Olivia Bell conjures dream spell as Diamonds all however vanish from Finals Day race

Thunder 97 for 3 (F Morris 42*) beat Northern Diamonds 96 (Kalis 24, Bell 3-9) by seven wickets

Thunder certified for his or her first ever Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day this weekend due to a landslide seven-wicket win over native rivals Northern Diamonds, who all of them however knocked out of the competitors within the course of at Blackpool’s Stanley Park.

Not solely have Thunder certified for his or her first ever T20 regional Finals Day, at New Road on Saturday, by securing a top-three berth, it’s the first time in three-and-a-half seasons of regional cricket that they have out of the group stage of both this or the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. And they’ve carried out so by successful 4 of their final 5 matches on the again of dropping their first two.

For the Diamonds, finalists in 2021 and the reigning RHFT 50-over champions, they wasted a golden likelihood to qualify having gained their first 4 video games. They wanted only one win to ensure qualification from their remaining three fixtures however misplaced all of them.

It would take a miracle defeat from Southern Vipers in opposition to Sunrisers later for the Diamonds to qualify on web run-rate. But they will realistically put together for a free weekend.

After the Diamonds elected to bat, Thunder piled on the stress with some wonderful bowling and fielding on the best way to the bottom whole of this season’s competitors.

New-ball left-arm quicks Tara Norris and Mahika Gaur each claimed two wickets, as did the off-spin of Morris, who later picked the right time to publish her highest rating for Thunder since becoming a member of over the winter.

Naomi Dattani claimed three catches at long-on, affected a run out and opened the batting with 20.

The Diamonds received off to a disastrous begin, dropping Leah Dobson, captain Hollie Armitage – the main run-scorer within the competitors – and Lauren Winfield-Hill all caught throughout the first 15 balls.

Dobson and Armitage fell to Norris within the area of 4 balls on the finish of the second over, caught at mid-on and backward level respectively, earlier than Winfield-Hill drilled Gaur to long-on. And they didn’t recuperate.

Bess Heath adopted when she aimed a wild swing at Gaur at the beginning of the fifth over, dropping off and center stumps, and the Diamonds had been 19 for 4 and Thunder had been dreaming of Finals Day, the place they are going to play within the afternoon semi-final in opposition to a yet-to-be-determined qualifier. The winner will play the Blaze within the night closing.

South African Chloe Tryon threatened a restoration by calmly transferring within the twenties, however she was bowled by Morris attempting to play expansively by means of the off-side. And returning Beth Langston, taking part in her first match since August following an ACL damage, adopted 4 balls later when bowled by Bell.

Tryon and Dutch worldwide Sterre Kalis with 24 had been the one Diamonds batters to make it past 20, with wickets persevering with to fall.

Kalis holed out to long-on off Morris earlier than Bell had Katherine Fraser the identical approach – the third of Dattani’s catches in that place – because the rating fell to 93 for 8 within the 18th over.

Bell then had Katie Levick caught at cowl for a golden duck earlier than Grace Hall was run out to wrap up the innings with eight balls unused.

Thunder handed a debut to fledgling left-arm spinner Sophie Morris, who bowled two wicketless overs earlier than watching her batting team-mates seal victory.

Openers Liberty Heap and Dattani each fell because the rating slipped to 64 for 2 inside 10 overs, however they had been solely minor blemishes.

Heap fell to a wise Kalis catch operating again in direction of deep gully off Fraser’s off-spin earlier than Dattani guided seamer Langston to quick third.

But Morris was robust on either side of the wicket to spark joyous scenes by the seaside regardless of the late departure of Deandra Dottin to Levick.