Top 5 From 2016

OK, now all this has been fairly poorly updated, so here's something to make up for all that, a top five games from the 2016 season. The 2016 season was a particularly good one for us Middlesex supporters with a first county championship since 1993 and I also spent the year trying to go to as much as possible, from championship cricket at Scarborough and the women's ODI at Taunton through to Womens T20 at Beckenham and KSL Finals day at Chelmsford, here are my (totally biased) highlights.

A few notes before I list stuff - this is based off what I saw with my own eyes, if we win the Championship the day after I've been there, it doesn't count as a great game solely for that reason, also this is a list of fun and interesting games to me, with no real bearing on sense or neutrality. This means that Gubbins' 200 > Bresnan's 140 for example as Middlesex are superior to Yorkshire in my totally made up system.

Since the 2017 season starts in the UK this week, let's get on with the list

5 - KSL Finals day

I quite like witnessing history, so new cricket history is particularly good. The first finals day of the Women's Super League (sponsored by Kia so KSL...) took place this year at Chelmsford. Not only was it the first franchise based tournament in the UK, it was the first major headline grabbing women's domestic cricket tournament in the country.

The finals day included a semi final eliminator between the 2nd and 3rd teams where the winner then played the 1st placed team for the trophy. The Western Storm chased down the total set by Loughborough Lightning with relative ease. Ellyse Perry was the only Lightning player to fire, and the combined power of the Storm brought then victory.

The final against the Southern Vipers followed the semi, with the Storm batting first and making 130, with the Vipers gunning down the target to take the inaugural title.

4 - Taunton

Another women's cricket game on the list, I hadn't been to a women's international for a couple of years, so a trip to Taunton was a must for the final ODI between England and Pakistan.

England batted first on a sunny day and then went for it. Despite the early loss of Lauren Winfield, Tammy Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss made Pakistan pay for an appalling performance in the field as several dropped catches and flopped misfields but England in record threatening mood.

Having slammed a record 378-5 the previous week, this was a more measured fours and two approach, but Beaumont batted through the innings to make a humongous 168 not out. Elwiss (77) and Nat Sciver (48 off 22) launched England to 366-4.

It was pretty clear from the outset that Pakistan were playing to improve their net run rate, and being 3 down in eight overs it wasn't going to be any closer than that. Sidra Nawaz made 47, but Laura Marsh (3-29) worked through the middle order before Katherine Brunt bowled out each of the last four to finish with 5-30 as England sealed an emphatic win by 202 runs.

Personally in was good to see Alex Hartley's international debut, even through she went wicketless as it meant I'd now seen her play for three teams (Middlesex, Academy and England and later in the summer add the Surrey Stars to that).

3 - Essex One Day Cup

Having only gone to two one day cup games in the season, both of them were crackers, Essex made the trip to Middlesex and put the hosts in on what was an old pitch,

Middlesex started solidly enough with Sam Robson making 41 before a quick collapse to Dan Lawrence's spin (3-35) nabbed 3 wickets in 11 balls. This brought skipper James Franklin to the crease and he revived the innings with a handy 50 with partnership with Simpson and Higgins dragged Middlesex past 200 to an eventual 219-8 which looked too few even given the difficulty of batting.

Essex started well, with Nic Browne and Tom Westley not fussing around to raise the 50 stand before Middlesex slowly dried up the runs after the powerplay, Browne still looked steady to lead them home, but was bowled by Franklin for 79, even then 94 in 20 overs should've been easy. The middle order however, got horribly stuck as Roland-Jones (4-40) struck when the panicked batsmen were forced into bad shots giving some easy wickets. It came down to 11 needed from the final over with two wickets left, Franklin then dismissed the dangerous Ashar Zaidi first ball and held on to finish with 3-25 from 9 overs (later revealing he had a broken finger) as Middlesex pulled off a heist by four runs.

This game kept alive Middlesex's slim chances of making the knockouts and was a win they really had no business in making with 20 overs to go.

2 - Tie at Chelmsford

The other one-day cup game I went to, Essex vs Somerset on a damp day in June, Essex won the toss and fielded, but the match was reduced to 47 overs per side before play began because rain... So we get 3 overs, then more rain and another long delay with Somerset 12-1, and finally get clear skies and actual play with 29 overs per side. With a damp outfield timing the ball was a bit of a problem, with runs only really coming once you got in. This showed heavily as Adam Hose (77) and Jim Allenby (62) added 141 out of Somerset's eventual 179-8. They played the Essex bowlers with relative ease as 200 looked on with four overs to go, but the late slog by the middle order and canny bowling (and fielding) from Ravi Bopara (3-49) brought about 6-24 in the final four overs.

