The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Town’s ladies enjoyed one win from three exciting Twenty20 fixtures at Grantham Cricket Club on Sunday.
Town’s girls were up against Market Rasen, Hartsholme and Grantham – with their best result coming against the home side.
An impressive bowling performance saw Spalding bowl out Grantham for 46 in 13.5 overs, with Amelia Gardner taking incredible figures of 3-5.
Charlotte Cross’ 11 was the best the home side could muster, with Hayley Jones (2-6), Ellie Stanley (2-13) and Nicki Curran (1-12) also amongst the wickets.
Town had no trouble knocking off the runs – and needed just 9.5 overs to get the job done.
Gardner followed her impressive display with the ball by scoring 16 not out, while Stanley top scored with an unbeaten 24 in Spalding’s 47-1.
Against Market Rasen, Town were set a demanding target of 178 after an explosive display from the Rasen openers.
B Smith (88 not out) and Becky Brooker (71 not out) shared an unbroken 178 stand, scoring 25 fours between them.
In reply, skipper Gardner (10) helped get Town’s reply off to a steady start, but it was number three Stanley who top scored with 35. She hit seven fours before becoming one of Anna Scott’s two victims.
Curran’s unbeaten 13 down the order almost got Spalding to three figures, but they closed on 98-6.
Despite the defeat, that score was actually Town’s best total of the day.
The third game Spalding contested was perhaps their most disappointing, as Hartsholme handed them an eight-wicket reverse.
Batting first, Town managed 56 from their 20 overs as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Gardner (2) and Curran (3) fell early on, but the ever-reliable Stanley steadied the ship with 12.
She was outscored by number four Sophie Munro, who chipped with a valuable 27 before becoming one of Emma Leggate’s six victims. The Hartsholme ace took 6-14 and ripped through the Town batting order.
Jones (1-20) bowled S Boothright for a duck early on in the reply and Gardner ran out Abbie Johnson for 10, but Olivia Clare (33 not out) steered Hartsholme to 57-2 from 11.1 overs.
Town are back in action at Grantham tomorrow night (Friday, 6pm) in the Lincolnshire Women’s Cricket League.
