Cricket

The Blaze, led by a valiant performance from Wales international Bethan Gammon, secured their first victory in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy this season, overcoming Northern Diamonds by two wickets in a thrilling encounter at Scarborough.Despite being bowled out for modest totals in their previous three matches, The Blaze displayed resilience and determination in chasing down Diamonds' 188-run target. Gammon's crucial 39 runs from 52 deliveries proved pivotal, guiding her team to victory with just two balls remaining.The Blaze's innings got off to a solid start with captain Kirstie Gordon and Teresa Graves contributing 19 and 33 runs, respectively. However, it was Gammon's partnership with Ella Claridge (26 not out) that proved decisive. The duo shared a 61-run stand, steering The Blaze towards their target.Northern Diamonds, who elected to bat first, stumbled early on, losing four wickets for 22 runs. Gordon played a key role in the collapse, claiming three of the first four wickets. Scarborough native Leah Dobson's resilient 54 from 82 balls helped Diamonds recover, but it wasn't enough to secure victory.Sophie Munro emerged as the pick of the bowlers for The Blaze, claiming 3 for 28 from 8.4 overs. Off-spinner Lucy Higham also chipped in with two wickets.The Diamonds' spin attack, led by Katie Levick and Hollie Burns, posed a significant threat to The Blaze. Levick's economical 1 for 13 from 10 overs and Burns' 3 for 40 kept the Blaze batters on their toes.Despite the challenges, Gammon and Claridge remained composed, guiding The Blaze to a hard-fought victory. The win marks a significant turnaround for The Blaze, who had struggled in their previous matches.

Sunrisers' Grace Scrivens Shines with Century in Victory over Central SparksIn a thrilling encounter at Kidderminster, Sunrisers extended their impressive start to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy season with a five-wicket triumph over Central Sparks. The victory was orchestrated by a magnificent century from Grace Scrivens, who guided her team to a comfortable chase of Sparks' 213 all out.Sparks' innings began disastrously as they lost both openers for ducks. Abi Freeborn's composed 93 provided the backbone of their total, but disciplined bowling from Kate Coppack (3-26) and Nicola Hancock (3-34) restricted them to a modest score.In response, Sunrisers' chase was anchored by Scrivens' masterful 118 not out off 123 deliveries. Her innings was a symphony of strokeplay, featuring 12 boundaries and a towering six. Scrivens' partnership with Cordelia Griffith (37) laid the foundation for the victory, and despite a brief Sparks resurgence, she remained resolute, guiding her team to victory with 10.2 overs to spare.Scrivens' performance was a testament to her current form and confidence. "I'm feeling nice at the moment and when you are feeling nice you have to cash in," she said. "I was just happy I did that today and helped get us over the line."Sparks captain Eve Jones acknowledged the challenges her team faced. "We bowled well up top to take some wickets and then bowled well through the middle too," she said. "Sometimes you can let things drift when you don't take wickets but we stuck at it really well and it was nice to restrict Freeborn to the mid-nineties when she was in and set."Sunrisers' victory consolidates their position among the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy frontrunners, while Sparks will need to regroup after a string of defeats.

Southern Vipers emerged victorious in a thrilling three-wicket triumph over Thunder, extending their winning streak to three matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. Nancy Harman played a pivotal role in the victory, guiding her team to the finish line in a tense chase.Thunder, batting first, struggled in the opening Powerplay, losing Shachi Pai early on. However, Seren Smale and Katie Mack steadied the innings with a 94-run partnership. Smale, in particular, showcased her class, reaching her third career fifty and narrowly missing out on a century after being run out on 99.Vipers' bowlers, led by Linsey Smith's economical spell, kept Thunder in check throughout the innings. Smith claimed three wickets for just 19 runs, while Alice Monaghan and Mary Taylor also chipped in with crucial wickets.In response, Vipers' chase got off to a shaky start as Ella McCaughan and Charli Knott departed cheaply. Georgia Adams and Georgia Elwiss then steadied the ship with a solid partnership, but Elwiss's dismissal and Emily Windsor's quick departure put Vipers under pressure.Adams, who reached her 15th half-century, played a crucial knock, but her dismissal left Vipers needing 72 runs with just 39 balls remaining. Harman, Southby, and Monaghan stepped up to the plate, guiding Vipers to victory with three wickets in hand.Harman, in her first appearance of the season, played a match-winning innings, scoring an unbeaten 24 and ensuring Vipers' unbeaten record against Thunder remains intact.

