Report: Durham Women vs Bears Women

Charis Pavely hit her maiden Bears half-century in a rearguard action, but it wasn’t enough as the Bears fell to a three-wicket defeat against Durham in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Durham’s bowlers restricted Warwickshire throughout their innings with regular wickets from the likes of Sophia Turner and Villiers, but a late flurry of runs from Pavely helped them to a competitive total of 243 for nine. 

Durham’s reply got off to a great start, with Suzie Bates combining well with skipper Hollie Armitage for a partnership worth 105. However, some quick wickets for Warwickshire unsettled Durham, but Mady Villiers’ maiden List A fifty for Durham secured her side a first win since the opening day. 

Warwickshire won the toss and elected to bat at Banks Homes Riverside, but the visitors were living off scraps in the early stages of the powerplay. 

The pressure told as the hosts got the breakthrough when Abbey Freeborn edged a Grace Thompson delivery behind to Bess Heath to depart for five. Durham struck again shortly after through the same combination as Sterre Kalis was caught behind for eight. 

Davina Perrin looked in excellent touch and relieved some of the early pressure for Warwickshire as she carved back-to-back Sophia Turner deliveries to the boundary, but Villiers took an excellent return catch to dismiss the dangerous her for 32. 

The hosts got their fourth with Katie Levick striking in her first over as Nat Wraith was caught by Villiers after trying to smash one through the legside. Levick then got her second as she got Bethan Ellis caught and bowled for three to leave Warwickshire in trouble. 

After a serene period, Katie George edged a Sophia Turner delivery behind to Heath, which meant she had to depart for a well-made 42. 

Arlott then fell to Villiers for 29 after she heaved one towards the legside boundary, but she could only find the hands of Thompson. 

The excellent Pavely was inventive as she tried to get her side to a competitive total and she produced an impressive ramp shot that went for four. Warwickshire continued their charge as Issy Wong smashed one over the legside boundary and into the stands for six. 

Pavely then reached her half-century off 63 balls as she dabbed one to the boundary past third for four, but her fantastic knock of 57 finished at the hands of Sophia Turner, who also picked up the wicket of Wong to leave the visitors on 243 for nine. 

Emma Marlow and Bates were tasked with kicking off Durham’s chase and Bates eased some nerves as she smashed a George ball to the boundary. 

After a decent start, Durham lost their first wicket with England international Wong getting Marlow caught behind for five, but that brought in-form skipper Armitage to the crease, and she found the boundary twice in the space of three balls in a George over. 

The New Zealand international Bates then reached her half-century soon after, with the milestone coming from 63 balls. 

The experienced pair were seemingly in cruise control, but Warwickshire struck back with Arlott getting the big scalp of Armitage for 46 as she cut straight to Perrin at point.

That brought Villiers to the crease. The visitors got another big wicket as Bates was stumped for 72 after she came down the track to Pavely and completely missed the ball, with Freeborn completing the stumping with some sharp work down the legside.

Durham debutant Mia Rogers then departed to Baker for 11 as she edged behind to Freeborn and Heath followed her as she miscued a sweep shot straight to a fielder, handing Georgia Davis her first wicket of the day. 

Durham lost another wicket as Arlott bowled Phoebe Turner, and then another as Davis brilliantly ran out Katherine Fraser from mid off with a direct hit. 

Villiers passed fifty and she still had plenty to do, but she was well supported by 17-year-old Thompson, and they guided Durham to the target with 21 balls to spare.

Charis Pavely said: “We looked at the wicket and decided that either way it was going to be a good game so we weren’t too fussed about the outcome of the toss. But we were really happy to bat first actually.”

“Durham are a good unit. That’s the thing about cricket, the transfer of pressure is continuous throughout the game so there’ll be some overs that they win and some overs that we win so it was just about absorbing that pressure and taking it as deep as we can to get the runs on the board at the end.”

“We were really happy from the position we were in to get 243. I though that would be enough to be honest and we even said that we thought 220 was par on that wicket today but I think Durham played nicely and probably ran better than we did. They also didn’t give us much opportunity to create overs of pressure in a row. In the end they kept their scoreboard ticking over more frequently than ours in the end.”

“Suzie (Bates) and Hollie (Armitage) batted really nicely and took on the powerplay and did their role very well. Could we have been braver with plans and tried new things, I’m not sure. That’s something we’ll have to reflect on as a team to bounce back for our next game.”