Notts get most out of BH Double Header

On a weekend when either Kent or Sussex felt they could have taken charge of the Division One race to the Championship play-off, it was actually Nottinghamshire who made the most of their chances, securing two wins out of two over Warwickshire and Middlesex (and going to the top of the league), while Sussex tripped up against Yorkshire before beating Kent, in their only game of the weekend. It means that all three teams have now lost one game with Notts due to play Sussex in the next round of fixtures in four week's time.[The next three weeks see the top players in England playing in the Super 4s competition]

[up-to-date Div One Table is here - http://womens-cricket.blogspot.co.uk/p/womens-county-championship-league.html]

Yorkshire beat Sussex by 7 runs. Sussex seemed to have this game under control after they restricted  Yorkshire to a very gettable 179/9 in their 50 overs. In reply Sussex were cruising along through Arran Brindle (51) and Georgia Elwiss (36), but without too much regard for the run-rate which grew steadily as the middle overs slipped by. In the 43rd over Sussex lost Brindle and a selfless Alexia Walker (0). Thirty nine were still needed off seven overs. The 44th over produced seven runs and another wicket, but only seven runs came off the next three overs, plus the loss of Hannah Phelps (34). Twenty five were still needed off three overs, but young Beatrice Firth (2/21 off 10 overs) and Laura Spragg (2/40) bowled tight lines to allow Sussex to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Surrey beat Middlesex by 15 runs in the battle at the bottom of the league for a first win of the season. Surrey clocked up 211/7 in their 50 overs with solid contributions from most batsmen - Kirsty White (42) and Natalie Sciver (32) top-scored, but there were also 42 wides. Danni Warren was the main wicket-taker with 3/32. At 132/2 Middlesex were on track with Beth Morgan (58) and Emma Inglis (44) going well, but they fell within a few runs of each other and Middlesex slipped to 156/8. Anna Nicholls (18) and Ria Raval (18*) did what they could to keep the chase going but fell 15 runs short.

Essex beat Berkshire by 29 runs. Berkshire will have been reasonably happy to have restricted Essex to just 175/9 in their 50 overs. Only Lauren Onojaife (58) really got going as Sherisa Gumbs (3/30) and Heather Knight (3/36) weighed in with some wickets. In reply Berkshire had made it to 64 without loss before Knight went for 27. They then took the score to 85 before losing four quick wickets for just six runs. Emily Gerke (26*) did her best to hold the Berkshire innings together but little support and the innings petered out on 146 in the 48th over.

Nottinghamshire beat Warwickshire by 7 wickets. Warwickshire set Notts a target of 193 after they were bowled out for 192, thanks in the main part to 72 from Kayleigh Alsop. Danni Wyatt picked up 4/16 and Lucy Maxwell 3/23. Notts made light of the target romping home with 7 wickets in hand with Jenny Gunn 64 not out and Danni Wyatt making 58.

Sussex beat Kent by 6 wickets. After their defeat the day before Sussex needed to beat Kent to keep their hopes of making the play-offs a reality. Once again without Sarah Taylor and Holly Colvin Sussex fielded a young side. Kent won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a good track. Youngsters Izi Noakes and Freya Davies opened for Sussex and not only gave nothing away, but picked up Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards respectively - Kent were 12/2 in the 8th over. Step forward Lydia Greenway, who, not for the first time this season, stepped up to the plate. She hit a magnificent even century, and with the aid of Deanna Cooper (53), added 137 for the third wicket. She was last out as Kent scored 200/5 in their 50 overs. Davies finished with 2/23 from her 10 overs.

Davies bowls Davidson-Richards

Sussex set off at pace losing Alexia Walker (24) at 47 in the 8th over and then Georgia Elwiss (61) and Arran Brindle (52*) added 95 for the second wicket, to put victory comfortably in sight, but Sussex then made heavy weather of scoring the last 60 runs required, eventually getting over the line with just 15 balls to spare, but with six wickets in hand.

Nottinghamshire beat Middlesex by 49 runs. Notts piled on the runs against Middlesex making 259/6 in their 50 overs. England's Danni Wyatt scored a magnificent 124 and Jane Smit (45) and Abbey Hawkins (47) also joined the party. Openers Helena Stolle (54) and Natasha Miles (51) got Middlesex off to a decent start, before Danni Wyatt accounted for them both, not with her bowling but her fielding as she ran them both out. Beth Morgan and Emma Inglis both went cheaply and Middlesex could only make it to 205/4 before they ran out of overs.

Warwickshire beat Essex by 4 wickets. Essex won the toss and decided to bat in this game but were soon in trouble at 18/3 and then 49/4 as Isabelle Watson (3/27) ripped out the top order. Joanne Cook (41) and Bryony Butcher (22) attempted to rebuild the innings, but when they fell to the returning Liz Russell (5/13) Essex's innings subsided to 125 all out. In a solid team batting effort Warwickshire scored what they needed in just under 37 overs for the loss of six wickets. Kayliegh Alsop (28*) and Amy Jones (26) were the top scorers, as five of the top six scored double figures.

Berkshire beat Yorkshire by 108 runs. Berkshire scored 216 all out, with Heather Knight scoring 123 of them. The next highest score was extras with 24. Yorkshire, after their exhilarating win over Sussex the previous day, never looked like getting close as wickets fell at regular intervals. Only Salliann Briggs (33*) put up any serious resistance as Heather Knight finished off the innings with 3/3 in three overs and Sharisa Gumbs (3/18) and Daisy Gardner (3/29) improved their stats for the season. Yorkshire were bowled out for 108 in 31 overs.

MD
28/V/13