In a thrilling encounter at Beckenham, the South East Stars emerged victorious over Central Sparks by a commanding 71-run margin (D/L method) in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Ryana MacDonald-Gay continued her impressive start to the season, claiming 4 for 18 to dismantle the Sparks' batting lineup. The Maidstone-born seamer has now amassed 12 wickets in just three matches, showcasing her lethal bowling prowess.Paige Scholfield and Tash Farrant laid the foundation for the Stars' victory with solid half-centuries. Scholfield contributed 65 runs, while Farrant, captaining the side in Bryony Smith's absence, scored 54.However, Hannah Baker of the Sparks staged a remarkable comeback, claiming five wickets in four balls to finish with career-best figures of 5 for 45. The Stars faltered from a promising position of 230 for 3 to 268 all out, but their total proved insurmountable for the Sparks.The Sparks' chase never gained momentum, as they lost four wickets for two runs, leaving them reeling at 56 for 2. MacDonald-Gay's double-wicket-maiden in the 18th over further crippled their hopes.Eve Jones and Chloe Brewer provided some resistance with a 35-run opening partnership, but the Sparks' batting collapsed after Brewer's dismissal. MacDonald-Gay's brilliance continued as she dismissed Davina Perrin, Eve Jones, and Abi Freeborn in quick succession.Despite a valiant effort from Issy Wong and Grace Ellis, who put together a 61-run partnership, the Sparks were unable to recover from their early setbacks. With 20 overs remaining, rain forced the players off the field, and with no realistic prospect of a resumption, play was abandoned.Wong remained unbeaten on 34, while Ellis was 18 not out, but the Stars' 71-run victory was well-deserved.

Western Storm emerged victorious in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy opener, crushing Thunder by 66 runs at Emirates Old Trafford. Sophie Luff's unbeaten 76 anchored Storm's impressive 252 for 6, while Sophie Ecclestone's 3-16 threatened to derail their innings.Despite Ecclestone's early wickets, Storm rallied with crucial partnerships. Luff and Nat Wraith forged a 70-run alliance, followed by Luff and Niamh Holland's 46-run stand. Amanda-Jade Wellington's late cameo of 31 off 19 balls propelled Storm to a challenging total.Thunder's chase faltered early with Seren Smale's dismissal. Emma Lamb and Katie Mack steadied the ship with a 62-run partnership, but Wellington's double strike and a disastrous spell from Chloe Skelton left Thunder reeling at 104 for 6.Ellie Threlkeld and Kate Cross briefly revived Thunder's hopes with a 69-run partnership, but Sophia Smale's three wickets and Mahika Gaur's dismissal sealed Storm's victory.Storm's openers, Griffiths and Smale, provided a solid foundation with a 50-run partnership. Griffiths' dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, but Luff's resilience and late acceleration, coupled with Wellington's quickfire knock, propelled Storm to a formidable score.Thunder's spinners, led by Ecclestone, initially controlled the game, but Storm's determined fightback and Luff's anchoring innings proved too much to overcome.

Southern Vipers' Ella McCaughan propelled her team to a resounding 70-run victory over Northern Diamonds in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, extending their winning streak to two matches.McCaughan's belligerent 97-ball 83, her sixth half-century in the competition, anchored the Vipers' innings. Charli Knott, the Australian import, continued her impressive form with a run-a-ball 40, contributing to the team's impressive total of 287 for 9.Diamonds' chase faltered early on as Linsey Smith dismissed Emma Marlow in the sixth over. Charlie Dean's incisive bowling further hampered their progress, claiming the wickets of Hollie Armitage and Bess Heath.Lauren Winfield-Hill and Erin Burns attempted to revive the chase with a 82-run partnership, but a flurry of wickets, including Dean's four-wicket haul, extinguished their hopes. Rain intervened with Diamonds 70 runs short of the DLS target of 232, handing Vipers a comprehensive victory.McCaughan's milestone of 1,000 Southern Vipers runs is a testament to her consistent performances. Her aggressive approach and ability to play a variety of shots make her a formidable batter.Knott's contributions have been equally valuable, providing stability and acceleration to the Vipers' batting lineup. Her experience in the Women's Big Bash League has been evident in her performances in England.Diamonds' bowlers, led by Phoebe Turner's three-wicket haul, showed resilience in restricting the Vipers' total. However, their batting lineup struggled to cope with the Vipers' bowling attack, particularly Dean's accurate spin.The victory consolidates Southern Vipers' position at the top of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy standings. Their ability to adapt to different conditions and overcome challenges bodes well for their title aspirations.

