Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Lauren Winfield-Hill and Alice Clarke at the crease for Yorkshire this afternoon.
A superb middle-order 65 off 33 balls from captain Lauren Winfield-Hill wasn’t quite enough for Yorkshire’s women to chase down 184 against Somerset in the Vitality County T20 Cup third-round tie at Scarborough today.
Yorkshire were put on the back foot by a fast Somerset start, setting them up for a 183-6 total.
After the visitors had elected to bat, opener Bex Odgers set the tone with 24 off 16 balls. But once she had fallen, Niamh Holland and captain Sophie Luff built on the platform with half-centuries.
Thirty four runs came off the first three overs and 90 off the first 10.
Excellent Holland went on to finish with 75 off 44 balls, supported by Luff, who also contributed a brisk 51 off 38. Ines Blackwell struck three times in the last over of the innings with her seamers, while Sarah Glenn’s leg-spin accounted for two wickets.
Winfield-Hill then hit 11 fours in a brilliant innings as the White Rose recovered their chase from 56-3 in the seventh over. And with the skipper there and the score at 146-4 early in the 17th, Yorkshire had every chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
But she holed out off Erin Vukusic’s seam, and Chloe Skelton went on to defend 13 off the last over, taking two wickets, as Yorkshire finished on 174-7.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Ines Blackwell claimed three wickets at Scarborough today.
Somerset opener Odgers hit four fours and a six, over long-on against Blackwell, her early assault ended when she miscued Beth Langston’s seam to mid-off.
And when England star Glenn bowled a scooping Ruby Davis, Somerset were 58-2 in the seventh over at a gloriously sunny North Marine Road.
But Somerset powered on.
Luff and Holland shared 103 in 10 overs for the third wicket to turn the screw and make the absolute most of the platform they had built early on.
Teenager Blackwell was Yorkshire’s outstanding bowler, returning 3-27 from her four overs, while Beth Langston was the other wicket-taker.
Holland was particularly strong on the pull, with Yorkshire just not getting their length right to her. She reached a fifty off 30 balls, something Luff did off 36.
Luff has been a real thorn in Yorkshire’s side this summer.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Sarah Glenn celebrates dismissing Somerset’s Ruby Davis.
This was Somerset’s third win against the White Rose, one in each of the three competitions. And impressive Luff has posted scores of 76 not out, 57 and 51.
In the final over, Blackwell had Alex Griffiths and Holland caught in the covers off miscues and sandwiched in between Skelton caught at wide long-on.
Yorkshire lost Erin Thomas early in their chase to Skelton’s off-spin – 11-1 in the second over – as she top-edged a sweep to short fine-leg.
But Ami Campbell added some serious impetus by taking 23 off the left-arm spin of Olivia Barnes in the third over as the score moved to 34-1. She hit four fours and a slog-swept six over deep mid-wicket.
Unfortunately, though, she was unable to go on and fell caught at long-on for 34 off 18 balls having miscued a low full toss from the seam of Vukusic, leaving the score at 45-2 in the fifth.
When Glenn cut Holland’s seam to backward point, Yorkshire then slipped to 56-3 in the seventh.
But captain Winfield-Hill, in at five in a re-jigged T20 order, settled at the crease and started to put the pressure back on the visitors.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com. Ami Campbell slog-sweeps for six against Olivia Barnes.
She dominated stands of 41 and 49 with Amelia Oliver and Alice Clarke, who fell to Vukusic and Skelton respectively.
But it just wasn’t to be. Winfield-Hill, having blazed to 50 in 23 balls, fell when she got a leading edge on a scoop at Vukusic to short fine-leg – 146-5 in the 17th.
On-loan Lancashire batter Clarke played nicely for her 25. But she fell bowled to Skelton’s fourth ball of the last over, with 11 needed.
Rebecca Duckworth was then stumped off the last ball, meaning Somerset are the ones who advance to August’s quarter-finals instead of a spirited Yorkshire.
Captain Lauren Winfield-Hill said
“They were on for a bigger score than what they actually got in the end. They were flying throughout, and we didn’t bowl particularly well or field very well at times.
“But we did fight back really well. Ines was outstanding again, and it was probably about par in the end – maybe just slight over.
“With the bat, we just ran out of a bit of steam after a good start with Ami Campbell.
“We’re one quality batter down in the whole club, and then you take out two quality players in Sterre Kalis and Jess Jonassen from this side. You’ve obviously got two players in one in Jonno and Sterre’s been in fine form.
“But even with them, we’re a batter down from what we’d like.
“Personally, with my own game, my mind’s in a good place, and my game’s in good order. I feel in a good spot.”
