Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Rebecca Duckworth en-route to a fifty at Weetwood today.
Captain Lauren Winfield-Hill and Rebecca Duckworth both hit half-centuries as the hosts, having won the toss, set their tier three opponents 177 to win.
In 176-3, Winfield-Hill top-scored with 60 off 35 balls and Duckworth made 51 off 54.
Olivia Thomas took 3-17 from four overs of leg-spin and Claudie Cooper and Beth Langston claimed two wickets apiece as Staffordshire were bowled out for 108 off the penultimate ball of their chase.
Victory for Tier 2 Yorkshire sets up their first crack at Tier 1 opposition in the tournament as they face Essex Eagles at Headingley next Saturday, May 17.
Winfield-Hill, fresh from hitting 88 in the round-one victory over Derbyshire on Monday, was soon into her stride.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Lauren Winfield-Hill has top-scored for Yorkshire in the opening two rounds of the Vitality County T20 Cup.
She crashed four boundaries off the second over, bowled by Staffs captain Lucy Shenton, as Yorkshire raced to 23-0.
Opener Erin Thomas fell for four to Lauren Kenvyn in the third over, bringing Duckworth to the crease.
Yorkshire were 44-1 at the end of the powerplay but Winfield-Hill began to press on the accelerator.
She survived a tough caught and bowled chance from Malisha Tennakoon’s first ball before hitting two more fours. She was given another chance by Shenton, on 45, as another caught and bowled opportunity went begging for the visitors.
Winfield-Hill reached her stylish fifty from 28 balls in the 12th over, having hit 10 fours, and was receiving superb support from Duckworth with the total at 106-1.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Academy leg-spinner Olivia Thomas impressed once again with three wickets.
The first six of the innings came from Winfield-Hill before Georgie Harrison struck for the visitors, bowling the Yorkshire captain for 60 and ending the 91-run stand with Duckworth.
Sterre Kalis joined Duckworth, who was soon bringing up her own half-century from 52 balls as the right-hander steered Yorkshire towards a solid total.
Duckworth departed to Tennakoon in the penultimate over, as Kalis hit a breezy unbeaten 21 and Ami Campbell six not out to lift Yorkshire to their imposing total.
Staffordshire would have been pleased with how they restricted Yorkshire, who struck 205 in round one.
But Yorkshire’s bowlers were at it from the off.
Just nine runs came from the first three overs before off-spinner Cooper struck in her first as Helen Hughes was superbly stumped by Winfield-Hill for three.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Beth Langston is congratulated by Grace Hall as she strikes in the final over of today’s contest.
It was 22-1 after five overs but Lydia Perry greeted Maddie Ward’s arrival with three boundaries as the visitors started to counter punch.
Opener Lexie Cantrill hit three more in the seventh from Amelia Love to lift Staffordshire to 50-1 but the 16-year-old seamer responded superbly to have Perry caught by Cooper for 12.
Olivia Thomas was introduced and immediately got rid of the dangerous Cantrill for 27, well held at square leg by Duckworth.
Cooper struck again in her second over as Kalis produced a fine catch to dismiss Ebony Tweats for 12 and the visitors were 67-4 at halfway.
Grace Hall bowled Matilda Atherton-Gater for three to claim her first wicket before Thomas had her second by trapping Kenvyn for 11 to make it 80-6.
Tennakoon was bowled by Ward and Thomas had a third with a ripping delivery to take Shenton’s off-stump as Yorkshire closed in on victory.
Picture by John Clifton/SWpix.com. Yorkshire’s women celebrate their victory overStaffordshire.
Langston bowled Molly Dytham for 19 and Georgie Harrison for one in the final over as Yorkshire picked up a fourth successive win in all competitions.
They will look to clip the Eagles’ wings next Saturday. First up, though, they face Leicestershire at Clifton Park in York on Thursday in the 50-over Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
