Yorkshire have qualified for tomorrow’s final of the Abu Dhabi Women’s T20 competition after a dominant win over a United Arab Emirates XI this afternoon.
The White Rose will play Nottinghamshire side The Blaze under lights, having won one of their two games. This one, they beat the hosts by four wickets, chasing down only 107 with 21 balls to spare.
Captained by Maddie Ward today, Yorkshire have advanced ahead of the likes of Tasmania, Essex, Surrey and the UAE courtesy of a superior net run-rate, and they will face a Blaze side who have won both of their games over the last 48 hours.
Ward was one of a host of contributors for Yorkshire, returning a miserly 2-11 from four overs of spin as the UAE were restricted to 106-9. Later, Rebecca Duckworth anchored the chase with a composed run-a-ball 46 not out from the middle order.
Yorkshire were on point with the ball and in the field.
After Lauren Winfield-Hill captained the side in yesterday’s narrow defeat to Tasmania, her fellow wicketkeeper-batter Ward took the reins against a UAE side who featured former Yorkshire leg-spinner Katie Thompson, who is now teaching in the region.
Thompson actually returned the pick of the day’s bowling figures, 2-8 off her four overs. She bowled Ward and also ousted Sterre Kalis as the county fell to 79-5 in the 13th over.
Yorkshire lost regular wickets, but there was no real sign of drama given the size of the target they were chasing.
Winfield-Hill had hit 29 opening the batting before Duckworth steered the ship, hitting four fours and two sixes. The fact the target was chased midway through the 17th means Rich Pyrah’s side are now chasing a trophy to start the new era of English county cricket.
The White Rose win was set up by an impressive display with the ball and in the field. For the UAE, captain and opener Esha Rohit top-scored with 23. But she was bowled by Ward, and they needed more.
Ward only employed five bowlers, and each of them were miserly, while being supported by some sharp fielding. – two of the UAE batters fell to run outs.
Rachel Slater took the new ball and returned 2-17 from four overs, while Academy pair Elicia Pollard and Lucy Randle-Bissell returned 2-21 and 1-21 from their respective four-over spells. Randle-Bissell was also involved in one of the run outs.
Winfield-Hill was involved in both, with Claudie Cooper also helping her remove Heena Hotchandani for 21. Cooper returned 0-29 from her four overs of off-spin.
At the start of the winter, head coach Pyrah spoke about how he was keen for his 12 contracted players to be open to exploring different sides to their games.
So he will be delighted to see how recognised wicketkeeper-batter Ward has emerged as a spin threat in the last two days.
Win or lose against a Blaze side including the likes of Tammy Beaumont, the Bryce sisters and Georgia Elwiss tomorrow, there have already been plenty of positives to come from a weekend of T20 cricket.
