View the official match day scorecard here
Warwickshire Women made in five wins from five games played and remained top of the Royal London One-Day Championship, with an emphatic batting performance vs Middlesex at Teddington Cricket Ground.
After losing the toss and being put in to bat, opening pair Amy Jones and Kathryn Bryce got the Bears off to a terrific start, notching up a fast 50 partnership from just 60 balls. Bryce and Jones continued in similar style until Bryce was bowled by Millie Pope and was replaced by the in-form Sophie Devine.
After Jones departed for 41, Devine was joined at the crease by Georgia Hennessy and the pair when on to form another rapid 50 partnership, littered with boundaries and sharp singles. Warwickshire were clearly in the mood to post a serious total. When Hennessy was caught by Fran Wilson, the Bears had already amassed a healthy team total of 132-3 with only 22 overs gone.
Captain Marie Kelly was next to partner Devine and the girls went on to form another 50 partnership. When the captain was eventually bowled by Hannah Wakeman, the Bears were just shy of a 200 team total, with Devine passing her individual half-century. Jenny Gunn was next to join Devine and yet another 50 partnership was formed, with Devine taking much of the strike. Sophie went to to raise her bat and pass her century milestone before she was finally dismissed for 122 runs after facing 78 balls in an innings lasting a little under 2 hours.
After Gunn and Devine left the crease, the lower order still had 9 overs to add to the imposing team total of 278. Impressively the Bears tail kept up the scoring intensity with Jo Gardner, Becky Grundy and Georgia Davis adding another 51 runs to the team total, setting an almost insurmountable target of 329 for the Middlesex Ladies to chase.
The Middlesex chase got off to a very shaky start with the home team 7-2 in just the 5th over, with Devine and Bryce taking the early wickets. Middlesex were able to to get some traction with Maia Bouchier and captain Naomi Dattani finding some rhythm, until Bouchier was caught by Marie Kelly from the bowling of Becky Grundy. The Middlesex middle order went on to collapse rather spectacularly, with Grundy and Georgia Davis doing the majority of the damage. The only mild resistance Middlesex were able to offer was from Beth Morgan, who scored an accomplished 40, but she struggle for partners and wickets fell around her. Middlesex were all out for just 125, with the Bears bowling unit leaking only 8 extras in the tight 37.3 over innings.
Warwickshire Women remain top in the Royal London One-Day Championship with 89 points, some 19 points clear of second place Yorkshire and 32 points clear of third place Lancashire. The Women’s next match is against second place Yorkshire at Harrogate Cricket Club on Sunday 27 August at 11am.