Thanks to DLS, Essex were set 177 to win from 29 overs, and they suffered their own horrible collapse and crashed to 36-5 against Groenewald and Gregory. Zaidi and Bopara doubled the score but both fell caught to Jamie Overton to leave Essex needing 94 from 69 balls with three wickets left.

James Foster was the only Essex batsman to look comfortable as perhaps Somerset took their foot off the gas a touch and dumped Jamie Overton for consecutive sixes to bring up the 100. He lost Napier and Masters to Gregory leaving him with only Matt Quinn for company showed skill in retaining the stroke as he faced all but one ball of the last four overs. A fifty came from 34 balls, but 24 were needed from 8 with rain falling again, when a boundary was followed by a wide and a pull into the gap at fine leg saw them bring in three more to set up a final over with 16 required.

Gregory beat Foster first ball, but keeper Barrow snatched at the ball and it ran clear of him for four byes. The next ball was short and Foster edged fine of Barrow away for four more, 8 off four. Foster nailed the thirs ball of the over to the square leg fielder and rejects the single. The fourth followed a similar pattern, perfectly timed but straight to the fielder on the square leg fence, dot ball. The rain really pouring down now, but we fight on and Gregory bowls a length ball, which Foster sends high and way over midwicket into the marquee beyond the boundary, an extraordinary hit in the circumstances to leave us with one ball, two runs. Field in for the final ball, Gregory bowls short and slow outside off, Foster waits, swings, and misses, but charges off for the single, the throw from Barrow misses the stumps as Quinn dives and makes it in! They'd stolen the tie out of nothing and a 37 run partnership for the last wicket that left Foster 75 not out and cursing that he couldn't quite have seen Essex over the line.

1 - Scarborough

An away trip into the far north as the two best teams in the country took on each other in what was seen as a potential title decider. Yorkshire won the toss and batted, only for Adam Lyth to mess up a leave and edge Murtagh to Simpson from the first ball of the game. Yorkshire recovered fairly well throughout the rest of the day, with Garry Ballance making a 202 ball hundred and a pair of 63s from Lees and Bresnan left them 291-5 with Murtagh grabbing two more wickets.

Day two and runs and wickets came about more quickly as Yorkshire slipped to 371-9 before some hitting from Patterson and Brooks meant they finished at lunch on 406, Ballance 132. Yorkshire then put Middlesex under pressure, but couldn't take many wickets, Gubbins and Robson adding 87 before both fell quickly only for Bailey and Eskinazi saw them to 130-2 at close.

Day three and Middlesex set about the Yorkshire total as the attack toiled away without much success with Eskinazi and Bailey completed 50s and took the total past 200. Bailey eventually fell to Will Rhodes and Simpson soon after but Franklin joined Eskinazi in grinding through the afternoon, taking 47 balls to get into double figures and Eskinazi reaching his 2nd hundred in 2 weeks in the next over. Runs then flowed off Bresnan and Rafiq as Middlesex went along easily at 4 an over to get to 400 and into the lead in the 126th over, Eskinazi passing 150. Trying to up the rate in the closing overs of the day meant Middlesex lost 4-26 in 33 balls as Esknazi went for 157 and Franklin for 99 to give Jack Brooks a deserved 5-for. Roland-Jones and Murtagh saw Middlesex to the close 470-8 a lead of 64.

The final day looked like the game would end a dull draw as the pitch hadn't had too many demons nor proved conducive to quick scoring, but funny things happen sometimes which make any dull play worthwhile. Middlesex started fairly normally for the first 3 overs and Roland-Jones hooked Brooks straight to Patterson on the fine leg fence, but the catch went down and ball rolled over the fence for 4, that drop proved to cost 98 runs in seven overs as the next ball went for four and Murtsgh carted a couple of boundaries off Bresnan in the next over. Roland Jones took advantage of the short boundary on the sea side of the ground to hit Brooks for six just over the fielder. Maybe spin would do the trick? Roland-Jones stuck Rafiq into the back row of seats towards Peasholme Park, Murtagh then hit the last two balls of the over towards midwicket for a couple more huge sixes. Roland-Jones took Brooks for 2 more sixes over midwicket and one straight down the ground. Roland-Jones had 79 off 51 and Murtagh 47 off 38 when Lyth removed Murtagh and Finn with consecutive balls to finish off Middlesex for 577, 107 runs in 10 overs that morning and a handy lead of 171.

