KSL Match Notes - The Last Round

Matches Thirteen, Fourteen & Fifteen
Stars v Lightning
Storm v Thunder
Vipers v Diamonds

* All to play for for Diamonds, Storm and Lightning, with one place still available on Finals Day

* At the top it was between Stars & Vipers to see who made it straight through to the final

Stars v Lightning
* The first shock of the day was a bonus point win for the resurgent Lightning, courtesy of the Misses Villani (71) and Perry (68*). They posted a massive 171/3 on the same pitch that the Surrey Stars men had posted over 200 on the day before (and lost)

* No such worries for Lightning as the previously unbeaten Stars crumbled to 90 all out, with only Nat Sciver 24 and Tammy Beaumont 11, getting into double figures.

* The bonus point win meant that should Storm and Diamonds both lose, then Lightning would take third spot

Full scorecard here

Storm v Thunder
* Without a win Thunder were inserted by Storm, who, level on points with Diamonds, knew they needed a win, or possibly a bonus point win. If they were to finish equal on points with Diamonds then Diamonds would get through on NRR.

* Decent powerplay for Thunder as they make it to 40/2 - Jonassen and Jones the casualties, but then Miles goes hit wicket for 0 - 41/3

* Amy Satterthwaite 44 and Emma Lamb (in at 5) 30* add 69 for the fourth wicket, but it takes them 12 overs.

* Just 8 balls left when Satterthwaite goes and Thunder make it to 123/5, which looks under par

* It looks even more under par when Rachel Priest races to her 50 off just 26 balls

* At the end of the powerplay Storm are cruising towards a bonus point win on 67/1

* But Wilson, Taylor and Priest all go in quick succession to leave Storm more nervously on 73/4

* They decide to just go for the win and hope that Diamonds don't get a bonus point win. Sophie Luff 24* and Georgia Hennessy 16 steady the ship  and Storm take the win but in the 18th over (just a 4 point win). If Diamonds win with a bonus point then they will go through.

Full scorecard here

Vipers v Diamonds
* Careful start for the Vipers but they lose Bates, and then just after the powerplay Adams - 36/2. Wyatt follows soon after 55/3

* When Hayley Matthews is out for 40 with the score on 78/4 in the 13th over it looks like Vipers may struggle to post a competitive score

* But Mignon du Preez (50*) and Arran Brindle (11) add 58 for the fifth wicket to take Vipers to 136/5. They finish on 138/6. Diamonds need to chase it down in less than 16 overs if they want a bonus point win.

* They add 31 for the first wicket, but then lose five wickets for just four runs and look up against it at 35/5. Can they even get a win?

* Katherine Brunt 42 and Alice Davidson-Richards 14 look to get them back on track, but the overs are ticking by. ADR is out with the score on 77 in the 14th over and Brunt unluckily run out backing up in the 17th over with the score on 100.

* It is too much for the lower order to deal with and they are bowled out for 108, which means Vipers go straight to the final and Stars will play Storm in the semi-final which preceeds it.

Full scorecard here

MD
27/VIII/17

KSL Match Notes - Games 11 & 12

Match Eleven & Twelve
Thunder v Vipers 
Stars v Storm

Thunder v Vipers
* A chance for the Vipers so secure their place at Finals Day against lowly Thunder, without a win in the competition so far.

* Thunder win the toss and elect to bat

* Not much goes right for them after that

* By the end of the 5th over they are 11/4 and the game has effectively gone - Lamb, Taylor, Satterthwaite & Jones all out - Linsey Smith in the wickets 3/16

* Only Danni Hazell 37 & Kate Cross 19 put up any resistance - Thunder are bowled out off the last ball for 87

* In the chase Vipers slip to 26/3 with even the invincible Suzie Bates out, but Dani Wyatt 46* and Arran Brindle 19 bring it home for the Vipers in less than 15 overs for another bonus point win and a place in Finals Day, but will they finish top?

Stars v Storm
* The Stars too can make it to Finals Day with a win here. They lose the toss and Storm elect to bowl and chase

* First ball and Tammy Beaumont is given out lbw, but from there on its all Stars with ex-Stormer Lizelle Lee at the fore with a brutal 72*. She is supported by Marizanne Kapp (48) and thumping cameo from Nat Sciver with 30 off 18 balls.

* The Stars post a massive 169/6

* The Storm's reply starts well with 12 off Kapp's first over and 14 off the second from Laura Marsh - Storm on track on 26/0

* But two in two in the third over derails the Storm innings and they end up 43/4 at the end of the powerplay with their top order gone - Knight, Wilson, Taylor and Priest.

