MATCH REPORT: Emphatic Lancashire Women defeat Warwickshire Women by 101 runs
Lancashire recorded a third successive win by hammering Warwickshire by 101 runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition at Edgbaston.
The visitors’ total of 276 for eight was built by a strong start and finish. Emma Lamb (88 from 84 balls) and Katie Mack (57, 86) laid a solid platform and, after a wobble induced by spinner Georgia Davis (three for 45), Sophie Ecclestone (50, 49) led a second wave which took the total from solid to imposing.
Warwickshire then succumbed for 175 all out (Katie George 35, 38), as Fi Morris took out numbers two, three and four in 12 balls on her way to five for 48 to sentence the home side to a third successive defeat.
After choosing to bat, Lancashire took an early hit when Eve Jones, back at the ground when she scored so many runs as a home player, fell to the eighth ball, lbw to an in-swinger yorker from George.
Lamb and Mack responded assertively with a stand of 116 in 23 overs. They reached their half-centuries from 50 and 80 balls respectively before the innings faltered in the face of spin.
Warwickshire captain Davis struck in her first over when Mack, deceived by flight, was stumped by wicketkeeper Abi Freeborn. Seren Smale was brilliantly caught at slip by George off Hannah Baker. Davis held a stinging return catch from Fi Morris and drew a fatal outside edge from Ailsa Lister.
When Lamb edged a pull at Issy Wong to Freeborn, five wickets had fallen for 49 runs in ten overs and, at 168 for six, Lancashire needed shoring up. Experienced pair Ecclestone and Eleanor Threlkeld (37, 44) provided the necessary ballast and then impetus with a stand of 91 from 82 balls and, after Ecclestone heaved Em Arlott to long on, Katie Cross socked Wong into the Hollies Stand to carry on the revival.
With Freeborn, injured while wicketkeeping, unable to open, Warwickshire sent in Charis Pavely with Sterre Kalis but the makeshift opened was first to go when she played on to Cross.
Morris then torpedoed the top order with three wickets in 12 balls. Kalis and Davina Perrin sent up catches to mid off and mid on respectively and Natasha Wraith was stumped through a reckless slog.
Bethan Ellis got a reverse sweep at Ecclestone all wrong and gave wicketkeeper Threlkeld the simplest of catches. Arlott embarked on a crazy second run and was only just past halfway when former team mate Grace Potts’ throw arrived.
Morris returned to bowl George with a lovely ball and complete her five-for when Freeborn holed out to deep mid-wicket. It was an all-round performance from Lancashire which oozed conviction and emphatically staked their claim as contenders for the inaugural County Championship title this season.
