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September 7, 2024
Katie George Guides Sparks to Victory Over The Blaze
Katie George played a key role as Central Sparks secured a five-wicket win over The Blaze in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Chesterfield. This victory gives the Sparks a much-needed boost, while The Blaze now anxiously await the outcome of their rivals’ matches to see if they can still achieve a domestic double in women’s regional cricket.
The Blaze, who are the Charlotte Edwards Cup holders, are currently fourth in the standings. They hold a slim lead of just one point over the fifth-placed Sunrisers, who have one final league match against Southern Vipers. The Vipers, though, are the defending champions and have recently struggled with three consecutive losses.
In a match where runs were hard to come by, The Blaze managed only 166 runs after being put in to bat. Michaela Kirk led the scoring with 36 runs, a season best for her, while Kathryn Bryce contributed 33 runs. Together, they formed a 63-run partnership for the second wicket.
Grace Potts led the Central Sparks’ bowling attack with impressive figures of 3 for 38, marking her best List A performance. She was well supported by Charis Pavely, Emily Arlott, and Hannah Hardwick, who each took two wickets. Katie George then guided the Sparks to victory with an unbeaten 57 off 90 balls, including five fours.
The Blaze, missing key player Orla Prendergast due to international duties, struggled early. They lost Sarah Bryce, caught at point off Potts’ first over, but managed to reach 68 for 1 in the 13th over. Bryce and Michaela Kirk put on a strong partnership of 63 runs, but their progress was halted when both were dismissed in quick succession—Bryce and new batter Marie Kelly were both bowled out by Pavely and Arlott, respectively.
Kirk, who scored five boundaries, was out leg-before to Potts in the 20th over. Teresa Graves briefly lifted the score with a boundary but was soon bowled out by Hardwick, who was celebrating her first List A wicket. Hardwick then dismissed Lucy Higham on her first ball.
At 103 for 6 halfway through their innings, The Blaze struggled to build momentum, adding only two more boundaries. Ella Claridge (19) and captain Kirstie Gordon (22) managed to add 37 runs for the seventh wicket before Claridge was bowled by Ria Fackrell and Gordon was dismissed by Arlott. Grace Ballinger and Josie Groves added 20 more runs for the ninth wicket before Groves and Cassidy McCarthy were out while trying to push the scoring rate.
With a required rate of just 3.34 runs per over, Central Sparks’ opener Ami Campbell set the tone by hitting three boundaries in the first over from Bryce and another two in the second. However, Campbell was soon caught at cover when offspinner Higham took over.
The Sparks quickly went from 28 without loss to 43 for 3 by the 10th over. Left-arm seamer Grace Ballinger dismissed Davina Perrin, and left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon trapped Meg Austin, marking her 18th wicket of the season.
Despite Gordon and Bryce restricting the Sparks to only 14 runs in the next five overs, Abbey Freeborn was dismissed by Bryce, who bowled her. Katie George and Chloe Brewer then increased the scoring pace. At 110 for 4 after 25 overs, the Sparks needed 57 more runs.
Brewer was out leg-before to Gordon for 22, following a 55-run partnership. Although The Blaze bowlers, including Bryce with two consecutive maidens, kept the run rate in check, George and Charis Pavely played safely. Their unbeaten 53-run partnership saw the Sparks home with 52 balls to spare. George reached her half-century and finished the match with back-to-back boundaries.
This win was a fitting end for the Sparks as they will transition to playing as Warwickshire in 50-over cricket and Birmingham Bears in T20 next season. The Blaze will keep their current name, while domestic women’s cricket undergoes changes.
Zim Afro T10 League Set to Begin with Star Signings
The Zim Afro T10 league, featuring six teams, is scheduled to run from September 21 to 29 in Harare. Key players for the second season have been signed directly by the teams ahead of the draft on September 8. Each team will have a 15-player squad plus an additional 16th player as their global icon. The squads will include up to six local Zimbabwean players, with the global icon also potentially being from Zimbabwe.
The Bulawayo Braves Jaguars have signed David Warner and Carlos Brathwaite. The Cape Town Samp Army has added David Willey, Dawid Malan, Gulbadin Naib, and Qais Ahmed to their roster. The Durban Wolves have picked Colin Munro, Mark Chapman, and Yasir Shah. Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani will join the New York Strikers Lagos, while Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain will team up with James Neesham and Dasun Shanaka at Harare Bolts.
Rishad, who recently signed with Hobart Hurricanes and was Bangladesh’s top wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup, has made a significant impact with 14 wickets in seven matches this year. Following the Zim Afro T10, the cricket season will continue with the second season of the US Masters League, the Abu Dhabi T10, and the inaugural Lanka T10, concluding in December.
Zim Afro T10 Team Lineups
Here’s a look at the player rosters for each team in the upcoming Zim Afro T10 league:
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for The Wicket Insider, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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