* Luff joins them back in the hutch and Storm are 47/5

* Good partnership between Lissy Macleod 30 and Georgia Hennessy 28 saves the Storm's blushes, but there is no way back.

* They are bowled out in the last over for 117.

* Its a shoot out now between Storm and Diamonds for the third spot on Finals Day. Both are on 8 points, but Diamonds have a far superior run rate. Storm play Thunder and Diamonds play Vipers. Lightning are waiting in the wings if both slip up and they beat Stars in their last game.

MD
24/VIII/17

KSL Match Notes - Thunder v Stars

Game Six
Thunder v Stars
16th August 2017

* Stars won the toss and elected to bat

* Both teams at full strength - Taylor & Cross in for Thunder and Lee for Stars

* No joy for Lee though as she goes for a 🦆 in the first over

* But Tammy Beaumont looks in ominous form - Stars get to 43/1 after 5 overs and Beaumont has 34 of them.

* 50/1 after the 6 powerplay overs

* 7th over is Ecclestone's and she frustrates Marizanne Kapp into top edging to backward square - 52/2

* Make that 53/3 as Beaumont (36) chips Hazell to midwicket.

* Halfway and Stars are 61/4 with Bryony Smith lbw to Hazell for 1.

* First ball of the 15th over and Taylor stumps Marsh off Jonassen for 11. Stars in danger of subsiding here - 79/5

* But Stars end up getting 33 off the last three overs through Nat Sciver (40*) and Sophia Dunkley (24), who batted very well.

* Stars finish on 133/6. Looks slightly below par score, but gives them more than they hoped five overs out.

****

* 4 off the first over and then 10 off the second from Kapp - 14/0 after 2 overs - nice start.

* But Lamb is lbw next over - 14/1

* Thunder get to 32/1 after the powerplay - even stephens

* 9th over and Jones (26) is given out lbw sweeping at Hartley (looked legside-ish). Thunder 47/2

* At halfway point Thunder are 62/2 and need 72 off last 10 overs - Taylor and Satterthwaite at the crease. Game on.

* 69/2 after 11 overs, but Satterthwaite is bowled by Farrell in the next over - 75/3. Taylor now the key.

* And two overs later she is gone, paddling Farrell to short fine leg. Excellent 34, but Thunder needed more. Her wicket in fact sparks a hideous collapse. Thunder 86/4

* Threlkeld is stumped first ball 86/5; Jonassen is well caught by Lee 91/6; Hazell paddles to fine leg 91/7; Ecclestone misses a full toss and is lbw 91/8 - 5 wickets for 5 runs

* It's game over but 106 is the bonus point target. Lancs fail to make it as they are bowled out for 100, with Farrell taking the last wicket with a diving return catch off her own bowling to take 5/26.

* Stars win by 33 runs and take 5 points

Link to full scorecard

Video highlights link

Current table looks like this

MD
16/VIII/17

KSL Match Notes - Diamonds v Thunder

Game Two
Diamonds v Thunder
11th August 2017

* No Kate Cross (injury) or Sarah Taylor (family wedding) for Lancs Thunder

* Lancashire Thunder win the toss and field

* Chamari Atapattu and Lauren Winfield see Thunder to 37/0 in the first 6 over powerplay. Seems reasonable but this looks a good wicket.

* After 10 overs they have taken score to 64/0

* After 12 overs they are 72/1 with Atapattu gone for 41 off 38 balls. Nice start for the Sri Lankan.

* Sophie Devine 11 comes and goes quickly - 87/2 in 14th over

* Winfield goes in 15th over as Diamonds make it to 100/3. Looks like innings may be stalling, but....

*Katherine Brunt 31(16 balls) and Alice Davidson-Richards 22 (off 13 balls) add 52 off the next 25 balls before Brunt is bowled off last ball of 19th.

* Diamonds finish on 162/4

*****

* Jenny Gunn does not take the field for Diamonds

* Steady start through Eve Jones and Emma Lamb, before Lamb is well caught by Devine in the last over of the powerplay for 20 (off 20). Thunder 34/1

* Davidson-Richards 18 (off 23) bowls Jones with the first ball of the 10th over - Thunder 59/2 and still in touch.

* Life becomes more difficult when Jess Jonassen 7 is caught in the deep halfway through the 12th over - Thunder 71/3

* Amy Satterthwaite 28 (off 26) goes in the next over (78/4) and the game is gone, but Thunder need 130 to prevent Diamonds from getting a bonus point win.