Yorkshire saw off Finn and Murtagh's opening spell, but Lyth edged Roland-Jones's first ball to Frankliin at 3rd slip. Roland-Jones then blasted through Williamson, caught behind a couple of overs later to keep things interesting. Rayner was finding some turn and used his height to get some uneven bounce as Lees pulled out a sweep into the body of short leg, with the ball rebounding back towards the diving Simpson. Finn celebrated by bouncing out Ballance for a tortuous 3, Yorkshire now 63-4. Bresnan was the only batsman to find batting easy, Gale giving Rayner another wicket and having figures of 2-5 from 13 overs at one point. Into the final session and Rhodes and Bresnan could still save the game, but Finn and Murtagh shifted them in quick succession and it was a matter of time until the end. Hodd and Patterson were both caught by Rayner at 2nd slip, and when Jack Brooks fished one from Murtagh to Robson at first slip, Yorkshire had crashed to 167 all out and suffered their first Championship innings defeat at Scarborough. Nine of the wickets ended up caght between keeper and third slip as Middlesex went top of table on the way to eventually winning the title.

Good Night Australia

The Women's Ashes had just started it's T20 leg, with England up 6-4 on points, Chelmsford was the venue, and England won the toss and batted. Charlotte Edwards crashed 11 off the first over from Ellyse Perry before falling to Sarah Coyte next over for 17. Julie Hunter then snared Heather Knight for 13 as England posted 42-2 off the powerplay. Danni Wyatt and Sarah Taylor then added the bulk of the runs as Taylor was particularly violent straight and square as runs were easily found off Hunter and Jess Jonassen as England reached 76-2 halfway through.
England were cruising along, Taylor completing her 50 from 37 balls with a boundary off Rachael Haynes as well as bringing up the 100, and the pair carried on, not hitting many boundaries, but rotating the strike well and the score had reached 126 when Wyatt's luck ran out (literally) as a direct hit from Haynes found her short for 28. Australia kept the last three overs tight as Jonassen, Coyte and Erin Osborne only went for 20 with Taylor swinging at every ball, she was finally bowled off the last ball of the innings for 77 about halfway down the pitch by Osborne (the pick of the bowlers with 1-22 from 4). This left England with 146-4, a good total that would test the Australian top order if they were to succeed, with their hitters needing to fire.
Australia began slowly, with 8 from the first two overs, the pressure telling, as Meg Lanning was run out for 2 from a direct hit from Arran Brindle. Alyssa Healy fell in the same over well taken by Taylor off Brunt, 10-2. Jodie Fields and Jess Cameron needed runs, but got in a tangle, Danni Hazell being played out for a maiden in her first over, Aus 26-2 after the powerplay. Fields was then bowled by Jenny Gunn for 6, 27-3. Cameron upped the rate with 10 off Gunn's next over (including a straight six), but Australia were being tied down by England, and were 49-3 halfway through. Any hope was killed off soon after as Cameron (caught and bowled Gunn 35) and Blackwell (caught Greenway off Wyatt going for a huge heave 20) fell in consecutive overs, by this time the required rate was 12 an over and Perry and Haynes were left with too much to do, even though they did some damage to Gunn, Hazell and Brunt's figures, they were left with 25 needed from the final over and they completed a 50 partnership, but finished 15 short, 131-5, Perry 30 off 20. For England it was a good fielding and bowling display, apart from when Edwards dropped a sitter at square leg that lobbed straight to her, as Gunn (2-33) and Hazell (0-18 from 4) were the best bowlers. England take it to within 1 more win of regaining the Ashes trophy as the teams move on to Southampton.

