We may be in the middle of an Ashes Series, but the county fixtures continue this weekend with the third round of the Nat West County T20 competition. It seems that none of the England contracted players will be in action for their counties, and several Academy players will also be missing as they line-up for the EWA in a two day warm-up game against Australia at Loughborough this weekend.
This weekend's groupings are:-
Division One
Yorkshire, Somerset and Kent at Harrogate CC
Notts, Ireland and Sussex at Welbeck CC
Middlesex, Surrey and Berkshire at Merchant Taylors' School
Division Two
Wales, Staffs and Derbyshire at Pontarddulais CC
Lancs, Netherlands and Cheshire at Glossop CC
Warwickshire, Essex and Durham at Knowle & Dorridge CC
Preview
Division One is led by unbeaten Kent at the moment with Yorkshire and Sussex hard on their heels. Kent will be without six frontline players, which should give Yorkshire and Somerset an opportunity. But Yorkshire are themselves without Brunt, Hazell and Winfield and Somerset will be missing Shrubsole, and South African Lizelle Lee, who has had to return to South Africa due to a serious shoulder injury. Yorkshire will be very keen to pick up two more wins, inflicting a defeat on Kent on the way, which would take them to the top of the league.
In Nottinghamshire Sussex will hope to come away with two victories in their games against Notts and Ireland. Again the two English counties will be missing some key players, but Sussex's strength in depth could see them through if they can put some runs on the board.
The tightest games are likely to be at Merchant Taylors' School, where Middlesex, Surrey and Berkshire clash. Middlesex have struggled of late, whereas Berkshire are on a bit of a roll. Surrey might trouble them both, so your guess is as good as mine on these three fixtures.
In Division Two Lancashire, who are struggling in Div 1 of the County Championship are currently unbeaten in Div 2 T20 games. This Sunday they take on second placed Netherlands and mid-table Cheshire in what looks like the match-up of the weekend. It would not surprise me for honours to be even at the end of the day.
Staffs, who are unbeaten in Div 2 of the County Championship have yet to hit their straps in the T20 competition, with losses to Netherlands and Warwickshire in their first four games. They will be keen to add two more wins this Sunday when they meet Derbyshire and Wales, who are currently the bottom two in Div 2 of the T20.
Mid-tabled Warwickshire, Essex and Durham meet each other at the quaintly named Knowle & Dorridge CC in the West Midlands. Two wins for either Warwickshire or Durham could put them in with a shout of promotion to Div 1 next season, with just two more games to come after this weekend. Remember the top two teams in Div 2 will be promoted to Div 1 next year. There are no play-offs, so there is plenty to play for.
MD
30/VII/15
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Thursday, 30 July 2015
ECB announce EWA squads to play Aussies
The ECB have announced two England Women's Academy Squads to play Australia in two games. The first is a two day game at Loughborough this weekend, and the second is a three day game at Beckenham CC from 5th to 7th August. They have also announced that the Test squad will not be announced until after this weekend's fixture, which means that those playing have one last chance to impress.
Three of the England Women's squad that played in the recent Ashes ODI series are included in the team for Loughborough - Georgia Elwiss, Amy Jones and Laura Marsh. Contracted players Tammy Beaumont (captain), Tash Farrant, Danielle Hazell and Danielle Wyatt also play, in what looks like a strong Academy line-up.
In the three day game the following week the EWA will be bolstered by four young Surrey male players, presumably with a view to providing Australia with some "tougher" opposition and to rest any players potentially playing in the Test Match which starts on 11th August. Tammy Beaumont again captains, with Farrant, Hazell and Wyatt again selected.
The Squads
EWA v Australia, Loughborough University, 1st & 2nd August
Tammy Beaumont
Freya Davies
Jodie Dibble
Sophie Ecclestone
Georgia Elwiss
Tash Farrant
Amy Jones
Evelyn Jones
Danielle Hazell
Beth Langston
Laura Marsh
Fran Wilson
Danielle Wyatt
EWA v Australia, Beckenham CC, 5th to 7th August
Tammy Beaumont
Harry Alderson (Surrey Boy)
Harriharan Aravin (Surrey Boy)
Ajeet Dale (Surrey Boy)
Freya Davies
Jodie Dibble
Alex Hartley
Tash Farrant
Danielle Hazell
Beth Langston
Omar Ramzen (Surrey Boy)
Carla Rudd
Fran Wilson
Danielle Wyatt
MD
30/VII/15
Three of the England Women's squad that played in the recent Ashes ODI series are included in the team for Loughborough - Georgia Elwiss, Amy Jones and Laura Marsh. Contracted players Tammy Beaumont (captain), Tash Farrant, Danielle Hazell and Danielle Wyatt also play, in what looks like a strong Academy line-up.
In the three day game the following week the EWA will be bolstered by four young Surrey male players, presumably with a view to providing Australia with some "tougher" opposition and to rest any players potentially playing in the Test Match which starts on 11th August. Tammy Beaumont again captains, with Farrant, Hazell and Wyatt again selected.
The Squads
EWA v Australia, Loughborough University, 1st & 2nd August
Tammy Beaumont
Freya Davies
Jodie Dibble
Sophie Ecclestone
Georgia Elwiss
Tash Farrant
Amy Jones
Evelyn Jones
Danielle Hazell
Beth Langston
Laura Marsh
Fran Wilson
Danielle Wyatt
EWA v Australia, Beckenham CC, 5th to 7th August
Tammy Beaumont
Harry Alderson (Surrey Boy)
Harriharan Aravin (Surrey Boy)
Ajeet Dale (Surrey Boy)
Freya Davies
Jodie Dibble
Alex Hartley
Tash Farrant
Danielle Hazell
Beth Langston
Omar Ramzen (Surrey Boy)
Carla Rudd
Fran Wilson
Danielle Wyatt
MD
30/VII/15
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Where do England go from here?
England were crushed by Australia in the third ODI losing by 89 runs, and thereby lost the ODI series 2-1 and went 4-2 behind in the Ashes Series. It was not just that they were badly beaten, but that they were poor in the field, with the ball and with the bat. They looked like a team with no confidence. The skipper and the management have to remedy that before the Test.
They have a couple of weeks to try and get their heads together before that four day Test at Canterbury worth a crucial four points for a win or two each for the draw. This will be followed after another two week gap by the three T20s each worth two points. If the Aussies win the Test they will need to win just one of the T20s to take the Ashes.
So what will England do for the next two weeks? I understand they have some longer format warm-up games planned against boys' teams, but I am not really sure how much they get out of these "jumpers for goalpost" games (as fellow blogger Syd Egan calls them). They have nowhere near the same intensity as an Ashes' match and the opposition do not reflect the type of bowling and batting that they face in the real thing. Trying to find that sort of opposition is a conundrum. I would suggest that a game or games against one of the better county set-ups might prove more fruitful. This is one of the problems created by having this void between the 18 contracted players and the rest. This is the void the ECB hope the WCSL will fill, but that is not going to be up and running properly for at least two years. By then the T20 World Cup and the 50 over World Cup will have been and gone.
There is a round of county T20 games this Sunday and I think I would let the batsmen (at least) go and play in these games and try and get a few runs under their belts, just to try and get the feel of hitting the ball cleanly. I appreciate that it is not the same type of cricket that they will be required to play in the Test Match, but the England batsmen are not in a good place at the moment. It might also help them work on rotating the strike from decent length and line bowling, which is what the Aussies have been chucking down, and what England have been failing to play properly. In the first ODI the Aussies bowled too short and England capitalised. In the second they adjusted and bowled much tighter lines and lengths and England played across the line and got out. In the third England played straighter but could not score. In the Test playing straight will again be key, as will patience. Against India last year 12 of the 20 England wickets to fall to India were lbw as England played across the line and were bowled out for 92 and 202 and lost by six wickets.
I understand the Test squad is being selected today. It will not be easy. The ECB keep banging on about how strong the squad is and the fact that England have strength in depth. It looks like smoke and mirrors to me, particularly on the batting front. It was highlighted in the World Cup in Mumbai in 2013 when England failed to make the final; reiterated in the T20 World Cup final when England lost badly to Australia; in the Test last year and confirmed again in New Zealand in February. The only upside during that time was the Ashes in Australia which England won based around some good bowling in the Test Match (which was worth six points at the time). England actually lost both the ODI and T20 series, but one win in each was enough to retain the Ashes. As Mike Selvey, former Middlesex and England bowler, tweeted yesterday about the England team "The hard truth is they have plateaued in white ball cricket for several years while others have caught up".
The reality is that there are no batsmen in the England squad that the Aussies will fear. England have relied on Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor for much longer than is seemly, and during that time Taylor's performances have been sporadic. Overall she averages just over 40 in ODIs. Against Australia she averages just over 34, and this is about the score you expect her to make in most of her innings. In 70 of her 91 ODI innings she has failed to get beyond 50. 39 of those times she has scored between 20-49.
The problem England have is that they have not produced another reliable batsmen in the mould of Claire Taylor or Arran Brindle. Amy Jones and Georgia Elwiss have been introduced in this series with little success. Waiting in the wings are Tammy Beaumont and Danielle Wyatt. They have already played 23 and 33 ODIs each respectively. Beaumont averages 17.25 and Wyatt 16.43. They are not exciting replacements.
So who will England pick for the Test? Again I doubt they will look outside the contracted 18 players, but steady bat Fran Wilson and left-arm spinner Jodie Dibble deserve to feature in their thoughts. If they select 14 again I think it will be:-
Edwards, Beaumont, Brunt, Cross, Elwiss, Greenway, Grundy, Gunn, Hazell, Knight, Sciver, Shrubsole, Taylor, and Winfield
Whether that is a 14 that will trouble the Aussies? I have to say I have my doubts.
MD
28/VII/15
They have a couple of weeks to try and get their heads together before that four day Test at Canterbury worth a crucial four points for a win or two each for the draw. This will be followed after another two week gap by the three T20s each worth two points. If the Aussies win the Test they will need to win just one of the T20s to take the Ashes.
So what will England do for the next two weeks? I understand they have some longer format warm-up games planned against boys' teams, but I am not really sure how much they get out of these "jumpers for goalpost" games (as fellow blogger Syd Egan calls them). They have nowhere near the same intensity as an Ashes' match and the opposition do not reflect the type of bowling and batting that they face in the real thing. Trying to find that sort of opposition is a conundrum. I would suggest that a game or games against one of the better county set-ups might prove more fruitful. This is one of the problems created by having this void between the 18 contracted players and the rest. This is the void the ECB hope the WCSL will fill, but that is not going to be up and running properly for at least two years. By then the T20 World Cup and the 50 over World Cup will have been and gone.
There is a round of county T20 games this Sunday and I think I would let the batsmen (at least) go and play in these games and try and get a few runs under their belts, just to try and get the feel of hitting the ball cleanly. I appreciate that it is not the same type of cricket that they will be required to play in the Test Match, but the England batsmen are not in a good place at the moment. It might also help them work on rotating the strike from decent length and line bowling, which is what the Aussies have been chucking down, and what England have been failing to play properly. In the first ODI the Aussies bowled too short and England capitalised. In the second they adjusted and bowled much tighter lines and lengths and England played across the line and got out. In the third England played straighter but could not score. In the Test playing straight will again be key, as will patience. Against India last year 12 of the 20 England wickets to fall to India were lbw as England played across the line and were bowled out for 92 and 202 and lost by six wickets.
I understand the Test squad is being selected today. It will not be easy. The ECB keep banging on about how strong the squad is and the fact that England have strength in depth. It looks like smoke and mirrors to me, particularly on the batting front. It was highlighted in the World Cup in Mumbai in 2013 when England failed to make the final; reiterated in the T20 World Cup final when England lost badly to Australia; in the Test last year and confirmed again in New Zealand in February. The only upside during that time was the Ashes in Australia which England won based around some good bowling in the Test Match (which was worth six points at the time). England actually lost both the ODI and T20 series, but one win in each was enough to retain the Ashes. As Mike Selvey, former Middlesex and England bowler, tweeted yesterday about the England team "The hard truth is they have plateaued in white ball cricket for several years while others have caught up".
