Lauren Winfield-Hill believes supporters attending Headingley for tomorrow’s T20 double header could be in for a treat as the Northern Diamonds bid to put one foot in Finals Day of the Charlotte Edwards Cup.
The Diamonds are going in search of a fourth successive win in this competition when they tackle Sunrisers from 3.30pm, after Yorkshire’s men face Durham in the Vitality Blast at 11.30am.
The Diamonds have so far beaten Western Storm, Central Sparks and South East Stars to put themselves in with a great chance of a top three finish and a place at New Road on June 10.
They are sat on 12 points, two behind leaders The Blaze. The top three teams qualify, with no one else yet into double figures points wise.
In the Diamonds only home game so far, against the Storm at Headingley last Friday, they racked up a competition total of 218-3, including a career best 98 from Winfield-Hill at the top of the order.
Captain Hollie Armitage also posted a superb career best 74, playing an even more brutal knock than Winfield-Hill.
Armitage usurped that with a brilliant 82 in yesterday’s thrilling two-wicket win over South East Stars off the last ball at the Oval.
What was particularly striking about the batting performance against the Storm last Friday, played out on in typically excellent batting conditions at Headingley, was that it was done without significant contributions from explosive duo Bess Heath and South African Chloe Tryon.
It made you wonder how much more the Diamonds have left in the tank. Could they break their own record?
“You know it’s a good wicket at Headingley, but we didn’t go out saying, ‘Right, we’re going to score 200 today’,” said England’s Winfield-Hill. “It just naturally evolves if you do your things well, dictate the early stages and put your foot down.
“It’s amazing where a total sneaks up to before you’ve even noticed if you do that.
“But it’s frightening what we could do, there’s no doubt about that.
“We know we have the power and skill in the shed. We have such a destructive batting line-up, and the beauty is that we’re not just dependent on one person.
“Everyone has contributed in different areas.
“I got to 60 in that Storm game and lost my rhythm a bit. I was over-hitting and thinking, ‘My god, you need to get on with it here because we’ve got so much power to come’.
“It was an awesome game of cricket, and it’s entertaining. It’s high-quality stuff, and hopefully with it being a double header this weekend lots of people get to see that.”
Sunrisers have lost two from two so far, and they play their third game against Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford today. They have signed South African legend Dane van Niekerk on a two-month overseas deal, and she is set to play.
This is not the first double header the Diamonds have played at Headingley with Yorkshire, but it does take on extra significance given it’s the first time they will have played after the men instead of before.
“It’s going to be amazing. Where the game’s at, we’re playing at Test venues, double headers, it’s just awesome,” added Winfield-Hill.
“The women’s game is really getting pushed forwards in this country.
“Hopefully we get a good crowd and a good atmosphere and the Western Terrace is a bit rowdy. It will be cool to experience that.
“A lot of the girls have played in front of decent crowds, but a lot of the youngsters haven’t.”
