The 02 edition of the FairBreak Invitational got underway on the 3rd of April and match no.2 had the Warriors play Sapphires at the Kowloon Cricket Club. The Warriors first with the ball restricted the Sapphires to a low total and then stormed their way to victory on the back of a Phoebe Litchfield special.
1st innings: Sapphires – 111/7 (20.0)
Openers, Gaby Lewis and Katie Mack helped the side stitch a fine 31-run opening stand that saw curtains with the former departing on 13(15). The side then lost a couple of quick wickets as Mack on 21(19) and Erin Burns on 2(6) departed. While Babette de Leede held on to an end, Katherine Sciver-Brunt chipped in with a 20-ball 20 and the crucial 42-run partnership saw the Sapphires get to 87.
With Sana Mir departing on 1(5) and Leede’s resistance coming to an end on 24(36), Sapphires lost 6 for 93. Late runs of Tash Farrant’s blade (12 off 9) helped Sapphires close out on 111/7. Kathryn Bryce with figures of 3/25 (4) led the wickets chart and had Amanda-Jade Wellington (2/15 off 4), and Hayley Matthews and Jess Kerr with a wicket each follow.
2nd innings: Warriors – 115/3 (12.4)
The Warriors in reply had Phoebe Litchfield come out all guns blazing and provided the team with a blistering start. Hayley Matthews when departed on 9(7), had Esha Oza follow with a 1(5) against her name, and a couple of wickets in a quick interval too didn’t stop Phoebe’s carnage. While Phoebe deposited the ball from an end, skipper Sindhu Sriharsha did her role to rotate the strike.
Agonizingly, Phoebe couldn’t close the game out as she on 77(37) was run out and the 70-run stand came to a close. Skipper Sindhu and Mignon du Preez finished unbeaten on respective scores of 10(23) and 9(5) and sealed the win for the side in 12.4 overs. Sapphires in the wickets column had Katherine Sciver-Brunt (1/13 off 2) and Erin Burns (1/22 off 3) feature.
ICYMI!
✨ Phoebe Litchfield played a sublime knock of 77 of just 37 balls against the Sapphires including 17 boundaries 💪#CricketTwitter #FairBreak #FBI23pic.twitter.com/QjVstm5UKw
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 4, 2023
Result: Warriors won by 7 wickets
While the Warriors celebrate their first win of the season on the back of a dictating win, Sapphires have got a big job in hand and that’s to get their batters to convert starts to give their bowlers some sort of a healthy total to defend.
Warriors won by 7 Wickets
Sapphires: 111-7 (20)
Babette de Leede: 24 (36)
Katie Mack: 21 (19)
Kathryn Bryce: 3-25Warriors: 115-3 (12.4)
Phoebe Litchfield: 77 (37)
Sindhu Sriharsha: 10* (23)
Katherine Sciver-Brunt: 1-13#CricketTwitter #FairBreak #FBI23 pic.twitter.com/kQSVAOxlTv— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 4, 2023