Wed 14 May, 10:30
Report: Bears Women v Lancashire Thunder, Metro Bank One Day Cup
Warwickshire suffered a third straight loss after a chastening 101-run defeat to Lancashire Lightning.
The visitors’ total of 276 for eight was built by a strong start and finish. Emma Lamb (88 from 84 balls) and Katie Mack (57, 86) laid a solid platform and, after a wobble induced by Bears Captain Georgia Davis (three for 45), Sophie Ecclestone (50, 49) led a second wave which took the total from solid to imposing.
Warwickshire then succumbed for 175 all out (Katie George 35, 38), as Fi Morris took out numbers two, three and four in 12 balls on her way to five for 48.
After choosing to bat, Lancashire took an early hit when Eve Jones, back at the ground when she scored so many runs as a Central Sparks player, fell to the eighth ball, lbw to an in-swinging yorker from George.
Lamb and Mack responded assertively with a stand of 116 in 23 overs. They reached their half-centuries from 50 and 80 balls respectively before the innings faltered in the face of spin.
Warwickshire captain Davis struck in her first over when Mack, deceived by flight, was stumped by wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn. Seren Smale was brilliantly caught at slip by George off Hannah Baker. Davis held a stinging return catch from Fi Morris and drew a fatal outside edge from Ailsa Lister.
When Lamb edged a pull at Issy Wong to Freeborn, five wickets had fallen for 49 runs in 10 overs and, at 168 for six, Lancashire needed shoring up.
Experienced pair Ecclestone and Eleanor Threlkeld (37, 44) provided the necessary ballast and then impetus with a stand of 91 from 82 balls.
With Freeborn, injured while wicketkeeping, unable to open, Warwickshire sent in Charis Pavely with Sterre Kalis but the makeshift opener was first to go when she played on to Cross.
Morris then torpedoed the top order with three wickets in 12 balls. Kalis and Davina Perrin sent up catches to mid off and mid on respectively and Nat Wraith was stumped.
Bethan Ellis got a reverse sweep at Ecclestone wrong and gave wicketkeeper Threlkeld the simplest of catches. Arlott embarked on an ambitious second run and was only just past halfway when former team mate Grace Potts’ throw arrived.
Morris returned to bowl George with a lovely ball and complete her five-for when Freeborn holed out to deep mid-wicket.
Georgia Davis said: “It was disappointing. We probably let them get a few too many on the board and then we weren’t good enough with the bat.
“They have got loads of experience in their side and we didn’t counter that well enough today. Lamby batted really well at the top and then Eccles kind of took the game away from us in the middle. We didn’t pull them back enough and then, with the bat, we were a bit slow in the powerplay and never really got going.
“We know how we want to play our cricket and if we stick to that and do things right then wins will come. We started the season well but we have lost a bit of momentum. I think we need to stick to the way we play and trust it and back it.”
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