Worry not! The headline above is not a severe weather warning, it is
merely to mention that Lancashire Thunder are back at Stanley Park on
Sunday 9 June when the Lancashire ladies entertain Sunrisers with a
1pm start.
Both clubs arrive here with an identical record, having each played
six matches and both having won two and lost four. So the game is an
important one for both teams neither of whom want to be discounted
from making the semi-finals at this early stage; the losing side after
today will have much to do to keep in contention.
Lancashire Thunder began their campaign encouragingly by
defeating Northern Diamonds by eight wickets in a low scoring game in
which Emma Lamb top-scored for Thunder with 44 not out.
However, this success was followed by two defeats, both by five
wickets, to South East Stars and the Blaze; Fi Morris scored 41 against
the Stars and Emma Lamb carried on her good form with a valiant 63
not out against Blaze.
Victory by three wickets with six balls remaining followed against
Central Sparks with Phoebe Graham, 3-16, and Fi Morris, 3-22, being
the bowling stars. Unfortunately the return match with The Blaze was
lost by seven wickets when Danielle Collins’ 30 was the top score in a
disappointing total of 111-9.
And in their last game Thunder fell to a most disappointing 85 all
out, made in 19.5 overs, and resoundingly lost by seven wickets to
Southern Vipers, who knocked the runs off in 10.5 overs.
Statistically, Emma Lamb, 184 runs at 64.00 and Fi Morris, 107
runs at 17.83 are the only two players to top 100 total runs to date while
Fi Morris and Phoebe Graham lead the wickets takers with six wickets
each at 16.16 and 16,33 respectively.
Sunrisers meanwhile lost their two opening games to Central
Sparks and Southern Vipers before winning their third game, the return
against Vipers, by the narrow margin of three runs as Sophie Munro took
4-27.
Western Storm then defeated Sunrisers by 28 runs before
Northern Diamonds were defeated by four wickets as Grace Scrivens
held the innings together with 64 not out. Then it was another defeat,
this time by South East Stars who won by six wickets as Sunrisers could
only manage 116-8, Paige Scholfield making 50 not out in the Stars’
reply.
Jo-Anne Gardner with 177 runs at 35.40 leads their runscorers
while Mady Villiers, 104 at 20.80, and Grace Scrivens, 103 at 20.60,
have also passed the three-figure mark. And Sophie Munro’s six wickets
at 17.00 puts her one wicket ahead of Eva Gray, who has five wickets at
32.80.
So the two teams arrive at Stanley Park looking for an upturn in
their fortunes and the game looks like it may well be evenly fought. Let
us have some sunshine to enjoy the proceedings and hope for a Red
Rose success.
Gerry Wolstenholme
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