South Africa’s 85-run victory against table-toppers is vital.
South African international Tazmin Brits provided another match-winning performance as South East Stars won back-to-back Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches.
The Blaze 159 (Graves 56, Davies 3-28) were defeated by South East Stars 161 for 8 (Brits 85, Ballinger 3-26) by two wickets.
South African international Tazmin Brits provided another match-winning performance as South East Stars won back-to-back Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy matches. At the same time, The Blaze lost their unblemished record with a two-wicket defeat at the Welbeck club in north Nottinghamshire. Brits, whose semi-final half-century helped end England’s hopes in the Women’s T20 World Cup in February, followed her 112 not out against Sunrisers with 10 fours and three sixes in a 63-ball 85 to put the Stars right on the tail of the table’s current leader, The Blaze.
Teresa Graves top-scored for The Blaze with 56 as they recovered from 62 for six in their innings, but an all-out total of 159 never looked like enough to keep their perfect record in completed matches. Freya Davies (three for 28) was the pick of the Stars bowlers, with two wickets each from Alice Davidson-Richards, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, and Alexa Stonehouse. Following a brief rain delay, Stars needed to match The Blaze score in 48 overs, according to a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation, and despite some anxiety as late wickets left them eight behind, they cruised across the line with 14 and a half overs to spare. Left-arm quickness With three for 26, Grace Ballinger was the most successful Blaze bowler.
The Blaze got into difficulty early after deciding to bat first on what turned out to be a lively pitch, losing three wickets in the first seven overs while scoring only 19 runs. Marie Kelly was leg before in the same over after starting brightly with two boundaries off Davies. Georgie Boyce’s uppish cut stroke took out a backward point for Davies’ second before Kathryn Bryce dropped her middle stump to MacDonald-Gay.
Sarah Bryce and Michaela Kirk added 31 in seven overs before the latter was caught behind down the leg side off MacDonald-Gay, sparking another clatter of wickets as England Under-19 all-rounder Stonehouse struck in consecutive overs, bowling Kathryn Bryce with a full delivery and catching Nadine de Klerk caught behind off another nick. The Blaze had a long way to go from 62 for six after 17 overs to post a score they could reasonably hope to defend. Graves and Sophie Munro staged a comeback, contributing 65 for the seventh wicket on either side of an hour-long rain delay.
After Davies and Scholfield had shared four consecutive maidens, Munro holed out to mid-on before Graves was caught at mid-off, having completed her second List A fifty with her sixth boundary. Davies, who had been so efficient at the start of the innings, returned to York Lucy Higham, and Davidson-Richards had Grace Ballinger caught at cover in the 47th over.
The Stars, whose batting line-up has been one of the most potent in the 50-over competition this year, appeared well placed at the halfway point of the match but, like The Blaze, struggled early in their innings, falling to 30 for three in the powerplay. Stonehouse, who had made a strong start, attempted a single to backward point but was caught at slip by Kirk’s magnificent direct hit, while fellow opener Kira Chathli was caught at slip in the same over. Bryony Smith was leg before one that kept low until Kirstie Gordon struck with her second ball.
After being wary at the start, the Brits unleashed a barrage of shots to move the scoreboard in the Stars’ favor, smashing 24 runs in the space of eight deliveries, including two towering sixes and a sweeping four off Gordon and three boundaries off Kathryn Bryce. Two quick wickets gave The Blaze renewed hope as Bryce trapped Davidson-Richards in front, and Munro bowled Maddie Blinkhorn-Jones. Still, after Paige Scholfield had been dropped at slip, Brits went to a 43-ball fifty with a third six, hammered over long-on off Munro in a 20-run over, and it was clear the Stars would win so long as the South African was still there, with only 47 needed and 26 overs in hand. Scholfield fell for a streaky 19 when she top-edged Gordon to be caught at slip, and Brits, who is on a short-term contract with the Stars, couldn’t quite finish the job, Gordon holding a steepling catch at mid-off, but by then, only five runs were required for a win.
At 155 for eight, a brilliant catch by Kirk at gully to remove MacDonald-Gay off Ballinger provoked some worries for the Stars. Still, the overs in hand ensured their ninth-wicket partnership could bide their time before Davies struck the winning boundary.
Read more cricket news here at 22bet India, The Best Sports Betting Site in India.
