Katie Levick five-four ensures Diamonds keep profitable run
Northern Diamonds 172 for 7 (Dobson 47) beat Sunrisers 137 (Scrivens 50, Levick 5-19) by 35 runs
Katie Levick took 5 wickets as Northern Diamonds continued their good begin to the Charlotte Edwards Cup and stay on target for Finals Day after a 35-run win over Sunrisers at Headingley.
Leah Dobson‘s 47 and late firepower from Bess Heath lifted the hosts to a complete of 172 for 7, which at all times appeared a tricky ask for a Sunrisers aspect who had misplaced their first three matches. An excellent bowling show from Diamonds – led by Levick’s 5 for 19 – ensured Sunrisers fell properly quick and stay backside of the standings.
Having gained the toss and chosen to bat, the in-form Diamonds made a powerful begin to their innings. Lauren Winfield-Hill crunched two fours within the opening over because the skilled opener seemed to set the tempo. She had moved to 19 from 13 balls earlier than lofting Kelly Castle straight to Abtaha Maqsood.
Holly Armitage, contemporary off back-to-back career-best scores of 74 and 82, obtained her innings underneath method with one other superb 4 earlier than opener Dobson struck 4 boundaries in a row to push Diamonds on to 48 for 1 on the finish of the powerplay. But their momentum was checked within the seventh over as Armitage picked out Castle handy Grace Scrivens her first wicket.
Dobson seemed in good contact, nevertheless, transferring onto 29 on the midway stage of the Diamonds’ innings to take their complete to 79 for two.
Alongside Sterre Kalis, Dobson saved the Diamonds’ complete ticking together with a few superbly-timed boundaries and seemed properly set to succeed in her half-century. But she fell for 47 after selecting out Scrivens at long-on off the bowling of Joanne Gardner and with 5 overs remaining, the hosts have been 113 for 3.
Bess Heath got here in and began with a bang, hammering Maqsood for a six adopted by a 4 to offer the innings some impetus.
The guiding knock performed by Kalis got here to an finish on 29, stumped off a large bowled by Mady Villiers, however Heath marched on undeterred. She launched Castle for successive sixes – the primary a large hit over midwicket – earlier than being stumped for 31 from simply 14 balls as Castle hit again with a superb yorker.
After Katharine Fraser fell for 4, Chloe Tryon and Abi Glen scored 14 from the ultimate over to elevate the Diamonds to 172.
Much of Sunrisers’ hopes of chasing that imposing goal rested with South African Dane van Niekerk and she or he started in effective style.
The 30-year-old hit 15 from the opening over, together with an enormous six off Fraser. But Lizzie Scott obtained the prized wicket within the second over as van Niekerk edged behind to depart for 14.
Diamonds had their second wicket within the subsequent over, Tryon trapping Villiers lbw for six, and had their third by the top of the powerplay when Levick bowled Lizzie MacLeod for a breezy 21. After six overs, Sunrisers have been 41 for 3 and Diamonds have been firmly in management.
Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith set about making an attempt to alter that with two boundaries off Grace Hall, however on the midway stage the guests have been 70 for 3, needing one other 103 to win. That process was made all of the harder when Griffith was caught by Tryon for 18 to offer Levick her second wicket.
Gardner hit Grace Hall for successive boundaries however fell to the subsequent supply as she picked out Winfield-Hill whereas making an attempt to clear the ropes.
Scrivens was taking part in a lone hand for Sunrisers and unfurled a trio of boundaries, together with a strong six, off Fraser earlier than citing a half-century from 34 balls. But companions fell round her as Levick took cost with three wickets in her closing over. Eva Gray and Florence Miller have been each stumped earlier than Amara Carr was caught by Glen.
Scrivens fell one ball after reaching her fifty and Maqsood was the final wicket to go as Diamonds wrapped up one other dominant win.