* Dani Hazell threatens briefly but is stumped for 10 - Thunder 89/5

* 16th over sees the end of Brown stumped as she pirouettes out of her crease - Thunder 97/6

* Tahuhu run out in 17th - 109/7

* But some lusty blows by Sophie Ecclestone (16*) and Ellie Threlkeld (18*) take Thunder to 134/7 off their 20 overs

** Alice Davidson-Richards is player of the match

Link to scorecard

Video highlights here

MD
11/VIII/17

Kia Super League 2017 is go.....

The second edition of the Kia Super Leagues T20 competition is ready to go.

KSL2 kicks off on Thursday 10th August with a rematch of last year's final between the Southern Vipers and the Western Storm at the Ageas Bowl. The competition was officially launched last night, although with many of the England players on a break and very few overseas players back in the UK it was a low-key affair.

Two internationals who were due to play have had to pull out through injury - Dane van Niekerk (Vipers) and Beth Mooney (Diamonds), but news has come in today that Mooney's replacement for Yorkshire will be Sri Lanka's Chamari Atapattu. This is great news for her and for Sri Lankan women's cricket.

Here are the full squad lists (15 players) and the possible starting XIs for each team, plus a look at their relative strengths and weaknesses.

Lancashire Thunder
Squad
Dani Hazell ©, Sarah Taylor, Kate Cross (England contracted)
Amy Satterthwaite, Jess Jonassen, Lea Tahuhu (Overseas)
Sophie Ecclestone, Emma Lamb, Eve Jones, Ellie Threlkeld (England Senior Academy)
Tash Miles, Natalie Brown, Alice Dyson, Rachel Dickinson, Ella Telford (County)
Likely Line-Up 
1. Lamb, 2. Jones, 3. Taylor, 4. Satterthwaite, 5. Jonassen, 6. Miles, 7. Threlkeld, 8. Cross, 9. Hazell, 10. Ecclestone 11. Tahuhu
Key Player
Sarah Taylor - More as a batsman than as a keeper (she may even give the gloves to Ellie Threlkeld on some occasions!). She has the ability to score runs quickly against any type of bowling attack.
Strengths/Weaknesses
They look like a very balanced side, and will be hoping their new overseas players (Jonassen and Tahuhu) contribute a bit more than Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews did last year.
Where will they finish?
2nd 1st

Loughborough Lightning
Squad
Georgia Elwiss ©, Amy Jones, Beth Langston (England contracted)
Ellyse Perry, Kristen Beams, Elyse Villani (Overseas)
Paige Scholfield, Thea Brookes, Georgie Boyce (England Senior Academy)
Becky Grundy, Sonia Odedra, Marie Kelly, Sarah Glenn, Lucy Higham, Abi Freeborn (County)
Likely Line-Up
1. Elwiss, 2, Villani, 3. Perry, 4. Jones, 5. Scholfield, 6. Boyce, 7. Brookes, 8. Odedra, 9. Grundy, 10. Langston, 11. Beams
Key Player
Ellyse Perry - She will be the glue for the Lightning batting, with others batting around her. Last year she only bowled 19 overs in six games. She may be needed to bowl a few more this year.
Strengths/Weaknesses
A lot will be expected from the top four batsmen, which may restrict the way they play. Rebecca Grundy had a good KSL last year and she may be the key to the bowling attack.
Where will they finish?
5th

Southern Vipers
Squad
Charlotte Edwards ©
Tash Farrant, Danni Wyatt (England contracted)
Suzie Bates, Hayley Matthews, Mignon du Preez (Overseas)
Georgia Adams, Katie George, Linsey Smith, Ellen Burt (England Senior Academy)
Arran Brindle, Tara Norris, Izzy Collis, Carla Rudd, Charlie Dean (County)
Likely Line-Up
1. Bates, 2. Matthews, 3. Wyatt, 4. Edwards, 5. du Preez, 6. Brindle, 7. Adams, 8. Rudd, 9. Smith, 10. George, 11. Farrant
Key Player
Suzie Bates - She was the top run scorer and top wicket-taker for the Vipers last year and they will hope she can do the same this year.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Their other overseas players - They have lost Dane van Niekerk to injury, but Mignon du Preez has taken her place. She is not really a T20 specialist. Hayley Matthews has massive potential but is yet to show it to an English crowd.
Where will they finish?
4th

