Northern Diamonds vs South East Stars at North Marine Road Ground, Scarburough in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Photo credit: Northern Diamonds (Twitter)
Sophia Dunkley top scored for her South East Stars side with a run-a-ball 101*, but her efforts went in vain as Jess Woolston’s 5-for and Sterre Kalis’ 66* saw the Northern Diamonds claw their way back into the rain affected match to take a 3 wicket win with just 2 balls remaining (DLS Method).
South East Stars: 223 all out (44.2/46) S Dunkley 101* (101), P Franklin 26 (31), J Woolston 5-37 (9).
Northern Diamonds 178/7 (35.4/36) won by 3 wickets (DLS Method). S Kalis 66* (98) L Winfield-Hill 45 (58), R Macdonald-Gay 2-25 (4).
South East Stars starting XI: Kira Chathli (WK), Aylish Cranstone, Bryony Smith ©, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Davidson-Richards, Paige Scholfield, Phoebe Franklin, Tash Farrant, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Freya Davies, Danielle Gregory.
Northern Diamonds starting XI: Lauren Winfield-Hill (WK), Sterre Kalis, Hollie Armitage ©, Bess Heath, Chloe Tryon, Phoebe Turner, Leah Dobson, Abi Glen, Lizzie Scott, Katie Levick, Jess Woolston.
The game got underway with a slight delay with a wet outfield resulting in a 46 over-a-side match, the Northern Diamonds at home in Scarborough deciding to have a bowl first.
Kira Chathli, Stars wicketkeeper, and fellow opener Aylish Cranstone got the proceedings underway for their side. The Diamonds struck early and Cranstone fell in the 3rd for just 5 runs – caught behind by Winfield-Hill off Woolston. Skipper Bryony Smith coming in for 13 runs but sending it straight to Abi Glen at square leg
Chathli was soon removed by Woolston after chipping the ball to keeper Winfield-Hill, scoring 18 off 21 at the top of the order. England international Sophia Dunkley came to the crease following Smith’s dismissal, but partners around her kept falling. Alice Davidson-Richards was only able to back her for a matter of 8 balls during their partnership before she had to depart after a carbon copy repeat of a dismissal to that of her skipper’s, Woolston and Glen pairing once more.
Paige Schofield came to bat off the back of two centuries in 4 innings, only to be swiftly met with a sharp caught and bowled from Jess Woolston, taking her maiden List A 5-for. The Stars were 57-5 after 11 overs and in need of a super innings to rescue their hopes of a win.
Northern Diamonds’ Jess Woolston takes her maiden List A 5-for by removing South East Stars’ Paige Scholfield caught and bowled.
Dunkley, with Phoebe Franklin alongside her, embarked on a run scoring mission putting up a 45-run partnership with Franklin before the latter sent a delivery from Glen to a leaping Kalis at extra cover.
There was a tricky period for the Diamonds with Tash Farrant’s cameo of 13 (31) alongside Dunkley adding another 45 run partnership. Farrant headed back to the pavillion after Kalis caught her at cover off Lizzie Scott.
Dunkley accelerated toward the end to power herself to 101* (101) with 7 fours and a six in her innings, exploiting Armitage’s leg spin to get her only 6. The Stars finished 223 all out after 44.2 overs out of 46 with the Diamonds chasing 224 from 46.
Diamonds keeper Lauren Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis opened up, with the pair pulling off a 88 run partnership before Winfield-Hill had to go for 45 after guiding the ball into the stumps off Ryana Macdonald-Gay.
The rain came down shortly after and the match was once again reduced, the Diamonds had just 14.4 overs left (36 overs overall) to chase 178. Hollie Armitage was next in the order but her time was short lived, pulling Macdonald-Gay to deep mid-wicket leaving with 7 runs.
Kalis’ 50 came up shortly after during her 41-run partnership with Bess Heath – who scored a quickfire 33 off 22 – and remained at the crease until the very end. Wickets fell around her, Heath included, as well as Chloe Tryon who fell victim to a run out after a spot of confusion for a golden duck and Phoebe Turner bowled by Freya Davies after trying to play a scoop shot.
The game ended up going to the final over – the Diamonds needed 4 runs, the Stars needed 4 wickets. With the batting side’s tailenders leaving for just single digits, it was down to Kalis and Abi Glen to steer the game in Diamonds’ way. Glen was stumped on the second ball by Kira Chathli off Bryony Smith, with new batter Lizzie Scott on strike. She scored the winning runs for her side, a single off the 4th ball of the over.
The Northern Diamonds won by 3 wickets with just 2 balls remaining (DLS Method).
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Written by Ellie Indie.
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