Amy Jones fifty backed up by Grace Potts, Emily Arlott as Central Sparks begin with a win
Central Sparks 137 (A Jones 51, Castle 3-24, Villiers 3-28) beat Sunrisers 114 (Griffith 53, Arlott 4-23) by 23 runs
Amy Jones and Grace Potts proved the gamechangers for Central Sparks as they beat Sunrisers by 23 runs at Chelmsford within the opening sport of the 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup.
England wicketkeeper Jones held Sparks along with a swashbuckling 51 from 34 balls out of a rating of 137 all out after they have been invited to bat first. Kelly Castle and Mady Villiers stored the remainder of the Sparks line-up in test, the previous taking two wickets in successive balls.
Potts (2-13) although proved unimaginable to get away in the course of the Sunrisers reply and regardless of an aesthetic half-century from Cordelia Griffith the hosts, who have been with out oversea ace Dane Van Niekerk due to sickness, got here up brief, Emily Arlott cleansing up the tail.
Sunrisers acquired early pleasure after deciding to discipline with Davina Perrin trapped in entrance for a duck from the final ball of Kate Coppack’s opening over.
Eve Jones threatened briefly, scoring all the primary 15 runs off the bat earlier than lacking a horrible brief ball from Grace Scrivens which crashed into the stumps and Australian allrounder Erin Burns didn’t take advantage of being dropped on 1 when stumped by Amara Carr off the spectacular Castle.
And when Ami Campbell was castled by Villiers Sparks’ flame was at risk of being snuffed out at 59 for 4. Amy Jones although stood agency, feasting on some brief choices with savage pulls sq. of the wicket in addition to driving crisply by way of the covers.
At 94 for 4 an enormous rating regarded on, however Castle returned to have Abbey Freeborn stumped by Carr, earlier than yorking Katie George with the subsequent ball, leaving Arlott to stop the hat-trick.
Jones moved serenely to 50 solely to gap out at mid-off to the very subsequent ball from Villiers after which the tail scrambled to 137.
The hosts regarded to Scrivens for a strong begin, however the teenager went early, hanging one from Potts into the midriff of George at midwicket.
George then had a blended over ball in hand, producing a trio of wides earlier than Lissy Macleod despatched her twice to the fence. George although had the final snicker having Macleod taken on the second try down the leg-side by Amy Jones from one which flicked the glove.
Potts turned the screw somewhat tighter with three overs off the reel within the powerplay to place Sunrisers behind the clock.
Griffith took up the chase to strike England speedster Issy Wong first over midwicket after which by way of mid-off for successive boundaries. Georgia Davis was equally despatched by way of cowl and when George returned to the assault, she was lower to the fence at third twice in successive balls.
In want of a wicket, Sparks summoned the miserly Potts again to the bowling crease and she or he delivered, trapping Carr plumb in entrance, and Villiers did not entertain us for lengthy, swinging one from Burns into the arms of George at cow nook.
The double strike prompted the speed required to climb with 46 wanted from the final 5. Griffiths scampered two to succeed in 50 from 43 balls with six fours, however when she skied one to cowl off the bowling of Arlott later within the over the duty proved an excessive amount of for the Sunrisers tail.