Super 4s - First 50 over games results

Saturday 8th June saw the second set of Super 4s fixtures, this time over a 50 over format with the Emeralds meeting the Sapphires and the Rubies playing Leicestershire u16 boys.

The teams were -
Sapphires - Edwards (capt), Miles, Rowe, Wyatt, Hazell, Odedra, Hennessy, Griffith, Dalton, Carr (wkt), Farrant, Patel
Emeralds - Knight (capt), Brindle, Taylor, Beaumont, Sciver, Luff, Rudd (wk), Hartley, Scutt, Davidson-Richards, Shrubsole, Scutt
Rubies - Winfield, Jones (wkt), Davies, Greenway (capt), Gunn, Cooper, MacGregor, Kelly, Morris, Grundy, Gibbs, Noakes

Emeralds beat the Sapphires by 6 wickets - Invited to bat the Sapphires could muster only 184/6 in their 50 overs with most batsmen making double figures (with the exception of Charlotte Edwards (1)), but only Natasha Miles (69 from 124 balls) making any significant score. Beth Langston (2/32) and Nat Sciver (2/35) were the main wicket takers, with one run out and Anya Shrubsole claiming the only other wicket to fall. Opener Arran Brindle (66* off 102 balls) ensured victory for the Emeralds, matched by new England player Nat Sciver (66). Sonia Odedra took 2/26 as the Emeralds cruised home in the 42nd over with only four wickets down.

Rubies beat Leicestershire u16 Boys by 88 runs - Amy Jones enhanced her chances of opening the batting with Charlotte Edwards against the Pakistanis with a magnificent 120* from 144 balls. Fellow opener Lauren Winfield also staked her claim for a place in the team with 51 from 80 balls. Lydia Greenway (28) and Jenny Gunn (34) hit some late useful runs to set the boys a stiff task. It was one they were not up to as they battled to 160/9 in their 50 overs with three wickets for Gwennan Davies and two apiece for Izi Noakes and Grace Gibbs.

The last of the Super 4s fixtures take place at Loughborough next Saturday (15th June) when the Emeralds take on the Rubies and the Sapphires take on the Boys in two more 50 over contests.
MD
12/VI/13

More Super 4s and Club Cricket this weekend

The Super 4s move into 50 over format this Saturday with the three women's teams and the one boys u16 team. Heather Knight's Emeralds take on Charlotte Edward's Sapphires and the Rubies, led by Lydia Greenway, take on the Leicestershire & Rutland u16 boys. All the games are being played at Loughborough University and the weather looks to be set fair for them.

Meanwhile on Sunday the clubs are all back in action. The games being played are

Midlands Premier League

Clifton Village v Walmley - Top of the table Walmley will be looking to protect their 100% record, but they may find third-placed Clifton tougher than some of their recent opposition.
Meir Heath v Sheffield Utd - clash of the day will be this one between MH & Sheffield, who had last week off. Sheffield will hoping that Walmley slip up and that they can overcome MH to get themselves to the top of the league.
Pershore v Burton Latimer - Both Pershore and Burton Latimer will want to win this one to help them climb out of the bottom half of the league. BL may just be favourites to nick it.


South West Premier League

St Austell v Newport - Unbeaten Newport will be expecting to win this game against winless St Austell, but St Austell have suffered one cancelled and one abandoned game so far and will be looking forward to completing their first full game of the season - Newport are a tough ask.
Taunton St Andrews v Plympton - Taunton have lost two out of two, but these have been to Newport and Bristol Phoenix. They will hope for better against Plympton, who finally got their season going last week against Bristol. If they can continue that form then they may just kick-start their charge to the top.


Southern Premier League

Brighton v Bath - Brighton take on high-flyers Bath at the Neville Ground Bath have only lost one game this year and that to Wokingham. Brighton will have their work cut out.
Hursley v Bexley - Bexley travel to Hampshire, but may struggle to put out a competitive side away from home, and organised Hursley could make them pay.
Loughton v Hayes - Loughton have to travel to table-toppers Hayes, who demolished Wokingham last week. Hayes will fancy their chances of remaining top.
Wokingham v Finchley - Wokingham will look to bounce back from last week's defeat and keep the pressure on Hayes, but third-placed Finchley will hope to make it three wins on the bounce after losing their opening game of the season to Hayes. With full sides out it might just be a run-fest.


