Last week, six young Sunrisers players were selected to play in the ECB’s National School Games tournament in Loughborough, which provides the most promising young players in the Women’s pathway across the country with the opportunity to feature in a three-day competitive tournament.
Featuring in the competition were six sides, made up of three ECB representative squads, comprising 39 of the best young players around the country, and three international Women’s Under 19 sides, from Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies.
The six sides were split in two, with three sides featuring in one of two competitions, with Team Sciver-Brunt, West Indies U19s and Team Knight competing for the Lydia Greenway Cup, whilst Ireland U19s, Scotland U19’s and Team Dunkley were in action in the Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup.
The six Sunrisers players selected to feature in the tournament across the week were Molly Barbour-Smith, Olivia Barnes, Prisha Bedi, Abby Butcher, Sarah Pearson, and Riva Pindoria.
Barbour-Smith represented Scotland Under 19s, whilst Butcher, Pearson and Pindoria featured for ECB Team Knight, Barnes for Team Dunkley, and Bedi for Team Sciver-Brunt.
Whilst the six Sunrisers players were focussed on delivering their skills on the cricket field over the week, they also benefitted from a wider educational programme designed for athletes across other sports too and had the opportunity to meet and share experiences with other competitors, with over 1,500 athletes present across the week in Loughborough, representing 17 different sports.
After the opening ceremony on Thursday, the cricket competition kicked off Friday, with four T20 group games scheduled across the day.
Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup group game 1: Ireland U19s v Team Dunkley
Up first was Ireland Under 19s against Team Dunkley, with Barnes featuring for the ECB representative side.
Ireland Under 19s ultimately proved too strong for Team Dunkley, with Ireland posting 153 for 8 in their 20 overs having been asked to bat first. Sunrisers’ left-arm spinner Barnes bowled well, picking up two wickets for 28 runs in her four overs.
In their response Team Dunkley fell well short of the target, dismissed for just 119 in reply, as the Irish youngsters ran out winners by 34 runs.
Lydia Greenway Cup group game 1: Team Sciver-Brunt v West Indies U19
Right arm spinner Bedi was also involved on Friday morning for Team Sciver-Brunt, who got their campaign up and running with a group-stage victory over the West Indies Under 19s.
The West Indies, who had lost twice to Sunrisers Academy in two warm-up games at Teddington earlier in the week, were restricted to just 118 for 5 in their 20 overs, with Bedi wicketless from her two overs, going for 15 runs.
In reply, Team Sciver-Brunt reached their target with time to spare, knocking the runs off in 15.4 overs, for the loss of just 3 wickets to secure their first win of the week.
Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup group game 2: Scotland U19 v Team Dunkley
The first match of the afternoon saw Barbour-Smith’s Scotland side up against Barnes’ Team Dunkley, and it was Barnes’ side who came out on top.
Batting first Team Dunkley posted a competitive total of 135 for 6 in their 20 overs, before Scotland were dismissed for just 83 in reply in 17 overs.
Barnes again shone with the ball for Team Dunkley, bowling very tidily to finish with figures of 2 for 24 from her four overs.
Lydia Greenway Cup group game 2: Team Knight v West Indies U19
Friday’s action was completed with Team Knight’s opening encounter of the competition, which saw both Pindoria and Pearson in action, in what proved to be a thoroughly one-sided affair, as the ECB representative side ran out winners by 91 runs.
Batting first, Team Knight posted a huge total of 173 for 4 in their 20 overs, with Pindoria dismissed in the second over of the game, lofting an aerial drive to mid-on to depart for 2.
In reply, whilst wicket-less from her three overs, Pearson bowled with great control, going for just 8 runs as the West Indies were restricted to just 82 for 7 in their 20 overs.
Lydia Greenway Cup group game 3: Team Sciver-Brunt v Team Knight
On to Saturday, with four more games scheduled into the competition, and the opening clash of the day featuring Team Sciver-Brunt up against Team Knight, with all three Sunrisers’ players involved for Team Knight, whilst Bedi sat out of this one for Team Sciver-Brunt.
Batting first, Team Sciver-Brunt smashed 164 for 2 in their 20 overs, with Pearson being hit for 45 from her 4 overs.
In reply, Team Knight struggled from the outset, eventually dismissed for just 83 in 14.1 overs to see Team Sciver-Brunt win their second game of the week, by the huge margin of 81 runs.
