It was a few days full of record breaking cricket and the sun shone throughout! The Charlotte Edwards Cup is well and truly underway - but defending champions, the Southern Vipers, are yet to get their campaign started.
The same old Sunrisers story
Central Sparks opened the 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup with a 23-run win over Sunrisers. Finishing 137 all-out, it was a disappointing performance with the bat for the Sparks however, wicket-keeper batter, Amy Jones, struck 51 from 34.
Mady Villiers and skipper Kelly Castle took three wickets apiece, helping to restrict the Sparks to 137. Despite Cordelia Griffith’s efforts of 53 from 46, Sunrisers were bowled out for 114 in the final over. Central Sparks’ Em Arlott took her best figures in the tournament of 4/23 – Grace Potts assisting the effort taking 2/13.
Record breakers up in Leeds
In a record-breaking game at Headingley, the Northern Diamonds shone brightly, thrashing Western Storm. Diamonds scored 218/3 – the highest Charlotte Edwards Cup total by 32 runs – much thanks to an 139 run partnership between Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage. Winfield-Hill beat her own record, scoring 98 from 56 balls – the previous highest total being 96.
Western Storm came back out fighting and went on to score their highest ever T20 total – the joint second highest score of 186. All-rounder, Dani Gibson, fired 52 from 30 balls and at a similar strike rate, Alex Griffiths scored 31 from 18. Abi Glen, Katie Levick, Lizzie Scott and debutant Grace Hall all took two wickets apiece aiding the hosts to a 32-run win.
The Blaze remain unbeaten
The Blaze continued their unbeaten run into the Charlotte Edwards Cup with a five-wicket victory over the South East Stars. It was a par innings for the Stars with some strong performances by Phoebe Franklin who hit 53 from 43 deliveries.
All-rounder, Alice Davidson-Richards also made quick runs, scoring 24 from 13. Despite Nadine de Klerk’s 3/21 and Sarah Glenn’s economical 1/13, the Stars were able to scrape their way to 160/8.
Tammy Beaumont opened The Blaze’s innings steadily, scoring 48 from 31 but it was new signing Georgie Boyce who was the standout player, amounting 63 from 38 balls – including ten boundaries. The Blaze took the win with four balls to spare.
The Storm took it down to the wire
Thunder finished with an above-par score despite the absence of an outstanding individual performance. Emma Lamb and Liberty Heap opened the innings with a 65-run partnership from 45 deliveries, but a lack of strong partnerships meant the side struggled. Sophie Ecclestone had a brief cameo, scoring 22 from 15 balls, Thunder finishing on 154/7.
An 111 run partnership between former England batter, Fran Wilson and current England captain, Heather Knight, saw the Western Storm take the game down to the wire. Five runs were required from the final over but with Ireland international, Orla Prendergast, bottom edging the ball down to the boundary, the game was very much in the Storm's hands. With three balls to spare, the Storm registered their first win of the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
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