The reality is that there are no batsmen in the England squad that the Aussies will fear. England have relied on Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor for much longer than is seemly, and during that time Taylor's performances have been sporadic. Overall she averages just over 40 in ODIs. Against Australia she averages just over 34, and this is about the score you expect her to make in most of her innings. In 70 of her 91 ODI innings she has failed to get beyond 50. 39 of those times she has scored between 20-49.
The problem England have is that they have not produced another reliable batsmen in the mould of Claire Taylor or Arran Brindle. Amy Jones and Georgia Elwiss have been introduced in this series with little success. Waiting in the wings are Tammy Beaumont and Danielle Wyatt. They have already played 23 and 33 ODIs each respectively. Beaumont averages 17.25 and Wyatt 16.43. They are not exciting replacements.
So who will England pick for the Test? Again I doubt they will look outside the contracted 18 players, but steady bat Fran Wilson and left-arm spinner Jodie Dibble deserve to feature in their thoughts. If they select 14 again I think it will be:-
Edwards, Beaumont, Brunt, Cross, Elwiss, Greenway, Grundy, Gunn, Hazell, Knight, Sciver, Shrubsole, Taylor, and Winfield
Whether that is a 14 that will trouble the Aussies? I have to say I have my doubts.
MD
28/VII/15
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Can England win ODI 3?
The rain of the last couple of days has given me a chance to reflect on two very different ODI performances by both England and Australia. Fingers crossed they will get a chance tomorrow to complete the third game in the series.
The Aussies came to the first game luke-warm at best. They had only been in England for seven days, and they had been flayed by a men's side early on and then beat the England Women's Academy by just 15 runs just two days before the first ODI. It was not ideal preparation given that most of their players had not played a competitive game for several months. England had exactly the same problem when they toured New Zealand. Given that the girls do not currently play all-year round, better warm-up games in out of season tours seem to be a must.
It meant that the Aussie batting was timid and their score of 238/9 was under-par on a great wicket, where the ball thumped into the boundary markers almost as soon as it beat the in-field. It also meant that their bowlers were off the mark, bowling far too many short balls, which Nat Sciver, in particular, latched onto with relish. The Aussies were also hampered by poor and unfortunate team selection. Nicole Bolton missed the game after being hit on the head the day before in the nets. Jess Jonassen was promoted to open, presumably on the basis that she was a left-hander more than anything else. She did not look comfortable and used up 17 balls scoring her five runs, before she was one of Katherine Brunt's three victims.
The poor selections were Kristen Beams and Holly Ferling. Beams is a thirty year old leg-spinner who made her debut for Australia just last year against Pakistan, and was then selected for the successful Southern Stars series against the West Indies. She had been the leading wicket taker in the WNCL the summer before and had apparently performed well in warm-up games against the touring English team that summer. Her selection into the Stars team, and giving her a Southern Stars contract, seemed a great leap of faith. On hard turning Aussie wickets she may have proved remarkably economical for a leg-spinner. In England on lifeless, slow English wickets, her threat seems minimal, and, as with all leg-spinners, she bowls plenty of bad balls. Her selection for the first ODI, and indeed for the tour, seemed rather optimistic.
Holly Ferling is a separate issue. I first saw her when she was 17 when she first toured with the Aussies in 2013. She bounded in off a long and loping run and bowled pretty quickly, albeit somewhat erratically. She was a bit of a loose cannon on that tour, but there looked to be plenty of potential. Now, after back surgery and with a modified run-up and delivery, she looks mundane. She kept her place for the second ODI but I don't think she will keep it for the third.
In the second ODI the Aussie team was much better balanced. Nicole Bolton returned to open with her partner, Elyse Villani. Villani has curbed her thrash at everything style and they seem to make a sound opening partnership, with a disruptive left-hand/right-hand combination. Bolton took Jess Cameron's place, which seemed tough on Cameron. She has not been in the best of nick over the past year or so, but she looked good at Taunton and was unfortunate to be run out. Had she gone on and made 50 the Aussies would really have had a selection dilemma. Beams was also dropped and replaced by the steady seam of Megan Schutt, who is very used to English wickets having played 13 games for Notts in county cricket last season. It turned out to be an inspired selection as she ended the game with figures of 4/47. Her secret....she bowled straight. Not that much of a secret really.
Having won the toss England decided to bowl at Bristol. The perceived wisdom was that it was a good idea. I have to say, and I said at the time, that I would have batted. It was a good wicket and runs on the board add a pressure to batting, which tends to result in batsmen looking to play forcing shots across the line. Nine England batsmen either lbw or bowled suggests this is what happened to England.
The Aussies certainly batted better in the second ODI (plus we bowled too short and too wide), helped by Meg Lanning getting her mojo back. As she said after the game it is her job at number three to get a big score. Thursday was the thirteenth time in 38 innings that she has gone past 50 in ODIs and it was the sixth time she has gone on to make a hundred. Compare that with Sarah Taylor who has gone past 50 on 21 occasions but in 90 innings, and converted only five of those into hundreds. She has not had an ODI hundred against the Aussies since 2009. England desperately needed one on Thursday and she was well set at the half-way mark with England apparently cruising at 122/1. But it was not to be. Lottie was deceived by a Schutt slower ball and there then followed a procession of batsmen failing to play straight. "Play straight" has to be the mantra for the third ODI tomorrow. True Schutt and Sarah Coyte bowled good lines, but there was little or no movement again and at this level the batsmen need to be able to score without going across the line.
I am guessing that Worcester will be a decent batting track again and that means that it is likely to be the side that bats best that will win the third ODI. You would hope that England could not bat that badly again, but we have seen it before, so it is possible we might see it again.
Will Amy Jones keep her place at number 4? I hope she does and that she is given the support of the team and the management. Her main failing is a lack of self-confidence, not a failing of technique. If she were replaced by Lauren Winfield then the pressure on Winfield to justify her selection would be huge, which could be just as stifling. I don't think bringing her in would be fair to her or Jones.
I think the Aussies will drop Ferling and bring in Rene Farrell, and I think they will win the third ODI, but it will be close.
MD
26/VII/15
The Aussies came to the first game luke-warm at best. They had only been in England for seven days, and they had been flayed by a men's side early on and then beat the England Women's Academy by just 15 runs just two days before the first ODI. It was not ideal preparation given that most of their players had not played a competitive game for several months. England had exactly the same problem when they toured New Zealand. Given that the girls do not currently play all-year round, better warm-up games in out of season tours seem to be a must.
It meant that the Aussie batting was timid and their score of 238/9 was under-par on a great wicket, where the ball thumped into the boundary markers almost as soon as it beat the in-field. It also meant that their bowlers were off the mark, bowling far too many short balls, which Nat Sciver, in particular, latched onto with relish. The Aussies were also hampered by poor and unfortunate team selection. Nicole Bolton missed the game after being hit on the head the day before in the nets. Jess Jonassen was promoted to open, presumably on the basis that she was a left-hander more than anything else. She did not look comfortable and used up 17 balls scoring her five runs, before she was one of Katherine Brunt's three victims.
The poor selections were Kristen Beams and Holly Ferling. Beams is a thirty year old leg-spinner who made her debut for Australia just last year against Pakistan, and was then selected for the successful Southern Stars series against the West Indies. She had been the leading wicket taker in the WNCL the summer before and had apparently performed well in warm-up games against the touring English team that summer. Her selection into the Stars team, and giving her a Southern Stars contract, seemed a great leap of faith. On hard turning Aussie wickets she may have proved remarkably economical for a leg-spinner. In England on lifeless, slow English wickets, her threat seems minimal, and, as with all leg-spinners, she bowls plenty of bad balls. Her selection for the first ODI, and indeed for the tour, seemed rather optimistic.
Holly Ferling is a separate issue. I first saw her when she was 17 when she first toured with the Aussies in 2013. She bounded in off a long and loping run and bowled pretty quickly, albeit somewhat erratically. She was a bit of a loose cannon on that tour, but there looked to be plenty of potential. Now, after back surgery and with a modified run-up and delivery, she looks mundane. She kept her place for the second ODI but I don't think she will keep it for the third.
In the second ODI the Aussie team was much better balanced. Nicole Bolton returned to open with her partner, Elyse Villani. Villani has curbed her thrash at everything style and they seem to make a sound opening partnership, with a disruptive left-hand/right-hand combination. Bolton took Jess Cameron's place, which seemed tough on Cameron. She has not been in the best of nick over the past year or so, but she looked good at Taunton and was unfortunate to be run out. Had she gone on and made 50 the Aussies would really have had a selection dilemma. Beams was also dropped and replaced by the steady seam of Megan Schutt, who is very used to English wickets having played 13 games for Notts in county cricket last season. It turned out to be an inspired selection as she ended the game with figures of 4/47. Her secret....she bowled straight. Not that much of a secret really.
Having won the toss England decided to bowl at Bristol. The perceived wisdom was that it was a good idea. I have to say, and I said at the time, that I would have batted. It was a good wicket and runs on the board add a pressure to batting, which tends to result in batsmen looking to play forcing shots across the line. Nine England batsmen either lbw or bowled suggests this is what happened to England.
The Aussies certainly batted better in the second ODI (plus we bowled too short and too wide), helped by Meg Lanning getting her mojo back. As she said after the game it is her job at number three to get a big score. Thursday was the thirteenth time in 38 innings that she has gone past 50 in ODIs and it was the sixth time she has gone on to make a hundred. Compare that with Sarah Taylor who has gone past 50 on 21 occasions but in 90 innings, and converted only five of those into hundreds. She has not had an ODI hundred against the Aussies since 2009. England desperately needed one on Thursday and she was well set at the half-way mark with England apparently cruising at 122/1. But it was not to be. Lottie was deceived by a Schutt slower ball and there then followed a procession of batsmen failing to play straight. "Play straight" has to be the mantra for the third ODI tomorrow. True Schutt and Sarah Coyte bowled good lines, but there was little or no movement again and at this level the batsmen need to be able to score without going across the line.
I am guessing that Worcester will be a decent batting track again and that means that it is likely to be the side that bats best that will win the third ODI. You would hope that England could not bat that badly again, but we have seen it before, so it is possible we might see it again.
Will Amy Jones keep her place at number 4? I hope she does and that she is given the support of the team and the management. Her main failing is a lack of self-confidence, not a failing of technique. If she were replaced by Lauren Winfield then the pressure on Winfield to justify her selection would be huge, which could be just as stifling. I don't think bringing her in would be fair to her or Jones.
I think the Aussies will drop Ferling and bring in Rene Farrell, and I think they will win the third ODI, but it will be close.
MD
26/VII/15
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Aussies square series as Lanning comes good
Australia are back in the Ashes Series. Were they ever really out of it? No we just got a bit over-excited after the Taunton match.
They came into the second ODI at Bristol with a much more balanced side, replacing Jess Cameron with opener Nicole Bolton and leggie Kristen Beams with medium-pacer Megan Schutt, who has bowled plenty of times in English conditions before for Notts. Cameron can probably count herself as unlucky. She was batting well at Taunton before she was run out, but the Aussies wanted Bolton in to open the batting (left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen filled in in the last ODI) which meant sacrificing a batsman somewhere. The only other weak link from Taunton was Holly Ferling, and she proved to be the same today, bowling just three poor overs for 21 runs. She is unlikely to make the cut for the third ODI. For all the pre-tour talk she has looked out of her depth at this level. Rene Farrell will surely be preferred.
Inserted by Charlotte Edwards Australia never really looked to be in any kind of trouble. There was nothing in the wicket for seamers or spinners and once they had negotiated the first ten overs it was a matter of how many runs the Aussies could put on the board. England also bowled too many bad balls. Thanks to 104 off 98 balls from Aussie skipper Meg Lanning and a rather sedate 48 off 71 balls from Ellyse Perry, just missing out on her 7th consecutive 50, they managed to score 259/6. England did not help themselves with some sloppy fielding. Sarah Taylor dropped Lanning on 72 standing back behind the stumps, and Kate Cross dropped her again on 83 off her own bowling. Neither may have been overly significant, but they were indicative of a rather poor day in the field for England.
