Fluent Amy Jones retains Central Sparks hopes alive
Central Sparks 142 for 9 (A Jones 45, Dean 3-27) beat Southern Vipers 135 for 8 (Wyatt 68, Ellis 4-29, Burns 3-26) by seven runs
Central Sparks retained their slender hopes of Charlotte Edwards Cup qualification with an exciting seven-run victory win over Southern Vipers at Edgbaston.
Vipers seemed properly set to strengthen their qualification bid after they restricted their hosts to 142 for 9. Amy Jones scored a fluent 45 off 34 balls however no-one else stayed past the cameo stage towards a disciplined assault led by the skilful off-spin of Charlie Dean, who took 3 for 27.
Defending that reasonable whole was a troublesome task for a Sparks assault lacking Issy Wong, Grace Potts and Emily Arlott, however they held the Vipers to 135 for 8. Danni Wyatt made an completed 68 off 49 balls however Bethan Ellis took 4 for 29 and Erin Burns took 3 for twenty-four (all caught at deep mid-wicket) whereas actual strain was added by wonderful spells from Ellie Anderson and Hannah Baker.
Sparks nonetheless must win their remaining video games and hope that different outcomes go their means. Despite the setback, Vipers know that profitable their final two fixtures would nonetheless ship them by means of.
Sparks selected to bat and began at a gallop with 17 from the primary over together with three luxurious cover-driven fours by Eve Jones off Lauren Bell. Eve and Amy Jones added 41 from 27 balls however the Vipers struck again exhausting with three wickets for 5 runs in 9 balls.
Dean made the very important breakthrough when she flighted one superbly into Eve Jones’ stumps. Two balls later she bowled Davina Perrin by means of a cross-bat heave and Burns was then well-held at deep mid-wicket by Wyatt off Linsey Smith.
Dean delivered that T20 rarity, a maiden (her eighth within the format) and although Amy Jones batted with acquainted elan, she perished in pursuit of a seventh 4 when she lifted Georgia Elwiss to mid off. Elwiss additionally ended a harmful counter-attack by Abbey Freeborn when she hit center stump. Katie George superior to 17 from 14 balls however turned Dean’s third sufferer when she made room to chop and missed.
Ellis provided some late impetus, however the innings had faltered badly: 41 with out loss from the primary 27 balls then 101 for 9 from the following 93.
Vipers got a perky begin by the in-form Ella McCaughan earlier than she was bowled by means of a slog at Anderson. Just as in Sparks’ innings, the primary wicket was shortly adopted by two extra as, within the house of 4 balls, Nicole Faltum and Georgia Adams had been beautifully held at deep mid-wicket by George off Burns.
That was 52 for 3 and a good-sized crowd actually began to get behind Sparks. They had been celebrating once more when Ellis struck along with her first ball, Elwiss slicing to backward level.
When Dean lifted Burns to deep mid-wicket, strain was rising on Vipers who wanted 60 from eight overs with half their wickets gone. Wyatt accomplished a cultured, 34-ball half-century however when she fell to a high quality catch at lengthy on by Burns off Ellis, the Vipers’ sting had been drawn.