Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT performed exceptionally well in the latest round of the Women’s One-Day Cup. They fought tooth and nail through successive close games. Essex, The Blaze and Warwickshire each enjoyed important wins to add to their tally, tightening up the race for the top of the table even further.
Essex were thoroughly jubilant after recording an incredible victory, their first of what should be a highly enjoyable tournament. Their great run continued as they beat Lancashire by five wickets. The playoff match was at home. Essex’s Kate Coppack and Abtaha Maqsood were critical, allowing the tourists to make only 230 runs for eight wickets. Their spirited bowling performance provided the platform for Essex’s successful chase.
A little further north, The Blaze played Hampshire at Trent Bridge, with the southern side coming into the match with a 100% record. They crumbled spectacularly after an encouraging opening stand of 62 runs for one wicket, crashing to 101 for five. The Blaze took full advantage of this implosion, with Tammy Beaumont the main instigator as she scored an imperious century not out. Georgia Elwiss was in sublime form, her innings of 58 runs from 75 balls being the highlight. They combined seamlessly for an unbroken 159-run partnership. As a result, The Blaze took the win and moved up to first place in the women’s One-Day Cup table.
Warwickshire were in equally scintillating mood as they squeezed past Surrey in a breathtakingly-close match. Davina Perrin set a strong foundation for Warwickshire with a brisk innings of 69 runs, scoring quicker than a run-a-ball. Natasha Wraith took control of their innings with a crucial 54 off just 45 balls. Her performance continued Warwickshire’s charge in full during the chase.
In the other match, Surrey’s Bryony Smith stole the headlines with a stunning century. She muscled 78 runs off a mere 72 balls, with 14 of them being boundaries. Despite her efforts, it was Sophia Dunkley who stole the spotlight for Surrey with an unbeaten 102, showcasing her talent and resilience at the crease.
Somerset against Durham in a rain-affected match, which after much confusion, was ended with Somerset’s victory. Durham stayed aggressive with the bat, notching up 216 runs before their final wicket fell. Somerset’s solid and smart game play allowed them to stay out of trouble and it would carry them to victory over a rocky/injured spoiler.
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