It meant England needed to hit a record 260 to win this second ODI and for the first 25 overs things seemed to be going according to plan. They reached the half-way stage at 122/1. They had lost Heather Knight for 38 off 51 balls with the score on 92, but that brought Sarah Taylor to the crease and the expectation always rises when she skips to the crease. To be fair the anxiety levels also rise, as you are never quite sure what you are going to get from Sarah. Knight had again not looked to be in great form, which must be a bit of a worry for England.
The first over after drinks was bowled by Schutt. She removed Charlotte Edwards who the Aussies had stifled by posting two short extra covers and bowling on her off stump. She likes to whip the ball to the leg side and when she tried to pull a slower ball from Schutt she missed and was bowled for 58 (her 46th ODI 50). This brought Amy Jones to the wicket, who had been a surprise pick at four for the these opening ODIs ahead of Lauren Winfield. For six balls she looked a lonely figure at the crease, and anxious to get off the mark she tried to work her seventh from Jonassen off the stumps to the off-side and was bowled. England needed Sarah Taylor to make this the time she went on and made a big score, but she could not. She fell for 43 off 39 balls, just before the batting powerplay, lbw to Jonassen to a full ball going back in front of her stumps and trying to work the ball to leg.
But it was the powerplay itself which scuppered England's chances of going 2-0 up in the ODI series and 4 points to nil up in the Ashes Series. England scored just 17 runs and lost four wickets. Greenway was lbw to Coyte, Elwiss was bowled by Schutt, Sciver was bowled by Coyte and Shrubsole was lbw to Schutt. Elwiss was bowled off an inside edge driving, but the other three were attempting to play straight balls to the leg-side. England were sunk at 181/8. They managed to get to 196 before they were bowled out, well short of the Aussies' total.
After the euphoria of the England middle-order batting in the first ODI this was back to the more familiar middle-order batting woes. Consistency is the middle-order's problem and it is not one that I can see being solved mid-series. We have to hope that one or two of the middle-order can come good again on Sunday, that Heather Knight finds some form and that we bowl better. Lines and length were poor today. It is going to be a tall ask and the Aussies are now favourites in my book to take the ODI series 2-1 in Worcester on Sunday.
scorecard here
MD
23/VII/15
They came into the second ODI at Bristol with a much more balanced side, replacing Jess Cameron with opener Nicole Bolton and leggie Kristen Beams with medium-pacer Megan Schutt, who has bowled plenty of times in English conditions before for Notts. Cameron can probably count herself as unlucky. She was batting well at Taunton before she was run out, but the Aussies wanted Bolton in to open the batting (left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen filled in in the last ODI) which meant sacrificing a batsman somewhere. The only other weak link from Taunton was Holly Ferling, and she proved to be the same today, bowling just three poor overs for 21 runs. She is unlikely to make the cut for the third ODI. For all the pre-tour talk she has looked out of her depth at this level. Rene Farrell will surely be preferred.
Inserted by Charlotte Edwards Australia never really looked to be in any kind of trouble. There was nothing in the wicket for seamers or spinners and once they had negotiated the first ten overs it was a matter of how many runs the Aussies could put on the board. England also bowled too many bad balls. Thanks to 104 off 98 balls from Aussie skipper Meg Lanning and a rather sedate 48 off 71 balls from Ellyse Perry, just missing out on her 7th consecutive 50, they managed to score 259/6. England did not help themselves with some sloppy fielding. Sarah Taylor dropped Lanning on 72 standing back behind the stumps, and Kate Cross dropped her again on 83 off her own bowling. Neither may have been overly significant, but they were indicative of a rather poor day in the field for England.
It meant England needed to hit a record 260 to win this second ODI and for the first 25 overs things seemed to be going according to plan. They reached the half-way stage at 122/1. They had lost Heather Knight for 38 off 51 balls with the score on 92, but that brought Sarah Taylor to the crease and the expectation always rises when she skips to the crease. To be fair the anxiety levels also rise, as you are never quite sure what you are going to get from Sarah. Knight had again not looked to be in great form, which must be a bit of a worry for England.
The first over after drinks was bowled by Schutt. She removed Charlotte Edwards who the Aussies had stifled by posting two short extra covers and bowling on her off stump. She likes to whip the ball to the leg side and when she tried to pull a slower ball from Schutt she missed and was bowled for 58 (her 46th ODI 50). This brought Amy Jones to the wicket, who had been a surprise pick at four for the these opening ODIs ahead of Lauren Winfield. For six balls she looked a lonely figure at the crease, and anxious to get off the mark she tried to work her seventh from Jonassen off the stumps to the off-side and was bowled. England needed Sarah Taylor to make this the time she went on and made a big score, but she could not. She fell for 43 off 39 balls, just before the batting powerplay, lbw to Jonassen to a full ball going back in front of her stumps and trying to work the ball to leg.
But it was the powerplay itself which scuppered England's chances of going 2-0 up in the ODI series and 4 points to nil up in the Ashes Series. England scored just 17 runs and lost four wickets. Greenway was lbw to Coyte, Elwiss was bowled by Schutt, Sciver was bowled by Coyte and Shrubsole was lbw to Schutt. Elwiss was bowled off an inside edge driving, but the other three were attempting to play straight balls to the leg-side. England were sunk at 181/8. They managed to get to 196 before they were bowled out, well short of the Aussies' total.
After the euphoria of the England middle-order batting in the first ODI this was back to the more familiar middle-order batting woes. Consistency is the middle-order's problem and it is not one that I can see being solved mid-series. We have to hope that one or two of the middle-order can come good again on Sunday, that Heather Knight finds some form and that we bowl better. Lines and length were poor today. It is going to be a tall ask and the Aussies are now favourites in my book to take the ODI series 2-1 in Worcester on Sunday.
scorecard here
MD
23/VII/15
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Ashes' Opener doesn't disappoint!
What a great day at Taunton!!
And not just because England won, although I have to say that helps!
The atmosphere was electric before the start. The media were there in force with pre-match pitchside interviews for radio and television. Photographers were getting set-up. The crowd started to trickle in, filling up the traditional small stands. The owners of the penthouse flats on the far side of the ground settled down with a coffee on their balconies to watch proceedings. The Ashes were about to get under way - NOT the WOMEN'S Ashes!
There is always that nagging fear that the game might not quite live up to all the hype, and when England reduced Australia to 35/3 with the MegaStar, Meg Lanning, one of the wickets to fall, there was a mixture of anxiety and euphoria amongst the bloggerati (a word I think I have just made up for those of us who blog on women's cricket). It was great to see England doing so well, but the game, being broadcast on Sky and on BBC radio, needed to be a good contest. We needn't have worried. Ellyse Perry and Alex Blackwell ensured it was a decent game. They added 121 in 161 balls for the fourth wicket, before Blackwell was run out by a direct hit from Heather Knight at mid-off. It was the first of four run-outs by England, who until that time had not had a great day in the field, with fumbles in the field, missed stumpings and a dropped catch (Perry on 21 at the time) by Becky Grundy off her own bowling. The run-outs took the wind out of the Aussie sails which meant they ended up on 238/9, rather than the 260/270 they looked like achieving at one stage. It looked a decent score on the board, but with an outfield like glass and no movement in the air or off the pitch for the seamers and no spin for the spinners, it was well below par. England just needed to bat sensibly.....just....
Charlotte Edwards pulled the first ball of the England innings for 4, and all seemed right in the world. The crowd had grown to around 3,500 and they were enjoying themselves, even if the sun had given way to some rather ominous grey clouds and the occasional spit and spot of rain. But Edwards dragged one on from Perry; Knight clipped Coyte to mid-on; Jones swatted a long-hop from Osborne to midwicket; and Taylor edged Osborne behind trying to dab the ball down to third man. England were 80/4. England's previously fragile middle-order was exposed, but this was still a good batting track, and none of the Aussie bowlers really looked that threatening. Did they? But still there was little confidence that England would pull it off.
Again unnecessary pessimism. Nat Sciver, despite some indifferent form in the County Championship, rose to the occasion like a leaping salmon. She, together with a more circumspect Lydia Greenway, gradually brought the game round England's way. They got to 30 overs with the score on 124/4. England still needed 115 from 20 overs. Eminently doable, but if they lost a wicket now..... They did not. Instead they hit Jonassen for eight; Beams for 10; Perry for seven and Osborne for 10 in consecutive overs. 35 off four overs and the game was theirs to lose now.
Cue slight palpitations when Greenway departed with 37 still needed and then Sciver with 22 still needed, but Georgia Elwiss looked like the calmest of calm people on a calm day as she cut her first ball off Osborne for 4 and then lofted her over extra cover for 4 more. Her glove punch and smiles with the enigmatic Katherine Brunt as she edged Osborne for 4 two overs later, before cutting her for the winning 4 two balls later, were great to witness. As was the noise of the enthusiastic and partisan Somerset crowd, who gradually came to life as the Sciver/Greenway combo took the game by the scruff of the neck.
England won with more than four overs to spare. Why were we ever worried?
It really had been a grand day out. Perhaps it was the day that women's cricket finally came of age?
scorecard here
MD
22/VII/15
And not just because England won, although I have to say that helps!
The atmosphere was electric before the start. The media were there in force with pre-match pitchside interviews for radio and television. Photographers were getting set-up. The crowd started to trickle in, filling up the traditional small stands. The owners of the penthouse flats on the far side of the ground settled down with a coffee on their balconies to watch proceedings. The Ashes were about to get under way - NOT the WOMEN'S Ashes!
There is always that nagging fear that the game might not quite live up to all the hype, and when England reduced Australia to 35/3 with the MegaStar, Meg Lanning, one of the wickets to fall, there was a mixture of anxiety and euphoria amongst the bloggerati (a word I think I have just made up for those of us who blog on women's cricket). It was great to see England doing so well, but the game, being broadcast on Sky and on BBC radio, needed to be a good contest. We needn't have worried. Ellyse Perry and Alex Blackwell ensured it was a decent game. They added 121 in 161 balls for the fourth wicket, before Blackwell was run out by a direct hit from Heather Knight at mid-off. It was the first of four run-outs by England, who until that time had not had a great day in the field, with fumbles in the field, missed stumpings and a dropped catch (Perry on 21 at the time) by Becky Grundy off her own bowling. The run-outs took the wind out of the Aussie sails which meant they ended up on 238/9, rather than the 260/270 they looked like achieving at one stage. It looked a decent score on the board, but with an outfield like glass and no movement in the air or off the pitch for the seamers and no spin for the spinners, it was well below par. England just needed to bat sensibly.....just....
Charlotte Edwards pulled the first ball of the England innings for 4, and all seemed right in the world. The crowd had grown to around 3,500 and they were enjoying themselves, even if the sun had given way to some rather ominous grey clouds and the occasional spit and spot of rain. But Edwards dragged one on from Perry; Knight clipped Coyte to mid-on; Jones swatted a long-hop from Osborne to midwicket; and Taylor edged Osborne behind trying to dab the ball down to third man. England were 80/4. England's previously fragile middle-order was exposed, but this was still a good batting track, and none of the Aussie bowlers really looked that threatening. Did they? But still there was little confidence that England would pull it off.
Again unnecessary pessimism. Nat Sciver, despite some indifferent form in the County Championship, rose to the occasion like a leaping salmon. She, together with a more circumspect Lydia Greenway, gradually brought the game round England's way. They got to 30 overs with the score on 124/4. England still needed 115 from 20 overs. Eminently doable, but if they lost a wicket now..... They did not. Instead they hit Jonassen for eight; Beams for 10; Perry for seven and Osborne for 10 in consecutive overs. 35 off four overs and the game was theirs to lose now.
Cue slight palpitations when Greenway departed with 37 still needed and then Sciver with 22 still needed, but Georgia Elwiss looked like the calmest of calm people on a calm day as she cut her first ball off Osborne for 4 and then lofted her over extra cover for 4 more. Her glove punch and smiles with the enigmatic Katherine Brunt as she edged Osborne for 4 two overs later, before cutting her for the winning 4 two balls later, were great to witness. As was the noise of the enthusiastic and partisan Somerset crowd, who gradually came to life as the Sciver/Greenway combo took the game by the scruff of the neck.