Cheshire League Division 1

Appleton v Bolton Indians Last year's champions take on the undefeated Bolton Indians in a crucial encounter. Appleton really need to clip the wings of high-flying Bolton to keep their season on track. A win for Bolton would put them firmly in the box seat.
Romiley v Chester Boughton Hall - CBH find themselves in second place in the table, having beaten Appleton and Stalybridge, but lost last week to Trafford Metrovics failing to chase down 126. Romiley may just fancy their chances.
Stalybridge St Pauls v Trafford Metrovics - Trafford will be on a high after last week's win, and they will hope to ease any relegation worries by defeating Stalybridge, who are yet to win this season.
Stockport Trinity v Oakmere - Oakmere recorded their first win of the season last week against Romiley and will be expecting to gain another 25 points this weekend as they visit bottom of the table Stockport, for whom this will be only their second game of the season.


MD
6/V/13

Super 4s - T20 results

Just three teams of women (36 in total) and an U16 boys team took to the field in Loughborough last Saturday for the first of three weekend's of "Super 4s" action (should it now be called the Super 3s?).

The women taking part were :-

Emeralds - Knight (capt), Beaumont, Brindle, Sciver, Luff, Hartley, Scutt, L Smith, Davidson-Richards, Shrubsole, Rudd, Langstone
Sapphires - Edwards (capt), Wyatt, Rowe, Hazell, Miles, Hennessy, Dalton, Carr, Griffith, Reynolds, Cross, Farrant
Rubies - Winfield, Jones, Gunn, Greenway (capt), Wilson, Cooper, G Davies, Morris, Grundy, Odedra, Noakes, Gibbs

Some of the names missing that might have been expected to take part were - England's Brunt, Colvin, Marsh and Taylor, plus the Academy's Dibble, Macleod, Shipman and Watson.

The ball dominated in this first weekend of T20 games with no side scoring more than 112. It is tough format as a batsman trying to show what you can do, but fearing giving your wicket away, which tends to lead to low scoring games.

Sapphires beat Rubies by 9 wickets - Sapphires could only muster 89/8 in their 20 overs with only Lydia Greenway (25 off 37) scoring more than 20. Tash Farrant claimed 2/13 off 4 overs and Danni Hazell 2/10 off 4. Charlotte Edwards (45* off 43) and Danni Wyatt (33 off 37) took them to within nine of victory before Wyatt fell.

Emeralds beat Leicester u16s by 7 wickets - Emeralds restricted the boys to 104/9 in their 20 overs with Anya Shrubsole (2/13 off 4) and Cecily Scutt (2/16 off 4) the pick of the bowlers. Tammy Beaumont (0) and Heather Knight (6) went early but Arran Brindle (58* off 61) and Nat Sciver (24 off 41) steadied the ship, although Sciver fell just before the game was won.

Sapphires beat Emeralds by 5 wickets - Emeralds managed to score 108/3 with Arran Brindle (44 off 38) and Heather Knight (31 off 44) the main scorers. Danni Hazell (2/17 off 4) was the main wicket-taker. In response Edwards (1), Wyatt (7) and Hazell (5) went cheaply, but Suzie Rowe (34 off 36) and Natasha Miles (41 off 37) took the score to 82/4 before Rowe fell. Miles went with the scores level, but Sapphires sneaked home with 2 balls to spare.

Rubies beat Leicestershire u16s by 6 wickets - The Leicester boys also managed to score 108 but for the loss of four wickets (one to Noakes, Odedra and Grundy and one run out). Lauren Winfield opened and batted throughout the Rubies' reply for 56 off 46 balls. She lost Jones (5), Gunn (1) and Wilson (4), but Cooper (6*) helped her take Rubies to victory with 10 balls to spare.

MD
4/V/13

Women's Cricket this weekend

This weekend sees the next round of club games up and down the country, but with the Super 4s keeping most of the best players in the country occupied at Loughborough for the next three weekends, the clubs may have to have to dig deep to get teams out this week that can be competitive. However it does appear that the Super 4s games are only being played on Saturdays, so players are technically free to play for their clubs on Sunday. Will they do so?

The Super 4s this year will be contested between three women's teams - Emeralds, Sapphires and Rubies and Leicester & Rutland U16 Men's team. This Saturday they play a T20 tournament - semis and then a final and a 3/4 play-off. The following two weekends are taken up with 50 over matches. I'll review these games as they are played.

Club matches this weekend

Southern Premier League
Bath v Hursley
Bexley v Brighton
Finchley v Loughton
Hayes v Wokingham - first v second, but who will be on the park for each team?

Midlands Premier League
Meir Heath v Walmley - second v third - should be a cracker
Quatt v Clifton Village
Sheffield v Pershore

South West Premier League Plympton v Bristol Phoenix - second v third - important game to win
Taunton St Andrews v St Austell


Cheshire League Div 1Chester Boughton Hall v Trafford Metrovics
Oakmere v Romiley
Stalybridge St Pauls v Appleton
Stockport Trinity v Bolton Indians

Yorkshire League Div 1Beverley v New Farnley
Bradford v Treeton

MD
31/V/13