Lancashire Women v TheBlaze

Gerry Wolstenholme

It is very much tantamount to a David versus Goliath scenario when
Lancashire Women entertain The Blaze in the Women’s Metro Bank
One Day Cup tomorrow (17 June), 10.30am start. Both clubs have
played nine games but the results are quite different. The Blaze top the
table with eight wins and one defeat while Lancashire have two victories
to their name with seven defeats.
And Lancashire began so well for in their opening game, Durham
Women were defeated by 149 runs, scoring 303-8 and dismissing
Durham for a paltry 154 to win by 149 runs. It was Ireland’s captain
Gaby Lewis who led the charge to victory, scoring a magnificent 131 and
putting on 176 with Eve Jones, 82, for the second wicket. Emma Lamb’s
later 4-29 helped seal the victory. Unfortunately Lewis suffered an injury
and has been ruled out since.
But then three defeats followed. In the first encounter with The
Blaze, rain meant a Duckworth/Lewis finish with Lancashire having
scored 223, Lamb 77. When rain later curtailed the game, Blaze had
scored 148-5 against the DLS requirement of 143 thus giving them
victory.
Against Somerset, skipper Ellie Threlkeld top scored with 71 and
Fi Morris made 52 in Lancashire’s defendable 259-8 but the west
country side bettered that total with 260-6 in 47.5 overs, Heather Knight
making 63 and Danielle Gibson 60 while Sophie Ecclestone took 3-46.
And in their fourth game, a Roses’ clash, Yorkshire made 241,
Australian Jess Jonassen’s 108 proved decisive despite Kate Cross’ 4-
38 for Lancashire, who could only manage 158 with Seren Smale
making 46 and Jonassen making it a wonderful day for herself by taking
4-30.
Then came the second victory as Cross led the way by taking 3-31
as Hampshire made 153. Eve Jones, 47, and Lamb, 56, put on 98 for
the first wicket to set up the victory as Lancashire cantered home in 33.3
overs with 157-4.
Sadly, four defeats followed despite three scores of over 200.
Essex overhauled 251-7, Eve Jones 98 and Threlkeld 51, with 252-5 in
47 overs with Grace Scrivens, 74, and Cordelia Griffith, 61, leading the
way with an opening partnership of 128. Jodi Grewcock’s 58 put the
icing on the cake at 252-5.
In the following game, Lancashire’s 226-9 looked an imposing
target from the reduced 42 overs but Charis Pavely made a sprightly 63
to help Warwickshire home at 230-6 with nine balls remaining. And then

Lancashire posted what again looked like an imposing target with 246-9,
Eve Jones continuing her good form with 69, before Surrey smashed
250-7, Kira Chathili, 88, in 46 overs.
Bringing us right up to date Lancashire made a spirited effort to
overhaul Warwickshire’s total but with 294 all out, Eve Jones 113, they
just failed by 20 runs to reach the 314-7 target to which Meg Austin and
Kate George contributed 116 and a career-best 127 respectively.
Overall, Eve Jones leads the runscorers with 485 runs at 53.88
with skipper Threlkeld on 236 at 26.22 while Cross’ 14 wickets at 26.00
followed by Grace Potts 10 at 36.40 lead the bowlers.
As for The Blaze there was only one blemish in their nine-game
run and that was when Yorkshire defeated them by 70 runs in their
second game. Yorkshire posted 280-9 with Blaze replying with 210 all
out in 41.2 overs, Marie Kelly making 56 and Kathryn Bryce 55 with
Yorkshire’s Jess Jonassen having an all-round day with 67 and 4-18.
And Blaze’s batting has been exceptional, as they have topped
200 in seven of their nine games: Lancashire; Essex, Orla Prendergast
50; Warwickshire; Durham, Charley Phillips 5-49; Somerset, Tammy
Beaumont 99 not out; Hampshire, Beaumont 57, Charley Phillips a
career-best 4-31; Surrey, Georgie Elwiss 98.
Elwiss leads the batting with 330 runs at 47.14 followed by Kelly
with 298 at 42.57 and Prendergast with 219 at 36.50 while Phillips, 18
wickets at 15.72 leads the bowling followed by Grace Ballinger 15
wickets at 20.20 and Kirstie Gordon 10 at 29.10.
The game tomorrow, therefore, looks likely to be an exciting
contest. Will the form team come out on top or will the underdogs
triumph? … we shall soon see, don’t miss it!