England won with more than four overs to spare. Why were we ever worried?
It really had been a grand day out. Perhaps it was the day that women's cricket finally came of age?
scorecard here
MD
22/VII/15
Monday, 20 July 2015
It's going to be a rollercoaster ride - Women's Ashes ODI Preview
Tomorrow England start their Ashes campaign against the Aussies with the first of three ODIs at Taunton, the second is at Bristol on Thursday, and the third at Worcester on Sunday. As well as being part of the Ashes Series the games are also the three matches in the ICC Women's Championship, the qualifying tournament for the World Cup in 2017. Australia are currently top of the table, while England languish in sixth place. These are three very important matches for England.
I had intended to write this preview last week, but I thought I would wait for yesterday's EWA v Australia warm-up game (scorecard here), so that I could get a sight of the Aussies playing on English soil. Had I written it last week I would have been pretty pessimistic about England's chances of winning any of the three games in this mini-series. Australia are the current 50 over World Champions and England come into this series after a rather dismal 2-1 ICCWC defeat in New Zealand. But I have to say that, having watched Australia yesterday and having seen how they have warmed-up against men's teams both in Australia and here, I am now less pessimistic.
The Aussies are out of season and playing on English pitches and in English conditions. I understand their desire to warm-up against strong opposition, but their bowlers were flayed round the park by the two men's teams they have played and their batsmen have struggled. I am not sure that is the preparation they needed, and it showed yesterday against the England Academy. True they won that game, but only by 15 runs and they failed to put more than 250 runs on the board on a great batting track and with a lightning outfield. With the exception of Ellyse Perry (93*) their batting looked tentative.
As for their bowling it looked toothless. Perry is a shadow of the bowler she once was and Holly Ferling looked over-coached, medium-paced and inaccurate. Rene Farrell bowls tidily enough and looks hard to get away, and England will have to avoid getting bogged down by her as the Academy girls did yesterday. They also struggled with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who is naggingly accurate even if she is not a big spinner of the ball. Leggie Kristen Beams looks set to play in the ODIs, and the Aussies have talked her up, but if the England girls can use their feet to her and not allow her to settle she will bowl plenty of scoring deliveries and the tracks are unlikely to offer her much spin.
England will have no better chance of getting two points on both the Ashes and ICCWC scoreboards than in the first ODI tomorrow. The question is whether they are in a good enough place to take that chance? It is a big series for the likes of Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, Lauren Winfield and possibly Georgia Elwiss, who all show so much promise with the bat, but all too infrequently. England cannot keep relying on Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor to get all their runs. I think Knight could be a key player. Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt will lead the bowling attack, but they need to avoid bowling too short to the Aussies. They are good off the back foot, and neither bowler now have the consistent pace they used to have. They will need to keep a lid on the Aussies for the first ten overs and then it seems likely that spinners Knight, Rebecca Grundy and possibly Laura Marsh, will try and stifle the Aussies in the middle overs. Knight's honeymoon period as a spinner is coming to an end and I think the Aussies may look to get after her early. If she can hold her nerve that could work for England. It will be an intriguing battle.
The other imponderable for England appears to be Jenny Gunn. Will she play or will she be replaced by Laura Marsh or Georgia Elwiss? If she does play where will she bat? She drifted down to 10 in New Zealand. And where is her bowling at the moment? She has been notoriously stingey in the past and good at taking wickets, but appears to have lost that knack of bowling darts at the batsmen's toes. At her best she could be a vital cog in the well-oiled England machine. Hopefully someone will have got the physios equivalent of WD40 out on her.
These and many other questions will be answered over the next few days. I am going to stick my neck out and say that I think England will win the first ODI, and that one team will win the mini-series 2-1, but I'm not sure which team that will be. It is going to be a rollercoaster ride. Please make sure you are safely strapped in, remain seated at all times and keep your hands down!
20/VII/15
I had intended to write this preview last week, but I thought I would wait for yesterday's EWA v Australia warm-up game (scorecard here), so that I could get a sight of the Aussies playing on English soil. Had I written it last week I would have been pretty pessimistic about England's chances of winning any of the three games in this mini-series. Australia are the current 50 over World Champions and England come into this series after a rather dismal 2-1 ICCWC defeat in New Zealand. But I have to say that, having watched Australia yesterday and having seen how they have warmed-up against men's teams both in Australia and here, I am now less pessimistic.
The Aussies are out of season and playing on English pitches and in English conditions. I understand their desire to warm-up against strong opposition, but their bowlers were flayed round the park by the two men's teams they have played and their batsmen have struggled. I am not sure that is the preparation they needed, and it showed yesterday against the England Academy. True they won that game, but only by 15 runs and they failed to put more than 250 runs on the board on a great batting track and with a lightning outfield. With the exception of Ellyse Perry (93*) their batting looked tentative.
As for their bowling it looked toothless. Perry is a shadow of the bowler she once was and Holly Ferling looked over-coached, medium-paced and inaccurate. Rene Farrell bowls tidily enough and looks hard to get away, and England will have to avoid getting bogged down by her as the Academy girls did yesterday. They also struggled with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, who is naggingly accurate even if she is not a big spinner of the ball. Leggie Kristen Beams looks set to play in the ODIs, and the Aussies have talked her up, but if the England girls can use their feet to her and not allow her to settle she will bowl plenty of scoring deliveries and the tracks are unlikely to offer her much spin.
England will have no better chance of getting two points on both the Ashes and ICCWC scoreboards than in the first ODI tomorrow. The question is whether they are in a good enough place to take that chance? It is a big series for the likes of Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, Lauren Winfield and possibly Georgia Elwiss, who all show so much promise with the bat, but all too infrequently. England cannot keep relying on Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor to get all their runs. I think Knight could be a key player. Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt will lead the bowling attack, but they need to avoid bowling too short to the Aussies. They are good off the back foot, and neither bowler now have the consistent pace they used to have. They will need to keep a lid on the Aussies for the first ten overs and then it seems likely that spinners Knight, Rebecca Grundy and possibly Laura Marsh, will try and stifle the Aussies in the middle overs. Knight's honeymoon period as a spinner is coming to an end and I think the Aussies may look to get after her early. If she can hold her nerve that could work for England. It will be an intriguing battle.
The other imponderable for England appears to be Jenny Gunn. Will she play or will she be replaced by Laura Marsh or Georgia Elwiss? If she does play where will she bat? She drifted down to 10 in New Zealand. And where is her bowling at the moment? She has been notoriously stingey in the past and good at taking wickets, but appears to have lost that knack of bowling darts at the batsmen's toes. At her best she could be a vital cog in the well-oiled England machine. Hopefully someone will have got the physios equivalent of WD40 out on her.
These and many other questions will be answered over the next few days. I am going to stick my neck out and say that I think England will win the first ODI, and that one team will win the mini-series 2-1, but I'm not sure which team that will be. It is going to be a rollercoaster ride. Please make sure you are safely strapped in, remain seated at all times and keep your hands down!
20/VII/15
Div 1 leaders Kent recover to win, and Somerset & Staffs look set fair for Div 1 next year
Division One
Kent came back from being 49/6 chasing Surrey's 140 all out to win by four wickets, thanks to an unbroken stand of 92 between Charlotte Pape (59*) with her maiden half-century for Kent and Phoebe Franklin (26*). It means that Kent remain unbeaten and top of Division One, with just two games to play, against Middlesex and Berkshire.
Yorkshire kept up the pressure at the top with a solid win over Nottinghamshire thanks to a great all-round performance from Cecilia Allen, who top-scored with 70* and then took 3/12 as Notts ended 47 runs adrift of Yorkshire's 191/6.
Sussex too kept their title chances alive with a 4 wicket win over Middlesex at Hove. Middlesex were bowled out for 151 with England veteran Beth Morgan holding the Middlesex innings together with 72. Not to be outdone Sussex's former England star Holly Colvin claimed 5/33 and then finished 27* as Sussex got over the line with 22 balls and four wickets to spare.
Berkshire made sure that Lancashire's first season in Div 1 remains winless to date, with a thumping 156 run defeat. It was set up by Alice MacLeod (107) and Sherisa Gumbs (80) who added 165 for the second wicket for Berkshire as they scored a mammoth 308/7. Lancs were always going to struggle with such a mountain to climb and they managed to score just less than half the runs they needed before they were bowled out.
Div 1 Results
Berkshire beat Lancashire by 156 runs
Berkshire 308/5 (Alice MacLeod 107, Sherisa Gumbs 80, Megan Firclough 3/45)
Lancashire 152 (Bhumika Doshi 30, Linsey Smith 3/18, Lauren Bell 3/48)
Yorkshire beat Notts by 47 runs
Yorkshire 191/6 (Cecilia Allen 70*, Laura Spragg 34*)
Notts 144 (Sonia Odedra 31, Cecilia Allen 3/12)
Kent beat Surrey by 4 wickets
Surrey 140 (Kirstie White 51, Megan Belt 4/24)
Kent 141/6 (Charlotte Pape 59*)
Sussex beat Middlesex by 4 wickets
Middlesex 151 (Beth Morgan 72, Holly Colvin 5/33)
Sussex 154/6 (Holly Colvin 27*, Izzy Westbury 3/32)
Division Two
Staffs overcame a potentially difficult hurdle with a convincing win over Devon by six wickets. Devon were bowled out for just 108, but it could have been worse if number 10 Hazelle Garton had not managed to score 36 adding 57 for the last two Devon wickets. Staffs looked to be cruising to victory, before a flurry of wickets left them at 65/4, but Devon could not make any further in-roads into the Staffs batting order as Kathryn Whyle (22*) and Alex Hale (14*) took the Midlanders a step nearer Div 1.
But Somerset remain top of Div 2 thanks to an easy win over Scotland. Gwenan Davies (77) led her adopted county to 214/7 and Scotland never looked like getting very close after being reduced to 8/3. The middle order brought some respectability to the scorecard, but were never up with the rate and Scotland were bowled out in the 45th over for 129.
Essex chalked up their first win of the season against Worcestershire thanks to a magnificent 170 from Lily Reynolds. She opened and was the fourth wicket to fall by which time she had scored 170 out of Essex's 253. They went on to finish on 272/5. Worcestershire managed to get beyond 200 in reply, thanks in part to top-scoring extras of 48, plus some decent middle-order contributions.
And finally Durham managed another nail-biting win, this time against Ireland, by 7 runs. They are becoming masters of the art of defending low totals. This time they scored just 125 before they were bowled out in the 45th over. In reply Ireland lost wickets regularly falling seven runs short with three overs still to be bowled.
Div 2 Results
Durham beat Ireland by 7 runs
Durham 125 (Becky Glen 30, Kim Garth 3/13)
Ireland 118 (Mary Waldron 32*, Helen Fenby 4/18)
Essex beat Worcestershire by 68 runs
Essex 272/5 (Lily Reynolds 170)
Worcestershire 204/9 (Clare Boycott 44, Shona Keaney 3/38)
Somerset beat Scotland by 85 runs
Somerset 214/7 (Gwenan Davies 77)
Scotland 129 (Kathryn Bryce 37, Moira Comfort 3/26)
Staffordshire beat Devon by 6 wickets
Devon 108 (Hazelle Garton 36, Kathryn Whyle 3/30)
Staffs 109/4 (Kathryn Whyle 22*)
MD
20/VII/15
Kent came back from being 49/6 chasing Surrey's 140 all out to win by four wickets, thanks to an unbroken stand of 92 between Charlotte Pape (59*) with her maiden half-century for Kent and Phoebe Franklin (26*). It means that Kent remain unbeaten and top of Division One, with just two games to play, against Middlesex and Berkshire.
Yorkshire kept up the pressure at the top with a solid win over Nottinghamshire thanks to a great all-round performance from Cecilia Allen, who top-scored with 70* and then took 3/12 as Notts ended 47 runs adrift of Yorkshire's 191/6.
Sussex too kept their title chances alive with a 4 wicket win over Middlesex at Hove. Middlesex were bowled out for 151 with England veteran Beth Morgan holding the Middlesex innings together with 72. Not to be outdone Sussex's former England star Holly Colvin claimed 5/33 and then finished 27* as Sussex got over the line with 22 balls and four wickets to spare.
