Lancashire Women's Second XI lift T20 trophy
Lancashire Cricket Women’s Second XI lifted the Women's T20 Development Competition after beating Hampshire and The Blaze on Finals Day at Billericay Cricket Club.
Captained by Dani Collins, with a host of first-team names including Tilly Kesteven and Sophie Morris featuring, the Red Rose completed two successful run chases to win the competition.
The first game saw Collins’ side breeze past Hampshire. The Rose and Crown batted first, setting 125 from their 20 overs, for the loss of nine wickets.
Those wickets were shared around equally, with Olivia Brinsden (2-29) and Hannah Jones (2-25) dismissing the openers early.
Lancs continued to apply the pressure and picked up regular middle-overs wickets. Liv Bell (2-13) and Venus Weerappuli (1-18) chipped away, but it was Summer Carrington (1-17) who picked up the crucial wicket off the penultimate ball.
The young seamer had Artemis Downer out bowled for 51, dismissing the only player who offered some resistance for Hampshire to grab herself a significant wicket.
With bat in hand, Lancashire never looked troubled. Tilly Kesteven (16) and Olivia Cunliffe (30) got off to a flier in the powerplay, putting 56 on the board despite the loss of Kesteven.
Cunliffe fell two overs after the powerplay, with 75 on the board, and had laid the foundations for the rest of the chase. Collins struck a superb unbeaten 54, off just 27 balls, as she and Skye Thomas (12*) guided the Red Rose home.
The Blaze were the opponents for the final, with Lancs once again bowling first.
It was a far better start from the Midlands side, with Prisha Thanawala (67) and Faith Teekasingh (54) putting on 93 for the first wicket. Bell (1-33) broke that partnership, having Teekasingh stumped by Thomas in the 12th over.
That wicket sparked a mini collapse for The Blaze. Ella Claridge was bowled by Jones (2-28), with captain Michaela Kirk and Flora Davies run out by Kesteven and Jones respectively.
Thanawala was caught by Brinsden off the bowling off Bell in the final over but helped her side get up to a competitive score of 172-5.
Despite losing Cunliffe (10) in the powerplay, Kesteven (44) and Collins (45) ensured the Lancs chase got off to a strong start.
When the skipper was dismissed just before the 10-over mark, they had 95 on the board. But the Red Rose stumbled, losing Thomas for 10 two overs later, and Kesteven fell in the 15th over.
Lancs were reeling and needed a quick rebuild. Luckily, Brinsden was on hand to steer her side back on track. She hit an invaluable knock of 28 not out from 14 balls, to help put drag the Red Rose back towards the target.
Wickets continued to fall around the all-rounder, though, and when Jones fell off the penultimate ball, The Blaze were favourites.
With number 10 Weerappuli on strike, Lancs were still four shy of their target. Teekasingh delivered a wide off the sixth ball of the over, before conceding four byes off the re-bowled final ball as the Red Rose got over the line.
It was a superb day for the Second XI, with several standout performances along the way helping to secure a memorable Finals Day win.
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