Hampshire Women Claim Dominant Championship Victories

Hampshire Women continued their strong start to the ECB County Championship with a nine-wicket win over Derbyshire Women at Mays Bounty, Basingstoke on Sunday 28^th May 2017 and a 115-run win over Staffordshire on Monday 29^th May 2017 at Cove Cricket Club.

Hampshire v Derbyshire

Hampshire: Hampshire: Charlotte Edwards, Charlie Dean, Ella Chandler, Dani Ransley, Suzie Bates, Katie George, Emily Windsor, Providence Cowdrill, Alice Monaghan, Naomi Lynch*^†, Chloe Mikelthwaite,

Derbyshire: Charlotte Horton*, Rachel Hopkins, Megan Pittman^†, Bess Heath, Leag Kellogg, Rebekah Grimley, Tiarna Gilkes, Alice Dyson, Lucy Yates, Emma Thatcher, Amy Lacey.

After winning the toss captain Naomi Lynch looked to take advantage of the overhead conditions with the decision to bowl first. Hampshire found the breakthrough in the 10^th over with a catch taken by Katie George off the bowling of Chloe Micklethwaite (2-15) to dismiss opener Rachel Hopkins. Derbyshire captain Charlotte Horton was soon on her way too after edging behind to keeper Naomi Lynch off the bowling of Katie George (2-5) in her second over; this left the visitors 28-2. Derbyshire lost their next five wickets for just 16 runs, another wicket each for George and Micklethwaite and three for all-rounder Charlie Dean (3-25). With Derbyshire struggling at 44-7, Alice Dyson, Lucy Takes and Emma Thatcher helped the visitors reach 109 but were finally bowled out in the 45^th over. Suzie Bates (2-14) and Emily Windsor (1-12) taking the final three wickets.

After the interval, openers Charlie Dean (26) and Charlotte Edwards (37*) set about to chase down the total, and despite their 41-run partnership concluding in the 13^th over, Suzie Bates (43*) and  Edwards 37* continued the run chase reaching the total in the 26^th over.

Hampshire v Staffordshire

Hampshire: Charlotte Edwards, Charlie Dean, Dani Ransley, Suzie Bates, Katie George, Emily Windsor, Providence Cowdrill, Alice Monaghan, Naomi Lynch*^†, Chloe Mikelthwaite, Matilda Callaghan

Staffordshire: Charlotte Whyle, Elsa Evans, Rosemary Cockle, Meghan Jones, Millie Bendall, Cheryl Allcock, Poppy Davies^†, Kathryn Whyle*, Ilenia Sims, Lydia Perry, Milly Wilson

After being asked to bat first on a damp day which had seen the contest reduced to 40 overs a side, Hampshire lost early wickets with Charlie Dean, Charlotte Edwards and Dani Ransley all falling inside the opening eight overs leaving the home side 19-3. Suzie Bates (77) found the boundary on 10 occasions with great attacking shots, made even more difficult due to the weather and the all-rounder reached her impressive half-century off just 40 balls in a 98-Run partnership with Katie George (34).

Bates was finally dismissed just 23 runs short of what would have been a deserved century, but a fifth-wicket partnership between Katie George and Emily Windsor continud the recovery. Opening bowler Cheryl Allcock returned in the 33^rd over with the score at 159/4 and quickly dismissed George and Windsor both bowled.  Providence Cowdrill and Alice Monaghan added a further 18 runs before Staffordshire brought back Rosemary Cockle and Charlotte Whyle who took two scalps apeice to bring an end to Hampshire’s innings on 188.

Hampshire openers Alice Monaghan (4-22) and Chloe Mickelthwaite (1-6) started excellently as Staffordshire began their reply and the hosts were soon left in dissaray with the total 7/4. In the 12^th over the energetic Matilda Callaghan (4-19) then dismissed Cheryl Allcock and three overs later Charlie Dean bowled Rosemary Cockle. A comprehensive victory seemed inevitable with the away-side crumbling to 31/9, but tail-enders Lydia Perry and Millie Wilson showed some resistance putting on 42 runs partnership iwhich was ended by Alice Monaghan the 30^th over when she bowled Millie Wilson.

The wins leaves the Hampshire Women 2^nd in the table behind Somerset with two games remaining.