This weekend saw the completion of the 2022 Women’s County T20 Competition, with all counties taking part in a knockout group to determine their final league position.
Once again, Sunrisers players were involved, and you can read how they fared below. Every scorecard from the competition is here.
Group 2 – Berkshire
Mia Rogers again opened the batting for Berkshire as they faced Staffordshire in their semi-final. Fielding first, she took a catch behind the stumps as Staffordshire posted 125/8. Rogers then hit 26 from 17 balls in reply, but Berkshire were unable to reach their required target, finishing with a 4-run defeat.
Group 4 – Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk
Essex faced Norfolk in the first match of the day, with Kelly Castle and Scarlett Hughes playing for Essex. Castle once again starred with the bat, back-up her 75* last weekend with 62 from 46 balls, including 9 fours, with Essex scoring 152/6 from their 20 overs. Castle then took 1 for 15 from three overs, with wicket-keeper Hughes taking the catch.
Izzy James, Jess Olorenshaw, Amu Surenkumar and Jazz Westley were in the Cambridgeshire side who took on Suffolk for a place in the final. Olorenshaw top scored with 31, and Surenkumar hit 21, as Cambridgeshire were bowled out for 101. Westley and James both scored 7. With the ball, Westley bowled 4 overs, taking two wickets for 14 runs – the first saw Surenkumar take the catch – with James taking 1 for 29 from her 4 overs. Suffolk were able to reach their target with more than five overs to spare, to win by 7 wickets.
Castle and Hughes once again played for Essex, who batted first against Suffolk. Hughes scored 9, and Castle hit 11, with Suffolk bowling well to restrict their opponents to 110/9 from their 20 overs. Suffolk bowler Lauren Smith took 5 wickets for just 9 runs. Castle then took 2 for 15 from three overs, including a caught and bowled, in Suffolk’s reply. With 10 to win from the final over, Suffolk were able to run a single from the last ball to complete a memorable 5 wicket victory.
Group 5 – Northamptonshire
Jodi Grewcock and Flo Miller both played for Northamptonshire as they took on Lincolnshire, played at Leicestershire’s Grace Road ground. Northamptonshire proved to be too strong for their opponents, winning by 9 wickets. Grewcock got a run-out before scoring 5* as Northamptonshire chased their target of 52 just one wicket down.
Facing Leicestershire in the final, Miller was the pick of the batters as she hit an unbeaten 53*, having come in at 3 to face the second ball of the game. Grewcock offered some support with 12, as Northamptonshire ended their innings on 100/7. Unfortunately for Northamptonshire they were unable to defend their total, as the hosts hit 101/3 with seven balls remaining to win by 7 wickets.
Group 6 - Kent
Grace Scrivens was Kent captain once again as they took on Hampshire in their semi-final. After claiming a catch in the field, she then carried on her excellent form for her county with another half-century, scoring 59* that included 5 fours in a perfect run chase. Kent chased their 118 target with an over to spare to win by 9 wickets.
Scrivens then backed up her earlier score with another 59 in the final against Sussex, this time off 53 balls and hitting seven fours. In the field, she took a catch alongside bowling 2 overs which went for 14 runs. Unfortunately, Sussex were able to complete a 4 wicket victory in the last over.
Group 7 – Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Middlesex
Middlesex faced Buckinghamshire in the first match of the day, with a side full of Sunrisers players. First Team players Cordelia Griffith, Naomi Dattani, Gaya Gole, and Kate Coppack all featured. Two Academy players were also involved, with Issy Routledge playing for Middlesex and Hannah Davis for Buckinghamshire. Coppack (4-0-7-2) and Gole (4-0-16-1) shared the new ball, which helped restrict Buckinghamshire to 69/6 from their 20 overs, and Dattani took a catch in the field. Davis had scored 7 at the top of the order. Griffith and Routledge then began the run chase, as Middlesex scored the 70 runs they needed without losing a wicket. Griffith ended on 37*, including 3 fours and a six, with Routledge scoring 19*.
Hertfordshire then faced Middlesex, fielding a team that included Elsa Barnfather and Charley Phillips, against the same Middlesex team. Barnfather top-scored for her side with 11, and Phillips did not bat as Hertfordshire scored 56/8 from their allocated overs. Coppack (3-1-4-0), Gole (2-0-12-0) and Dattani (2-0-6-1) all bowled. Griffith opened the batting again, going on to score 23*, as Dattani came in to hit 14* from 8 deliveries and see Middlesex secure a 9 wicket victory, ensuring they ended the campaign with a perfect record. Phillips bowled three overs for 28 runs, with the winning runs coming off Barnfather’s third ball.
Buckinghamshire played Hertfordshire in the final match of the day. Phillips took 4 wickets for 10 runs as she starred with the ball, whilst Barnfather bowled 2 overs for 8 runs. Davis hit 7 at the top of the order as Buckinghamshire posted 72 all out. Davis then took 1 wicket for 18 runs in the second innings, but could not stop Hertfordshire completing an 8 wicket victory.