Raj's Charge Overpowers England

After winning the t20 series 2-0, England Women moved on to take on India Women in the first match of the ODI series at Lord's.
England won the toss and batted, and Charlotte Edwards fell LBW to Nagaranjan Niranjana for the 3rd game in a row for 1 in the 2nd over, 1-1. In form Sarah Taylor joined Tammy Beaumont and they looked to be taking England to a large total, after struggling to 18-1 after 10 overs, the 50 came up in the 17th over as Archarna Das went for 12 in her first over. Niranjana's 2nd spell got the breakthrough as Beaumont fell LBW playing across the line for 27. Taylor then charged Das, missed the inseamer, and was stumped by Sulakshana Naik for 38, 76-3 in the 22nd over with both set batsmen out.
Arran Brindle and Heather Knight began the rebuild, Brindle bringing up the 100 with a four off Amita Sharma in the 29th over. Veda Krishnamurthy then bowled Knight for 12 with only her 5th ball in ODIs, 114-4. Seeing off Niranjana was probably the plan, but Jenny Gunn was bowled from the final ball of an excellent spell as she finished with 3-28 from her 10 overs.
Brindle went on to her 50 from 66 balls as England reached 162-5 after 40 overs, ready for a final push.
Laura Marsh swiped Gouher Sultana for four, then edged behind for 19 from 21, 175-6. Next over, Das got the huge wicket of Brindle, well held caught and bowled smacked straight back at her for 58 from 73, 181-7. Katherine Brunt swung a massive six into the Tavern Stand, but skied Jhulan Goswami to Harmanpreet Kaur at deep square leg for 13. Danni Wyatt gave Das her third wicket caught by Niranjana for 20 from 16, and the innings ended in the final over, Danielle Hazell bowled Das (4-61) for 9, 229 all out, a below par total you felt as England never managed to get away from India.
India needed to bat sensibly and Mona Meshram and Poonam Raut started solidly against Brunt and Georgia Elwiss with runs coming slowly, and India's problem with running returned, Raut pushing to point and running through for the single, and Meshram being beaten out by Wyatt's throw to Taylor for 9, 21-1.
Captain Mithali Raj and Raut then made sure England didn't take any further wickets for a while with some solid strokeplay, seeing out Brunt and Elwiss's opening spell, 24-1 after 10 and then playing solidly against Marsh and Gunn, 59-1 after 20 overs. Raut then opened up, hitting 8 off Wyatt's 2nd over before combining with Raj to have 11 from a poor first over by Brindle, giving easy runs square of the wicket.
Raut passed 50 from 94 balls, before Hazell, the 7th bowler used, struck 2nd over, bowling Raut off stump for 60, 127-2 with 103 needed from 102 balls.
England needed to dismiss new batter Kaur and Raj fairly quickly from now on, but the bowling just wasn't effective, firstly Rak passed 50 from 76 balls then Kaur hit Marsh for four then six into the Tavern Stand as India needed 71 from the final 10 over with 8 wickets left. England tried to constrict the run rate, but Kaur found the Mound Stand boundary at square leg against Wyatt. Raj then chipped the ball just over Elwiss at midwicket, the last chance for England to win really. 18 from 18 and Kaur went to a run a ball 50 then top edged a massive sweep towards square leg where Brunt running round took a spectacular diving catch to give Hazell a deserved 2nd wicket.
Raj settled nerves by hitting the next ball for four to move into the 90s. Krishnamurthy swung at three in a row against Wyatt, scrambling back for the 2nd each time. With two needed to win and the field up Krishnamurthy's next heave went towards midwicket where Brunt (the only fielder outside the circle) took another great diving catch. This left Naik on strike for the final over from Hazell, and after swinging adn failing against the first two balls, the third was hit towards square leg and the batsmen charged through for the single, only for Gunn to pick up and hurl down the stumps at the bowlers end, Naik run out for nought. That got Raj on strike, and she dispatched the next ball over midwicket for four, to win by 5 wickets with 2 balls to spare and finish with a player of the match winning 96 not out from 111 balls. Lord's now goes off limits due to the Olympics until August, an exciting game before the send off.

A Good Tayl(or)