Berkshire made sure that Lancashire's first season in Div 1 remains winless to date, with a thumping 156 run defeat. It was set up by Alice MacLeod (107) and Sherisa Gumbs (80) who added 165 for the second wicket for Berkshire as they scored a mammoth 308/7. Lancs were always going to struggle with such a mountain to climb and they managed to score just less than half the runs they needed before they were bowled out.
Div 1 Results
Berkshire beat Lancashire by 156 runs
Berkshire 308/5 (Alice MacLeod 107, Sherisa Gumbs 80, Megan Firclough 3/45)
Lancashire 152 (Bhumika Doshi 30, Linsey Smith 3/18, Lauren Bell 3/48)
Yorkshire beat Notts by 47 runs
Yorkshire 191/6 (Cecilia Allen 70*, Laura Spragg 34*)
Notts 144 (Sonia Odedra 31, Cecilia Allen 3/12)
Kent beat Surrey by 4 wickets
Surrey 140 (Kirstie White 51, Megan Belt 4/24)
Kent 141/6 (Charlotte Pape 59*)
Sussex beat Middlesex by 4 wickets
Middlesex 151 (Beth Morgan 72, Holly Colvin 5/33)
Sussex 154/6 (Holly Colvin 27*, Izzy Westbury 3/32)
Division Two
Staffs overcame a potentially difficult hurdle with a convincing win over Devon by six wickets. Devon were bowled out for just 108, but it could have been worse if number 10 Hazelle Garton had not managed to score 36 adding 57 for the last two Devon wickets. Staffs looked to be cruising to victory, before a flurry of wickets left them at 65/4, but Devon could not make any further in-roads into the Staffs batting order as Kathryn Whyle (22*) and Alex Hale (14*) took the Midlanders a step nearer Div 1.
But Somerset remain top of Div 2 thanks to an easy win over Scotland. Gwenan Davies (77) led her adopted county to 214/7 and Scotland never looked like getting very close after being reduced to 8/3. The middle order brought some respectability to the scorecard, but were never up with the rate and Scotland were bowled out in the 45th over for 129.
Essex chalked up their first win of the season against Worcestershire thanks to a magnificent 170 from Lily Reynolds. She opened and was the fourth wicket to fall by which time she had scored 170 out of Essex's 253. They went on to finish on 272/5. Worcestershire managed to get beyond 200 in reply, thanks in part to top-scoring extras of 48, plus some decent middle-order contributions.
And finally Durham managed another nail-biting win, this time against Ireland, by 7 runs. They are becoming masters of the art of defending low totals. This time they scored just 125 before they were bowled out in the 45th over. In reply Ireland lost wickets regularly falling seven runs short with three overs still to be bowled.
Div 2 Results
Durham beat Ireland by 7 runs
Durham 125 (Becky Glen 30, Kim Garth 3/13)
Ireland 118 (Mary Waldron 32*, Helen Fenby 4/18)
Essex beat Worcestershire by 68 runs
Essex 272/5 (Lily Reynolds 170)
Worcestershire 204/9 (Clare Boycott 44, Shona Keaney 3/38)
Somerset beat Scotland by 85 runs
Somerset 214/7 (Gwenan Davies 77)
Scotland 129 (Kathryn Bryce 37, Moira Comfort 3/26)
Staffordshire beat Devon by 6 wickets
Devon 108 (Hazelle Garton 36, Kathryn Whyle 3/30)
Staffs 109/4 (Kathryn Whyle 22*)
MD
20/VII/15
Wednesday, 15 July 2015
Could this be a decisive weekend in the Women's County Championship?
After the latest T20 action a few days ago the Women's County Championship returns to prominence this Sunday with a full list of fixtures, despite the fact that 27 England (Ashes duties) and England Academy (warm-up game v Australia) players will not be available for selection for their counties. It means that the counties that have relied on their England contingent will have to dig into their reserves, and there will be opportunities for others to take the limelight, as Lissy MacLeod did for Berkshire on Saturday. She top-scored with 61 and took 4/26, as Berkshire posted 202 and then bowled out Middlesex for 165.
It was Middlesex's second County Championship defeat in a row, with two T20 defeats sandwiched in between. This Sunday they take on Sussex, who will be one of the teams who will suffer the most due to England duties. Middlesex will be hoping to reinvigorate their season and Sussex will be hoping to maintain some sort of title challenge.
So who will be missing England players this Sunday?
Kent (5) - Charlotte Edwards, Lyda Greenway, Laura Marsh, Tammy Beaumont, Tash Farrant
Sussex (4) - Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Taylor, Georgia Adams, Freya Davies
Yorkshire (3) - Katherine Brunt, Lauren Winfield, Dani Hazell
Berkshire (2) - Heather Knight, Carla Rudd
Lancashire (2) - Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone
Notts (2) - Jenny Gunn, Danielle Wyatt
Somerset (2) - Anya Shrubsole, Sophie Luff
Warwickshire (2) - Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones
Devon - Jodie Dibble
Essex - Beth Langston
Middlesex - Fran Wilson
Staffs - Evelyn Jones
Surrey - Nat Sciver
Div One Games
Lancashire v Berks at Wigan CC
Notts v Yorkshire at Welbeck CC
Surrey v Kent at the Kia Oval
Sussex v Middlesex at the County Ground, Hove
League leaders Kent visit local rivals Surrey at the Kia Oval without five frontline players. Surrey will be missing just Nat Sciver from their ranks. It must flip the odds in favour of Surrey who should have Rachel Candy and Sarah Clarke to lead from the front. Could Surrey inflict the first defeat on Kent this summer?
Yorkshire will be without their captain Lauren Winfield plus Katherine Brunt and Dani Hazell for their trip to Welbeck to take on Notts. Yorkshire had a good win over Middlesex two weeks ago, with their Aussie import Beth Mooney a major contributor with the bat. Notts will be missing Danni Wyatt and Jenny Gunn without whom they may struggle for runs, which should allow Yorkshire to keep the pressure on at the top of the league.
Sussex invite Middlesex down to charming County Ground at Hove and they will have to fill in five gaps left by England duties, plus another as Erin Osborne too is on Ashes' duty, but for the other side. The opportunity will be there for Middlesex, but they are low on confidence and Sussex's young pups have very little to lose. One big performance could win this game for either side.
Winless Lancashire take on a resurgent Berkshire side, who beat Middlesex last Saturday for their second win in four games. Both teams will be missing two English players each, with Berks' skipper Heather Knight perhaps the most influential with both bat and ball. Berks will also be without the services of Alex Blackwell, but they have Corinne Hall to replace her and some experience amongst their ranks and I think they may still have just too much for this Lancs Thunder team.
Div Two Games
Durham v Ireland at Durham City CC
Essex v Worcestershire at Garon Park, Southend
Somerset v Scotland at Brislington CC
Staffs v Devon at Milford Hall CC
Staffs against Devon is the top clash in Div 2, with Staffs attempting to keep their unbeaten record and Devon desperate to keep up a challenge for promotion . They are currently third but have already lost two games. A further defeat would end their chances so they have to go for it against Staffs. Defeat would be a blow but not be a disaster for Staffs. They do still have Somerset (the only other unbeaten side) to play. Hopefully both teams will agree to play that cancelled game at some time before the season ends in September.
Somerset take on Scotland, who will be glad that Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Luff will not be lining up for the west country team. But Somerset are likely to still prove too strong for Scotland, who are yet to get off the mark in this higher division.
Also winless so far are Essex, who entertain Worcestershire, at the generally pretty flat Garon Park. I cannot see it being a run-fest, but Worcestershire might just have the edge with the experienced Kiwi Sian Ruck, opening their bolwing attack. Early wickets from her might just clinch it.
And finally Ireland are at Durham. Both teams are consistently inconsistent so anything could happen. Ireland come off the back off a good win over Devon last time out, and Durham beat Worcestershire in a two run cliffhanger. Ireland will miss the experience of the injured Izzy Joyce, who is likely to miss the rest of the season, and they need at least one of their top order batsmen to stand up and get some runs on the board for the team. It could be another nail-biter?
MD
15/VII/15
It was Middlesex's second County Championship defeat in a row, with two T20 defeats sandwiched in between. This Sunday they take on Sussex, who will be one of the teams who will suffer the most due to England duties. Middlesex will be hoping to reinvigorate their season and Sussex will be hoping to maintain some sort of title challenge.
So who will be missing England players this Sunday?
Kent (5) - Charlotte Edwards, Lyda Greenway, Laura Marsh, Tammy Beaumont, Tash Farrant
Sussex (4) - Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Taylor, Georgia Adams, Freya Davies
Yorkshire (3) - Katherine Brunt, Lauren Winfield, Dani Hazell
Berkshire (2) - Heather Knight, Carla Rudd
Lancashire (2) - Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone
Notts (2) - Jenny Gunn, Danielle Wyatt
Somerset (2) - Anya Shrubsole, Sophie Luff
Warwickshire (2) - Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones
Devon - Jodie Dibble
Essex - Beth Langston
Middlesex - Fran Wilson
Staffs - Evelyn Jones
Surrey - Nat Sciver
Div One Games
Lancashire v Berks at Wigan CC
Notts v Yorkshire at Welbeck CC
Surrey v Kent at the Kia Oval
Sussex v Middlesex at the County Ground, Hove
League leaders Kent visit local rivals Surrey at the Kia Oval without five frontline players. Surrey will be missing just Nat Sciver from their ranks. It must flip the odds in favour of Surrey who should have Rachel Candy and Sarah Clarke to lead from the front. Could Surrey inflict the first defeat on Kent this summer?
Yorkshire will be without their captain Lauren Winfield plus Katherine Brunt and Dani Hazell for their trip to Welbeck to take on Notts. Yorkshire had a good win over Middlesex two weeks ago, with their Aussie import Beth Mooney a major contributor with the bat. Notts will be missing Danni Wyatt and Jenny Gunn without whom they may struggle for runs, which should allow Yorkshire to keep the pressure on at the top of the league.
Sussex invite Middlesex down to charming County Ground at Hove and they will have to fill in five gaps left by England duties, plus another as Erin Osborne too is on Ashes' duty, but for the other side. The opportunity will be there for Middlesex, but they are low on confidence and Sussex's young pups have very little to lose. One big performance could win this game for either side.
Winless Lancashire take on a resurgent Berkshire side, who beat Middlesex last Saturday for their second win in four games. Both teams will be missing two English players each, with Berks' skipper Heather Knight perhaps the most influential with both bat and ball. Berks will also be without the services of Alex Blackwell, but they have Corinne Hall to replace her and some experience amongst their ranks and I think they may still have just too much for this Lancs Thunder team.
Div Two Games
Durham v Ireland at Durham City CC
Essex v Worcestershire at Garon Park, Southend
Somerset v Scotland at Brislington CC
Staffs v Devon at Milford Hall CC
Staffs against Devon is the top clash in Div 2, with Staffs attempting to keep their unbeaten record and Devon desperate to keep up a challenge for promotion . They are currently third but have already lost two games. A further defeat would end their chances so they have to go for it against Staffs. Defeat would be a blow but not be a disaster for Staffs. They do still have Somerset (the only other unbeaten side) to play. Hopefully both teams will agree to play that cancelled game at some time before the season ends in September.
Somerset take on Scotland, who will be glad that Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Luff will not be lining up for the west country team. But Somerset are likely to still prove too strong for Scotland, who are yet to get off the mark in this higher division.
Also winless so far are Essex, who entertain Worcestershire, at the generally pretty flat Garon Park. I cannot see it being a run-fest, but Worcestershire might just have the edge with the experienced Kiwi Sian Ruck, opening their bolwing attack. Early wickets from her might just clinch it.
And finally Ireland are at Durham. Both teams are consistently inconsistent so anything could happen. Ireland come off the back off a good win over Devon last time out, and Durham beat Worcestershire in a two run cliffhanger. Ireland will miss the experience of the injured Izzy Joyce, who is likely to miss the rest of the season, and they need at least one of their top order batsmen to stand up and get some runs on the board for the team. It could be another nail-biter?
