Teenage batsman Alice Capsey offers glimpse of future with match-winning half century

Capsey’s bustling knock of 73 took her just 75 deliveries and included nine fours as she and Aylish Cranstone put together a match-winning partnership of 114 to secure the Stars’ second success of the tournament

Chelmsford: Sunrisers 198 v South East Stars 199-4 - South East Stars win by six wickets

Allrounder Alice Capsey struck an unbeaten 73 as South East Stars strolled to a six-wicket Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy victory against winless Sunrisers at Chelmsford.

Capsey’s bustling knock took her just 75 deliveries and included nine fours as she and Aylish Cranstone (46) put together a match-winning partnership of 114 to secure the Stars’ second success of the tournament.

Stars skipper Tash Farrant (3 for 24) made early inroads after the home side had opted to bat, having opposite number Amara Carr (6) caught at second slip and removing Lissy MacLeod (3) in her next over.

That left Sunrisers struggling at 17 for 2, although their prospects of posting a competitive total were raised by a solid partnership of 55 from 57 balls between Cordelia Griffith (27) and Naomi Dattani (33).

However, none of the Sunrisers batters were able to convert starts into the significant score that could have anchored their innings, with spin duo Dani Gregory (2 for 30) and Capsey (0 for 35) stifling them through the middle overs.

Capsey also made a key contribution in the field, with throws from backward square to run out Hayley Brown (16) and Grace Scrivens (16) – the latter having just clubbed her for three consecutive boundaries.

Jo Gardner (30) and Katie Midwood (27) did their best to haul Sunrisers above the 200 mark, but both fell to well-executed stumpings off Hannah Jones (2 for 36) before Farrant returned to finish them off in the penultimate over.

^{Capsey bowled economically as well as making a match-winning contribution with the bat}

Stars made an uncertain start to their run chase, with Kirstie White (5) leg before in the third over to seamer Katie Wolfe, who produced a tight opening spell in tandem with the nagging spin of Scrivens (1 for 34).

Debutant Chloe Brewer lifted the shackles by steering Wolfe through the slips twice for boundaries and, with Cranstone also starting to find the gaps, the visitors began to make steady progress.

The pair added 56 before Brewer (40) fell to Scrivens, caught behind attempting a cut, but new batter Capsey immediately made her intentions clear, pulling her first delivery through midwicket for four.

Capsey flourished against the Sunrisers spinners, outscoring her partner as she reached 50 from 52 balls – and Cranstone missed out on a half-century of her own, cutting Gardner to the point fielder with just 20 more required.

Although the impressive Gardner (2 for 13) followed that up with the wicket of Amy Gordon, it made no difference to the outcome, Susie Rowe stroking the winning single with 12.5 overs to spare.

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