The First half an afternoon of a t20 double header, England Women, already 1-0 up in their two match series, taking on India Women at Chelmsford.
India won the toss and batted, and were soon in a bit of trouble as Amita Sharma played and missed 3 of the first 5 balls from Katherine Brunt, before edging the sixth behind to Sarah Taylor for a duck. Poonam Raut and captain Mithali Raj then started a recovery, finding boundaries from Brunt and off spinners Danni Wyatt and Laura Marsh to take the score to 32-1 after the six over powerplay. Then a collapse ensued as Raj got in a tangle against Wyatt to thin edge to Taylor for an 18 ball 21. Then next over Harmanpreet Kaur played Holly Colvin into the covers and rejected the single with Raut halfway down, the throw from Susie Rowe was wide of the stumps, but Colvin managed to complete the run out whilst lying on the ground. This left India 38-3 and in danger of folding a low score.
Kaur and Mona Meshram scored fairly steadily though the middle overs, reaching 71-3 after 14 overs, with solid fielding from England keeping them down to mostly singles. Marsh, Colvin and Arran Brindle couldn't find the breakthrough and India looked to be stepping up the pace when Kaur got inside the line and swept Jenny Gunn high into the stands at square leg as nine came from the 15th over. Another big hit from Kaur off Colvin looked to be heading for six over midwicket, but Lydia Greenway dived, caught the ball, then threw it back onto the field before hitting the boundary, a fantastic bit of fielding that turned six into two and showed how well England were saving runs in the field. A wide from Brindle brought up the 50 partnership in the 17th over, but Meshram fell two balls for later for 17, skying high to Greenway at deep midwicket who took a good high catch, 89-4. Sulakshana Naik carted her first ball high for four, but was then run out for 8, failing to beat the throw from Charlotte Edwards to Taylor, 99-5 with two overs left.
Brunt then bowled an excellent final over, with Kaur trying to flick a yorker over fine leg from outside off, missing, and  being bowled for 34 from 38. only three more came from the over as Jhulan Goswami skied to Brindle and mid off for 2, Brunt finishing with 3-18 including a wicket maiden. Nagaranjan Niranjana hit four from Brindle, but the mad dash for runs brought three run outs to end the innings. Firstly Niranjana (8) hit to cover and was beaten by Marsh's throw to Taylor going for a 2nd run. Then Ekta Bisht (3) went after a good diving stop on the point boundary from Rowe was relayed by Wyatt to Taylor to beat out the attempted third run. Then Gouher Sultana's slap to long off was well fielded by Colvin to Brindle to run out Archana Das for 2, India finishing 114 all out.
England's reply began strongly as Edwards and Marsh looked to attack the bowling, but Edwards was almost out when Niranjana's strong appeal for caught behind was turned down, Edwards replied by smahing the next ball for four but was LBW next ball for 15 from 14, Niranjana leaping about wildly again in celebration this time. This brought in Taylor who, after hitting 60 in the first game, wanted more today, but had to wait before she could cut loose. England were 31-1 after the powerplay, fairly even with India and India would have felt they had a chance when Marsh (5) was run out by Bisht, who managed to deflect the return from Taylor onto the stumps, 32-2.
This brought in the other in form batter Greenway, who was promptly dropped by keeper Naik on 0, as she and Taylor started to take the game away from India as quick running between the wickets and a steady supply of boundaries sped the chase along. 58 came from the first 10 overs, and more came along quickly as Sultana's first two balls were powerfully smashed back over her head for four by Taylor. Another four from Greenway took the partnership past 50 from 41 balls in the 14th over. Taylor then reached her 2nd fifty of the series from 39 balls as the end came quickly. With the score on 113-2, Taylor flicked Das's medium pace high over midwicket for four to pull off an 8 wicket win with 17 balls to spare, Greenway 30 not out from 31 and Taylor 67 from 48 with nine fours, and she picked up the player of the match and series awards as England took the series 2-0.
Next up this evening was Essex taking on Sussex.