MD
15/VII/15
Tuesday, 14 July 2015
MCC want to be a Super League Host
The MCC World Cricket Committee have just issued a statement which covers many issues, but the most important to women's cricket in England is that the MCC are working with Middlesex to become one of the WCSL hosts.
The statement reads as follows:-
"MCC to express an interest in becoming an ECB Women’s Super League Host
The World Cricket committee received an update on the recently announced ECB Women’s Super League, and discussed the growth of the women’s game in general.
The committee also heard about plans for the Women’s Big Bash in Australia, and was pleased to learn that MCC has expressed an interest in becoming an ECB Women’s Super League co-host along with Middlesex CCC.
Whilst specific details of the ECB competition are emerging, MCC will work in conjunction with Middlesex with the aim of hosting a team in the women’s competition, and sees it as an exciting opportunity for MCC to support the women’s game as it develops and grows."
MD
14/VII/15
The statement reads as follows:-
"MCC to express an interest in becoming an ECB Women’s Super League Host
The World Cricket committee received an update on the recently announced ECB Women’s Super League, and discussed the growth of the women’s game in general.
The committee also heard about plans for the Women’s Big Bash in Australia, and was pleased to learn that MCC has expressed an interest in becoming an ECB Women’s Super League co-host along with Middlesex CCC.
Whilst specific details of the ECB competition are emerging, MCC will work in conjunction with Middlesex with the aim of hosting a team in the women’s competition, and sees it as an exciting opportunity for MCC to support the women’s game as it develops and grows."
MD
14/VII/15
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Devine Intervention Shows the Way!
New Zealander Sophie Devine has just smashed the fastest ever international T20 fifty, off just 18 balls, to help the White Ferns to an easy victory in the first of their three T20s against the Indians.
Devine came in in the first over at number three after Rachel Priest had fallen to the fifth ball of the first over. New Zealand were 2/1. She left the wicket to the third ball of the fifth over by which time she had scored 70 off 22 balls and New Zealand were 91/2 chasing just 126 to win.
It was an extraordinary innings which contained five 4s and eight 6s and beat the previous 22 ball 50 record of Deandra Dottin.
Unfortunately the game was not being televised so the only highlights were from the analyst's camera (click here for highlights), but it shows this was not a slog. It also shows how teams need to approach the first 6 overs of any T20 game. True this was an extreme example, but women's teams have to adopt a positive attitude in the powerplay overs, when only two fieldsmen are allowed outside the circle. Once the powerplay is done skippers just post five fielders on the boundary in front of square (three on the legside and two on the offside) and boundaries become virtually impossible.
An average score in women's T20 is about 120, with most sides being content to be 30/0 after 6 overs. It would actually be much better if they were 60/2 after 6 overs and then they would still score the same 90 runs off the next 14 overs taking their total to a much more challenging 150. Teams need to look for hard-hitting batsmen who are not afraid to go over the top, nor get out, and the team management need to give them licence to play this way.
Charlotte Edwards has promised a more positive attitude from the England batsmen this summer, so keep a watch on those first six overs in the T20s and the first 10 in the ODIs.
MD
12/VII/15
Devine came in in the first over at number three after Rachel Priest had fallen to the fifth ball of the first over. New Zealand were 2/1. She left the wicket to the third ball of the fifth over by which time she had scored 70 off 22 balls and New Zealand were 91/2 chasing just 126 to win.
It was an extraordinary innings which contained five 4s and eight 6s and beat the previous 22 ball 50 record of Deandra Dottin.
Unfortunately the game was not being televised so the only highlights were from the analyst's camera (click here for highlights), but it shows this was not a slog. It also shows how teams need to approach the first 6 overs of any T20 game. True this was an extreme example, but women's teams have to adopt a positive attitude in the powerplay overs, when only two fieldsmen are allowed outside the circle. Once the powerplay is done skippers just post five fielders on the boundary in front of square (three on the legside and two on the offside) and boundaries become virtually impossible.
An average score in women's T20 is about 120, with most sides being content to be 30/0 after 6 overs. It would actually be much better if they were 60/2 after 6 overs and then they would still score the same 90 runs off the next 14 overs taking their total to a much more challenging 150. Teams need to look for hard-hitting batsmen who are not afraid to go over the top, nor get out, and the team management need to give them licence to play this way.
Charlotte Edwards has promised a more positive attitude from the England batsmen this summer, so keep a watch on those first six overs in the T20s and the first 10 in the ODIs.
MD
12/VII/15
Friday, 10 July 2015
Aussies launch Women's Big Bash League
Cricket Australia have launched the Women's Big Bash League, which will feature eight teams, aligned with the current men's Big Bash teams, playing 59 T20 games over 51 days (they play each other twice), starting on 5th December. At the end of the 56 game league competition there will be two semi-finals followed by a final, which will be played on 24th January.
Just eight of those games will be broadcast live on Network Ten's ONE channel, which will presumably include the semi-finals and the final. The first game looks likely to the Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades on 19th December. It is a relatively small number, but it is the first outing for "domestic cricket" on television in Australia, and this is a free-to-air station which will be a big boost for the game in Australia.
In a well-co-ordinated launch each of the franchises named their first "star signing", namely :-
Adelaide Strikers - Megan Schutt (SA Scorpions)
Brisbane Heat - Holly Ferling (Queensland Fire)
Hobart Hurricanes - Julie Hunter (Vic Spirit)
Melbourne Renegades - Sarah Elliott (Vic Spirit)
Melbourne Stars - Meg Lanning (Vic Spirit)
Perth Scorchers - Jess Cameron (Vic Spirit)
Sydney Sixers - Ellyse Perry (NSW Breakers)
Sydney Thunder - Rene Farrell (ACT Meteors)
Four of those named are (or perhaps were) team-mates at one of Australia's strongest state sides Vic Spirit - namely Julie Hunter, Sarah Elliott, Meg Lanning and Jess Cameron. Each will now be playing WBBL against the other.
The big names amongst the eight are obviously current Aussie skipper, and number one ranked T20 batsman in the world, Meg Lanning, and Aussie all-rounder and favourite Ellyse Perry, who have signed for the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Sixers respectively. Expect to see more announcements over the coming weeks and months as the teams start to take shape.
Under the rules each team will be limited to five "star" players (defined as current or recent Southern Stars or overseas players), of whom three can be from overseas. This is to try and create a more balanced competition and it will particularly affect the players from the dominant NSW Breakers and Vic Spirit state sides.
Some of the key names to look out for over the coming weeks are :-
Alex Blackwell (NSW), who has just finished a stint in English county cricket with Berkshire, and was the leading run scorer in the WT20 last season
Southern Stars wicket-keeper and hard-hitting batsman, Alyssa Healy (NSW), whom it appears may have already signed for the Sydney Sixers.
Aussie opening bats Elyse Villani (NSW) and Nicole Bolton (NSW), who look likely to turn up in the orange shirts of the Perth Scorchers.
There are also plenty of other current Southern Stars still to be announced by teams, such as leggie Kristen Beams (Vic Spirit), left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (Queensland), off-spinner Erin Osborne (NSW), who has just finished a spell at Sussex, and Delissa Kimmince (Queensalnd).
Outside of the current Southern Stars a few names that are sure to be on some short-lists are:-
Former international Leah Poulton (NSW), who retired from state cricket at the beginning of this year at the tender age of 31. Her experience and batting skills would be a great asset to any franchsie, and it would be no surprise to see her name on the roster for one of the Sydney-based teams.
Erin Burns (Tasmanian Roar) is a star in the making. She was in the top 10 run-getters and wicket-takers in last years WT20 competition and plays a style of cricket ideally suited to T20.
Young off-spinner Molly Strano (Vic Spirit) could well be enticed away from her current state of Victoria. She is a Shooting Star (Aussie Academy) and has been honing her skills in England with Div 2 side Staffordshire, where she has been getting plenty of runs and wickets.
Some other Shooting Stars who are likely to be sought after are Jemma Barsby (Queensland), Amanda Wellington (SA Scorpions), Piepa Cleary (Western Fury) and Beth Mooney (Queensland).
And to these, of course, you need to add a sprinkling of overseas talent. Last year English trio Heather Knight, Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor finished third, fourth and seventh in the top run-scorers in the WT20. They are sure to be invited back. Also on franchise shopping lists will be New Zealanders Amy Satterthwaite, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Rachel Priest. Also eager to play will probably be West Indian's Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin, plus South African's Mignon du Preez and Dane van Niekerk. It would also be great for the game in India if legendary captain Mithali Raj could find a slot in one of the team's, perhaps with team-mate Jhulan Goswami.
All will be revealed over the coming weeks and months.
MD
10/VII/15
Just eight of those games will be broadcast live on Network Ten's ONE channel, which will presumably include the semi-finals and the final. The first game looks likely to the Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades on 19th December. It is a relatively small number, but it is the first outing for "domestic cricket" on television in Australia, and this is a free-to-air station which will be a big boost for the game in Australia.
In a well-co-ordinated launch each of the franchises named their first "star signing", namely :-Adelaide Strikers - Megan Schutt (SA Scorpions)
Brisbane Heat - Holly Ferling (Queensland Fire)
Hobart Hurricanes - Julie Hunter (Vic Spirit)
Melbourne Renegades - Sarah Elliott (Vic Spirit)
Melbourne Stars - Meg Lanning (Vic Spirit)
Perth Scorchers - Jess Cameron (Vic Spirit)
Sydney Sixers - Ellyse Perry (NSW Breakers)
Sydney Thunder - Rene Farrell (ACT Meteors)
Four of those named are (or perhaps were) team-mates at one of Australia's strongest state sides Vic Spirit - namely Julie Hunter, Sarah Elliott, Meg Lanning and Jess Cameron. Each will now be playing WBBL against the other.
The big names amongst the eight are obviously current Aussie skipper, and number one ranked T20 batsman in the world, Meg Lanning, and Aussie all-rounder and favourite Ellyse Perry, who have signed for the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Sixers respectively. Expect to see more announcements over the coming weeks and months as the teams start to take shape.
Under the rules each team will be limited to five "star" players (defined as current or recent Southern Stars or overseas players), of whom three can be from overseas. This is to try and create a more balanced competition and it will particularly affect the players from the dominant NSW Breakers and Vic Spirit state sides.
Some of the key names to look out for over the coming weeks are :-
Alex Blackwell (NSW), who has just finished a stint in English county cricket with Berkshire, and was the leading run scorer in the WT20 last season
Southern Stars wicket-keeper and hard-hitting batsman, Alyssa Healy (NSW), whom it appears may have already signed for the Sydney Sixers.
Aussie opening bats Elyse Villani (NSW) and Nicole Bolton (NSW), who look likely to turn up in the orange shirts of the Perth Scorchers.
There are also plenty of other current Southern Stars still to be announced by teams, such as leggie Kristen Beams (Vic Spirit), left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (Queensland), off-spinner Erin Osborne (NSW), who has just finished a spell at Sussex, and Delissa Kimmince (Queensalnd).
Outside of the current Southern Stars a few names that are sure to be on some short-lists are:-
Former international Leah Poulton (NSW), who retired from state cricket at the beginning of this year at the tender age of 31. Her experience and batting skills would be a great asset to any franchsie, and it would be no surprise to see her name on the roster for one of the Sydney-based teams.
Erin Burns (Tasmanian Roar) is a star in the making. She was in the top 10 run-getters and wicket-takers in last years WT20 competition and plays a style of cricket ideally suited to T20.
Young off-spinner Molly Strano (Vic Spirit) could well be enticed away from her current state of Victoria. She is a Shooting Star (Aussie Academy) and has been honing her skills in England with Div 2 side Staffordshire, where she has been getting plenty of runs and wickets.
Some other Shooting Stars who are likely to be sought after are Jemma Barsby (Queensland), Amanda Wellington (SA Scorpions), Piepa Cleary (Western Fury) and Beth Mooney (Queensland).
