Bears Women aim for T20 Finals success

Bears Women head into Vitality Women’s T20 Finals Weekend hoping momentum from a flawless qualification campaign will propel them to the trophy.

The two-day Finals on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday sees them head to Neston CC in Cheshire for a round robin tournament against Derbyshire Cricket Foundation, Hertfordshire Women and Hampshire Pathways.

Under the stewardship of captains Anisha Patel and all-rounder Ria Fackrell, they topped their group with an unbeaten record ahead of local rivals Worcestershire.

Former Central Sparks first teamer Patel has 11 wickets in the campaign, while current first teamer Fackrell has clocked up 177 runs.

First up for Warwickshire Women is Hertfordshire (Sun 25 Aug, 1.30pm) and Coach Dom Ostler thinks his side will relish the opportunity.

“To go unbeaten and top the group is a fantastic achievement. I’m incredibly proud of the girls,” said Ostler.

“Our squad is a great mix of able youngsters and experienced players, who have worked well in tandem to win every game in the group.

“This is the first time in a number of years that the tournament has had a National finals, and we are looking forward to showcasing our talents on a bigger stage.

“Anisha has led the team brilliantly well with some excellent performances. Ria has shown her quality with both bat and ball, while Laura Smitten (153 runs) and Ellie Phillips (six wickets) have impressed against some excellent teams and players in our group.”

Excited by the challenge for the team, Assistant Coach Sarah Ginn, added: “We know the other teams have the potential to score runs, with some regional expertise on show, but we are optimistic that we have the firepower to contain what may come our way across the three games.

“We are lucky to have a dedicated following of supporters who have been there for every game this summer, and we hope to continue to do them proud this weekend.”