Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy roundup: Eve Jones and Nadine de Klerk peel off match-winning hundreds

The Cricketer reviews the best of the action from the latest round of the 50-over competition in 2024

ECB Reporters Network | 08/05/2024 at 17:40

Beckenham: Northern Diamonds 311-9, South East Stars 308-9 - Northern Diamonds won by three runs

Northern Diamonds have beaten South East Stars by three runs in an all-time classic in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Beckenham, despite a stunning century from Sophia Dunkley.

Sophia Dunkley, left out of the England squad so she could find form in domestic cricket, did exactly that, making 130 from 136 balls, but she was run out by the bowler Erin Burns in an excruciatingly tense final over, after inexplicably failing to ground her bat after a single from the fourth delivery.

Bethan Miles was then unable to hit a boundary off the last delivery, meaning the Stars fell agonisingly short of what would have been a List A World Record run chase.

Earlier Hollie Armitage hit 66, Bess Heath 63 and Sterre Kalis 52, but a spell of three wickets for three runs in six balls from Phoebe Franklin limited the Diamonds to 311 for 9.

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^{The Blaze picked up a crucial victory (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Radlett: Southern Vipers 211-9, Sunrisers 212-7 - Sunrisers won by three wickets

Sunrisers' Flo Miller smashed an unbeaten 47 from 59 balls to secure victory in a see-saw game against Southern Vipers at Radlett and take her side back to the top of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy table.

Vipers, the defending champions, looked clear favourites after reducing the home side to 138 for 6 in pursuit of their 212 target, with off-spinner Charli Knott taking 3 for 35.

But Miller, 20, shared a seventh-wicket stand of 60 from 71 with Jo Gardner and kept her cool to score the winning run, securing Sunrisers' fourth win of the tournament with three balls to spare.

Jodi Grewcock top-scored for the home side with 56 from as many balls, while Sunrisers seamer Nic Hancock (3 for 45) took her tally of wickets in the competition to 14 as the visitors posted 211 for 9, built around a Georgia Elwiss knock of 53 from 63.

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Old Trafford: Thunder 284-7, Central Sparks 287-7 - Central Sparks win by three wickets

A brilliant century from Central Sparks skipper Eve Jones proved a match-winning one as she carried her bat in a remarkable last-gasp victory against Thunder at Emirates Old Trafford in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

Jones' unbeaten 136 – the highest score by a woman at the ground – steered her side to a thrilling three-wicket win that had still looked beyond Sparks as late as the last over off which they required 11 runs to triumph.

Earlier Emma Lamb and fellow opener, Seren Smale, shared an opening partnership of 140 – Thunder's first-ever century stand for the first wicket in the competition – as Lamb scored 107 and the hosts compiled a formidable score of 284 for 7.

But the Sparks skipper was the hero of the hour, aided by a crucial knock of 40 from Australian batter Courtney Webb, as she hit the winning runs in the final over to seal a stunning three wicket win.

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^{Tammy Beaumont was in action for The Blaze (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Trent Bridge: Western Storm 275, The Blaze 276-6 - The Blaze won by four wickets

South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk struck a magnificent unbeaten 106 as The Blaze fought back to beat Western Storm by four wickets in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Trent Bridge.

Chasing 276 for victory, the home side looked to be heading for a fifth defeat in six matches when they slipped to 137 for 6 following Nat Wraith's impressive career-best 73 in the Storm innings.

But 24-year-old de Klerk turned things round in a superb unbroken 139-run partnership with 21-year-old wicketkeeper Ella Claridge (64 not out), whose half-century was her first in women's regional cricket, as The Blaze won with 12 balls to spare.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Wraith had shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 93 with skipper Sophie Luff (37), who had earlier put on 66 for the second wicket with Fran Wilson (34) before useful lower-order runs from Chloe Skelton (29 not out) helped Storm made light of the absence of England duo Heather Knight and Danielle Gibson to total to 275 in 48.1 overs.

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