Lancashire Women kick off T20 campaign with a win and a loss in Scotland
Lancashire Women opened their Vitality Women’s County T20 campaign with a win and a loss at Clydesdale Cricket Club in Glasgow.
Despite a Daisy Mullan hat-trick, the Red Rose fell to a 47-run defeat in the opening game against Scotland Women A.
But they responded with an emphatic 146-run victory over Cumbria Women thanks to a record-breaking 121* from 69 balls by 18-year old, Seren Smale.
Scotland Women A vs Lancashire Women:
Mullan’s hat-trick was the first ever in competitive cricket for Lancashire Women, as the Bolton-born 20-year old finished with figures of 3-37 from four overs.
Laura Jackson had earlier taken wickets in consecutive balls to claim 2-21.
This could not prevent Scotland, powered by Ailsa Lister’s 117* (75), from reaching 180 in their 20 overs.
In reply, Lancashire struggled to keep up with the required nine runs per over, as the Scots bowled tightly.
Sophia Turner hit six boundaries on her way to an unbeaten 59 as her and Jackson (26*) shared a fifty-run stand but the target was ultimately out of reach.
Lancashire Women vs Cumbria Women:
The second game of the day was in complete contrast, as Seren Smale and Jackson took Cumbria’s bowling attack apart.
Smale was in scintillating form from ball one, hitting three consecutive boundaries early on to guide Lancashire to 57 in the Powerplay.
From there, supported by the experience of Jackson, she put on a 360 degree masterclass.
In her 20 boundaries, there were cover drives, straight drives and, once she passed three figures, a couple of delightful ramp shots.
Cumbria simply had no answers to the England U19 star’s quality.
It is the highest ever county T20 score for Lancashire Women, surpassing teammate Emma Lamb’s 119* vs North East Warriors in 2021, and the joint highest for any side in the competition.
The impressive Laura Jackson made 53 from 45 balls as the pair put on a gigantic 178 for the second wicket.
The eventual total of 216-2 proved far beyond Cumbria’s grasp, only managing 70-6 in reply.
Phoebe Graham, Amelia Sammons, Jackson, Turner and Mullan all took a wicket in a bowling performance that did justice to the batting onslaught.
The 146-run win was a courageous response to the Scotland defeat and puts the squad in a positive mood ahead of their home matchday on Monday 8 May when they face North East Warriors and Roses rivals, Yorkshire.
Match Report by Ben Stevens