Hertfordshire Girls U17 v Suffolk Girls U17's.......
On Sunday 5th July, Hertfordshire U17 girls had a super win against Suffolk at Letchworth Garden City CC. The win was particularly impressive as the side, due to a clash with the Herts women’s T20 tournament, comprised 8 U15 players.
In pleasant sunny conditions, Hertfordshire won the toss and elected to bowl first. Despite several runs coming from the first three overs, during the fourth the first of several key turning points in the day was marked by Abbie Sullivan running out Suffolk’s opener with a superb direct hit from the boundary. Kezia Hassall replaced Charlotte Wilde coming up the hill and immediately made an impact by clean bowling Suffolk’s captain for a duck.
The fall of the second wicket at 30 brought Megan Garrod to the crease. Good technique demonstrated in the first few balls she faced showed she would be a prize wicket if Herts could take it as she quickly got into her stride with some super shots. Unfortunately, Kezia then twisted her ankle necessitating a shortened run-up and a potentially earlier change of bowler from that end. However, it turned out to be a perfect change as Catherine Cirkel took her first wicket with her 4th ball – bowling Suffolk’s other opener. So, 61-3.
Catherine’s first wicket was just the start of what turned out to be a great day for her. With Jenna Pandit (replacing Sadie Hobson) bowling tidily from the other end, Catherine only had to wait to the second ball of her third over before striking again with Izzy performing a neat stumping. This was a wicket maiden.
Catherine continued her impressive spell, using a good combination of good flight and line and length and an occasional quicker ball to cause the Suffolk batters all sorts of issues.
In Catherine’s next over, things improved even further for her and her team mates with a double wicket maiden. The first trapping the batter LBW and then the Suffolk number 7 being bowled. At this point, Suffolk had collapsed from 61-3 to 82 for 6.
Things continued to get worse for Suffolk and better for Herts with Catherine’s next over where she bowled the opposition’s spinner. Spin taking spin! Catherine’s figures at this point were 5 overs, 2 maidens, 5 wickets for just 8 runs.
Lucy Smith had replaced Jenna after three overs and Lucy bowled a super spell of accurate seam bowling of 6 overs for just 7 runs. She too got a wicket with a tidy catch being taken by Catherine at mid-off.
With a double change of bowlers following completion of Catherine’s 9 overs (9-3-28-5) and Lucy’s 6, Abbie Sullivan and Safia Qureshi then bowled three overs each. Following Abbie’s great run out at the start of the innings, she was in the action again by catching the Suffolk number 10 who had hit a rapid 24 with powerful shots particularly to the leg side. What made this particularly impressive was that again she was fielding right on the midwicket boundary and despite the ball being hit hard and flat and going through Abbie’s hands, she caught it between her thighs! They all count!
The innings was wrapped up very next ball on 149 from 34 overs with Safia clean bowling the number 11 with an excellent delivery.
While wickets fell around her, Megan Garrod continued to play good shots and defend the better ball and by the time the Suffolk innings ended, she had made an excellent 60.
After tea, Izzy Cloke and Kezia walked out to open the Herfordshire reply. Although runs were initially difficult to come by due to the excellent Suffolk openers (and particularly their rapid captain) they did a great job at taking the shine off the new ball – playing very sensibly and with a nice straight bat! Izzy gradually freed her shoulders and hit some crisply timed boundaries. As the score moved to 22, Kezia was first to fall with Suffolk captain Wilson finally breaking through Kezia’s defence. Wilson struck again 10 runs later by bowling Sadie. The fall of Sadie’s wicket brought Catherine to the crease,
After an approximate 20 minute partnership, which say Catherine hid some good square drives and shots turned around her legs, Izzy also moved to 23 before being undone by a slightly slower full pitched ball that just squeezed under her bat to bowl her. For someone not used to opening, it was an impressive innings and got Herts off to an excellent start.
Charlotte Wilde joined Catherine but only one more over was possible before the rain arrived and the players had to leave the pitch. Covers were quickly put on and fortunately, only 7 overs of play were lost. This resulted in a revised target for Hertfordshire of 125 from 38.
When play resumed, Catherine and Charlotte kept the score ticking along against some predominantly tidy Suffolk bowling. Good clear calling allowed singles to be taken and the lack of boundaries for a while became less important. However, Suffolk’s first change bowler who had bowled very well for her four overs was punished by Charlotte for bowling slightly short and leg side with Charlotte taking 10 from the over.
Charlotte eventually departed, being caught at point for a well played 20. The score had progressed to 92-4 from 24 overs. So, the game was finely balanced with Herts needing 33 from 13 to win. Suffolk’s bowling tightened up with just 10 runs coming from the next 6 overs. Next in was Lorna Harper who, after some solid defence, broke the tension with a lovely shot for 4 to backward point boundary. Lorna and Catherine continued calling and running superbly and the total required gradually came down to 13 from the last 6 overs. It however didn’t take long with Catherine smashing a couple of fours including one to win the game. Lorna played flawlessly for her 9 from 39 and Catherine completed a fine day for her with a well-made 44 not out.
The win was a superb performance from the young Herts side and the support for each other and the good spirit in which the game was played by both sides made it a superb advert for the game of cricket.
Jonathan Cirkel
U17 Match Manager/Coach