da pinnacle： Captain’s cool 64 not out sees Sunrisers home against Diamonds
da realsbet： ECB Reporters Network02-Jun-2024Grace Scrivens played a captain’s knock of 64 not out to power Sunrisers to a final-ball victory over Northern Diamonds in this Charlotte Edwards Cup clash at Wantage Road.Chasing just 124 to win on a slow surface, Sunrisers were behind the run rate from the start, losing six wickets along the way, leaving Scrivens to play a lone hand.She went into the final over, bowled by Erin Burns, needing 11 to win and took two boundaries off the first five deliveries, one a reverse sweep and the other a heave through backward square leg. It left Sunrisers needing two off the last ball to win which Scrivens cooly smashed down the ground for four.Diamonds skipper Hollie Armitage had struck 39 to give her team a platform in a second-wicket stand of 39 in 5.2 overs with former England opener Lauren Winfield-Hill (26).But the visitors found it increasingly difficult to accelerate on a slow pitch against some disciplined bowling and fielding from Sunrisers, they collapsed in the final 5.2 overs, losing six wickets for 34 to finish on 123 for 8. Mady Villiers and Australian overseas Nicola Hancock shared two wickets a piece.Armitage was also Diamond’s most successful bowler with three late wickets for 16.This was Diamond’s fifth straight defeat in five games in this tournament so far this season, while Sunrisers chalked up their second victory.Earlier, Winfield Hill took two fours off a wayward opening over from Villiers but Sunrisers almost made an early breakthrough when Leah Dobson top-edged to short third where Lissy Macleod put down an easy chance. But with Dobson becalmed, she tried to force the pace by coming down the pitch to Hancock and was bowled soon after.Winfield-Hill swung Eva Gray over midwicket for four, but Diamonds finished the powerplay on a disappointing 27 for 1.Incoming batter Armitage attempted to accelerate, sweeping Jo Gardner for four and dispatching Sophie Munro in the same area next over in a busy stand with Winfield-Hill.The former England opener’s downfall came when she made room to drive Jodi Grewcock and picked out Scrivens at mid-off.Burns (11) was next to go when she attempted to sweep Villiers and was caught by Flo Miller running in from deep midwicket with Diamonds 89 for 3 in the 15th over.Diamonds lost Armitage in the next over when she played on, attempting to ramp Hancock.With Diamonds’ innings stalling, Bess Heath forced the pace, slashing Hancock through cover for four and then top-edging a pull shot for six off the next delivery.Wickets continued to fall as Villiers and keeper Amara Carr combined to run out Sterre Kalis after the batter ended up as the same end as Heath. Emma Marlow then moved outside off stump to sweep Villiers and was caught behind square by MacLeod. In the final over, Gray bowled a brilliant inswinging yorker to bowl Katherine Fraser before Heath was run out by Carr off the final ball for 18.When Sunrisers batted, Scrivens pulled Rachel Slater over long-off for four and Jo Gardner also went the aerial route hitting the same bowler over long-on to the ropes, but Sunrisers’ pace was even more pedestrian than their opponents, reaching just 22 without loss at the end of the powerplay.The dangerous, in-form Gardner struck Grace Hall down the pitch for a huge six to try to regain the momentum, but the bowler made the crucial breakthrough when she had her caught at wide mid-off by Marlow with the score 41 for 1 at the end of the ninth over. Marlow then took a second catch as MacLeod fell to Fraser.With the required run rate escalating rapidly past nine an over, Villiers pulled Armitage hard to deep midwicket where Heath took a good juggling catch. Sunrisers lost a further wicket in the next over when Burns tossed one up, deceiving Cordelia Griffiths as she came down the pitch and was bowled.Scrivens pushed on striking the scoreboard as she hit Slater down the ground for six, before Grewcock ended the 15th over by sweeping for four.Armitage was on a hat-trick when Grewcock chipped her back for an easy caught and bowled with the score 99 for 5 in the 18th over before Hancock was bowled without scoring.Scrivens then smashed Katie Levick through the covers for four to set up an exciting final over.
