Ami Campbell hailed a “great day” after helping Yorkshire to a record-breaking Metro Bank One-Day Cup win at Derbyshire today with a brilliant career best 165 not out.
Campbell’s senior career best score helped Yorkshire to a 381-6 total at the County Ground, a women’s county record.
In bowling Derbyshire out for 66, the White Rose also record their highest ever victory by runs margin in List A cricket – by 315 runs.
The experienced left-hander also heaped praise on fellow contributor Olivia Thomas, the birthday girl – 21 today, after she contributed a career bests of 63 and 4-15.
The leg-spinning all-rounder and Campbell shared a sixth-wicket partnership of 194.
Campbell said: “It’s a great day. I feel a bit overwhelmed, to be honest.
“It’s just one of those days where it’s a reminder of why you actually do play cricket. I think these days you’ve really got to cherish them.
“But also, on the other hand, at the start of the season, I personally just wanted to stay quite level.
“I don’t want to run away from myself, and I want to take the next game starting from scratch again.
“Rather than getting too high or getting too low, I’m trying to stay as level as humanly possible. I think the team are doing the same as well.
“The girls are very, very disciplined in what we’ve practised through the winter.
“I think that’s why it’s starting to pay off now. We had a bit of a rough start, didn’t we? But we learn from our mistakes, and here we are making it work.”
It could very easily have been terrific Thomas on media duties at the County Ground this afternoon given the impressive performance she returned.
“What a way to spend your 21st birthday,” said Campbell. “I think I was actually more happy for Liv than I was for myself.”
The partnership between Campbell and Thomas was superbly paced as much as anything. Yes, it was brutal towards the end, but they had to absorb a bit of pressure form 183-5 in the 28th over.
“Today, I really enjoyed battling with Liv,” said Campbell. “She managed her tempo really well. She just stayed with me. I said to her, ‘Look, stay with me and we’ll go at the end. That’s exactly what happened. It was one of those days where everything just went right.
“We lost a few wickets a little bit quicker than we’d have liked in the middle, but I felt like I needed to take that responsibility to play safer and then try and catch up when needed.
“My partner actually said to me before the game, ‘Ami, why don’t you just try and play safer’. I took her advice and I think it paid off. Maybe I should listen to her more often!”
These two teams meet again at Harrogate on Monday in the first round of the Vitality County Cup T20 competition, and Yorkshire will certainly not be resting on their laurels.
“We have to enjoy these days when they come, but also let’s get back on it on Monday,” added Campbell. “We’ll keep going at them and keep backing ourselves.
“It’s was my day today, and it’ll be someone else’s day on Monday I’m sure.”
