Picture by John Clifton/SWPix.com. Ami Campbell impressed with ball and then bat today.
Ami Campbell’s diary may well have become a bit more congested in the build-up to this weekend’s final game of the season against Lancashire following her unexpected three-wicket return in defeat to Essex today.
It is a little over a decade since Campbell bowled in a competitive match, but she was thrust into the action with ball in hand at Chelmsford today by captain Lauren Winfield-Hill.
And it worked a treat, beginning an impressive personal all-round performance for the White Rose star.
Essex were well set at 196-4 after 40 overs but slipped to 241 all out inside 50. Campbell claimed three of those wickets, including key batter Grace Scrivens for 87.
She finished with 3-33 from 7.2 overs, matching a three-wicket return from Jess Jonassen.
Campbell then cracked 64 to top-score for Yorkshire, who lost by eight runs in finishing with 233 all out.
Essex’s Jodi Grewcock put in a similarly impressive all-round display with 37 and three wickets with leg-spin. Unfortunately, it was the England star who came out on top.
“I used to bowl seam!” exclaimed Campbell.
“It was going to be me, Sterre or Erin, and as a senior player I stuck my hand up and said I’d try and bowl a bit of off-spin.
“I had no idea how it was going to come out.
“The coaches have just said I’m in the bowlers’ meeting in a few days’ time, which is quite funny.
“It’s not a very good-looking bowling action, but it seemed effective today.
“Over the winter, when I’m going to Australia, I might do a bit of bowling there at club level and see where it takes me. Never say never!
“I’m 35 now, so if I start bowling I might turn to ash.”
On the game in general, Campbell reflected: “We battled it out and built some really good partnerships, which is what we’ve been struggling with over the last few games.
“We may have lost, but there were so many personal wins on the back end of that game.
“I’m proud of how we fought to the end.
“I’m the type of batter who wants to put pressure on the bowlers, and I had to take the low-risk options for a lot longer today and grind it out a bit.
“I thought Ducky and Langers put up a great fight as well.
“We were just struggling to find the boundary at the end.”
