Bowlers preserve Diamonds’ vibrant begin intact with slender win in opposition to Sparks
Northern Diamonds 135 (Dobson 41, Davis 3-13) beat Central Sparks 132 for 7 (E. Jones 30, Tryon 3-30) by three runs
Northern Diamonds maintained their one hundred pc begin to the 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup with a three-run victory over Central Sparks at Edgbaston.
With either side having received their first recreation, one thing needed to give and it was Diamonds who preserved their good report thanks principally to a formidable bowling show.
Put in, Diamonds have been bowled out for 135, far lower than seemed possible once they have been motoring properly alongside at 73 for 1 within the ninth over. The fall of Leah Dobson for 41 off 25 balls was the primary of 9 wickets to fall for 62 runs in 67 balls as Georgia Davis bowled her off-spin superbly for 4-0-13-3, well-supported by Emily Arlott and Erin Burns who took two wickets every.
The whole seemed slightly below par however Sparks fell simply brief on 132 for 7 after their batters by no means escaped the shackles imposed firstly by correct opening spells from Lizzie Scott and Katherine Fraser. Chloe Tryon bounced again from conceding 11 in her first over to take three important wickets and finish with 3 for 30.
Only Eve Jones and Arlott handed 25 as tight bowling and a sluggish, used-pitch mixed to make run-scoring tough.
After Sparks selected to bowl, they quickly struck an enormous blow when Lauren Winfield-Hall lifted the seventh ball of the innings, from Arlott, to further cowl.
Dobson and Hollie Armitage responded positively and raised the 50 from 37 balls. Their well-constructed stand stood at 68 from 43 balls when Davis bowled Dobson by way of an tried leg-side flick.
That wicket began an enormous slide as 4 fell for 19 runs in 23 balls. Davis had Sterre Kalis neatly stumped by Amy Jones, Bess Heath was brilliantly run out by Katie George’s direct hit from midwicket and Armitage skied Burns to mid off.
Davis had her third sufferer when Tryon lofted to deep midwicket and solely Fraser saved the innings from full freefall. Fraser was ninth out when she top-edged a return catch to Burns and the final pair mustered only a single from 5 balls earlier than Grace Hall was beautifully caught by Davina Perrin at level off Arlott.
Diamonds additionally took an early wicket when Perrin lofted Fraser to mid off and the bowlers utilized good strain as solely 4 fours arrived within the first eight overs. England star Amy Jones was by no means fluent earlier than she was deceived by a beautiful flighted ball from Tryon and bowled off her pads.
Katie Levick cranked up the strain by conceding simply six runs in two overs which additionally introduced the essential wicket of Eve Jones, caught at midwicket. Burns additionally fell on the offensive when she was nicely caught at extensive lengthy on by Abi Glen off Tryon.
As the required price escalated, Sparks, with half their batters out, required 38 from the final 18 balls. Abbey Freeborn struck the primary 4 of these 18 for 4 to dent Scott’s figures however then lifted the fifth ball to level and 13 from the ultimate over, delivered with nice composure by Tryon, proved too many.