Surrey Stars
Squad
Nat Sciver ©, Tammy Beaumont, Laura Marsh, Alex Hartley (England contracted)
Marizanne Kapp, Harmanpreet Kaur, Lizelle Lee, Rene Farrell (Overseas)
Bryony Smith, Sophia Dunkley (England Senior Academy)
Grace Gibbs, Aylish Cranstone, Cordelia Griffith, Hannah Jones, Naomi Dattani, Kirstie White (County)
Likely Line-Up
1. Beaumont, 2. Smith, 3. Sciver, 4. Lee, 5. Kapp, 6. Dunkley, 7. Griffith, 8. Marsh, 9. Cranstone, 10. Farrell, 11. Hartley
Key Player
Nat Sciver - Currently in sublime form with the bat, she could win a game on her own.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Not much changed from last year (Lee in for Tahuhu), where they only managed to win 2/5, but the England girls are in form. Lizelle Lee is a late replacement for Kaur, who played for the Storm last year and can hit big, on her day. Bowling might be a bit weak?
Where will they finish?
1st 3rd 2nd

Western Storm
Squad
Heather Knight ©, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson (England contracted)
Stafanie Taylor, Rachel Priest, Holly Huddleston (Overseas)
Freya Davies, Sophie Luff (England Senior Academy)
Georgia Hennessy, Jodie Dibble, Amara Carr, Alice Mcleod, Dani Gibson, Lauren Parfitt, Claire Thomas (County)
Likely Line-Up
1. Taylor, 2. Priest, 3. Knight, 4. Wilson, 5. Luff, 6. Hennessy, 7. Macleod, 8. Dibble, 9. Shrubsole, 10. Davies, 11. Huddleston
Key Player
Stafanie Taylor - Last year's player of the tournament for her 289 runs at an average of 57.8 and 11 wickets, the Storm will hope she is back in the same form this year.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Without Lizelle Lee back in the ranks the young middle order may need to show their mettle. Also now missing Shrubsole for at least the first two games, which are against last year's winner & semi-finalists.
Where will they finish?
3rd 2nd 3rd

Yorkshire Diamonds
Squad
Lauren Winfield ©, Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn (England contracted)
Sune Luus, Sophie Devine, Chamari Atapattu (Overseas)
Alice Davidson-Richards, Hollie Armitage (England Senior Academy)
Anna Nicholls, Katie Levick, Katie Thompson, Steph Butler, Laura Crofts, Teresa Graves, Maddie Walsh (County)
Likely Line-Up
1. Winfield, 2. Atapattu, 3. Devine, 4. Luus, 5. Davidson-Richards, 6. Brunt, 7. Gunn, 8. Butler, 9. Armitage, 10. Levick, 11. Crofts
Key Player
Sophie Devine - She has switched from Loughborough Lightning to the Diamonds this year and will be hoping that the move brings her more success in the KSL. Last year was disappointing with both bat and ball. Diamonds really need her to fire with both this year.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Losing Beth Mooney (keeper and opening bat) before even a ball has been bowled is far from ideal, but Chamari Atapattu is an interesting replacement. There could be some opportunities for some of the youngsters to shine, but it could be a tough KSL2 for them.
Where will they finish?
6th

MD
27/VII/17
updated 08/VIII/17

Kia Super League Teams taking shape

With the announcement today of the three international players who have signed for each of the six Kia Super League teams, the shape and strength of the teams is beginning to emerge. This follows on from the announcement last week of the England players allocated to each team.

Big names are Ellyse Perry to Loughborough Lightning, as suspected; Meg Lanning to Surrey Stars; Suzie Bates to Southern Vipers; and WWT20 winning captain Stafanie Taylor to the Western Storm.

The final piece in the jigsaw is due next week when the two or three Academy players per team will be announced, together with the additional players that each franchise has selected to boost their roster to the full 15. We will wait to comment on the strengths of each squad until the full 15 players have been named, but in the meantime here is how the teams are currently shaping up :-

Lancashire Thunder
Kate Cross, Sarah Taylor, Danni Wyatt
Sarah Coyte, Deandra Dottin, third tba



Loughborough Lightning
Georgia Elwiss, Rebecca Grundy, Amy Jones, Beth Langston
Sophie Devine, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry



Southern Vipers
Charlotte Edwards, Tash Farrant, Lydia Greenway
Suzie Bates, Sara McGlashan, Megan Schutt



Surrey Stars
Tammy Beaumont, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver
Rene Farrell, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning



Western Storm
Heather Knight, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson
Lizelle Lee, Rachel Priest, Stafanie Taylor



Yorkshire Diamonds
Katherine Brunt, Jenny Gunn, Dani Hazell, Lauren Winfield
Alex Blackwell, Shabnim Ismail, Beth Mooney



MD
14/IV/16