Northern Diamonds emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter against Western Storm in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, securing a 10-run triumph at Headingley.After being inserted to bat, the Diamonds faced an early setback, losing five wickets for 89 runs. However, England star Hollie Armitage stepped up to the plate, leading a remarkable fightback with a magnificent 103 off 114 deliveries, including 13 boundaries. Her innings laid the foundation for the Diamonds' eventual total of 275 for 9.All-rounder Abi Glen also played a crucial role, contributing an unbeaten 53 off 46 balls, her maiden regional fifty. Glen's late surge, coupled with Armitage's heroics, propelled the Diamonds to a competitive score.In response, Western Storm made a promising start, with openers Sophia Smale and Alex Griffiths putting on 59 runs. However, the Diamonds' bowlers gradually tightened their grip, with Phoebe Turner claiming three wickets and Erin Burns dismissing two batters in quick succession.Despite a valiant effort from Natasha Wraith (27) and Niamh Holland (29), Storm's chase faltered as Glen and Sophia Turner bowled them out for 265 in the final over. Glen finished with three wickets, while Turner took two, including the crucial dismissal of Lauren Filer to seal the victory.Armitage's century and Glen's all-round performance proved decisive for the Diamonds, who secured their second consecutive win after their triumph over Thunder on Saturday. The victory also marked a significant improvement for Storm, who had suffered a heavy defeat in their opening match against Sunrisers.

Lancashire Thunder's Katie Mack and Fi Morris orchestrated a dominant victory over Sunrisers in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, securing a commanding 142-run triumph at Emirates Old Trafford.Mack's scintillating century and a record-breaking 191-run partnership with Morris propelled Thunder to a formidable total of 292 for 5. Despite losing early wickets, the duo's exceptional batting prowess and aggressive running between the wickets proved unstoppable.Mack's innings showcased her versatility, with an array of ramps, sweeps, and late cuts. Morris, on the other hand, displayed her power and finesse, frequently stepping down the pitch to meet the spinners' deliveries. Their partnership surpassed 100 runs, setting a new record for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Morris' dismissal for 89 by Kate Coppack failed to dampen Thunder's momentum. Mack reached her century with a trademark late cut, before being stumped for 100. Ellie Threlkeld and Sophie Ecclestone extended the score to 285, with Ecclestone contributing a breezy 24.Sunrisers faced an insurmountable task in chasing down the target. Kate Cross's economical spell of 5 overs for 8 runs and the wicket of Ariana Dowse set the tone. Grace Scrivens' struggles and the dismissals of Cordelia Griffith and Mady Villiers further hindered their progress.Grewcock provided a glimmer of hope with a resilient 38, but her dismissal by Hannah Jones and the subsequent fall of Florence Miller left Sunrisers reeling. Ecclestone claimed her third wicket with the dismissal of Nicola Hancock, while Cross wrapped up the tail, dismissing Joanne Gardner and Coppack without scoring.Thunder's victory was a testament to the brilliance of Mack and Morris, who laid the foundation for their team's success. Sunrisers, on the other hand, will need to regroup and find a way to overcome their batting woes in their upcoming matches.

Southern Vipers, the defending champions of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, secured their first victory of the season with a dominant seven-wicket triumph over Central Sparks. Australian all-rounder Charli Knott played a pivotal role, contributing with both bat and ball.Knott, who had impressed in the previous match with two wickets, continued her fine form by claiming two more scalps with her offspin. She then showcased her batting prowess with an unbeaten 58, anchoring the Vipers' chase.Central Sparks, despite a valiant effort from Katie George (52), were restricted to 172 for 9. The Vipers' bowling attack, led by Linsey Smith's economical 2 for 20, kept the Sparks batters in check.In reply, the Vipers openers, Maia Bouchier and Ella McCaughan, provided a solid foundation with patient knocks of 33 and 43, respectively. Knott then took center stage, guiding her team to victory with a composed 58.The match was not without its controversies. A boundary catch claimed by Issy Wong was initially ruled out due to a boundary rope infringement, sparking a lively debate between the teams. The incident was eventually resolved with the agreement of a six.Knott's impressive performance has further enhanced her reputation as a rising star in the women's game. Her all-round contributions have been instrumental in the Vipers' early success in the tournament.