Diamonds opener Emma Marlow praised the team nature of their performance in beating Central Sparks by four wickets in today’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash at Scarborough.
Marlow, who scored 55 – her first senior fifty, was one of many to star at North Marine Road, with Bess Heath, Katie Levick and Lauren Winfield-Hill also making significant contributions.
The 21-year old said: “I think it was a good game all round today.
“Everyone contributed with bat and with ball, and it was a good way to kick off the start of this new block of fixtures.”
The game was the side’s first 50-over game since the start of May due to the break for the Charlotte Edwards Cup, and Diamonds were on form from minute one, with Erin Burns getting a wicket in the first over and the 2022 champions restricting the visiting Sparks to 239.
Marlow continued: “I reckon their score was about par, and it was a pretty nice deck to bat on. I think we battled pretty well with the ball to keep them down to that score.”
The match didn’t go without its key moments though, and one of them was when half-centurion Marlow was dropped on five. Thankfully, the opener cashed in on the second chance.
“That’s cricket isn’t it, and there’s some days when they do get taken. But I made the most of it.”
Marlow was dismissed in a two-wicket over from Bethan Ellis, which left the game in the balance. However, Heath and Burns combined for a match-winning fifth-wicket stand worth 92.
She praised: “They batted really nicely. Bess went out there and was positive, she was really well controlled and was supported well by Burnsy.
“We’ve got a really strong batting line-up, and it was good that everyone looked in good nick today.”
Diamonds are now third in the table, just two points off top spot, and are currently in an all-important top-four berth with a semi-final spot coming into view.
Next up is a trip to Cheltenham to face Western Storm on next Sunday.
