Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Maddie Ward excelled with two wickets and 41 runs at York today.
“It wasn’t the perfect performance, but, you know, a good outcome.”
That was all-round contributor Maddie Ward’s assessment of Yorkshire’s six-wicket victory over the Leicestershire Foxes at Clifton Park in York today.
Ward claimed two wickets and hit 41 with the bat as the White Rose made it five wins in a row across 50-over and T20 cricket, including three on the bounce in this Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2 competition.
“It was nice to get the win. Also nice to have a bit of time to create myself.
“I think we’ve definitely got areas we could be better in. I think we were a little bit sloppy in the field today, myself for one. That’s something that we can definitely improve on for Saturday’s game.
“But, I think, up top, Beth Langston and Laura Marshall were really good. Then, obviously, Grace Hall at the end, she was excellent. After they’d got away a little bit towards the end, she brought it back with a couple of maidens and a wicket.”
Ward anchored a chase which captain Lauren Winfield-Hill and Ami Campbell hit 44 and 60 not out in, the latter being particularly destructive.
“Lauren and Erin up top started brilliantly. Then Ami, back end, smashed it all over the place. She’s in some serious form. She’s class. Hopefully, she’ll have a flyer again on Saturday in the T20 against Essex.”
This was Yorkshire’s fourth One-Day Cup game, and they now break from 50-over cricket until August 2. The next few months are taken up with T20 cricket.
The White Rose have won three and lost one in this competition.
So how does vice captain Ward assess the start?
“Obviously, the first game against Worcester wasn’t ideal. I think we probably let the occasion get on top of us a little bit. But, since then, we’ve been brilliant,” she added.
“We’ve won five games on the trot now in the different formats. So I think we can carry on taking all the positives out of those games. But we know we haven’t been perfect.”
Yorkshire are in third-round Vitality County T20 Cup action against Essex at Headingley on Saturday (2.30pm).
