Report: Bears Women vs Lancashire Thunder, Vitality Blast
Nat Wraith makes unbeaten half-century in vain as Lancashire Thunder opened the Women’s Vitality Blast table right up with a five-run victory over the Bears at EdgBLASTon.
Eleanor Threlkeld’s side shrugged off a slow start with the bat to reach 162 for seven, much of it compiled in heavy drizzle. That was a strong recovery from 31 for four, led by Ailsa Lister 39 (26) and Tara Norris (33 not out, 24) against an accurate Bears attack in which all six members took wickets.
The home side replied with 157 for nine. Davina Perrin provided a fiery start with 34 (23) and Nat Wraith late power with 58 not out (34), but Lancashire closed the game out as Norris completed her excellent all-round day with three for 24.
Put in, Lancashire soon lost Emma Lamb, off-stump flattened by Issy Wong, and then lurched from 29 for one to 31 for four in nine balls. Seren Smale was beautifully stumped behind her legs by Nat Wraith, Fi Morris sliced her second ball, from Charis Pavely, to backward point, and Threlkeld top-edged her third to short third to supply Hannah Hardwick’s first Blast wicket.
The support that opener Tilly Kesteven needed finally came from Lister. They rebuilt with a stand of 69 from 53 balls before falling in successive overs. Lister missed with a slog-sweep at Hannah Baker and was lbw. When Millie Taylor turned one through Kesteven (29, 37) to bowl her, the first six wickets had fallen to different bowlers.
The prospect of all ten falling to different bowlers disappeared when Alana King’s punchy counter-attack (21, 13) ended with a smart catch by Perrin at deep mid-wicket off Taylor. The recovery continued as Norris struck Pavely for a glorious six over long off in an innings that turned the target into a tricky one.
Perrin gave Warwickshire’s reply a dynamic start with four fours and a six, but then had her leg-stump struck by Grace Johnson. Sterre Kalis chipped Norris to mid off, and Sophie Morris then struck two huge blows in three balls. Abbey Freeborn fell lbw, reverse-sweeping and Laura Harris, 132 from 55 balls behind her from her first two games at Edgbaston, skied a catch back to the bowler.
Pavely’s breezy 27 (20) ended when she lifted Johnson to long off. Wong was bowled trying to cut Norris, leaving the Bears needing 61 from six overs with six wickets down. Wraith responded with some spectacular hitting on the way to a 29-ball half-century, which sent her side into the last over needing 14, but Grace Potts, back on her former home ground, delivered it for just eight.
Warwickshire batter Nat Wraith said, “I was happy to contribute with the bat. I haven’t done that too much so far this season so it was good to get some runs on the board. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough. I thought going into the last over we could just do it but it wasn’t quite there for us today.
“I think all through the game we were right in it. We bowled really well up top, taking a few wickets, and were aggressive all through our innings with the bat which gave us a chance.
“It was disappointing to lose but I think we are still in a decent position in the group with plenty of games to come. We were top going into this game and are still in a strong position and now hoping to kick on.”
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