And to these, of course, you need to add a sprinkling of overseas talent. Last year English trio Heather Knight, Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor finished third, fourth and seventh in the top run-scorers in the WT20. They are sure to be invited back. Also on franchise shopping lists will be New Zealanders Amy Satterthwaite, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Rachel Priest. Also eager to play will probably be West Indian's Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin, plus South African's Mignon du Preez and Dane van Niekerk. It would also be great for the game in India if legendary captain Mithali Raj could find a slot in one of the team's, perhaps with team-mate Jhulan Goswami.
All will be revealed over the coming weeks and months.
MD
10/VII/15
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Nat West Women's County T20 Round 2 - Round Up
Division One
Kent were the big winners in the second weekend of Nat West Women's T20 fixtures with victories over their local rivals Sussex and Middlesex, which leaves them as the only unbeaten team in Div 1. Sussex remain in second with three wins out of four, where they are joined by Yorkshire who won both their games this weekend, beating Notts and Berkshire.
Surrey were the most unfortunate team of the weekend as both their games - against Ireland and Somerset - were cancelled and under the rules they get only 1 point for each game, effectively ruining their T20 campaign this season.
Berkshire, Middlesex and Somerset all have two victories under their belts, but last year's champions Notts have just the one to date, losing both their games this weekend.
Round 3 - Sunday 2nd August
Fixtures - Kent, Yorkshire & Somerset, Middlesex, Berkshire & Surrey, Ireland, Sussex & Notts
Results
Kent beat Sussex by 4 runs
Kent 113/7
Sussex 109/3
Kent beat Middx by 21 runs
Kent 135/5
Middx 114/9
Sussex beat Middx by 4 wickets
Middx 118/8
Sussex 119/6
Somerset beat Ireland by 8 runs
Somerset 96/7
Ireland 88/6
Ireland v Surrey - cancelled
Surrey v Somerset - cancelled
Yorkshire beat Notts by 4 runs
Yorkshire 112/8
Notts 108/7
Yorkshire beat Berkshire by 20 runs
Yorkshire 142/5
Berkshire 122/2
Berkshire beat Notts by 31 runs
Berkshire 122/7
Notts 91 all out
Division Two
Lancashire lead the way in Division Two as the only unbeaten team following wins over Warwickshire and Wales this weekend. The Netherlands have slipped into second place in the league as they also won both their games in Week 2, defeating Durham and Derbyshire. At the bottom only Derbyshire are without a win, with Wales and Durham just above them with one win each (although Durham have an extra point from a cancelled game). Mid-table sit Cheshire (who lost both their games this weekend), Essex, Staffs (who won both their games) and Warwickshire (who lost both theirs) with two wins each.
Round 3 - Sunday 2nd August
Fixtures - Staffs, Wales & Derbyshire; Lancashire, Netherlands & Cheshire; Durham, Essex & Warwickshire
Results
Staffs beat Essex by 9 wickets
Essex 84/8
Staffs 86/1
Staffs beat Cheshire by 7 wickets
Cheshire 124/1
Staffs 125/3
Essex beat Cheshire by 24 runs
Essex 65/5 (13 overs)
Cheshire 41/9 (13 overs)
Netherlands beat Durham by 9 wickets
Durham 63 all out
Netherlands 64/1
Netherlands beat Derbyshire by 22 runs
Netherland 113/9
Derbyshire 91/8
Derbyshire v Durham - cancelled
Lancashire beat Warwickshire by 15 runs
Lancashire 112/5
Warwickshire 97/8
Lancashire beat Wales by 8 wickets
Wales 50/9
Lancashire 51/2
Wales beat Warwickshire by 7 wickets
Warwickshire 99/9
Wales 103/3
Kent were the big winners in the second weekend of Nat West Women's T20 fixtures with victories over their local rivals Sussex and Middlesex, which leaves them as the only unbeaten team in Div 1. Sussex remain in second with three wins out of four, where they are joined by Yorkshire who won both their games this weekend, beating Notts and Berkshire.
Surrey were the most unfortunate team of the weekend as both their games - against Ireland and Somerset - were cancelled and under the rules they get only 1 point for each game, effectively ruining their T20 campaign this season.
Berkshire, Middlesex and Somerset all have two victories under their belts, but last year's champions Notts have just the one to date, losing both their games this weekend.
Round 3 - Sunday 2nd August
Fixtures - Kent, Yorkshire & Somerset, Middlesex, Berkshire & Surrey, Ireland, Sussex & Notts
Results
Kent beat Sussex by 4 runs
Kent 113/7
Sussex 109/3
Kent beat Middx by 21 runs
Kent 135/5
Middx 114/9
Sussex beat Middx by 4 wickets
Middx 118/8
Sussex 119/6
Somerset beat Ireland by 8 runs
Somerset 96/7
Ireland 88/6
Ireland v Surrey - cancelled
Surrey v Somerset - cancelled
Yorkshire beat Notts by 4 runs
Yorkshire 112/8
Notts 108/7
Yorkshire beat Berkshire by 20 runs
Yorkshire 142/5
Berkshire 122/2
Berkshire beat Notts by 31 runs
Berkshire 122/7
Notts 91 all out
Division Two
Lancashire lead the way in Division Two as the only unbeaten team following wins over Warwickshire and Wales this weekend. The Netherlands have slipped into second place in the league as they also won both their games in Week 2, defeating Durham and Derbyshire. At the bottom only Derbyshire are without a win, with Wales and Durham just above them with one win each (although Durham have an extra point from a cancelled game). Mid-table sit Cheshire (who lost both their games this weekend), Essex, Staffs (who won both their games) and Warwickshire (who lost both theirs) with two wins each.
Round 3 - Sunday 2nd August
Fixtures - Staffs, Wales & Derbyshire; Lancashire, Netherlands & Cheshire; Durham, Essex & Warwickshire
Results
Staffs beat Essex by 9 wickets
Essex 84/8
Staffs 86/1
Staffs beat Cheshire by 7 wickets
Cheshire 124/1
Staffs 125/3
Essex beat Cheshire by 24 runs
Essex 65/5 (13 overs)
Cheshire 41/9 (13 overs)
Netherlands beat Durham by 9 wickets
Durham 63 all out
Netherlands 64/1
Netherlands beat Derbyshire by 22 runs
Netherland 113/9
Derbyshire 91/8
Derbyshire v Durham - cancelled
Lancashire beat Warwickshire by 15 runs
Lancashire 112/5
Warwickshire 97/8
Lancashire beat Wales by 8 wickets
Wales 50/9
Lancashire 51/2
Wales beat Warwickshire by 7 wickets
Warwickshire 99/9
Wales 103/3
Monday, 6 July 2015
No real surprises in England's ODI Ashes' Squad
England have announced the 14 players that will make up their squad for the three ODIs against Australia, which will not only count for 2 points each in the Ashes Series, but are also worth two points each in the ICC Women's Championship (the qualifying tournament for the World Cup in England in 2017).
As expected there are no real surprises, except perhaps the omission of off-spinner Dani Hazell (it was confirmed that she is not injured and was simply not selected), as England stick to their tried and tested squad members. The only change from the 15 that went to New Zealand in February (and lost the ICC WC series 1-2) is the addition of Georgia Elwiss and the dropping of Hazell and Danni Wyatt. Despite England's poor middle-order batting on that tour Wyatt was given little opportunity to stake her claim for more permanent selection in the starting 11. She has now been jettisoned from the squad for Sussex's Georgia Elwiss, who had a good "Academy" tour in Dubai, but has not had a great start to the county season here in England, either with the bat or the ball. Her highest score has been 34 and she has just three wickets to her name.
England are emphasising the experience within the squad, with a total of 807 ODI caps amongst the 14 players, but the question is whether experience is enough? Talent, form and confidence are also prerequisites. With the T20 World Cup next year and the 50 over World Cup in 2017, both currently held by Australia, England are going to need a lot more than just experience. The New Zealand tour was the time to blood some youngsters and get those on the fringes into the games, but that opportunity was missed. So it is back to the old guard, at least for the ODIs. Should England be 6-0 down after these three games (as they may well be) one wonders if the squad might change for the Test and then the T20s?
Clare Connor suggested that this squad "is one of real strength and demonstrates the depth of talent currently running through the England women's performance programme". I think it actually shows the opposite. Where are the young batsmen challenging for a spot in a team which has serious middle-order frailties, or even in the squad? Batsmen on the fringes are Danni Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont, both of whom have had plenty of opportunities in the past. The England focus has been on the 18 contracted players, some of whom are getting close to their sell by date. England desperately need to get the Women's Super League up and running. There needs to be a showcase for young talent, which the county championship cannot provide at the present time.
Despite England currently holding the Ashes, the Aussies are clearly favourites to take this series (three ODIs, one Test and three T20s). England will need to scrap for every single point they can and it all starts at Taunton on 21st July.
The squad is :-
Charlotte Edwards
Katherine Brunt
Kate Cross
Georgia Elwiss
Lydia Greenway
Rebecca Grundy
Jenny Gunn
Amy Jones
Heather Knight
Laura Marsh
Nat Sciver
Anya Shrubsole
Sarah Taylor
Lauren Winfield
WCB will be at all the games tweeting and blogging as usual. It sounds as though the Press Box will be full of journos, but few if any will have seen a county game this season, and none of them were in the Press Box with me in New Zealand. Hopefully that means that I can bring something different to the table when it comes to coverage. Hopefully I will have your company too throughout the series.
MD
07/VII/15
As expected there are no real surprises, except perhaps the omission of off-spinner Dani Hazell (it was confirmed that she is not injured and was simply not selected), as England stick to their tried and tested squad members. The only change from the 15 that went to New Zealand in February (and lost the ICC WC series 1-2) is the addition of Georgia Elwiss and the dropping of Hazell and Danni Wyatt. Despite England's poor middle-order batting on that tour Wyatt was given little opportunity to stake her claim for more permanent selection in the starting 11. She has now been jettisoned from the squad for Sussex's Georgia Elwiss, who had a good "Academy" tour in Dubai, but has not had a great start to the county season here in England, either with the bat or the ball. Her highest score has been 34 and she has just three wickets to her name.
England are emphasising the experience within the squad, with a total of 807 ODI caps amongst the 14 players, but the question is whether experience is enough? Talent, form and confidence are also prerequisites. With the T20 World Cup next year and the 50 over World Cup in 2017, both currently held by Australia, England are going to need a lot more than just experience. The New Zealand tour was the time to blood some youngsters and get those on the fringes into the games, but that opportunity was missed. So it is back to the old guard, at least for the ODIs. Should England be 6-0 down after these three games (as they may well be) one wonders if the squad might change for the Test and then the T20s?
Clare Connor suggested that this squad "is one of real strength and demonstrates the depth of talent currently running through the England women's performance programme". I think it actually shows the opposite. Where are the young batsmen challenging for a spot in a team which has serious middle-order frailties, or even in the squad? Batsmen on the fringes are Danni Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont, both of whom have had plenty of opportunities in the past. The England focus has been on the 18 contracted players, some of whom are getting close to their sell by date. England desperately need to get the Women's Super League up and running. There needs to be a showcase for young talent, which the county championship cannot provide at the present time.
Despite England currently holding the Ashes, the Aussies are clearly favourites to take this series (three ODIs, one Test and three T20s). England will need to scrap for every single point they can and it all starts at Taunton on 21st July.
The squad is :-
Charlotte Edwards
Katherine Brunt
Kate Cross
Georgia Elwiss
Lydia Greenway
Rebecca Grundy
Jenny Gunn
Amy Jones
Heather Knight
Laura Marsh
Nat Sciver
Anya Shrubsole
Sarah Taylor
Lauren Winfield
WCB will be at all the games tweeting and blogging as usual. It sounds as though the Press Box will be full of journos, but few if any will have seen a county game this season, and none of them were in the Press Box with me in New Zealand. Hopefully that means that I can bring something different to the table when it comes to coverage. Hopefully I will have your company too throughout the series.
MD
07/VII/15
Results from Week 2 of Nat West Women's County T20
Results from yesterday's T20 games are shown below (gleaned from various sources). Full details will be added during the day today as they can be found.
Division One
Kent won both their games against Sussex and Middlesex and go top of Division One with a 100% record. Sussex and Yorkshire are in second spot with three wins out of four.
