In the other match of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, the Lightning side met the Northern Diamonds at Leicester. Northern Diamonds have so far won both their games and are sitting pretty on the top whereas Lightning is at the other end losing both their games and still searching for their first points.
Northern Diamonds won the toss and elected to field. It is important to remember that both teams were without the national players that were treating these games as preparation games for the series against West Indies. Lightning got off to a smooth start with a fifty-run opening stand by Sarah Bryce and Bethan Ellis in just 10 overs. Bethan Ellis was the first to depart off the bowling of Katy Levick for 21 runs. Katheryn Bryce, the skipper, joined her sister but was dismissed soon after to make it 66/2. Abigail Freeborn joined in and played a part on a useful 56-run stand with Sarah Bryce. However, Sarah was dismissed soon after her half-century by Beth Langston at 122/3. Freeborn and Lucy Higham, the next batter, fell soon after to make it 139/5. Nancy Harman and Teresa Graves also chipped with a 57-run partnership. However, both were dismissed soon after with the score on 197/6 and then at 215/7. They finally had to settle for 226 all out in the last over. For the Diamonds side, Jenny Gunn, Beth Langston, Holly Armitage, and Alex Macdonald picked up 2 wickets each.
Chasing 227 for victory, Northern Diamonds lost 2 wickets early with opener Rachel Hopkins and Sterre Kalis dismissed cheaply. Holly Armitage and Ami Campbell stitched together a partnership of 55. Armitage was dismissed by Alicia Presland for 30, caught by Bethan Ellis. Ami Campbell took charge after that wicket where they scored 28 runs off 31 balls when Lucy Higham took out Layla Tipton for 14, making it 90/4. After Ellis took another catch off the bowling of Nancy Harman to dismiss Campbell for 43, Higham triggered a collapse and reduced Diamonds from 100/5 to 119/7. England veteran Jenny Gunn joined forces with Beth Langston as they forged an important partnership of 81 runs to bring Diamonds back into the game. Although Langston was dismissed for 37 when they reached 200, Jenny Gunn steered them home with an unbeaten half-century. Northern Diamonds won the game by 2 wickets in the penultimate over. Among the bowlers, Lucy Higham picked up 3 wickets and Nancy Harman picked up 2.
With the win, Northern Diamonds are on the top of the group table winning all their 3 games and 13 points while Lightning stay at the bottom, yet to open their account. Lightning plays the Central Sparks next at Worcester on the 11th while Northern Diamonds play Thunder on the 10th. Follow us on Twitter for all the updates.
BRIEF SCORES
Lightning: 226 all out in 49.1 overs (S Bryce – 51, B Langston – 2/48, H Armitage – 2/24, J Gunn – 2/45, A MacDonald – 2/31)
Northern Diamonds: 229/8 in 48.5 overs (J Gunn – 50*, A Campbell – 43, L Higham – 3/38)
Northern Diamonds won by 2 wickets
