Top Performers:
1) Jemimah Rodrigues – The young sensation from India playing her maiden KSL continued to shine with Bat for Yorkshire Diamonds. She played a match-winning inning of 42 not out including 7 fours that helped Diamonds successfully chase the target of 122 in 19.5 overs. With this innings, Rodrigues earned her first Player of the Match award in KSL 2019. She is definitely the future of the Indian Cricket team.
2) Marizanne Kapp- South African Allrounder, who is having a great season with the ball, contributed this time with the bat, she played a matured innings of 39 runs when Stars were in huge trouble at 52 for 4. Dane Vane Niekerk supported well at the other end scoring 30 plus runs. Kapp also bowled well with the figures of 1 for 18 in 4 overs.
3) Alyssa Healy- Finally, the dashing batsmen from Southern Stars looked in good touch. Opening the innings for Diamonds, she gave her best in giving a good start for the team. Her innings of 38 included 5 fours and 1 Six. It was nice to see her back in form. On her day, she can be very destructive and a big inning can be expected from her very soon.
Summary:
A matured innings from a youngster Jemimah Rodrigues helped Yorkshire Diamonds to defeat the defending champions in a close encounter at Guildford on Tuesday.
On winning the toss, Yorkshire skipper chose to bowl on a slow and low pitch. The star-studded team of Surrey Stars failed to have a good start. They had one of the worst starts of the season. The top order failed to score many runs. Though Lizelle Lee scored 28 runs, she again failed to convert that into big innings and the other key players like Skipper Sciver, Sarah Taylor and Smith failed again. At one stage Stars were struggling at 52 for 4.
The Proteas duo of Vane Niekerk and Kapp both scored 30 plus and had a partnership of 59 helped Stars to reach below the average total of 121in 20 overs. For Diamonds, Katie Levick continued to impress with her bowling in this season. She got the early breakthrough by knocking over Smith for Duck in very first over. Later in her next over itself, she picked up a big wicket of Sarah Taylor and she ended up her excellent spell with 2 for 13 in 4 overs at an economy rate of 3.2. The rest of the bowler’s except Kasperek picked a wicket each.
On chasing the target of 122, Diamonds lost their skipper early for 7. The biggest positive thing for Diamonds is Alyssa Healy getting back her touch, though she didn’t play big innings, she played a decent knock of 38 runs with 5 fours and 1 six. She was supported by young talent Armitage scoring 24.
Alyssa Healy and her problem of not finishing the matches continued when she was caught out by Marsh in the bowling of Gordon. With the wicket of Healy, the young side was under pressure with senior pros like Vane Niekerk, Kapp and Sciver bowling at the other end. Then came Jemimah Rodrigues, the player of the match. She played a class and matured innings of 42, the most important thing is she took her team home without giving up her wicket. In the last match she scored a 50 plus and now a 42 not out, the youngster is looking in good touch and it is nice to see someone of 18 years of age playing well in bigger tournaments like Kia Super League.
Though the Diamonds had some hiccups while chasing, they successfully chased it in 19.5 overs defeating the experienced and defending champions Surrey Stars.
This win doesn’t change much in the points table. Stars and Diamonds continue at 4 and 5 respectively on the points table.
Brief Score: Yorkshire Diamonds 124 for 5 ( Jemimah 42, Marsh 2 for 15) defeated Surrey Stars ( Kapp 39, Levick 2 for 13 ) by 5 wickets.