street)

 

Northern Diamonds kept their Charlotte Edwards Cup hopes on course by holding their nerve to defeat Lightning by five runs at Seat Unique Riverside.

The home side set an imposing total of 146 after Bess Heath led the way with a great knock of 60, sharing a partnership of 93 with Sterre Kalis. Kalis and skipper Hollie Armitage scored 39 and 30 respectively to lay down a challenge for Lightning.

Ella Claridge and Bethany Harmer gave Lightning real hope of chasing down the target, but the Diamonds’ bowlers held their composure under pressure led by Armitage with figures of 4 for 27. Linsey Smith and Emma Marlow were also on point to edge out a narrow victory, taking the race for finals day into the final game.

After winning the toss, Heath and Kalis were in great touch at the top of the innings to put the visitors on the back foot in the power play. Heath made the most of a life after Kathryn Bryce failed to run her out for one, while Kalis was also afforded a second chance when Teresa Graves put her down on 14 at square leg.

Lightning were to rue those missed opportunities as Kalis and Heath poured on the runs for the home side. The two batters cruised past the fifty partnership for the opening stand in only 40 balls, and surpassed the highest stand for the first wicket for the Diamonds in the 2022 campaign.

Heath used a reverse sweep to perfection to bring up her fifty, dispatching Marie Kelly for two boundaries in the 12th over to reach the milestone. The opening stand of 93 was the Diamonds’ highest of the season, and was only ended when Kalis mistimed her drive off Lucy Higham to Claridge.

Heath and Armitage kept the pressure on the visitors and pressed over the 100-run mark. Piepa Cleary prised out Heath for a fine innings of 60 as Sarah Bryce stumped the opener after she overbalanced looking for a big hit.

Late wickets from the visitors prevented the Diamonds surpassing 150, but the hosts were well placed after posting 145 for five from their 20 overs.

Marlow made an instant breakthrough for the Diamonds to remove Marie Kelly to put the visitors on the back foot in the first over. However, Lightning responded through Bethany Harmer and Claridge, who raced to their fifty partnership from 40 balls, matching the earlier effort from Kalis and Heath. Armitage brought herself into the attack and secured a vital breakthrough to dismiss Harmer lbw for 35, ending the partnership for the second wicket for 74.

Sophie Munro ensured the game would have a tense finish with a quick-fire 16 from 10 balls. Armitage held her composure when it mattered the most to dismiss Munro, Graves and Cleary, but Sarah Bryce still kept Lightning in the game, requiring 10 runs from the final over. But, the Diamonds held their nerve under pressure as Smith bowled Higham and had Ballinger caught by Phoebe Turner to guide her side over the line.

Diamonds' Bess Heath: "It always makes the game exciting to take it down to the final over. Linsey Smith held her nerve in the final over and she bowled really well in the final over. It showed her composure to take over the game. We like to keep things interesting as a team. It was a great performance by the girls today, we stuck at it throughout the afternoon even when things were not going our way at times. It was really pleasing to get over the line and get that vital win. We're heading for an exciting final game against Southern Vipers, we've just got to go there and win."

 

Lightning's Marie Kelly said: "We thought that it was something that we could definitely chase down, and we got ourselves off to a good start. A little bit of panic set in there at the end due to the pressure. We're really gutted that we could get over the line and chase that total. We were disappointed that we didn't keep them to a lower score when it was in the balance. We've done a good job of reeling teams in, but we need to get more wickets in the early stages to prevent those totals from getting out of reach. Ella Claridge and Beth Harmer batted very well, we just couldn't get to that winning mark as a team."

Sunrisers v Central Sparks (Northampton)

Central Sparks captain Eve Jones struck her first half-century of the season to lead her side to a thrilling three run victory over Sunrisers at Wantage Road and almost certainly book themselves a place at finals day.

Jones struck 69 from just 62 balls as she rediscovered the form which saw her voted PCA Player of the Year last season. She shared an opening stand worth 92 in 12 overs with Issy Wong as Sparks posted 145 for five.

In reply Jo Gardner (41) and Amara Carr (37 not out) led a late spirited fightback with a partnership of 82 in nine overs, coming together after Sunrisers stuttered to 55 for five. They needed 14 from the final over, but when Gardner was caught in the deep attempting to clear the ropes, Sunrisers fell just short.

The result cements Sparks’ spot at the top of the table ahead of finals day which is also being played at Northampton on 11 June.

Jones took Sparks past 50 at the end of the powerplay with a big six over long-on off Mady Villiers, one of two maximums in her innings along with six boundaries. As well as hitting aerially over the infield and punching commandingly through the covers, she also timed the ball beautifully and showed excellent placement.

She was dropped on 65 and offered a tough caught and bowled chance just before reaching her half-century but otherwise looked in fluent touch.

Wong began aggressively before being well caught by a diving Villiers off Scotland leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood for 35. Grace Scrivens then accounted for Amy Jones when the England keeper edged an attempted cut behind. Abi Freeborn hit a run-a-ball 14 before she was caught off a lap sweep off Sunrisers skipper Kelly Caste with the visitors on 124 for three.

Jones was starved of the strike towards the end of the innings and fell attempting to scoop Naomi Dattani off the first ball of the final over. Dattani then picked up a second wicket in two balls when she bowled Ami Campbell without scoring.

In reply, Sunrisers lost Mady Villiers caught behind chasing one outside off stump off the opening over from Wong. Scrivens though looked fluent, driving sweetly through cover for a brace of fours off Liz Russell’s second over and pulling Wong for a big six behind square.

Sunrisers’ challenge seemed over  when they lost four wickets for 16 in five overs. First Scrivens holed out to deep midwicket off Russell on 27. Then Kelly was squared up by Arlott and offered a simple catch off the leading edge. Mia Rogers was run out through some sharp work from Hannah Baker and Arlott. Darrani who had ridden her luck, surviving two dropped catches, was trapped lbw by Baker for 17.

Carr and Gardner refused to give up the fight, taking Sunrisers to the brink of what would have been their first win of the season. Both showed plenty of intent from the start, Gardner freeing her arms against Baker in hitting her for three consecutive boundaries and later smoting her down the ground for six to leave Sunrisers needing 22 off the final two overs.

 

©Cricket World 2022