Kent beat Sussex by 4 runs
Kent 113/7
Sussex 109/3
Kent beat Middx by 21 runs
Kent 135/5
Middx 114/9
Sussex beat Middx by 4 wickets
Middx 118/8
Sussex 119/6
Somerset beat Ireland by 8 runs
Somerset 96/7
Ireland 88/6
Ireland v Surrey - cancelled
Surrey v Somerset - cancelled
Yorkshire beat Notts
details awaited
Yorkshire beat Berkshire
details awaited
Berkshire beat Notts
details awaited
Division Two
Lancashire are the only unbeaten team in Division Two having beaten Warwickshire and Wales this weekend.
Staffs beat Essex by 9 wickets
Essex 84/8
Staffs 86/1
Staffs beat Cheshire by 7 wickets
Cheshire 124/1
Staffs 125/3
Essex beat Cheshire by 24 runs
Essex 65/5 (13 overs)
Cheshire 41/9 (13 overs)
Netherlands beat Durham by 9 wickets
Durham 63 all out
Netherlands 64/1
Netherlands beat Derbyshire
details awaited
Derbyshire v Durham - cancelled
Lancashire beat Warwickshire by 15 runs
Lancashire 112/5
Warwickshire 97/8
Lancashire beat Wales by 8 wickets
Wales 50/9
Lancashire 51/2
Wales beat Warwickshire by 7 wickets
Warwickshire 99/9
Wales 103/3
MD
06/VII/15
Division One
Kent won both their games against Sussex and Middlesex and go top of Division One with a 100% record. Sussex and Yorkshire are in second spot with three wins out of four.
Kent beat Sussex by 4 runs
Kent 113/7
Sussex 109/3
Kent beat Middx by 21 runs
Kent 135/5
Middx 114/9
Sussex beat Middx by 4 wickets
Middx 118/8
Sussex 119/6
Somerset beat Ireland by 8 runs
Somerset 96/7
Ireland 88/6
Ireland v Surrey - cancelled
Surrey v Somerset - cancelled
Yorkshire beat Notts
details awaited
Yorkshire beat Berkshire
details awaited
Berkshire beat Notts
details awaited
Division Two
Lancashire are the only unbeaten team in Division Two having beaten Warwickshire and Wales this weekend.
Staffs beat Essex by 9 wickets
Essex 84/8
Staffs 86/1
Staffs beat Cheshire by 7 wickets
Cheshire 124/1
Staffs 125/3
Essex beat Cheshire by 24 runs
Essex 65/5 (13 overs)
Cheshire 41/9 (13 overs)
Netherlands beat Durham by 9 wickets
Durham 63 all out
Netherlands 64/1
Netherlands beat Derbyshire
details awaited
Derbyshire v Durham - cancelled
Lancashire beat Warwickshire by 15 runs
Lancashire 112/5
Warwickshire 97/8
Lancashire beat Wales by 8 wickets
Wales 50/9
Lancashire 51/2
Wales beat Warwickshire by 7 wickets
Warwickshire 99/9
Wales 103/3
MD
06/VII/15
Friday, 3 July 2015
Unbeaten Kent, Middx & Sussex clash in Week 2 of County T20 action
This Sunday the women are back in Nat West County T20 action around the country. Here are the details of who is doing what, where and some interesting clashes to look out for. This is the final weekend this season before the England squad will be withdrawn from games to concentrate on the Ashes, so teams should be at their strongest, subject to injuries. First games start at 10.30am.
Division One
At Arundel Castle - Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
At Welbeck CC - Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
At Bath CC - Ireland, Somerset and Surrey
Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
It just so happens that the three teams that won both their fixtures on the opening day of the Nat West T20 competition all meet at the picturesque Arundel Castle ground this Sunday. Kent beat Berkshire and Ireland; Middlesex beat Notts and Somerset; and Sussex beat Surrey and Yorkshire. If one team could win both their games this weekend then they would being sitting pretty at the top of the league having played half their games.
Sussex have the most powerful and diverse bowling attack and they will rely on them to keep their opponents' scores in check. They will have their work cut out against Middlesex's opening pair of Sophia Dunkley and Tash Miles, and Kent's experienced top order of Edwards, Beaumont, Greenway and Marsh. Early wickets will be the key for Sussex.
It will be interesting to compare the left-arm spin of Sussex's former England star Holly Colvin and Middlesex's Alex Hartley, who is flirting with selection for the Ashes squad. Both are happy to give the ball some air and entice batsmen into false shots. Both could prove to be very effective again.
Kent have their own young spinner in Megan Belt, plus former Sussex player Laura Marsh, and Charlotte Edwards is once again twirling her arm over for her county.
The standard of cricket is going to be very high and one or two stand-out performances will win the individual games. Too close to call.
Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
Each of these teams picked up one win in the first week of the competition. Berkshire beat Ireland by eight wickets; Notts beat Somerset by seven wickets and Yorkshire beat Surrey by 10 wickets.
For Notts Danni Wyatt was in scintillating form with the bat. She scored 102 against Somerset and 89 (54b) in a losing cause against Middlesex. She is obviously a key wicket for Notts' opponents.
As are the Yorkshire opening pair of Lauren Winfield and Aussie Beth Mooney. Both looked in great touch as they clocked up an unbeaten opening partnership of 125 to waltz past Surrey's 122/7. In addition Yorkshire have the free-swinging Katherine Brunt and Alex Macdonald in their middle order. Berkshire have England VC Heather Knight at the top of their order, followed by the hard-hitting Lissy MacLeod. Get past those and you just have Australia's Alex Blackwell to contend with (playing her last game for Berkshire before joining her touring Aussie teammates).
Notts won the trophy last year and they have a good T20 pedigree, so I tip them to beat Berkshire, but I think they may find Yorkshire too strong for them. If Yorkshire can also overcome Berks it could be a good weekend for them.
Ireland, Somerset and Surrey
None of these teams managed a win in the first round of fixtures, so they will all be anxious to get off the mark. Opening bat for Somerset, South African Lizelle Lee, can take the game away from any team if she gets going, and the home team will be hoping she does. Somerset and England opening bowler Anya Shrubsole has also looked good with the bat recently, so she too will be a key player, playing at her home club.
Surrey have had a bit of a torrid time of late, both in the county championship and T20 competition, but they had to manage the first T20 week without leg-spinner Sarah Clarke and Kiwi Rachel Candy was injured in game one. If both are back they could get their T20 campaign back on track.
Ireland struggled to get runs on the board against Kent and Berks in their first round games. Div 1 is a step up for them and Somerset and Surrey will do them no favours this weekend. They need someone in their top five to bat through their innings to set up a decent score. They may struggle.
Division Two
At Fordhouses CC - Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
At Durham City CC - Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
At Leamington CC - Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire
Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire
Lancs and Warwickshire made the perfect start to their T20 campaign with two wins out of two. Lancs overcame Essex (in a 10 over slog) and Derbyshire (with some ease). Warwickshire brushed aside the Netherlands and Staffs, bowling them out for 59 and 64 respectively. Warwickshire are probably the team to beat out of these three and Wales may find it hard to overcome a young and enthusiastic Lancashire team.
Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
Cheshire had a great opening weekend with two wins over Durham (4 runs) and Wales (48 runs). Essex and Staffs may be tougher this week. Essex beat Derbyshire to clock up their first win in any competition this season, but Staffs drew a blank with clattering defeats to both Warwickshire and the Netherlands. They will hope to bounce back this weekend and record their first T20 points of the season.
Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
Promoted Derbyshire struggled in their first games in Div 2 four weeks ago and they may do so again this weekend. Durham beat Wales by four runs, but then lost by the same margin to Cheshire. They should be too strong for both Derbyshire and the Netherlands, who have one win under their belt over Staffs.
MD
3/VII/15
Division One
At Arundel Castle - Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
At Welbeck CC - Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
At Bath CC - Ireland, Somerset and Surrey
Kent, Middlesex and Sussex
It just so happens that the three teams that won both their fixtures on the opening day of the Nat West T20 competition all meet at the picturesque Arundel Castle ground this Sunday. Kent beat Berkshire and Ireland; Middlesex beat Notts and Somerset; and Sussex beat Surrey and Yorkshire. If one team could win both their games this weekend then they would being sitting pretty at the top of the league having played half their games.
Sussex have the most powerful and diverse bowling attack and they will rely on them to keep their opponents' scores in check. They will have their work cut out against Middlesex's opening pair of Sophia Dunkley and Tash Miles, and Kent's experienced top order of Edwards, Beaumont, Greenway and Marsh. Early wickets will be the key for Sussex.
It will be interesting to compare the left-arm spin of Sussex's former England star Holly Colvin and Middlesex's Alex Hartley, who is flirting with selection for the Ashes squad. Both are happy to give the ball some air and entice batsmen into false shots. Both could prove to be very effective again.
Kent have their own young spinner in Megan Belt, plus former Sussex player Laura Marsh, and Charlotte Edwards is once again twirling her arm over for her county.
The standard of cricket is going to be very high and one or two stand-out performances will win the individual games. Too close to call.
Berkshire, Notts and Yorkshire
Each of these teams picked up one win in the first week of the competition. Berkshire beat Ireland by eight wickets; Notts beat Somerset by seven wickets and Yorkshire beat Surrey by 10 wickets.
For Notts Danni Wyatt was in scintillating form with the bat. She scored 102 against Somerset and 89 (54b) in a losing cause against Middlesex. She is obviously a key wicket for Notts' opponents.
As are the Yorkshire opening pair of Lauren Winfield and Aussie Beth Mooney. Both looked in great touch as they clocked up an unbeaten opening partnership of 125 to waltz past Surrey's 122/7. In addition Yorkshire have the free-swinging Katherine Brunt and Alex Macdonald in their middle order. Berkshire have England VC Heather Knight at the top of their order, followed by the hard-hitting Lissy MacLeod. Get past those and you just have Australia's Alex Blackwell to contend with (playing her last game for Berkshire before joining her touring Aussie teammates).
Notts won the trophy last year and they have a good T20 pedigree, so I tip them to beat Berkshire, but I think they may find Yorkshire too strong for them. If Yorkshire can also overcome Berks it could be a good weekend for them.
Ireland, Somerset and Surrey
None of these teams managed a win in the first round of fixtures, so they will all be anxious to get off the mark. Opening bat for Somerset, South African Lizelle Lee, can take the game away from any team if she gets going, and the home team will be hoping she does. Somerset and England opening bowler Anya Shrubsole has also looked good with the bat recently, so she too will be a key player, playing at her home club.
Surrey have had a bit of a torrid time of late, both in the county championship and T20 competition, but they had to manage the first T20 week without leg-spinner Sarah Clarke and Kiwi Rachel Candy was injured in game one. If both are back they could get their T20 campaign back on track.
Ireland struggled to get runs on the board against Kent and Berks in their first round games. Div 1 is a step up for them and Somerset and Surrey will do them no favours this weekend. They need someone in their top five to bat through their innings to set up a decent score. They may struggle.
Division Two
At Fordhouses CC - Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
At Durham City CC - Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
At Leamington CC - Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire
Lancashire, Wales and Warwickshire
Lancs and Warwickshire made the perfect start to their T20 campaign with two wins out of two. Lancs overcame Essex (in a 10 over slog) and Derbyshire (with some ease). Warwickshire brushed aside the Netherlands and Staffs, bowling them out for 59 and 64 respectively. Warwickshire are probably the team to beat out of these three and Wales may find it hard to overcome a young and enthusiastic Lancashire team.
Cheshire, Essex and Staffs
Cheshire had a great opening weekend with two wins over Durham (4 runs) and Wales (48 runs). Essex and Staffs may be tougher this week. Essex beat Derbyshire to clock up their first win in any competition this season, but Staffs drew a blank with clattering defeats to both Warwickshire and the Netherlands. They will hope to bounce back this weekend and record their first T20 points of the season.
Durham, Derbyshire and the Netherlands
Promoted Derbyshire struggled in their first games in Div 2 four weeks ago and they may do so again this weekend. Durham beat Wales by four runs, but then lost by the same margin to Cheshire. They should be too strong for both Derbyshire and the Netherlands, who have one win under their belt over Staffs.
MD
3/VII/15
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