Eve Jones produces captain's knock to keep Central Sparks in trophy hunt

Jones and Maddy Green staged a match-winning alliance of 106 in 15 overs for the third wicket, while in-form Abbey Freeborn made a useful 44 as the visitors broke down Western Storm

ECB Reporters Network | 13/09/2023 at 17:43

Taunton: Western Storm 241-8, Central Sparks 242-3 - Central Sparks win by seven wickets

Eve Jones and Maddy Green scored contrasting half centuries to guide Central Sparks to a crucial seven-wicket win over Western Storm and keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final.

Sparks captain Jones grafted her way to 84 from 113 balls, while New Zealand international Green plundered a quickfire 64 from 56 deliveries with 10 fours as the visitors chased down a victory target of 242 with 35 deliveries in hand at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton.

These two staged a match-winning alliance of 106 in 15 overs for the third wicket, while in-form Abbey Freeborn made a useful 44 as the visitors broke down Storm resistance to prevail with something to spare.

Nat Wraith top-scored with 39 and shared in a defiant stand of 64 with Katie Jones, and Sophia Smale and Chloe Skelton added 60 for the eighth wicket as Storm fought back from 113 for 9 in the 29th over to post 241 for 8 after being put into bat.

But a succession of batters failed to capitalise on good starts as Sparks took wickets at regular intervals to remain in control, Katie George claiming 2 for 49 against her former teammates and off-spinner Georgia Davis weighing in with 2 for 32 from 10 overs with two maidens to take her haul of victims in the 50-over competition to 25 this season.

A sixth win in 13 group games means Sparks will go into their final fixture against South East Stars at Edgbaston on Saturday in the knowledge that victory could secure them a place at Finals Day later this month.

Having suffered three straight defeats, bottom-of-the-table Storm will be looking to salvage some pride when they conclude their campaign against Thunder at Old Trafford this weekend.

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^{Georgia Davis has had a fine season (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Having fallen just short with the bat, Storm needed to take early wickets if they were to put the visitors under pressure. Sure enough, slow left armer Smale took the new ball and bowled Beth Ellis in the seventh over with the score on 14.

But the experienced pair of Jones and Freeborn steadied the ship in a reassuring partnership of 83 in 17.5 overs for the second wicket to keep the chase on track.

Emboldened by the brilliant unbeaten hundred she scored in her last innings against Sunrisers at Chelmsford on Sunday, Freeborn helped herself to six boundaries to break the stranglehold exerted by Storm's bowlers.

She had scored 44 from 57 balls and had her sights on a half century when she played across the line to Alex Griffiths and was bowled with the score on 97 in the 25th over.

Crucially for Sparks, Smale put down an extremely difficult return catch in the next over to give Jones a life on 41, and the former England batter took full advantage to move to 50 from 79 balls. If Jones played cautiously as befitted her status as captain, Green adopted a more aggressive approach as the partnership realised 50 in 46 balls.

The pugnacious Green struck seven fours on her way to a 47-ball half century, the 30-year-old Kiwi effectively taking the game away from an inexperienced Storm team that did themselves no favours by conceding 30 in extras. Smale eventually had Green stumped by Jones to finish with 2 for 38, but Jones remained at large to see the job through with Ami Campbell.

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