Blackwell Blackout

The dry run for the Women's Quadrangular final at Lord's between England and Australia wasn't the spectacle it could have been as England folded and we were all done before the rain arrived at 4:30.
England won the toss, batted and were soon 18-1 as captain Charlotte Edwards was caught off Sarah Coyte for 2. Next over Laura Marsh also departed, caught at cover by Alex Blackwell after a juggle for 3. The 11th over brought the third wicketas Danielle Wyatt chipped to mid on off Clea Smith and Claire Taylor was bowled by Coyte for 0 to leave England 26-4.
Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway tried to steady the innings but Taylor fell LBW to Jess Cameron, the back-up keeper, for 11 to give her her first ODI wicket in her first spell. 54-5 after 18 made 200 look tough but Greenway and Arran Brindle batted well for 10 overs before Cameron made a diving catch at deep midwicket to get Brindle off Shelley Nitschke for 22. Nitschke then caught Greenway for the eventual top score of 34 to give Lisa Sthalekar an easy wicket. The third spinner, Erin Osborne then had Heather Knight caught behind for 13 leaving England 127-8 with 13 overs still to bat. Holly Colvin and Danielle Hazell added 34 for the ninth wicket before Sthalekar cleaned up with two wickets in two overs as Hazell(19) was caught by another diving catch from Cameron then Colvin was stumped by captain Jodie Fields for 29 to end the England innings for 168 with two overs left unbowled. The end would have been sooner had Meg Lanning not dropped a simple catch at cover, but other than that Australia fielded well and England's spinners would have to bowl as well if they were to have a chance.
England's demise was so quick that Australia had to bat for 30 minutes before lunch and after a couple of tight overs from Catherine Brunt and Brindle, all hell began to break loose. Nitschke and young prospect Meg Lanning surged to 42-0 after 10 overs with Lanning scoring 31.
Colvin bowled the first over after lunch from the Nursery end and had removed Lanning to a wild swing to the midwicket boundary where Brindle completed the catch. Lanning made 43 off 33 with 9 fours. This slowed the scoring and when Wyatt had Leah Poulton caught behind for a duck left Australia 59-2 and a possible collapse was on. The problem was that Nitschke and Blackwell are two of the most experienced players in the side and they took the game from England with a steady partnership that gradually sped up as England rotated seven bowlers with no effect. The 100 came up in the 23rd over and the 50 partnership 3 overs later.
Nitschke hit the only six of the match off Colvin into the Grand Stand in the 30th over soon followed by her 50 then Blackwell also passed the milestone. Nitschke couldn't quite last until the end as she was run out after a mix-up with Blackwell and Greenway, after a mis-field, managed to get the return to Sarah Taylor. 153-3 was a bit late and Cameron(10 not out) and Blackwell(54 not out) saw Australia home to win by 7 wickets with 15 overs remaining, just before the 4:30pm rain arrived.
Blackwell was given the match award in this one-sided hammering as the presentation took place in front of the pavilion with the crowd allowed on the outfield. Both these sides will meet again for the Quadrangular final on Thursday and England have to improve if it is to be a better contest.

Total Annihilation, Girl Style

To Chelmsford for the first of the T20 double header, the first game being England Women vs New Zealand Women for both teams first match in the Quadrangular series.
England won the toss and Charlotte Edwards decided to bowl first, with Arran Brindle making her comeback and the move looked good as New Zealand captain Amy Watkins was bowled for nought by Katherine Brunt in the first over, 1-1. Brindle bowled a tight over and after three NZ were only 8-1. Laura Marsh dropped a return catch from Amy Satterthwaite in the next over as she and Suzie Bates looked to be building a solid total. All that was about to end with Holly Colvin in the 8th over as Satterthwaite hit one to Danielle Wyatt for 14 and in her next over Bates was well caught at square leg by Claire Taylor for the top score of 23 to leave NZ 44-3 at the halfway point.
The innings then waned a bit and although Liz Perry was dropped at long-off, next ball Sara McGlashan chipped a catch back to Colvin and next over a mix-up allowed Colvin to throw from pont to keeper Sarah Taylor to run out Perry. Then 10 runs off the 15th over bowled by Jenny Gunn meant New Zealand might reach a good total but then Lucy Doolan was stumped by Sarah Taylor off Brindle for six and then Nicola Browne was lbw to Danielle Hazell for 13 three balls later to make it 67-7. Rachel Priest tried a bit hit and was brilliantly caught by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Lydia Greenway off Brindle. Hazell bagged her 2nd wicket and the innings ended when Sian Ruck was yorked by Brindle in the last over to leave New Zealand 83 all out, Colvin finishing with 3-17 and Brindle 3-11.
The difference between the sides was obvious as Browne, bowling the first over, went for 13 as Edwards and Marsh looked to get there quickly. Marsh was especially punishing was fours over midwicket and then a glorious smash over cover off Kate Broadmore. 42 came off 5 overs before Marsh gave the hard working Ruck her first wicket in an eventual wicket-maiden over. Edwards and Claire Taylor then took over the scoring and found the gaps off Ruck, Watkins and Bates as England were 67-1 after 10.
Taylor was unluckily run out backing up by some athletic fielding off her own bowling by Watkins, but it only delayed the inevitable as Edwards became the first woman to score 1000 international T20 runs and along with Greenway, they finished the came with a four off Bates in the 14th over to win by eight wickets. The pick of the bowlers was Ruck with 1-17 off her four overs.
Colvin was awarded with the match award for her bowling and fielding and for them it is off to Bristol for the 2nd matches in the Quadrangular series. For us it was Essex vs Hampshire up next.