Pindoria made 16 from 13 balls when opening, Butcher holed out to backward point for 3 from 5 deliveries, whilst Pearson didn’t bat for Team Knight.
The win for Team Sciver-Brunt sealed their place in Sunday’s Lydia Greenway Cup final, whilst Team Knight would have to face the West Indies in a play-off to determine the other finalist.
Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup group game 3: Scotland U19s v Ireland U19s
Ireland made it two wins from two to seal their place in the Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup final with a win against Team Scotland, as Barbour-Smith was again on the losing side, with Ireland winning by 77 runs.
Batting first, the Irish youngsters put the Scotland bowlers to the sword, smashing 175 for 5 in their 20 overs, with Barbour-Smith picking up one of the Irish wickets, finishing with figures of 1 for 25 from 2 overs.
The big total proved far too much for the Scottish girls to chase, with Barbour-Smith hitting 2 from just 2 deliveries faced, as they were restricted to just 98 for 5 in reply.
Scotland’s loss would see them going up against Team Dunkley in the play off to establish who would face Ireland in the final on Sunday.
Lydia Greenway Cup 2nd/3rd place play off: Team Knight v West Indies U19
The afternoon kicked off with Team-Knight inflicting a third consecutive defeat on the West Indies girls, as they ran out comprehensive winners by 110 runs to seal their place in the final.
Again, all three Sunrisers players featured for Team Knight, and batting first, Pindoria got the innings off to a flyer, hitting a half-century, 52 from just 42 balls.
Batting at three, Butcher kept up the momentum, hitting 23 from 21 deliveries, as Team Knight piled on 185 for 4 in their 20 overs.
In reply, the West Indies were no match for Team Knight, managing only 75 in reply, dismissed for just 75 in 19 overs.
Pearson finished with figures of 1 for 8 from 2 very tidy overs having taken the new ball.
Sunday would see Team Knight and Team Dunkley squaring off in the final of the Lydia Greenway Cup, whilst the West Indies bowed out of the competition.
Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup 2nd/3rd place play off: Team Scotland v Team Dunkley
Saturday’s action concluded with the last play-off game ahead of Sunday’s finals day, and disappointingly for Scotland they suffered their third defeat of the week to exit the competition, whilst Team Dunkley secured their place in the final, winning the play-off by 84 runs.
Batting first, Team Dunkley posted 147 for 8, with Barbour-Smith again picking up a wicket, finishing with commendable figures of 1 for 11 from her two overs, when others around here were put around the park.
In reply, Scotland struggled from the start, only managing to post 65 runs, dismissed inside 16 overs, with Barbour-Smith not batting.
Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup Final: Team Dunkley v Ireland U19s
The first final of the day saw Team Dunkley batting first against previously unbeaten Ireland. Whilst Sunrisers Barnes’ played in the final, she wasn’t required to bat or bowl, despite delivering some fantastic performances throughout the week.
Runs all through the order saw Team Dunkley hit an impressive 169 for 6, which proved far too much for their Irish opposition, who could only muster 129 for 8 in reply, to see Team Dunkley crowned Champions of the Ebony Rainford-Brent Cup and Ireland suffer their first defeat of the week.
Lydia Greenway Cup Final: Team Knight v Team Sciver-Brunt
The last match of the week saw the best game of the entire competition, as Team Knight went head-to-head with previously unbeaten Team Sciver-Brunt in a closely fought final.
Batting first, Team Knight again had another great knock from Pindoria to help for a competitive total, as the Sunrisers youngster hit 40 off 32 deliveries to set her side up for a total of 147 for 9 in their twenty overs.
Sunrisers’ Bedi bowled tightly for Team Sciver-Brunt, picking up another two wickets, to finish with figures of 2 for 28 from her three overs.
In reply, Team Sciver-Brunt were well on track in the run chase, before a tight 19th over saw just three runs scored and one wicket fall, to leave them needing 14 runs off the final over to lift the trophy.
Two wickets off the first two balls stemmed the flow of runs however as they could only manage ten runs from it, finishing on 144 for 9, to see Team Knight crowned winners of the Lydia Greenway Cup by just three runs.
It was a fantastic week of competitive cricket for all those involved, and individually each of the six Sunrisers players played a part in their team’s respective successes.
Congratulations to all involved and you should all be proud of your achievements.
Comments