St Cross Ladies 1st XI

Our Ladies 1st XI hosted Henley CC on Saturday in Round One of the ECB Women’s National Club T20. The visitors had won the Thames Valley Women’s League last season with a 100% record, and they proved to be tough opponents. Our skipper Gabby Dunnage won the toss and took first knock, but lost opener Finty Trussler to Henley skipper Romilly Hayward in the first over, and although Gabby soon hit three 4s, she was also bowled by Hayward, for 16 with Symondians on 25.

Bethany Clarke and Alex Avoth then steadily re-built, putting on 61 with Bethany striking boundaries and Alex rotating the strike, until Alex was stumped for 12 trying to accelerate, then Caity Smyth and Kirsten Davenport came and went for 2 and 3 respectively. At the other end Bethany was playing some powerful shots, including what would have been a big 6 had it not hit the tree inside the boundary. She reached her first St Cross 50 with a cover drive, and was joined by Lucy Counsell in time for a very fruitful last over for St Cross, which yielded 19 runs and turned out to be crucial. Bethany finished on an outstanding 63 not out and Lucy on 8 not out with a pair of exotic fours through third man, and St Cross totalled 121 for 5.

In reply Henley openers Australian Sophie Day (who toured Sri Lanka last month with Cricket Victoria’s women’s development squad) and Berkshire Women’s player Heather Bonnell made a solid start, and although Day gave a chance and edged a few, they were proceeding steadily towards the target, as we switched the bowling around without success. Only 40 were needed off 7 overs when Louise Dedman made the breakthrough, getting the Victorian caught by Bethany off a miscue for 38. Lucy came back from conceding 13 in her first over by bowling Bonnell for 25 in her second, which only yielded 2 runs, and in her next over (a wicket maiden) she bowled another Berkshire Women’s player Emily Cunningham for 6. Louise then struck twice in her next over (the 18th), bowling yet another Berkshire Women’s player Mia Rogers for 2, and with the assistance of a great catch by Kirsten dismissed Bronte Pye for a duck.

14 year old Scarlett Hale bowled a tidy 19th over on debut, and with Henley needing 21 off the final over Louise got her 4th victim, another catch by Kirsten sending back Lucy Beale for 4. The final over yielded only 5 runs, to give St Cross victory by 15 runs, and we had taken 6 wickets in the last 7 overs for just 24 runs, a great comeback led by inspirational skipper Gabby. Louise finished with outstanding figures of 4 for 14 off 4 overs of left arm twirlers; it's not Loopy Louise now, more like Deadly Dedman....................

We are at home in the next round on Sunday 19th to the winners of Ballinger Waggoners vs Stony Stratford, and before that we open the Hampshire League season next Sunday, with the 1sts at home to Burridge and the 2nds away at Aldershot 2nds.